#stardom new blood 7 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

denimbex1986 · 9 months

Text

'Breaking into Hollywood stardom in the early 2000s, Josh Hartnett fast became a teenage idol through his early work and was fast-tracked to become the next best thing. Initially disillusioned with the celebrity lifestyle, though, he turned down many starring roles in major movies and even resorted to taking a lengthy hiatus from the industry not to lose his passion for acting entirely.

While fans of Hartnett from his earliest roles may lament the lost possibility of what could have been, his carefully selected career trajectory has seen him feature in some bizarre but brilliant films. With Oppenheimer seeing the much-loved movie star back on the big screen in front of mainstream audiences, these 10 films present as the best of a stellar career that may be just hitting its peak.

10. 'O' (2001)

Taking Shakespeare’s classic play Othello and applying it to the basketball scene of a modern American high school, O was an experimental teen drama that was always intriguing despite having some flaws. It focuses on local basketball star Odin (Mekhi Phifer), who is convinced of his girlfriend’s cheating by a conniving friend motivated by jealousy.

While the premise seems difficult to take seriously, O actually produced some genuinely good dramatic moments, and its approach to teenage violence was strikingly mature. It also struck gold in casting Hartnett as the envious villain, allowing him to display his acting chops as a complicated character that was both despicable and entirely believable.

9. 'Wrath of Man' (2021)

A gritty action delight noteworthy for reuniting Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham, Wrath of Man offered intense thrills and a winding story to boot. It follows H (Statham), a mysterious new employee at Fortico Security whose exemplary combat skills prevent a heist and lead his colleagues to question the man and his sketchy past.

With elements of one-man-army action, heist thrills, and even revenge drama, the movie offered up something for all action lovers to enjoy. It also featured Josh Hartnett, who stood out among the star-studded cast with his enjoyably unheroic turn as a fellow Fortico Security guard who gradually finds his courage.

8. '30 Days of Night' (2007)

Based on the comic book miniseries of the same name, 30 Days of Night was a pulsating mixture of blood-and-guts horror and thrilling action. It follows the residents of a remote Alaskan town who struggle to survive a month of no sunlight when a mob of vampires descends upon them, killing most of the townsfolk immediately and leaving the rest in a desperate fight for their lives.

An amalgamation of horror subgenres doused in more than enough gore to keep the genre’s most eager fans satisfied; it kept finding new ways to be intriguing throughout its duration, even with its simple premise. While Danny Huston’s villainous performance received plenty of praise, the film also served as an adequate reminder of Josh Hartnett’s natural ability in leading roles.

7. 'Oh Lucy!' (2017)

An overlooked gem of modern Asian cinema, Oh Lucy! was a dazzling hit of empathetic, tragic fun which blended romance with adventure. The film follows Setsuko (Shinobu Terajima), a lonely office worker in Tokyo who develops a crush on her English teacher and ventures to America to follow him when he abruptly leaves.

The film grounded itself in universal themes, which it explored in quirky yet strikingly honest ways, with the entire cast putting in outstanding and nuanced performances to make it work. It also wasn’t afraid to get quite dark, making for a heartbreaking tragicomedy that thrived off the back of Terajima’s brilliance and used Hartnett’s comedic talent perfectly.

6. 'The Faculty' (1998)

After making his debut in one of the forgettable installments of the Halloween franchise, Josh Hartnett got more opportunities to showcase his potential in the sci-fi/horror The Faculty. From director Robert Rodriguez, it follows a misfit group of high school students who discover their classmates and teachers have been overtaken by parasitic aliens and cook up an unlikely plan to save everyone.

In addition to its overt sci-fi/horror premise, The Faculty also ran with an affectionate focus on teen drama and high school politics, themes brought to life by the film’s surprisingly fantastic cast. Hartnett portrayed Zeke Tyler, an intelligent though problematic youth who holds the answer to defeating the alien race in his drug-dealing antics.

5. 'Lucky Number Slevin' (2006)

A fascinating example of differing opinions, critics were harsh on Lucky Number Slevin, but casual moviegoers loved it. The action crime-thriller follows a wrongly apprehended man. He is dragged into a vicious feud between two rival crime lords, where he is given a violent ultimatum and is tailed by two men as he frantically decides what he’ll do next.

Using an outstanding cast boasting the likes of Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, and Ben Kingsley alongside Hartnett in the starring role, the movie presented as a fun-filled action spectacle. It also utilized a twisty story, heavily stylized characters, and eye-catching set design to make a lasting impression on audiences.

4. 'The Virgin Suicides' (1999)

For much of the early part of his career, Josh Hartnett was considered a heartthrob. It is easy to see how his role in The Virgin Suicides may be a big reason for that. As Sofia Coppola’s directorial debut, it focuses on five sheltered teenage sisters in 1970s America and the neighborhood boys who grow obsessed with them.

Based on Jeffrey Eugenides novel of the same name, the film uses the boys’ reminiscing of their younger days as the framework for the premise, allowing the film to take on a hypnotic, dreamlike meditation of adolescent angst. In what was just his third feature film credit, Hartnett was able to make the part of the young Trip Fontaine a memorable highlight of his career.

3. 'Sin City' (2005)

With its striking stylistic choices, graphic yet cartoonish violence, and forbidden allure, Sin City was a barnstorming, flamboyant dose of comic book ultra-violence. It follows a range of shady characters as they go about their business in the cesspool that is Sin City, with everything from vigilante cops to ex-prostitutes and their lovers getting their time to shine.

Within the chaos, Hartnett appeared as The Salesman — aka The Man or The Colonel — a slick assassin who is hired by a woman who wants to kill herself. His small, condensed story of passion and violence proved to be a perfect introduction to the film, highlighting its neo-noir tone, arresting style, and penchant for jarring and abrupt violence.

2. 'Black Hawk Down' (2001)

Based on real events, Ridley Scott’s grueling yet gripping modern war drama presented a horrifying depiction of combat. Following the American Special Forces units who were sent into Mogadishu to capture two lieutenants of a violent warlord, it shows how the mission went wrong as the soldiers were overrun and two of their Black Hawk helicopters were shot down.

While it was somewhat limited in scope and perspective, Black Hawk Down was incredibly effective as a no-holds-barred nosedive into combat's graphic intensity and abruptness. Hartnett was more than comfortable in the starring role, leading a stellar ensemble cast with aplomb.

1. 'Oppenheimer' (2023)

Oppenheimer should go on to become one of the biggest films of 2023. A commercial smash hit and a critically acclaimed masterpiece from Christopher Nolan, the film follows J. Robert Oppenheimer’s (Cillian Murphy) work on developing the atomic bomb and the political fallout that came as a result of that and his leftist leanings.

Among the many great delights the film offered, one that made many fans happy was seeing Hartnett back on the big screen in a major blockbuster. His supporting role was also quite significant, portraying the Nobel Prize-winning nuclear physicist and Oppenheimer’s colleague Ernest Lawrence, which gave him ample opportunity to showcase his acting talents.'

#O #Oppenheimer #Sin City #Black Hawk Down #Ernest Lawrence #Christopher Nolan #Cillian Murphy #Wrath of Man #30 Days of Night #Oh Lucy!#The Faculty #The Virgin Suicides #Lucky Number Slevin #Josh Hartnett

6 notes · View notes

ohblackdiamond · 2 years

Text

life and life only (paul/victoria) (pg-13) (part 16 of ?)

Mermaid AU. Paul lives in isolation in a sunken ship with his sister, until a new mer comes by to see his ship, and he starts to reassess the human world, and vie for stardom within it.

In this chapter: Paul meets Victoria again, intent on rekindling their past romance.

The tour continued. He had Chris Lendt set up everything for Erica. Even had Chris start her on some savings bonds for when she grew up. Paul hadn’t been aware of what those were.

“It’s so she can go to college easier, Paul. They’re not taxable as long as she uses them towards her education.”

She’s smarter than us, Julia had said. Paul figured it was probably true. College still seemed like something only a person like Gene could go to.

He had to reach out to Omar Medlin again to settle the particulars beforehand. Birth certificates and social security numbers. Julia had a forged driver’s license, but that was all. Mostly for the sake of Paul’s alibi, Julia ended up taking the Eisen surname, but refused to let Erica take it, too.

“She said Erica’s last name is Shulman,” Omar had told Paul over the phone. “She won’t budge.”

It was the only hint to Erica’s father that Paul ever got.

“That’s fine,” Paul said.

“I’ll need them both to come to the office,” Medlin continued. “I know you’re still on tour, but if you’d like to see them, I can try to set it up when you’re off–”

“No, don’t worry about it. How much do you want for the documentation?”

“One hundred is plenty.”

“You’re lowballing me.” Paul swallowed. “What do you really want for it?”

“Just one hundred.”

“That’s not enough. You’ve never let me really pay you much for anything.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Medlin insisted. “You have enough people wanting your blood now, Stanley.”

He wasn’t wrong. Paul felt like his whole life had turned into a depleting expense account. Each tour was getting more elaborate, and more money-sinking, than the last. Tours were supposed to support the record sales. They weren’t meant to be the primary money-maker. If it weren’t for the merchandising, KISS would still be in the red.

“Why do you always wanna help me like that?”

Medlin didn’t speak for a few seconds. Then, Paul could hear him clear his throat on the other end of the line.

“I courted your mother before she was with William.”

He had suspected it years and years ago. Victoria’s insistence that her uncle would be willing to help. The garnet earrings Medlin had taken from him, the only payment he’d seemed to want for selling Paul’s things, for getting his identity papers, for getting him a place to stay. Even…

“When I landlocked, I didn’t think I would ever hear from her again.” Medlin’s voice was a little throaty. “Then Victoria stopped by the office and told me about meeting you. I didn’t know Eva had passed away until then.”

Paul chewed the inside of his lip and didn’t answer.

“I told her then if you or Julia ever wanted to landlock, I could get things taken care of for you.” Medlin was speaking very slowly, very carefully. “I didn’t really expect either of you to come ashore. Your mother loved the sea too much.”

His memories of his mother had faded out around the edges like an old photo. He hated how, even now, his first thoughts of her were of the slow, awful way she died, tainting everything else. She’d taught him his letters, his numbers, the names of all the fish. How to string pearls and how to grow a garden. Everything he knew about the sea, he’d learned from her.

“I wanted her to try living on land with me, but she wouldn’t. I think the land frightened her.” Medlin took a breath sharp enough that Paul could hear it over the phone. “But that’s thirty years on now, Stan. I’ll do for you and Julia what I couldn’t do for her.”

He wasn’t sure how to respond. A thanks seemed too awkward and impersonal.

“Do you still hear from Victoria?”

Medlin didn’t seem surprised by the question.

“She’ll call every few months. She’s been back in New York for awhile now, writing songs.”

“Oh, yeah?” That was news. “I thought she wanted to do an album.”

“She does. The producers won’t give her a chance.”

Typical. He should’ve left it at that, but didn’t. Nostalgia, maybe. His sister and niece had been brought back to him, like driftwood to the shore. Victoria, too, might return to his life with that same inevitability. Maybe she could give him what he’d been missing. Add in that piece of himself that he’d somehow lost over the last six years of filling auditoriums and emptying beds.

“Does she know about me? I could help her, if she wanted to break in at Casablanca. We’re the label’s biggest act. I could get Neil to onboard her--”

Medlin laughed quietly.

“Paul, everyone knows about you.”

The tour was almost over before he let himself give Victoria any more real thought. He wanted to ask Ace first, because he could be honest with him, but Ace just seemed further out of reach than ever. Peter was no good at all for discussion; Peter wouldn’t even sleep with his wife these days, claiming he’d gotten V.D. from a blood transfusion. Paul’s lip couldn’t help but curl whenever he thought about it. Even though Ace wasn’t faithful, at least he still slept with Jeanette. Gotten her pregnant, even, or so Ace had thought, and married her with all the haste of any self-respecting mer. But there’d been no baby, and Ace never mentioned it again.

Gene was reading the morning paper when Paul approached him. Three more tour dates left and they’d be done for a few months.

“How’re you gonna spend your time off?”

“Like I always do.” Gene smiled like he was foisting off another canned answer to a reporter. “A different girl every night. I won’t even have to leave my house.”

“Are you turning it into a brothel?”

Gene laughed.

“That’s more Hef’s domain, don’t you think? Mine just come on their own.” He flipped the page. “You… weren’t you going on vacation with Peter?”

“Just for a week. Before that, I… I thought I might visit some people I knew in Queens.”

Gene shook his head.

“Don’t. They’ll just disappoint you. Ask for money, the whole nine yards. Keep them in the past where they belong.”

“It’s not like that.” Paul hesitated, then reached for Gene’s untouched glass of orange juice. Gene didn’t blink as Paul put it to his mouth. “I want to see Victoria.”

“Victoria?” Gene actually put down his newspaper. “What the hell for?”

Another bit of hesitation. Maybe he should spin this one for Gene. Gene was already looking at him like he’d gone insane.

“I just wanna see how she’s doing. I talked to her uncle.”

“You talked to her uncle,” Gene repeated. “God, Paul, wasn’t dating Lydia’s cousin bad enough? If you’re that hard up--”

“I’m not hard up! I could get any chick I wanted.” The bravado was paper-thin. “It’s not what you think, Gene.”

“You’re still such a fucking schmuck, you know?” Gene shook his head again, more agitated than Paul had expected. “Stanley Bert Eisen believes in true love even when he can’t practice it. You’re like a Catholic that thinks it’s all right to sin as long as he goes to confession.”

Paul only had a vague idea of what confession was, but he still bristled.

“I wanna see her. I didn’t say I wanted to do anything else.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“What do you care, anyway? I never say anything about your girlfriends.”

“I’m responsible with them. You just drown them.” Gene closed his eyes briefly. “You’re desperate. Going back to her is desperate. I don’t want to cheerlead you into something as stupid as your high school sweetheart.”

“It’s not--” Just like always, just like ever since they met, Paul didn’t have the vocabulary to explain it to Gene. Gene would never understand what it was to court. To almost have a mate. Omar talking about his mother had, oddly, only sealed in Paul’s trajectory. Nearly thirty years and he hadn’t overcome Eva. A mate, a real mate, was something impenetrable. Something that had, once, made him whole. “I won’t do anything stupid. I’m not expecting anything.”

“You’re just hoping,” came the reply, amid some rustling. Gene had picked up the paper again. “That’s even worse.”

Once the tour was over, he made his plans. It hadn’t taken a lot of delving around, really. Songwriters were a compact, incestuous group, stationed primarily in New York and Los Angeles. Sean Delaney had reached out to a few contacts, and before Paul knew it, he had her manager’s card in hand.

“I want to collaborate with her. Write some songs,” he’d said over the phone, his hands sweating. Six years on land and he’d never get used to his human body’s propensity to give off water.

“Yes, absolutely.” Her manager sounded a little surprised over the phone.

“I know she doesn’t really write rock music, but I think… I think KISS could use a different edge, you know? You’ve heard our latest album, right? We’ve got a ballad on there.” Paul privately couldn’t stand that particular ballad, but it had kept Peter from having to lift one of his songs for his customary track. “I wanna try something like that again.”

That much was true.

“She’d be glad to. How about Friday night? Or Saturday?.” God, her manager was eager enough that he was already setting up the appointment. Was Victoria in that much trouble?

“Friday at seven. We’ll have dinner. I’ll--” he started to say he’d set up the reservation, but no. No, he’d have Bill’s secretary set it up. “We’ll reach back out with the details.”

He’d see her. Three more nights and he’d see her.

Those three nights were a mad rush. Digging through his closet, still a haphazard mix of designer and what he’d hoped looked like designer. Examining every inch of his apartment for flaws (already, he was almost certain she’d come in). When he was off-tour, he was always trying to decorate. Fill the place with all the beautiful things he’d never had, and approximations of all the beautiful things he’d gotten rid of. There was no way of tracking down his mother’s jewelry, all these years later, but he had found some antique Victorian pieces that were close. He liked to think, sometimes, that the place looked a little like a modernized Lord Stanley at its zenith, instead of the decaying mammoth he’d grown up with. The cracked full-length mirror, the only belonging from the ship he still had, was mounted on his bedroom ceiling.

“Sexy,” Gene had said as soon as he’d seen that mirror, the time he’d come over for the grand tour. “It is for sex, right?”

“No. Well, kind of.”

“You could get better. That thing’s falling apart.”

“It’s sentimental. I like it.”

Hopefully Victoria would. He bit his lip, considering. They were going to go out for sushi. He had a composition book half-filled with song lyrics, if she wasn’t interested, but he thought she would be. He didn’t relish the thought that he might end up like her uncle, lovelorn over an old courtship. They could rekindle things. He was certain of it.

He wasn’t sentimental enough to meet her at their old sushi place. He didn’t even know if it was still in business. Instead he’d reserved a table at one of the most upscale Japanese restaurants in town, and arrived twenty minutes early, just to ease his own nerves.

She came alone. She was wearing a powder blue dress that fell to her ankles, her legs only visible through the split in the skirt. Her blonde hair was nearly as long as he’d remembered, and still straight, parted in the middle. Her eyes were still as blue as six years before.

“Paul,” she said, and he almost stumbled to his feet, reaching over the table to twine their fingers together. Just the touch of her palm against his and he could almost forgive everything. Wind it all back around and be that kid in the back of the Broadway theater, taken in completely.

“Hey, Victoria.”

“It’s been a long time.”

“Yeah, it has. You look good.”

She looked incredible, in fact. He had never considered the possibility that she wouldn’t. For a mer, a mate, a real mate, almost transcended physicality. But she was beautiful even beyond that. The sunkissed skin that he remembered, that smile that had stayed in his dreams long before they’d courted. And yet something had changed, something he couldn’t quite place yet as she took a seat in front of him.

“You grew up on me, Paul.”

“Don’t say that.”

“You did. Maybe we grew up on each other. You just got back from your tour, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I think I’m still jet-lagged.” He grinned. “Got the bags under my eyes to prove it, I guess.”

“You always had those, Paul.” A faint flicker of a smile, so faint he almost thought he’d missed it. “You wanted to write songs?”

“Yeah. Yeah, sure.” She was giving him an out already. He reminded himself of all the obvious points. The six years that had passed could’ve meant anything. He had fooled around, after all. She might have a boyfriend, or a fiance, or… or she might not be interested at all. Maybe she was past him. No, he couldn’t let himself think this way. Not this early on.

The maitre d’ came out and they placed their orders. The standard miso soup, several sushi rolls. Saki.

“But I wanted to talk to you, too. I wanted to see how things were going with you.”

“Everything’s all right. I still do some T.V. ads. No movies lately.”

He knew that already.

“How’s–” he started, and then shook his head. How’s your mom, as if they were barely more than acquaintances. As if they’d even talked much about her family in those days in the water and at her apartment. They had always been so elevated. They’d talked about the world, the human world, all its triumphs and troubles and music. “You really helped me. When I went ashore, y’know. I found your uncle, and he got everything set up for me. He even found me a place to stay, ’cause… ’cause he was crazy about my mom, I guess.”

“He’s the one that told me when your birthday was.” The careful look on her face softened just a little. “When did you go ashore? I couldn’t figure it out from the articles.”

“About a week after you left New York.”

“Oh, Paul.” Her lips twitched, and she glanced away. Unusual for her. Victoria had always seemed to look everything and everyone dead-on. Confident and assured. He opened his mouth, about to explain, but the right words seemed to be missing completely.

“It doesn’t matter now, though, does it? It all worked out, right? Things are great now. Victoria, you ought to see the stage show we’ve got these days. It makes Hair look tame.”

“I’m proud of you.”

“We’re… we’ve gone everywhere. We went to Canada the first year we toured, and then later we went to Europe. I’m gonna be in Hawaii soon. I–” and he shook his head as if that would stop his own rambling. “You read the articles? The girls make a lot of those up, you can’t–”

“The interviews are interesting.”

“Oh, they’re terrible. I never come off right, y’know? They’ve all got an angle. If… if you’ve got anything you wanna ask me, you can tell me right here.”

“All right, Paul.” She reached for her glass of water, took a small sip. He watched her, remembering how her face used to change so suddenly, in those small ways, at a turn of phrase. How she used to get distant for just a few moments and then ease right back into place. Distant now. Well. She had put three thousand miles between them, once. “There’s always things you can’t tell the press. But I never liked lying more than I had to. You stop being able to keep up after awhile.”

Paul felt his mouth purse, the miso soup no distraction as a little unease seeped through his skin. Like the way it used to feel when a wriggly sand lance would brush past his tailfin.

“What’re you talking about?”

“You said you lost your virginity to an older woman when you were fifteen.” She wasn’t smiling. “I don’t remember you being quite that age.”

It had been so long since anyone at all had the guts to call him out on anything at all. Anyone but Julia. He had remade himself so thoroughly that he almost had to remind himself that Victoria was right.

“Victoria, I just…”

“‘Too short,’ too. That was your comment. That was all you had to say–”

“It’s all showbiz, right? You know how it is. You play the part they want out of you. If they want Paul Stanley to be some ladykiller in high school, then–”

“You didn’t have to lie about us. You made it cheap, Paul.”

“It’s only to sell a magazine. It doesn’t mean anything.” He shifted. “It doesn’t mean anything at all.”

“Everything means something.”

He finished off his miso soup, eyes on her spoon instead of her face. More accurately, her hand.

“You’re not married.”

“No.”

“Are you seeing anyone?”

“You’ve gotten bolder, haven’t you? No. Not right now.”

Maybe there had been others. Probably there had been others. He couldn’t fault her for it, not given all the beds he’d occupied over the last six years. But hope was starting to build somewhere in his throat, as the waitress came out with the first two platters of sushi, a California roll and a spicy tuna roll. He picked one up with his fingers.

“I remember when you first took me out,” he said. “I said we could have Japanese, but I didn’t know what Japanese food was. I barely knew what most human food was.”

“I remember.”

“The only human food I’d ever had before was from those stands on the island. Mostly just ice cream. They sold hot dogs, too, but I didn’t know what was in them.”

“Most humans don’t know what’s in them.”

“Yeah. Gene won’t eat them. Something about kosher. I…” he ate the piece, swallowing before he continued. “I owe a lot to you. I guess I always will.”

“You don’t owe me, Paul.” But she looked softer now, less distant. “I’m glad for you. I wanted you to come ashore so badly. I knew you’d be able to do it.”

“I wish I’d done it with you.”

She bit her lip, chopsticks hovering helplessly over a roll.

“Oh, Paul. I tried--”

“I didn’t try to follow you, okay? Julia left. She was going to have a baby. So I had to leave, too. You… you know I couldn’t have made it in the sea by myself.” The explanation was too brief and scattered, but he kept going. “You read my interview? I used to check the record stores for you. I even saw that movie you were in.”

“Paul--”

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. But I never… you were always there, you know? I tried sometimes, but I never courted anyone the way I did you. I never felt that way again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like you were my mate. I know I never said it. But that’s how it felt for me.”

Victoria set her chopsticks down. Her eyes were glassy, and she clasped her hands together briefly, running her fingers against her knuckles.

“You don’t have to talk like that.”

“It’s true. Victoria, we can write songs. We can have dinner. And that can be it, if you want. But if you still feel like I do, even a little, I’d… I’d like to try again.”

“Try again,” she repeated. “It’s been six years.”

“I know.”

“You’re not who you were then. Maybe I’m not, either.”

“Maybe not. But that’s-- that’s okay, isn’t it? As long as we’re both-- as long as we feel the same, then that’s all we need to start.”

“You can’t chase a memory, Paul. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You couldn’t.” He reached for her hand, across the table, resting his fingers on top of hers before squeezing her palm. “I’ll probably disappoint you.”

“Do you still have a garden?” The words were a gentle, slow slope. There it was. A piece of that old expression he’d been so enamored by. Was still enamored by.

“Nah. Not even on my windowsill.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.” Soft. He could still be soft with her. All the angles, all the pretense, he was sure he could leave behind around her. “I just have an apartment right now, but I think… aw, Victoria, sometimes I wanna have a flower garden. I couldn’t have something like that back home. Everything, every acre had to be useful. I’d like something just… just decorative, you know?”

“I can get you started.” She squeezed his hand back before letting go. “Paul, I can’t promise you anything. Not this quickly.”

“You don’t have to promise me.” His face was warm; he could feel it. Hers, too, those tanned cheeks suddenly just a little pink. If there was concern in her features, he never saw it. “I’ve got a good feeling, no matter what.”

#kiss fanfiction #kiss the band #paul stanley #gene simmons #mermaid au

2 notes · View notes

yessadirichards · 1 year

Text

Taylor Swift returns to Nashville, reveals 'Speak Now' date

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Taylor Swift is playing catch-up with her fans this year in a massive and impressive stadium show that embraces her artistic reinventions.

Nearly two months into the 52-show Eras Tour, Swift returned Friday to the origins of her musical career in Nashville, Tennessee, a city she outgrew as a country starlet destined for pop stardom.

In front of 70,000 fans, Swift dropped the news that she would be releasing a re-recording of her Nashville-era 2010 record, “Speak Now,” on July 7.

Swift started releasing new versions of her early albums in 2021, after a dispute over the ownership of the masters, which were sold to — and then by — music executive Scooter Braun. “Speak Now,” Swift's third album, will also be the third “Taylor's Version” recording — she released the re-recordings of 2008's “Fearless” and 2012's “Red” in 2021.

“Speak Now” was an album she wrote entirely by herself and she performed one of the singles, “Sparks Fly” after her announcement, followed by “Teardrops on My Guitar,” from her 2006 self-titled debut record.

The tour started chaotically with a breakdown of Ticketmaster’s ability to withstand the demand of fans, who were eager to see Swift after an extended hiatus from touring due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those who were lucky enough to get into the first of three shows in Nashville made sure to show out in their cosplay outfits inspired by Taylor’s songs, ranging from marching band geek to cardigans and cottagecore.

“I moved to Nashville nearly 20 years ago,” she told the crowd. “And this dream I had since I was so little I can’t even remember even first having it, this dream came true because of this town and the people in it.”

She started off the nearly 3.5-hour show with a line from “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” as a gentle spring rain sprinkled on the crowd: “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s you and me, that’s my whole world.”

The Eras tour theme is a natural fit for an artist whose music is often so self-referential, winking and smiling at the previous Taylors and their moments. The show is broken up into acts, not moving chronologically through her discography, but instead presenting like a house with many rooms. The color schemes, choreographed dancers and outfits support the overall feeling of musical theater, with a stage that incorporates rising platforms and hidden trap doors she can disappear through.

With over 40 songs on the setlist from her 10 albums, Swift hits a lot of the highlights of her singles, ranging from “You Belong With Me,” “Shake It Off,” “Bad Blood,” “Anti-Hero” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” But she also made time for special songs, like her 10-minute fan favorite “All Too Well,” and brought back opening act Phoebe Bridgers to perform their duet “Nothing New,” a vault track released on “Red (Taylor’s Version).”

It was a five-year wait to see all the glittering chapters of Swift’s career on stage together, but the pop star’s marathon performance carried fans through to the last notes.

#yessadirichards

0 notes

rcmndedlisten · 1 year

Text

Photo by Sofie Vasquez

Kate Meizner has been a reliable live band ringer for the likes of Snail Mail, Maneka, the Glow, and Potty Mouth over the years, but in 2022, she repackaged herself as a contender all her own. Beyond doing double-duty in Hellrazor alongside former Speedy Ortiz guitarist Mike Falcone, she -- with Falcone, keyboardist Michael Julius of Flash Trading and bassist Maggie Toth of Leapling -- debuted to the world Jobber, a band that smashes together the esoteric worlds of indie rock and pro-wrestling motifs. On their highlight EP, Hell In A Cell, the four-piece faction finds common ground between grappling with daily drudge and the squared circle using heavy hooks.

Meizner’s rockism surely got her through the year as well in listens by the scene’s ring veterans as well as fellow breakout artists, but so have fresh sounds in R&B pop, rap and hardcore. It would be remiss to hear about her favorite music of 2022 without asking which matches from the wrestling world stood out for her as well, so maybe turn up the Chat Pile while watching the spectacle that was the Blackpool Combat Club and Jericho Appreciation Society spilling blood and mustard all over the arena from Double or Nothing...

Kate Meizner of Jobber’s Favorite Music and Wrestling Matches of 2022:

Top Albums & EPs

1. Chat Pile - God’s Country [The Flenser]

God's Country by Chat Pile

2. DISQ - Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet [Saddle Creek]

Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet by Disq

3. Larry June - Spaceships on the Blade [Empire]

4. Ex-Void - Bigger Than Before [Don Giovanni Records]

Bigger Than Before by Ex-Vöid

5. Maneka - Dark Matters [Skeletal Lightning]

Dark Matters by MANEKA

6. Nilufer Yanya - Painless [ATO Records]

PAINLESS by Nilufer Yanya

7. Flasher - Love is Yours [Domino Records]

Love Is Yours by Flasher

8. Mindforce - New Lords [Triple B Records]

New Lords by Mindforce

9. FLO - The Lead EP [Island Records]

10. Built to Spill - When the Wind Forgets Your Name [Sub Pop]

When The Wind Forgets Your Name by Built To Spill

Honorable Mentions:

Gel & Cold Brats - Shock Therapy EP [Convulse Records]

Shock Therapy by Convulse Records

Objekt - Object #5 EP [Self-released]

Objekt #5 by Objekt

Pet Fox - A Face In Your Life [Exploding In Sound Records]

A Face In Your Life by Pet Fox

Top Matches of the Year

1. Giulia vs. Tam Nakano @ 5 Star Grand Prix [Stardom]

2. Sazzy Boatwright vs. Matt Brannigan @ Jobber’s EP release show [IWW]

3. Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville @ Wrestlemania 38 [WWE]

4. Anarchy in the Arena @ Double or Nothing [AEW]

5. Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay @ G1 CLIMAX final [NJPW]

6. Noah Golden vs. Vaughn Weston @ Bloodsport [BWO]*

*One of the backyard matches featured in the “Entrance Theme” music video

youtube

Hell In A Cell by Jobber

Jobber’s Hell In A Cell is available now on Exploding In Sound Records.

#best of 2022 #artist favorites 2022 #jobber #exploding in sound records

0 notes

addictedtomanga · 3 years

Text

Classic shoujo mangas

1. Skip Beat – ongoing

Sixteen-year-old Kyouko Mogami followed her childhood friend and love interest Shoutarou "Shou" Fuwa to Tokyo to support him while he works toward his dream of becoming a top idol in the entertainment industry. But after finding out that Shou considers her as little more than a mere housekeeper, she swears to enact revenge by entering the entertainment industry herself and beating him at his own game!

However, Kyouko's revenge plan suffers a setback almost immediately when she is rejected by the talent agency of her choice. Fortunately, the president of the agency gives her a second chance, and places her in the newly made "Love Me" section. Kyouko then begins her long journey to stardom, cultivating her skills as an actress and forming relationships with new friends along the way.

! I always loved this one, but it has really REALLY slow-pacing, and its ongoing, so if you haven’t started it yet, I’d wait ‘til it’s done.

2. Ouran High School Host Club

At Ouran High School, an academy where only the children of the rich and powerful attend, there exists a club consisting of the most elite of the student body: the legendary Host Club. Within the club's room, six beautiful, bored boys spend their time entertaining equally beautiful and bored girls.

Haruhi Fujioka, a poor scholarship student, has no interest in the Host Club—until she breaks a valuable vase in their clubroom. After being mistaken for a boy, Haruhi is forced by Kyouya Ootori to work for the Host Club to repay her debt. Tamaki Suou, the princely leader of the club, eagerly takes her under his wing to teach her the ways of the host. Things, however, are never quite so simple with the Host Club around. Even the most mundane events can turn into huge spectacles with the likes of prankster twins Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, stoic Takashi Morinozuka, and sweet Mitsukuni "Hunny" Haninozuka. The crazy adventures of the Host Club are just beginning, and Haruhi must learn how to survive in the glitzy world of the hosts.

3. Kimi ni Todoke

Kuronuma Sawako is completely misunderstood by her classmates. Her timid and sweet demeanor is often mistaken for malicious behavior. This is due to her resemblance to the ghost girl from "The Ring," which has led her peers to give her the nickname Sadako. Longing to make friends and live a normal life, she is naturally drawn to Kazehaya Shouta, the most popular guy in class, whose "100% refreshing" personality earns him great admiration from Sawako. So when Kazehaya starts talking to her, maybe there is hope for the friendships Sawako has always longed for. Maybe...there is even a little hope for some romance in her future.

! A bit too long in my opinion, but its sweet.

4. Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge

It's a gorgeous, spacious mansion, and four handsome, fifteen-year-old friends are allowed to live in it for free! There's only one condition—that within three years the guys must transform the owner's wallflower niece into a lady befitting the palace in which they all live! How hard can it be?

Enter Sunako Nakahara, the agoraphobic, horror-movie-loving, pockmark-faced, frizzy-haired, fashion-illiterate recluse who tends to break into explosive nosebleeds whenever she sees anyone attractive. This project is going to take more than our four heroes ever expected: it needs a miracle!

! This is super frustrating. I loved everything, except for the ending. Honestly, I don’t recommend reading it with great expectations, just enjoy the story.

5. Dengeki Daisy

Teru Kurebayashi is left all alone in the world after the death of her brother, Souichirou. Well, all alone except for "Daisy," someone that she can always talk to and who never hesitates to cheer her up. However, Teru has never met Daisy, she has no idea what he looks like, and her only means of contacting him is through a cell phone that her brother left for her.

In stark contrast to the kind words and encouragement Teru receives from Daisy, she gets nothing but grief from the rude school janitor, Tasuku Kurosaki, who forced Teru to work for him after she accidentally broke a window. But while Kurosaki seems like a lazy good-for-nothing who only enjoys making her miserable, is there more to him than meets the eye?

6. Kaichou wa Maid-sama

Seika High School was an all-boys school, but it has since turned co-ed. Misaki Ayuzawa is the first female student council president of the school, eventually earning the nickname of the "Demon President" due to her mastery of Aikido and imposed iron rule.

However, Misaki harbors an embarrassing secret—she has to work at a maid café to support her family. If anybody from her school was to find out, her reputation would be utterly destroyed. And after Takumi Usui—the most popular boy at school—discovers her secret, that might just happen.

7. Special A

Have you ever known someone who was better than you at everything you did? Hikari does. She's known Kei since they were both six years old and he's surpassed her at everything. Now they are the top two students in an extremely prestigious high school, with Kei holding firmly to that number one position, and Hikari is still determined to beat him, no matter what it takes.

8. Black Bird

Misao Harada has been able to see demons since she was a child and has vague memories of a boy who protected her from these troublesome creatures, vowing to come back for her someday. Now in high school, Misao wishes she could be normal and have a boyfriend. As she returns home one day, she notices a gorgeous stranger has moved in next door. To her surprise, he introduces himself as Kyou, her long-lost childhood friend and first love.

The next day, on her 16th birthday, Misao is suddenly wounded by a classmate. Exposed as a demon, he plans to eat her in order to gain eternal youth. When all hope seems lost, Kyou saves her, revealing himself as the leader of a Tengu clan. Since making Misao his bride will bring prosperity to his clan, he offers her a choice: sleep with him and become his bride, or endure more attacks from other demons drawn to the power of her blood.

! A bit dramatic to my taste, but overall I really liked it

9. Last Game

Nothing is beyond Naoto Yanagi, heir to the Yanagi business conglomerate. Idolized for his athletic and intellectual competence, looks and wealth, Naoto lived like a king during his elementary school days—then entered Mikoto Kujou, a plain, gloomy-looking transfer student.

Due to her low financial status, Naoto was initially apathetic towards Mikoto. But despite having just arrived at his school, she completely eclipsed him in everything by consistently scoring top marks in exams and placing first in athletic events. After a brief confrontation with her that left him shocked, Naoto vowed to outdo her no matter the cost.

Ten years later, they are now students attending the same college. Having failed to defeat Mikoto throughout middle and high school, Naoto decides they will have one last game: if he can make Mikoto fall in love with him and then break her heart, it will be his victory. However, he finds himself falling in love with her instead...

! One of my favorites!

I love this one, but beware, its slow-paced

#manga #shoujo #shojo #shoujo manga #shojo manga #romance #classic shoujo #skip beat #ouran high school host club #ouran koukou host club #kimi ni todoke #yamato nadeshiko shichi henge #dengeki daisy #kaichou wa maid sama #special a #black bird #last game #shoujo recommendation

254 notes · View notes

passionate-reply · 3 years

Video

youtube

This time on Great Albums, we tackle a slightly more obscure artist, but one who’s near and dear to my heart: Frank “Fad Gadget” Tovey, the very first artist signed to Mute Records, and the one behind MUTE 002. Find out what’s so great about him by watching my video, or reading the transcript that follows after the break.

Welcome to Passionate Reply, and welcome to Great Albums! Today, I’m going to be digging into the work of Frank Tovey, better known as “Fad Gadget.” While Tovey was the very first artist signed to Daniel Miller’s Mute Records, his legacy doesn’t seem to be remembered quite as strongly as many of his labelmates. He never achieved the heights of pop stardom that Depeche Mode did, and despite being a daring and experimental artist in his own right, he doesn’t have quite as prominent a cult following as, say, Einstürzende Neubauten. Fad Gadget may not be for everybody, but he’ll always be an important artist to me. As a teenager, he helped me bridge the gap between listening almost exclusively to mainstream synth-pop, and becoming much more interested in underground styles like industrial. And my first love was this album, Tovey’s third: Under the Flag.

Tovey’s first 7” release, featuring the tracks “Back to Nature” and “The Box,” was released on Mute Records in 1979, as MUTE 002, second only to Daniel Miller’s own “Warm Leatherette.” His early singles, as well as his debut album, Fireside Favourites, stuck to a similar sonic template as “Warm Leatherette”: sharp, punkish assaults on common decency, propelled by a harsh synthesised pulse or two. But for his second LP, 1981’s Incontinent, Tovey went in a different direction. He maintained his bile, and impatience with the societal status quo ante, but assumed the guise of a Medieval fool, and incorporated a substantially larger proportion of traditional instruments into his sound.

Music: “Blind Eyes”

For his follow-up to Incontinent, Tovey would straddle the line between gritty, industrial synth lashings and that counter-cultural dark cabaret. And sometimes, he’d even do it within the same track, as on the fearful “The Sheep Look Up.”

Music: “The Sheep Look Up”

On “The Sheep Look Up,” a sparse, piano-driven intro unfurls to reveal a menacing electronic undercurrent. But the piano doesn’t depart from the track--in fact, it keeps up with the pace just fine. As jarring as the synth’s entry feels initially, it’s never the only source of tension in the track. Like a lot of great electronic music, Under the Flag approaches technology with nuance. While it’s one figure in the album’s bleak, dystopian landscape, it’s far from the only one. The lyrics of “The Sheep Look Up” are much more concerned with criticizing mob mentality and mass outrage--not to mention the role of governments in stoking that outrage, peddling jingoistic nationalism and seething hatred of perceived enemies of the state. In a lot of ways, this is a tale as old as time, and one that’s as likely to be told alongside a lute as it is a synthesiser. Sometimes, tradition itself is the target of Tovey’s ire, as on the track “Plainsong”:

Music: “Plainsong”

“Plainsong” is named after one of the earliest forms of music in the Western tradition: the monophonic, Latin-language chants used by the Church in the Early Middle Ages, also called “plainchant.” The track sonically embodies the wearying effect of simplistic, repetitive chanting, with its choir of distorted voices that repeat the main chorus, and refuse to stay in tune or rhythm. The title would seem to lead us to interpret “Plainsong” as an indictment of religious indoctrination, in particular, but I think it can also be read more broadly. Aside from that title, the lyrics don’t actually mention religion in any concrete sense, which makes me inclined to interpret it as also applying to all the other ways society uses music and rhyme to instill its values into people. Who among us wasn’t raised with insipid sayings like “blood is thicker than water” or “curiosity killed the cat,” that reinforce social norms and squash independence of spirit? Religion, like technology, is only one of modern society’s countless rotten pillars. While Tovey doesn’t single out religion in “Plainsong,” he is clear about the victims of such brainwashing being “young ears.” Childhood is invoked several times on Under the Flag, but features most prominently on “Love Parasite.”

Music: “Love Parasite”

The titular “Love Parasite” is, of course, a human infant--though it’s insidiously portrayed as something monstrous. Those of us who dislike children might be inclined to read “Love Parasite” as a brutally honest portrayal of parenthood as a miserable, soul-sucking experience, and hence as a rebuttal of the societal expectation that everyone ought to have children. While I do like that interpretation, I think it’s also important to remember that the “Love Parasite” is a human being, too. The fact that so many unwanted and unloved humans are brought into this world to begin with produces a tremendous resource for those institutions like church and state to exploit. It’s precisely this relationship between vulnerable people and the apparatus of government that defines the narrative of the album’s title track.

Music: “Under the Flag I”

The title track of Under the Flag is actually split into two parts. The first half of it appears as the opening track, and the second half closes out the album. That makes it even more tempting to parse it as a summation of the album’s themes than a title track normally is! Rather than distilling the overarching ideas of the album in a more abstract way, the “Under the Flag” tracks drill down to the level of an individual, struggling to make his way in society. He’s one of those unwanted children who grows up without a stable home life, and ends up working for the government and trying to make a difference in the world...but failing. By giving us this singular protagonist, Tovey centers his focus on human suffering at the most relatable and personal level possible. And with the final line of “Under the Flag II,” and hence, the entire album, he asks us, quite pointedly, “Under what flag?”

Ultimately, “under what flag?” is the central question proposed by the album. It also seems to be the question being asked by its striking sleeve design, featuring a photo of Tovey by the famed Anton Corbijn. The first thing we notice is its bold, black-and-white colour scheme--perhaps a nod to the idea of black-and-white, good-vs.-evil style thinking, often favoured by demagogues and others who seek to mobilize the masses. But after a second or two, we quickly realize that while Tovey is a flesh and blood man, the flag he seems to be holding up is merely painted on the wall behind him. It’s an image that perfectly epitomizes the contrast between the arbitrary, superficial nature of concepts like nations, and the painfully real human suffering that they can cause. Throughout the album, Tovey pits these abstract notions of communal well-being against the plight of the individuals they victimize--as on “Scapegoat,” a track centered around the perspective of the one person who’s saddled with the blame of a whole society.

Music: “Scapegoat”

After the release of Under the Flag, Tovey went on to release one more album under the name Fad Gadget: 1984’s Gag. He then released several albums as Frank Tovey throughout the remainder of the 1980s, first heading in a more synth-pop direction, and ultimately ending up releasing a full album of folk music, 1989’s Tyranny and the Hired Hand. While perhaps initially perplexing, I’ve always thought it was a natural move for Tovey. He was clearly interested in the exploitation of the underclass, and the expression of their fundamental humanity. And those themes are truly timeless.

Music: “Sixteen Tons”

Sadly, Tovey wouldn’t get a chance to re-emerge in the 21st Century, as many of his contemporaries did. He died in 2002, aged just 45, due to a congenital heart defect, while fresh off of releasing a new greatest hits compilation and supporting Mute labelmates Depeche Mode on tour. I can so easily imagine Tovey thriving in the present day, with the rediscovery of so much underground 80s synth in the 00s, and the impact that that had on electronic music--not to mention how he would react to our era’s tumultuous politics. To me, he’ll always be the artist I’d bring back around for one last release if I could.

At any rate, my favourite song on Under the Flag is “For Whom the Bells Toll.” Admittedly, this is a somewhat sentimental pick for me, since it was one of the first Fad Gadget songs I heard and really liked. It’s got clattering mechanical percussion, harsh, textural synth swipes, and, boldly enough, no actual bells. In the context of the album, it stands out for being a bit straightforward, thematically, with a narrator simply pining after a lost love--presumably one who’s deceased, given the title. But what I think really sets it apart is its less-than-conventional vocals. Besides some singing, and a bit of background yipping and howling, we also hear some disgusting, dry retching noises, and even a very hi hat-like sneeze. It’s one of the most memorable instances of Tovey’s artistic preoccupation with our lowliest bodily functions, which, considering the scope of his career, is quite impressive. That’s everything I’ve got today--thanks for listening!

Music: “For Whom the Bells Toll”

#music #great albums #album review #album reviews #fad gadget #frank tovey #industrial #industrial music #mute records

19 notes · View notes

archive-archives · 3 years

Photo

DECEMBER 2020 RELEASES - Coming soon to Warner Archive!

TEX AVERY SCREWBALL CLASSICS - VOLUME 2 New 2020 1080p HD Masters from 4k Scans of Preservation Elements Run Time: 149:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio: 4x3, 1.37:1 Full Frame Product Color: COLOR Disc Configuration: BD 50 Special Feature: Documentary "Tex Avery: King of Cartoons"

Welcome back for another three-ring circus of animated comedy from the legendary leader of cartoon fun – director Tex Avery. In the first ring, Avery serves up some of his finest one-shot creations: cartoons featuring cats who hate people, wacky cuckoo clocks, kooky cavemen and lovelorn French fleas. We also meet up again with Avery's attractive Red Riding Hood, a pair of amorous wolves and his durable all-around fall guy, Spike. The second ring is a showcase for Avery's ironically deadpan "Happy Hound": Droopy. This time, Droopy appears in a number of guises – each one funnier than the last. As bandleader "John Pettybone," he leads his jazz-playing fleas to the heights of canine stardom. Out West, as a homesteader and a sheepherder, he has his final showdowns with the Wolf. The third ring offers a whimsical glimpse into the future – or at least a future from the POV of the mid-20th century – with a plethora of zany postwar inventions. While none of the cartoons "of tomorrow" foresaw smartphones or Blu-ray players, these far-fetched contraptions, gadgets, houses and farms, televisions, and various modes of transportation could only come from the madcap mind of Avery and his MGM crew. Uncut, restored and remastered in High Definition for the first time, Tex Avery Screwball Classics Collection Volume 2 is another must-own collection from the master of hand-drawn mayhem.

This 21 cartoon collection includes:

1 LITTLE RURAL RIDING HOOD 2 THE CUCKOO CLOCK 3 MAGICAL MAESTRO 4 ONE CAB'S FAMILY 5 CAT THAT HATED PEOPLE 6 DOGGONE TIRED 7 THE FLEA CIRCUS 8 FIELD AND SCREAM 9 THE FIRST BAD MAN 10 OUT FOXED 11 DROOPY'S DOUBLE TROUBLE 12 THREE LITTLE PUPS 13 DRAGALONG DROOPY 14 HOMESTEADER DROOPY 15 DIXIELAND DROOPY 16 COUNTERFEIT CAT 17 VENTRILOQUIST CAT 18 HOUSE OF TOMORROW 19 CAR OF TOMORROW 20 TV OF TOMORROW 21 FARM OF TOMORROW

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957) - 2 DISC SPECIAL EDITION New 2020 1080p HD Restoration Masters from 4K Scans of Preservation Separation Elements Run Time: 83:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio: Disc One-1.85:1-16x9 Widescreen and 1.66:1-16x9 Widescreen Product Color: COLOR Disc Configuration: 2-BD 50 Special Features: New feature commentary by Screenwriter/Film Historian Steve Haberman and Filmmaker/Film Historian Constantine Nasr, Newly Remastered 1.37:1 Open Matte version of feature. New Featurettes include: The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film, Hideous Progeny: The Curse of Frankenstein and the English Gothic Tradition, Torrents of Light: The Art of Jack Asher, Diabolus in Musica: James Bernard and the Sound of Hammer Horror, Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)

The first, and perhaps the best of the long-running series of horror films from the house of Hammer, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee star in this landmark interpretation based on the famous Mary Shelley story. Baron Victor Frankenstein becomes friends with one of his teachers, Paul Krempe. At first, both men are fascinated by the potential of their re-animating experiments. Eventually, though, Krempe refuses to help with Frankenstein's human experiments. However, he is drawn back into the plot when Frankenstein's creature kills a member of the house staff. For its U.S. Blu-ray debut, Warner Archive is proud to present this deluxe 2 Disc Special Edition, featuring two theatrical aspect ratio presentations, meticulously remastered and restored from preservation separations, as well as bonus disc with the restoration presented in "open-matte" format, as was seen for years on television, plus four exciting new retrospective featurettes, an expert commentary, and the original theatrical trailer.

THE HARVEY GIRLS (1946) New 2020 1080p HD Restoration from 4K Scan of the Original Nitrate Technicolor Negatives Run Time: 102:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 4x3 Full Frame Product Color: COLOR Disc Configuration: BD 50 Special Features: Feature-length audio commentary by Director George Sidney, Three Deleted Musical sequences: March of the Doagies, March of the Doagies (reprise), and My Intuition. Scoring stage sessions (audio only) featuring pre-recordings made for the film including the unused "Hayride". "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" Remixed in Stereo (HD), Original Theatrical Trailer (HD).

Judy Garland headlines The Harvey Girls, a joyous slice of Americana celebrating the "Harvey House" restaurants that brought extra helpings of civilization to the Old West. Famed M-G-M musical producer Arthur Freed brought together an impressive cast of talents for this box-office hit which features a delightful original score by composer Harry Warren and lyricist Johnny Mercer, who earned an Oscar for their On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe as the Best Song of 1946. Garland once again shares the screen with her "Oz" co-star Ray Bolger, clowns with Virginia O'Brien, falls in love with leading man John Hodiak, and faces off against wicked saloon gal Angela Lansbury in one of the most entertaining and enduring musical classics to come from Metro's golden age, now fully restored to its original Technicolor luster for its Blu-ray debut.

HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949) New 2020 1080p HD Master Run Time: 87:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1, 4x3 Full Frame Product Color: B&W Disc Configuration BD 25 Special Feature: Lux Radio Theater broadcast (12/18/50) with Robert Mitchum and Laraine Day, Original Theatrical Trailer

RKO's resident "bad boy" Robert Mitchum (Out of the Past) surprised audiences with his softer side in this classic Yule-themed romantic comedy. Mitchum portrays Steve Mason, a department-store clerk who loses his job, yet buys an electric train set for a child he scarcely knows. It must be Christmastime. Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh are warmly matched in Holiday Affair, a seasonal favorite scripted by Isobel Lennart (later to adapt Mitchum's The Sundowners) and directed by Hope/Crosby "road movies" veteran Don Hartman.

MISTER ROBERTS (1955) New 2020 1080p HD Remaster from 4K Scan of Original Negative Run Time: 121:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1 – English Aspect Ratio: 2.55:1-16x9 LETTERBOX Product Color: COLOR Disc Configuration: BD 50 Special Features: Commentary by Jack Lemmon, Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)

The USS Reluctant carries cargo along World War II's forgotten Pacific seaways. Beyond the horizon, the real war passes its stir-crazy crew by. Mister Roberts, directed by John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy, is the classic story of men fighting to survive – not war's dangers, but its indignities. Henry Fonda's reprise of his Tony®-winning Broadway role returned him to movies after seven years away. Jack Lemmon won his first Academy Award® as hapless, lecherous Ensign Pulver. James Cagney's petty, scrappy Captain makes a fierce adversary. In his final film, William Powell makes world-weary Doc a sage for the ages. Mister Roberts has moments of unforgettable humor. But sadness tempers the comedy. No shot is fired. No blood is spilled. Yet Mister Roberts endures as one of our most truthful war sagas.

YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN (1950) New 2020 1080p HD Remaster from 4K Scan of Original Nitrate Elements Run Time: 112:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 – English Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 4x3 Full Frame Product Color: B&W Disc Configuration: BD 50 Special Features: Lux Radio Theater broadcast (3/3/52) with Kirk Douglas and Jo Stafford; Vintage WB Cartoons: HILLBLLY HARE (HD); HOMELESS HARE (HD) and HURDY GURDY HARE (HD); Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)

With a secondhand trumpet and the loving guidance of a brilliant bluesman, a lonely boy grows into manhood as a superb musician whose talent carries him from honky-tonks to posh supper clubs. But his desperate search for an elusive high note – trapped in his mind but impossible to play – starts him on a boozy downward slide. Charged with dynamic performances by Kirk Douglas (the title role), Doris Day, Lauren Bacall and Hoagy Carmichael, and pitch-perfect direction by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca), the film is a feast of hot, cool, moody jazz. Legendary Harry James dubbed Douglas' hornwork. Day brings another fine instrument – her voice – to four standards. Movie and music lovers will be glad to meet this Man.

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940) New 2020 1080p HD Remaster Run Time: 99:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 – English Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1. 4x3 Full Frame Product Color: B&W Disc Configuration: BD 50 Special Features: Vintage MGM promotional film: "The Miracle Of Sound"; Screen Guild Theater radio broadcast (9/29/40) with Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart and Frank Morgan; Lux Radio Theater broadcast (6/23/41) with Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche.

Ernst Lubitsch adds his unique style of directorial aplomb to this timeless love story that marked the third of Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart's four film appearances together. A 1936 play by Nikolaus Laszlo called "Perfumerie" was the basis for this timeless love story set in a Budapest shop. With a witty screenplay adaptation by Samson Raphaelson, Stewart and Sullavan play bickering gift-shop workers Alfred and Klara, unaware that they have fallen in love with each other as secret pen pals who only know their respective correspondents as "Dear Friend". The charm of the stars ably supported by a sterling supporting cast headed by Frank Morgan make this timeless classic one to enjoy over and over again. The story was later filmed as "In The Good Old Summertime" with Judy Garland and Van Johnson in 1949, and as "You've Got Mail" in 1998. It was also the basis of the 1963 Broadway musical favorite "She Loves Me". Beautifully remastered from protection film elements made right from the original nitrate negative, this new Blu-ray presentation of the original 1940 classic is a joy to behold

IT HAPPENED ON 5TH AVENUE (1947) New 2020 1080p HD Remaster from 4K Scan of Best Surviving Nitrate Elements Run Time: 115:00 Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 – English Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1. 4x3 Full Frame Product Color: B&W Disc Configuration: BD 50 Special Feature: Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (5/19/1947)

As he does every winter, hobo Aloysius T. McKeever (Victor Moore) moves in to a mansion on New York City's 5th Avenue while its owners are away for the winter and invites all his hobo friends in from the cold. But this Christmas, Mary O'Connor (Ann Harding) comes home unexpectedly after a quarrel with her boyfriend to find her house occupied by jovial street dwellers. To make matters even worse, her father (Charles Ruggles) disguises himself as a hobo to get an invitation to stay in his own home -- and keeps his identity secret in this perennial Christmas favorite about rediscovering family and the joy of being together. Don DeFore (Romance on the High Seas) and Gale Storm (My Little Margie) co-star as the young love interests in this first release from Allied Artists Productions.

THE 100: THE SEVENTH AND FINAL SEASON (2020) Run Time: 672 Minutes Subtitles: English SDH Audio Specs: TS HD-Master Audio 5.1 – English Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1. 16x9 Widescreen Product Color: COLOR Disc Configuration: 3 BD 50

The seventh and final season opens with our heroes picking up the pieces of the society they destroyed on Sanctum. Still reeling from her mother's death, Clarke (series star Eliza Taylor), perhaps more than anyone, feels the toll of years upon years of fighting and loss. The group soon finds that maintaining order among the competing factions is no easy feat, and one that has them questioning whether their commitment to doing better was worth the price. At the same time, our heroes must contend with new obstacles on a scale beyond any that they previously experienced as they unravel the mysteries of the Anomaly. What they encounter on this epic journey pushes them to their limits both physically and emotionally, challenging their long-held conceptions of family, love, and sacrifice. Ultimately, our heroes must answer for themselves what it means to truly live, and not just survive.

#Warner archive #Warner archive collection #blu-ray #physical media #December releases

23 notes · View notes

theatticoneighth · 3 years

Text

Watching The Queen’s Gambit; on the Remarkable Unexceptionality of Beth Harmon

‘With some people, chess is a pastime. With others, it is a compulsion, even an addiction. And every now and then, a person comes along for whom it is a birthright. Now and then, a small boy appears and dazzles us with his precocity, at what may be the world’s most difficult game. But what if that boy were a girl? A young, unsmiling girl, with brown eyes, red hair, and a dark blue dress? Into the male-dominated world of the nation’s top chess tournaments, strolls a teenage girl with bright, intense eyes, from Fairfield High School in Lexington, Kentucky. She is quiet, well-mannered, and out for blood.’

The preceding epigraph opens a fictional profile of Beth Harmon featured in the third episode of The Queen’s Gambit (2020), and is written and published after the protagonist — a teenage, rookie chess player, no less — beats a series of ranked pros to win her first of many tournaments. In the same deft manner as it depicts the character’s ascent to her global chess stardom, the piece also sets up the series’s narrative: this is evidence of a great talent, it tells us, a grandmaster in the making. As with most other stories about prodigies, this new entry into a timeworn genre is framed unexceptionally by its subject’s exceptionality.

Yet as far as tales regaled about young chess wunderkinds go, Beth Harmon’s stands out in more ways than one. That she is a girl in a male-dominated world has clearly not gone unremarked by both her diegetic and nondiegetic audiences. That her life has thus far — and despite her circumstances — been relatively uneventful, however, is what makes this show so remarkable. After all, much of our culture has undeniably primed us to expect the consequential from those whom we raise upon the pedestal of genius. As Harmon’s interviewer suggests in her conversation with Harmon for the latter’s profile, “Creativity and psychosis often go hand in hand. Or, for that matter, genius and madness.” So quickly do we attribute extraordinary accomplishments to similarly irregular origins that we presume an inexplicability of our geniuses: their idiosyncrasies are warranted, their bad behaviours are excused, and deep into their biographies we dig to excavate the enigmatic anomalies behind their gifts. Through our myths of exceptionality, we make the slightest aberrations into metonyms for brilliance.

Nonetheless, for all her sullenness, non-conformity, and her plethora of addictions, Beth Harmon seems an uncommonly normal girl. No doubt this may be a contentious view, as evinced perhaps by the chorus of viewers and reviewers alike who have already begun to brand the character a Mary Sue. Writing on the series for the LA Review of Books, for instance, Aaron Bady construes The Queen’s Gambit as “the tragedy of Bobby Fischer [made] into a feminist fantasy, a superhero story.” In the same vein, Jane Hu also laments in her astute critique of the Cold War-era drama its flagrant and saccharine wish-fulfillment tendencies. “The show gets to have it both ways,” she observes, “a beautiful heroine who leans into the edge of near self-destruction, but never entirely, because of all the male friends she makes along the way.” Sexual difference is here reconstituted as the unbridgeable chasm that divides the US from the Soviet Union, whereas the mutual friendliness shared between Harmon and her male chess opponents becomes a utopic revision of history. Should one follow Hu’s evaluation of the series as a period drama, then the retroactive ascription of a recognisably socialist collaborative ethos to Harmon and her compatriots is a contrived one indeed.

Accordingly, both Hu and Bady conclude that the series grants us depthless emotional satisfaction at the costly expense of realism: its all-too-easy resolutions swiftly sidestep any nascent hint of overwhelming tension; its resulting calm betrays our desire for reprieve. Underlying these arguments is the fundamental assumption that the unembellished truth should also be an inconvenient one, but why must we always demand difficulty from those we deem noteworthy? Summing up the show’s conspicuous penchant for conflict-avoidance, Bady writes that:

over and over again, the show strongly suggests — through a variety of genre and narrative cues — that something bad is about to happen. And then … it just doesn’t. An orphan is sent to a gothic orphanage and the staff … are benign. She meets a creepy, taciturn old man in the basement … and he teaches her chess and loans her money. She is adopted by a dysfunctional family and the mother … takes care of her. She goes to a chess tournament and midway through a crucial game she gets her first period and … another girl helps her, who she rebuffs, and she is fine anyway. She wins games, defeating older male players, and … they respect and welcome her, selflessly helping her. The foster father comes back and …she has the money to buy him off. She gets entangled in cold war politics and … decides not to be.

In short, everything that could go wrong … simply does not go wrong.

Time and again predicaments arise in Harmon’s narrative, but at each point, she is helped fortuitously by the people around her. In turn, the character is allowed to move through the series with the restrained unflappability of a sleepwalker, as if unaffected by the drama of her life. Of course, this is not to say that she fails to encounter any obstacle on her way to celebrity and success — for neither her childhood trauma nor her substance-laden adolescence are exactly rosy portraits of idyll — but only that such challenges seem so easily ironed out by that they hardly register as true adversity. In other words, the show takes us repeatedly to the brink of what could become a life-altering crisis but refuses to indulge our taste for the spectacle that follows. Skipping over the Aristotelian climax, it shields us from the height of suspense, and without much struggle or effort on the viewers’ part, hands us our payoff. Consequently lacking the epochal weight of plot, little feels deserved in Harmon’s story.

In his study of eschatological fictions, The Sense of an Ending, Frank Kermode would associate such a predilection for catastrophes with our abiding fear of disorder. Seeing as time, as he argues, is “purely successive [and] disorganised,” we can only reach to the fictive concords of plot to make sense of our experiences. Endings in particular serve as the teleological objective towards which humanity projects our existence, so we hold paradigms of apocalypse closely to ourselves to restore significance to our lives. It probably comes as no surprise then that in a year of chaos and relentless disaster — not to mention the present era of extreme precariousness, doomscrolling, and the 24/7 news cycle, all of which have irrevocably attuned us to the dreadful expectation of “the worst thing to come” — we find ourselves eyeing Harmon’s good fortune with such scepticism. Surely, we imagine, something has to have happened to the character for her in order to justify her immense consequence. But just as children are adopted each day into loving families and chess tournaments play out regularly without much strife, so too can Harmon maintain low-grade dysfunctional relationships with her typically flawed family and friends.

In any case, although “it seems to be a condition attaching to the exercise of thinking about the future that one should assume one's own time to stand in extraordinary relation to it,” not all orphans have to face Dickensian fates and not all geniuses have to be so tortured (Kermode). The fact remains that the vagaries of our existence are beyond perfect reason, and any attempt at thinking otherwise, while vital, may be naive. Contrary to most critics’ contentions, it is hence not The Queen’s Gambit’s subversions of form but its continued reach towards the same that holds up for viewers such a comforting promise of coherence. The show comes closest to disappointing us as a result when it eschews melodrama for the straightforward. Surprised by the ease and randomness of Harmon’s life, it is not difficult for one to wonder, four or five episodes into the show, what it is all for; one could even begin to empathise with Hu’s description of the series as mere “fodder for beauty.”

Watching over the series now with Bady’s recap of it in mind, however, I am reminded oddly not of the prestige and historical dramas to which the series is frequently compared, but the low-stakes, slice-of-life cartoons that had peppered my childhood. Defined by the prosaicness of its settings, the genre punctuates the life’s mundanity with brief moments of marvel to accentuate the curious in the ordinary. In these shows, kindergarteners fix the troubles of adults with their hilarious playground antics, while time-traveling robot cats and toddler scientists alike are confronted with the woes of chores. Likewise, we find in The Queen’s Gambit a comparable glimpse of the quotidian framed by its protagonist’s quirks. Certainly, little about the Netflix series’ visual and narrative features would identify it as a slice-of-life serial, but there remains some merit, I believe, in watching it as such. For, if there is anything to be gained from plots wherein nothing is introduced that cannot be resolved in an episode or ten, it is not just what Bady calls the “drowsy comfort” of satisfaction — of knowing that things will be alright, or at the very least, that they will not be terrible. Rather, it is the sense that we are not yet so estranged from ourselves, and that both life and familiarity persists even in the most extraordinary of circumstances.

Perhaps some might find such a tendency towards the normal questionable, yet when all the world is on fire and everyone clambers for acclaim, it is ultimately the ongoingness of everyday life for which one yearns. As Harmon’s childhood friend, Jolene, tells her when she is once again about to fall off the wagon, “You’ve been the best at what you do for so long, you don’t even know what it’s like for the rest of us.” For so long, and especially over the past year, we have catastrophized the myriad crises in which we’re living that we often overlook the minor details and habits that nonetheless sustain us. To inhabit the congruence of both the remarkable and its opposite in the singular figure of Beth Harmon is therefore to be reminded of the possibility of being outstanding without being exceptional — that is, to not make an exception of oneself despite one’s situation — and to let oneself be drawn back, however placid or insignificant it may be, into the unassuming hum of dailiness. It is in this way of living that one lives on, minute by minute, day by day, against the looming fear and anxiety that seek to suspend our plodding regular existence. It is also in this way that I will soon be turning the page on the last few months in anticipation of what is to come.

Born and raised in the perpetually summery tropics — that is, Singapore — Rachel Tay wishes she could say her life was just like a still from Call Me By Your Name: tanned boys, peaches, and all. Unfortunately, the only resemblance that her life bears to the film comes in the form of books, albeit ones read in the comfort of air-conditioned cafés, and not the pool, for the heat is sweltering and the humidity unbearable. A fervent turtleneck-wearer and an unrepentant hot coffee-addict, she is thus the ideal self-parodying Literature student, and the complete anti-thesis to tropical life.

9 notes · View notes

mpwma · 1 year

Text

Today is/was Stardom New Blood 7! Nanae Takahashi vs. Waka Tsukiyama! Should we cover the show?

#Stardom #stardom wrestling #stardom world #women’s wrestling #pro wrestling #wrestling #professional wrestling #wonderful world of stardom #podcast #pro wrestling podcast #professional wrestling podcast #wrestling podcast #new blood 7 #stardom new blood 7 #stardom new blood #make pro wrestling majestic again #mpwma #nanae takahashi #waka tsukiyama

1 note · View note

agentnico · 3 years

Text

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) Review

Wakanda.... forever.

Plot: Chicago, 1927. A recording session. Tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the uncontrollable "Mother of the Blues". Based on Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play.

Ever since this annoying pandemic came about, one of the things I miss most is getting to go to the theatre. I’m not only talking about cinema, though that too is dearly missed, but I mean the actual theatre. Seeing actors in person perform before your eyes powerful monologues, and you sit there in awe utterly glued to these people as they take you away into a different world. We haven’t had that for a while. Though Netflix’s new adaptation of August Wilson’s play is the closest thing we will get. Yes, it is a film, but you can tell that this thing used to play out on stage. With only a few setting chances and many moments involving characters bolting out speeches whilst staring dramatically into the camera lens, this thing is a character study and a dialogue piece. And also - the blues! You wanna hear some blues, you’re gonna get some. Ma Rainey’s got your back on that one!

This film inadvertently has gotten more recognition due to the presence of Chadwick Boseman, this being his final live-action role (we shall still hear his voice in Marvel’s What If? series next year) before his untimely heart-breaking passing this year. Going into this thing I was worried that the high attention Boseman was getting was simply due to what happened to him in real-life instead of him truly deserving it for his performance. Glad to report that is not the case. In fact, Chadwick Boseman is easily the best part of this movie. Ma Rainey’s may be titled after its titular character, but arguably the heart and soul of the film is actually the trumpet player Levee, played by Chad the man himself! On the surface, Levee comes off as arrogant, ambitious and chasing stardom by himself, without a care for the others around him. However as events progress, we discover that underneath this façade is a man filled with such sadness and rage, having endured much profound trauma in his past. As such Levee believes that he is owed something, that his talents are immense and he is owed something more than everyone else. Yes, this doesn’t make him a good person, but his motivations and mind-set are made clear, and so you may agree or disagree with his action, but regardless you do understand him and somewhat feel for his position. His misguided rage is that which has been sparked by a lifetime of oppression, suffering and hardship, like many black people in American history, with the 1920s when Ma Rainey’s is set included. Yes, this character has a lot of layers that allow him to stand out among the others as is, however Boseman manages to take it a step further, by flying through notes of exasperation and indignity to recalling the pains of his past, and it is a truly anguishing thing to behold. This is definitely one hell of a performance, and one that truly deserves awards recognition! Shame though that his line in the film “I got my time coming to me” now has such a twisted spin on it, seeing as how things played out in real life. We have truly lost a talent. Also, slightly off topic, anyone know where I can get the shoes he’s wearing in this film? Those are some hella fine foot garments!

Speaking of the other lead character - Viola Davis as Ma Rainey. Look, I really think Davis is a good actress, and she definitely deserved her Academy Award in Fences (August Wilson’s other film adaptation) but here I wasn’t really certain what she was going for. She mumbles through most of her lines, so much so that I had to turn on the subtitles to understand what was being said. Also, her character I wasn’t a fan of either. She’a shown as someone who everyone praised, but she is presented as such a drama queen, causing a fuss over every little thing, as yes, you can decipher it as her treating the white man the way a white man has treated the black people in the past, and that is fair enough, but also it felt a bit too much. Like, even her own band members questioned some of her decisions. Then again, in this play no character is perfect, and maybe Ma Rainey annoyed me most due to David hardly moving her mouth when delivering lines. Again though, this is my opinion. I’ve heard that most critics have praised her role, so maybe I am missing something.

George C. Wolfe demonstrates exquisite control of every scene and elevates the dialogue-driven narrative with an exceptional balance of tone and pacing. Tobias A. Schliessler's camera lingers beautifully on the actors, allowing them to showcase their abilities but also helping the viewer feel enthralled with their words by not creating any unnecessary technical distractions. Andrew Mondshein's editing also contributes a lot to the smooth pace that the film warrants, helping its 90 minutes runtime fly by seamlessly. However, I do truly feel that this movie is elevated to new heights by Chadwick Boseman. Without him, this movie would be simply okay. A solid adaptation of a solid play (though I do question the way its ends), with the added oomph of a sweet blues score. This is very much a movie that exists to showcase an actor’s talent, similar to that of Joaquin Phoenix in the Joker. With this and Da 5 Bloods, Boseman has to get a nomination at the next Academy Awards! It would be a sin not too!

Overall score: 7/10

9 notes · View notes

tabloidtoc · 4 years

Text

Entertainment Weekly, July

Cover: Tenet stars Robert Pattinson, John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki

Page 1: Contents

Page 3: Sound Bites

Page 5: Editor’s Note

Page 7: Watch, read, listen, engage -- for those seeking insight into what African-Americans face on a daily basis from both institutions and individuals and how those challenges have been depicted in the media and popular entertainment

Page 8: 13th, Watchmen

Page 9: Frontline: A Class Divided, Dear White People, Code Switch, Pass Over

Page 10: The Must List -- Memoirs and Misinformation by Jim Carrey

Page 12: Haim -- Women in Music Pt. III, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

Page 13: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

Page 14: Q&A Margo Price, Palm Springs

Page 16: The Truth, Babyteeth

Page 17: The Last of Us Part II, MTV’s Cribs -- Ja Rule, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey

Page 19: First Take -- The Now

Page 21: Star Trek: Lower Decks

Page 22: Industry

Page 24: Cover Story -- The show must go on -- after months of lockdown Hollywood hopes Christopher Nolan’s time-twisting thriller Tenet can lure audiences back to theaters

Page 32: Peacock Preview

Page 34: Brave New World

Page 35: Q&A Soleil Moon Frye of Punky Brewster

Page 36: Saved by the Bell, Intelligence, Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Death, Expecting

Page 37: Psych 2: Lassie Come Home

Page 38: Oral History of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World with Edgar Wright, Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Jason Schwartzman

Page 44: News + Reviews -- Emmy Cam-pains

Page 47: Our dream Emmy lineup

Page 50: Movies -- John Lewis: Good Trouble, Miss Juneteenth, Da 5 Bloods

Page 51: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Page 52: A.J. Jacobs reveals his trick for spicing up movie and TV marathons

Page 54: With summer blockbusters largely on ice a spate of smart new documentaries find their chance to shine -- Athlete A, Welcome to Chechnya, For They Know Not What They Do

Page 55: Judd Apatow

Page 56: TV -- Unaired Pilots -- in 2006 creator Liz Teigelaar headed to Vancouver to shoot a pilot with Jessy Schram and Ben Barnes titled Split Decision about how our choices define us but it never saw the light of day

Page 58: Rebirth of the legal thriller -- ratings killed TV’s lawyers but Perry Mason revives the famous defender just in time for the genre’s new dark age

Page 60: John Lithgow -- before lawyering up on Perry Mason the six-time Emmy-winning actor breaks down his chameleonic fame by explaining how fans know him best

Page 62: Search Party

Page 63: What to Watch

Page 64: The Animal Stars of Quarantine -- Brody, Zipper, Olive and Mabel, Betty

Page 67: These stars are happy to meet your wine needs -- Post Malone, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Jon Bon Jovi and Jesse Bongiovi, John Legend

Page 72: Music -- Will vinyl survive the pandemic?

Page 73: Choe X Halle

Page 74: Mini-Oral History -- how Phoebe Bridgers and a few familiar faces came together to make the singer-songwriter’s bruising new album Punisher

Page 76: Q+A John Legend -- the 41-year-old singer and activist talks about his new album Bigger Love, nostalgia for his old work and how to fix the Grammys

Page 78: Books -- Authors Nic Stone and Kim Johnson discuss the power and pain of writing about black lives for a young-adult audience in this moment and beyond

Page 80: David Mitchell -- the Cloud Atlas author’s latest novel is unlike any he’s written before: structured like an album Utopia Avenue follows a British rock band seeking stardom in 1967 but as is tradition for David Mitchell the tale contains echoes of his past books -- major themes and Easter eggs alike. We break them down here

Page 81: One of the most decorated poets alive Natasha Trethewey confronts her traumatic past in the brutal beautiful memoir Memorial Drive

Page 82: Pop Culture of My Life -- Max Brooks -- the World War Z mastermind is back with the bigfoot horror novel Devolution. Here he reveals his own personal fandoms

Page 84: The Bullseye

37 notes · View notes

fallynleaf · 3 years

Text

first line meme!

i was “tagged” by @norationalthoughtrequired!

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 authors!

i’m not going to tag specific people, but if you’re reading this post, consider yourself tagged!

1. They fucked with the lights on because neither of them cared enough to turn them off. — Save Nothing for the Cameras, Stardom, Natsuko Tora/Saki Kashima

2. When Mizuki woke up, the first thing she realized was that she wasn’t in her own bed. — Rabbit in Wolf’s Clothing, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, Mizuki/Yuka Sakazaki, Katsuhiko Nakajima/Go Shiozaki

3. “Wei Ying.” — Some Ends Tied Up, The Untamed, Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji

4. This isn’t the first time you’ve died. — What Isn’t Alive Can Never Die, DDT Pro-Wrestling, Yoshihiko genfic

5. They go back to the locker room—their locker room, not the EVP one. — Out of the Rain, All Elite Wrestling, unrequited Hangman Adam Page/Kenny Omega

6. Charlotte felt both very brave and very foolish for sneaking out with Georgiana. — Violets, Sandition, Charlotte Heywood/Georgiana Lambe

7. Nyla doesn’t have weaknesses. — Disaster and the Sublime, All Elite Wrestling, Nyla Rose/Riho

8. It started, as it always did, with a job. — Waltz of the Dreamers, Inception, Arthur/Eames

9. The idea comes to him at the height of his fever. — Multitudes, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Kota Ibushi/Kenny Omega

10. There is a breeze, toying with a lock of her hair. — Vanitas, Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, Misao/Sakisama, Misao/Rika Tatsumi

11. There is glass on the floor, and it doesn’t matter that there is glass on the floor, because you’ve got him pinned to the wall and his tongue is in your mouth and there is the taste of blood there, and you aren’t sure if it’s yours or his. — Unsanctioned, All Elite Wrestling, Jon Moxley/Joey Janela

12. It happened on a warm, melancholy night after Kenny and Ibushi had gone out to dinner with Michael. — Shining Bright, DDT Pro-Wrestling, Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi

13. As the three of them approached the plantation, Jack felt nervous anticipation eating away at him like a carrion bird. — His Shroud of Finest Silk, Black Sails, Jack Rackham/Original Character

14. Pearl stared down at the phone in her hand. — First Date, Steven Universe, Pearl/Mystery Girl

15. The first night Penelope sat down behind the loom, candlelight dancing on her fingers as she worked the weft off of the warp, a slave girl came to her. — The Goddess and the Weaver, The Odyssey, Penelope/Athena

16. The day after the article in the Daily Prophet, there was a knock at Remus’ door. — Grey Mornings, Harry Potter, Remus Lupin/Sirius Black

17. It was bound to happen eventually. — Fill Me With Your Poison, Venom, Eddie Brock/Venom

18. They sat outside, at a small metal table for two, pushed up against the side of the donut shop between a planter and a hanging basket. — Sugar and Spice, Andi Mack, Bex Mack/Miranda Patrick

19. "Hey!" Donna said brightly over the phone, her tone like she was going to invite Jody to maybe a party or a football game. "I just saw a report that sounds like a vamp attack in Minneapolis. Wanna come?" — Something New, Supernatural, Jody Mills/Donna Hanscum

20. They fight over whose room to use, because of course they do. — Three’s Company, MCU, Sam Wilson/Bucky Barnes

i don’t know if there are many patterns here, except for the fact that i really need to work on improving my first lines haha! there are a few similarities in phrasing, but for the most part, they’re pretty different, which i’m relieved to see. i don’t know if i can choose a favorite, but i think 11 is the most evocative, and 4 is the most fun.

quite a range of fandoms represented here. seventeen different ones! six are wrestling, though.

as a bonus, here’s the first line from the last original fiction story i wrote:

It’s just the two of us in a pool of our own sweat, grappling for something greater than ourselves.

#thx #fanfic

2 notes · View notes

yessadirichards · 1 year

Text

Taylor Swift returns to Nashville, reveals 'Speak Now' date

NASHVILLE, Tenn.

Taylor Swift is playing catch-up with her fans this year in a massive and impressive stadium show that embraces her artistic reinventions.

Nearly two months into the 52-show Eras Tour, Swift returned Friday to the origins of her musical career in Nashville, Tennessee, a city she outgrew as a country starlet destined for pop stardom.

In front of 70,000 fans, Swift dropped the news that she would be releasing a re-recording of her Nashville-era 2010 record, “Speak Now,” on July 7.

It was a five-year wait to see all the glittering chapters of Swift’s career on stage together, but the pop star’s marathon performance carried fans through to the last notes.

#yessadirichards

0 notes

cinemavariety · 4 years

Text

The Director’s Series: Paul Thomas Anderson

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

#8 - Hard Eight (1998) Runtime: 1 hr 42 min Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

John has lost all his money. He sits outside a diner in the desert when Sydney happens along, buys him coffee, then takes him to Reno and shows him how to get a free room without losing much money. Under Sydney's fatherly tutelage, John becomes a successful small-time professional gambler, and all is well, until he falls for Clementine, a cocktail waitress and sometimes hooker.

Verdict: One of the most impressive feature film debuts ever blessed to American cinema. Paul Thomas Anderson was only 25 years old when he broke into the scene and directed this (almost three years younger than me now, how depressing). While it is consistently thrilling and entertaining, Hard Eight oftentimes wears its influences on its sleeve too much. You can see how much inspiration Paul got from Tarantino with this film and it’s one of the 90s best independent movies. The star studded cast doesn’t hurt either.

#7 - Phantom Thread (2017) Runtime: 2 hr 10 min Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

Renowned British dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock comes across Alma, a young, strong-willed woman, who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Verdict: It’s safe to say that Phantom Thread is PTA’s most lavish and decadent film. It feels like a piece of ancient Hollywood golden-era cinema brought back to life. Johnny Greenwood’s orchestral score is the best sound work he’s ever done, it sweeps you off your feet when it goes along with Anderson’s signature arresting imagery. I’m in the minority who places this near the bottom of Anderson’s filmography, simply because Daniel Day Lewis’s character is so insufferable that it was hard for me to empathize in many ways. It still manages to be one of the most beautiful pieces of modern cinema.

#6 - Inherent Vice (2014) Runtime: 2 hr 28 min Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

In Los Angeles at the turn of the 1970s, drug-fueled detective Larry “Doc” Sportello investigates the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend.

Verdict: Inherent Vice is Paul Thomas Anderson’s most underrated gem. I’ll admit, when I first saw this film, I didn’t really dig it that much and immediately cast it aside as his weakest effort. However, after some maturity, a few more viewings, and also not 100% adoring Phantom Thread, I have developed an immense appreciation for this nonsensical Thomas Pynchon adaptation. Pynchon as a writer is known as being basically unadaptable, but PTA revels in the absurdity of the film’s labyrinth of a plot. It also brings PTA back to his former glory days of ensemble casts and stoner drug fueled mayhem.

#5 - Punch-Drunk Love (2002) Runtime: 1 hr 35 min Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

A psychologically troubled novelty supplier is nudged towards a romance with an English woman, all the while being extorted by a phone-sex line run by a crooked mattress salesman, and purchasing stunning amounts of pudding.

Verdict: Punch-Drunk Love plays out like a symphony of color, texture, and absolutely off-putting social interactions. I understand that Adam Sandler had his comeback last year with Uncut Gems, but this film is actually without a doubt the best performance he’s ever pulled off. And I credit that largely in part to the brilliance of Paul who was working behind him. It’s what I would say one of the most unconventional romantic comedies of all time. It’s nerve wracking, a little sad, super awkward - but also somehow manages to be endearing as well. The percussion heavy score brings manic energy to the whole film. Punch-Drunk Love is also a powerful statement on loneliness, unchecked mental illness, and the power of human connection.

#4 - Boogie Nights (1997) Runtime: 2 hr 35 min Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1 & 1.66 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

Adult film director Jack Horner is always on the lookout for new talent and it's only by chance that he meets Eddie Adams who is working as a busboy in a restaurant. Eddie is young, good looking and plenty of libido to spare. Using the screen name Dirk Diggler, he quickly rises to the top of his industry winning awards year after year. Drugs and ego however come between Dirk and those around him and he soon finds that fame is fleeting.

Verdict: How this film possibly came from a director who is my age now is almost hard to believe. Boogie Nights is one of the quintessential 90s films. It has one of PTA’s best ensemble casts. Anderson’s sophomore effort was a result of the auteur finding his footing and his directorial voice that went on to enthrall audiences over several decades. PTA’s early visual motifs were lengthy and expertly choreographed tracking shots. Please refer to the scenes in the disco as well as the pool party scene pictured above for some of the best camera operation every committed to celluloid. Boogie Nights could possibly be hailed as PTA’s most consistently entertaining and audience friendly works. It’s a great story of the rise and fall of stardom.

#3 - There Will Be Blood (2007) Runtime: 2 hr 38 min Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

A story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.

Verdict: Most critics and audiences would agree that There Will Be Blood is the director’s most impressive masterpiece (but who’s counting?). On a storytelling and technical level, I do have to agree that this is probably Paul Thomas Anderson’s best achievement, even if it isn’t exactly my personal favorite. This is the film where PTA really matured with his directorial vision. He abandoned a lot of his earlier flashy work with large casts and a constantly moving camera for something more grounded and more of a character study. There Will be Blood is the story of America in many ways. It’s the story of Capitalism. And how this system leads to so much bloodshed, greed, and hatred as man and man compete to have the most and be the best. This movie will surely stand the test of time and is a shining example of how groundbreaking modern American cinema can be.

#2 - Magnolia (1999) Runtime: 3 hr 8 min Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1 Film Format: 35mm

An epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of love, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.

Verdict: Paul Thomas Anderson’s third film found the director taking everything he had learned on his previous two, and expanding on that knowledge and developing more layers to his characters who have never felt so fully realized. Magnolia is the director’s magnum opus. It is epic in its length - clocking in at a little over three hours, making it his longest film by far. It is ambitious in its storytelling approach. Many films utilize the style of a variety of seemingly unrelated characters who connect to each other, oftentimes in a synchronistic fashion as they go about the trials and tribulations of their lives. However Magnolia is one of the few that did it first, did it the best, and set the bar for all of the subpar imitations that would soon follow. It’s also profoundly beautiful in the statements that PTA was trying to make. Paul, just barely 30 years old at the time when this was released, most definitely had an emotional and intellectual maturity that is rarely seen within a director of that age range. Magnolia is about redemption, loss, forgiveness, love, and trying to keep your head above water as frogs rain down on your head.

#1 - The Master (2012) Runtime: 2 hr 18 min Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1 Film Format: 35mm & 70mm

Freddie, a volatile, heavy-drinking veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, finds some semblance of a family when he stumbles onto the ship of Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a new “religion” he forms after World War II.

Verdict: I’ve always been drawn to films about cults. Something about social behavior and social roles within a cult organization is a really interesting study on a sociological, psychological and anthropological level. The Master takes the cult formula and turns it on its head in many ways, never once foraying into the territory of exploitation or tropes. It instead takes a wholly original approach to the story. I mean, it is Paul Thomas Anderson that we’re talking about here. Joaquin Phoenix delivers his most unhinged, and certainly his most impressive, performance of his career as a mentally damaged alcoholic war veteran with pretty severe PTSD. The Master is also in many ways the story of the founding father of Scientology - L. Ron Hubbard. However, let’s just say it is a Scientology movie “in disguise” as no real historical names are ever spoke, the word “Scientology” is never uttered once, and even the director himself refuses to admit that’s what it is about (I mean who can blame him? He once had to work with Tom Cruise). It is one of the most fascinating character studies I’ve ever seen. Not to mention, it is PTA’s most beautifully shot film in my opinion and Johnny Greenwood’s musical contributions to the score elevate this film to ultimate masterpiece status. By the end, I felt like I had just undergone a transcendent experience of sorts. I hope one day PTA can make a film that “wows” me ever more than this one does.

23 notes · View notes