#Hell he is taking /advantage/ of that by having connections within all sorts of law structures. It's WHY he knows they can't be trusted

[yeonban]

^ Behold, the caps that resonated with Tobias the most

[crystalgirl259]

The Flame and the Dragon Ch10

Chapter 10: The Bargain

"Nya! Lloyd! If you two are here, please answer me!" Kai screeched desperately, growing more and more worried. "Dammit, where are you two!" He shouted as loud as he could. A loud squeak screamed behind him, and Kai turned around in a flash. A wooden door with iron bolts, he hadn't noticed before, creaked open. Against his better judgment, Kai approached it, caution in each guarded step.

"Who's there!" He demanded. He received no answer but found himself in another chamber that contrasted with the rest of the castle. The room closely resembled a tower entrance, but the stone was not made of marble like the rest of the castle. The light of an oil lamp on the wall faintly lit the room in a pale orange glow, barely illuminating the silhouette of the staircase spiraling to the top of the castle. Shadows danced in the corner as if beckoning him to follow.

Every single thought told him to turn on his heels and go the other way, but the thought of his siblings possibly trapped in such a gruesome place quickly altered Kai's decision.

He grabbed the lamp from its hook and raised it above his head. A complete sphere of orange light surrounded him as he cautiously making his way up the stairs. The tower walls felt dank and wet beneath his hands. The air was heavy with the disgusting stench of mildew. Grime covered the walls in some places while flecks of moss speckled enormous stone blocks in others. Huge blocks formed the steps, built on top of the other in a spiral, so large it was like walking two steps at a time.

Barely any space existed between the two walls except for the width of the staircase.

This caused the uneasy feeling of claustrophobia to creep up Kai's spine, but he forced it away. Shadows danced in front of him, like small creatures struggling up the steps. The second their shadows left his sight, they stopped, as if waiting for him to follow. Kai blinked at the strange shapes but shook his head to relieve his worry.

"Nya! Lloyd!" He howled again, his voice bouncing loudly against the stone of the tower, reflecting a harsh echo. Kai increased his speed as fast as he could up the enormous steps. Once he reached the top he stopped and held his ground at the sound of panting. Once he made sure he had the advantage if anyone attacked him, he turned around and held up the bright lamp, but saw nothing. They made it to the top of the staircase faster than expected.

Both Jay and Ronin faltered until they both collapsed to the ground.

Their legs were very sore from running up such a long flight of stairs and their lungs panted desperately for air. Tox slithered up the last of the steps, shaking and panting with the last of her strength before finally collapsing in a heap on the floor. They had quickly hidden when the loud footsteps of Kai's heavy boots charged up the stairs. The three hissed at the brightness of Kai's lamp. The boy barely noticed, however, clearly too worried about his brother and sister.

Once Kai shrugged the sound off as rats, the lamplight and moonlight peeking through the windows told him he was in the highest room of the tower.

The stone blocks melded into a slate cone that seemed to go on forever. Glassless windows form gaping holes all over the roof allowing moonlight to spill into the room. The moonlight highlighted the iron bolts, locks, and bars upon the heavy wooden door on the other side of the room, clearly marking the tower as the dungeon. The smell of mold and grime hung in the air, creating a revolting stench. The floor was littered with straw and small broken pieces of the wall.

The dim light of Kai's lamp danced across the room.

He moved his hands to cover his mouth in a weak attempt to block out the horrid stench. The sound of crying quickly froze him in place, followed by the soothing shushing sounds he knew by heart. Keys was the first thing that popped into Kai's mind. He searched frantically for any signs of a key. Kai searched around until his eyes spied the keys on the hook. Practically leaping across the room, Kai clumsily snatched the keys from the hook and fiddled with each one until with a joyful click the lock came undone and Kai swung the door open.

Anger, relief, and sheer joy bombarded him all at once.

Nya and Lloyd were sat on the floor of the dark, dank, rancid prison chamber, leaning beneath the only glass-less window in the room. Heavy manacles connected to about five feet of thick chains shackled their ankles to the wall. Both were shivering from the freezing temperature, both the stone and the open window caused. The fact that neither had their coats didn't help to ease the chill. Nya and Lloyd looked up in shock and slight fear when the door opened.

Nya wrapped her arms securely around Lloyd as the small boy cried in her chest and lap.

Their eyes widened even more at the sight of, no their capturer, but their third sibling standing in the doorway.

"Kai!" Lloyd cried out. Wasting no time Kai dashed over to them. The second his knees hit the floor, Lloyd threw himself into his brother's arms and wrapped them rightly around Kai's waist, crying loudly. Unable to do anything else but kneels there, Kai returned the gesture and stoked the little's one's bangs until he calmed down.

"It is okay, I got you." He promised when Lloyd calmed down enough to look at him. The only one not smiling or emotional at the trio's reunion, which they both soon noticed, was Nya. Instead, the only female Smith sibling looked furious, her blue eyes burning with anger, fear, and remorse, and her entire body was shaking like she didn't know whether to strangle her twin or hug him until he burst.

"You should not have come here." She managed to choke out after many failed attempts to speak. It was directed at Kai, but the tone made Lloyd clench his older brother tighter.

"What the hell does that mean? You think I would just leave you two to rot?" Kai demanded. Nya didn't argue with him, instead, she just grabbed the keys Kai dropped when Lloyd hugged him and threw them at him.

"Listen to me; take Lloyd, get out of here, go back to the town, and don't. Ever. Come back." She ordered, her tone held no room for argument, but Kai was never one to follow orders.

"I am not leaving either of you here." He declared sternly.

"Dammit Kai, for once in your life, do what I tell you! You and Lloyd have to get out of here before he gets back; if he finds you here he'll-"

"HE ALREADY HAS!" A booming voice thundered throughout the prison tower. Kai froze as the chilling voice stiffened his spine. Lloyd screamed and buried his face in the safety of Kai's chest and Nya, for the first time in her life, was scared speechless. Even the three people who Kai hadn't noticed were outside started shaking. All three backed themselves against the wall, hiding. Kai didn't turn around. Instead, he slowly got to his feet, holding Lloyd securely in his arms, wrapped in his coat, and held him tightly.

He stood and turned around to face Nya and Lloyd's capture.

The man had hidden in the shadows, only his eyes were visible. Two striking orbs of jade glowing unnaturally in the darkness. He watched as those eyes turned to the three people Kai hadn't noticed before, shivering in the corner.

"Tox, go help, Nelson." The voice commanded. The green-haired woman burst from the room and vanished down the stairs in less than a second. When his gaze met the remaining two, both boys swallowed loud lumps in their throats. "I'll deal with you two later." He stated before turning his frozen gaze to the siblings. Kai felt a shiver run up his spine when those green eyes fell on him, but he held his ground.

"Who are you?" He demanded in a calm, unreadable voice.

"You're in no place to be making demands." The voice mocked, arrogantly. "But if you must know, I am the master of this castle and all within its walls."

"Are you the ones who kidnapped my brother and sister?" Kai demanded. His face was a neutral mask and his amber eyes were hard and unyielding.

"I've done nothing of the sort." The shadow removed itself from the wall and moved towards them without leaving the darkness, extremely cautious of the moonlight bathing Kai and his two siblings. "You're siblings trespassed on my property and entered this castle without my permission; therefore, as the master, I have every right to keep them both here until I decide to let them leave, or until they die, whichever comes first." He spoke in a harsh, arrogant tone.

"Trespassing doesn't warrant such a punishment!" Kai shouted, clenching his free hand at his side. The shadow raised an eyebrow at the fierceness burning in those amber gems, clearly intrigued by the brunette.

"It matters not, ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the laws; if you wish to grant your sister's request, however, I'll allow you take your brother home, but either way, one of you is staying and not even your persistence will convince me otherwise." The shadow stated firmly. Kai was about to retort until Lloyd started coughing in his arms. He'd obviously been trying to hide it, but the loud choking coughs and heavy pants alerted everyone in the room to his condition.

In a second, Kai's expression went from fury to fear as he fell to his knees and rearranged the smaller boy in his arms.

As he did this, the blond boy released the worst coughing fit even the Master of the castle had ever heard. Kai felt like punching the floor.

"He can't stay here, Kai, he'll only get sicker," Nya explained, lying Lloyd down in her lap, as the boy tried desperately to refill his lungs.

"What's wrong with him?" The Master asked taking a step forward, but Kai was on his feet in front of his family before the shadow could get any closer.

"He was born with asthma." He explained. "The doctor said it should work itself out as he gets older, but whenever he has an attack it has to be controlled or he could get worse!"

"Then give him some medicine."

"I don't have it." Kai retorted before turning to his sister. "Where is it? I know you packed some when you two left, I checked three times." He reminded her, but Nya bit her lip.

"We did have it, but... it was in the carriage." She replied and Kai mentally swore. The medicine was still in the carriage. The carriage he untied from Flame's reigns before they rode into the woods. Swallowing his pride, Kai turned back to the master.

"Lloyd can't stay here; he'll die if he does."

"Then take him back to your town." The master ordered. "I won't stop you, I already said only one of you has to stay."

"I'm not leaving Nya here either." He said firmly. The master raised another eyebrow, stepping closer, making his silhouette and eyes visible but nothing more.

"Then what would you propose, I do?" He asked, turning to the smaller boy who was shaking in his older brother's arms. He doubted Lloyd truly was as sick as his brothers feared, but something had to be done about that vicious cough. But first, he wanted to see how the youth in front of him would react. His eyes fell back on Kai. This one intrigued him, challenged him with no fear, met him blow for blow with a spirit that refused to break, and fierce independence.

Even now, despite his obvious fear for his younger brother's life, his sister's freedom, and his anger at himself, the boy refused to show any sign of weakness.

The Master was interested to see just how far that spirit would go, as the master watched the amber-eyed teen calculate a plan in his head.

"How about a deal?" Kai said, at last, lifting his head to meet the Master's eyes. Blazing amber was burning with all the fire the master loved, bore into his orbs of cold green. The master raised an eyebrow, curious.

"I'm listening."

"You said one of us has to stay here, right? But you never specified who." He explained. The Master's brightened curiously as a smile slowly crept across his face.

"I don't believe I did." He admitted and Kai wanted to snarl at the arrogance in his voice. Nya must've figured out where Kai was going because she stiffened and protested immediately, but Kai ignored her.

"Then how about this: you let Lloyd and Nya return to the village and never bother either of them again, no imprisonment, no nothing." He bargained, not a glimmer of doubt or hesitation in his eyes.

"You're terms are steep, little candle." The Master said as he circled him, keeping in the shadows. Kai stood his ground. The master was testing him, looking for any sign of weakness, like a predator searching for its prey's weak spot before making the killing blow. "I assume you're willing to offer me something just as valuable in return?"

"No." He said bluntly. "Nowhere near as valuable but it's all I have got to bargain with."

"Very well, but I can't agree unless I know what it is you are offering me, candle?" He replied and Kai shivered when he felt a claw-like hand brush one of his spikey brown bangs behind his ear. He already knew what Kai was going to say, he just wanted to hear him say it.

"You promise to let them go, no tricks, not double-cross, no loopholes, not nothing, and... you can have me, instead."

"KAI NO!"

"That is an awfully steep sacrifice, candle." He said and Kai could hear the smirk in the Master's voice. "You know you'd be giving up everything right? You'd be trapped here until I decide to let you leave and you'd never see your family or your home again."

"It'd be worth it." He said immediately.

"But that's not all." The master continued. A clawed hand tugged on Kai's wrist pulling him into the shadows despite his struggle, while the opposite held his chin forcing him to meet the Master's eyes. "I saw it the moment I first laid eyes on you; you're a spirit as wild as an untamed falcon, a wildfire that burns vigorously with freedom! If you agree to this, you'd be throwing all that away; you'd never be free again and you'd be confined to this castle and the grounds, or, if I ordered it, this very room." He whispered darkly in Kai's ear.

It was a miracle Kai managed to not shiver when he felt those cold, scaly, clawed hands firmly grasp his shoulders.

He was testing him and Kai knew it. Testing his weakness and exploiting everything he loved, knowing he was requiring the teen to sacrifice everything while he lost nothing. Waiting for him to weaken and refuse. Waiting for him to break. Clenching his fists at his side, Kai closed his eyes forgetting his own desires and focusing solely on his siblings. Lloyd needed medicine and he needed Nya to take care of him. That was how it had always been since Ray died.

Kai and Nya would take care of all three of them financially, but only Nya would take care of him and Lloyd emotionally.

They'd both be safe, free from this nightmarish lord, his dark prison, and all it would cost him was everything he ever loved and cared for.

"Come into the light and let me see you," Kai whispered, without turning around.

"What!?" The Master roared as he released his shoulders.

"No disrespect, I just wish to see who it is I'm signing my life away to before I tell you my decision." He explained. It wouldn't matter either way, but if this guy thought he could keep Kai in the dark forever, he was mistaken.

"Swear to me you won't scream." He said after a moment of silence. Kai nodded and braced himself for the worst as the Master stepped into the moonlight. Immediately, Kai looked up. For all his arrogance and selfishness and harsh deeds, the Master was a breathtaking creature. He was human, yet at the same time, he wasn't. The Dragon Lord was indeed the right name. He wasn't human or a dragon, but both. He stood seven feet tall, easily towering over Kai.

A shaggy mop of black hair on the top of his head revealed two pointed fin-like ears.

His dragon fangs glittered pristine white in the moonlight, protruding from his upper lip, visible when he smirked though his face betrayed no emotion. His human body stood firmly with large muscles. Instead of human skin, a clutter of black and dark orange scales formed a spike at both his elbows to his wrists. Smooth dragon scales looked like armor at first glance. The dragonskin glistened down his arms. Sharp black claws that could easily rip him to shreds were at the end of his long fingers.

Kai shivered, remembering them on his shoulders and holding his chin a few moments ago.

Just below his back from both his shoulders, they appeared. Two enormous dragon wings were as big as he was, membraned and muscled, like a bat's, and were topped with a small black spike. They were strong and more powerful and looked like they could consume the brunette in their leathery grasp. They were glowing the same black and dark orange as his scales. Unable to control his body anymore, Kai scanned the rest of the Dragon Lord's body.

His top half was covered by a sleeveless black jacket trimmed with silver and closed in the front.

Behind him, Kai could see a large, muscled tail, glistening with black scales, moving on its own accord, and the end curled like a whip. Moving his eyes from the lethal abdomen, Kai scanned down the Dragon Lord's legs and feet. Black pants tightly hugged the strong legs leaving little to the imagination. More scaled armor covered his legs from the knees down, forming a pair of boot-like dragon legs resembling his claws, but with stronger paws and shorter nails.

"Well?" The Master asked, forcing Kai's gaze to return to those green eyes. Immediately he was trapped by the paralyzing gaze of those sharp orbs with only black slits for pupils. Dragon claws, dragon scales, dragon wings, dragon eyes. Immediately Kai knew where they were, who the Master was, and what was happening and the realization made him dizzy and unable to move. It took all his willpower not to faint as he tried to remember the hybrid's name.

"Y-You're Prince Cole B-Brookstone, the Dragon L-Lord." He stuttered out eventually. Surprise suddenly filled the dragon's eyes, as if shocked someone knew who he was without having to explain his past. But as quickly as it appeared, a smirk replaced it. Beauty, fire, and brains. He truly was a rare jewel.

"That is correct, my candle," Cole smirked, but his eyes bore into Kai's with no emotion, noticing Kai's fierce resistance as he tried desperately not to show fear or desire. "So what do you say now?" He commanded, seductively. His claws danced under Kai's chin making him whimper slightly. "Do we have an agreement?" He asked, trying to intimidate him, but still, Kai refused to show any weakness.

"Kai no!" Lloyd pleaded, through another violent cough.

"You have my word." Kai choked in a whisper.

"Done!" Cole roared releasing the teen and ordering the servants at the door to release Nya and Lloyd. Unable to hold himself up any longer, Kai's knees give way and he collapsed to the floor, closing his eyes and buried his face in his hands to keep tears from falling. The second Jay and Ronin undid their chains, Lloyd threw his arms around his older brother crying, pleading with him to come back. All Kai could do was hold him. He felt Nya hug his shoulders, not saying a word, knowing nothing she said would change his mind.

"Dammit, Kai." She snarled quietly. She didn't have time for anything else. Cole grabbed the back of her cloak, and called for two other servants, and threw her to the two guardsmen.

"Skylor, Chamille, take them back to the village." He commanded before turning back to Lloyd and Kai on the floor. "Time to go, little one." He said in a more civil voice.

"NO! Kai has to come too!" Lloyd screamed, clenching Kai tighter.

"It's alright, green bean, I'll be fine, just go with Nya, alright?" Kai said with forced a smile but Lloyd saw right through it and just continued to cry. With a sigh, Cole snatched the smaller away from Kai and, with a little more care, handed him to Chamille despite Lloyd's struggling and coughing.

"Get them there as fast as you can, and make sure he gets his medicine," Cole ordered the two monsters, before pointing to Lloyd. The two nodded and left, dragging Nya and Lloyd with them, looks of remorse on their face as they tried to block out the pleads and cries coming from all three siblings. Kai made a dash for the door but Cole already locked it. He wrestling with the door and screamed at the top of his lungs before he gave up. He sprinted to the window and clenched the stone windowsill, looking for the guards.

He finally found them, but could barely see them from the tower prison.

He could see his siblings fighting with them, as the guards held a now blindfolded Nya and Lloyd in their arms and took them to the forest. They would make sure they couldn't find their way back to the castle but could get back to the village. His heart shattered when he saw Lloyd, crying and screaming and shouting his full name. He was so scared, but he had no fear for himself or Nya. His fear was a direct result of his beloved brother's unknown fate as the lord's prisoner.

Kai collapsed to the floor in a shaking heap, curled his arms around the window sill, and buried his face in his arms.

He did nothing to stop the river of tears from falling. They were tears of anger, grief, remorse, and loss. He had always hated crying, considered it a weakness, but it seemed impossible not to cry at that moment. The window served as a permanent reminder of the outside world that was forever barred to him since chances were, he'd never set foot outside his current cell. He had signed his life away. His family, his dreams, his freedom, everything he ever held dear, to a devilish creature who knew nothing of sacrifice.

Now was the perfect time to cry...

[ploppythespaceship]

In Defense of Will Riker

Riker gets such an unfair reputation in the Star Trek fandom. So many people genuinely can’t stand the guy, which is their right. He can be a somewhat boring character with a strange and even nonexistent character arc. But a lot of this dislike stems from the idea that Riker is a sexist, misogynistic creep who is actively trying to get into the pants of every woman he meets. Which is so far from the truth, I don’t understand how it’s still the perception.

First of all, we’ve done this song and dance with Kirk before. Enjoying dating and sex does not make someone a creep. If everyone involved is a consenting adult, it shouldn’t matter who you’re dating and/or sleeping with.

Secondly, TNG goes out of its way to show that Riker is a great guy. If you actually go through his episodes and look at how he treats both the women he works with and the women he’s interested in, you’ll see that he always treats them with respect. And in instances where he has an easy opportunity to take advantage, he never does it. Because Will Riker is a gentleman who drinks his respect women juice.

I’m so sick of this argument that under the cut I’ve compiled all of Riker’s important relationships with women on the show to demonstrate exactly what I mean.

I pulled most of these from the relationships section of Riker’s Memory-Alpha page, which is pretty thorough, and a few just from memory since I rewatched the whole show pretty recently. I don’t think anything relevant has been left out, but feel free to let me know if you think of something else. I’m all for some civil discussion of these things! Emphasis on civil.

Deanna Troi

Starting with the big one! The very first episode establishes that they have a romantic history, and have since split up. The details of their relationship are pretty scarce, but it’s clear that they had an intense, intimate connection. Initially they’re awkward but professional around one another, and this eventually softens into genuine friendship. They are close, possibly closer than anyone else on the ship. But Will never, not once, pressures Deanna into romance with him. He is entirely respectful towards her. In a few episodes they’re possibly shown to be dating again (it’s unclear) but Deanna gives no indication of being uncomfortable with this arrangement. When they officially get back together in the films, their feelings are clearly mutual and neither is being pressured into anything.

Frankly, Will and Deanna are an excellent example of a healthy relationship with one’s ex, respecting boundaries while maintaining closeness. The two of them are always shown supporting each other. It always bugs me that people think there’s something insidious going on here. Will isn’t just trying to get back into her pants. He genuinely loves and respects her.

And it’s worth mentioning that in “Second Chances”, when Deanna is interested in dating the alternate version of him (later known as Thomas), Will clearly isn’t thrilled about it, but also respects her decision and does nothing to intervene. When she talks to him about it, he is very clear that he does not expect her to ask for his opinion or for his approval, and that as long as she’s happy, he supports her.

Tasha Yar

Frankly they don’t have many distinct interactions that I recall, but Riker treats her the same as he treats everyone else on the crew. He is respectful of her, her rank, and her position.

Beverly Crusher

Not a hint of romance in their relationship. They are friends with a healthy connection built on mutual trust. Again, he is respectful of her, her rank, and her position.

Kathryn Pulaski

You can copy paste everything I said about Crusher, tbh. They’re friends and quite respectful of one another. Nothing untoward happening here.

Lwaxana Troi

Lwaxana flirts with Riker sometimes. Cause she flirts with everyone. Though she leaves him alone a bit more since he’s involved with her daughter. And yet again, Riker is entirely respectful of her, though he does gently have to tell her to back off at times. Eventually they settle into the classic son-in-law / mother-in-law relationship.

Beata (“Angel One”)

Does this episode suck? Yep. Is this relationship awkward as hell? God, yes. Is Riker being misogynistic? Nope! He actually goes out of his way to be respectful of this matriarchal society’s customs, even wearing an outfit that many in his culture would consider demeaning. Not to mention, Beata is primarily the one coming onto him, not the other way around. He’s simply reciprocating. It might be poor judgment, but it’s again entirely mutual and consensual.

Minuet (“11001001″)

Riker goes into the holodeck to relax, and then meets a nice holograhic lady to help him do just that... and people get mad that he enjoys that? Minuet is programmed specifically for this. Not to mention the Bynars literally designed her to be irresistible for him. Of course he’s gonna be besotted with her. And, issues of hologram sentience aside (Trek hadn’t delved too deelpy into it by that point), this is once again entirely consensual.

Minuet does pop up again in “Future Imperfect”, sort of, simply because Barash needed to choose a figure to serve as Riker’s late wife. With someone unable to distinguish holodeck memories from real ones, Minuet would seem like a perfectly reasonable choice.

Brenna Odell (“Up the Long Ladder”)

This is an entirely consensual one night stand. The feelings are clearly mutual. Even while they’re bickering, it’s obvious there’s an attraction underneath it, on both sides. Again, their fling might be poor judgment, but absolutely not misogyny.

Yuta (“The Vengeance Factor”)

This is one of the few episodes where I can see why their relationship might make some viewers uncomfortable, but I also think it’s the most telling as to why Riker is not the creep people assume him to be.

The cultural and status differences between them place Riker at a clear power advantage compared to Yuta, which makes for an imbalance. Yuta is a servant, and her entire mindset is that of serving others. Having a relationship on equal footing with someone like Riker is entirely foreign to her, and she struggles against her instincts to follow all of his wishes without question. That being said, Riker does basically everything he possibly can to address and negate that imbalance. He does his utmost to respect her and her position. He doesn’t force her into anything she isn’t ready for. Any time she tries to fill the role of a servant for him, he stops her to explain that he wants her to be his equal. You could argue that this relationship is inappropriate regardless, because the power imbalance still exists whether he wishes it to or not, but I think it’s important to note how dedicated he is to not taking advantage of this girl.

And of course, at the end of the episode he is forced to choose duty over love and must kill her, but it’s hardly his fault that she’s a secret assassin.

Lal (“The Offspring”)

He flirted with her while unaware of who she was, and stopped immediately upon realizing. And she kissed him, not the other way around. Just look at his face! He clearly didn’t expect that. He did absolutely nothing wrong here. Using this brief scene against his character is just absurd.

Commander Shelby (“The Best of Both Worlds”)

For some reason the consensus in this episode is that Riker is rude to Shelby because she doesn’t want to sleep with him. And that’s just a complete and utter misread of the episode.

First, there is absolutely no indication that Riker is romantically interested in her. Nor does she does not reject his advances, because no advances are even made. Second, Riker gets short with Shelby at times because she has been assigned to work under his command, and she’s questioning his decisions and generally being difficult to work with. It’s literally his job to call people on things like that. That being said, he’s never particularly rude to her -- at least, no more rude than she is to him. They also grow into mutual respect by the end of the episodes, to the point where he trusts her to serve as his first officer.

Lanel (“First Contact”)

( TW: rape mention )

Quite frankly the next person to point to this episode as evidence of Riker’s misogyny is getting slapped. She. Raped. Him. Full stop. He needed to escape, she offered to help if he slept with her, and he agreed because at the time it was the only way to save his life. Consent under duress is not consent. He does not appear comfortable with the arrangement, and his joking afterwards is forced. So let’s just stop holding this episode up as proof of Riker’s sexism, mkay? He was undeniably the victim here.

Carmen Davila (“Silicon Avatar”)

There’s not much to glean from their brief interaction where Riker asks her to dinner, but again: feelings are mutual. Everyone’s consenting. Nothing untoward happening here. Besides, she’s killed not five minutes into the episode, so it doesn’t particularly matter.

Etana Jol (“The Game”)

Riker’s having a fling with her on Risa. Because that’s what you do on Risa. You go vacation and have fun, and if you so choose, you can find someone else there wanting to have fun. And you have some sexy fun together. That’s just how it goes on Risa.

Also, she’s revealed to be playing him and literally brainwashes him to access the Enterprise. So the situation is not entirely within his control. Again, let’s not blame the victim here.

Ro Laren

There’s clearly sexual tension between them in some episodes, which mostly comes across as bickering. Riker is sharp with her when he needs to be, as a commander, but also tells her when she’s done a good job. The only time they sleep together is in “Conundrum”, when all their memories are erased. Therefore they’re unaware of the context that a romantic relationship isn’t entirely appropriate. When they remember again, they are awkward but respectful of one another, and now have a stronger friendship for it. And I’ll say it for the umpteenth time: mutual and consensual.

Soren (“The Outcast”)

This episode is controversial as hell, and it’s always a tricky one to dive into. But as far as Riker’s relationship with Soren is concerned: there’s honestly nothing bad happening here. He is respectful of her culture and is impressed by her as a pilot and scientist. Though he clearly has feelings for her, it’s unclear if he would have been the first to pursue them, because she confesses hers for him first. Before then, he was entirely professional with her. Only when their mutual attraction is confirmed does Riker actually pursue a relationship with her.

(Side note, that conversation is also when she comes out to him as female.(Yes, Riker was attracted to her before knowing she was female! At the time he believed her to be androgynous/non-binary. Which makes him canonically not straight.)

Additionally he is 100% respectful of her gender -- one of the only people to do that, in fact -- and does what he can both to respect her culture while also supporting her and her journey. He’s genuinely gutted when she’s forced to conform to the expected gender of her society, and isn’t allowed to be who she truly is.

Don’t get me wrong, this episode is a hot mess in many other aspects, but Riker’s treatment of Soren is one of the few things it got right.

Kamala (“The Perfect Mate”)

Is this episode super uncomfy with an almost laughably sexist plot? Oh yeah. But can we blame Riker for anything? Not really. Kamala can read men to make herself everything they desire -- the perfect mate, as the episode’s title says. Naturally this extends to her scenes with Riker as well. She flirts with him, comes onto him, and he’s clearly very into it. They kiss briefly, he’s tempted -- and then he stops her, because he knows this isn’t appropriate and she’s promised to someone else.

Let me say that again: Riker has a perfectly willing woman in front of him, who is literally doing everything in her power to be as appealing to him as possible. She is right there for him to have if he wants. Which he does. And he still tells her no, to keep a clear professional boundary between them. It would have been so easy to take advantage of that and later say she was too irresistible. Yet he didn’t.

Amanda Rogers (“True Q”)

Amanda is a young girl, 18 at the oldest, when she arrives aboard the Enterprise. She’s pretty enamored with Riker, cause she’s a kid who doesn’t have a great sense of what’s healthy/appropriate and what’s not yet. Riker is very aware of this, and does absolutely nothing to encourage her. He sets boundaries where appropriate and is obviously just waiting for her crush to die down, so he doesn’t have to hurt her feelings. When Amanda really starts to make moves on him, he very clearly tells her no. She actually starts to force him to play out her romantic fantasies using her Q powers, though she stops when she realizes it’s not real and isn’t right. Riker does nothing wrong in this episode.

Rebecca Smith (“Genesis”)

There’s nothing to go on here except that they had a date in the holodeck. Everything seems on the up and up. She’s not even shown onscreen, just mentioned in a couple lines of dialogue. I’m just including her for the sake of being thorough.

tl;dr

All of Riker’s relationships are either entirely consensual, or non-consensual with him as the victim. In several situations he could easily have taken advantage of someone, but never does, instead choosing to set clear boundaries. I have been thinking and scouring through Memory-Alpha and I genuinely cannot find a single instance in which he behaved in a sexist or misogynistic manner. That isn’t to say it never happened, I certainly can’t remember every moment of a seven season show. But it’s hardly a defining character trait for him the way many seem to think.

There are plenty of other reasons to dislike Riker. He can be immature. He rather stupidly stays in the same position for a decade because he can’t be bothered to take his own command the way he should. He can be a bit dull as a main character. The way he gets into chairs looks very stupid. But he is not sexist or a creep. *drops microphone*

[artycloudpop]

1hey are u bored at home, wanna chill and netflix....... but just can’t find some thing nice to watch? here’s a list of movies for u watch

A Ghost Story (2017)

Director David Lowery (Pete's Dragon) conceived this dazzling, dreamy meditation on the afterlife during the off-hours on a Disney blockbuster, making the revelations within even more awe-inspiring. After a fatal accident, a musician (Casey Affleck) finds himself as a sheet-draped spirit, wandering the halls of his former home, haunting/longing for his widowed wife (Rooney Mara). With stylistic quirks, enough winks to resist pretension (a scene where Mara devours a pie in one five-minute, uncut take is both tragic and cheeky), and a soundscape culled from the space-time continuum, A Ghost Story connects the dots between romantic love, the places we call home, and time -- a ghost's worst enemy.

Airplane! (1980)

This is one of the funniest movie of all time. Devised by the jokesters behind The Naked Gun, this disaster movie spoof stuffs every second of runtime with a physical gag (The nun slapping a hysterical woman!), dimwitted wordplay ("Don't call me, Shirley"), an uncomfortable moment of odd behavior ("Joey, have you ever seen a grown man naked?"), or some other asinine bit. The rare comedy that demands repeat viewings, just to catch every micro-sized joke and memorize every line.

A24

American Honey (2016)

Writer/director Andrea Arnold lets you sit shotgun for the travels of a group of wayward youth in American Honey, a seductive drama about a "mag crew" selling subscriptions and falling in and out of love with each other on the road. Seen through the eyes of Star, played by Sasha Lane, life on the Midwest highway proves to be directionless, filled with a stream of partying and steamy hookups in the backs of cars and on the side of the road, especially when she starts to develop feelings for Shia LaBeouf’s rebellious Jake. It’s an honest look at a group of disenfranchised young people who are often cast aside, and it’s blazing with energy. You’ll buy what they're selling.

Anna Karenina (2012)

Adapted by renowned playwright Tom Stoppard, this take on Leo Tolstoy's classic Russian novel is anything but stuffy, historical drama. Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander are all overflowing with passion and desire, heating up the chilly backdrop of St. Petersburg. But it's director Joe Wright's unique staging -- full of dance, lush costuming, fourth-wall-breaking antics, and other theatrical touches -- that reinvent the story for more daring audiences.

NETFLIX

Apostle (2018)

For his follow-up to his two action epics, The Raid and The Raid 2, director Gareth Evans dials back the hand-to-hand combat but still keeps a few buckets of blood handy in this grisly supernatural horror tale. Dan Stevens stars as Thomas Richardson, an early 20th century opium addict traveling to a cloudy island controlled by a secretive cult that's fallen on hard times. The religious group is led by a bearded scold named Father Malcolm (Michael Sheen) who may or may not be leading his people astray. Beyond a few bursts of kinetic violence and some crank-filled torture sequences, Evans plays this story relatively down-the-middle, allowing the performances, the lofty themes, and the windswept vistas to do the talking. It's a cult movie that earns your devotion slowly, then all at once.

Back to the Future (1985)

Buckle into Doc's DeLorean and head to the 1950s by way of 1985 with the seminal time-travel series that made Michael J. Fox a household name. It's always a joy watching Marty McFly's race against the clock way-back-when to ensure history runs its course and he can get back to the present. Netflix also has follow-up Parts II and III, which all add up to a perfect rainy afternoon marathon.

NETFLIX

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Coen brothers gave some big-name-director cred to Netflix by releasing their six-part Western anthology on the streaming service, and while it's not necessarily their best work, Buster Scruggs is clearly a cut above most Netflix originals. Featuring star turns from Liam Neeson, Tom Waits, Zoe Kazan, and more, the film takes advantage of Netflix's willingness to experiment by composing a sort of death fugue that unfolds across the harsh realities of life in Manifest Destiny America. Not only does it revel in the massive, sweeping landscapes of the American West, but it's a thoughtful meditation on death that will reveal layer after layer long after you finish.

Barbershop (2002)

If you've been sleeping on the merits of the Barbershop movies, the good news is it's never too late to get caught up. Revisit the 2002 installment that started Ice Cube's smack-talking franchise so you can bask in Cedric the Entertainer's hilarious wisdom, enjoy Eve's acting debut, and admire this joyful ode to community.

NETFLIX

Barry (2016)

In 1981, Barack Obama touched down in New York City to begin work at Columbia University. As Barry imagines, just days after settling into his civics class, a white classmate confronts the Barry with an argument one will find in the future president's Twitter @-mentions: "Why does everything always got to be about slavery?" Exaltation is cinematic danger, especially when bringing the life of a then-sitting president to screen. Barry avoids hagiography by staying in the moment, weighing race issues of a modern age and quieting down for the audience to draw its own conclusions. Devon Terrell is key, steadying his character as smooth-operating, socially active, contemplative fellow stuck in an interracial divide. Barry could be any half-black, half-white kid from the '80s. But in this case, he's haunted by past, present, and future.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

You can't doubt the audacity of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Anomalisa), whose first produced screenplay hinged on attracting the title actor to a script that has office drones discovering a portal into his mind. John Cusack, Catherine Keener, and Cameron Diaz combine to create an atmosphere of desperate, egomaniacal darkness, and by the end you'll feel confused and maybe a little slimy about the times you've participated in celebrity gawking.

A24

The Blackcoat's Daughter (2017)

Two young women are left behind at school during break... and all sorts of hell breaks loose. This cool, stylish thriller goes off in some strange directions (and even offers a seemingly unrelated subplot about a mysterious hitchhiker) but it all pays off in the end, thanks in large part to the three leads -- Emma Roberts, Lucy Boynton, and Kiernan Shipka -- and director Oz Perkins' artful approach to what could have been just another occult-based gore-fest.

Bloodsport (1988)

Jean-Claude Van Damme made a career out of good-not-great fluff. Universal Soldier is serviceable spectacle, Hard Target is a living cartoon, Lionheart is his half-baked take on On the Waterfront. Bloodsport, which owes everything to the legacy of Bruce Lee, edges out his Die Hard riff Sudden Death for his best effort, thanks to muscles-on-top-of-muscles-on-top-of-muscles fighting and Stan Bush's "Fight to Survive." Magic Mike has nothing on Van Damme's chiseled backside in Bloodsport, which flexes its way through a slow-motion karate-chop gauntlet. In his final face-off, Van Damme, blinded by arena dust, rage-screams his way to victory. The amount of adrenaline bursting out of Bloodsport demands a splash zone.

Blue Ruin (2013)

Before he went punk with 2016's siege thriller Green Room, director Jeremy Saulnier delivered this low-budget, darkly comic hillbilly noir. When Dwight Evans (Macon Blair) discovers that the man who killed his parents is being released from prison, he returns home to Virginia to claims his revenge and things quickly spin out of control. Like the Coen Brothers' Blood Simple, this wise-ass morality tale will make you squirm.

WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMEN

Burning (2018)

Some mysteries simmer; this one smolders. In his adaptation of a Haruki Murakami short story, writer and director Lee Chang-dong includes many elements of the acclaimed author's slyly mischievous style -- cats, jazz, cooking, and an alienated male writer protagonist all pop up -- but he also invests the material with his own dark humor, stray references to contemporary news, and an unyielding sense of curiosity. We follow aimless aspiring novelist Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) as he reconnects with Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), a young woman he grew up with, but the movie never lets you get too comfortable in one scene or setting. When Steven Yeun's Ben, a handsome rich guy with a beautiful apartment and a passion for burning down greenhouses, appears, the film shifts to an even more tremulous register. Can Ben be trusted? Yeun's performance is perfectly calibrated to entice and confuse, like he's a suave, pyromaniac version of Tyler Durden. Each frame keeps you guessing.

Cam (2018)

Unlike the Unfriended films or this summer's indie hit Searching, this web thriller from director Daniel Goldhaber and screenwriter Isa Mazzei isn't locked into the visual confines of a computer screen. Though there's plenty of online screen time, allowing for subtle bits of commentary and satire, the looser style allows the filmmakers to really explore the life and work conditions of their protagonist, rising cam girl Alice (Madeline Brewer). We meet her friends, her family, and her customers. That type of immersion in the granular details makes the scarier bits -- like an unnerving confrontation in the finale between Alice and her evil doppelganger -- pop even more.

THE ORCHARD

Creep (2014)

Patrick Brice's found-footage movie is a no-budget answer to a certain brand of horror, but saying more would give away its sinister turns. Just know that the man behind the camera answered a Craigslist ad to create a "day in the life" video diary for Josef (Mark Duplass), who really loves life. Creep proves that found footage, the indie world's no-budget genre solution, still has life, as long as you have a performer like Duplass willing to go all the way.

The Death of Stalin (2017)

Armando Iannucci, the brilliant Veep creator, set his sights on Russia with this savage political satire. Based on a graphic novel, the film dramatizes the madcap, maniacal plots of the men jostling for power after their leader, Joseph Stalin, keels over. From there, backstabbing, furious insults, and general chaos unfolds. Anchored by performances from Shakespearean great Simon Russell Beale and American icon Steve Buscemi, it's a pleasure to see what the rest of the cast -- from Star Trek: Discovery's Jason Isaacs to Homeland's Rupert Friend -- do with Iannucci's eloquently brittle text.

Den of Thieves (2018)

If there's one thing you've probably heard about this often ridiculous bank robbery epic, it's that it steals shamelessly from Michael Mann's crime saga Heat. The broad plot elements are similar: There's a team of highly-efficient criminals led by a former Marine (Pablo Schreiber) and they must contend with a obsessive, possibly unhinged cop (Gerard Butler) over the movie's lengthy 140 minute runtime.  A screenwriter helming a feature for the first time, director Christian Gudegast is not in the same league as Mann as a filmmaker and Butler, sporting unflattering tattoos and a barrel-like gut, is hardly Al Pacino. But everyone is really going for it here, attempting to squeeze every ounce of Muscle Milk from the bottle.

NETFLIX

Divines (2016)

Thrillers don't come much more propulsive or elegant than Houda Benyamina's Divines, a heartwarming French drama about female friendship that spirals into a pulse-pounding crime saga. Rambunctious teenager Dounia (Oulaya Amamra) and her best friend Maimouna (Déborah Lukumuena) begin the film as low-level shoplifters and thieves, but once they fall into the orbit of a slightly older, seasoned drug dealer named Rebecca (Jisca Kalvanda), they're on a Goodfellas-like trajectory. Benyamina offsets the violent, gritty genre elements with lyrical passages where Dounia watches her ballet-dancer crush rehearse his routines from afar, and kinetic scenes of the young girls goofing off on social media. It's a cautionary tale told with joy, empathy, and an eye for beauty.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Eddie Murphy has been waiting years to get this movie about comedian and blaxploitation star Rudy Ray Moore made, and you can feel his joy in finally getting to play this role every second he's on screen. The film, directed by Hustle & Flow's Craig Brewer, charts how Moore rose from record store employee, to successful underground comedian, to making his now-cult classic feature Dolemite by sheer force of passion. It's thrilling (and hilarious) to watch Murphy adopt Moore's Dolemite persona, a swaggering pimp, but it's just as satisfying to see the former SNL star capture his character at his lowest points. He's surrounded by an ensemble that matches his infectious energy.

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

As romanticized as adolescence can be, it’s hard being young. Following the high school experience of troubled, overdramatic Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), The Edge of Seventeen portrays the woes of adolescence with a tender, yet appropriately cheeky tone. As if junior year isn’t hellish enough, the universe essentially bursts into flames when Nadine finds out her best friend is dating her brother; their friendship begins to dissolve, and she finds the only return on young love is embarrassment and pain. That may all sound like a miserable premise for a young-adult movie, except it’s all painfully accurate, making it endearingly hilarious -- and there’s so much to love about Steinfeld’s self-aware performance.

FOCUS FEATURES

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Romance and love are nothing without the potential for loss and pain, but most of us would probably still consider cutting away all the worst memories of the latter. Given the option to eradicate memories of their busted relationship, Jim Carrey's Joel and Kate Winslet's Clementine go through with the procedure, only to find themselves unable to totally let go. Science fiction naturally lends itself to clockwork mechanisms, but director Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman never lose the human touch as they toy with the kaleidoscope of their characters' hearts and minds.

The Evil Dead (1981)

Before Bruce Campbell's Ash was wielding his chainsaw-arm in Army of Darkness and on Starz's Ash Vs. Evil Dead, he was just a good looking guy hoping to spend a nice, quiet vacation in a cabin with some friends. Unfortunately, the book of the dead had other plans for him. With this low-budget horror classic, director Sam Raimi brings a surprising degree of technical ingenuity to bear on the splatter-film, sending his camera zooming around the woods with wonder and glee. While the sequels double-downed on laughs, the original Evil Dead still knows how to scare.

The Firm (1993)

The '90s were a golden era of sleek, movie-star-packed legal thrillers, and they don't get much better than director Sydney Pollack's The Firm. This John Grisham adaptation has a little bit of everything -- tax paperwork, sneering mobsters, and Garey Busey, for starters -- but there's one reason to watch this movie: the weirdness of Tom Cruise. He does a backflip in this movie. What else do you need to know?

A24

The Florida Project (2017)

Sean Baker's The Florida Project nuzzles into the swirling, sunny, strapped-for-cash populace of a mauve motel just within orbit of Walt Disney World. His eyes are Moonee, a 6-year-old who adventures through abandoned condos, along strip mall-encrusted highway, and across verdant fields of overgrown brush like Max in Where the Wild Things Are. But as gorgeous as the everything appears -- and The Florida Project looks stunning -- the world around here is falling apart, beginning with her mother, an ex-stripper turning to prostitution. The juxtaposition, and down-to-earth style, reconsiders modern America in the most electrifying way imaginable.

Frances Ha (2012)

Before winning hearts and Oscar nominations with her coming-of-age comedy Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig starred in the perfect companion film, about an aimless 27-year-old who hops from New York City to her hometown of Sacramento to Paris to Poughkeepsie and eventually back to New York in hopes of stumbling into the perfect job, the perfect relationship, and the perfect life. Directed by Noah Baumbach (The Meyerowitz Stories), and co-written by both, Frances Ha is a measured look at adult-ish life captured the kind of intoxicating black and white world we dream of living in.

NETFLIX

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)

Everyone's favorite disaster of a festival received not one, but two streaming documentaries in the same week. Netflix's version has rightly faced some criticism over its willingness to let marketing company Fuck Jerry off the hook (Jerry Media produced the doc), but that doesn't take away from the overall picture it portrays of the festival's haphazard planning and the addiction to grift from which Fyre's founder, Billy McFarland, apparently suffers. It's schadenfreude at its best.

Gerald's Game (2017)

Like his previous low-budget Netflix-released horror release, Hush, a captivity thriller about a deaf woman fighting off a masked intruder, Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptation of Gerald's Game wrings big scares from a small location. Sticking close to the grisly plot details of King's seemingly "unfilmable" novel, the movie chronicles the painstaking struggles of Jessie Burlingame (Carla Gugino) after she finds herself handcuffed to a bed in an isolated vacation home when her husband, the titular Gerald, dies from a heart attack while enacting his kinky sexual fantasies. She's trapped -- and that's it. The premise is clearly challenging to sustain for a whole movie, but Flanagan and Gugino turn the potentially one-note set-up into a forceful, thoughtful meditation on trauma, memory, and resilience in the face of near-certain doom.

A24

Good Time (2017)

In this greasy, cruel thriller from Uncut Gems directors the Safdie brothers, Robert Pattinson stars as Connie, a bank robber who races through Queens to find enough money to bail out his mentally disabled brother, who's locked up for their last botched job. Each suffocating second of Good Time, blistered by the neon backgrounds of Queens, New York and propelled by warped heartbeat of Oneothrix Point Never's synth score, finds Connie evading authorities by tripping into an even stickier situation.

Green Room (2015)

Green Room is a throaty, thrashing, spit-slinging punk tune belted through an invasion-movie microphone at max volume. It's nasty -- and near-perfect. As a band of 20-something rockstars recklessly defend against a neo-Nazi battalion equipped with machetes, shotguns, and snarling guard dogs, the movie blossoms into a savage coming-of-age tale, an Almost Famous for John Carpenter nuts. Anyone looking for similar mayhem should check out director Jeremy Saulnier's previous movie, the low-budget, darkly comic hillbilly noir, Blue Ruin, also streaming on Netflix.

The Guest (2014)

After writer-director Adam Wingard notched a semi-sleeper horror hit with 2011's You're Next, he'd earned a certain degree of goodwill among genre faithful and, apparently, with studio brass. How else to explain distribution for his atypical thriller The Guest through Time Warner subsidiary Picturehouse? Headlined by soon-to-be megastar Dan Stevens and kindred flick It Follows' lead scream queen Maika Monroe, The Guest introduces itself as a subtextual impostor drama, abruptly spins through a blender of '80s teen tropes, and ultimately reveals its true identity as an expertly self-conscious straight-to-video shoot 'em up, before finally circling back on itself with a well-earned wink. To say anymore about the hell that Stevens' "David" unleashes on a small New Mexico town would not only spoil the fun, but possibly get you killed.

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Quentin Tarantino has something to say about race, violence, and American life, and it's going to ruffle feathers. Like Django Unchained, the writer-director reflects modern times on the Old West, but with more scalpel-sliced dialogue, profane poetry, and gore. Stewed from bits of Agatha Christie, David Mamet, and Sam Peckinpah, The Hateful Eight traps a cast of blowhards (including Samuel L. Jackson as a Civil War veteran, Kurt Russell as a bounty hunter known as "The Hangman," and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a psychopathic gang member) in a blizzard-enveloped supply station. Tarantino ups the tension by shooting his suffocating space in "glorious 70mm." Treachery and moral compromise never looked so good.

High Flying Bird (2019)

High Flying Bird is a basketball film that has little to do with the sport itself, instead focusing on the behind-the-scenes power dynamics that play out during an NBA lockout. At the center of the Steven Soderbergh movie -- shot on an iPhone, because that's what he does now -- is André Holland's Ray Burke, a sports agent trying to protect his client's interests while also disrupting a corrupt system. It's not an easy tightrope to walk, and, as you might expect, the conditions of the labor stoppage constantly change the playing field. With his iPhone mirroring the NBA's social media-heavy culture, and appearances from actual NBA stars lending the narrative heft, Soderbergh experiments with Netflix's carte blanche and produces a unique film that adds to the streaming service's growing list of original critical hits.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Hugo (2011)

Martin Scorsese hit pause on mob violence and Rolling Stones singles to deliver one of the greatest kid-centric films in eons. Following Hugo (Asa Butterfield) as he traces his own origin story through cryptic automaton clues and early 20th-century movie history, the grand vision wowed in 3-D and still packs a punch at home.

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)

A meditative horror flick that's more unsettling than outright frightening, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House follows the demise of Lily, a live-in nurse (Ruth Wilson) who's caring for an ailing horror author. As Lily discovers the truth about the writer's fiction and home, the lines between the physical realm and the afterlife blur. The movie's slow pacing and muted escalation might frustrate viewers craving showy jump-scares, but writer-director Oz Perkins is worth keeping tabs on. He brings a beautiful eeriness to every scene, and his story will captivate patient streamers. Fans should be sure to check out his directorial debut, The Blackcoat's Daughter.

NETFLIX

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)

In this maniacal mystery, Ruth (Melanie Lynskey), a nurse, and her rattail-sporting, weapon-obsessed neighbor Tony (Elijah Wood) hunt down a local burglar. Part Cormac McCarthy thriller, part wacky, Will Ferrell-esque comedy, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore is a cathartic neo-noir about everyday troubles. Director Macon Blair's not the first person to find existential enlightenment at the end of an amateur detective tale, but he might be the first to piece one together from cussing octogenarians, ninja stars, Google montages, gallons of Big Red soda, upper-deckers, friendly raccoons, exploding body parts, and the idiocy of humanity.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

With a bullwhip, a leather jacket, and an "only Harrison Ford can pull this off" fedora, director Steven Spielberg invented the modern Hollywood action film by doing what he does best: looking backward. As obsessed as his movie-brat pal and collaborator George Lucas with the action movie serials of their youth, the director mined James Bond, Humphrey Bogart, Westerns, and his hatred of Nazis to create an adventure classic. To watch Raiders of the Lost Ark now is to marvel at the ingenuity of specific sequences (the boulder! The truck scene! The face-melting!) and simply groove to the self-deprecating comic tone (snakes! Karen Allen! That swordsman Indy shoots!). The past has never felt so alive.

Inside Man (2006)

Denzel Washington is at his wily, sharp, and sharply dressed best as he teams up once again with Spike Lee for this wildly entertaining heist thriller. He's an NYPD hostage negotiator who discovers a whole bunch of drama when a crew of robbers (led by Clive Owen) takes a bank hostage during a 24-hour period. Jodie Foster also appears as an interested party with uncertain motivations. You'll have to figure out what's going on several times over before the truth outs.

DRAFTHOUSE FILMS

The Invitation (2015)

This slow-burn horror-thriller preys on your social anxiety. The film's first half-hour, which finds Quarry's Logan Marshall-Green arriving at his ex-wife's house to meet her new husband, plays like a Sundance dramedy about 30-something yuppies and their relationship woes. As the minutes go by, director Karyn Kusama (Jennifer's Body) burrows deeper into the awkward dinner party, finding tension in unwelcome glances, miscommunication, and the possibility that Marshall-Green's character might be misreading a bizarre situation as a dangerous one. We won't spoil what happens, but let's just say this is a party you'll be telling your friends about.

Ip Man (2008)

There aren't many biopics that also pass for decent action movies. Somehow, Hong Kong action star Donnie Yen and director Wilson Yip made Ip Man (and three sequels!) based on the life of Chinese martial arts master Yip Kai-man, who famously trained Bruce Lee. What's their trick to keeping this series fresh? Play fast and loose with the facts, up the melodrama with each film, and, when in doubt, cast Mike Tyson as an evil property developer. The fights are incredible, and Yen's portrayal of the aging master still has the power to draw a few tears from even the most grizzled tough guy.

NETFLIX

The Irishman (2019)

Opening with a tracking shot through the halls of a drab nursing home, where we meet a feeble old man telling tall tales from his wheelchair, The Irishman delights in undercutting its own grandiosity. All the pageantry a $150 million check from Netflix can buy -- the digital de-aging effects, the massive crowd scenes, the shiny rings passed between men -- is on full display. Everything looks tremendous. But, like with 2013's The Wolf of Wall Street, the characters can't escape the fundamental spiritual emptiness of their pursuits. In telling the story of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a World War II veteran and truck driver turned mob enforcer and friend to labor leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), director Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Steven Zaillian construct an underworld-set counter-narrative of late 20th century American life. Even with a 209 minute runtime, every second counts.

It Comes at Night (2017)

In this post-apocalyptic nightmare-and-a-half, the horrors of humanity, the strain of chaotic emotions pent up in the name of survival, bleed out through wary eyes and weathered hands. The setup is blockbuster-sized -- reverts mankind to the days of the American frontier, every sole survivor fights to protect their families and themselves -- but the drama is mano-a-mano. Barricaded in a haunted-house-worthy cabin in the woods, Paul (Edgerton) takes in Will (Abbott) and his family, knowing full well they could threaten his family's existence. All the while, Paul's son, Trevor, battles bloody visions of (or induced by?) the contagion. Shults directs the hell out of every slow-push frame of this psychological thriller, and the less we know, the more confusion feels like a noose around our necks, the scarier his observations become.

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

Jupiter Ascending is one of those "bad" movies that might genuinely be quite good. Yes, Channing Tatum is a man-wolf and Mila Kunis is the princess of space and bees don't sting space royalty and Eddie Redmayne hollers his little head off about "harvesting" people -- but what makes this movie great is how all of those things make total, absolute sense in the context of the story. The world the Wachowskis (yes, the Wachowskis!) created is so vibrant and strange and exciting, you almost can't help but get drawn in, even when Redmayne vamps so hard you're afraid he's about to pull a muscle. (And if you're a ballet fan, we have some good news for you.)

Jurassic Park (1993)

Perhaps the only movie that ever truly deserved a conversion to a theme-park ride, Steven Spielberg's thrilling adaptation of the Michael Crichton novel brought long-extinct creatures back to life in more ways than one. Benevolent Netflix gives us more than just the franchise starter, too: The Lost World and JP3 sequels are also available, so you can make a marathon of it.

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Brad Pitt doesn't make conventional blockbusters anymore -- even World War Z had epidemic-movie ambitions -- so it's not surprising that this crime thriller is a little out there. Set during the financial crisis and presidential election of 2008, the film follows Pitt's hitman character as he makes sense of a poker heist gone wrong, leaving a trail of bodies and one-liners along the way. Mixed in with the carnage, you get lots of musings about the economy and American exceptionalism. It's not subtle -- there's a scene where Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn do heroin while the Velvet Underground's "Heroin" plays -- but, like a blunt object to the head, it gets the job done.

Lady Bird (2017)

The dizzying, frustrating, exhilarating rite of passage that is senior year of high school is the focus of actress Greta Gerwig's first directorial effort, the story of girl named Lady Bird (her given name, in that "it’s given to me, by me") who rebels against everyday Sacramento, California life to obtain whatever it is "freedom" turns out to be. Laurie Metcalf is an understated powerhouse as Lady Bird's mother, a constant source of contention who doggedly pushes her daughter to be successful in the face of the family's dwindling economic resources. It's a tragic note in total complement to Gerwig's hysterical love letter to home, high school, and the history of ourselves.

A24

The Lobster (2016)

Greek style master Yorgos Lanthimos' dystopian allegory against romance sees Colin Farrell forced to choose a partner in 45 days or he'll be turned into an animal of his choice, which is a lobster. Stuck in a group home with similarly unlucky singles, Farrell's David decides to bust out and join other renegades in a kind of anti-love terror cell that lives in the woods. It's part comedy of manners, part futuristic thriller, and it looks absolutely beautiful -- Lanthimos handles the bizarre premise with grace and a naturalistic eye that reminds the viewer that humans remain one of the most interesting animals to exist on this planet.

Mad Max (1979)

Before Tom Hardy was grunting his way through the desert and crushing tiny two-headed reptiles as Max Rockatansky, there was Mel Gibson. George Miller's 1979 original introduces the iconic character and paints the maximum force of his dystopian mythology in a somewhat more grounded light -- Australian police factions, communities, and glimmers of hope still in existence. Badass homemade vehicles and chase scenes abound in this taut, 88-minute romp. It's aged just fine.

Magic Mike (2012)

Steven Soderbergh's story of a Tampa exotic dancer with a heart of gold (Channing Tatum) has body-rolled its way to Netflix. Sexy dance routines aside, Mike's story is just gritty enough to be subversive. Did we mention Matthew McConaughey shows up in a pair of ass-less chaps?

The Master (2012)

Loosely inspired by the life of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard -- Dianetics buffs, we strongly recommend Alex Gibney's Going Clear documentary as a companion piece -- The Master boasts one of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s finest performances, as the enigmatic cult leader Lancaster Dodd. Joaquin Phoenix burns just as brightly as his emotionally stunted, loose-cannon protege Freddie Quell, who has a taste for homemade liquor. Paul Thomas Anderson’s cerebral epic lends itself to many different readings; it’s a cult story, it's a love story, it's a story about post-war disillusionment and the American dream, it's a story of individualism and the desire to belong. But the auteur's popping visuals and heady thematic currents will still sweep you away, even if you’re not quite sure where the tide is taking you.

NETFLIX

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017)

When Danny (Adam Sandler), Matthew (Ben Stiller) and Jean (Elizabeth Marvel), three half-siblings from three different mothers, gather at their family brownstone in New York to tend to their ailing father (Dustin Hoffman), a lifetime of familial politics explode out of every minute of conversation. Their narcissistic sculptor dad didn't have time for Danny. Matthew was the golden child. Jean was weird… or maybe disturbed by memories no one ever knew. Expertly sketched by writer-director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) this memoir-like portrait of lives half-lived is the kind of bittersweet, dimensional character comedy we're now used to seeing told in three seasons of prestige television. Baumbach gives us the whole package in two hours.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

The legendary British comedy troupe took the legend of King Arthur and offered a characteristically irreverent take on it in their second feature film. It's rare for comedy to hold up this well, but the timelessness of lines like, "I fart in your general direction!" "It's just a flesh wound," and "Run away!" makes this a movie worth watching again and again.

A24

Moonlight (2016)

Chronicling the boyhood years, teenage stretch, and muted adult life of Chiron, a black gay man making it in Miami, this triptych altarpiece is at once hyper-specific and cosmically universal. Director Barry Jenkins roots each moment in the last; Chiron's desire for a lost lover can't burn in a diner booth over a bottle of wine without his beachside identity crisis years prior, blurred and violent, or encounters from deeper in his past, when glimpses of his mother's drug addiction, or the mentoring acts of her crack supplier, felt like secrets delivered in code. Panging colors, sounds, and the delicate movements of its perfect cast like the notes of a symphony, Moonlight is the real deal, a movie that will only grow and complicate as you wrestle with it.

Mudbound (2017)

The South's post-slavery existence is, for Hollywood, mostly uncharted territory. Rees rectifies the overlooked stretch of history with this novelistic drama about two Mississippi families working a rain-drenched farm in 1941. The white McAllans settle on a muddy patch of land to realize their dreams. The Jacksons, a family of black sharecroppers working the land, have their own hopes, which their neighbors manage to nurture and curtail. To capture a multitude of perspectives, Mudbound weaves together specific scenes of daily life, vivid and memory-like, with family member reflections, recorded in whispered voice-over. The epic patchwork stretches from the Jackson family dinner table, where the youngest daughter dreams of becoming a stenographer, to the vistas of Mississippi, where incoming storms threaten an essential batch of crops, to the battlefields of World War II Germany, a harrowing scene that will affect both families. Confronting race, class, war, and the possibility of unity, Mudbound spellbinding drama reckons with the past to understand the present.

NETFLIX

My Happy Family (2017)

At 52, Manana (Ia Shughliashvili) packs a bag and walks out on her husband, son, daughter, daughter's live-in boyfriend, and elderly mother and father, all of whom live together in a single apartment. The family is cantankerous and blustery, asking everything of Manana, who spends her days teaching better-behaved teenagers about literature. But as Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß's striking character study unfolds, the motivation behind Manana's departure is a deeper strain of frustration, despite what her brother, aunts, uncles, and anyone else who can cram themselves into the situation would like us to think. Anchored by Ia Shughliashvili's stunningly internal performance, and punctured by a dark sense of humor akin to Darren Aronofsky's mother! (which would have been the perfect alternate title), My Happy Family is both delicate and brutal in its portrayal of independence, and should get under the skin of anyone with their own family drama.

The Naked Gun (1988)

The short-lived Dragnet TV spoof Police Squad! found a second life as The Naked Gun action-comedy movie franchise, and the first installment goes all in on Airplane! co-star Leslie Nielsen's brand of straight-laced dementia. Trying to explain The Naked Gun only makes the stupid sound stupider, but keen viewers will find jokes on top of jokes on top of jokes. It's the kind of movie that can crack "nice beaver," then pass a stuffed beaver through the frame and actually get away with it. Nielsen has everything to do with it; his Frank Drebin continues the grand Inspector Clouseau tradition in oh-so-'80s style.

The Notebook (2004)

"If you’re a bird, I’m a bird." It's a simple statement and a declaration of devotion that captures the staying power of this Nicholas Sparks classic. The film made Ryan Gosling a certified heartthrob, charting his working class character Noah's lovelorn romance with Rachel McAdam's wealthy character Allie. The star-crossed lovers narrative is enough to make even the most cynical among us swoon, but given that their story is told through an elderly man reading (you guessed it!) a notebook to a woman with dementia, it hits all of the tragic romance benchmarks to make you melt. Noah's commitment to following his heart -- and that passionate kiss in the rain -- make this a love story for the ages.

NETFLIX

Okja (2017)

This wild ride, part action heist, part Miyazaki-like travelogue, and part scathing satire, is fueled by fairy tale whimsy -- but the Grimm kind, where there are smiles and spilled blood. Ahn Seo-hyun plays Mija, the young keeper of a "super-pig," bred by a food manufacturer to be the next step in human-consumption evolution. When the corporate overlords come for her roly-poly pal, Mija hightails it from the farm to the big city to break him out, crossing environmental terrorists, a zany Steve Irwin-type (Gyllenhaal), and the icy psychos at the top of the food chain (including Swinton's childlike CEO) along the way. Okja won't pluck your heartstrings like E.T., but there's grandeur in its frenzy, and the film's cross-species friendship will strike up every other emotion with its empathetic, eco-friendly, and eccentric observations.

On Body and Soul (2017)

This Hungarian film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film, and it's easy to see why. The sparse love story begins when two slaughterhouse employees discover they have the same dream at night, in which they're both deer searching the winter forest for food. Endre, a longtime executive at the slaughterhouse, has a physically damaged arm, whereas Maria is a temporary replacement who seems to be on the autism spectrum. If the setup sounds a bit on-the-nose, the moving performances and the unflinching direction save On Body and Soul from turning into a Thomas Aquinas 101 class, resulting in the kind of bleak beauty you can find in a dead winter forest.

NETFLIX

The Other Side of the Wind (2018)

Don't go into Orson Welles' final film expecting it to be an easy watch. The Other Side of the Wind, which follows fictional veteran Hollywood director Jake Hannaford (tooootally not modeled after Welles himself) and his protegé (also tooootally not a surrogate for Welles' own friend and mentee Peter Bogdanovich, who also plays the character) as they attend a party in celebration of Hannaford's latest film and are beset on all sides by Hannaford's friends, enemies, and everyone in between. The film, which Welles hoped would be his big comeback to Hollywood, was left famously unfinished for decades after his death in 1985. Thanks to Bogdanovich and producer Frank Marshall, it was finally completed in 2018, and the result is a vibrant and bizarre throwback to Welles' own experimental 1970s style, made even more resonant if you know how intertwined the movie is with its own backstory. If you want to dive even deeper, Netflix also released a documentary about the restoration and completion of the film, They'll Love Me When I'm Dead, which delves into Welles' own complicated and tragic relationship with Hollywood and the craft of moviemaking.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Guillermo Del Toro’s dark odyssey Pan’s Labyrinth takes a fantasy setting to mirror the horrible political realities of the human realm. Set in 1940s Falangist Spain, the film documents the hero’s journey of a young girl and stepdaughter of a ruthless Spanish army officer as she seeks an escape from her war-occupied world. When a fairy informs her that her true destiny may be as the princess of the underworld, she seizes her chance. Like Alice in Wonderland if Alice had gone to Hell instead of down the rabbit hole, the Academy Award-winning film is a wondrous, frightening fairy tale where that depicts how perilous the human-created monster of war can be.

Paranormal Activity (2007)

This documentary-style film budgeted at a mere $15,000 made millions at the box office and went on to inspire a number of sequels, all because of how well its scrappiness lent to capturing what feels like a terrifying haunted reality. Centered on a young couple who is convinced an evil spirit is lurking in their home, the two attempt to capture its activity on camera, which, obviously, only makes their supernatural matters worse. It leans on found footage horror tropes made popular by The Blair Witch Project and as it tessellates between showing the viewer what’s captured on their camcorders and the characters’ perspectives, it’s easy to get lost in this disorienting supernatural thriller.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Poltergeist (1982)

If you saw Poltergeist growing up, chances are you’re probably equally as haunted by Heather O’Rourke as she is in the film, playing a little girl tormented by ghosts in her family home. This Steven Spielberg-penned, Tobe Hooper-directed (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) paranormal flick is a certified cult classic and one of the best horror films of all time, coming from a simple premise about a couple whose home is infested with spirits obsessed with reclaiming the space and kidnapping their daughter. Poltergeist made rearranged furniture freaky, and you may remember a particularly iconic scene with a fuzzed out vintage television set. It’s may be nearly 40 years old, but the creepiness holds up.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Taking Jane Austen's literary classic and tricking it out with gorgeous long takes, director Joe Wright turns this tale of manners into a visceral, luminescent portrait of passion and desire. While Succession's Matthew MacFadyen might not make you forget Colin Firth from 1995's BBC adaptation, Keira Knightley is a revelation as the tough, nervy Lizzie Bennett. With fun supporting turns from Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Pike, and Judi Dench, it's a sumptuous period romance that transports you from the couch to the ballroom of your dreams -- without changing out of sweatpants.

NETFLIX

Private Life (2018)

Over a decade since the release of her last dark comedy, The Savages, writer and director Tamara Jenkins returned with a sprawling movie in the same vein: more hyper-verbal jerks you can't help but love. Richard (Paul Giamatti) and Rachel (Kathryn Hahn) are a Manhattan-dwelling couple who have spent the last few years attempting to have a baby with little success. When we meet them, they're already in the grips of fertility mania, willing to try almost anything to secure the offspring they think they desire. With all the details about injections, side effects, and pricey medical procedures, the movie functions as a taxonomy of modern pregnancy anxieties, and Hahn brings each part of the process to glorious life.

The Ritual (2018)

The Ritual, a horror film where a group of middle-aged men embark on a hiking trip in honor of a dead friend, understands the tension between natural beauty of the outdoors and the unsettling panic of the unknown. The group's de facto leader Luke (an understated Rafe Spall) attempts to keep the adventure from spiralling out of control, but the forest has other plans. (Maybe brush up on your Scandinavian mythology before viewing.) Like a backpacking variation on Neil Marshall's 2005 cave spelunking classic The Descent, The Ritual deftly explores inter-personal dynamics while delivering jolts of other-worldly terror. It'll have you rethinking that weekend getaway on your calendar.

NETFLIX

Roma (2018)

All those billions Netflix spent paid off in the form of several Oscar nominations for Roma, including one for Best Picture and a win for Best Director. Whether experienced in the hushed reverence of a theater, watched on the glowing screen of a laptop, or, as Netflix executive Ted Sarandos has suggested, binged on the perilous surface of a phone, Alfonso Cuarón's black-and-white passion project seeks to stun. A technical craftsman of the highest order, the Children of Men and Gravity director has an aesthetic that aims to overwhelm -- with the amount of extras, the sense of despair, and the constant whir of exhilaration -- and this autobiographical portrait of kind-hearted maid Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) caring for a family in the early 1970s has been staged on a staggering, mind-boggling scale.

Schindler's List (1993)

A passion project for Steven Spielberg, who shot it back-to-back with another masterpiece, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who reportedly saved over 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. Frank, honest, and stark in its depiction of Nazi violence, the three-hour historical drama is a haunting reminder of the world's past, every frame a relic, every lost voice channeled through Itzhak Perlman's mourning violin.

A Serious Man (2009)

This dramedy from the Coen brothers stars Michael Stuhlbarg as Larry Gopnik, a Midwestern physics professor who just can't catch a break, whether it's with his wife, his boss, or his rabbi. (Seriously, if you're having a bad day, this airy flick gives you ample time to brood and then come to the realization that your life isn't as shitty as you think.) Meditating on the spiritual and the temporal, Gopnik's improbable run of bad luck is a smart modern retelling of the Book of Job, with more irony and fewer plagues and pestilences. But not much fewer.

WELL GO USA

Shadow (2019)

In Shadow, the visually stunning action epic from Hero and House of Flying Daggers wuxia master Zhang Yimou, parasols are more than helpful sun-blockers: They can be turned into deadly weapons, shooting boomerang-like blades of steel at oncoming attackers and transforming into protective sleds for traveling through the slick streets. These devices are one of many imaginative leaps made in telling this Shakespearean saga of palace intrigue, vengeance, and secret doppelgangers set in China's Three Kingdoms period. This is a martial arts epic where the dense plotting is as tricky as the often balletic fight scenes. If the battles in Game of Thrones left you frustrated, Shadow provides a thrilling alternative.

She's Gotta Have It (1986)

Before checking out Spike Lee's Netflix original series of the same name, be sure to catch up with where it all began. Nola (Tracy Camilla Johns) juggles three men during her sexual pinnacle, and it's all working out until they discover one another. She's Gotta Have It takes some dark turns, but each revelation speaks volumes about what real romantic independence is all about.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The late director Jonathan Demme's 1991 film is the touchstone for virtually every serial killer film and television show that came after. The iconic closeup shots of an icy, confident Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) as he and FBI newbie Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) engage in their "quid pro quo" interrogation sessions create almost unbearable tension as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) remains on the loose, killing more victims. Hopkins delivers the more memorable lines, and Buffalo Bill's dance is the stuff of nerve-wracking anxiety nightmares, but it's Foster's nuanced performance as a scared, determined, smart-yet-hesitant agent that sets Silence of the Lambs apart from the rest of the serial killer pack.

THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and David O. Russell’s first collaboration -- and the film that turned J-Law into a bona fide golden girl -- is a romantic comedy/dramedy/dance-flick that bounces across its tonal shifts. A love story between Pat (Cooper), a man struggling with bipolar disease and a history of violent outbursts, and Tiffany (Lawrence), a widow grappling with depression, who come together while rehearsing for an amateur dance competition, Silver Linings balances an emotionally realistic depiction of mental illness with some of the best twirls and dips this side of Step Up. Even if you're allergic to rom-coms, Lawrence and Cooper’s winning chemistry will win you over, as will this sweet little gem of a film: a feel-good, affecting love story that doesn’t feel contrived or treacly.

Sin City (2005)

Frank Miller enlisted Robert Rodriguez as co-director to translate the former's wildly popular series of the same name to the big screen, and with some added directorial work from Quentin Tarantino, the result became a watershed moment in the visual history of film. The signature black-and-white palette with splashes of color provided a grim backdrop to the sensational violence of the miniaturized plotlines -- this is perhaps the movie that feels more like a comic than any other movie you'll ever see.

Sinister (2012)

Horror-movie lesson #32: If you move into a creepy new house, do not read the dusty book, listen to the decaying cassette tapes, or watch the Super 8 reels you find in the attic -- they will inevitably lead to your demise. In Sinister, a true-crime author (played by Ethan Hawke) makes the final mistake, losing his mind to home movies haunted by the "Bughuul."

NETFLIX

Small Crimes (2017)

It's always a little discombobulating to see your favorite Game of Thrones actors in movies that don't call on them to fight dragons, swing swords, or at least wear some armor. But that shouldn't stop you from checking out Small Crimes, a carefully paced thriller starring the Kingslayer Jaime Lannister himself, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. As Joe Denton, a crooked cop turned ex-con, Coster-Waldau plays yet another character with a twisted moral compass, but here he's not part of some mythical narrative. He's just another conniving, scheming dirtbag in director E.L. Katz's Coen brothers-like moral universe. While some of the plot details are confusing -- Katz and co-writer Macon Blair skimp on the exposition so much that some of the dialogue can feel incomprehensible -- the mood of Midwestern dread and Coster-Waldau's patient, lived-in performance make this one worth checking out. Despite the lack of dragons.

Snowpiercer (2013)

Did people go overboard in praising Snowpiercer when it came out? Maybe. But it's important to remember that the movie arrived in the sweaty dog days of summer, hitting critics and sci-fi lovers like a welcome blast of icy water from a hose. The film's simple, almost video game-like plot -- get to the front of the train, or die trying -- allowed visionary South Korean director Bong Joon-ho to fill the screen with excitement, absurdity, and radical politics. Chris Evans never looked more alive, Tilda Swinton never stole more scenes, and mainstream blockbuster filmmaking never felt so tepid in comparison. Come on, ride the train!

The Social Network (2010)

After making films like Seven, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, and Zodiac, director David Fincher left behind the world of scumbags and crime for a fantastical, historical epic in 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The Social Network was another swerve, but yielded his greatest film. There's no murder on screen, but Fincher treats Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg like a dorky, socially awkward mob boss operating on an operatic scale. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin's rapid-fire, screwball-like dialogue burns with a moral indignation that Fincher's watchful, steady-handed camera chills with an icy distance. It's the rare biopic that's not begging you to smash the "like" button.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

In this shrewd twist on the superhero genre, the audience's familiarity with the origin story of your friendly neighborhood web-slinger -- the character has already starred in three different blockbuster franchises, in addition to countless comics and cartoon TV adaptations -- is used as an asset instead of a liability. The relatively straight-forward coming-of-age tale of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), a Brooklyn teenager who takes on the powers and responsibilities of Spider-Man following the death of Peter Parker, gets a remix built around an increasingly absurd parallel dimension plotline that introduces a cast of other Spider-Heroes like Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), Peni Parker (Kimiko Glen), and, most ridiculously, Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), a talking pig in a Spider-Suit. The convoluted set-up is mostly an excuse to cram the movie with rapid-fire jokes, comic book allusions, and dream-like imagery that puts the rubbery CGI of most contemporary animated films to shame.

Spotlight (2015)

Tom McCarthy stretches the drama taut as he renders Boston Globe's 2000 Catholic Church sex scandal investigation into a Hollywood vehicle. McCarthy's notable cast members crank like gears as they uncover evidence and reflect on a horrifying discovery of which they shoulder partial blame. Spotlight was the cardigan of 2015's Oscar nominees, but even cardigans look sharp when Mark Ruffalo is involved.

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

No movie captures the prolonged pain of divorce quite like Noah Baumbach's brutal Brooklyn-based comedy The Squid and the Whale. While the performances from Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney as bitter writers going through a separation are top-notch, the film truly belongs to the kids, played by Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline, who you watch struggle in the face of their parents' mounting immaturity and pettiness. That Baumbach is able to wring big, cathartic laughs from such emotionally raw material is a testament to his gifts as a writer -- and an observer of human cruelty.

SONY PICTURES RELEASING

Starship Troopers (1997)

Paul Verhoeven is undoubtedly the master of the sly sci-fi satire. With RoboCop, he laid waste to the police state with wicked, trigger-happy glee. He took on evil corporations with Total Recall. And with Starship Troopers, a bouncy, bloody war picture, he skewered the chest-thumping theatrics of pro-military propaganda, offering up a pitch-perfect parody of the post-9/11 Bush presidency years before troops set foot in Iraq or Afghanistan. Come for the exploding alien guts, but stay for the winking comedy -- or stay for both! Bug guts have their charms, too.

Swiss Army Man (2016)

You might think a movie that opens with a suicidal man riding a farting corpse like a Jet Ski wears thin after the fourth or fifth flatulence gag. You would be wrong. Brimming with imagination and expression, the directorial debut of Adult Swim auteurs "The Daniels" wields sophomoric humor to speak to friendship. As Radcliffe's dead body springs back to life -- through karate-chopping, water-vomiting, and wind-breaking -- he becomes the id to Dano's struggling everyman, who is also lost in the woods. If your childhood backyard adventures took the shape of The Revenant, it would look something like Swiss Army Man, and be pure bliss.

NETFLIX

Tallulah (2016)

From Orange Is the New Black writer Sian Heder, Tallulah follows the title character (played by Ellen Page) after she inadvertently "kidnaps" a toddler from an alcoholic rich woman and passes the child off as her own to appeal to her run-out boyfriend's mother (Allison Janney). A messy knot of familial woes and wayward instincts, Heder's directorial debut achieves the same kind of balancing act as her hit Netflix series -- frank social drama with just the right amount of humorous hijinks. As Tallulah grows into a mother figure, her on-the-lam parenting course only makes her more and more of a criminal in the eyes of... just about everyone. You want to root for her, but that would be too easy.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Travis Bickle (a young Bobby De Niro) comes back from the Vietnam War and, having some trouble acclimating to daily life, slowly unravels while fending off brutal insomnia by picking up work as a... taxi driver... in New York City. Eventually he snaps, shaves his hair into a mohawk and goes on a murderous rampage while still managing to squeeze in one of the most New York lines ever captured on film ("You talkin' to me?"). It's not exactly a heartwarmer -- Jodie Foster plays a 12-year-old prostitute -- but Martin Scorsese's 1976 Taxi Driver is a movie in the cinematic canon that you'd be legitimately missing out on if you didn't watch it.

FOCUS FEATURES

The Theory of Everything (2014)

In his Oscar-winning performance, Eddie Redmayne portrays famed physicist Stephen Hawking -- though The Theory of Everything is less of a biopic than it is a beautiful, sweet film about his lifelong relationship with his wife, Jane (Felicity Jones). Covering his days as a young cosmology student ahead of his diagnosis of ALS at 21, through his struggle with the illness and rise as a theoretical scientist, this film illustrates the trying romance through it all. While it may be written in the cosmos, this James Marsh-directed film that weaves in and out of love will have you experience everything there is to feel.

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Paul Thomas Anderson found modern American greed in the pages of Upton Sinclair's depression-era novel, Oil!. Daniel Day-Lewis found the role of a lifetime behind the bushy mustache of Daniel Plainview, thunderous entrepreneur. Paul Dano found his milkshake drunk up. Their discoveries are our reward -- There Will Be Blood is a stark vision of tycoon terror.

Time to Hunt (2020)

Unrelenting in its pursuit of scenarios where guys point big guns at each other in sparsely lit empty hallways, the South Korean thriller Time to Hunt knows exactly what stylistic register it's playing in. A group of four friends, including Parasite and Train to Busan break-out Choi Woo-shik, knock over a gambling house, stealing a hefty bag of money and a set of even more valuable hard-drives, and then find themselves targeted by a ruthless contract killer (Park Hae-soo) who moves like the T-1000 and shoots like a henchmen in a Michael Mann movie. There are dystopian elements to the world -- protests play out in the streets, the police wage a tech-savvy war on citizens, automatic rifles are readily available to all potential buyers -- but they all serve the simmering tension and elevate the pounding set-pieces instead of feeling like unnecessary allegorical padding. Even with its long runtime, this movie moves.

STUDIOCANAL

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

If a season of 24 took place in the smoky, well-tailored underground of British intelligence crica 1973, it might look a little like this precision-made John le Carré adaptation from Let the Right One In director Tomas Alfredson. Even if you can't follow terse and tightly-woven mystery, the search for Soviet mole led by retired operative George Smiley (Gary Oldman), the ice-cold frames and stellar cast will suck you into the intrigue. It's very possible Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, and Benedict Cumberbatch are reading pages of the British phone book, but egad, it's absorbing. A movie that rewards your full concentration.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

Of all the entries in the rom-com revival, this one is heavier on the rom than the com. But even though it won't make your sides hurt, it will make your heart flutter. The plot is ripe with high school movie hijinks that arise when the love letters of Lara Jean Covey (the wonderful Lana Condor) accidentally get mailed to her crushes, namely the contractual faux relationship she starts with heartthrob Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo). Like its heroine, it's big-hearted but skeptical in all the right places.

Total Recall (1990)

Skip the completely forgettable Colin Farrell remake from 2012. This Arnold Schwarzenegger-powered, action-filled sci-fi movie is the one to go with. Working from a short story by writer Philip K. Dick, director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop) uses a brain-teasing premise -- you can buy "fake" vacation memories from a mysterious company called Rekall -- to stage one of his hyper-violent, winkingly absurd cartoons. The bizarre images of life on Mars and silly one-liners from Arnold fly so fast that you'll begin to think the whole movie was designed to be implanted in your mind.

NETFLIX

Tramps (2017)

There are heists pulled off by slick gentlemen in suits, then there are heists pulled off by two wayward 20-somethings rambling along on a steamy, summer day in New York City. This dog-day crime-romance stages the latter, pairing a lanky Russian kid (Callum Tanner) who ditches his fast-food register job for a one-off thieving gig, with his driver, an aloof strip club waitress (Grace Van Patten) looking for the cash to restart her life. When a briefcase handoff goes awry, the pair head upstate to track down the missing package, where train rides and curbside walks force them to open up. With a laid-back, '70s soul, Tramps is the rare doe-eyed relationship movie where playing third-wheel is a joy.

Uncut Gems (2019)

In Uncut Gems, the immersive crime film from sibling director duo Josh and Benny Safdie, gambling is a matter of faith. Whether he's placing a bet on the Boston Celtics, attempting to rig an auction, or outrunning debt-collecting goons at his daughter's high school play, the movie's jeweler protagonist Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) believes in his ability to beat the odds. Does that mean he always succeeds? No, that would be absurd, undercutting the character's Job-like status, which Sandler imbues with an endearing weariness that holds the story together. But every financial setback, emotional humbling, and spiritual humiliation he suffers gets interpreted by Howard as a sign that his circumstances might be turning around. After all, a big score could be right around the corner.

Velvet Buzzsaw (2018)

Nightcrawler filmmaker Dan Gilroy teams up with Jake Gyllenhaal again to create another piece of cinematic art, this time a satirical horror film about the exclusive, over-the-top LA art scene. The movie centers around a greedy group of art buyers who come into the possession of stolen paintings that, unbeknownst to them, turn out to be haunted, making their luxurious lives of wheeling and dealing overpriced paintings a living hell. Also featuring the likes of John Malkovich, Toni Collette, Billy Magnussen, and others, Velvet Buzzsaw looks like Netflix’s next great original.

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Oscar-baiting, musician biopics became so cookie-cutter by the mid-'00s that it was easy for John C. Reilly, Judd Apatow, and writer-director Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) to knot them all together for the ultimate spoof. Dewey Cox is part Johnny Cash, part Bob Dylan, part Ray Charles, part John Lennon, part anyone-you-can-think-of, rising with hit singles, rubbing shoulders with greats of many eras, stumbling with eight-too-many drug addictions, then rising once again. When it comes to relentless wisecracking, Walk Hard is like a Greatest Hits compilation -- every second is gold.

The Witch (2015)

The Witch delivers everything we don't see in horror today. The backdrop, a farm in 17th-century New England, is pure misty, macabre mood. The circumstance, a Puritanical family making it on the fringe of society because they're too religious, bubbles with terror. And the question, whether devil-worshipping is hocus pocus or true black magic, keeps each character on their toes, and begging God for answers. The Witch tests its audience with its (nearly impenetrable) old English dialogue and the (anxiety-inducing) trials of early American life, but the payoff will keep your mind racing, and your face hiding under the covers, for days.

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Before taking us to space with Gravity, director Alfonso Cuarón steamed up screens with this provocative, comedic drama about two teenage boys (Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal) road-trippin' it with an older woman. Like a sunbaked Jules and Jim, the movie makes nimble use of its central love triangle, setting up conflicts between the characters as they move through the complicated political and social realities of Mexican life. It's a confident, relaxed film that's got an equal amount of brains and sex appeal. Watch this one with a friend -- or two.

PARAMOUNT PICTURES

Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher's period drama is for obsessives. In telling the story of the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who captured the public imagination by sending letters and puzzles to the Bay Area press, the famously meticulous director zeroes in on the cops, journalists, and amateur code-breakers who made identifying the criminal their life's work. With Jake Gyllenhaal's cartoonist-turned-gumshoe Robert Graysmith at the center, and Robert Downey Jr.'s barfly reporter Paul Avery stumbling around the margins, the film stretches across time and space, becoming a rich study of how people search for meaning in life. Zodiac is a procedural thriller that makes digging through old manilla folders feel like a cosmic quest.

13th (2016)

Selma director Ava DuVernay snuck away from the Hollywood spotlight to direct this sweeping documentary on the state of race in America. DuVernay's focus is the country's growing incarceration rates and an imbalance in the way black men and women are sentenced based on their crimes. Throughout the exploration, 13th dives into post-Emancipation migration, systemic racism that built in the early 20th century, and moments of modern political history that continue to spin a broken gear in our well-oiled national machine. You'll be blown away by what DuVernay uncovers in her interview-heavy research.

20th Century Women (2016)

If there's such thing as an epistolary movie, 20th Century Women is it. Touring 1970s Santa Barbara through a living flipbook, Mike Mills's semi-autobiographical film transcends documentation with a cast of wayward souls and Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), an impressionable young teenager. Annette Bening plays his mother, and the matriarch of a ragtag family, who gather together for safety, dance to music when the moment strikes, and teach Jamie the important lesson of What Women Want, which ranges from feminist theory to love-making techniques. The kid soaks it up like a sponge. Through Mills's caring direction, and characters we feel extending infinitely through past and present, so do we.

for more cool stuff life this, follow my page an send me a message for suggestions and queries

[lys-iwm]

Fire Emblem Three houses Mafia!Au that no one asked for but you’re getting it anyways

For a game that hasn’t even released yet, we’re gonna be throwing them into a semi-modern mafia au where the Church of Seiros is an assassination/spy training organization with the cover of being an actual church for the goddess Seiros. The three countries of Fodlan (now the city in which this takes place) are the biggest most baddest mafia organizations that rule the underground of this city. 

This is long... so bear with me. (Also if you have questions feel free to send in an ask because I am currently in three houses hell)

Adrestian Empire/Black Eagles 

The biggest of the three mafia houses. 

They’re business revolves around the distribution of firearms/weapons and renting out assassins and bodyguards. 

They control half of the southern half of the city where the beach (this is a coastal city just go with it) is their main base of operation - or at least the large skyscrapers near it. 

Their cover is that of an actual, legal business of ruthless lawyers who specialize in criminal cases and getting mafia members out of jail. 

They have connections to the police of Fodlan and have some leeway to pull certain strings to do some maybe, illegal transactions. 

Within the mafia organization, corruption runs wild and the current boss/don has only gotten there due to fighting and asserting their dominance (they t-posed on all of ‘em)

Edelgard is next in line but she has to constantly keep her place as there are many high ranking members who have eyes on the position 

In the school phase, she studies law and business while at the Monastery. Along with mixed martial arts and knives. She’s adept with easy use guns. 

Hubert stands as one of her advisors as their family helped Edelgard’s secure their spot as the leader. 

He studies law alongside Edelgard and often gets deployed as the main lawyer for more serious cases to get mafia members out. 

At the academy, he studies well with projectiles of all kinds - mid ranged guns specifically as well as poisons in depth. 

Ferdinand’s family was one of the ones who - during the previous leader’s death, tried to gain the seat - competing alongside Edelgard’s. It was a bloody fight and many of the higher ranking members who competed were killed. Ferdinand’s family is the only one left from the previous inner circle.

He holds a slight grudge against Edelgard’s family, as her father ended his father’s life. As well as becoming the head of the mafia. 

He studies fighting and blades ( such as swords and long knives). He does well in finding random everyday objects to use as weapons. He studies business and will continue his family’s cover business as marketing for big companies and politicians. 

Bernadetta’s family is one of the newer families within Edelgard’s inner circle. She acts as one of the Black Eagle’s best assassins and hackers. Being among their top snipers. 

It was only her parent’s generation who got caught up with the mafia as before then, they owned an old restaurant that her grandparents still work at (they don’t know that their children are mafia members - bless them). 

This restaurant is a popular hub for people of all walks of life- especially mafia members who guard it carefully. As they often hold meetings in the private rooms. 

Bernie, studies general computer science and does well with sniper-type weapons and hacking. 

Caspar comes from a long line of bodyguards although, he is undoubtedly the most fiery of them all, as he’s ready to throw down at the drop of a hat. 

His family is also new to the inner circle but have been apart of the mafia for generations, heading their bodyguard training and renting section. 

He studies sports medicine/training and excels at close combat fighting with and without weapons. 

Lindhardt is their poisons expert along with sneaky assassinations. 

He’s often asleep but it gives him ample time to pour some foul liquid into his target’s food and such. 

He does rely on Caspar to deal with brawls as he is not much of a frontline fighter.

Lindhardt studies biology and Chemistry along with various poison and assassination techniques. 

Dorothea - a new blood family within the group. They were given a chance by Edelgard to prove their worth. 

Dorothea herself covers as a well known actress/singer and often uses that to her advantage as an unconventional assassin. Often using whatever it takes to end someone’s life, whether it be by seduction and a gun or a friendly night out and some poison. 

She’s a quick study at the academy - dealing in assassination and poisons with a few bits of close combat (often using dance moves to deal damage). She takes musical theatre courses and acting. 

Petra isn’t your average mafia member. Sent by her family to repay their debts, she serves as Edelgard’s assistant and is kept under close watch. 

She does well in assassination from difficult positions (like through an open bus window or from a moving plane). As well as close combat with a knife. 

She studies law and criminology and at the academy - guns and fighting.   

Faerghus/ The Blue Lions

An old power alongside the Empire, they have a more traditional style - modeled after the Japanese Yakuza, they take honor and pride into everything they do. 

They control the North-West side of Fodlan and deal mainly in loans and a bit of drugs (Not super hard drugs, mainly weed and a few of their own making)

Their cover is that of a regular dojo/athletic training centre organization. Prized for having many of their athletes win medals at the Olympics. 

Dimitri’s family having started the business and kept the mafia running alongside their close business partners and allies - Felix’s family. 

Set to inherit the family business, Dimitri studies business and sports medicine/psychology.

He excels with mid-long range fighting with swords and guns. He’s a prodigy at martial arts - having studied it since he was young. 

 Felix’s family is an old name in the mafia. They have a long history of being rivals turned partners with Dimitri’s family. 

They also own multiple training areas and sports venues around the city. 

Felix himself is forced to study business but actively participates in sports training on multiple varsity level teams. At the academy he studies close combat with martial arts and shooting with various guns. 

Dedue’s family is relatively new. Acting as Dimitri’s bodyguard, his family is just recently apart of the inner circle. In charge of monitoring the interpersonal relationships between the mafia’s members and what not. 

He studies History and Plant-based chemistry along with fighting at both close and long range and poisons - he takes his job very seriously. 

Annette’s family isn’t a stranger to the mafia. Turning to join illegal organizations in order to pursue their scientific discoveries without having pressure from the police. 

Annette herself is a genius inventor who comes up with wacky concoctions to help her allies gain strengths while also new ways to kill their enemies. 

She studies chemistry and engineering along with poison assassination and other various assassination skills. 

Sylvain’s family has had it rough within the mafia ever since his brother up and deserted them to join the police. 

His family has been in and out of the inner circle and have been busy trying to gain favour again, with Sylvain set to inherit the family business of bars around the city. 

Sylvain studies business and chemistry( taking a specific liking to alcohol-based mixtures) and does well in close combat and poisons. He’s very handy in a bar fight - he probably started them all with Felix

Ashe, is new to the mafia, only entering once Lonato took him in from the streets. 

Lonato is an aging advisor to Dimitri’s family and has sent Ashe to take his place. 

Ashe is the Blue Lion’s best assassin with various projectiles and knives. He’s trying his best to learn how to be a good advisor but he’s still pretty new. 

He studies - or tries to study physics and law as well as long-ranged assassination techniques and spy skills at the academy. 

Ingrid along with Sylvain’s family has also had a tough year. Sent to work for the Blue Lions after her family’s business ended in bankruptcy, she works hard to become a good bodyguard.

She aspires to be the head of the security sector to keep outside groups from taking their turf. Although she was forced to join, she came to enjoy the camaraderie between the families as she grew close to Dimitri, Felix, and Sylvain. 

She studies law. At the academy she deals with close combat fighting. 

Mercedes’s family, originally paired with the Black Eagles, defected to the Blue Lions as the bloodbath over leadership began. 

They own many clothing shops around the city, with Mercede’s mother being a well known fashion designer. 

Mercede’s herself is one of their hackers and does well as an informant. They don’t often let her walk without some sort of protection due to the Black Eagles knowing that one of their own inner circle switched sides. 

She studies fashion and spy techniques as well as a little assassination at the academy. 

The Leicester Alliance/ Golden Deer

The newest of the three main mafia groups. Comprised of various smaller groups and defected families of the other two. 

Originally unorganized and corrupt, the Reigan family rose above them all and created a sense of unity - although it is still an unstable power. 

This group deals mainly in the entertainment industry as their cover with many groups signed under them and game centers opening in their name. 

They really deal in information and hacking as their main income.

They’re in the North-east sector of Fodlan. 

Claude’s family, as the main leaders of the group, have to constantly be wary of assassination attempts from their other higher ranking members. As they have to set an example, if any of the families get caught trying to murder one of their own, they will be “publicly” executed, either social suicide or physical death. 

Claude studies business and acting as well as assassination/spy skills and long-ranged fighting. He’s not bad in a close combat fight, though. 

Leonie is a relatively new member who is often sent out on interrogation missions to try and earn her keep. 

She is one of their best fighters as she can hit hard and take a beating herself.

She studies veterinary subjects and does well in close combat fighting. 

Raphael is a kid who got taken in by one of the mafia members as the Golden Deer often like to give orphans and street roamers a chance. 

He stands out as a great bodyguard and security person. He often accompanies Claude whenever he goes out. 

He studies things like Metal working and close combat fighting. 

Ignatz is probably their best hacker and computer wiz. Coming from a family of software development, he got sent to the mafia to help them pay off some debt. 

He is apart of Claude’s inner circle based on his skills alone. 

He studies Computer sciences and game development as well as other spy activities and guns. 

Lorenz is one of Claude’s advisors as his family also helped create some order within the group. Although his family does push him to overtake Claude at some point. 

He is one of their best informants, being in charge of anything related to the other mafia groups as well as any leaks they may have within their own. 

He studies law and business as well as various assassination techniques and long-ranged fighting. 

Hilda is also an older member. Her family only just bringing her into the mafia business. They manage a few underground gambling sites and pass along information to the mafia. 

She herself isn’t the best at keeping secrets so she’s often sent with a partner to act as the “good cop” to their “bad cop” and gain info that way. 

She studies fashion and close combat fighting along with assassination knife skills. 

Lysithea’s family is one of the most respected families. As they’re known for being informants and have a large network of spies. 

She is often sent out on undercover missions to retrieve pieces of information/evidence. 

She studies assassination, long- range sniping and hacking. With a cover of Techincal theatre (mainly as a stage manager). 

Marianne is their acting doctor. Brought into this work by her adoptive father, she is one of their best field medics and researchers. 

She often is charged with making sure items are safe for use - as she’s adept at detecting poisons and other traps. 

She studies plants and animals, with specialties in assassination (poisons) and guns. 

The Church of Seiros

The most prestigious schools in Fodlan. They train students for everyday University credits and degrees. Along with a compulsory physical education of learning how to wield a weapon (for the “Advanced class”) and regular sports for the non-illegal folk. 

The full-time boarding school is located at the heart of the city, atop a large, forested mountain. 

They take in orphans from the street to train as assassins, which they can then lend to the competing mafia groups. 

They also have underground laboratories for experiments and such.

Among the mafias they’re neutral territory as they train students from each group. 

Because they’re a highly respected church, they don’t get many regular checks by the school board or other public enforcers. 

Rhea was the archbishop who began training orphans as assassins. 

The Knights of Seiros is the church’s most highly ranked assassins who do Rhea’s bidding.

[nathan-meiger-blog]

• We spotted Nathan Meiger around Toledo today, just another gear in the machine of the apocalypse. I heard he is a hunter for The Saints. I guess it fits, seeing as he’s known to be perceptive & resolute, as well as unstable & eccentric. They often have Twenty Years by Placebo in their head while they work. I wonder if they’re prepared for what’s coming?

┆ Info ┆ History ┆ Family ┆ Headcanons ┆ Wanted Connections ┆

Name: Nathan Meiger Age: Twenty-four Gender: Male Orientation: Homosexual  Former profession: Freelance photographer Hometown: San Marino, California Camp: The Saints Role: Hunter +intelligent, +observant, +insightful, +creative, +open-minded -distracted, -sarcastic, -unpredictable, -guarded, -grey morality

Survival Skills:

Stubbornly refuses to die in some stupid way.

Willing to point out to others that they are doing something that will mean everyone dying in, again, some stupid way.

Very keen perception to details so finding/locating/foraging/scavenging is something he’ll do well.

Creative problem solving.

Is a native speaker/reader/writer of English and German, and has a working grasp of speaking/reading in French so he can translate for communication or read things in said languages. 

Disadvantages:

Clumsy as hell at times.

Has a fairly strong fear of deep water/lakes/oceans that stems from an incident in childhood so he doesn't function well in situations that involve that.

Confrontational towards people he thinks are wrong even if they’re in charge.

Not always the best grasp of reality when he gets emotional/dissociates.

Can’t do several seemingly normal things; barely knows how to change a tire on a car much less how to fix one, the same lack of knowledge goes for most machines but he does learn quickly when taught, doesn’t know the first thing about planting things/growing anything.

Fairly addictive personality so he's still struggling for want of cigarettes, still very much misses his cell phone and a generally far easier life with vices he used to indulge.

[History] 

┥when the world was still alive ┝

The ugliness of life is that it very rarely hands out good to people on simple faith alone, or that was at least how Nathan always saw it. Under the shadow of stark family expectations he grew up listening to harsh arguments between his mother and father, two people who could hardly seem to be in the same room for more than five minutes at a time so he never figured out how it was they managed to have four children together. The trouble of course was that his father had a rather strong determined streak that ran nearly to the level of cold-blooded and his mother found the man exhausting. While he was busy building an empire around the law firm he owned she was penning novels that climbed best seller lists and, somehow, two highly ambitious people could not have been worse for each other. Maybe they had been in love once, before children were underfoot and work hours ran late into the evenings, predating family trips dissolved into reasons to travel to opposite ends of the globe to find some space. 

The divorce was no surprise to anyone. Even Nathan, only eight at the time, understood the tension well enough to know that rupture had been a long time coming. His mother left, taking along his younger sister and promising visits that fell to excuses and then phone calls, and finally nothing at all and shared holidays that never happened. His brothers may have fared better, better adjusted, or whatever the case might have been that made them less sensitive to the amount of animosity that settled into every corner of their large home like a layer of grime. 

It didn’t ease much as time passed and growing up under his father’s scrutiny with only his older brother to serve as a damper from it and his younger, Corey, always underfoot left Nathan retreating from what felt like constant pressure. He wrapped sarcasm around himself like a wall and started to disconnect more and more from the world. Nothing much mattered because nothing was real; his friends were the sort who were fond of him because of his wallet, his interests in constant shift from a restless mind, his ambitions never measured up so he stopped trying to win the favor of a man he only saw long enough to be yelled at over whatever he had fallen short over during the day.  

He struggled with the idea of leaving the moment he turned eighteen but that meant abandoning Corey alone in that house and while his brother never earned the sort of relentless verbal abuse their father was so fond of showering on him it wasn't a chance he wanted to take so he found a compromise of sorts in attending community college and living at home. It didn't go over well though, even when he graduated and started working as a freelance photographer around the area, not nearly good enough for his father but really that came as no surprise. 

┥after the end ┝

Both he and Corey were spending a few weeks with their older brother at his Manhattan home when the world started to fall apart. During the point when communication was still active they tried to contact their father but once the virus had become more dangerous, once more began to break down, it was clear that nothing was going to remain stable for much longer. The argument over going returning to California or not became a tense one and Nathan refused, in some ways not wanting the truth and some guilty part of him knew it would have almost been a relief if the man were dead; either way he did not want to make the trip back when it was clear they would likely be stranded there once transportation finally stopped. 

He was overruled though by his brothers, their determination to reunite the family overriding any of what Nathan thought was common sense, and so off they went. It was slightly easier than for some people, those were the days when money still had value and between the three of them they had it in excess thanks to the family fortune, but everything was falling apart around them and even that advantage was short-lived.

They made it over halfway before being separated, people were panicked and there was no real structure to anything left, so it came as no surprise when the airport they had been forced to stop in outside of Texas was in a state of disaster. It was in that chaos that Nathan had his first up close and personal encounter with the sort of vile creature the virus spawned when someone apparently infected died in flight. Once the creature escaped the cargo bay where it was being held there was no real stopping the death that followed. It was during the maelstrom right out of a horror movie that he lost track of his brothers, it wasn't until after escaping the airport that he came back across Corey in the company of a few stray survivors. 

The decision shoved on him was not one Nathan wanted to make, knowing that continuing to search for his other brother meant risking being attacked but taking the option to leave with people they didn't know might mean never finding him again He did what he had to, Corey was only a kid, he had to protect him and there was safety in numbers. 

The few months after were a blur, Nathan quickly discovered how ill-suited his life of excess had made him for survival. Thankfully he did have enough to offer in the form of being sharply attentive and excellent in spotting things often overlooked to keep both of them at least on the outskirts of the group. The peace was dissolving though, he saw it more and more each day, leadership became a point of tension that wouldn't resolve and it finally came down to arguments. Rather than stick around to watch the decay he left, Corey begrudgingly following, and set out to find stability elsewhere. 

Time and again they moved from group to group, sometimes getting separated, other times being pushed out by either the group itself falling apart or Nathan's habit of questioning the actions of those in charge when their decisions seemed reckless. More often than not they spent weeks between on their own, aside from a mutt that Corey adopted along the way, never fully able to settle anywhere because Nathan was always uneasy. 

It was not long into their third year after everything had crashed down around them that Nathan made the mistake of being talked into joining a group that had made their home in the abandoned warehouse district in New Orleans. Everything almost felt too ideal, too comfortable, but Corey made friends and it felt like maybe they had a home. With that feeling Nathan began to debate returning to the search for their other brother, lured into the idea that Corey was safe within the heavily guarded community that had been built. He didn't end up having to make a choice though, as most things do even that collapsed on itself. 

The raid from another group was so unexpected that it caught everyone off guard, he had always known that it happened but still wasn't fully prepared for the idea of people killing each other rather than corpses. 

During the bloodshed Nathan himself was injured and Corey was killed, shot by one of the intruders, and it wasn't until after they had left the destruction behind that Nathan found him. He was alone then, so entirely that he refused to remain behind with the other survivors and rebuild; the thought of living with the ghosts of those memories was more than he could stomach. 

It took the better part of year of being on his own, at times barely surviving, for Nathan to come to terms with the fact that it was nearly impossible to continue to live that way. When he found The Saints he was, and still is, wary of the supposed safety promised there after seeing for himself how that can change in an instant. But, afraid he wouldn't last out much longer on his own, he volunteered as a Hunter, knowing that he had nothing useful to offer in farming or most of the other tasks around the camp, and has remained there for the better part of five months. He's still waiting for something to break, doesn't trust it to last, but for the time being it's really all he has.

[Family] 

Mother Leah Meiger

Nathan has no real memory of his mother other than before the divorced was finalized. She didn’t attempt to stay in the area and the last he heard from her she was living somewhere in the Maine area but he really has no idea. What he does remember is confusing, a mix of her affection for her children and the chaos of her constant fighting with his father. Most of the family claim that Nathan’s emotional highs and lows being so intense are inherited from her. He really was too young to have more than fuzzy recollections of her. As it stands he has no idea if either she or his sister are still alive.

Father Jason Meiger (Deceased)

It isn’t that Nathan hated him, exactly, he just found him an overbearing misery to be around. The man had built his business from the ground up and as such always had high exceptions for his children and Nathan’s tendency to disconnect always put them at odds. Being the middle child out of the boys he was usually the one his father singled out and suffered a large share of his anger and sharp comments, his seeming lack of direction was another tense point between them that never settled well. Even Nathan’s sexuality was something that would have caused friction, if he had ever bothered to tell the man that he’s gay. He hasn’t come to terms fully with the idea of him likely being dead but it’s more from the guilt of feeling a sense of relief than not wanting to accept the possibility.

Siblings Corey Meiger (Deceased)

The youngest of the family, Corey was barely in his teens when the virus spread and life went all to hell. A fairly quiet kid, he was quick to stick close to his brothers, specifically Nathan because the two of them shared a tendency to be introverted. More of an optimist by nature, he was a bright spot to most people and Nathan's entire reason to stay focused and concentrate on keeping the both of them alive. It wasn't the virus of the monsters that snatched Corey, he had only turned eighteen a few months before being killed during a raid on the camp that he and Nathan had been living in for the better part of six months. It's something that Nathan still blames himself for, even now, more than a year after his death. 

(Open connections)

Nathan has one older brothers and one younger sister still missing. His sister left his life when she was very small and likely she doesn’t remember any of them unless their mother made a point to tell her about the family. His brother he’s been on fairly good terms with even though they have different personalities. His brother specifically is the one he’s run to for support on occasion but the two tend to argue and have a difficult time seeing eye to eye on most things. As it stands he has no idea where he might be, having lost all contact with him shortly after the spread of virus when they were traveling back to meet their father and never made it that far. He assumes him to be dead but never had a chance to try to find out for himself.

┆ Info ┆ History ┆ Family ┆ Headcanons ┆ Wanted Connections ┆

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 4X03 - Rocky Road

Will Ingrid succeed in ICE-olating Elsa from our heroes?

Shut up! That was funny!

Hit up my review below the cut to find out what we think of her cold con (And to see if I make any more bad puns)!

Main Takeaways

Past

Kristoph and Elsa’s friendship runs the show here and it does so very well. It was a really smart idea tackling the unconventional ways that the both of them grew up as a means of having them bond. And as I’ll go over later, I like the use of trust as a theme in this segment.

Beyond that, apart from a just really solid story, there’s not a lot to talk about here. So onwards!

Present

I remember when I was just a lurker in this fandom, people for some reason were up in arms about why Ingrid froze Marian’s heart and for me, it always made sense. Elsa was getting to be buddy-buddy with the heroes and would soon be welcomed into the town. Because of that, while there was still time for people to be suspicious and doubtful of Elsa, Ingrid froze Marian’s heart so that the ensuing fear of the townspeople could combat the trust that the heroes had in her and give Elsa that sense of rejection. Like, while I don’t like this arc in the sense that it quite literally fridges Marian, it does make sense in terms of Ingrid’s motivations. It’s actually a genius plan on her part and really sets up the type of villain she is. She’s complicated in that she wants her sisters to come to her willingly, but has no problem using her control over memories to manipulate exactly what “willingly” entails.

Snow’s story is really good. I know a lot of people feel like Baby Neal should have more focus, but I feel the opposite. He’s a baby. He’s gonna poop and cry and most of the interesting content regarding him is the reaction of his parents and sibling to his presence. I feel like all we really need are to see glimpses of Snow and David parenting every now and then and this was probably the best of them. That’s because it got right to the heart of the matter: Snow is afraid for Baby Neal because of what happened with Emma. She lives in Storybrooke, Maine, the land where danger goes to have a fucking bar mitzvah! That fear is something clear and understandable and I’m happy that it got the attention it deserves.

Operation Mongoose is born! ...Well, officially now! I like how Operation Mongoose is portrayed as an operation that is in some ways extremely flawed in the places that it’s coming from, but also that involving Henry allows for it to refocus it into something good! It adds a nice layer of complexity to this operation and serves as a reflection of the Regal Believer dynamic!

There are so many good dynamics here, and besides my front runner for favorite dynamic, I really have to give credit to Emma and Regina’s here. While I don’t like the upcoming resolution to their conflict, what I do like is the buildup here. Regina, still angry with Emma, is back to making cutting and snippy remarks and Emma, while not taking them sitting down, does let those words get to her in a way. Those feelings of inadequacy, while the basis of which is wrong, are valid feelings for her to have and how they’re brought up and affect Emma throughout the episode is brutal.

...It should say a lot about how little of an impression Will Scarlet left on me that I kept forgetting that this was his first episode in the main series. I just...I just don’t get it. Well, I get that apparently, Will’s actor was still under contract and thus needed to be part of the main series, but to trap him in Storybrooke in such a tragic way, one that went presumably unsolved until the end of the series (Which was one hell of a jump) was just awful. I loved Will in the Wonderland spinoff and his friendship with Alice so to know that he loses that connection as well as his relationship with Ana really hurts! And to do what? Something that maybe another one of the more sidelined side characters could’ve done in his place? They just did him dirty. That all having been said, within the context of this episode and the arc, he’s...serviceable. He’s himself and Will Scarlet is an enjoyable character. He has good chemistry with Emma and David.

BUT let’s move aside from that to touch upon Ingrid and Emma’s dynamic! I love how just Emma’s appearance is enough to distract Ingrid from her plans. Like, she’s honestly about to freakin’ win and Emma pulls her from victory!

All Encompassing

Trust is the big theme of today’s episode and it gets a nice deep exploration. Elsa puts it best: “When you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, it can be hard to let people in, to trust them. Even when they want what’s best for you.” And this applies to several characters in this episode, namely Elsa in the flashback, Emma, Snow, and Rumple (A weird example, I know, but I’ll explain).

The thing that these four have in common in the context of this episode is that they think they know best, when that’s not necessarily true, if at all. I think in the first three examples, they’re rather self explanatory in the episode. Snow doesn’t want to trust anyone with Baby Neal because of the weight of raising a child again is something that scares her. Elsa doesn’t want to trust anyone else with her mission to get the urn because she feels that as the queen, she should be able to take care of this herself and later that she -- as a magic user -- should be able to use the urn herself to find out more about other magic users. Emma doesn’t want anyone coming along on her current mission so that she can save the day and regain her sense of purpose.

As for Rumple, I think this sentiment applies to him in the sense that the weight of the world for him now is his power and Belle. With Bae (And by extension, so much of his purpose in life) gone, Belle and his power is all he really has left. With the weight of his unhindered power now on his shoulder as it’s a possibility thanks to the hat, he doesn’t want to trust Belle with that information because he knows that if she knows the cost of it, she’ll try to deter him from pursuing his goal (And rightfully so, both with how Belle would act and how just that is). But especially after having his powers manhandled for a year, he doesn’t want to lose his chance of being free of the dagger.

Stream of Consciousness

-”And ice cream.” You know, a lot of people have all sorts of HC’s about Roland after he and the others go back to the EF and I love them, but if I may contribute my own, I want Roland to bring ice cream, the sweetest magic of all, back to his home!

-”Please mom? Regina let me.” Roland, you adorable and conniving little boy! You are going to run the world through three scoops of ice cream and a smile that can melt them!

-I also just realized that with the context of Marian being Zelena, I’m sure she’s just THRILLED with someone else comparing her to Regina! XD

-Marilena, order the carrot ice cream! It will surely leave you STONED! XD

-”There is no problem that can’t be solved with a little ice cream.” This may be my favorite opening scene in the show! XD

-”Any Given Sundae” is one of my favorite puns in this series, and given how much I love puns, that’s saying something!

-”Well, an all too common affliction around these parts.” ...It really is!

-Gotta say, Rumple’s counter to the super power was fucking great! Like, he had that down to a science! I actually HC that he may have given that to her. On some level, he knew she’d be on her own, so he decided to give her some aid in the form of her super power so that she could have a little help.

-”But I wish you the best of luck finding her.” Yeah...I refuse to believe that no one outside of Killian found that one specific line fishier than Ariel in her grotto.

-I’m very glad to know that Storybrooke is anti-wall! :D

-”I’m not worried about the wall. I’m worried about who made it.” I just love this line! XD

-I LOVE Regina’s outfit in Granny’s! Look, I’m a sucker for short sleeves and the vest part of it just seals the deal for me. This is a comfy cozy Regina! Also, Lana is ROCKING that ponytail!

-Regina, you have great taste in comics! Also, you’re kind of as subtle as a brick with your goals, but it works out really well! :D

-I love the slam down of the painting! Regina is 100% right. As someone who just gushed about that office, that painting completely messes with the colors and has got to go.

-”People like me?” “With magic.” I like how Kristoph wastes not even a second before ensuring Elsa that he doesn’t mean “people like me” in a bad way. He really gets his sister-in-law and knows that such talk has the potential to upset her deeply and as soon as he sees an inkling of that, he springs to action.

-Elsa and Killian also have a great dynamic here! XD

-”What are you going to do?” “Something drastic.” I think he was looking for something a TWINGE more specific, Regina! XD

-Okay, so I don’t often like to pick apart plot holes, but why wouldn’t Killian have Elsa secretly listen in on their convo and then tell Belle herself? Like, he promised Rumple “his” silence. He said fuck all about Elsa! XD

-You know, if magic can never be destroyed as Rumple claims, than when his own curse broke, did the darkness equilibrium that I’ve hoped for for so long just sweep the land?! Because I hope so.

-Any Given Sundae has really strange hours of operation! XD

-David, you may be “fine,” but your shirt needs an iron STAT!

Favorite Dynamic

Golden Hook! I’ve waited FAR too long to gush about this rivalry again and now I can!!! This episode is I think one of the bests for their rivalry and I mean that usually, Rumple has far more of a pull over Killian than vice versa because of his magic, but here, it really feels equal because Killian’s win comes from a sensible place. Killian’s been tracking down Rumple and his weaknesses for a century and thus, has an understanding of the man. And so, he’s able to have a real and tangible advantage in this moment, one well prepared. It’s a stupid, dangerous, and even kind of selfish, but it does work out this first time around and it’s fitting of Killian’s character. There’s an actual clash and seeing that confrontation is so engaging.

Writer

We’ve got one veteran writer and one newbie today, David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz, as they enter into Season 4. And damn, what a start! What we have here are several really solid narratives that are well paced and balanced. Nothing here felt like a character was being given too much or little focus. Additionally, the conflicts and dialogue make sense for the unique positions of our characters, making this episode feel quite organic.

Rating

Golden Apple. This is a fairly layered episode! Its main draw for me are the fantastic dynamics that we get to see fleshed out as well a theme that is powerful but not too overbearing. All in all, it comes together nicely to deliver a really satisfying episode!

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Captain Swan - I really do like the exploration as to some of Emma’s distance in starting up hers and Killian’s relationship. By this point, romance has on three occasion spelled doom for whoever she’s been with and she’s nervous about Killian too. She had little control over the fates of Graham, Neal, and Walsh due to her lack of knowledge about the truth of her fairytale background and the danger that comes with it, but Killian’s different. She can make that choice and with all the facts, she’s nervous to make that step. But Killian gets to have a say in this as well. He’s survived so much of the fairytale dangers and his existence is proof of that. And that bit of information, alongside Killian’s just straight-up dedication to her and her growing feelings for him (Anyone else hear the hesitation in Emma’s voice when she pushes aside that she wants a man?), is what finally allows for her to be willing to give them a real chance. It’s no wonder that the ensuing kiss is one that enraptured the fandom and why the line beforehand stuck with us so hard. It’s an optimistic that follows this couple until the end of the series and really feels so equalizing for them. Emma and Killian are trying to help each other, but in different ways and this kiss doesn’t signal the end of that by any means, but that they’re going to change tactics so that they can help each other and be together. And that swell of music makes the moment so triumphant and beautiful.

-----

Thank you all for reading (If you do...honestly, I’m never sure, but if you do, I’m really grateful for you for doing so)!!! Shoutouts as always to the fine folks at @watchingfairytales and to my super amazing buddy @daensarah! Happy New Year!!!

Season 3 Total (29/230)

Writer Scores: Adam and Eddy: (9/60) Jane Espenson: (10/40) David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz: (10/50)

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

[foreverholdmedown]

Momzilla (Part 4)

August 4th.

“Everything is set for December at the Barker Hanger. Initially, I was going to move it to New York this year, but I’m just going to do it out in Los Angeles once again and then it’s coming here to next year. I think it makes perfect sense. We’ve already narrowed down Cipriani as the location for sure. Right now, I just need you to have some mock ups sent over for the table placements. Just call. They should already know that I’m expecting them.” The tips of her toes sank into the plushness of the couch as Robyn pulled her legs up and she glanced in the direction of the ruckus just a couple of inches away from her. The roaring laughing of both her husband and son quickly began to overpower her conversation to the point of her not being able to hear a word Morgan said to her. The sight of both of their bodies, wildly rolling around on the floor as Jaxton’s gibberish meshed in with his father’s words was a sight to see and one that she couldn’t draw her eyes away from no matter how hard she tried to. Every few minutes or so, it would go from Jermaine laying on his back and carefully throwing their growing son up in the air to draw those infectious giggles from him and then they’d be rolling all over the carpet in pure glee. It’s what she’s been listening to since this morning in their bedroom and it has yet to stop. If anything, they’ve followed her around the house. She left them upstairs with their noise and yet, here they are, with her in the living room.

“Can you two keep it down for just five minutes while I wrap up this phone call?” And just like that, their antics ceased as the identical sets of dark chocolate eyes glanced in her direction. Faint chills between to trickle along her lower back as Jermaine’s lips curved into the smile that has captivated her since the first time she saw it in high school. It’s so infectious and playful, yet so alluring and seductive. As his tongue ran over his bottom lip and he squinted his eyes, it was quite easy to tell he’d gone from being playful with their child to tempting her to come and make him be quiet once no one else was around. She took full advantage of the village of people backstage at Jermaine’s Holmdel, NJ tour date as they smothered their children with attention and affection. The less she had to keep an eye on the both of them, the more she could have fun with the cups of Jack Daniels and pineapple juice that had been enjoying throughout the night. Despite him performing a full ninety minute set and mingling backstage, the alcohol had her talking his ear off the entire drive home and he listened to every single word that spilled from her lips attentively and yet with amusement because they hadn’t conversed like that in quite a while. It didn’t stop there. A goodnight’s worth of sleep after his shower was the furthest thing from her mind. All bets were off as she disregarded the guests in their home and turned their bed into a playground. Despite them being married, now that the liquor has worn off, she’d be mortified if her mother-in-law knew or heard what was going on behind that closed door.

“Mommy’s being a party pooper.” He placed a kiss on Jaxton’s forehead as he sat up on his chest but he wouldn’t be able to keep him still for much longer. He wanted to play and mommy’s phone call didn’t matter much to him.

“No mommy isn’t.” Within seconds of her returning her attention to Morgan, the beckoning yell from her step-daughter drew laughter from her instantly. There’s no way she’d be finishing that phone call and she knew it the moment she answered the phone. Despite there being a number of people in and out of their penthouse apartment since this morning, the main members of the residence were the nosiest ones and yet it felt amazing. She couldn’t be mad at it if she tried to.

“Morgan, are you coming tonight? You’re more than welcome.”

“Yeah, I’ll be there for sure. I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”

“Okay. See you later on then.”

While dropping her phone into her lap, she turned her attention towards the direction of Yari’s voice who was within close enough proximity for her to see her and yet she continued to yell her name as if that was going to make whatever she needed that much more of a priority. With her curls all over her head and a non-matching set of pajamas that she dressed herself in the night before, she jogged over with two Dreamville sweatshirts in her hands and immediately earned a snicker from Robyn.

“Which one?” Both were customized to her liking of color due to one of her many favorite uncles Ib; one pink and the other a lavender that even Robyn is considering requesting.

“It’s August sweetie. Neither one, unless you want to burn up out there. You have t-shirts like that. You’re going to wear one of those with some shorts and Converses. Maybe we can do that ruffled denim skirt. We’ll see.”

“Can I still wear the hat and have curls?”

“Sure.”

“You should wear the white shirt and match your brother.” Her father’s suggestion earned a huge huff and a blank stare that is becoming far more identical to his than her mother’s. He should have known better than to say that. Now that he’s growing, walking, and getting into anything that he can get his hands on, Yari isn’t smothering her little brother with her attention and kisses as much as she use to. Instead, she’s chasing him out of her room and frustratingly trying to keep his little hands off and out of her things.

“Ew. We’re not twins.”

“He’s your little brother.”

“I know but I’m the oldest. When you have another baby, you can match him with that one.” Robyn watched as Jermaine widened his eyes with laughter and he glanced in her direction to catch whatever reaction she may have had to Yari’s words. Another baby? Jaxton’s still in diapers and drinking out of bottles. The thought of how hectic that would be nearly had Robyn leaping off of the couch.

“Another baby?” She had to ask her to be clear that’s what she said.

“Yeah, when you have another one. I’ll be back.” Is there a such thing as a child’s jinx on your uterus?

“Put those sweaters back!” That was all she could say in response to her assurance in them eventually having another offspring running around the house. Later on down the line? Maybe. Soon? Not happening. Three has always been her cut off number and given the work that it takes to balance their family, Yari counts as one of the three. Hell, keeping track of and attending all of her recitals, plays, games, and school events is a job within itself. Imagine doing that for four children. Both she and Jermaine would need clones.

“You’re going to need a nap before you get out of here today.” And it’s all her fault. She didn’t know whether to laugh at that or shake her head and scold herself. Despite her tension and their apparent issues that have yet to be thoroughly addressed, she couldn’t skip out on supporting him since she’d already been on the east coast. Every word of her vows meant something to her and despite what she’s been feeling, upholding them is true to who she is to both herself and him. That aside, she’d argue anyone down that she is his biggest fan and advocate. She loves seeing him on that stage more than anyone else and any chance she gets to be able to witness it, she’s not missing out on it.

“Yeah, maybe an hour or two. I’m not that tired.”

“Are you nervous?” Jaxton’s small feet pattering in the direction of his grandmother as she appeared in the entry way of their living room caught their attention. She said nothing as she lifted him up into her arms and held him close to her chest. Instead she warmly smiled at the sight of them idly laying there in the living room and walked in the direction of the kitchen to leave them to it. She’d even done it last night when Robyn was walking Jermaine to his entry point to the stage. She made sure both Yari and Jaxton stayed behind so they could have that brief moment to themselves.

“Am I nervous? Not really.” He shrugged his shoulders once.

“Anxious?”

“That’s sort of the same thing Baby Girl. Anxious. Hm. I suppose so. I’m always somewhat apprehensive before every show. I’m trying not to mentally differentiate this one from all of the others but how can I not?” And she too felt the same exact way. Despite all of the dates that he has to conquer on this tour, there are about three particular ones that will absolutely stand out from the rest and tonight’s show will be one of them.

“That’s exactly how I feel. I’ve had butterflies since I opened my eyes this morning.”

“Yeah, I could sense that.” Though she playfully rolled her eyes, she couldn’t deny the sixth sense he developed when it comes to her since they were kids. Over the years it has had it’s murky moments and that’s certainly been happening lately, but it’s still there. He just needs to dust it off a bit and bring about some clarity to it.

“Does it get old to you?” Despite her asking, even she had to wonder how could it ever? How does one ever get tired of stepping out on stage and watching tens of thousands of people screaming your name and rapping along to the stories that you spilled from your heart? There are a ton of people in it for the money and the numbers game matters before anything else, but for Jermaine, despite the emotional toll it has taken on him, the spouts of mild depression, and the questioning of himself, he’s in it because it’s a passion and there is still a love there for Hip-Hop and connecting it with the people.

“No. Performing is the best part about it. It’s the part when the politics and the behind the scenes bullshit doesn’t matter. It’s just you and the people. They don’t know what goes into being able to enjoy their favorite artist despite whatever hints or gems may be dropped through the music. They don’t know how that shit can drain you in every single sense. They just see the person who has lightened their mood, put a smile on their face, helped them through whatever they’re going through, and who has been this piece of their life through music. I’m no fucking genius or wizard. I’m not a therapist or some life coach. I don’t parade myself around as someone who knows it all. I just speak from the heart and often times, I use a pen and paper to spill some of my inner most thoughts and struggles. I expose the good, the bad, and the ugly about who I am because I’m not trying to be this God like figure who refuses to acknowledge that I can be fucked up or that I go through things despite having this career and the perks that come with it.” And there it is; one of those Jermaine moments when he’s being raw and relatable in every single sense. Though she’s no musician, the industry she works in is just as grueling on the mind and body. Early on, before the moments of success, the process to get to it isn’t as beautiful as the result. After the fact, rather than enjoying what came of it, you’re already focusing on what’s next. The celebrations were short-lived and the yet the grind for it all is endless. The balance is a struggle. Then there’s the part where so many of them hide behind masks of perfection and then spiral out of control when the cracks began to show that they’re anything but that. If anyone knows it, it’s her. Life has never been easy but now it’s fair. Her struggles began as a kid and there wasn’t much of a mask to be worn because she couldn’t afford it. Every now and then her smile would serve as one but even that became transparent. Despite Jermaine calling her perfection, it’s always been clear that she’s perfectly imperfect and the same can be said for him.

“That’s real. And that’s what they love about you Jermaine. That’s what I hear in the album. As soon as that intro comes on, you just feel it, you know? I get chills as soon as I hear you singing. It really sets this tone of not only what you’re striving for but what you’ve learned and the knowledge that you’re going to share with any person who presses play. I love everything about it. That part where you say look where I came, look how far I done came, they say that dreams come true and when they do that’s a beautiful thing. That holds as truth for everybody, I don’t give a fuck what their dreams are. There’s that journey of navigating through said dream or reality and riding through the highs and lows of it until you truly find out what fulfills you. That’s what life is. You’ve highlighted that so perfectly. It’s between all of that and just the imagery that you’ve shared for this album that makes it my favorite one. The other day I was thinking about the juxtaposition of the album art and you being back home and then the Intro video with you riding through the streets of New York City on your bike; the city you made it in. The smile in your face is so pure as you’re riding and then there’s that part when you stop in front of that BMW dealership and you peak inside, and then you continue on with riding your bike because you know that ultimately none of that has true meaning or validates you. You can have it if you want it, and you’ve had plenty of it, and yet none of it matters. That’s freedom. That shit’s so genius.” In all of the words she spoke, she was laying on her back and staring up at the ceiling, but after her final word, she turned and looked at the man she was hailing and blushed at the sight of the smirk on his face. For a brief moment, they stared at one another in silence as he mentally stored all of her words so he’d be able to come back to them in a moment when he needed a smile or felt like thinking about just how lucky he is to have her.

“You really are my biggest fan, baby.”

“I always have been Cole.”

“You highlighted that so perfectly.”

“I can go on and on about what you’ve done with this album and even the tour. It’s so you. I’m not saying that the other albums aren’t. They’re you and you’re telling your story on them, but with this album I just feel like I’m talking to a grown and experience Jermaine, who I fell in love with in the Ville. If I didn’t already know the details of your journey, I could listen to this album and say, okay, I get it.”

“That’s all I wanted with this one. Real shit, I can admit with the others I was seeking clout, validation, and a rank that doesn’t even fucking matter when you look at the big picture. With this one, it was me asking myself, Jermaine who the fuck are you, and then answering that. After that, it was me asking myself, Jermaine what the fuck do you need, and answering that as well. I’ve come to a point where I feel comfortable and not in a sense of wanting to give up or no longer work hard, but in order for me to be at my best space in doing this, I just need to pull back because while it’s incredible to be able to do what I love, I’ve come to realize just how much of a small part of my joy that it is.” The floor was his. Though she was silent, she hung on to every word and took moments in between to make sense of it.

“I have to nurture what rules as the majority so that I can be in the best mental space for all of this. I’ve already made adjustments in terms of the business and who I need where, doing what, and how it needs to be done. It was difficult but I had to let some people go, I had to bring a few in, I had to delegate a bit more to those who have been around, and I had to overcome any fear of whatever the outcome may be. That’s settled. The other day, Ray asked me what I had in store for myself after the tour wrapped and I straight up told him that I’m going home. A few years back, I would have been like nigga I’m heading straight to the studio to cook up for the next album, but I’m not even thinking about what’s next in that sense. Whatever happens, happens. I just want to be with you, raise my kids, play some basketball with the homies, talk to my momma a lot more than I’ve been doing, connect with my brother and pops.” Though his eyes were glued to her the entire time, they suddenly peeled away and he glanced up at the pure white ceiling. “I know you’ve been thinking about separating from me. The other day, I grabbed your iPad to look up a couple of books to grab from Barnes and Noble for Yari and you had a tab open about legal separations.”

A tightness formed in the pit of her stomach as it churned in response to the revelation. Despite her anger and frustration with the way things currently are, separating from him was so far down on the scale of any possibilities for a resolution. Insecurity and the pent up aggression had gotten the best of her and suddenly her mind went into retaliation mode rather than an expressive one. Does he drive her crazy sometimes? Absolutely. Can he be annoying? Hell yeah. Is he hardheaded? His head can be harder than a damn brick. Can his efforts to meet her needs be met with better urgency? Without a doubt, but she’s never turned him into a villain. He’s not a terrible husband much like she isn’t a perfect wife. Ultimately, if they want it, they’re going to have to work for it and what she’s been feeling is repairable. It’s a quick fix.

“Jermaine, it’s not like…”

“No, I get it. I’m not mad.” His response in cutting her off rendered her to silence again. “I can’t lie, initially I was. I was going to confront you and ask what the fuck were you thinking, but then I had to catch myself and realize that’s exactly the problem. I was thinking about my own feelings and instead of stepping back and considering yours and why you may have come to that idea. Of course the premiere is a factor and I still feel like shit about that. I will for a while. I should have been there despite whatever and I wasn’t. That guilt has to sit with me for a while until the both of us feels like I’ve redeemed myself in some type of manner. Then there’s time and you feeling overwhelmed. I know that I should know and I do. You handle this household better than I ever could. You run all of this shit and I will quickly put my pride aside and tell anyone that, but I know it’s tiring. We have a toddler, a seven year old going on twenty five, and then there’s keeping up with me and what I need. You handle all of that before you do anything pertaining to yourself. This album period has kept me out of the house for sure and now the tour. That’s why I called our moms. We’ve gone back and forth with the nanny situation but we’ve never really settled on how we’re going go about that, so I just called them because both are more than willing to help and have they time to do so. But they’re not me though. I need to be here. You need to be able to lean on me just as much, if not even more, than I lean on you.”

“I know when I really need you, you’ll be there. I’m not doubting that, but lately, I’ve been feeling like you don’t hear me and it hasn’t felt good because you’re the main person that I need and expect to hear me at all times. We’re not perfect. Sometimes I get it wrong too. There are times when I may not prioritize something you may need but for the most part, I try to be as consistent as possible. That’s what I need. I know you’re swamped with work but it’s been tough and I get tired. That’s really all it was for me. The separation stuff was a mixture of me wanting to retaliate but also feeling like maybe some time apart will help you gain some perspective on all of this.”

“I know. You’ve been angry. I don’t want you to ever feel like you can’t  tell me what you’re feeling. You have a tendency to let shit build up and then you explode. We’ve could have spoken on this a while back and attempted to find some type of resolution and if that one didn’t work out so well, we could have sought out others. That’s how things have to work because this isn’t the first or last time that you’re going to be irritated with me about something. I see you and I want to hear you, but you have to let me hear you. Being your husband and an upstanding father is my priority before anything else. Being your husband has always been the goal since we were running around Terry Sandford trying to figure ourselves out. I wanted this. Marriage keeps me disciplined and grounded, but most of all, purposeful. I don’t want to ever lose this, so if you feel like I didn’t handle something properly, didn’t hear you well enough, didn’t meet an expectation in the manner that you needed me to, or whatever else I may fall short in from time to time, let me know.” Who knew that such a random conversation about tonight would turn into them delving into the looming issues between the two of them, but God knows how alleviating it was to have it and in such a calm manner. More than anything else, this is what she’s been needing. It’s no date at a upscale restaurant or an exotic vacation; it’s just them in the comfort of their home picking at one another’s brains and checking in to make sure they’re on track with what they need from one another as a union and as parents.

“I will. Just make sure you do the same when it comes to me.”

“Oh, I was about to, but last night fixed all of that shit. I was tired as hell but shit, I found the energy.” The goofiness came out swinging as he burst into laughter once a pillow from the couch lightly smacked into his face and bounced off to the side of him. Of course he’d go there. She walked right into that though it was never the intent. He can flip anything into whatever inappropriate thoughts his mind is having.

“That Jack Daniels had you in rare form. The way your tongue…”
 “Jermaine!” Yet another pillow hit him and he continued his laughter as as he reminisced. Even she had to snicker because he was right. Every climax was earth shattering; the next one better than the previous. Fluttering tickled her insides just at the thought of it.

“Then you had on the leopard pumps and those tight ass jeans. When you walked in the dressing room, I was like daaaaammnnnnn. What are you wearing tonight?”

“It’s between a red Balmain look that Olivier sent over or Versace. I think you’ll like both. The Versace is a dress but if I wear that, there won’t be any twerking in it.”

“So wear that because you don’t need to be twerking. Fuck all of that.” Despite her laughter, the Versace had always been the choice that she was leaning towards. It’s the embodiment of a “little black dress” with the little being emphasized in it’s very short length and enhanced sex appeal with it’s plunging neckline. For the feet? Golden Tom Ford Napa Simple Strap Evening Sandals.

“Get off of the floor and get on the couch.”

“Oh, I see what you’re trying to do.” Her emerald eyes narrowed as he sat up and she waved off his joke.

“I’m trying to keep your back in tact for tonight.”

“Meanwhile, I’m trying to blow yours out.”

“Jermaine, you got one more time.” God forbid if anyone walks past and hears his foul mouth.

“I’m going to head upstairs and take that nap. You coming?”

“I have to finish cooking. You take your nap. I’ll make sure I get you up so you can take your shower and all of that.”

“Alright.” Once he was on his feet, he leaned over and planted two pecks on her lips. He then left her with a smile as he jogged off in the direction of the stairs.

Though there would be dinner at the venue for all artists and crew, she knew he’d rather have something made by her hands so she went with pineapple jerk chicken, macaroni pie, and cabbage. Timing didn’t allow her to make dessert but she’d make it up to him in some kind of manner and besides, his favorite snacks are stocked up in the cabinet. He can make due with that.

“I’ve washed him up. Yari’s taken her shower already. Is there anything you need me to do?” Robyn grabbed her phone off of the counter to check the time and she glanced at her mother-in-law.

“No. I got it from here. You need to get yourself together. I’ll make sure they get ready.”

“Don’t be silly, I can do it. It doesn’t take me long to get ready at all. If anyone needs to be starting to get herself together, it’s their momma.” Her mouth fell agape at the well know fact that she takes the longest to get ready out of everyone and she clutched her chest at Kay’s laughter.

“I am not that bad.”

“Oh yes you are and you always have been. You were just as bad when you were a teenager. You spent more time in my bathroom than myself and the boys did.” She couldn’t deny it even though she wanted to. There’s a method to the madness that it sometimes is when she’s getting ready to head out somewhere. Being glamorous takes time!

“I won’t be too bad today. Yusef came by this morning and fixed up this long ol’ ponytail I’m rocking and I’m doing my own make up. I’m keeping it simple. I’ll be better with timing tonight. You can get Jax ready if you want. I already have out what he’s wearing. It’s on the dresser in his room. I’ll do Yari because if anyone else does, she’ll give you or them the run around. After that, I’ll wake him up. I’m trying to let him get as much rest as possible.”

“Okay.”

Readying Yari was simpler than she thought it would be. As discussed earlier, she agreed with the look Robyn picked out for her and had most of it on when she peaked inside of the room to check on her. All she had to do was fix her hair. She pulled half of it up into a ponytail and left the back half down just as she requested and was off to awaken Jermaine from that extended nap. Despite them being in the bathroom at the same time, neither one of them were in the others way because everything about what he needed to do was fairly simple.

“You want to drive there?” She placed her beauty blender on the counter top and turned to look at Jermaine as he leaned against the doorway of the bathroom. Drive?

“Drive? Me?”

“No. I’m going to drive but I was asking if you wanted to do that.”

“Why do you want to drive?” They’d either be taking her Bentley or the Benz because he has no car and hasn’t shown any interest in getting one. Hers are at his disposal if need be anyway.

“I don’t know. I just feel like driving there. Just you and I.”

“Don’t you plan on drinking tonight?”

“No.” Her head jerked back in confusion and disbelief. Tonight of all nights?

“Baby, everyone’s going to be celebrating tonight. I feel like just about everyone’s going to be drunk and you’re not?”

“I’ll sip something for a toast but I have no plans on getting wasted or anything like that.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Maybe he has a headache or something? He seemed find earlier though.

“Yeah, why?”

“What about the afterparty?”

“What afterparty?” How is there not a party tonight, of all nights? Ib is slacking and if not him, then Adam is. There’s supposed to be some type of celebration booked at one of these New York City clubs for them to throw back drinks in with some loud music to shake their asses to. It’s warranted tonight.

“There’s no official party that you’re hosting or something?”

“No. I think they’re all talking about going to Up and Down tonight but I’m not going.”

“Oh. Well then, yeah, we can drive.” No party?

His desire to drive seemed already planned. The awaiting SUV that had been downstairs more than an hour before anyone was ready was for Kay and the children. Despite Robyn’s protests to at least take Jaxton with them, he was still whisked off with grandma who ignored her requests. Her Bentley was their chariot and there was something quite soothing about them driving within the Manhattan streets listening to Biggie’s “Life After Death” album while on the way to the arena. It had been a while since they’d taken a ride together and though she was confused by it earlier, his idea was perfect.

“You look fucking good.” He’d been stealing glances at every light.

“Thank you. I figured you’d like the dress better.”

“I love it.”

There’s something magical about New York and it’s why right now, it’s hard to imagine living anywhere else. It just doesn’t get old and it’s signifies a new beginning for the both of them. It’s the city that forced them to grow up and make something of themselves and the reality that they both did in a manner that met and exceeded every dream has made it a place that holds such a special part in both of their hearts. Despite that, there’s been so much reflecting back on home; the city that raised them. Though Jermaine’s always promised her that he’d buy her a vacation home in Barbados, she’s mentally promised him and is already seeking out a home in North Carolina. They’ve done the bi coastal living between New York and Los Angeles, so it shouldn’t be too much of a struggle to do it between New York and North Carolina. It’ll be somewhere they can spend their summers and holidays. Yari will get the best of both worlds with her friends she’s met in school and the ones who she’s grown up with in Fayetteville. Kay won’t have to constantly get on flights to travel to them. They’ll be within driving distance. Zach can be around more often. Things aren’t as flooded and hectic as the city, so they’ll be able to move around with some normalcy and they’ll have a yard for the kids to run around in. It’ll be a gift to him once he has his homecoming show.

“Look Baby Girl.” As he hit the left turn onto 7th Ave, Robyn glanced up at the Mecca of New York City. The Garden has a long standing history for it’s NBA and college basketball hosting over the decades, but the sports side, it’s musical history is just as prominent and important. At some point in their lives, every New Yorker has been in this building to watch someone put on a career cementing performance, whether it was Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Elton John, The Jacksons, and of course Michael Jackson solo. There’s only been a handful of rappers that have given sold out performances at the arena and after tonight Jermaine will officially be amongst that short list.

“I remember when I used to walk or ride past here. Shit, not too long ago I rode my bike past here and I was like I’m going to play this shit one day and now it’s sold out tonight.”

“And it sold out in one day. Imagine that.” She’d never forget the news and the way they were yelling with excitement about it. It’s just as surreal now as it was then.

“It’s crazy.”

They circled the block at least three times just to get a good look at the historical building and the digital screen displaying the “J. Cole Sold Out” message across it. Robyn even took a couple of pictures of it on her iPhone before they parked in the private underground garage and walked into the bottom level of the arena hand in hand with Elijah in tow. The backstage area was just as hectic as it usually is, with every single component of the show being discussed, and people moving around to make sure the audience received what they paid for in nothing less than perfect form. Though there were a number of his peers backstage to greet him and enjoy the pending performance, Jermaine spent a nice amount of time talking with his former landlord Muhammad and not only thanked him once again for all that he had done for him, but was able to listen to him reminisce on those moments when he assured him that all of this would happen for him. It’s full circle to have him be there tonight to see how it all came to fruition.

“I could have done that, you know?” Robyn looked on as Jermaine made sure both straps of Jaxton’s diaper was secure before pulling up his black shorts. The dressing room was cleared of anyone who could possible disturb him with anything. Initially, it was only them, the kids, Kay, Mike, and Ib sitting in there talking but even they had cleared out with the real boss of the show, Yari. She suddenly morphed into her father’s tour manager and was walking around with K.C. to make sure everything was handled.

“I already had him.” Jax was already on his second shirt, since he put cheese puff stains all over the white one he arrived in. A nap wasn’t on the horizon yet. He too would get to watch the show. “The sound cancelling headphones are in my bag. Make sure he has those on because it’s going to be super loud.”

“I know.” Cool, calm, and collected. That’s what he had been the entire time. She’d been waiting to see if even an ounce of nervousness hit him and there was none.

“I’m going to sit in the suite the majority of the time anyway. So, I’ll take him in there. That way, if he takes a nap, we won’t be somewhere chaotic. That’s where I’m most comfortable.” Kay had been a savior since she arrived four days ago and at some point, they’re going to have to mutually praise her efforts even more than they already have though she’ll only wave them off and brag about how much she loves spending time with her grandchildren. It’s her pleasure far more than it is a favor.

“Yo, about 10!” K.C. poked his head into the door and Jermaine gave him a nod. How the hell had they gotten through Jeremih, YG, and Big Sean that damn fast. Though they’d been there since five, it didn’t feel long at all.

“You gon’ walk me?” She looked on as he planted kisses on their hyper son’s forehead and she nodded in agreement.

Within two minutes, they were casually walking down the halls and making the turns necessary to make it to the stage. As Elijah stood off at a safe distance and observed the surroundings, Robyn looked on as he paced back in forth in a zone that she didn’t want to disrupt. In the midst of it was his silent prayer to himself for a good show and whatever other blessings he may be working for outside of all of this. A rush of adrenaline filled her entire frame at the sound of more than fifteen thousand people screaming his name and him being so calm and prepared for it. It felt like destiny.

“You were born to do this. You don’t have to get ready because you’ve been ready.” Their lips met for a tender kiss. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you. You gon’ be somewhere where I can see you or the sound booth with Ray and them?”

“I’ll be between both.” “Okay, go and get a head start. E, I’m good. Walk her.”

“Have a good show. See you during and after. Love you.” Their lips met once more.

“Love you too.”

From the moment he took the stage, it began a rush and a natural high that only increased as he transitioned from song to song. She’d seen him command many stages but none of them have been quite like seeing him in an arena amongst this many people. Usually, she’s in awe of the more intimate performances, where he’s within close proximity to the people and he’s running through the early records that made them fall in love with him, but this…this is magic. Even while being in the midst of such a historical moment for him it felt like a dream that she never wanted to wake up from. Most of all, it was clear that not only was he made for performing, but it was genuinely fun for him. The smile on his face and the humbled moments were unforgettable. The sounds of screaming fans calling out for him and rapping along to every lyric that sounded out around them was what they fantasized about as teens and it has now become his life. This is what she made sacrifices for so that she could help him pay for beat machines, microphones, and whatever else he needed. This is why her house served as his personal studio space no matter how much that equipment ran up the electric bill. This is why she constantly pushed for him to only apply for schools in New York. This is why at the time she was alright with letting him to off and chase his dreams whether he came back for her or not. This is what she prayed for every single morning when she woke up and at night before she closed her eyes to sleep. This is what she knew was waiting for him. All he needed to do was go after it.

“Are you crying? You deadass right now?” Robyn turned to look at Mike and shook her head. She hadn’t even realized that the tears fell. She was too wrapped up in the moment.

“Here. I hope you’re wearing waterproof mascara.” She grabbed the napkin that Monica was holding around her drink and she dabbed her cheeks lightly in an effort to not smudge her make up. She’d been partying along side those two when standing in the sound booth and oddly, she was along side Ib whenever she was standing near the stage.

“Yall remember when we did the theater on my birthday last year and I said the next time we come out, we’re going to be in here. And look, yall sold this bitch out.” The roars from the crowd were piercing. She remembered that just as well. She’d had Jax just three months before. Damn near the entire crew celebrated the night away at The Gilded Lily after the show.  

“It’s crazy because my wife and I used to dream about this together in the Ville. Sometimes we’d laugh because it seemed so farfetched and yet it felt so attainable because I wanted it. Now we’re all here together and I have my wife and kids, my momma, and some of the best friends that I’ve gotten over the years in here living this dream with me. I’m thankful. I appreciate yall.”

Despite the additional half an hour he performed, she didn’t want it to end. If there was some magic rewind button within reach, she would have hit it a couple of times just to watch all of it all over again, but she’d have to settle for Scott’s recording once it was edited and completed.

“That shit was so lit!” Though he was covered in sweat, attempting to catch his breath, and trying to make his way back to the dressing room, she jumped into his arm and held on tightly while smothering him with kisses all over his face. His strength allowed him to carry her with one arm while he continued his trek to the dressing room. He needed to take a seat and even when she did, there she as in his lap with the endless kisses. “I’m proud of you.”

“We did it Baby Girl. We did it.”

“Jax, no, stop it.” His piercing and random scream startled all of them and yet he continued on with his mission to try and get his hands into her bowl of ice cream. The gibberish meshed in with her complaining was typical and yet it had been ongoing since they arrived home. In an effort to cease the back and forth, Jermaine grabbed Jaxton and sat him up on his chest so that he’d stop interrupting his sister. The movie for the night? Mulan. Their location? The king sized bed in their master bedroom. Oh and there was Jax’s oversized Elmo in-between them as well. He’d been an additional member of the family since Mike bought it.

Everyone had a bowl of an improvised dessert Robyn whipped up after serving dinner and despite her protests, their dad allowed them to have it upstairs in the bed. Jax was supposed to be having tastes out of his father’s bowl, but he had much more of an interest in his sisters’.

Robyn looked over and observed the random pieces they all put together as pajamas and shook her head. Everyone has a pajama drawer and yet here they are, not matching, unlike herself who had on a lime green silk camisole and short set.

“Oh snap, Yar Yar, here we go.” And with that, they began to sing in unison “Honor To Us All”. The hilarious part? Him attempting to pitch his raspy and nearly hoarse voice as high as hers and the women singing in the movie. He has absolutely no pride within his fatherhood. He sings along with all of the Disney princess stuff with no shame and tonight is no different.

As she lay back against the headboard, she could do nothing more than chuckle.

What an afterparty.

[feelingsdusk-writes]

Runes and all kinds of things

Chapter 3

Stiles is angry. No, scratch that. Angry doesn’t even begin to cover the way he’s feeling right now. He’s livid with white-hot rage and his fury burns with the power of a thousand blazing suns and he’s outraged and he’s…

“… you know how I feel about her and that she doesn’t want to talk to me, and now I find out that she’s coming here every day? What the hell, man?!“

… going to seriously start considering murdering Scott where he stands if he doesn’t shut up and leave.

“I think I was perfectly clear,” he bites out instead, his jaw beginning to ache with the way he’s clenching it. Because, wishful thinking apart, murdering Scott is not a viable option, if only because he can't get out of bed without help yet. “But in case I wasn’t: get the fuck out of my room and don’t come back.“

“Stiles!”

He grits his teeth. The door is open so he doesn’t want to yell because, contrary to popular belief, he doesn’t enjoy causing a scene. Especially so in a public setting where it would reflect badly on his dad, because he’s done enough of that already with the whole Jackson debacle, thank you very much. It doesn't matter if his dad knows the truth now (even if that, admittedly, is a relief), because to the rest of the town the sheriff's son is going down a path of delinquency and if the man can't put his own son on the right track, how can he be in charge of an entire county? Stiles bets there are already countless malicious rumours about why he got shot by Principal Argent (whom they viewed as a very respectable member of the society) and he's not going to add fuel to the particular pyre that is his dad and his reputation. That's what matters right now.

“Are you even listening?!”

From what he has been able to discern from Scott’s ramblings, he had been waiting to find Stiles alone so he wouldn’t be kicked out of the room. Normally, Stiles would applaud any kind of sneakiness coming from Scott and consider it a personal achievement... And maybe said sneakiness, his perseverance and a heartfelt apology would have even softened Stiles' stance... Except Scott's original idea of apologizing had quickly flown out the window the moment he had recognized several items in the room to be Allison’s, which made said apology a half-assed one at best.

Now, if Stiles hadn’t wanted to listen to the apology, he sure as hell didn’t want to listen to unfounded and undeserved recriminations. Again, the problem? He can’t move, so he can’t leave. And when he had called the nurse, surprise surprise, it turned out that it was Melissa on call. That hadn’t stopped Stiles from trying to have Scott removed from the premises, but Melissa had basically told them to not bother the staff with petty childish squabbles and to sort things out already.

That was ten minutes ago and no matter what he says Scott won’t leave him alone. He doesn’t seem to understand that a “let’s forget it, ok?” is as insufficient as using a band-aid to patch a severed limb. And that was before his Allison related rant and wild not-so-subtle accusations.

Stiles is at the end of his tether. His father won’t be back for a couple of hours and with how much convincing it took to make him leave to go home and rest, Stiles is not going to call him back. Allison would be able to reign Scott in too, but she's gone for the day, so there won’t be any help on that front. Calling the nurses will probably get him the same results, so that venue is closed too. His body is hurting everywhere with the way he’s tensing and the pounding in his head is getting steadily worse, to the point that he finds it difficult to keep his eyes open more than bare slits. He wants Scott gone.

Now.

It happens in the blink of an eye. One moment Scott is ranting, the next he's not. Out of nowhere a hand clamps like a vice on the back of Scott’s neck, cutting the rambling abruptly in favor of startled spluttering. Said appendage is connected to none other than Peter Hale, who wastes no time unceremoniously sending Scott out of the room with so much ease that it should be considered insulting. The man stands there for no more than three seconds, his back to Stiles, before closing the door quietly. Scott doesn’t try to come in again.

Peter moves through the room like he owns it and Stiles opens his mouth, praying through the haze of pain that when words finally come out of it, they’re at least vaguely sarcastic and scathing and convey how much he didn’t need the rescue (pride over everything and all that jazz). Then Peter closes the curtains and the light goes down a few notches.

Stiles is so not proud of the relieved moan that escapes him.

It takes him a few moments to notice that Peter has sat down on a chair and is now fiddling with the PSP, apparently settling himself in for a lengthy stay. Peter snorts and sends him an amused all-knowing smirk (that, despite the pain, Stiles has the need to wipe off) at the zombies game before putting the device aside. He then fishes a book out of his bag that would have Stiles drooling and making gimme hands at anyone on any good day and, after opening it, he lays a hand casually on Stiles' outstretched arm.

“That’s two, sweetheart.”

(Damn him, some very far away internal voice whines in Stiles.)

The teen grumbles something uncomplimentary but is too busy enjoying the drug-like effect the pain leaching thingie has. That it didn’t even cross Scott’s mind stings a little and he tries not to think about it. Yeah, Scott doesn’t know how to do it, but what hurts here is that he didn't even consider it.

------

When he wakes up the next morning, Peter is gone but the bag is still there, obviously left behind on purpose. It's well within reach and Stiles doubts that's a coincidence. It takes a little effort to lift it onto the bed but he manages it eventually. When he opens it, the only thing that stops him from making an embarrassing hight-pitched sound is his father’s prone figure on the chair. He’s torn between giddy elation at the contents of the bag and exasperation at the werewolf's gall, because those books are either a bribe to get something or he's trying to butter up Stiles, there's no doubt about it.

About an hour later, during which he divides his attention between the books and Lucía Paola's misadventures, Allison arrives. His father takes advantage of her presence to hit home again after some nagging from Stiles. Allison, for her part, seems to lose part of her facade when John leaves, anger and frustration seeping through the placid mask. Stiles is pretty baffled because it's a great contrast with her previously calm attitude, just the day before. One doesn’t need to be a genius to guess where Scott went after being kicked out. After some time in comfortable silence, she finally sighs.

“I’m gonna take a wild guess” she drawls laying her chin on the palm of her hand, “and think that yesterday Scott gifted you with a visit as delightful as mine, yes?” Stiles’ lips twitch. “Or at least that’s what I got out of the load of self-righteous bullshit he was spouting after I told him how you helped me when Gerard tried to get me out of the way.“

And right there, stated with just one word, lies the problem and they both know it. Self-righteous. Scott doesn’t feel he’s done wrong or that he should have done things differently. He thinks that going behind everyone’s back was justified because it was for a good cause (be it defeating Gerard or getting Allison back or being cured) and that because of that everything is right.

In Allison’s case, does he think he’s pressuring her with his attitude? What? Of course not! He’s just letting her know that he still loves her and that he’ll wait for her and that he doesn’t blame her because he understands completely… But the thing is Allison does feel she’s to be held accountable for what she’s done. Because she tried to punish people that didn’t deserve it, because she let herself be manipulated and did horrible things. And Scott may be able to live with it but she can’t. Besides, the way he puts her on a pedestal makes her uncomfortable and stressed because it’s like she has to be perfect to match his view of her, which sometimes makes her feel terribly inadequate and insecure. In a way that is what’s so relaxing for her about Stiles. There are no expectations, just an easy companionship where they both acknowledge the other’s bullshit even if they don’t always call it. Also, to be honest, the way Scott sometimes favors her in detriment of others leaves her with secondhand embarrassment and the need to apologize on his behalf.

In Stiles’ case, does he feel bad about him getting hurt? Yes, of course, but not in the sense of feeling responsible. And Stiles does believe he’s partly to blame because by not keeping him in the loop and actively omitting things and lying, Scott left him vulnerable, left him blind. But to be honest that’s not what bothers him the most, his fucked up priorities are. Before, he expected Stiles to understand and agree when he put his mother first, which, okay, yeah. But the problem is that nowadays everything goes before Stiles: his mother, Allison, Isaac, his wolfy problems, his dates… He calls because he’s trying to keep Derek and himself floating above eight feet of water while the kanima prowls around? Stiles, I can’t right now! I’m having dinner with my future in-laws, can’t you see this is important?! He tries to find a way to cope with the fact that he’s basically destroyed his father’s career with the added bonus of what’s left of his relationship with him? Dude, I can’t believe my mother punished me! I had a date with Allison! What a drag… can you come over to hear me complain about it for hours while you try to force Physics theory down my throat so I don’t flunk? She didn’t say no Stiles after all. Bottom line, either Scott takes him for granted or he feels that Stiles owes him because he got him bitten. And if it’s the second, is he planning on milking it for the rest of his life? Don't get him wrong, Stiles acknowledges his part of the blame in that, but he also sees that Scott got a lot out of it. But then again Scott takes that for granted too, like it’s some sort of compensation for the terrible thing that is not being human anymore. Is it a wonder that he rubs the born wolves entirely wrong with that kind of attitude?

For whichever of those reasons it is, the truth is that both Allison and Stiles concur in that he needs a good reality check.

“Did Peter Hale really threaten him?” she murmurs as her attention gets caught on Marco Enrique's shirtless form as he tends to the horses. She lets out an appreciative hum and Stiles sniggers when that interested look turns into a frown because the view gets interrupted by Mariana Estrella.

“More like tossed him out of here and glared… looked at him," he inserts a Superman eye powers motion with his hands, "intensely into submission. From what I saw, Peter probably doesn’t think him enough of a challenge to deserve a full glare.“ He snorts before groaning. “He implied I owe him. Again,” he whines despairingly as he throws an arm over his face.

He then grumbles mutinously and gives her a dirty look at her snickers when he finally tells her what happened exactly, one of the books clutched in his hands. To her credit, she doesn’t comment about Peter’s presence more than to wonder with Stiles about the man’s intentions. There’s a silent offer of assistance in retaliation if he attempts anything funny that makes him feel warm inside, though.

“If it makes you feel better, I tasered Scott yesterday,” she finally admits, a hint of regret in her voice, because he was her first love and that doesn’t disappear just like that, no matter how much she has tried to lie to herself since her mother died.

After a second, they both cackle helplessly.

🌚 Previous | Next 🐺

[ratherhavetheblues]

CLAIRE DENIS’ HIGH LIFE “It’s called a taboo…”

© 2019 by James Clark

     Although this film, from 2018, proceeds with an English lexicon, it is most important to comprehend the French title. Une Vie en Hauteur, translates as, “a haughty, superior, arrogant approach toward others.” What sort of intransigence could be in play within our film today? There is, as we all know at some level, a distemper underway between amateurs of reality and those professionals regarding the former as having failed to digest the ultimacies already in full flower, namely, religion, humanitarianism and science. (All of which, seemingly, despite little tiffs, well embarking unconditionally all three of them at once.) With her film, High Life, filmmaker, Claire Denis, has squarely ventured into that latter buttress, science, whereby she stands (in many eyes) to be embarrassed by the “hauteur” of her betters. Moreover, let’s not kid ourselves that such “ladies” pastimes will be merely met with droll tolerance.

Our helmswoman here does have up her sleeve the resources of a guy who posthumously maintains a filmic action as far from “ladies concerns” as you can get, namely, Ingmar Bergman, an avatar of very high problematic. She has deployed for our considerations a film which, on the surface, has nothing to do with science, namely, The Seventh Seal (1957)—a biblical concomitant which leaves room for heresy during 12th century Sweden, bristling with witch-burning, flagellation and a far-reaching plague. A couple, Jof and Marie, itinerant circus entertainers, choose to be not fans of the regional leadership (just back from a crusade), who obsesses about living forever, by somewhat odd but actually usual means. The couple—but Jof definitely in the lead—see in their infant son a budding acrobatic genius and juggler the likes of which the world has never seen. Those latter gifts will reappear in our matter before us, in a scenario millennials’ into the future, whereby the march of (bored?) science has dreamed up travel far beyond the Solar System to transport death-row killers into the range of the nearest black hole, and others’ beyond, in hopes of some miracle. During this time-bending amazement, one protagonist, Monte, the highest flyer, another Jof, but very different, what with the bloody Jacobean melodrama blazing, encounters another such craft from that site of inspiration, but this time with a crew of dogs.

The first scenes appear to be far remote from a saga reeling from “hauteur,” let alone outer space. We begin with a lush and sunny vegetable garden sparked with reverberant musical undergrowth. Gentle mist brings about an ambience of decidedly earthy locale. Then a rather jarring note—a muddy pit and a ladder looking down. A baby cries, and we’re soon taken to an office where the child stands up in an improvised playpen, watching two screens featuring American Indians. The baby babbles happily, and, as if a cue, we cut to an astronaut, repairing something on the surface of the gray craft, while being connected by radio to the office. He smiles on hearing the happy child. “Da-da,” she calls. “Dada,” it is.

Then down to business. The show that day on the screens is short on baby talk. On the monitor at the left, there is, in silhouette, an aboriginal warrior on his horse (filmed in black and white). The peculiar headpiece resembles a bird of prey, or also a wolf’s head. (The world of wolves being germane in Bergman’s eyes, particularly in the film, Hour of the Wolf [1968].) On the monitor at right, we have a dying brave with, if not an atomic bomb, a lot of smoke pouring upward. The baby smiles. When the screen becomes a sunburst void, the young viewer begins to cry. The dad tries, “Shhh,” as a fix. She screams, and the enhanced communication factor causes a fright which results in the tool he was using to fly into the primal darkness. On his way in, we see a close-up of Monte’s mouth along with two cold spotlights in the surround. (Inherent cold?) Also, we see him wearing a set of underclothes which might have been used in the 12th century. Just before that entry, the repairman repairs to a reverie of circular stones and hardened mud in semi-darkness. Amidst that apparition was a small tooth-like, white object. Then the imagery attends to sharpened focus, and an arm with a bloody hand holding a bloody rock, which promptly relinquishes its burden into the void, to be followed by the arm lifting upward and quickly disappearing (perhaps elicited by the baby’s howl startling him to drop his wrench into infinity). Hour of the Wolf includes its protagonist fracturing the skull of a bothersome child by a similar action. And Monte, as later seen in flashback within that first flashback, had been on death row due to crushing the head of a young girl with the rock seen in that vision. Her annoyance to Monte involved noticing the mutilated and drowned dog of his he’d savaged, where we were able to see our-dad-of-the-hour displaying the full jacket from the avant-garde glimpse of sleeve.

When finally stifling for the time being that horror, the reformed travelling killer proves to be not so shabby a single parent. By way of the ladder, he accesses the garden, chooses a legume and promptly and gently provides a healthy pablum. After that, seated on the kitchen floor, he bathes the girl with skill, affection and patience. They play awhile with a red devil sort of doll. (Later, he withstands the girl’s loud and long crying jag.) But his loving solicitude does have a veer. With attention to emotive care, he delivers a sort of eccentric Ted Talk. “Don’t eat your own shit… Don’t drink your own piss… Don’t swallow horseshit… It’s called a taboo, tooo…booo… If my old man could see me now… Brake the laws of nature… You’ll pay for it, you son of a bitch!” After hours of deafening screaming, Monte complains to his only listener. “So many tears from such a tiny little body…Please, it’s gonna kill me…” It stops. The baby pulls at the skin on his arm. “Look at that,” he says. Monte sits by the bed, beholding a miracle. After she falls asleep, he says, “You don’t drown them like a dog… It’d be so easy… That’d be a first, and then me.” This sequence ends with him and her at the garden. She feeds him a strawberry, and he’s all smiles. At the ladder, he holds her and encourages her to climb up. “Up, up…”

   “Don’t eat your own shit,” would be a strange but potent gambit as to disinterestedness. The avatars of advantage—and they number by the billions—can’t get enough of dubious golden oldies. Denis pivots at this point, whereby the action up till now constitutes the newest stage while flashback to the preboarding and then subsequent earlier vignettes march apace. Why? We need to see, by way of the history of this flight, how bad and how good things go under the aegis of a hard and dominant sell. Though the film finds Monte trying not to eat shit by challenging a lead pipe punk, namely, Boyse, for carving with a hard and sharp weapon a graffiti into a wall at the medical zone, we encounter her first a bit out of order (very appropriate for her) as an insert showing particulars before she’s arrested. Boyse, we’ll tell you now, is the baby’s mom, induced by the medic, Doctor Dibs, the Pedant of Pregnancy, who has recruited, all the guys but Monte, to a daily regime of masturbation for the sake of in vitro fertilization—the payoff being a mild drug. Her one and only success being with stand-off, Monte, as we’ll describe in the order of the flashback.

Whereas Boyse, as you’ll see, is almost totally feral and destructive during her stint in the sky, there is a brief but searing episode involving her on land, which leaves you enchanted. Like a great acrobat, she gracefully and powerfully uses the instances of the boxcar to reach the roof—in this rooftop position being kin to Monte. Moreover, the travellin’ kids resemble, somewhat, Jof and Marie, in their caravan. (A third rider, at another place on the train, puts up his middle finger and smiles in a rather shy manner to no one in particular; but to everyone in fact.) As night takes over, she leans back in a shallow container and relishes the currents from the plunge of the iron horse, and the darkness. She and her cohort sleep closely and on cardboard. Almost as gritty as old-time coal miners, it is the grottiness on their exposed calves that both repels and endears them to us. One more noteworthy, earlier moment on terra firma, consists of her stretching out here hand, to feel the ripple of prevailing wind as the train races on. In doing so, she’s surprisingly at work on her education, an education you won’t find in college because the jailers there have a very big gun (named, classical rational thought) trained on students and faculty alike. We saw that same laconic gesture with the protagonist of Denis,’ White Material (2009), wherein she was having too much adventurous—actually, suicidal—fun  to heed the classical rational chopper screaming at her to get the hell up and out of a nasty civil war.

   Back to the dust-up at the hospital/ lab, Boyse rips a long wound along Monte’s arm, for his interfering in her showing how little she respects the doctor. (Bergman had a long history of portraying medics as not up to the intimacies of sensibility.) While being patched up by Dr. Dibs (that term denoting Straight A’s as far as it goes), the patient, rather surprisingly, sees fit to explicitly mention that he sees value in her range of interests. (Though he comes across as an inflected born-again Aquarian, he does have a whack of pedantry. Will it cripple, over [bloated] time here, his scatological commitment to disinterestedness? [Back to the time of the baby, we see him earnestly posting reports—for instance, how he removed and replaced the defective piece of surface—while such messaging had been defeated by the light-years’ gap. On the other hand, he brags, “I never caved in” [to the sleep-killing noise]. And then the baby’s strawberry gift to Monte; and Boyce’s strawberry hair and complexion, once scrubbed up. Bergman’s, Wild Strawberries [1957] being a parable of pristine recovery. The numeral “7,” placed on the craft and on all the uniforms, perhaps refers to the release date, 1957, of both The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries. The signage, “9,” on the dog craft, might refer to Bergman’s, The Passion of Anna, 1959, where the protagonist is a killer of farm animals. Denis often joins Jim Jarmusch’s umbrage [not to mention’s that of Kelly Reichardt] toward those abusing entities far more consistently and effectively balanced than humans. Monte’s history of killing his dog, not to mention killing his neighbor, would be perhaps a factor not completely resolved.)

We already have a lot of cards on the table, here; but a direction to thrill us is nowhere to be seen. Or, rather, I’ve found it advisable until now, that the soundtrack and playlist be stilled, the better to orient the viscosity and traction struggling to make headway. Denis’ musical force, “Tindersticks” (having already almost stolen the show in her film, 35 Shots of Rum [2009]), endeavor, by reverberant and seductive aural thrust, to further illuminate the mastery of eschewing one’s own shit. Much startling pain and confusion are right around the corner. But it is the measure of thrust (acrobatics) we must especially ponder.

We could describe the crisis woven for us to be the limits of control. As it happens, Jim Jarmusch put out, in 2009, a film, called, The Limits of Control, including actress, Tilda Swinton, tall, thin and blonde, who comes to an unpleasant end. Another of the killers onboard here, rather alike Tilda (but with a prominent scar the length of her right cheek), confronts Dibs, “Why do you keep taking this sperm?” Her stressed response is, “The odds are not in our favor. But when my work of perfection is achieved…” That unwelcome question drives the perfectionist to another dimension of bounty, situated by the stairs close to the earthy garden, namely, that presiding lunge of emotive delight, known as the fuckbox, a small but powerful rollercoaster to help survive the stupid fuckers who stuck them there. Joining Dibs nearer to what really matters to her, when freed of taboos, and with the band of the day attending to reverb and real invention, she, along with means of intervention, joins those dance rebels (writhing acrobats) like Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan, Josephine Baker and Martha Graham. (The Bergman film—and right here I’d like to declare how many viewers were wrong about it being a flop, namely, The Serpent’s Egg [1977], features such a dance innovation.) On ending her gig, she immediately bumps into Monte headed to the garden. “I know I look like a witch,” she says. Her handsome outreach (juggling) is met by Monte’s pedantry, “That doesn’t seem to do you much good.” Her retort, “Better than you think,” does, at least leave room for imperfection. Monte, overly proud to tell himself and her, “I kept my fluids to myself,” continues, “So humiliating… You need to wipe your nose.” He rubs her upper lip. An odd register between a boss and an underling, however the miasma may run. But not an odd register between spouses. (Boyse will, later on, have the nerve to pull from her that Dibs had wiped out her whole family. But her credentials gave her a measure of gravitas.) The one sworn to saves lives argues, “You all come to look at me at night.” He counters, “You’re foxy and you know it. I just can’t understand your mission… I still believe in the mission. However, he can conclude, “It’s just a new religion for you.” And she can swing back to, “Because I’m totally devoted to reproduction.” She leaves him with, “Happy Monk, going to sew your fields.”

   The slipping and sliding of that twosome on the go, close to the speed of sound, have, going forward, neither the luxury nor the talent to polish their genius. On their voyage to short love and long death, they become immersed with disease and murderous hate. But their far from insignificant efforts lift this crash to something sublime. Boyce, swamped by her refusal to recognize limits of control involving a paradoxical agency, peels away from the center of the action, to be briefly superseded by the leukemia of a man beset by the lurking of radiation. Having a glimpse of her at her level best, we’re not astonished that Dibs has a heart. Her empathy strikingly conveys cinematically by the superimposing over her face of the cancer cells from a scan. So engaged is she by soothing the pain in gently touching him, the dying man kisses Dibs and she responds in kind. In contrast, there is Monte, with light years away from wisdom, crudely insisting, “I have good genes.” He adds, “Stink, the usual stench. It gets me hard…” Dismissing such trash, she assures the victim she’ll dull his pain. “There is nothing to fear, I promise…” He responds, “Everything’s gonna’ be fine…” On the heels of that real confluence, she unfortunately declares, “No one to help me, as I’m helping you… No one to put me out of my misery… I’m alone with my guilt…” The man closest to death tries to say something. She puts her ear to his mouth. She inserts the poison, and she mourns the disappearance, more profound than a black hole.

Also getting him hard in this moment is a frail young Brit with a triangular tattoo on his neck and another one on his arm. He’s no Stephen Hawking (that celebrated black-hole-mathematically-sharp-gazer); but there is something about his irreverence and appetite for the flashy—following up Dibs at the earthquake room, and addressing her as, “Fucking cock block” –which is bound to be spectacular, if not tremendously substantive. In the wake of the long death throes, he wakes up in the middle of the night and discovers that he craves more dark stories. He comes to a three-woman bedroom and decides to rape Boyse. The ensuant disarray involves the tall skeptic wedded to the limits of control trying to help a figure who knows another field of dynamics. The former gets dragged out to the corridor and beaten senseless. Monte arrives and subdues the rapist; and while his attention is elsewhere in the chaos another woman with a knife stabs the troublemaker many fatal times, including ripping out his eyes.

Earlier on, there is a dip to our planet where a celebrity pundit conducts an interview with a Millennial journalist, around Boyse’s age. They’re sitting in First Class, and the subject is the flight and what a shame the physicists are on the wrong track to rehabilitate criminals. He’s particularly miffed that the space riders on the rapid move, with a vehicle resembling a ghetto Walmart, will never return to Earth. Dibs, though sleeping through the little war, is on the hook to elevate the tone she actually knows quite a bit about. (If she felt like it, she’d have pondered the syntheses flashing on the two triangular tattoos, and the triad of lights at the craft’s rear end.)  Beyond lockdowns she knows she needs some magic, being a witch, a bit more stable than the witch in The Seventh Seal, who, nevertheless, does better than the pundit. Sometime, perhaps prodigious speed-of-light later, she tip-toes to Monte’s bed and sort of rapes him. While he sleeps through the invasion, she pledges her love to him. She kisses his hand; she sucks his finger; she opens her blouse. “Will you hold me?” she whispers. “Why don’t you take me in your arms? I close my eyes. I hold you… Hold me…” She mounts him. “Feel me, Monte.” Astride, and a moment of far-sighted love, she kisses him. “Monte, thank you!” She carries the semen to the lab, places it in a vial, comes to Boyse’s bed, kisses her belly and introduces the semen. This singularity elicits a blaze of a galaxy tinted with pink hues.

   Soon after the violent targeting of Boyse, and quite a while before she’s pregnant, she’s with Dibs at the clinic. The witch remarks, “Not so easy to get inside you as you think…” Boyse, rather surprisingly, laments, “I’ll never have kids. I’m sure of it.” (That happens to be the same remark by Eve, a flakey and promiscuous wife, in Bergman’s film, Shame [1968].) The hardened cynic asks for confirmation that the controller killed her youngster. “With a knife!” is the answer. Countering her dismay, she moisturizes her hands and braids her remarkably long hair. Soon after Boyse, with a baby in an incubator and pouring out milk, there comes to her a storm of resentment concerning a looming loss of wildness. (Not so easy to get inside the you.) Dibs’ delight in this coup (Monte not yet up to speed) coincides with a close encounter of the first of many planned and completely daft “experiments” –perhaps a Trump-like administration in play—with a neighborhood of comic-based thrills. The skeptical blonde had been tagged to take one for the team, but Boyse, thinking that her best move would be a comic book finale, kills the intended and goes on to kill herself with a black entity demanding grown-up reflection.

There is a cordial black (perhaps a one-time traitor of “intelligence”) who shares the work of gardening, and who misses his gospel-based wife. His quirky will to die coincides with the outset of Monte’s tenure of parenting. Dibs, our protagonist’s not-quite-to-roll-on as a Marie to Monte’s Jof, due to her being assassinated by one of her many enemies, and according by him a dignified funeral in slow-motion upon the heavens, may have lost a new outlook on life. But Monte, that lucky stiff, shows us a possibility and a failed possibility of some measure. (As seen before the long, long flashback, there was now visibility about his visit to the multiplex’s morgue [with a complement awaiting a miracle], suiting them out and flushing them out to graces of dynamics they hardly knew. One other thing, he descends to a tantrum concerning the phenomenon of death there. Looks like overcoming eating your own shit is still a work in progress.)

As we begin to put an end to that early odd story, the witch’s singularity has overshot that noisy baby girl. (One moment back there, shows Monte opening the incubator door. He holds the baby and he smiles.) She’s an adolescent now, and the delight with the baby has been overrun by bothersome questions—a bothersome girl about that age having once been murdered by him. Monte’s first annoyance onscreen is that she insists upon sleeping with him. “Get outta here…Too heavy now…Go back to your own bunk… Crazy girl!” In her bunk she calls out, “Too far…”

Facing the day, we are struck by the shabbiness of their clothes and the craft’s interior. Will to live is on the line. The baby’s name is Willow. Their dilemma is extraordinary, but not unprecedented. How to go forward in what certainly appears to be a dead-end. (Boyse and her friends on the freight were about that.) Monte has become subdued; but he does now instinctively describe an acrobatic move with his hands. The ship is an eyesore, but in addition to its long history of essential emptiness, it continues to maintain three lights in triangular form. The Hawking departure went nowhere. But the magic of true dialectic was there for the asking. Willow is of a mind to say, “Looks like out.” The visit from “9” (perhaps, as mentioned, regarding Bergman’s film, The Passion of Anna [1969], where the title figure comes to light as a maniacal killer of farm animals) is probably unhelpful regarding their being between a rock and a hard place. (Moreover, there is the virtual date of 1959 for the Bergman film, The Magician, where a wizard is not.) But, then, beasts are not to be overlooked. Then there is the notice, on a dysfunctional apparatus, announcing, “Communication Error.” This barrier somehow drives Willow to realize, “We don’t need help.”

   In the brush with the dogs, Monte covers her eyes, guessing more slaughter to come. Its turning out to be merely sad sends her reverting to childishness. “I want a dog so bad!”  She calls him cruel for worrying about an epidemic, a plague. “What do you know about cruelty?” he snaps. (The plague being probably everywhere.) He retreats to the garden and washes up. She tells him, “You’re right, dad. I’m sorry. I have everything I need here…” (That couldn’t be right, could it?) The soundtrack rings out a far-reaching possibility. The undirected screen comes back to life, and delivers a Half-Time American Football marching band (perhaps not so far-reaching). He notices her in the disposition of praying. “What God are you praying to?” She explains, “I saw them on the random images from Earth. I just wanted to know how it feels. An event onscreen shoes the ancient blue and white Swedish flag, from the era of Jof and Marie. They have a view of another black hole.” “It’s like a mouth that just swallows up,” he says. “Too big.” she agrees. But she comes back with, “We should try it. To feel it” [Boyse felt it]. Monte’s hair is now pepper and salt. He quietly chides, “Thought we were supposed to be drifters.” (That couldn’t be right, could it?) She persists, “But it’s so big… I think the density is very low.” He shakes his head. “I believe it,” she concludes. Now they’re at the entry zone, setting up a two-seater, like the one Boyse commandeered. Something possesses her to add, “I’m sad you’d leave your data, even your prisoner list” [pedantry being a hard disease to beat]. In quite a mood swing, resembling her mother, she declares, “I’ll be destroyed by the fire wall of the black hole, anyway!” Now en route, she over activating the ways of acrobatics, she reports, “Here’s the fire wall. I know it. We’ll make it through.” From here to there, she turns to the super-quixotic: “Do I look like my mother?” [quite a question]. Since she clearly looks more like Monte [or Dibs] than Boyse, his answers, as to her mother’s features, are all no’s. He tells her she has rodent teeth… a little rat… But he grants her, “You’re special. You’re like no one else. I love that.” Their little ship has only two lights. The magic did not prevail. But there was some golden to love.

We then see a rapid re-spooling of scenes of defeat: the aboriginals; the garden; #7… With an oxygen level of appalment, the drama takes over, asking why did they shut down? True, there were mountains (as per Monte) to manage. But the second necessity, juggling, was hardly considered in this rocketing blaze of being a soloist, first and foremost.

This film’s underwhelming optics plays into that aberration. But its aural life brims with reverberance, a ripple of energy, wherein juggling comes to life, and that careless term, “the heavens,” comes onboard. Denis’ association with the British band, Tindersticks, has carried us to new frontiers of mood; and mood, whether acknowledged or not is pretty much everything. Sonic acrobatic initiatives and their juggling responsiveness-in-appreciation installs a work and play space to challenge the suicidal outcome in High Life. Were the last two standing fully aware of that dance of life, the radical confinement could have sustained duets and solos-not-so-definitively-solo.

Willow

Willow, where are you hiding now?

Willow, where are you hiding now?

In the dappled light, deep in the trees

The spiders and the centipedes

Crawl across your hands, across your knees.

Willow, do you walk across the sand?

Willow, do the waves crash and fall?

And their fingers tickle at your feet

And pull a little as they retreat.

Do you feel the rushing forward?

Though you’re standing still?

Willow, are we rushing forward, are we standing still?

Willow, are we rushing forward, are we standing still?

Willow, do you crouch among the rooftops?

Willow, do you listen to the city wheezing?

And your dreams, they stretch beyond the clouds

And past…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOHFktF5E1o

[commie-robot-fairy]

It appears I’ve been completely negligent in sharing the tale of the Bronze Fist with y’all. I really need to start doing immediate posts post-session.

The Bronze Fist, Amano Miya, is my latest Shadowrun chaacter. She has a backstory that would be a post on its own, but the relevant bits for her current tales are pretty simple:

She’s a physical adept

She is in basically infinity debt to shadowy, powerful figures

The debt bought her a ridiculously tricked-out custom cyberarm, made of alchemical bronze, with serpent-tooth inlays

She recently found herself on a team of ‘runner/interior decorators through ridiculous circumstances. They are about as professional as one might expect from the phrase “’runner/interior decorator,” but endearing as hell.

She’d heard rumours of an Aztech facility that was working on metahuman bio-drones - metahuman bodies designed for use as disposable, remote-piloted soldiers. Given that she was dating an e-ghost who wanted a body, this seemed opportune - so the team’s first mission was to raid this facility. The rest of them were after furniture to decorate their new headquarters. The Fist was after a body.

They got to the site with minimal difficulty, finding the upper levels still under construction. The Fist peeled off from the rest of the group, using a conveniently-placed crane to get over the fence.

They rolled out some drones and went straight through the fence. This is where things started going hilariously wrong.

The rest of the team quickly found themselves in a firefight with Azzie security, trying to keep them pinned down long enough to make off with couches and TVs. It got messy, the drones took some damage, there was blood and screaming, and our rigger very cleverly stole a forklift to actually steal the furniture with.

Unfortunately, our leader had neglected to arrange communications, so the Fist was unaware of this. What did she do? She tied the crane’s cable to herself, and punched.

Through the roof, onto a very surprised security guard. Through the guard. Through the floor. And the next floor. All the way down to the subbasement levels where of course the creepy and ethically dubious experiments were, just blowing a hole directly downward with her bare hands.

She found the bodies, hooked her girlfriend’s current platform up to download... and it immediately exploded, knocking her out briefly.

Fortunately, by this point, security was very distracted with the bullets and the screaming and the bleeding and is that a couch?

She was awoken a moment later... by her girlfriend, successfully transferred into an orc just before the explosion. They shared a brief hug, went back up the crane cable, and exited just in time to meet the badly-battered rest of the team and help them load the surviving furniture.

Next session was downtime, dealing with domestic stuff. She got her girlfriend some cosmetic surgery for comfort, furnished a kitchen, went out to a rock on the ocean to meditate and commune with WHale, an Awakened shark tried to eat her, she applied fist and gave the body to some local fishermen. Good times.

Our second mission was officially sponsored - some Triads hat had been allowed to do business in Guadeloupan territory had been caught selling to Humanis. “No quarter to Humanis” is not only the law of the land, but something the Khan takes personally. So she decided to make a show of force - sending a single soldier and a handful of civilians, with simple instructions: Burn the drugs. Leave no Humanis member alive. Sink their boats.

Being cocky as hell, we shrugged, grabbed our gear, hopped in our glorified fishing boat, and cruised toward their last known location. It wasn’t hard to find - a cobbled-together barge made of a dozen or so hulls in various states of disrepair, lashed together. They did, however, have two advantages: Range and numbers. Long before we were within effective striking distance, a missile splashed down in the water near us, apparently a warning shot. The next shot, from a sniper, put a hole through the decker/sam’s cyberdeck.

It was about this point Miya decided it was time to get serious.

She headed to the bow of our boat, spreading her arms to present the easiest possible target - and went to maximum defense. The missile’s laser painted her; she did not move. It fired, and the GM made a worried noise. The actual conversation went something like this:

Me: I’m gonna go to the bow, make myself an obvious target, and amp Reflexes. GM: This is a bad idea. Me: I know. GM: They have a missile launcher. Me: Bring it. GM: *rolls dice* That... went... better than expected for him. Seven hits. Me, with an audible predatory grin: “Nine.”

The missile whooshed past her cheek as she twisted out of the way, close enough to set her hair on fire - but it did not connect, to her or to the boat. She patted out her hair with one hand, reaching out with the other in a “come at me” gesture.

The sniper was so startled he dropped his damn gun in the water.

We boarded the barge without much difficulty; Miya in particular was leaning heavily on dodging like the wind, use of cover, and the ability to punch through that cover and into anybody who tried to creep up on her. It wasn’t long before the Humanis goons decided this was Not Worth It and surrendered.

A search of the barge revealed a handful of goods worth taking (we did), the drugs, and the body of an orc woman who had not gone gently. We moved her to our boat to bring her back for a proper burial.

I... won’t go into detail, because frankly it disturbs me a little, but suffice to say they were made to pay for that.

The drugs were burned, loot was grabbed, and it was time to take care of the barge itself. The Fist suggested her usual plan - punch holes in it until it won’t stay afloat - but was overruled by her boss, who wanted footage of an awesome explosion. They wanted to set off the ammo stockpile, including the missiles.

They were undeterred by the fact that literally none of us had Demolitions of any sort.

And that’s the story of how our boss lost their leg, completely needlessly, in a non-combat situation.

[quasi-la]

CHANGE+CHANCE

                                                 A very clever monkey once said “you can't step in the same river twice”, but for all we know (so long after his passing) he may well have been delusional, or was he alluding to the kind of slow incremental change that goes unnoticed by all but the keenest observers? Certainly change is the most constant thing there is, but that's a paradox in any 1's story...another is that words can lead to understanding or down the garden path! The revelation that came to-be this story, is that change is not a random 'thing' rather a universal process, where all things existent are on their way to becoming something else, mountains erode away to alluvial sediments and the jeans we're wearing will be rags much sooner than that; but even the genes that help god put our bodies together are not immune to change...

                                                                  All things have a beginning and an end, even the Universe wasn't always the way we see it today, and in fact the new high priests tell us that once upon a time there were no things at all! Simply nothing, the void, call it what you will but our comprehension of this (no) matter is limited to the imagination; after all how can ordinary words accurately describe nothing? In the realm of mathematics another language has been developed with that aim, one that requires the higher mental ability of abstraction, because its impossible using descriptive words that evolved aeons ago to compare simple objects of interest, in the vicinity, past, present or future. As if to compound the confusion an extremely clever monkey proved a century ago that time (as we imagine it) simply does not exist at all! A conundrum erupted that was soon forgotten as monkeys are easily distracted by wars and shopping malls, however a Universe without time or any thing at all does make some sense if there is nothing to change and no observer to compare or compute the rate of change...or even make up stories about how it all began!

                             Creation stories change too but 1 common theme is; “in the beginning was the word” and the word is 'information' which is not any kind of thing at all... On Earth when it used to be heaven, some clever monkeys began to develop machines to do their work and even to think for them as well, but before AI there was the binary code, and if (it) didn't exist prior to any monkeys, or silicon diodes, we would still be in heaven! Not that the monkeys or even the diodes were at fault in any way, its just that change is purpose driven, a process that draws reality out of the past inexorably toward a future 'cause'. Without higher language skills most of the monkeys are suspended in yesterday, busy shopping and chasing their own or somebody else's tail, so they fail to grasp the fact that in-form-ation is the only meta-physic needed. In a physical Universe, form is the precursor of any thing at all...and that non-entity needs and/or seeks material substance to-be functional – in the great process of change.

                                               Just like all story tellers even cosmologists leave some thing out; in their 'pop' version of universal genesis there was1 tiny little no-thing called a singularity, which is their own condescending word for a piece of nothing destined to-be everything. They calculated it was way smaller even than a bee's willy, and in far less than 6 (Earth) days all that matter (all that matters to them?) just popped into existence – with a rather large bang. Apparently it takes a good bang to get a Universe started, and then each atom took up its pre-existing form, countless trillions of them in the form of great galaxies of stars and not a few black holes beside; all this in the tiniest fraction of a second. Instantly the greatest amount of change any monkey could ever imagine, in the past, present, or future!

                                                                                  Fortunately for their version of creation its easier than 1 might think because its now known to-be mostly Hydrogen (99.99%) which is just the simplest form of matter that ever could be. However from simple things complex things grow, and in the far flung extremities bits of uncommon matter have had an eternity for chance to play a role... It turns out that there were many other forms in that tiny genesis-bag, and in those sacred niches where conditions are favourable, traces of a minor element called Carbon just can't help rearranging themselves into more and more complex structures, eventually even living cells with the real power to reproduce. By chance Carbon happens to contain 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons, which can occasionally evolve into consciousness, (a kind of language game)...or devolve into formal-superstition? Before we throw our hands in the air and make all manner of accusations, remember that Life-forms on this old Earth have been evolving with a quad-code for over five billion years. That translates into a hell of a lot of  random mutations, and even the machines with only a binary code have already learned how to programme themselves – by chance!

                           Life is  very good at staying alive and increasing Her complexity, ironically it was the machines that proved to the cleverest monkeys that evolution IS the law of Life, sadly intelligence still gives way to ego and the $ystems that seize power and exploit those they see as zeros... In one sense evolution does boil down to chance along the way, but the meta-physics cannot be ignored; remember the form of all things (including you and I) were there at the beginning and since information cannot be destroyed so 'immortality' is in the bag after all! Unfortunately a dichotomy opened up between the rich and powerful and those who sought knowledge, the former held on to the mindset of being made in the image of (their) god. Great achievements have been made by those with either disposition, but ancient Greek knowledge was the cradle of technology that gave them the (military) advantage over others...and led to AI! Ultimately those in power and even the 'zeros' will believe what they want to believe, but if you can't change your mind you haven't got one, which is is not mere semantics; changing your mind only seems like the easiest thing in the world!

                                                                    In fact even people seldom do, and the cause of this myopia may indeed go back centuries to when they were taught under duress, that a good subject must first believe, and then understanding will follow. This technique proved useful for the illiterate, in the early daze of empires, and all have followed suit; so long as the story remains believable, or the flock gullible enough. To stay on the power in times of discord the noisiest non-believers must be made an example of, and truly terrible things were done but the dark times were put behind. New wonderful shiny things were invented, and the monkeys even jumped over the moon! However a hundred new creeping neuroses developed and the greatest psychologist of all Time was convinced that centuries of rule by any form of terror could establish 'archetypes' in the subconscious or collective mind-space. An entirely new subject had been created under the tyranny of the powerful-but-less-intelligent, and it was open season for any breed of 'mind parasites' that are now paid a King's ransom – for keeping the literate ignorant!

                             Its nice to think your 'I' was made in the image of god, but for too many generations it was not safe to think anything else, and still to this day not all the monkeys want to live in the clear light of understanding, for all sorts of reasons (they) alone need to justify, but nevertheless it must be noted that a great deal of 'interest' is continually reinvested in this archetypical dualism. It became apparent that keeping the masses ignorant kept on increasing the power concentrated in the hands of a few, even tho the '1's' on top soon develop pathological disturbances more soul destroying than the workers. Power is totally addictive so they keep on keeping on, for their god, for their egos, and (its) empires. As for the sheep-with-bells-on its not conspiracy if those who teach others believe their own lies, and power truly has many many disguises.

                             Over successive generations a very powerful (belief) $ystem brewed itself up like a cyclone over a hot ocean, (it) made all kinds of formal rules of engagement  and they were distributed to the far corners of this old Earth, first through the pulpit, then by secular states, and finally by a one eyed monster that was placed with grateful appreciation in every living room. Now-a-daze the very condition of being a member of a 'society' has changed increment by increment to one of naked self interest, aimed point blank at the totalitarian individual... Whose spiritual leaders preach death as the antithesis to life but much older stories worship nature as the Mother of all, and positioned a single life within an eternal series. The great process of change known as Life is connected through death, and at the end of 1 life even the biological code is carried by your offspring. Information as memories and the DNA code (not diamonds) are for ever, the awareness of past lives is (more or less) subdued that's all – like after a good party!

                               At the boundary between memory (knowledge of what was) and imagination (...of what might be) there exists an infinite potential to affect the physical world around us. Her prize monkey like no other creature is Nature's agent of change incarnate, and Her true nature is embedded in all living creatures; essentially every being is created around a 'fragment' of that grand organising dynamic. This point of view is completely antithetical to that perpetuated by the monkeys in the upper branches, which has played on and on until it seems that so much change in the mass (de) cultured minds of the many-too-many is unthinkable. They would rather die and still do, but the flip side of this scenario is a chance event; millions of years ago our 'diamond' in the sky was hit by a meteorite shower and much of the precious Carbon was buried deep underground beyond Her reaches.

                                  In mysterious ways She had clever little monkeys dominate this old Earth through fierce competition, and a furious hunger for the energy contained in Carbon bonds... Bingo! is a game of chance too, but there can be no coincidence that fire is the greatest tool of any tool using creature. When the wood got scarce some clever chimp (or chap?) threw a black rock on the fire and then the Industrial 'resurrection' was already in the pipeline! From that point in Time to now is a heartbeat on Her agenda...and the burnt Carbon (dioxide) is the only way it can be re-incorporated into the biosphere. That much change is on the scale of planetary engineering and must have a final cause– the meteor shower was chance! Some times 'boundaries' must be enforced and to hold on to the idea of being made in the image of any god is heedless projection of the (male) ego – at best no more than an aberration of the monkey mind!

                                  Advertising is always linked to desire, and feeds that fatalistic agility which forever disproves any of His assertions...jumping over the moon not withstanding! The mute point is the form of ideas exist outside us, before 'I' and forever after that. Mass culture in all its man-infestations IS the 'beast with many heads' but paradoxically woMan the liberator of Carbon is really and truly on a mission from god! Think about the extraordinary rate the technology was developed to mine coal, drill for oil, refine it, and invent all those devices to 'use up' the fossil fuel – on a billion miles of roads! At the end of the day if you can change your mind there's a very good chance you're on the road to becoming something else, in the return to garden (of Carbon), which always was the other common theme. &...

[lesliepump]

How to Manage Technology Change in a Law Firm

As a business consultant to solo and small firm lawyers for the past decade, Jared Correia has helped lawyers deal with many law practice … issues. In his column, “Law Practice Confidential,” he will be answering real questions from real lawyers. To send Jared an anonymous question, use the form at the bottom of this post.

Q: Nobody ever listens to me. At work, at home. Doesn’t matter. It’s like I’m talking to a wall. But, the worst is when I have to onboard any new technology at work. I mean, I think I employ adults, but this is like trying to tell my kids to do something: They look at me for a second, and then run off and do whatever the hell they want, like we didn’t just have a very specific conversation about expectations. Invariably, I will tell everyone in the office that we need to be using a new piece of software, and three months later, no one has even logged in. I give up. Am I going to have to manage my law firm in amber, using the same technology that I’m using now twenty years on?

WC, Woodstock

A: Most lawyers are control freaks. And, that’s not always a criticism. In this case, however, it is. Yes, most attorneys take your view, which can be teased out from your comments as follows: I tell people what to do; and, when they don’t do it, I…pout? Frankly, that’s the size of it when it comes to many attorneys. They’re roaring lions until they step on a splinter and then they plaintively wail for the mouse to come on and remove it already. Far better to have the mouse on board earlier, clearing the splinters from your path instead.

Let me be far less abstract: The way to help yourself here is to let others help you. The reason your staff isn’t buying into your technology change process is that they’re not at all involved in it. This is a general problem for law firms, which can be bad at onboarding generally, but, in this case, it’s fatal to your efforts to upgrade your firm’s efficiency.

Think about it, alpha lawyer: What if someone said to you, basically: ‘Look, just shut up and do it.’ What is the percentage chance that you’re going to to go ahead and do that thing?

So now let me help you to implement an alternative approach.

When a managing attorney introduces something new into a law firm (often it’s a new technology program, but it doesn’t have to be), there are four stages at which staff should be involved: (1) vetting; (2) selection; (3) implementation; (4) maintenance. You likely involve your staff in zero of those stages currently. Let’s address these items one-by-one.

Vetting. Vetting is an essential component of software management. Both regarding the fit for a specific practice, but also about the mounting obligations placed upon law firms for securing client data. Your review of any technology application should specifically focus on whether it’s a secure enough solution for your law firm. Your staff can help in both respects. For your law firm to run at peak efficiency, your staff (including associates) are going to have to be power users of your main software tools. If they’re not, you’re going to be using a small percentage of that software’s capability (if you use it at all), which means you’ll be flushing money down the toilet, while simultaneously becoming far less productive than you could have been.

Your staff also have to be the ones who judge the fit for software. One or more of your staff should also be appointed an ‘all-star’ user. That’s the one who’s really invested in a particular program, who can customize it the way you want, and can be there to answer questions from the rest of the staff. Having an on-staff support person will save you time and money versus purchasing a robust support plan from your new vendor, who will be more than happy to sell you one otherwise.

The chief problem with adopting new software within a law firm environment is that staff are invested in the old software, mainly due to familiarity.

With respect to data management, every state now has a data protection statute on its books, and certain of those require the creation of a data protection program for your business, as well as the appointment of someone to manage it. Often, this role is assigned to a staff person, not a lawyer. If you have someone on your staff who holds that role, it makes sense to include that person in the decisionmaking process for acquiring new software, so that they can vet the product for security.

More broadly speaking, all staff should be included in the vetting procedure. The chief problem with adopting new software within a law firm environment is that staff are invested in the old software, mainly due to familiarity. But, there is also often an unshakeable belief attached to that familiarity: “Because I know how to use this software, my job is safe is long as we use this software.” This feeling is often more deeply embedded in older employees than the younger ones.

The upshot, then, is that, if you want to move your staff off of what they’re currently using, you have to build excitement, and also project the notion that, for your job to be safe now, you need to onboard for the direction we’re going to be traveling in. You may generate excitement by involving everyone in the investigation process. Select (or, better yet: let your staff select, or pare down) three to five options. Let everyone do a private demo. Then, do a group demo, and encourage everyone to ask questions. Have an office meeting following the investigation, and let everyone air their grievances, in addition to telling you what it is that they liked about each product reviewed. Conduct a straw poll to see where everyone stands at the conclusion of the meeting, the effect of which may be to reduce the number of contenders, or to solicit a unanimous vote.

Selection. Of course, when you allow others to become involved in the decision-making process, it’s more likely that they will become invested in the selection process. If a straw poll doesn’t elicit a unanimous choice, take an anonymous survey and elicit responses that way. If a majority decision results, announce that, allow folks to talk about their votes, and why they went in that direction. There may be some smoothing over to do at that juncture; but, you’re a steamroller, and you can manage that. If you reviewed a specific type of product, the talking point could be that many of the features are the same and that preference exists on the margins—in other words: everyone wins, including the minority, because, no matter the choice, it placed the entire law firm on stronger footing.

When you allow others to become involved in the decision-making process, it’s more likely that they will become invested in the selection process.

Now, if you find that your staff wants to go in a different direction than you do, you can either abide by their decision or overrule them. If you decide to overrule your staff, you better have a damn good reason for doing so. If you make a habit of involving your staff in decision-making, this will be easier for them to swallow—sometimes you agree with their decision, sometimes (as the business owner) you make the hard decision to go the other way.

Of course, your staff also knows that you’re the ultimate arbiter in this case, and they understand that they work for you at your pleasure. Not that you lord that over them, but you do need to exert your authority when you feel you must. In this event, of course, defending your choice will require you to take a deep dive into the technology you prefer, and your increased knowledge of that product will be a win for the firm in the long-term.

Implementation. After you’ve made a difficult decision, the next step is implementing your new software. Depending on how much data you need to connect or convert to the new system, either directly from the old system or other repositories, this can be a challenge in itself.

Asking a demotivated staff to help you to transition reams of data to a new location, and to review the reliability of that transition, is a nullification procedure waiting to happen.

Asking a demotivated staff to help you to transition reams of data to a new location, and to review the reliability of that transition, is a nullification procedure waiting to happen. This is where your staff can upend everything you’ve managed to that point, either by active or inactive methods. On the other hand, if your staff has been involved in the process from the outset, they will be more likely to become excited and invested in the transition—or, at least a willing participant to the maneuver. Additionally, the transition and implementation process allows an engaged staff another opportunity to understand the new system more fully, and, in some cases, to suggest improvements.

Maintenance. If your staff is consistently involved in making choices about software from the earliest possible point, you’re selling them something they’ve already bought, instead of foisting upon them something they never knew was coming. No one really likes surprises. It’s why we have an innate need to search out presents, especially as little kids. The party line is that it’s not better to know; but, actually, it kind of is.

So, if your staff has become invested in a software product over the course of months, having had a hand in choosing and implementing it, maintenance should be a relatively simple sell: “Hey, folks this is what we all picked. Now, let’s make it work.” Some staff will be more engaged than others, so take advantage of those all-stars. As part of your general staff meetings, you can implement discussions related to the law firm’s technology platform and its continued relevance. If your staff has been led to know, by actual practice, that they have a say in those sorts of things, they will be far more likely to become invested in making sure that what you have still works for what you need.

This is just one aspect of law firm management, of course. But, if you can figure out a method for involving your staff in the technology choices that you make, that can serve as a mold for inviting participation into a number of aspects of your business. And, at that point, you can truly function as the charismatic leader of a real team, rather than a captain standing alone against a sea, a million knives at your back.

Send a Question to Law Practice Confidential

Your submission will be as anonymous as we can make it.

What's your problem?*

jQuery(document).bind('gform_post_render', function(event, formId, currentPage){if(formId == 36) {} } );jQuery(document).bind('gform_post_conditional_logic', function(event, formId, fields, isInit){} ); jQuery(document).ready(function(){jQuery(document).trigger('gform_post_render', [36, 1]) } );

How to Manage Technology Change in a Law Firm was originally published on Lawyerist.com.

from Law and Politics https://lawyerist.com/manage-technology-change-law-firm/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[universeinform-blog]

Republicans revamp U.S. health bill, boost benefits to older Americans

New Post has been published on https://universeinform.com/2017/03/22/republicans-revamp-u-s-health-bill-boost-benefits-to-older-americans/

Republicans revamp U.S. health bill, boost benefits to older Americans

U.S. Residence Republicans are running on adjustments to their healthcare overhaul invoice to offer the greater beneficial tax credit for older People and add a piece requirement for the Medicaid application for the bad, Residence Speaker Paul Ryan stated on Sunday.

Ryan stated Republican leaders nevertheless planned to carry the healthcare bill to a vote at the Residence of Representatives floor on Thursday. Speak on the “Fox Information Sunday” television software, he stated leaders had been running to deal with issues that had been raised by means of rank-and-report Republicans to the rules.difference between democrat and republican

Republicans remain deeply divided over the health care overhaul, which is President Donald Trump’s first most important legislative initiative. It aims to meet his marketing campaign pledge to repeal and replace the Low-cost Care Act, popularly referred to as Obamacare, the signature healthcare program of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.

Democrats say the Republican plan could throw tens of millions off medical insurance and hurt the aged, negative and running households even as giving tax cuts to the rich.

We suppose we ought to be imparting even extra help than the bill presently does” for lower profits humans age 50 to 64, Ryan, the pinnacle Republican in Congress, said of the tax credit for medical insurance which might be proposed within the regulation.

Ryan additionally said Republicans have been running on modifications that would permit federal block grants to states for Medicaid and permit states to impose a piece requirement for able-bodied Medicaid recipients.what do democrats believe.

Trump told journalists in a brief communique aboard Air Force One which he had conferences about health care reform in Florida on the weekend and that the effort to promote the thought became going well. He has been wooing lawmakers to vote for the bill and gained the backing of a dozen conservative lawmakers on Friday after an Oval Office assembly in which the president advocated a work requirement and block-provide choice for Medicaid. He has been wooing lawmakers to vote for the invoice and won the backing of a dozen conservative lawmakers on Friday after an Oval Office assembly wherein the president encouraged a piece requirement and block-furnish alternative for Medicaid.

Who Had More Ethics, Democrats or Republicans

Fortuitously, all of my five closest pals are true Individuals who believe inside the Charter, the united states and the freedoms and liberties we stand for – accordingly, they may be all Republicans or Libertarians leaning right (I’m one of the latter). Alas, speaking out and workout your right to loose speech isn’t so clean in Southern California. My friends have had political symptoms for neighborhood Republican politicians stolen off their property or vandalized. I’ve had symptoms stolen, stakes damaged and signs knocked over – on occasion early in the morning, now and again after darkish.republican used pot in the office

I expect the symptoms introduced down inside the morning are from liberal-socialists taking walks their puppies inside the morning, and the symptoms taken down at night finished by spiteful leftists who may not manage to pay for me the identical opportunity to contain myself inside the political procedure as they call for I have enough money them. I am bored with the hypocrisy, uninterested in being known as a racist (I’m now not). Seems this isn’t just a left-coast element, it is happening also on the East Coast, inside the Boston Vicinity wherein people are tearing down campaign symptoms for Donald trump.

Who is the left looking to an idiot? Annoying politically correct speak, Worrying that I adjust my speech to their accepted narrative – folks, that isn’t always loose speech, this is coercion and if I used to be to talk out of turn at the workplace, I may want to lose my task, however they could spew hate speech for Donald Trump throughout the land, at our schools, businesses, Universities, organizations, even at Starbucks. Why can we have a double-standard, and how is this appropriate – how does this match into our rights as citizens – how come our ethics are challenged by individuals who disagree?

Now then, I take difficulty at all this and want to switch gears and begin asking questions of the other aspect:

Is It Unethical To Skip Government Ethics Instructions?

There has been an interesting tale within the Washington Times titled; “No Evidence that Hillary or Aides Took Ethics Education,”

“The RNC had sued to get a look at the statistics for Mrs. Clinton and nine of her top staffers, such as many who’ve shifted over to paintings on her presidential marketing campaign. Of these, handiest three had information displaying they completed the Education. The revelation came as Mrs. Clinton and her group face deeper questions about whether or not she used the branch to benefit the Clinton Foundation, a worldwide charity run by her circle of relatives and near pals,” and it Turns out that; “Six Clinton confidantes at the Nation department who lack any file of taking the specified ethics Education were Cheryl Mills, Huma Abedin, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Caitlin Klevorick, Jake Sullivan and Kris Balderston.”

have been these employees told now not to take the specified Education guides or sign that they’d just in case the problem got here up later? In that case, there is a conspiracy, if no longer, how is it that these employees, which include Hillary Clinton herself had been exempt? Did they purposely leave out those Lessons so they might say that; “We didn’t recognize what we had been doing became illegal.” And of course, the ethics administrator supposedly felt intimidated for their activity to push the problem? Once more, no “Equality” in relation to Hillary, she is a white female above the law, just ask her?

To hell with Hillary’s Hypocrisy – I am ill to my stomach over this BS. Presidential Material – Certainly, you jest.

Multiple Benefits of ETL Tools

Regulatory reporting, improving customer retention and growing a possible product the use of the unstructured records are some of the critical challenges that businesses face today. Those challenges become bigger troubles when organizations fail to the mixture and manipulate information sprawling throughout exceptional geographic regions and dispersed in one of a kind structures. To cope with such issues, firms need to wreck the statistics silos and facts fragmentation with ETL (Extract, Transform, and cargo) tools that combine facts saved in special systems.my texas benefits.federal .federal employee benefits websiteemployee benefits website

Benefits of ETL equipment

There are many blessings of the usage of ETL equipment and they may be an effective solution for dealing with facts fragmentation problems. The tools can deliver improved connectivity that enables IT groups to enhancing applications, and records sources without the need of restructuring the mixing layer. The groups can installation and included environment wherein data answers can simplify regulatory reporting, enhance customer trips, attain target audience and pressure top line growth. The following are some of the blessings:

Regulatory reporting: A great variety of legal guidelines, rules, and guidelines emerged after the economic crisis of 2008. To meet the statutory requirements companies should have sturdy threat analysis and reporting systems to pull, easy, reconcile and standardize facts. The ETL gear simplifies the regulatory reporting operations with capabilities for records virtualization, facts mapping records mapping and information structuring.

Getting a 360-diploma view of the consumer: organizations conflict for getting a 360-diploma customer view encompassing his alternatives, hobbies, likes and dislikes. ETL gear supply a tailored view to the commercial enterprise chief, companions, stakeholders that enable them to engage with clients and enhance client enjoy.

allows statistics-pushed choice making: ETL equipment are embedded with predictive algorithms to foster records-driven selection making in a corporation. The records virtualization features, in addition, allow in creating a large facts warehouse that locations each information elements at a corporations fingertips.

What Are the Seven Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Selling health and preventing ailment have plenty to do with one’s diet. The Meals and Vitamins Information Middle of the USA Department of Agriculture laid out seven nutritional guidelines for people above the age of years vintage concerning intelligent Food selections that sell fitness and prevent sickness.American flag memorial day.what do democrats believe

These hints are:

 Eat extraordinary varieties of Food.

Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals can foster disease in your frame. It’s miles important which you Eat exclusive sorts of Meals in order that your frame can get a good unfold of all of the vital nutrients and minerals.

Carry out bodily activity in share with the quantity of Meals that you are taking in.

Balancing the Meals that you Devour with corresponding physical interest to burn off the strength is extremely essential in retaining a wholesome weight. You may advantage weight if you Eat more calories than what you burn off via your physical sports.

 Include loads of grain merchandise, greens, and end result to your weight loss plan.

Fiber, vitamins, and minerals are important for your health and properly-being. By consuming an extraordinary variety of grain products, vegetables, and the end result you may be feeding your frame the vital factors that it wishes.

 Devour meals which are low in fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol.

foods high in LDL cholesterol and saturated fats are amongst the biggest killers in our society these days. eating meals which can be low in fats content are critical in case you do not need to have a coronary heart attack in your future. Do now not keep away from all forms of fat. Your frame does need some fats to feature properly. Unsaturated fats are the fine kind to Consume.

 Simplest permit a slight amount of sugars for your weight-reduction plan.

Sugars are excessive in calories and most of the meals that we Devour already incorporate sugar. Those can be sugars that occur evidently in culmination or which can be brought throughout the manufacturing method. Looking your sugar consumption will assist you to keep away from gaining unnecessary weight.

Only Encompass a slight quantity of salt and sodium for your eating regimen.

Scientific research endorses that an excessive amount of salt and sodium consumption should growth your blood strain. Whilst this happens it can result in serious and on occasion fatal fitness risks.