#and claire likes makeovers so we all do makeovers because at the end of the day we are all claire

[toby-0r-not-t0-be]

My view of romance in The Breakfast Club

(originally written for my school's news paper as a movie review, thought it would interest some folks if I shared it here too)

I particularly have a problem with the ending of the movie. Claire gives Allison a makeover, why not, but it’s only after she sucks out the life out of everything that made her Allison that Andrew truly liked her and dared expressing his feelings to her, which sucks! Sure, he did show some interest in her before but so did everyone, because she was strange, because that’s her main trait as a character! But 80’s movies logic obliges, he fell in love with her when she became normal, even though they haven’t even known each other for more than 24 hours, which is the most unrealistic thing in that movie, but same goes for Claire and John, why would she go for him when he has been nothing but a jerk to her? I was rooting for Claire + Andrew (as cliché as it sounds) or even Claire + Brian (seriously, how come he doesn’t get a romantic ending too, he is so boyfriend material, of maybe I just have a thing for nerds), but nooo, they decided to go with my least favorite trope: “if he picks on you it’s because he likes you”. Former bullied kid here: this is a lie just to excuse the harmful behavior of boys, because as you know it society is misogynistic. Why does everything have to revolve around romance? Why can’t they just be friends first, go on a date maybe some time, get into a relationship after a bit, but they barely even know anything about each other, yes the little vent session they had was nice, but we have no clear idea of Allison and Brian’s lives at home, Claire hasn’t even revealed why she ended up in detention, nobody can name an interest or hobby of John, and do you know how Andrew is performing in school? No, you don’t, and neither do the characters in the movie. But as much as those feel like details and they can still learn about all of that when they are on a relationship, it is wrong to say you are in love with someone when you don’t even know what their dream career is or how many exes they have, not to mention that all of those questions could be deal breakers; and I will die on that hill. 

(if I misread some of the characters or scenes please let me know and I will take notice of it)

[just-finished-watching]

The Breakfast Club

Finished Watching: 01/22/24

Language: English

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rating: 🌟🌟/5 (2/5)

Expectations: I've heard a lot about The Breakfast Club, so I really did expect more out of it. It's considered a cult classic, and frankly, I can see why people like it. There are simple characters, easy to grasp at first, and slowly reveal their complexities. I expected something a little more plot-wise but was a bit disappointed.

Not a Favorite

Summary: Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. The group includes John (the criminal), Claire (the princess), Allison (the basket case), Brain (the brain), and Andrew (the athlete). Each gets a chance to tell their story and make the others see them differently. When the day ends, they learn they are more similar to each other than they first thought.

Thoughts (*SPOILERS*):

I thought the movie was going to be much better than it actually was, I won't lie. I've never seen the breakfast club before, and maybe if I were a high schooler (currently in college), I would have had a deeper connection to it. It's an ok coming of age film at worst, but a good one at best. The characters were archetypal at first, but that was to be expected. When it came down to it, I really liked certain characters, and others fell flat to me. But what felt flatter was probably the plot.

To begin, let's discuss the plot. Boring. Bland. Bleh. Teens get a detention and get to know each other. Now an overdone trope. With it being released in the 80s, I will give it some credit. I can see why people latched on: they saw themselves in these characters. They remembered themselves, or saw themselves, as these teens who felt lost and scared and wished they had a group of misfit friends to talk to about it. But most of it felt like a new plot point came out of nowhere. For example, the smoking scene. A classic, but for me, someone who's never seen it before, it was almost annoying. I don't know how else to describe it other than didn't like it.

Now the characters. John Bender is everyone's favorite bad boy. Felt too much like a perv and a douche. "Aww, but he had a hard home life." That's true, and I appreciate that part of his backstory. He is an asshole and only is probably because that's all he's ever seen. But, when he talks about sex way too much and forces everyone else to talk about it too it's uncomfortable. However, I do feel for him, especially when the principal (teacher?? Idk what Mr.Vernon was) locks him in the storage cabinet. You want to like him, especially when he's not making others feel uncomfortable. Also, 100% called that he would be a sort of hypocrite, scorning Claire and Andrew for social cliques, but also upholding the ideas himself. Oh, and of course he ended up with Claire.

Next, Claire Standish. Boring rich girl. Yes her parents argue and use her as a pawn in their arguments. Another stereotypical background just like John's. I was actually really hoping that she would prove somehow, other than just shouting from time to time, that she was sick of the perfect life. We know she skipped class to go shopping, and that's why she got detention. However, I was hoping to see a bit more. When they brought up the earrings, I was hoping that she would reveal that she stole them. Not because she had to, but because she wanted to.

By far, the most devastating character development to me was Allison Reynold's. Allison is weird, not really talking for most of the movie, only being a basket case. But I liked that. She was weird and exciting. I loved that her symbolism of growing closer to the others is actually physical as well. She starts off far, and as time goes on, she's allowing herself to stand next to them. Sit with them. Her being neglected was something I expected, but I love how she was a compulsive liar and it actually tied to her story. I hate how she got a makeover and that got her the guy? NO! Andrew liked her already, but he's just not used to it! Come on now!

Now, I have to talk about Andrew, but really, I didn't like him all that much. Just another jock character who acts like a douche sometimes cause of daddy issues. Ya' know, I would not be shocked if every single teen character made after this movie was loosely based on any of these characters, and Andrew furthers that point. He's alright, and I like how he's protective of the girls, but other than that, he's got nothing else.

Finally, Brian. Brian's a good character, but I wanted to know more about him. With Allison, the best part of her character is that you don't know what's going on in her head. For Brian, a character named after the fact that he's literally the BRAIN (I'm guessing), the opposite approach needed to happen. I wanted to know more about the pressure he felt. Yes, he felt intimidated when around the other characters, but he did open up. If he brought up his family dynamics a bit more, I think I would have appreciated his character even just a bit more.

Overall, the movie was actually good, but expectations and the things I hoped for made me a bit disappointed after I finished watching.

[genetierneysattorney]

i dont think they made ally sheedy any more or less feminine at the end of the breakfast club - her character's outfit at the beginning was just as feminine, really. just because it was darker and more layered doesn't make it less feminine, unless you believe the only indicators of femininity are pink and lip gloss. the reason people are unhappy with the change isnt that "oh pink is bad and makeup is wrong >:( " its that allison had a unique style and personality - that the other characters learned to accept and even like - and then at the end we get this washing out of her unique traits. the story took what was a very unique character and style and then at the end went "anyway now that we've all learned to care about and respect each other even with and indeed because of our differences, here's the fun unique quirky girl! we've taken the cinematographic indicator of her uniqueness (her clothing style) and removed it to look like the other female character. isnt that great!"

it has nothing to do with a hatred of femininity or misogyny and more to do with the fact that the transformation is at odds with the whole point of the story - that being different from each other is good. also, allisons style was very cute and it was sad to see it go.

As someone who related pretty hard to Allison when I first saw it, it never occured to me that I should think the makeover erased her individuality. I never got the idea that brushing your hair and wearing some color is so powerful it completely transforms your identity, particularly in someone like Allison who already had a very strong sense of personhood (although admittedly it's not as standout as her look before). Maybe because I don't limit myself to one style. Although I admit I have no idea what the guy in the tweet is talking about 😭

But the whole point was Allison was unhappy, insecure and used her look as a shield against others- so her accepting a new look from Claire was letting her guard down and accepting this toke of friendship from someone she didn't think she had anything in common with and it was a touching moment between the two. I suppose you're right and not all the critics hate it bc it's girlier, but it's inarguably a more femme look, and in my experience people who bash femme things or anything associated with women do tend to do it bc of their own issues with femininity. Some of the hate mail I've gotten seems to back that up. But to me it's as silly as, for example, those people claiming that Lola Bunny not having big boobs anymore makes her masculine. Maybe if we get a reboot, Claire can do something that fits better with Allison's own aesthetic while still being new?

(It also wasn't for Andy, and that's what gets me, how people are dishonest and pretend it was "just for a guy" when Andy had nothing to do with Claire offering to do it. 😕)

Plus, she can just change whenever she wants- the shirt at least is clearly her own too- and probably will. Unlike Sandy's which seems to be more permanent as well as not for the better (and people always seem less bothered by her radical change that Allison's for some reason).

Thank you for being respectful, btw. You've changed my perspective more than the other people who've been just insulting me ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[feralgodmothers]

I rewatched The Breakfast Club today, and it’s always annoyed me whenever people criticized Allison’s “makeover” at the end, because I feel like people really missed the point of that scene.

We know that Allison’s problem with her parents was that they ignore her. And throughout most of the movie, she was settled right into that role of “invisible girl”. She hid behind her hair and her heavy makeup, and she often hid by shrinking back, keeping quiet, and telling lies about herself.

But while the other members of the breakfast club were still gawking at her strangeness - Andy (the athlete), was the main one to take notice of her as a person.

And when you pay attention to the makeover itself - all Claire really did was push Allison’s hair out of her face and remove her excess makeup.

It wasn’t a makeover in the sense that it was a transformation from ugly to beautiful - IT WAS AN UNMASKING.

It’s also important to note the exchange that happened after Allison revealed herself. Sure, Andy was making googly eyes at her, but he didn’t say “you look better/prettier than you did before”.  This is what was said: 

“You look so different. I can see your face.” “Is that good?”

“Yeah. Yeah it’s good.”

All throughout the movie he had been the one to really see her mentally and emotionally. And now he was able to see her in a more physical and literal sense. The “makeover” was just a final, visual representation of the development that occurred between these two characters.

I just wish more people could pause and look at what a piece of media is trying to say before they start criticizing it based on shallow first impressions.  (Extremely ironic for people to do that to this movie, no?). I’m tired of half-baked, faux-feminist BS. Typically, the movies that resonate with people- they resonate for a reason. I think it’s better to try and discover what that reason is, rather than play some lame, Woke™ version of ‘Gotcha!’ (because spoiler alert: no one really wins that game).

[rcngades]

pour some sugar on me | team free will

things never—righted themselves after traumatic experiences. they settled like moving parts of an old house. fresh hurts fell into place beside aged bones, fashioning themselves into makeshift sinew. it salted doorways, it bled ruby, it stained fingertips. it was always there, dogging every movement, begging attention and confrontation without taking no for an answer. trauma was a house with no exit; you move into the neighborhood and you don’t get out without dishing out hundreds to some quack who’ll diagnose you with daddy issues.

the trick was to ignore all of that.

dean was getting real good at it.

he tapped his thumbs to the rhythm of smoke on the water, lips puckered to exaggeration in mouthing the words. the wooden chair groaned under his full weight as he tipped back onto its hind legs, its cheap lines digging into his back. the summer heat easily beat out the motel’s shitty air conditioner, thickening the air into an oppressive weight. the sheen of sweat sticking to dean’s skin was only just disappearing, after nearly an hour in the room. he was still sporting some unattractive pit stains and—on another note—some scruff that could stand to be shaved off his chin.

it made its way onto his to do list. as soon as the girls got back.

his eyes snuck up to the wall-mounted clock again. letting claire and becky go on the food run was so stu—no. they were adults, jesus. adults who wanted to stretch their legs and get a bit of air. adults with driver’s licenses, common sense, and a couple of pocket knives, just in case. dean sped up the tapping of his thumbs, skin chafing against the denim of his jeans. he rocked his neck to the tune playing out over the radio and dropped his gaze back to the door. 

just because he’d been to hell didn’t mean anyone else was going. being out of his sight didn’t mean they were automatically in danger.

if anyone was as tense as he was, they did a damn good job of not showing it. pam lounged on one of the beds with its questionable bedding, flipping through an outdated magazine. anna scribbles pretty script onto a yellow notepad, having muttered something about a deadline when she woke up this morning. how she was keeping up with her job and the impending end of the world was beyond dean, but—angels. what couldn’t they do? jo was doing a recount of their weaponry, the way she did every time they made a stop. he didn’t know how to tell her to stop doing that; it was anxiety-inducing to think that something might be missing. but he had a feeling it calmed her, so he turned away from it.

before his mind could bend itself any further, the door creaked open. “we’re back!” claire cheered, happier than she’d been when she left. “and look—we brought games!” true to her word, they carried more than just a few bags of burritos; they had an assortment of plastic bags from local stores. dean was silently proud of claire for buying the stuff instead of outright stealing it; her small klepto stint had left its marks on her and they were still trying to ease her out of it. within reason, anyway. 

“we figured we could have a game night,” she rambled, kicking the door closed with her foot. “we haven’t had one of those, even though we’ve been through so much. so i thought it might make us feel a little better? and i even brought nail polish and makeup, so we could do makeovers! and we got cucumbers and face masks, too.” coming to an end, she hesitated, the line of her shoulders deflating before she shoved them back into place. “my parents and i used to do this. when had game nights all the time. i didn’t like them so much when i got older, but i mean...” she exchanged a look with becky. “it can’t hurt, right?”

[mad4cheez]

Talked about fanfic with a friend today and then watched Kajillionaire and now all I can think about is a Melanie/Old Dolio hurt/comfort fic that I will never write featuring:

-framing narrative because who am I if not ambitious in my storytelling

-okay so the framing narrative is Old Dolio and Melanie drifting apart because Old Dolio might have friends so many years down the line but she’s never dated or been “properly” loved by anyone but Melanie

-Melanie tells Old Dolio she can go explore her feelings with other people if she wants and it’s a very weird conversation where both are unhappy with the outcome and this whole situation might end their relationship

-but then we have so many flashbacks to the building of this relationship, among which we see:

-immediately following the end of the film narrative, Old Dolio buys some new clothes with some of her third but they’re just as baggy and shapeless cmon a little makeover montage would be CUTE

-Old Dolio continuing to sleep on that little mat next to Melanie’s bed for SO LONG because she’s been so literally touch starved she still can’t stand too much physical contact at once or she WILL burst into tears

-Melanie asks Old Dolio what she wants to do now but she doesn’t know (obviously she can’t keep running the cons like her parents the whole point of the movie was moving away from your abusive past but cmon a lil gay crime is fine now and then dw)

-Melanie tells Old Dolio to walk around LA and see if there’s anything she likes (bc Old Dolio doesnt know what she likes that’s never mattered before)

-Old Dolio does just that while Melanie is at work, and she has this crazy adventure that would be a whole chapter where she decides she likes graffiti art and seagulls and weird synth music and French fries and the colour yellow, and really does NOT like the beach (too sandy) and of course she can’t walk into a mall without stealing something but she only walked away with like a cheap pair of earrings with little cat faces from like Claire’s but her ears aren’t pierced so she gives them to Melanie who wears them for like three months straight

-Melanie also spends this time thinking about what she really wants, but she’s thinking more like “how to make myself happy” bc she was encouraged to be a person growing up

-Melanie decides she wants to cut hair!! And play a sport regularly! And take a pottery class!

-hair school results in Old Dolio learning how to support Melanie. It’s messy but ultimately works because only Old Dolio can dance around that way and remind Melanie what’s really important

-sports is... listen, Melanie isn’t good at basketball per se, but really the trouble comes from Old Dolio feeling replaced

-so of course that leads to another long conversation about friends and feelings and Melanie agrees to help Old Dolio try and find some of that

-the pottery class they take together and Old Dolio is surprisingly good at it but it’s a bust for Melanie. Old Dolio makes friends with the weird old lady who also dresses mostly in track suits and they never speak but they’re pretty close

-we also see melanie trying out different things with Old Dolio like star gazing and clubbing and rec sports and Old Dolio is bad at everything but she likes dancing and she likes being alone with Melanie

-but (very) frustratingly (especially for Melanie), there is no more kissing for a long while after that store kiss. I think there were a few times where Melanie forgets and tries to be affectionate and Old Dolio reacts adversely and then feels bad about it and they have to talk about what they’re both comfortable with

-and eventually of course Old Dolio gets hurt (probably while trying to roller blade) but it’s worse than she’s had to fix before and she’s shutting Melanie out trying to fix it and this (of course) results in a big smooch fest, with lots of checking for consent

-and then maybe we skip forward in the flashbacks to a few months later and Melanie and Old Dolio have found their rhythm and they’re touching a little more but it’s still electric because Old Dolio has to be eased into touch and it’s so domestic and so good. There are still land mines for both of them but they’ve managed to avoid any for awhile at this point. Lots of kissing, no sex yet (cmon you thought it would be that easy)

-Melanie’s introduced Old Dolio to a couple of her friends, some are good friends, some are.. not good. Old Dolio doesn’t know how to deal with this

-one of the good ones (I��m naming him Pavan) nicknames Old Dolio “Odie” and it sticks and she’s weirded out at first (“but that’s not my name” “no silly it’s a nickname. Like sweetheart or hun, but for everyone to use”) but then she grows to like it a lot more (hello heartfelt renaming scene we let go of the burdens our parents gave thank you amen) ((also thank god now I can just call her Odie))

-haircut scene!!! Melanie convinces Odie to let her cut her hair “just a bit” and it actually turns out so well - still long, but shaped nicely and lets people see her face more

-and there also Odie helping Melanie to cut out some of the more toxic friends, friends who are mean and make you feel bad and aren’t we supposed to be looking for what makes us feel good? Maybe this is where they have sex for the first time and it’s so sweet and loving and Odie has no idea what she’s doing but she’s a quick and eager learner and Melanie is ready to go just from all the build up

Listen I’m just emotional about Gina Rodriguez playing a queer woman and having a story about seizing control of your identity and choosing to unlearn everything your parents taught you I guess Kajillionaire was good okay

[seasonofthegeek]

Not Lost But Still Found

This fanfic trope mash-up drabble was requested through ko-fi by @ladyserendipitous for Chloe/Nino and the prompts “roommate au” and “makeovers.” Thanks so much for your donation!

___

Chloe shuffled into the living room and lifted an oversized gray hoodie off the back of the couch. She sniffed it and scrunched her nose at the less than pleasant odor. “Is this yours or mine?”

Nino cracked open one eye from his prone position on the couch and squinted at the article of clothing. “I don’t know. I think I wore it the other day though. I spilled ketchup on it from a burger.”

She scratched at the dried stain on the arm. “Yeah, I saw that when I put it on last night to go meet the Uber Eats guy downstairs because it was sitting here and my room seemed too far away.” She shrugged the hoodie on with a sigh. “It doesn’t smell great.”

“Mmm.”

She lifted his legs and sunk into the couch beneath them and then let them drop back onto her lap. “What are you watching?”

“Some home design show.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know where the remote is.”

“Ah.”

They watched three episodes of contractors finding surprise expenses in remodels before Chloe stirred again. “This is pathetic.”

“I know. Even only half done, their place is better than ours,” Nino replied.

She popped his knee. “No, I mean us. We’re pathetic.”

“Well, my fiance called off our engagement two days before the wedding since she’d fallen in love with someone else and you got fired from your dream job so I’d say we’re allowed to be pathetic.” He reached up to pull the bill of his hat down over his face. “I’m going to take a nap.”

“Nino, that was a month ago. Wait, almost two months ago now.”

“Yet it hurts like it was yesterday,” he muttered. “Amazing.”

“And yeah, it sucks about my job but obviously I’ll find another one. That stupid Claire isn’t going to be the end of me just because she stole my client list and spread rumors about bad business practices. I’m fabulous and everyone knows it.” She attempted to flip her ponytail and felt how stringy her hair was. “At least I used to be fabulous.” She slouched back and groaned. “Who I am kidding? No one is going to hire me as a personal style consultant now. I’m sitting here in a smelly hoodie and I’m not even sure if it’s mine. I’ve lost my mojo.”

“Maybe it’s hiding wherever mine is.” Nino lifted his hat and tossed it on the coffee table. “And maybe we have been sadsacks lately.”

“You think?”

“I’m never going to know love again but I guess I should try to smile more.”

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “Victoria was a heinous bitch and I warned you about her before you gave her that ridiculous ring, just to set the record straight.”

“It really is your gentle kindness that keeps this friendship alive, Chlo.”

“She told you we couldn’t be roommates or friends anymore because I obviously can’t keep my hands off you even though that’s never been an issue with us. That was red flag number one. Well, no. That awful shade of coral lipstick she always wore was definitely the first flag, but--”

“Good to know I’m as unattractive as I thought.”

“Oh, hush. You know that isn’t what I meant.”

Nino dropped his legs off her lap and stood with a grunt. “I don’t wanna talk about Victoria. I’m going to go lay down.”

“You were literally just lying down.”

“Well, now I’m going to go lay down in my bed.” 

Chloe stood and followed him into his room even after he gave her a pointed glare when she crawled up beside him in the bed and turned on the lamp on his nightstand. “We can’t keep wallowing, Nino.”

He took off his glasses and handed them to her. “I can. You’re free to do whatever it is you want to do.” He sighed and turned on his side away from her. “I just don’t have it in me right now, okay? Please just let me...just let me be.”

She exhaled softly and slid out of the bed. “Okay. Take your time.” She set his glasses on the nightstand, turned the light back off, and closed his door as she left.

___

“I hope you’ve had enough time,” Chloe said as she threw open the curtains covering Nino’s bedroom window the next morning.

He swore and buried himself deeper under the covers. “What the hell, Chloe?!”

“I’ve been up for hours getting myself back into shape as much as I could here, but now we need to go out so I can finish and you can start.” She smoothed her hand down her sleek hair that hung just below her shoulders. “I think I need a new look for the new me and I want to do the same for you.” She saw a golden brown eye peek out from a hole in the mass of blanket. It squinted and then Nino was emerging reluctantly and grabbing for his glasses on the nightstand. 

“You showered,” he said with a slow blink.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve showered, you know,” Chloe sniffed. “But yes, probably the first time this week so I understand the surprise.”

“And you’re wearing makeup and clothes that actually fit.”

“Again, thank you for stating the obvious. On that note, we desperately need to do laundry later.”

He sat up and scratched his head absently. “What are you wanting to do?”

“I’ve called and set up appointments for us at the salon and spa in an hour. I had to pull some strings but we deserve the best of the best.”

“I can’t afford the best of the best right now.”

She smiled sweetly. “Daddy can.”

“I don’t like using your dad’s credit card. You know that. We aren’t kids anymore.”

“Oh please, it’s fine, I promise. He’ll be thrilled to see it being used for something other than take-out. He’s been begging me to get out of this apartment.”

“I don’t really want a haircut.”

“Well, you need one. You look scrappy and not in a hot way.”

“I’m not trying to impress anybody.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “And that, Mr. Lahiffe, is problem number one. Now, go get in the shower and I’ll see if I can find anything halfway presentable in your closet for you to wear until we can get you something better.”

“What do you mean better?” he asked warily.

Chloe grabbed the edge of the blanket and ripped it off the bed. “Go. Now.”

He rolled off the bed, grumbling under his breath the whole way to the bathroom. Chloe nodded in satisfaction when she heard the shower turn on and then moved to his closet with a scoff of disgust.

___

“I feel ridiculous. Why do I need to be so dressed up to get a haircut?” Nino tugged on the collar of his shirt and Chloe pulled his hand back down. 

“Stop. And it isn’t just a haircut. We’re getting the works: facials, massages, skincare treatments. We’ll get fluffy robes to wear and comfy slippers and it will be so wonderful.”

“Then why do I have to be dressed like this?”

“Because it’s all about image.” She straightened and rolled her shoulders back.  “You deserve to be pampered and you know it.”

“Is that what you told your clients?” he asked, keeping in step with her as they neared the salon.

“Mostly.”

He nodded. “So I’m going to get the personal style consultant Chloe Bourgeois treatment today, huh? I feel honored.” He was surprised to see her cheek go pink.

“I just thought it might be a nice way to ease back into things,” she admitted.  “And I also thought you could use the day out. I know I can.”

Though spending an entire day being touched and prodded by strangers and trying to make forced polite conversation sounded in no way appealing, Nino smiled down at his roommate. “Thanks.”

___

“Can I tell you something I haven’t admitted to anyone else yet?” Nino asked. His voice was hushed as they lounged in the reclining chairs of the waiting room while their mud baths were being prepared.

Chloe rolled her head lazily to the side and looked at him with one eye. “Mmhmm.”

“I knew Victoria was cheating on me before I caught her in front of Adrien.”

She opened both eyes and sat up so she could lean closer to him.  “What?”

Nino dropped his gaze to his lap and twisted his hands into the ends of the sash of his robe. “She wasn’t exactly stealthy. I don’t think she was really even trying to hide it, but I never confronted her and she never said anything so I just...” He exhaled and it was a long, tired sound. “And then when Adrien and I went back to the apartment to grab some of the wedding stuff and she was there with that other guy in our bed...” He shook his head. “I couldn’t keep ignoring it.”

“If Adrien hadn’t been with you, what do you think you would’ve done?”

He dared a quick look at her. “Are you asking if I still would’ve married her?”

Chloe nodded, pursing her lips.

“I don’t know. Probably.”

“Good grief, why?”

He was quiet for a long time as the spa music played softly around them. “I guess it just felt nice to feel loved and I wasn’t sure if I would get the chance again.”

“Nino Lahiffe, if that’s supposed to mean you aren’t a catch or something equally absurd, I’m going to smack you.”

“Do you think they’re going to take us back soon? I feel weird sitting here in just a robe.”

“Don’t try to change the subject,” she demanded. “You’re great and I won’t let you say anything less about yourself.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re my roommate.”

“That’s another thing. Do you think I would live with you if I didn’t believe it? I deserve the absolute best. I’m saying it because it’s the truth and I’m your friend,” she corrected. “Your best friend actually. Adrien can take a backseat because we both know it’s true.”

___

“Wow, you look...” Nino trailed off and shook his head as he stared at Chloe. “I really love the new hair.”

She bit her lip and reached up to let her hand hover beside her head. “It’s a little shorter than I was thinking. i’m not sure how I feel about it.”

“You look really pretty,” he assured her. “I think it’s a perfect new look for new you.”

Chloe straightened and look in the mirror. “It is perfect, isn’t it?” She lifted her chin and nodded in his direction. “And now for you. Anthony, please work your magic on my sweet but clueless roommate. He doesn’t realize how gorgeous he is. Look at what’s he let happen to his hair.”

The stylist clucked his tongue and moved behind the styling chair, spinning it to face the mirror. “I would literally kill him for his eyelashes. Lift them right off his face and prance off to the club to get me a new love.”

Nino grimaced at Chloe in the reflection and she stifled a laugh. “I think I’d have to fight you, Anthony. I like them just where they are.” And suddenly it was Nino’s turn to blush.

___

Nino tried to busy himself with reading labels on the many products lining the shelves of the nail portion of the salon. Chloe insisted he get a pedicure and manicure and he had to admit they’d both been enjoyable with her at the station next to him. She’d gossiped with the technicians like old friends and for the first time in months, he saw the spark of real happiness shining through her eyes when she looked over to smile at him.

Leaving no stone unturned, she was currently sitting at a vanity station and having her makeup professionally done so Nino was doing his best to stay out of the way and not look too bored. He didn’t initially mean to eavesdrop on her conversation with the makeup artist but now he was straining to hear their words while seeming to concentrate much too hard on the ingredients list of a  bottle of moisturizer.

“It isn’t like that between us,” Chloe said. “We’ve been friends since we were kids.”

“So what? Sweetie, I’m looking at him and you’ve got to get with that. Your palettes are made for each other. I can see the pictures now and they would be fabulous. Is there some rule I don’t know about that says you can’t date him? Close your eyes.”

Nino had to keep himself from glancing back at the women but he shifted a little closer and picked up another bottle to pretend to study. 

Chloe’s voice was much lower when she spoke again and Nino held his breath as he tried to listen. “He knew me back when I was...I wasn’t always...” She scoffed. “I just don’t think he’d see me that way and honestly, it’s fine. I’ve got more prospects than I know what to do with.”

“Hell yeah, girl. And even more when I’m through with you. Oh! I can’t believe we haven’t talked about this yet but did you see the pants Anthony is trying to pull off today? I might hire you just to help the poor man.” 

Nino set the bottle back on the shelf and moved further away from them. Chloe’s words bothered him. Did she really think he still thought of her the way she was when they were younger? She’d changed so much; they both had. It wasn’t fair to put that on him. The people they were back in their younger school days would never be as close as they are today.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard a familiar throat clearing and turned around to see his roommate giving him an expectant look. 

“Well?” Chloe prompted as she raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Am I absolutely gorgeous?”

Nino took in the smooth lipstick and dark eyeliner and thought about how nice she also looked in the bumblebee pajamas she liked to wear around their apartment. “You always are.”

___

“Please don’t make me go to another store,” Nino groaned. “I’m so tired.”

“Don’t be a baby,” Chloe huffed as they were chauffeured down the street. 

“I’m not being a baby. We’ve been going all day and I’m exhausted and I now own clothes I never imagined owning and I don’t know what to do about it.”

“I think you’re trying to say thank you.”

He chuckled and looked at her. “Are you really wanting to go more places?”

“Just one and then we’ll get dinner.”

“Chloe...”

“Just one,” she insisted. “Sit back and shut your eyes and we’ll be there soon.”

“The things I do for you,” he sighed dramatically.

They rode in comfortable silence to their next destination and Chloe roused Nino from the light doze he’d fallen into. “Come on, we’re here.”

He blinked and opened his door to look up at the brightly lit sign of his favorite music store. “What are we doing here?”

She rounded the car and hooked her arm through his. “You did a lot of things I like today so now we’re going to do something you like.”

“Well, this is uncharacteristically fair of you,” he teased, walking them to the shop door.

“I know. Don’t go spreading it around. I only do stuff like this for the friends I really, really like. The list is quite exclusive.”

Nino grinned down at her. “So me?”

Chloe felt her face warm. “You,” she nodded.

___

Nino couldn’t put his finger on what it was but something definitely felt different by the time they dragged themselves into the apartment that night. It made him feel uncertain how to act but then Chloe dumped her keys and purse by the door like she always did and the universe shifted back into its comfortable place. 

“We can go through all our stuff in the morning,” she said with a wave of her hand after dropping her shopping bags on the couch. “You can wear that blue suit with the gray shirt tomorrow.”

“We aren’t doing this again tomorrow, are we? I don’t know if I--” Nino’s words were cut off when Chloe unceremoniously shoved two fingers against his lips.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I’m going to go back to my old stomping grounds and round up some clients again because I’m ready to kick ass. I’d like your help if you have the time.”

He reached for her wrist to pull her hand down but found it hard to release it. “I have the time,” he said softly. 

They stared at each other and Chloe’s breath hitched in her throat. Electricity surged between them and then Chloe’s phone began to vibrate in her other hand and the spell was broken. He let go of her wrist and she stepped back quickly and answered her phone with a breathless greeting.

Nino swallowed hard and gave her a wave before retreating back into his room. The universe he shared with Chloe teetered on the edge of the unknown for a moment and then became still again, not quite back in place but not falling yet. 

Buy me a cherry coke?

[armandyke]

River I just went through ur whole bonnie tag can I pls have some bonnie w/ her aunts headcanons? The image of bonnie, allison, vanya, patch, and claire having a girls night/slumber party wont leave my head and it's too cute for me to Phyiscally Handle

At first Allison is kinda nervous about being around Bonnie because of what happened with Claire and her powers but Klaus comes and finds her one day like “hey can you help me with Bonnie’s hair because Dave and I have no clue what we’re doing and we live in the timeline where smartphones and google don’t exist” and what starts as her showing them how to look after their baby’s hair kinda spirals and turns into a full pamper session, and Bonnie LOVES it so Allison ends up arranging a girls night for them at the weekend. Vanya lets Bonnie paint her nails even though it’s not really her thing and ends up with a different colour on each nail (she did an okay job but Allison cleaned it up a bit for her after). Clair is THRILLED about her new cousin and gives her a little makeover. Patch is low key just really happy that she was invited after all the stories about Diego’s family and not knowing if they were even gonna like her. They all watch movies and swap embarrassing stories about the brothers. 

[thebestplltheories]

PLL The Perfectionists - Season 1 Finale (and Season 1) Review

Here we go friends, season 1 of the spinoff is over and I have a lot to say. In this post I’m gonna review the finale but also season 1 in general.

Dare I say it, I think season 1 as a whole was flawless. Sure, some episodes were better than others, but no episode was down-right horrible, boring and without a purpose. All 10 episodes were great as the plot was constantly progressing. We started off with totally innocent characters, doing their best to be perfect in a high-pressure and competitive school. A person who loosely connects them is murdered and as the investigation unravels, the innocent people get pulled together by forces outside of their control. Consequently, they become best friends. Caitlin’s mother put it really well in episode 9: Caitlin got hit by a car, was dating someone who got murdered, is friends with a fugitive’s daughter and is hiding a bag of money. How did all this non-sense happen to someone who was so innocent and perfect 9 episodes ago? That’s what I love. That’s what’s entertaining for me. As Claire said, they’re trying to dig themselves out of a hole but they keep falling and the hole is getting deeper and darker. This whole plot about being almost strangers and then best friends is a plot that could have very easily been squished into the pilot, and at the time, that’s what I wanted. But now looking back, I really appreciate that they stretched this across 10 episodes. It feels organic that this friendship didn’t just happen the day after Nolan died. It happened after 10 episodes of chaos and that’s not forced. It’s realistic. So overall season 1 achieved everything a season 1 should achieve: it brought the characters together slowly over time and reinforced that bad things are going to happen to these previously perfect people.

Casting is spectacular. I’m absolutely sucked into the worlds of Caitlin, Dylan and Ava and whilst the addictive story is definitely contributing to these feelings, I need to give a shoutout to Sydney, Eli and Sofia. They’ve achieved the one thing PLL did that no other show has done for me since PLL ended: they created extremely loveable and addictive characters. Sure, I watch heaps of other shows, but there’s just something about the core cast on a PLL show that is different. 

Some quick reactions from the finale:

This whole time we were wondering what they will call this new enemy, yet it was right in front of us this whole time in the episode title! Not only was “The Professor” right in front of us, but the title literally says ‘enter’. You know... say hello to the new A. That’s essentially what the title of the episode says. Now I feel dumb for not guessing that. More thoughts on The Professor later.

"Jealous much?” was a shocker! I love Mona’s confidence. Even when Claire says “that’s not how this works”, she insists, and gets what she wants.

I’m so glad Mona is here in this show. I love the new characters and I would be watching even without Ali and Mona, but Mona just fits in so well. Like PLL, this seems to be another game, and Mona is falling back into old habits. She not only wants to win, but she wants to know who is smart enough to create such a game, and why and how such a game is created. “Dying before I find out who you are bitch!” Loved that!

Mona’s red coat... her dolls in her apartment... I appreciate that!

Blowing up the RV was unnecessary. I think they did that just to put an action shot in the promo, to attract viewers. That’s not a complaint, just an observation. 

PLL always succeeds at making the town feel like its own character. Rosewood was a town that kept attracting misery and murder, like a person. And now we have Beacon Heights; a town that demands perfection so much that you get kicked out when you fail to be perfect. 

I think the storyline with Dylan and Luke was not necessary for this finale. It’s a fantastic story that should be told, just not in a finale. I wouldn’t say it’s a filler story, but it’s definitely not central to this professor story.

As someone studying psychology, and is in their final undergraduate year, I don’t think it’ll help as much as Alison thinks it will (in terms of working out who the Professor is). She can study psychology all she wants but that doesn’t really give insight into a person’s twisted game. Anyway.

I kinda ship Mona and Mason! You could see it on Mona’s face that it was hard for her to lie to Mason like that. I guess she’s extra motivated to solve this game now so that she can go back to Mason.

Add “your lips are moving but I have no idea what you’re talking about” to Ava’s list of iconic one-liners! Everyone loves insulting Booker and I live for it. Mona’s “yes you need a makeover” comes to mind too!

I hope Booker doesn’t go away. She lost this mini game but she’s a great villain.

I hope that’s the end of the story of Ava’s father. I’m just not compelled by this one story, sorry. All I really care about is that Ava stays at BHU (because she has the money to pay). I don’t really care about her relationship with her father. Maybe this is due to the casting of the father? I don’t know, but I’m not drawn into this story like the others and I can’t pinpoint why. 

What a full circle moment, playing Poker Face in the final scene like they opened with Poker Face in the pilot! It’s a small detail but it just makes the show feel cohesive. Like a distinct beginning and end. Can’t explain it.

So season 1 is over and they STILL have not tapped into that amazing storyline they started in the pilot... “it’s exactly like you imagined it”. Surely the Professor will bring this up during the social experiment.

Beacon Guard is going to start to get annoying. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE this element that someone is always watching and listening, and that someone hijacked this system. But if they really need to find a safe spot every time they want to talk... surely the season 2 finale will be them destroying Beacon Guard!

The Professor! Wow. I’m... shook. 

With A, we were never really sure if it’s just a sick twisted game that someone is having fun with, or, if A actually chose these Liars because of a personal vendetta. But with The Professor, it is clear from day 1 that this is a game. It’s a social experiment. I fucking LOVE that idea. 

Again playing with that theme I touched on before: I love how previously innocent people are getting sucked into madness. 10 episodes ago, everyone was leading a seemingly perfect life and now they’re part of a social experiment that they’re forced participate in because they were recorded staging a crime scene and being involved in a shooting. That’s so twisted and it just really sucks to be them.

I lowkey want to cry for Ali and Mona. They went to hell and back in Rosewood and now here goes another potential 4 year mystery. Will they EVER live in peace? I mean, for the sake of this show, I hope the Professor makes this game as twisted as possible. It’s entertaining. But at the back of my mind I am crying for Ali and Mona. 

When all their phones rang/vibrated at the same time, I felt at home?? At that exact moment I had a rush of nostalgia. It’s close enough to the original series to provide that nostalgia that we all want, but it’s distinct enough to be its own show. I love this Professor storyline because I think they’ve found that perfect middle-ground.

I hope they don’t give the Professor a black hoodie, but if they really want to make this as iconic as A, they absolutely need to give this villain an outfit. 

Is the Professor a short/mini story arc? Or is this the series-defining story, like how A defined PLL? Will there be a Big Professor and Uber Professor (lack of better terms)? I’d love for this to be the series-defining story and enemy. I’m all for this social experiment. 

Did anyone notice the Professor speaking in the third person? Is that the writers hinting that there is more than one person here; the Professor AND a helper? Kinda like an A-team? Or was speaking in the third person just the way of emphasising the new name for the enemy?

So many questions about the Professor!

Tonally, this finale felt like a premiere. It raised questions rather than answered questions. It told us that there IS an enemy, rather than tell us WHO the enemy is. That’s an odd structure, but I’m totally okay with it for 2 reasons. Firstly, because I’m simply just not hungry for answers. The mystery is still new and fresh. We didn’t get our first major answer on PLL (who is original A) for 2 years. I’m not expecting an answer as to who killed Nolan within 10 episodes. Secondly, it’s fitting because the entire first season was spent establishing that friendship. That needed to happen before such an enemy was introduced. It would be awkward watching strangers get sucked into this social experiment together. Now that they’re friends and they trust each other, it’ll be more entertaining to see them respond to the Professor.

There’s so much to theorise about now! But I need to say it again: this show is suffering from a major lack of a quantity of characters. Every scene revolves around Mona, Ali, Ava, Caitlin, Dylan, Taylor, Booker and Claire. That’s literally all there is. There’s the occasional side character like Mason and Zac, but no one is really key to the mystery like Noel, Jenna, etc were in season 1 of PLL from the get-go. I like that we met Luke, and I think season 2 really needs to prioritise ASAP increasing the quantity of characters. The lack of characters makes me think that we have not met the Professor yet. It’s obviously not Mona, Ali, Ava, Caitlin or Dylan. Maybe Taylor, she was missing. That’s a theory topic. Maybe Claire. Not Zac. Maybe Mason. And my list of suspects ends there? Again, season 2 needs to increase the quantity of characters.

Now I’m just gonna sound like a broken record, but in the extremely low chances that someone at Freeform catches this post (hey, the cast reacted to Tumblr posts the other month so we know they do snoop here)... I need to say it again: it’s no secret that the ratings are low, so you’ve got a lot of work to do for season 2 to get this show the recognition it deserves. Please consider reading this post. Do not give up on this show. It has really high potential. It just needs a few tweaks in terms of promo and supply system. The low ratings do NOT correlate to low quality. 

Look at me, writing massive posts like this! I haven’t done this for a TV show since PLL ended. Only this show will get me intrigued enough to come online and talk. There’s something about the PLL universe that distinguishes it from other shows, in the best way possible!

[letterboxd]

Run, Brittany, Run.

“It has changed my life. It’s changed the way I look at myself, the way I speak about myself or even think about myself. I feel like I’m a much kinder person to me.” We talk to stars Jillian Bell and Lil Rel Howery, and playwright-turned-director Paul Downs Colaizzo, about his debut feature film Brittany Runs a Marathon.

Transformation stories, makeover movies, ugly duckling tales: Hollywood has long been awash in them, but usually they’re steeped in fantasy (average girl discovers she is princess! Princess reveals she is ogre!). Brittany Runs a Marathon is the very real story of a woman who is transformed not by any magic spell or deus-ex-machina, but by the words of her doctor, warning her to follow a healthier diet, get some exercise and lose some pounds.

The real-life Brittany ended up running the New York Marathon, inspiring her friend, playwright Paul Downs Colaizzo, to write and direct a feature film about her journey. It’s a great vehicle for Jillian Bell, who racked up her own running miles to prepare for the title role. Playing Brittany’s wonderfully supportive brother-in-law Demetrius, lending moral support via video-chats, is Lil Rel Howery (Get Out TSA agent Rod Williams).

While Brittany Runs a Marathon is being heavily marketed as a comedy, “there’s something deeper, more serious and heart-wrenching lying at the heart of this film” observes Letterboxd member Nina. “Sticking to regimens and coming off of setbacks is hard,” writes Michael. “It was refreshing to see growth portrayed in all its fits and starts.” “A really beautiful story of someone trying to better themselves and how that doesn’t mean you have to do so alone,” Claire agrees. “Jillian Bell is excellent and really raw as Brittany.”

We spoke to Jillian Bell, Paul Downs Colaizzo and Lil Rel Howery ahead of the film’s US theatrical opening.

Jillian Bell (Brittany)

What was the first thing in the script that you related to and made you feel that you could be Brittany? Jillian Bell: I got the script from my manager and I was very nervous [laughs]. She said, “You’re going to be a little scared while you’re reading this because I think you’re going to relate to the character and then you gotta keep reading because the script is really beautiful and powerful.” I read it and I remember thinking the exact same thoughts: ‘This is going to be very different to take on than most things I’ve done’. It was different in a good way. Something I wanted to try and go out of my comfort zone. I just related to the characters so whole-heartedly. There were moments where I thought ‘someone is taping me right now’ because I’ve thought the exact things and now they’re in a script I’m reading.

What were some of the conversations you had with the real Brittany? How did meeting her affect your approach? The script is inspired by her story but there were a lot of other characters in the film that were not in her actual life story. Paul and I decided to create a character together and Paul had sent me early on a video of the real Brittany when she was making a tape to raise money for the marathon. I completely got her essence from that. She is so inspiring, smart, and funny, sometimes very silly.

Paul and I worked together on creating a character based off all these other characters and it informed us about X, Y and Z. But the first time I met the real Brittany O’Neal was when we were shooting a super emotional scene. I was concerned about making sure she was okay. It’s one thing to know that your life story was about to be told; it’s another thing to see an actor trying to portray all of these things you really went through in your real life.

What were the other types of preparations you did for the role? I decided I was going to do the actual physical journey of the character. I decided to lose 40 pounds for the shoot, 29 pounds before we shot and eleven while we were filming. I just thought it would inform me on certain approaches the script took that I didn’t quite connect to emotionally. There was so much that I did connect to with Brittany, and then there were moments in certain scenes where I thought ‘why is she acting that way? Why is that her response?’ Once I had done the physical journey I completely understood. I had never experienced what it was like to plateau, for example, and focus on a number so intensely. That was part of the script that I didn’t really understand.

You’re known more as a comedic actress and this was a fantastic opportunity to show off your dramatic talent. How did you want to subvert expectations of yourself coming into the more dramatic scenes? I think there’s always a lot of pressure when you try something that is different than people expect to see when they come to see a movie that you’re in. I was just so drawn to the script and I wanted to protect the character. I know I told Paul that I didn’t want anyone else playing her, not that anyone else couldn’t do it, but I wanted to make sure that the way I read it was the way he was going to shoot it, and he was so on the same page.

I felt like I was in really good hands. We were both taking a chance on each other. He was a first-time writer/director and this was my first time doing something that had dramatic elements, and I was playing the title character which I’d never done before. This is the first time where I was in a movie where I was in every single scene. I had no idea if I was going to enjoy doing something that was such a departure of things I had done in the past, but I truly loved it and I hope I get to do it again.

There’s a fine balance between the need for people to live healthily in order to avoid lifestyle-related illnesses, versus the need for society to accept everyone for who they are, no matter their appearance. What conversations did you, Paul, and other creatives have about this line? We had several conversations and talked basically every day for seven months before we started shooting. We wanted to make sure that we were being honest about these conversations: what it’s like going to the doctor and have them say to you: “You need to lose weight to be healthier” because of some health concerns; and the difference between that and the friendship that you have where somebody is saying: “You’d look better if you drop a few pounds” and how unhealthy that is. And how you can have self-hate and lack of self-worth and [how some of that] is society-ingrained ideas and some of that is of your own making. I think Paul did such a beautiful job with the script. We hit on everything without being too political or too shy.

We just covered Sword of Trust and had the delight of chatting with its director, Lynn Shelton. That’s another fantastic, funny movie you’re in. Can you talk about the different pleasures you get from working from a script versus the type of freedom you have in improvisation, as you did on Sword of Trust? I’m definitely more comfortable with things like Lynn’s film, where it’s not as scripted and you get to be extremely loose and bring whatever you want to it, and Lynn was so open to any ideas we had. I remember Michaela and I, the night before we shot, we were sitting in a hotel room together talking over who our characters were and what they wanted, what their goals were. We approached Lynn saying “this is what we’re thinking” and she said “great!”. It’s very different from doing a role like Brittany, where all I got was the script and I fell in love with that. I decided to stick more to the script than I’ve done with any other film. But I definitely wanted to make sure I was telling the story that I received and was so moved by.

Jillian Bell, Micah Stock and Michaela Watkins.

It’s awesome that in both these movies you’re opposite Michaela Watkins. It’s wonderful for me. Michaela Watkins is one of my favorite actresses. I just think she’s so strong, and honest in her performances, and she also makes me laugh harder than most people in this world. I would really love to work with her again. I’ve worked with her twice in one year so I’ve felt very lucky.

Paul Thomas Anderson has said he’s gearing up for a comedy with Tiffany Haddish. He brought you onto The Master and Inherent Vice because he thinks you’re very funny. You must be on his speed-dial for this project, right? I don’t know about that. [Laughs]. I may not be on speed-dial. I’m definitely a huge fan of his and I love that him and Tiffany are working together. That’s going to be amazing. If I hear nothing more than it coming out, I’ll be very excited to go see it.

Brittany has a life-changing experience and your hard work to demonstrate that really shows. How has working on the film changed your life? It has changed my life. It’s changed the way I look at myself, the way I speak about myself or even think about myself. I feel like I’m a much kinder person to me. It made me examine what I was putting out there and how negative that can be and I think that happens, not to all women but to some, and I’m definitely one of those women.

I feel like a movie like this really inspired me to look at that and have a deeper look at how I would talk about myself. I think this is the movie that I wanted to see when I was thirteen, about a real woman who was struggling with these things and how hard it can be to make the first step, how amazing it can be to really choose yourself first over everyone. It’s a hard thing to do, making that first step.

What was the film that made you want to be in film? Clue was the movie that made me want to be in films. I watched that when I was a young girl; it was one of the first VHS tapes we had and I watched it on repeat. It wasn’t just because I loved comedy and mystery and anything that’s a little dark and twisted; I also loved how all these funny character actors were the leads. I still love watching that movie and it’s still my favorite movie to this day.

Jillian Bell with writer/director Paul Downs Colaizzo.

Paul Downs Colaizzo (writer/director)

The film is based on your best friend and roommate Brittany. What was the moment you realized her story could be a movie, and how was she involved in shaping her own narrative and the tone of the film, if at all? Paul Downs Colaizzo: It was after a conversation she and I had after I first moved in with her, where she decided she was going to turn her life around and take control of what she could control and find some structure in her life. So she went for a run. It was when she was out for her first run that I thought this could possibly be a movie. I outlined it without telling her I was working on a movie that was inspired by her life and then a few months later I let her know. She was surprised and flattered and excited and interested and intrigued.

The character of Brittany is different than my real-life friend Brittany in a lot of ways but her DNA is all over it. She was incredibly supportive, and now she’s at a point where she’s excited that people are going to be inspired by something that was inspired by her.

Which aspects were fictionalized for the movie? I took some milestones from her journey and there were elements of her personality that I incorporated into the character of Brittany, but none of the characters is really based on anybody. The character Brittany is different from my friend and really none of the scenes from the movie is a recreation of anything that happened in real life.

What was it that convinced you Jillian was right for the lead? How did you identify the dramatic potential of the comedic actors you selected? [With] Jillian, I’d always been a fan of her comedy and her comedic acting; when she was in 22 Jump Street I fell in love with her. When I met with her about the role she really had this connection to the character. She wanted to tell the story and she wanted to protect the character in the way that I did. Her brain is naturally funny so we got the opportunity to play with the comic genius that is Jillian Bell and also expose this well of untapped emotion that most people had never seen her access. She’s never done a dramatic role before, I had never directed a film. We had to place bets on each other. That drove both of us to work as hard as possible to not let the other one down. 

The idea of the film is that we’d take a character who is typically a sidekick, start with the archetype of her as someone we know how to laugh at and create actually a really deep, personal pathos-filled human that we also empathize with and relate to. We wanted to do that with Brittany but also with all the other characters in the film. Luckily we got incredibly talented comedic actors who are normally playing supporting roles and also have these other elements of their personality that we were able to expose and illuminate for the world to see.

Do you feel there are films or plays that have done justice to body image issues before? What did you want to bring to the topic you felt was lacking? I never really approached this as a body-issue film. I started working on this in 2011 and that wasn’t really part of the cultural conversation at the time, at least in the way it is now. Her relationship to her body was always a big element of the film as far as her trying to understand what her own value system was, not the value system that the world put on her. But I would consider it a story of a person coming into their own.

I think we all can relate to this idea that we’re not living the lives we want to live and that we’re maybe not taking ourselves as seriously as we could because we’re afraid that if we try we will fail. I think we’ve been ingrained to feel that failure is a bad thing. For me this was a story about a person who learns to help and dream for herself and pursue these dreams in a way that’s earnest, without losing her edge and irreverence in the process.

I like how you kind of utilized the “friend-zone” in a way most rom-coms don’t know what to do with. What were some of the genre clichés you deliberately resisted? Again, you know, I never really looked at it that way because I come from theater. I really am just looking at the characters and their journey and the story we’re telling and how it all relates back to the theme. It’s not quite how I look at the construction of a story; I’m not starting with the genre. The one thing I was starting with here is I was starting with the archetypes we were familiar with and allowing the story to decidedly go in a different direction by deepening the characters and seeing where the story would go as we deepen the characters.

How do you feel your instincts as a playwright and experience in television informed your approach in making your first feature film? What were the different satisfactions in the process? The good news about theater is that it’s an all-hands-on-deck situation. You’re making things work, you’re solving problems because there are limitations in the space in which you’re telling the story. In an indie film, there are also a lot of limitations. So getting creative with your surroundings and figuring out how to multi-purpose environments so they can be several different settings so your film can have a feeling of scope and a change of scenery, but also be filmed in a certain amount of time, was a technical thing I brought over from theater. But beyond that, it’s all storytelling and it goes back to Aristotle and the poetic and finding heroes with flaws that we can relate to. It’s just, in this movie, I’m just asking that the sidekick is the hero because she deserves to be one too.

You filmed at the New York City Marathon. That sounds very challenging. Can you talk about your experience filming there? Did it go smoothly? It was incredible. There were six of us from the crew permitted to be there. We had three units in the race. It was a monster of a day. And also, the action you see in the marathon is easily one of the most emotional days of the city in the year because everybody is so supportive and lovely and kind to their fellow man. We could feel it that day, and I think you ultimately feel that energy in the film. It’s a magical day to experience in real life and we did our best to honor that.

What was the importance for you of depicting an LGBTQIA+ family in the film? I’m a gay man. I think this story is about giving depth and relatability and asking for empathy for all of the people in the film, many of whom are “others” in our society. I wanted to subvert the idea of the gay best friend as a trope, which is usually in a lot of ways the comic relief or kind of a hot mess, sort of the character Brittany would be in a typical big comedy. I wanted him to have a full life that honored where our culture is headed and made the gay storyline as relatable as any other storyline.

What are the types of films you’d like to make moving forward? Do you see yourself making more personal projects/dramedies like this or maybe adapting your own plays? I’m gonna go wherever the inspiration takes me. One thing a friend of mine observed about my work recently: I tend to like to unfreakify people we freakify. My guess is that thread will remain in my work but I’m going to do it in a whole bunch of different ways I hope. I’m working on something right now that’s a historical thriller but I’m not done with it yet. I’ll let you know.

What was the film that made you want to be a filmmaker? The first film that made me realize that films had the amazing potential to break through to people all through the country in all sorts of situations and make them feel excited by the idea of insight was American Beauty. I grew up in Georgia in a conservative area in a religious home and the idea that my life could be subverted in a way that movie depicted made me excited to understand more about myself and the world about me and the lies we tell ourselves.

Great choice, it was formative for me too, I resent this backlash it’s been getting. American Beauty? Fuck that! It’s great!

Lil Rel Howery as TSA agent Rod Williams in ‘Get Out’.

Lil Rel Howery (Demetrius)

What did you connect with most about the script? What was it that stood out to you? Lil Rel Howery: How honest it was and how Paul did a good job of writing the human experience on an aspect of you know, “you lose weight, everything becomes peaches and cream” but you have to get your mental health together too. I thought it was dope. Brittany’s character really showed all the different processes of getting it together. She would be running and losing weight and it’s like “everything’s going great now” but then here comes an obstacle. It’s not about the weight, it’s more than that, and I thought that was very deep. I love how, also, he wrote all these stereotypical characters in such a human way without a political agenda to it. He made these beautiful families look like real people.

Most of your scenes you’re acting in front of a computer. What were the challenges of acting without your co-star present? How did your scenes work? I always joke with people, like, “I’ve done more than Get Out”, and they’re like, “Have you ever acted with people before?” I’m joking. It was acting, man. I think one of the things I love about what Paul did a good job of was each of us got our one-on-one with Jillian. And not just one-on-one, especially for us funny people, very dramatic one-on-ones. It wasn’t hard, it was a beautiful well-written movie and for me, that scene with me and Jillian was one of the coolest things I’ve ever filmed because it was filmed with honesty and emotion and I think we did a good job of filling that.

Do you feel eager to show that dramatic side of yourself? How will you reconcile that after establishing yourself as a comic relief? I’ve never put myself in that box. Unfortunately people just love to do that, I guess. With Get Out, as funny as I was in that, I was only funny to people because it was so intense. It wasn’t like I was just telling jokes. I wasn’t doing anything silly. My character Rod was just being honest: “This is what I think is going on.” It’s just funny the way I was saying it because the rest of the movie is insane. I even look at Bird Box, that character, I threw in a couple of jokes in there just because I felt like it, but that was a dramatic character. 

Even the scenes in Get Out, most of those things were dramatic. Even doing Uncle Drew, I made sure they didn’t make me the funniest person in that movie, especially with a movie with everyone running around with prosthetics. I thought that was crazy. I made sure I was the one who brought the heart into the movie. I’m very specific about what I pick. So I think with my next few films, the ones coming out this year, along with Brittany Runs a Marathon and the stuff I’m filming now, I just think you’re not going to put me in a box. You’re just going to have to call me good at one point.

You are good! [Laughs, generously.]

What are the different pleasures for you working in a scripted format compared to the freedoms you might have on other projects where you can improvise jokes? The crazy thing is, when people hire you they want to hire the best of you, right? I can improv drama. When I met with Paul it was about playing a love interest. We had a conversation of how I loved the script so much and I was talking to him about how I wish the father figure would be aggressive with her and he ended up making me that character where I played the father figure. He created this character based on our conversations. This character didn’t even exist at first.

I’ve worked with directors so far that trust me, and I trust them along with the creative process. I’m one of those dudes who’s a control improv-er. Maybe some comedians go off the rails. I know what the story is, I know what the moment is, I never go off what we’re supposed to get. My only thing I like to do is make a scene real. Even if the scene is funny, I don’t like to do nothing funny if it ain’t real. If it’s too silly, I don’t want to do it. I’m very big on keeping it real.

The same goes for my standup. My standup always comes from a real place. I try to make sure, everything I do, every project, every role, even the stuff now, I’m working with some great directors and I’m like, “can we get on the phone today because some of these lines are too stupid. Let’s think of something better and dramatic and I’ll make it funny” [laughs].

Get Out is a bonafide classic. It must have been exciting two years ago when it was being lauded and discovered, but in hindsight, it’s a key part of a movement that’s defining Hollywood right now. How does that feel to be part of? It feels great, man. I feel like I’m a part of so many different versions of that. I’ve been lucky, I’ve been able to do some cool stuff, man. I think with Get Out and what that did. I think about even Bird Box, you can do whatever you want, that was a fun time and I loved the script. After that, Netflix said they were breaking all these records. “This is a record-breaking movie.” There are a lot of interesting things I’ve been able to do, which I’m not done with.

I think for me, Brittany Runs a Marathon falls under that category with Get Out where I don’t think people know what they’re about to get into. I remember telling people that about Get Out and they were like, “Oh, okay”, and I was like, “Naw, you have no idea what this is about to be”. I think Brittany Runs a Marathon is like that too, I don’t think people have any idea how special this movie really is until they see. That’s why I think it’ll do well word-of-mouth more than anything.

Did you get to keep the hoodies for your character’s birthday? That’s the best piece of costume in a film for 2019. [Laughs]. Naw, I didn’t. It’s so funny you say that. I don’t know why I didn’t keep a t-shirt. Damn, I should’ve. I’d keep anything.

What movie made you want to be in movies? Let me tell you something funny. It’s not a film that made me want to take this on at first. It was an episode of Family Ties. It’s the episode where his friend got killed by a drunk driver [season 5, episodes 23 and 24; a two-parter titled A, My Name is Alex which won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1987]. Michael J. Fox performed in a way, you know, you watch things to be entertained at first? But that was the first time I watched an actor and I was like, “Yo, this is crazy good”. Then he did like a one-man show in the second part, like a play where he was walking on different parts of the set and it was different parts of his life. Man, I thought that was brilliant. I thought, ‘Whatever job this is, this is what I want to do!’ [laughs].

‘Brittany Runs a Marathon’ is in US cinemas now.

[metapikakirby42]

RPDR S10 EP6 Thoughts

Stunning <3

Bye Mayhem. May we see you on All Stars.

“Hey, your talent is in the bottom two...”

See, Sitting on a Secret is a fucking masterpiece

Lol Monique's laugh

This is a great mini-challenge. Bless miss Alexis (the producers) for providing good mini-challenges again.

WHAT A WASTE OF CAKE q.q

Can I just say...Monique and Asia are just the dynamic duo aren’t they? <3

“Bitch I came into this competition with glitter and Jesus” What an icon

Every episode has VANJIE

Lol bryce getting a padded makeover. Eureka is doing really well!

Oh my god poor Bryce XD. Monique is killing it!

Asia...why would you do that to Aquaria XD

Lol at RuPaul....

oh wow....Miz Cracker’s group....yawwwwwwwn

Vixen.....why you acting like Eureka? 

OOOOOO HATS <3

Kameron Michaels - OMG I love it. TOOT. Space age cosplay woman of the galactic nebula.

Monet - FINALLY. Something interesting. The print is very artsy and the hat feels super fashion-y. She’s like an elegant church lady XD. Toot.

Eureka - simple but super clean. The print is pleasing. The black capelet is a nice touch. The hat works. Very elegant detective. Toot.

Aquaria - I LOVE IT. Fashion playboy bunny meets magician. You know if she had a bow. Somewhere...it would help give just a touch of femme that would make it perfect for me. Like the androgynous look. But I want a bow....or maybe a cottontail? Toot.

Monique - She definitely made it work. I don’t think it’s enough to make her beat Eureka. But I really love it. The shiny fabric of her gown, which looks pretty awesome for making it at the werqroom, complements her hat really well.

ASIA - SHOOT. YES. THIS IS AMAZING. DANDELION? GAGGED. Beautiful. stunning. best look of the night. That gown is perfect too.

Miz Cracker - Understated yet classy. I love my fair lady....well...the play. I read that in High School and LOVED IT. The bows are wonderful accents. The hat is cute. I think she looks fancy. Toot.

Blair St. Clair - I like it. It's so cuuuuuuuuuuuute. The hair does it for me. It’s like pure innocent belle at a picnic ready to find love but ends up meeting white trash. Lol toot.

The Vixen - You had me until I saw the bra. DID YOU MISUNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT? lol. no. boot. Because of that bra...I can’t enjoy this fantasy. A bedazzled pasty would have sent this to Grace Jones for me. If I ignore the bra tho....it’s a toot. Fashion.

 Asia getting extra props from Ru...deserves it. Poor Monique doesn’t get props :(

Blair vs. Vixen?

LOL WAT. NO. BLAIR. STOP. YOU GIVING US TEAR RACE q.q  welp....she’s saved. I guess it’s Cracker vs. Vixen...

Eureka wins. I’m betting...

...and I was right. Where’s my pit crew member for happy fun time? And I want the thai pit crew...

So it is Blair vs. Vixen. I’m so sorry Blair...

OH MY GOD. IT IS THE GAY ANTHEM XD. Lips sync songs on point!

LOL. VIXEN HELD NOTHING BACK. Poor blair q.q

Imagine if cracker did this lipsync tho...I would have been cackling...

Blair did way better than I expected and her leave is bittersweet. YOU MADE IT HENNY! We do declare, we love some Blair!

SNATCH GAME NEXT WEEK <3

[your-dietician]

Inside the journey of Notre Dame's David Adams and life after football

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/ncaa-football/inside-the-journey-of-notre-dames-david-adams-and-life-after-football/

Inside the journey of Notre Dame's David Adams and life after football

The magic is in his story now, in the climb that couldn’t reignite the smothered dream but perhaps launched something even better.

Even if it looks and feels like limbo at the moment.

Four months in the NCAA transfer portal for former Notre Dame linebacker David Adams produced curiosity from three Power 5 schools and slightly more than that from roughly half the schools in the Mid-American Conference and a handful of programs from the FCS.

During that same stretch, he also muscled up impressively, completed his final 10 hours of coursework for his ND degree in business as an Econ major and contracted COVID-19 twice in a 90-day span — the reinfection in April serious enough to send Adams to the hospital twice.

► More:Notre Dame athletes embrace NIL opportunities on first day of new NCAA policy

► More:Notebook: For Notre Dame OC Rees, the summer push to get better starts with himself

A litany of injuries that coaxed Adams to accept a medical disqualification at the end of his freshman year, before he could ever take a snap in a college game, was also the lingering reality that ended the comeback and prompted Adams to remove himself from the portal without a landing spot on June 14.

The original inventory of ailments Adams brought with him from Pittsburgh Central Catholic High included multiple concussions, a torn labrum of each shoulder, a torn elbow ligament, a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee, cracked knee cartilage, a knee hyperextension that required surgery, patellar tendinitis and four broken fingers.

That doesn’t count breaking both ankles during his AAU basketball days.

“I both wanted to try the comeback and needed to do it,” Adams said. “Wanted to, because I love football. I love the game. I love making tackles. I love playing defense.

“I needed to, because whether it was actually going to happen or it wasn’t, I’d get closure on this chapter in my life. If it didn’t work out, I’d get closure at the very least.”

What comes next is what the 4-for-40 mantra that Notre Dame bakes into its recruiting pitch really looks like in the real world in real time.

The gift in Adams having it thrust upon him at age 20 and reinforced at age 23 is his reaction to it.

The uncertainty of tomorrow doesn’t bother him, because the resolve and ambition that have been building inside of him are being channeled this summer into something truly inspiring.

“I’ve been stuttering my entire life,” Adams said. “Before I go looking for a job, I’m giving it my full attention. I’ve never had the time to do that before. I have it now and the belief I can overcome it.

“That’s my No. 1 focus right now. Well, that and my golf game.”

He’s working with Arthur Joseph, a renowned author, teacher, communication strategist and voice coach.

“I know it’s not going to go away overnight,” Adams said. “I’m just hoping I’m going to gain some more control for now. 

“There’s a lot of people who have had it. Joe Biden. Tiger Woods had a stutter. Shaquille O’Neal had a stutter. He told stories about when he was in school, where he’d be called on to read and he couldn’t get any of his words out, and everyone would just laugh at him.

“I know how that feels. I also know it can be overcome. It’s time to give it everything I have.”

What might have been

On a November Friday night in 2015, with a road game at Pitt set for the next day, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and four assistant coaches clustered on the sideline to be seen at — every bit as much as to see — Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s WPIAL Class AAAA home playoff game with Upper St. Clair.

The targets of their efforts were Adams, at the time a junior and ranked as one of the top five linebackers nationally by Rivals and third by 247Sports, and senior defensive back Damar Hamlin, who’d eventually land at Pitt. 

Emerging as another player of interest following the 49-0 romp by PCC was an unheralded three-star defensive lineman named Kurt Hinish.

To put in perspective of what an ascending prospect Adams was at the time, the Irish allocated just one assistant — then-QBs coach Mike Sanford — to venture 20 miles north to Pine-Richland High School that same night to scout a vaunted sophomore QB named Phil Jurkovec, to whom the Irish offered a scholarship the very next day.

Adams verbally committed to the Irish the following March, and Hinish two days later. 

“I love my hometown, but I wanted to get out of my box,” Adams said. “I wanted to take the hard road. I wanted to challenge myself athletically and academically. I wanted to grow as a person.

“I had never been to Indiana until I took a visit there. I didn’t even know … I just heard it was a bunch of cornfields.

“And it is a bunch of cornfields — and so much more.”

In the fall of 2016, though, Adams’ preferred hard road took on added and unwelcome dimensions. The injuries began to accrue during his high school senior season, and he played right through them and the pain that came with them.

He did so to the point where Pittsburgh Steelers head orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Bradley, upon examining Adams, said that he had been misdiagnosed and that one of his shoulders was actually “hanging by a thread.”

The consensus top 100 prospect nationally, unsurprisingly, began to fade in the recruiting rankings. By the time he signed with the Irish in February of 2017, Adams was a three-star prospect.

By the time he enrolled at Notre Dame in June, he was a constant in the Irish football training room, seeking treatment, rehab and hope. When the 2017 season rolled around, he not only didn’t play, he wasn’t even allowed to suit up for the games.

Over the next few months, head athletic trainer Rob Hunt, team physician Dr. Matt Leiszler, special teams coach Brian Polian and defensive coordinator Clark Lea each pulled Adams aside and tried to gauge if he really wanted to continue to try to play football.

Each time it took him aback a little bit. But when Kelly brought Adams into his office for a one-on-one at the end of his freshman spring semester, in 2018, it had a different vibe to it.

“He pretty much said the player he recruited out of high school would have played a lot of football for us,” Adams related. “But, he said, ‘Your body has changed a lot since then, and I’m worried about your health.’ 

“That was very hard for me to hear, knowing everything I had put in since I was a young kid. I finally get to this high level, and I wanted to go even higher.

“I obviously had NFL aspirations, All-American aspirations, everything. But to hear that after my freshman spring ball was very difficult, because it wasn’t something where he says to me, ‘You’re just not playing good. You need to step it up.’ 

“In that case, I adapt, I get better. In this case, there wasn’t a whole lot I could do, because of my body. So it was tough.”

Adams stayed home that summer, not sure he’d ever be back.

“They left it open — ‘We would love to have you back’ and ‘you’re always welcome’ — that type of stuff,” Adams said. “But that summer was very hard. 

“Then I came back in the fall. Initially I didn’t plan on going around the football team. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, but I thought it would be too hard emotionally. After I got back, I realized it was even harder to be away from it. 

“I’ll always remember this. When I got back my sophomore year, I heard the band playing one day. And it was just like, ‘Wow, I’m back here. All my dreams are now shot. I don’t really know what to do. It’s hard being here and hard being away. But it’s harder being away from football.’

“So I decided I definitely wanted to go back and help out any way I can and hang with all my good friends.”

During Notre Dame’s 2018 playoff run Adams, then a sophomore, attended every practice and every home game. He watched film and made breakout tapes of ND’s opponents for Lea and senior defensive analyst Nick Lezynski.

He’d help oversee the scout team defense in practice. He’d help organize meetings.

“David was a throwback, in a sense,” Kelly reflected last week. “He was a downhill, knock-you-in-the-mouth linebacker. That’s how he played the game. So to have the game pulled from him so early in his career, a lot of people can’t handle the void. 

“On top of that, David had to deal with his speech impediment. He already had a challenge in front of him as it was. And I don’t know that there’s anybody I’ve ever met that has handled it quite as well as David did, given all the things that could and probably did go against him.”

Making a difference

The function of medical disqualifications/hardships is to allow players to remain on scholarship and finish their education without it counting against the team’s 85-max scholarship limit imposed by the NCAA.

It’s college football’s Mulligan.

But Adams never personified that. He counted and mattered off the field, and at a particularly critical juncture.

In 2016, the Irish cratered and went 4-8. Kelly responded with a coaching staff makeover, lots of self-reflection and a reboot of his entire philosophies when it came to the way he related to his players and how he ran his program.

None of which plays well in the cut-throat recruiting arena.

After wide receiver Michael Young’s July 20, 2016, verbal commitment, the Irish whiffed on every opportunity to add to the class through the end of the second-losingest season in Notre Dame history.

There were also a Kelly Era-high six decommitments in the cycle, including linebacker Pete Werner and cornerback Paulson Adebo, eventual stars at Ohio State and Stanford, respectively. Over the other 11 completed recruiting cycles the Irish have had 15 decommitments combined.

“Decommitting never crossed my mind,” Adams said. “I knew what Notre Dame had to offer and it’s sports, you know. Everybody has bad years. And so it was, ‘Ok, they’re having a bad year. I’m sure they might make some changes in the offseason.’ I didn’t waver at all. 

“I know some guys, who are on the team now and who have already graduated, and a few of them did waver a little bit. And me, along with others, tried our best to hold it together.

“I believe I was the first defensive commit in the class, so I took pride in trying to hold things together, making sure we got the best class possible.”

They also helped reverse the momentum late in the cycle.

Notre Dame broke the drought with the December commitment of offensive lineman Aaron Banks and closed with six commitments in the final week before signing day. Three of them, including future All-American Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, made their decisions on the actual National Signing Day, in February.

Four years later, the group reached graduation day with the same number of losses in four years combined as the 2016 team amassed in one (8). With it, that class helped fashion 43 wins and the first two playoff appearances in Notre Dame history.

And on Nov. 7, they played their part in upending No. 1 Clemson, 47-40 in double-overtime, at Notre Dame Stadium for the first victory by the Irish over a top-ranked team in 27 years.

“The memories are special — I’m glad I have those,” Adams said. “The people are even more special. Coach (Mike) Elston, coach Kelly. There are so many of them. They make a difference in who you become. Now I want to do that for other people.

“I don’t know what that’s going to look like yet, but I know my decision to come to Notre Dame was the right one. Football was my Plan A. My Plan B — if it doesn’t work out — I have an economics degree from one of the best universities in the world. I couldn’t go wrong either way. 

“I wanted Plan A more than anything, but I ended up getting Plan B. So yeah, I’m happy. Going to Notre Dame is going to help me in a lot of ways in my life — with opportunities. Our alumni are very strong in helping each other out. 

“The beautiful thing is when you know you have people in your corner. It makes you feel like you can still dream and accomplish anything.”

Follow ND Insider Eric Hansen on Twitter: @ehansenNDI

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[robillardthoughts]

thursday, april 1st 2021: light and airy does it

what a weird title. but sometimes i feel like the first time you write things is the best edition. not often, but sometimes. as in, i’ve written and lost things before on my laptop and it’s never quite the same when you re-write it. it’s incredibly frustrating, actually. so i’ll leave the title.

thorn

still ignoring my responsibilities <3

i felt kind of ugly today lol oops

sens lost >:( how much do i care though because i had a feeling they were going to lose so i didn’t even watch it lol

i was not feeling physically too well today which is a little sad but i hope it goes away soon

rose

had some fun times with my sister tonight! we watched the hills and a new chick flick that was pretty whatever but serviceable. it’s from 1999 (lol... i was born that year) and features a good old-fashioned bet plot with a makeover. i love it

class ended a bit early today so i got to take a nap which was nice

i found a new youtuber i like who is a designer and she has such a designer feel to her videos. it’s very cool to see and +1 korean +1 canadian

also she’s just super organised and i also watched claire saffitz’s kitchen tour so now i want to be organised

had a yummy indian curry with some delicious wine

got to talk to the girlies for a little bit but not too long but a little bit and it was nice

thank heavens it is the (long) weekend

well she put it on her thoughts so i will put it on mine: we are going to be hard workers heheh like little bees you know

idk where this goes b/c at first it was very annoying b/c i thought my dad wasn’t going to get vaccinated b/c it’s astrazeneca but he said he was just joking so i will be booking it for him tomorrow! yay!

i got the official green light for my job this summer so i’m happy :) she also gave some flexibility on when i get to start which is very nice

i’ve really been enjoying being private on spotify. sometimes u just need to snuggle yourself in a little bundle and say byebye to the world yk

i feel a little tired but overall happy :-) it was a pretty good day

bud

i have two mottos in life, one of which is “when life is a disaster, shower” and the other which is “to get life together, buy a planner” so tomorrow i will be buying an agenda LOOOL (actually i’m not 100% sure about this i just know i want one)

my entire family has a long weekend so that will be lovely

i’ve been putting off doing something but i’m going to do it tomorrow once and for all and i will feel good

i’m in the mood to create and be creative this weekend so i will be doing that :)

next week will be busy and productive. booking it rn

[daresplaining]

Defenders Countdown: 10 Days

Matt and Luke

Luke: “You want a mouthguard... Kitchen boy? I can’t promise I won’t knock some teeth out... Know you like to look good in court...”

Matt: “You Harlem tough guys... never did know when to shut up... and fight...”

Daredevil: Cage Match by Antony Johnston, Sean Chen, and Matt Hollingsworth

    The relationship between Matt and Luke in The Defenders is one that has barely been touched upon in the copious interviews from the past few weeks. How will they react to each other? Will they get along? Will we finally learn which of Claire’s lawyer friends actually helped Luke? We could imagine their dynamic in the show varying from the comics, due to Netflix Luke’s personality makeover, but it’s likely that-- as in the comics-- they will become good friends. At least, we hope so.                  

    Matt and Luke team up all the time. They both have friends who are closer, but their relationship is one of mutual trust, respect, and general enjoyment of each other’s company. In short: they’re good buddies. 

Luke: “Daredevil. I know him pretty well, actually. Well, as well as he lets anyone know him. End of the day, without question, he’s one of the best. Ever. He has lost more and suffered more for his dedication to you than, well, anybody I know. [...] He ain’t the strongest of us, and he ain’t the flashiest... but Daredevil cannot be brought down.”

New Avengers vol. 2 #16 by Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato, Jr., and Rain Beredo  

    It didn’t start out that way, of course. They meet when the Heroes for Hire are brought in as bodyguards for Nelson and Murdock. Matt is less than grateful for this intrusion into his life, and Luke is not about to tolerate babysitting a cranky lawyer, so they hate each other’s guts immediately.   

Matt: “Sure. Protection. My office sprayed with bullets-- the lot of us nearly killed-- and the tape that would’ve won our case for us smashed to bits. Beautiful.”

Danny: “Easy, Luke. Just keep telling yourself-- this’ll keep Jeryn off our backs...”

Luke: “This’ll keep Jeryn off our backs. This’ll keep Jeryn off our backs. This’ll keep--”

Daredevil vol. 1 #178 by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson

    This leads into a hilariously unpleasant bonding team-up, after which Matt and the H4H part ways as... well, if not friends, then at least not as enemies. It’s a while before they reappear on panel together in any major way, but after a year-or-so of implied interaction, they’re close enough friends that Matt invites Luke and Danny to his good-pals-only holiday party.   

Matt: “I understand, Luke. The storm is a killer. Sorry you can’t make it. Say hello to Danny for me.”

Daredevil vol. 1 #206 by Denny O’Neil, David Mazzucchelli, and Christie Scheele

    Matt’s friendships can usually be analyzed based on his willingness to share secrets. (The exception, of course, is Foggy-- who is Matt’s closest friend, but the last to learn about any of his weirdness.) Luke’s approach to heroing is the exact opposite of Matt’s-- he has no secret identity (unless you count his changing his name after prison), and publicly advertises his superpowers. Yet he respects Matt’s desire for privacy, and though he learns Matt’s secret identity and knows about his powers, he keeps them to himself. He doesn’t even tell Danny and Jessica. And the next time Matt finds himself in need of a bodyguard, Luke eagerly volunteers his services in order to help out his struggling friend. He finds bodyguarding boring, but he’s willing to do it for Matt. 

Luke: “Home. Sweet, home.”

Matt: “Thanks, Luke.”

Luke: “These good night kisses are always awkward.”

Daredevil vol. 2 #36 by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, and Matt Hollingsworth

    Not that they're not without conflict. Luke is a straightforward, no-nonsense kind of guy, and possesses that special attribute vital for Matt’s close friends-- a willingness to tell him when he’s messed up. While he is willing to help Matt out, Luke disagrees with his decision to lie and behave immorally for the sake of protecting his identity. (And for the record, on reflection, Matt ends up realizing that Luke was probably right.) 

Luke: “This is you, Matt. This is your life. And we both know that every story has a %$#&bag in it. And right now, it’s you.”

Daredevil vol. 2 #43 by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, and Matt Hollingsworth

    When they were co-members of the Marvel Knights team, they also clashed on the subject of Luke charging money for his superheroics.

Luke: “You got a problem with that? I’m ‘for hire’. Says so on my business card.”

Matt: “The rest of us are here because we believe in what we’re doing.”

Luke: “The rest of you have day jobs, Red. This is how I pay the rent. I fight the good fight. What’s wrong if I make a buck doin’ it?”

Marvel Knights vol. 1 #11 by Chuck Dixon, Ed Barreto, and Dave Kemp 

    But this is the only time it comes up, and Matt isn’t usually this indignant about that sort of thing. He knows Luke’s intentions are good, and he certainly understands having to make a living. He grew up poor, after all.      

    All of this aside, Luke and Matt are a frequent, welcome presence in each other’s lives. Luke is a recurring character throughout the second volume of Daredevil, including getting involved in the “Shadowland” craziness, and he and Jessica pick Matt to join their Avengers team.

Luke: “You think we wouldn’t find out it was you who saved our kid?”

Matt: “Well, I wasn’t-- I didn’t-- Hey, you’d have done it for me.”

Luke: “Well, we wanted to get you something. Something to say thanks.”

New Avengers vol. 2 #16 by Brian Michael Bendis, Mike Deodato, Jr., and Rain Beredo  

    To this day they still team up and have maintained a friendship, despite the fact that Luke no longer knows who Daredevil is.    

Danny: “Gary who?”

Jessica: “I don’t know. He just thinks Daredevil’s real name is Gary.”

Danny: “Do we know a Gary?”

Jessica: “Luke thinks so.”

Defenders (2017) #3 by Brian Michael Bendis, David Marquez, and Justin Ponsor 

    Of the four heroes teaming up in The Defenders, Luke-- amazingly-- might be the one least likely to create conflict. This is because he is infinitely more mellow and personable in the Netflix shows than he has ever been in the comics. He’s also the one dealing with the least amount of leftover drama, as he ended his solo show in a relatively stable emotional headspace. If Matt-- rather than Foggy-- ends up having been Luke’s lawyer after all, they may also already have a relationship going. Luke might not be too pleased about getting pulled into Matt’s crazy ninja mess, but we could see the two of them not actually disliking each other. Charlie Cox mentioned at one point that he wanted a recreation of this cover (from Marvel Team-Up vol. 2 #9), and we feel the same way:

    Only ten more days!    

[margsld]

Outlander Epi 3.05 Recap

Freedom & Whisky are my kind of Saturday night

All that was good, all that was fair, all that was me is gone. Gone to grab a big box of tissues.  Be right back. 

Without a doubt, I feel the execution of this episode was complete perfection.  Written by the genius that is Toni Graphia, she leads us willingly on the journey with Claire, as she makes the biggest decision of her life.  Enjoy!

Boston, December 1968.  Squeamish people needed to be putting the kids to bed at this point as Joe and Claire battle like the surgical gods they are, to save  some poor lady from an early grave.  Nasty necrosis (dead tissue). 

Bree's teacher is being poetic about Paul Revere which should have the students transfixed, right? *cough Bree looks bored out of her tiny mind.  She's doodling gothic archways which is totally believable right? I mean forget hearts with "I Love Plaid"  or " BR + RW 4Eva" no, Bree is all about the arches. As they break for Christmas, Professor Nosey pulls Bree aside and wants to know why she's suddenly flunking her grades.  Bree is typically reluctant to spill the beans and even after he drops the old " your Dad told me to keep an eye on you creepy sentiment" Bree remains schtumm. Go Bree!

Bree is missing Frank.  Word! We all miss that chocolate voiced, vision of turtle-necked creases too, Hen.  His chair, his pipe, the pictures of him with baby Bree pulls on the heartstrings like a marionette puppet doing Zumba.

Claire is also reminiscing about her husband, no not Frank, the other one, the hot Scot.  Joe, who has a radar for all things Claire, asks her 'sup'?  She confesses she had a Highland Fling but fate stepped in.  Joe states "F*ck fate" as he senses there is more to this juicy story & hopes Claire's willing to dish but her shift is over ie she really doesn't want to talk about it.  Yet.

Roger, on the quest of intercontinental pastry research, turns up at Claire & Bree's house unannounced.  No time for biscuits Roger, Bree is wanting to move out and leave Harvard.  Caught in the crossfire, Roger watches on as Bree yells at her Mum that she just needs a break.  She's not the same person as she was before Scotland and needs time to deal with it. Check under her bed for fronds of Heather, plaid stockpiles and empty Whisky bottles Claire!! 

Claire ignores the glaring warning signs and just starts drinking away her fears.  She insists Roger stays and they bond over more beverages.  Roger is great. He's Claire's puppy- loyal, friendly and always turning up with a bone.  That said, Roger is really an historian and took it upon himself to keep looking for Jamie, when Claire & Bree left Scotland (I'm sure the idea of winning Bree's exclusivity never crossed his mind *cough) .  Anyway, Gingo! He found him.  Turns out Mr Fraser aka Claire's baby daddy was still alive and was operating a printshop in Edinburgh. 

Claire didn't exactly jump for joy at the news and I'm sure Roger was suddenly wondering if Fiona was baking.  She makes a mean chocolate chip bikky. Plus, he'd have a saner life than with these Randall cray crays.  In the end though, Claire didn't think she could up & leave Bree, especially now she was exhibiting serious mental instability.  She forbade further discussion about his findings.

Back at the hospital Joe is decorating his office for Halloween which is a bit late as it's now Christmas, silly.  His desk is a display of bones his anthropologist mate sent him, to give an opinion on possible cause of death.  Claire picks up the skull and shudders.  She 'feels' the bones belong to a 150 year old murder victim.  Joe says the 200 year old bones were found in a cave in the Caribbean and somebody tried to 'cut her head clean off'.  What was most intriguing was the bones were from a white lady. *storing that for later episodes.

Joe's also keen to hear more about Lady Jane's hot Scottish fling, the pervert.   Claire finally confesses said Scot is Bree's real father and Bree had just found out.  Joe stupidly asks if she still loves him (Duh!) and Claire says she never stopped (Double Duh!).  As Joe has watched her live like a nun for 15 years then she should get back on the horse or under that kilt, quick smart.

Boston TV has sucked Roger in and when Bree pops by, he's engrossed.  She apologises for being a cow and he lets it slide.  He's a simple lad who came for an Amercian Christmas.  You know with those well known American traditions at Christmas like lobster rolls and Boston cream pies.  Bree must think he's getting fat though as she just offers him a drink and a walk around Harvard.

At Harvard, Bree is fascinated with the architecture again and Roger tries to help her deal with dead and/or unknown fathers just like he did. Bree is obviously not a fan of any kind of history now and wants a better grasp of just the plain facts, so she can know who she really is.

While at Harvard, they attend a Fellowship ceremony in Frank's honour. Claire, Bree & Roger turn up for the snazzy company & biscuits.  At Harvard, Frank was known for his research in the field of European Studies, in particular the rise and fall of European dynasties in the early modern period thus cementing him as a leading historian on both sides of the Atlantic. Interesting indeed.  What did Frank really know? Hmmm?  He better have left some notes!

Claire is unwittingly introduced to Sandy, Candy or Mandy (Frank's mistress) who takes the opportunity to have a pissing competition with Claire.  She also has a go at Claire for not letting Frank go, so she and Frank could have been happy.  SCMandy has a good point.  Instead, Claire forced them all to live a lie for 20 years.  We'd give anything to have just one more scene with the big lug too, SCMandy (insert group hug) *sob

Bree knows about SCMandy too and makes Claire face the truth.  Claire confesses he loved the hoor and was going to get hitched to her.  Bree being the child she is, thinks it's all about her.  Claire sets her straight though and said Frank idolised her, as did she.  So snap out of the pity-party, you little ginger nut.

Claire decides to take that opportunity to show Bree the bone/printing article that Roger found.  Bree seems thrilled with the news and says Claire should go to Jamie now.  Claire says she can't leave Bree, she's needed.  No!  Bree's wearing her big girl panties now, so off you shoo Claire, get those cobwebs cleared.

Claire still mulls it over and after seeing the Moon landing, discusses the possibility of going through the stones and what that would mean to both her and Bree. Bree knows it won't be easy without Claire and in discovering more about herself, wants Claire to go and tell Jamie everything.  Claire gave Jamie up for Bree and now Bree wants to give him back to Claire.  Whew.  Cancel the white truck & straight jacket.  Bree will be ok. Yayyy!

Claire, now resigned to leaving Bree & like any woman who faces meeting her first love after 20 years apart, wants to know if she still puts the Sass in Sassenach.   She asks her BFF Joe if he thinks she's still sexually attractive. He happily declares that "for a skinny white broad, with too much hair and a nice arse, Jamie will be in heaven". #AlwaysTakeAJoe

Preparations for Claire's departure soon take precedence and lucky it's Christmas.  Claire now has ye olde coins for Edinburgh, a book on Scottish history and a topaz necklace to help her on her way.  She's also pilfered scalpels and penicillin from the Hospital because 18th century hygiene. 

With so much stuff to carry, Claire gets out her trusty Singer for a sewing fest.  She's a practical Dr McGyver and remembers all too well how shitty weather was back then. Roger points out she needs a utility belt like Batman's.  They cleverly roll the Batman theme tune here (flashback to my childhood) as Claire is creating her super, weather-proofed, highland frock that would make RM Williams envious (inventor of the Drizabone).  No bumroll needed, it looks like she could carry the kitchen sink in there.  BAT-MAAAAN! 

Oprah would have been proud of the mini makeover Claire gives herself and with a quick home dye job she's ready to leap at some rocks!  Bree and Roger give her the green light and admire the bat suit.  Claire is still being twitchy about it but Bree says Jamie will love it.  Claire doesn't escape taking one last white item, a shirt of Bree's.  Lucky she's only borrowing it Bree! *she'll never see that again.

Not being a completely horrid parent, Claire hands over the house deed and bank accounts to Bree.  She decides to go to Scotland on her own so that her trip through the stones is peaceful.  If Bree was with her, she'd never go.  Bree tells Claire to give Jamie a kiss from her.  As a final gesture, Claire gives Bree the Scottish pearls that she got from Jamie on their wedding night. They give a final toast to Freedom & Whisky.  Slainte!

Claire struggles to the taxi, hesistating and taking one last look back at Bree and Roger in the window.  *pass the tissues please

Bree seeks comfort with Roger and he's glad he made the trip.  She goes to the kitchen to gather her composure and returns with a Santa hat on, a Christmassy smile and some treats for Roger.  In return he gives her A Christmas Carol novel.  They share a kiss. Awwwww!

Claire's journey through the stones is not shown in this episode which is fine as the next five minutes of tv was everything we book fans had been waiting a vera long time for.  She arrives by metaphor, stepping into a puddle (an opening into a fathomless space aka the great unknown) as she exits the stage coach from Inverness in downtown, thriving Edinburgh. 

After asking a local for directions to the Printshop, where Jamie was hopefully working, Claire heads to Carfax Close.  Her hesitation is palpable.  What if he's not there?  What if it's not him?  She spots the Print shop sign and is visibly relieved at the sight of it.  It's beginning to look a lot like Gingermas!

Making her way up the stairs as if they are about to collapse, she pauses at the front door.  We are all shouting "Get in there before we burst" and she moves forward.  (I held my breath at this point.)  Inside the shop, the doorbell warns of her entrance.  A big, Scottish, man-voice pipes up from the back room "Is that you, Geordie?".  Claire instantly recognises the dulcet tones of a Fraser and heads to the workroom window.  Down below, we see Jamie examining some printing, rabbiting to himself/Geordie.  Meanwhile, Claire is trying not to self-combust with Squeee. She manages to squeak out "It isn't Geordie, it's me..... Claire" as Jamie slowly turns in disbelief.  Eye contact!  We have eye contact!  Claire is grinning/crying happy tears.  We, the audience are sobbing with utter delight (yes, read the books, wait many years and then watch this episode).  Jamie grabs the table for support and fails.  Fainting to the floor like a wet rag soaked in whisky. 

The End.  PS We have to wait for two whole weeks for the next episode. 

Send Whisky! 

[ramajmedia]

10 Things From The Breakfast Club That Haven't Aged Well

To some fans, The Breakfast Club is one of the greatest teen movies of all time, perfectly capturing the outlook of a high school kid in the '80s. Following five students on a single Saturday serving detention, the beloved film by John Hughes takes a look at their prejudices, their internalized stereotypes, and their commonalities as members of very different social cliques. The Jock, Weirdo, Nerd, Criminal, and Princess all leave detention knowing their lives have been changed forever.

Related: 10 Coming-Of-Age Movies That Defined A Generation

Made in 1985, the regard some fans have for the film will vary greatly depending on if they were high school age at the time of its release. Almost 35 years have gone by since it came out, and in that time, attitudes about high school society have changed, to say nothing of clothing and the interactions of teens. The timeless messages make it a classic for a reason, but in some ways it will always be a product of its era. Below you'll find 10 things from The Breakfast Club that haven't aged well.

10 THE INSULTS

Due to the fact that a bunch of kids with various grievances are locked in a classroom all day, moods will be tested. These kids aren't friends, they don't hang out with each other at lunch, and if walking past each other in the hall, wouldn't even acknowledge each other's existence.

When tempers flare between the more aggressive detainees, like The Jock (Andrew) and the Criminal (Bender), you get such lethal insults hurled like "Dildo" and "Butthead" as particularly lethal castigations. It's just too benign to be taken seriously and definitely keeps the movie in the '80s.

9 WHEN DETENTION DOESN'T FIT THE CRIME

The reasons the teens are all in detention varies - pulling a fire alarm, taping some guy's butt cheeks together, and a kid gets caught with a gun in his locker and gets detention. It's the socially awkward nerd Bryan, who doesn't get respected and is easy to pick on. It turns out to be a flare gun, but still.

This isn't a dig at the film, but it highlights the fact that in the current climate, if a kid brought any type of firearm to school, the police would immediately be involved. The kid wouldn't be in detention, he'd be in a jail cell overnight and charged with a crime. In the '80s the threat of mass school shootings wasn't a concern like it is today.

8 THE ROYAL TREATMENT

Whatever you may think of Claire, so dubbed the "Princess" because of her privileged upbringing, she didn't exactly deserve the treatment she received in the film. She was perceived as a spoiled rich girl, and as a result her worth in the eyes of the other male characters was directly linked to who she'd date among them.

RELATED: Where Are They Now: The Breakfast Club Cast

"Let's get the Queen impregnated" is one line used which would never make it to the big screen today as it implies that she just needs to be tamed by someone (in this case Bender) whose caustic observations can cut through her pretense. Ringwald has written extensively since the film came out about how she feels it portrayed women, especially her character, extremely negatively.

7 THE MUSIC

The '80s was an era of music that belonged to synthesizers, base drums,and guitar solos. A film full of '80s music is instantly a time capsule, and The Breakfast Club is no exception. In one memorable scene, the Nerd puts on Karla DeVito's "We Are Not Alone", and they all dance in the most '80s ways to it.

And of course, the theme song by Simple Minds "Don't You Forget About Me" is burned into the memory of any teen that watched the film in 1985. Complete with Bender's freeze-frame fist pump, it adds to the quintessential '80s cheese festival that is most of the film.

6 THE OVER THE TOP ACTING

Parts of the film are incredibly natural and well-acted, like scenes with the Nerd, the Jock, and the Princess. But as Bender, the Criminal, Judd Nelson over-acts nearly every scene he's in. He doesn't so much act like an angsty teen, but a disgruntled man at 40.

RELATED: MBTI® of John Hughes Characters

The same goes for the Weirdo Allison. played by Ally Sheedy. She's completely deranged from the moment we meet her, putting dandruff on her picture to make "snow". These two characters pull you out of the film whenever they're on screen, reminding you that they're in their '20s "acting like a teen", while the rest of the cast were actually teens.

5 THE AUTHORITY FIGURE

If you grab the bull, sometimes you get the horns. In this case, Vice-Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason). He's pretty upset about having to waste his Saturday babysitting a bunch of unruly teenagers, and he lets them know it every time he stomps into the classroom.

A surly authority figure is par for the course in any movie about teens, but what dates this one so much is the fact that he even threatens the kids with physical violence (like punching Bender in the face). In the '80s, corporal punishment was much more widely accepted in schools than it is now.

4 THE SMOKING SCENE

A bunch of kids forced to do detention on their Saturday aren't going to sit and mope around in a classroom. They're going to move around, probably destroy a few pieces of property, maybe even leave the classroom to raid the vending machine.

Related: 10 80s Movies Stranger Things Should Look to For Inspiration

And inevitably they're going to take part in some extracurricular activities.  The scene where they all smoke is one of the most amusing in the film, simply due to how painfully awkward it is. The nerd declaring, "Chicks can't hold they smoke, that's what it iz" and Andy hot boxing in the foreign exchange office and breaking a window while screaming? Also, there's absolutely no teacher in the room to prevent them from doing it.

3 THE MAKEOVER

One of the biggest gripes viewers have with the film is the makeover scene, where the Princess helps the Weirdo become socially accepti-- pretty. Her hair is swept away from her face, her smokey black eyeliner is removed, and she's given some pastels to wear instead of her gothic attire.

Today, most girls would prefer to look themselves rather than have what was attractive defined for them. The whole scene conveyed the notion that the way she was before wasn't good enough, and that if she just polished herself up, she'd get that cute boy to notice her. Luckily makeover scenes in teen movies started to fade out after this.

2 THE ROMANTIC ENDING

Like a lot of '80s movies, The Breakfast Club ended on a feel good high note.  Four out of the five kids seemed like they were destined to be romantically involved after one day in detention, and the Nerd was left to ponder and recite the messages they'd all learned.

Related: The 10 Best Breakfast Club References In Pop Culture 

The messages include; the good girl will go with the bad boy, the jock will like the weird girl as long as she changes to fit his narrow view of beautiful, and the nerd will continuously be on hand to witness these two momentous truths in teen life.

1 THE STEREOTYPES

One of the things that was probably always going to date the film was its stereotypes. Sooner or later, the Jock, Criminal, Princess, Weirdo, and Nerd were going to disappear as teen classifications. As social cliques blended, this sort of labeling served no purpose.

So while the concept of the stereotypes dates the film today, there's still a secure takeaway message from their inclusion; everyone is a little bit of all of the stereotypes at different times. We're all a little hot-headed, a little judgmental, a little stuck-up, a little awkward, and a little strange. And that's ok. Fist pump!

NEXT: 10 John Hughes Movies We'd Love To See Remade (& Who Should Star In Them)

source https://screenrant.com/breakfast-club-havent-aged-well/