#and it is so beautiful it's just such an incredible piece of filmmaking as a whole

[septembersghost]

🎵 🎸🌠💖 don't fly away my beautiful bird 💖🌠🎸🎵

(aka pretend EP is actually in this because i was crying too much to get his face at the end, but look!!! my beloveds)

[deathsdormantdaughter]

Projects We Love on Kickstarter (meaning they've been backed with our editor's own money, and we would hate to see them go goal unmet or unfunded...)

Posted 12/31/23

Literature Projects:

The Apex Cycle Audiobook Kickstarter completes in 9 days (01/9/24) and is less than half-way to its 5000-dollar goal; but if even just 250 people donated ten dollars or more it could meet its goal, no problemo, so even if you can't donate the cash--spreading it around Tumblr would be sure to catch the eye of a few somebodies who love sci-fi, audiobooks, and young adult trilogies...

Film Projects:

This is a short film project about the struggles of young love and fast paced romance in urban Shanghai--the clips I saw are already sooo beautiful and powerful and I love it so very much--it only has 201$ as of typing this--but I think it deserves all the love--it is such a potentially impactful piece, especially on the young adult/new adult audience it is aiming for--it only has 6 days (01/7/24) but it would only take 250 people pledging 10 dollars each to reach its funding goal.

So, this film speaks closely to the heart of many young people's experiences in education in urban centers and the differences of the often, very conservative, rural areas where they grew up. I think it is an evocative and sharp narrative that deserves to be explored--the film is only about 100 dollars from being fully funded (the campaign ends 01/16/24)--so just ten people with ten dollars can make this a reality. As always spreading the message around Tumblr can help so very very much..

This film touches on mental health, aging, motherhood, mother/daughter relationships and the stress, grief, and emotion of caretaking for a loved one who isn't who you remember them as. It also tackles the questions of care for mental health and depression in a uniquely Southern Asian way--the filmmaker makes it clear that she wants to explore this part of her and her mother's culture with respect and clarity. This is an incredibly personal and profound look into the filmmaker's life, and I know something this special only comes along ever once in a good while--it needs quite a bit of cash to get funded--but 4000 with ten dollars could do it--we just gotta find those 4000 people who are interested in seeing it happen; this could be a beautiful thing--truly. (This Kickstarter ends on 02/02/24)

Sister Anna is a film for all those romantics out there who also love period dramas and tense family dynamics--probably appealing to those who love Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Romeo and Juliet. This is a broody short film meant to capture the tension of being beholden to one person or another. With a seemingly impossible situation to make it through--this film sings with intensity. Again, it needs a bit of money, about 1000 dollars, but that's just, you guessed it 100 people with ten dollars; surely those somebodies are floating in the ether of Tumblr and beyond somehow. This campaign ends (01/16/23)

A highly philosophical film looking at Ernest Becker's idea of why humans do what they do and how it ties into his Pulitzer Prize winning book THE DENIAL OF DEATH--this film ponders what human deception could lead or is the source of in the modern virtual age--what does it mean to be human now, when deception and denial are so easily accessible to us? Personally, I am fascinated by this question. I love philosphy--I think a lot of other people on this sight do too--hopefully we can find them out there because this project needs 2000 with ten dollars to achieves its goal. The window for backing closes in ten days on 01/10/24.

A unique look at the division within former Yugoslavia and it's struggles with both fascist and communist ideals--and it means specifically for a complicated and controversial monument; the documentary is not about blame but more about the struggle to save this important historical icon. It needs about 2600 people with ten dollars to get fully funded, but I think there is enough interest in history and soviet/fascist ideological fall-out/consequences to reach those people on Tumblr and beyond to where ever you all see fit to share it; please talk to your friends about all the projects on this list--they are so so so important for the arts and the expansion humanity's understanding of itself and where it came from. The end date for this film's campaign is 02/04/24.

Farewell is a story about what it means to be heartbroken, bereaved, and what it is to dig up the past in order to work through the present. The directors, writers, and crew are all very interested in presenting a relationship of tenderness between male friends in a distinct defiance of the ideals of modern masculinity which shies away from these moments in media and literature. I for one think allowing tenderness as a possibility is frankly a beautiful cause. This needs 500 backers with ten dollars--surely somewhere out on the internet they exist. Please donate if you can, please share if you can't. It can make a huge difference in some young creatives' careers. Campaign ends 01/8/24.

A tense and thrilling psychological horror which present the tense and ever vigilante question in a young person's mind in the modern age--are we ever safe with the people we decided to trust our lives to? Is dating ever a safe bet? Can ever really know what another person is capable of? These are age old questions which have tantalized the mind of philosophers, horror directors, writers, and actors alike. This film needs 400 backers with ten dollars each to make--it presents such a fascinating and exciting take on an ancient question--when should we trust our intuition and our fear and when should we rationalize our way out of it? --it would break my heart if this wasn't funded; it really would. Campaign closes 01/16/23.

A story about what it means to define oneself and one's relationship when the boundaries are secret even from one's own internal and external senses of self--this story takes a look at two queer young men's relationship with one another and what it means to be in a relationship and outside of it at the same time. It is definitely gonna hit a nerve with many queer people and what it means to be undefinable.

{A little aside here: I am so excited for this project and hope to be credited as a producer--which would just be so fucking cool as a kid from bumfucknowhere TX (who went through queer conversion therapy and the works as a teen and beyond) to be a producer on a queer film would just make my little tomboi's heart sing; I might even cry--never mind it's not about me; the point is this seems so poignant and powerful and I just want a story like this told and I just want to be a small piece of that story to be possible because of me and because of people like me out there in the interwebs. }

It only needs 150 backers with ten dollars to be fully funded and good God what a gift that would be. Campaign closes 01/23/34.

I am so sorry that it is so long, it took me all day to work on it and to gather up the goodies and the links and write these descriptions and I did it because I care so much about these projects so please please share it as many times in as many places as you possibly can.

Lots of love--

B.A. O'Connell (they/them)

Editor of Death's Dormant Daughter

[chaoticwholesome]

11. favourite native writer/poet?

I'm gonna be sadly honest with you here, South African literature is a bit of a blindspot for me and one i'm hoping to do better in terms of my reading! A lot of local literature we were assigned in school was unmemorable at best and Really Bad at worst and i Don't consider that representative of our media landscape.

So i'm gonna pull recommendations from other media forms instead!

Mary Sibande: one of my favourite fine artists!!!! She did a fantastic series of sculptures using her own body as a mold - pulling from her heritage of being the first woman in her family to have access to education while her mother and grandmother had both been domestic cleaning workers, Sibande casts herself in maid's uniform with a twist: the long maid dresses are cut like a wealthy Victorian woman's gown, and all the statues show her in traditional visual poses of power, such as on horseback as the horse rears up, or in other regal poses! These works are lifesize and incredibly powerful in person!! I love coming across them by surprise in different galleries i've been to!

Leroy Le Roux: Animated filmmaker! His and Tina Obo'a short film The Sugarcane Man is amazing, and Le Roux himself just graduated from Gobelins in France!

Brenda Fassie: a bisexual musician and anti-Aparheid activist! From the bits and pieces I've read about her life, she seems so cool!!!

Nadia Darries: Director of the "Aau's Song" Episode of Star Wars visions! She's a musician and animator who brought a lot of Herself into that episode, from her Khoisan heritage being depicted in the visuals and in a character designed after her Shaman cousin, to her musical background coming in centrally to the plot of the story, it's just.... so fucking good man. Deft combination of frame rates, beautiful textures and look developent, and absolutely insane sound design. Go watch Aau's Song if you can.

There are probably plenty more I can't remember offhand, but I'll edit this to mention them when i do!!

[studioahead]

Artist Spotlight: John Gnorski

When we asked John Gnorski what on earth are EARTH BABIES, he took us on a subterranean journey to meet them. Or at least that's how it felt. Hearing John speak about his creative process certainly takes you all over, even into your subconsciousness, about which he has a lot to say. His art is full of strange landscapes, strange portraits, strange figures. Our current fave is one from his Clouds Roll By Like A Train In The Sky series not because of its great title, or because the clouds might actually be birds or blossoms, but because peeking through the print's ink is the grain of the woodblock, reminding us of the materiality that grounds all our work, no matter how wildly dreamt.

Studio AHEAD: John, your bio is mysteriously pithy: “Born in Alexandria, Virginia, living/ working in Point Reyes Station, CA.” What brought you to the other side of the country? 

John Gnorski: I moved from the East Coast more or less on a whim in 2007, picking up and leaving the Hudson Valley, which had been my home for 6 years at that point, and ending up in Portland, OR. Luckily it was still a pretty affordable town at the time so I was able to piece together a nice existence doing carpentry for a day job (which would indelibly inform my art practice) and making art and music every other waking hour. I found a great community, fell in love with the truly epic landscape of the West, and at some point the West Coast just became home. 

After many happy years up in Oregon, my partner Katie, who is a filmmaker, decided to get a master’s degree and that instigated our (truly auspicious) move to the Bay. One thing led to another, and we were lucky enough to find a house to rent in Pt. Reyes Station. Before long we found a great community out here and we hope to stay for as long as we can. 

I do miss the East sometimes, especially the sort of archetypal procession of seasons there with crisp autumn days, deep winters, and summer thunderstorms and lighting bugs. That said, I can’t imagine a more beautiful place to live than here on the Northern California coast. I’m grateful every day to be here and I often think to myself how did I even end up here in this incredible place? 

Studio AHEAD: Has Northern California come to influence the materiality of your work? 

John Gnorski: Absolutely. In a very literal sense I tend to use native wood in my work whenever I can, but the influence goes beyond the physical material to a particular sensibility that seems to be shared by a lot of Northern California artists across generations and styles. I find that, at least in my experience, there’s less concern out here about the whole (false) binary of art vs. craft than I experienced as a young artist on the East Coast (particularly in the vicinity of New York). 

I think that this attitude has, thankfully, changed quite a bit pretty much everywhere in the years since I moved west, but nevertheless California has a long history of breaking down established conventions and categories. Ceramics and wood sculpture, for instance, have been taken seriously out here for generations in a way that hasn’t historically been the case out east. 

This anti-hierarchical spirit famously permeates a lot of the culture out here. A nice example is the great DIY building tradition of the “hippies” and other folks who took to the rural areas of the coast, starting in the middle of the last century, and made truly beautiful, strange, and inspired homes out here that flout both architectural convention and often the laws of physics. I’ve had the pleasure of helping to restore some buildings like this up in Mendocino and, to bring this full circle, some of the little scraps and bits I’ve taken with me from those projects have become pieces of my own work, along with the lessons of those often anonymous artist/builders who made, intentionally or not, amazing sculpture-houses. 

There’s also a very strong Japanese influence on the aesthetics of so much California art/craft/design that’s found its way into my work. Would I be making these very Japanese/Noguchi-inspired lanterns if I hadn’t ended up here? I don’t know for sure but I’m guessing this place has informed them quite a bit. 

Studio AHEAD: Don't get Homan started on Noguchi. He's obsessed. What is your relation to abstraction? Many of your sculptures and drawings almost seem to form recognizable figures, but not quite. 

John Gnorski: With very few exceptions everything I make is representational even if it’s hard to decipher the image in the finished piece. I’m looking at a little watercolor painting right now that would almost certainly appear totally abstract to anyone but me, but I know that I made it in the Mojave desert and I can see the particular landscape that I was trying to depict—the horizon, the heat ripples, little constellations of scrubby desert plants—though it’s basically reduced to visual symbols. 

It’s not necessarily a formal decision I’ve made to avoid pure abstraction, it’s more of a narrative one. Having concrete subject matter is an important starting point for me, one method of avoiding the potentially paralyzing experience of confronting the blank page. So even if the finished picture or object ends up miles away from where it began, I still start by saying to myself, for instance: I’m going to draw a lizard sunning itself on a stump or, as in one of the pictures I’m working on now, I’m going to draw a bather in Tomales Bay stooping down to look at a bat ray. One might end up a pretty faithful manifestation of the concept while another might go through the ringer of some process and turn out as a loopy line drawing that barely hints at its source material. 

I sometimes do the same thing when I write songs, coming up with a title first and then writing into that. The two even intersect as in my continuing series of cloud pictures all of which are titled “Clouds Roll By Like A Train In The Sky” which is also the name of a song I wrote. Without the title those pictures read as geometric abstraction, but with the title they become clouds. Context is so important! 

Studio AHEAD: Those cloud pictures, and also your Rorschach-like quarantine notebooks/bird and butterfly prints, give room to the subconscious. How do you get into that mental space when creating that allows for the subconscious to take over? 

John Gnorski: Allowing room for the subconscious is really important to me because at the end of the day it’s very often the accidental/unintentional things that really resonate with me. To clarify, when I say subconscious in this context what I’m really talking about is allowing forces outside of my control to work in the picture/object. I try to maintain a decent level of competence when it comes to the basics of art-making, but I also try to use whatever “technique” I’ve developed to allow chance and accident to do their wonderful work. I know that nothing I could map out perfectly from start to finish will be nearly as interesting as something that transforms in ways I never could have anticipated through the process of the making. 

This sensibility is very visibly present in the Rorschach-style pieces and a lot of my sketchbooks and works on paper, but it’s there in less obvious ways in all of my work. The lanterns, for instance, might appear as though each little bit of joinery was carefully plotted out, but in reality they are built based on pretty simple line drawings and constructed in an organic manner. I’ll have a basic shape I want to achieve, but the way everything is put together is done on the fly. Sometimes a connection might become redundant structurally as a piece grows, but I’ll keep it in there as a remnant of the process. All the little false steps and unintentional gestures become a part of the piece and give it a complexity I wouldn’t have achieved if I’d set out with a dialed-in plan and done things in the most elegant and minimal way possible. 

The same is true of the ink on paper pieces which begin life as charcoal drawings and allow chance to seep in throughout the process. I rub the drawings onto plywood “plates” which transfers them in an imperfect but legible manner. I’m also using multiple plates and pieces of paper to allow for misalignments, and the plates themselves are of a type of plywood that tends to have an active grain that sometimes splinters or “runs”—interrupting the carved line in often surprising ways. I hand print the plates, which produces unexpected textures, and then go back into the image with more ink or sometimes collage or pastel. So in the end what began as a pretty clear and maybe even graceful line drawing becomes, through the welcoming-in of chance, something a bit more nuanced and awkward, full of special little moments on its physical surface that come out of that totally not conscious place of process. 

Studio AHEAD: Tell us about EARTH BABIES, your collaboration with Kate Bernstein. We are particularly interested in how collaboration impacts the creative process—we have many ideas about this at Studio AHEAD and those ideas are constantly evolving. Do you find it easier to work alone or with a partner? 

John Gnorski: EARTH BABIES is the conceptual tent that shelters all the collaborative work that Katie and I do together. It started as a music/installation performance at an amazing event called Spaceness that friends of ours organized for 5 years on the coast of Washington at a place called the Sou’wester. 

Spaceness was a very free-form community art-making event that revolved around the concept of the unknown, and often featured work relating to outer space or unexplored worlds. It was held annually in early spring—the very darkest and dreariest time of the year in the Pacific Northwest—and it featured music, dance, video, radio, you name it. Folks would work for months on their contributions, and it was so beautiful: community coming together to make their own entertainment and help each other through dark days. For me, this is the best case scenario for art-making. I like to think of it as subsistence art—art for fun and joy and also for survival. It honestly makes me tear up thinking about it, and I often cried during the performances there. It just moves me so much to see what people can make with little to no budget out of the simplest materials like cardboard, scrap wood, clip lights, fabric, words: whole worlds that can really put you under a spell, transport you, communicate a message, and make time and space for our imaginations to nourish one another. 

Anyway (and forgive me, this is going to get maybe a little esoteric) Katie and I, inspired by a trip to Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, came up with this idea of a whole culture of beings living deep under the surface of our Earth called “Earth Babies.” We first wrote and recorded songs based on this imaginary world, and over the years we made various installations: the “Healing Machine” which was a sound bath in a hand-built A-frame in the woods and the “Hopler Archive,” a fictional natural history museum. 

At this point, EARTH BABIES is the name we use whenever we want to make something creative without the burden of our “actual” identities getting in the way. It’s our shared alter ego that allows for maximum creative expression. 

As for collaboration generally, as much as I love spending time alone in my studio, my ideal art making ratio would be 25% solitary practice, and 75% collaboration. I love the energy of working with other artists, performers, thinkers, etc., and I think that collaboration leads to amazing things no one ever could have come up with on their own. I also think that community events like DIY music shows, theater, potlucks and ephemeral art exhibits in informal spaces are the most heartfelt and wonderful forms of art —purely collaborative and collectively authored. Again, it’s that idea of “subsistence art”. If none of us had to worry about selling our work I think there would naturally be a lot less emphasis on individual style and a lot less concern about authorship. Maybe collaboration would be the new norm and we could all contribute a verse to the big song we sing to sustain ourselves. 

Studio AHEAD: What's your favorite music to listen to while making art? You are also a DJ and musician.

John Gnorski: Katie and I host a radio show on West Marin’s community radio station KWMR every other Sunday morning, which has really made us feel connected to the community out here. 

I listen to a huge variety of music in my studio from atmospheric/ambient music like Brian Eno and Hiroshi Yoshimura to soul to Neil Young to Terry Riley to Alice Coltrane to Lucinda Williams. I’ll often just rely on my cassette library to take a break from the digital realm, which features a lot of mixtapes from Mississippi Records, my favorite record store/label. But if I had to choose only one thing to listen to while making art it would be Ornette Coleman. I’ve listened to a collection of his recordings called Beauty Is A Rare Thing many thousands of times over the years in every studio, basement, garage, and shed I’ve worked in. His music has every color and emotion and gesture in it, and it radiates compassion and energy and love. It’s also difficult at times and can go from soothing to jarring pretty quickly, much like life. When I listen to a song like “I Heard It Over The Radio” I hear everything from voices harmonizing singing a folk song to animals making raucous calls to wind in the trees and rattling subway cars. 

Studio AHEAD: What can you do in music that you can’t do in the plastic arts? And vice versa? 

John Gnorski: For me the boundaries are pretty porous. As I alluded to earlier with the titling of my work, there’s a lot of crossover and dialogue between disciplines in my practice. It’s easier for me to come up with analogies. A skittering, hesitant line in a drawing conveys something similar to a thin, airy flute or a tentative phrase on a piano. Take a lyric like this one by Leonard Cohen: 

Nancy was alone

looking at the late, late show

through a semi-precious stone. 

It conjures all kinds of atmospheres and emotional states like a Rothko or an Alice Neel portrait. Whenever I hear Alice Coltrane play the harp I think of someone painting with absolutely every color on their palette. 

Music, however—live music—does have the wonderful quality of being ephemeral that most plastic arts don’t possess. It allows you to really inhabit the moment if you choose to. As a performer you’re also able to collaborate with an audience in a way that’s much harder to do with visual art. If you can engage an audience, or are part of an engaged audience, it can really make the experience special, with everyone kind of rooting for the performers and contributing their attention and energy to make the whole experience really lovely. 

Then I suppose there are some stories that can be more eloquently told in pictures or gestures than in sound. Light can be captured really evocatively in a drawing or a painting and used to make form in the realm of sculpture. There are some feelings you can only get, some ideas that can only be conveyed, when you’re in the presence of a physical thing. 

Studio AHEAD: I want to end on the very first photo posted on your Instagram. It’s a poster that says: “Now is the time to do your life’s work.” How do you or how do you try to live this mantra? 

John Gnorski: I made this picture as a kind of personal affirmation to hang on my studio wall many years ago. A lot of people who came through commented on it and it seemed like most everyone appreciated the reminder. 

My idea of my “life’s work” changes all the time, but the constant is a commitment to making things that I hope will tell a story or convey a feeling clearly and with heart. At times it can seem like art is some kind of luxury or commodity, but then I remember how it has truly illuminated and influenced and given hope and shape to my life and the lives of a lot of other people over the entire course of human existence. I think that being an artist is as noble a vocation as any, and more helpful to humanity than a lot of things I could be doing with my time. 

I’m in the fortunate position of being able to primarily make a living by making art and other art-adjacent objects these days, but in the recent past when I would be laboring away at a carpentry gig, I would think of that image and that mantra and remember that I had some kind of calling beyond the job that paid the bills—a “life’s work” that couldn’t be defined by an hourly rate—and that the artist work deserved and demanded my commitment. I still believe that if I show up for the muse or universe or whatever you want to call it everyday, ready and willing to work, that I’ll be able to somehow keep doing this as my life’s work and hopefully make things that help other people see life or hear it or survive and take joy in it. 

Studio AHEAD: We love that. We always start with asking our clients how they live. It's so important. Can you give us three creative people/places/cultural forces based in Northern California that we should take note of?

John Gnorski: Cole Pulice is a musician/composer living in the East Bay whose music often keeps me company in the studio. We also listen to a piece of theirs almost every day on the short drive from our house to the trail that we walk to check on the animal neighbors and greet the day. 

Bolinas/Pt.Reyes/Inverness DIY art/music scene This is an acknowledgement of the type of creative community vitality that to me is the heart of sustaining art-making—artists, musicians, writers—we can also get specific and talk about it in terms of two spaces where most of this stuff takes place: the Gospel Flat Farm Stand and the hardware store in Bolinas. Both are DIY spaces of the highest caliber that provide the setting and the energy for art to happen. 

Ido Yoshimoto. I know that everyone reading this probably already knows Ido’s work [if not, we interviewed him here —SA] but I feel compelled to shout him out because he so generously invited me into the community here when we landed a few years back. He’s also shared knowledge and food and time. The people who make their lives here and share their talents and have profound respect for the land are the soul of this place, and Ido is one of those people.

Photos by Ekaterina Izmestieva

[denimbex1986]

"...I'm gonna talk about "A Day In The Life" because I'm a Beatles obsessive. It's very hard to pick your favourite Beatles tune...but if I had to pick one it would be "A Day In The Life"...I think it's one of the greatest works of art. I think if you didn't have "A Day In The Life" you wouldn't have "Bohemian Rhapsody", you wouldn't have "Paranoid Android", but they were just pushing the envelope, you know, and the thing that always gets me about that piece of music is - they were in their mid-20's. I think George was like, maybe 24, so it's just phenomenal.

And they've been a constant companion to me all through my life The Beatles; I guess I started listening to them when I was four or five and I've never stopped, and I think that 'Get Back' documentary that came out, I mean, for anyone who's not even interested in music, but if you're interested in creativity and friendship, just watch that documentary - I watched the whole thing in one go; eight hours, and I've watched it twice since, and it's just beautiful...

I think "We Can Work It Out" is another good one...but I think "A Day In The Life" is the one. You know, it was almost like it gave music permission to become the way it did and every time I listen to it, it still moves me, and you know that incredible orchestral orgasm in between Lennon's bit and McCartney's bit and then that final chord at the end; there's nothing like it really. It's just profoundly brilliant."

[daincrediblegg]

movie buff questions: any number with a 6 in it. <3

6. Favorite movie from the 90’s? Literally the first one I thought of was Hocus Pocus. So I'm going with that. It's goddamn incredible anyway.

16. Ever watched a movie just because you heard the effects were awesome? YES! Dawn of the Planet of The Apes. saw it in theaters like 10 times throughout the summer after graduating high school bc the theater was right down the block. shit is insane.

26. Best experience going to the movies Honestly the most recent was Everything Everywhere All At Once. My first viewing was on opening week and that was a PHENOMENAL audience to be a part of- especially recently. Also I will never forget the energy that was in the theater after The Grand Budapest Hotel. shit was awesome.

36. Movie quote you live by? lmao it's not from a movie but for years I had this quote up on my facebook page from Westworld "You can't play God without being aquainted with the Devil". Facts man. Thanks A-Hop.

46. Favorite cop film? Gonna go with Fargo on this one I think. Feels right.

56. Movie you completely nerd-out over every time it’s mentioned? Lord of the Rings. You will always get me with Lord of the Rings. No question. No doubt. I have so many lotr related facts and anecdotes and prop replicas.

60. Most visually stunning movie you’ve seen? God I can't choose. I really can't. so many movies are too beautiful I cannot pick just one. help me god.... OK 1917. that bitch has so much going for it.

61. A movie your parents introduced you to? lmao so many. kudos to them tho for taking me to Spirited Away at the ripe old age of baby.

62. Favorite genre? Gothic (clearly- and it's not the same as horror writ. large- there's a difference, even though many horror films overlap with gothic films as well and the whole horror genre literally owes everything to Gothic fiction but I digress)- also because there's lots of elements that go into gothic from other genres like romance and comedy that people tend to forget about- and I'll always take a good genre mix any day over just... one plain old thing? I like a Genre Ensemble if you will and Gothic covers that the best I think.

63. Least favorite genre? Hallmark Rom-coms. sitcoms in general. or reality tv shit or documentaries (lotta people say they're "unbiased" but the nature of perspective and subjectivity in film is bias. never as fully informative of facts as they purport to be and I can't stand the fuckin things. boring as sin).

64. Comedy movie that you didn’t find funny? First one I thought of was Bridesmaids. Deadass. I don't think a lot of mainstream comedies do humor very well anyway. Also fucking anything written by James Gunn that man literally only knows how to write one movie and it was guardians of the galaxy vol. 1 and literally everything he's done since has been copy-pasted from that script (and especially suicide squad. hate that move so much forever and always what a piece of shit).

65. Horror movie that didn’t scare you? Most don't??? not that bad anyway. Fucking M3gan was literally the most unscary shit I've ever seen recently tho. but then again I grew up on Child's Play like I'm immune to freaky doll shit.

66. Favorite remake of an old movie? ok but dicks out for the planet of the apes remakes. I'm so serious. Andy Serkis put his whole pussy into that monkey.

67. A movie that started a passion for you? um... this is kindof a hard question to answer because movies/shows made me want to persue writing/directing as a career. There have been a lot of them, and the more I see the more I want to do it, so the list is ongoing, but LOTR and Joker 2019 are the two biggest contributors that I can think of off the top of my head. LOTR bonus features are what I lived for and got me passionate about the actual filmmaking process and special effects and stuff, Joker is the one that solidified for me the career choice.

68. A movie that sparked an interesting conversation? in my household The Godfather will never not be the film that sparks interesting conversations- bc my dad worked with a guy that was up for the part of sollazzo, and he was on the books and getting payed and everything when Marlon Brando requested that a guy he knew play the part instead, so he got the boot. BUT!! since he was on the books there was a term in his contract that he get residuals anyway- and so he still does. he was at my parent's wedding and everything. crazy shit.

69. The main movie you remember from your childhood? my childhood was filled with them. Can't be specific about this one I'm afraid. Just trust me. Many.

MOVIE BUFF ASKS

[weedle-testaburger]

Me again. Just curious. What would you say is the best film you’ve seen this year so far? For me it’s easily Everything Everywhere All At Once. As I’ve said I loved it. It’s an incredibly beautiful piece of filmmaking. What about you? Just curious.

Yeah I have to agree with that, though I think we can all agree Morbius is the morbiest film of this year so far :p

[caulifloodle]

i've only seen three best picture nominees here are my thoughts:

barbie: extremely funny with two wonderful lead performances! very messy and strange in its political messaging! has an awful car chase that is actually just a commercial in the middle of it! very funny to watch people get genuinely mad about it as the Ultimate Libfem movie or whatever. have watched it more than once and will watch it again.

oppenheimer: expected going into it that i'd be annoyed by its politics but impressed by it as a piece of filmmaking, but ended up feeling the exact opposite way! as a political document it is... pretty decent! or at the very least better than you would expect given the popular american mythology of the atom bomb. as a film it is... absolutely unbearable! christopher nolan's worst ever, and i usually like the guy! edited like a three-hour long trailer for itself, almost never easing back from a rapid-cutting montage with an orchestral soundtrack that never stops building. what is the point?? the most adhd film i have ever seen that clearly doesn't trust its dialogue or story to keep the viewer engaged. "now i am become death" being read aloud during sex is the most embarrassing moment in any film this year, more so even than the closing monologue of saltburn! unforgivable waste of imax film stock. it mustn't win.

killers of the flower moon: masterpiece. could be scorsese's best. lily gladstone's performance is the main thing still generating buzz at this point but the laser-focus on that singular aspect frankly undermines how incredible the rest of this thing is. beautiful. overwhelming. harrowing. miserable. imagine making something like this at 80.

other than these i'm mostly interested in past lives and the zone of interest. wish i had gotten around to them by now. anyway, not watching the show, lmk who wins!

[theharpermovieblog]

#HARPERSMOVIECOLLECTION

2023

I re-watched Clash Of The Titans (1981)

In 2010 they made an unremarkable, unmemorable remake of this film, full of bland CGI effects. Fuck that movie. Here's the original 1981 version.

Perseus, son of Zeus and a mortal woman, must defeat mythical monsters and the satyr Calibos in order to marry his beloved Andromeda.

Ray Harryhausen's stop motion special effects are an endlessly interesting piece of talent and film history. Dated in some respects, but full of the charm and wonderment that fantasy cinema is all about. That's why, when you ask me why I prefer the old version of this film to the newer soulless CGI laden trash heap, the answer is simply, because I like film not budgets and technology.

The 1981 version of Clash Of The Titans is the last flicker of an era of films, most of which involved Ray Harryhausen's effects. Films about classical myths and fables, Gods and Goddesses, a hero's journey and lots of claymation monsters. The best of these films are usually considered to be The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts. The former coming out in 1958 and the latter in 1963. That means Clash of the Titans is, on average, twenty years older than both films. But, despite it's '81 release, Titans has more in common with those older films than anything made in its era. Making it dated in style.

It's actually beautiful to see stop motion so heavily used in the 1980's. It was certainly still used in films at the time, but not in the heavy way it is here. What's so fantastic to me about it's use here, is that it still works so well. Yes, it's not all perfect and it's obviously fake, but I'd argue it's just somehow more magical than CGI is ever going to be. It's incredibly human and beautifully flawed.

It's 2023 and we're all still so glad to see a director of any film use practical effects over CGI, because seeing the work that went into something and the winking trickery on screen is part of the fun.

(I wanna be clear that CGI does have its place and that I do see it as an artform, so don't come at me lol. But, it's overuse over every other time tested style, is ruining filmmaking a bit.)

Clash of the Titans isn't perfect. You could blame the original myth for that. Greek and Roman mythology isn't exactly deeply written and is more about life lessons and spectacle than character growth or development. But, this fact doesn't really distract from my ability to enjoy this movie. I'm here for the pompous stage style acting, the story or heroes and monsters, those fun special effects. I'm here because I love Ray Harryhausen's work and believe he should be celebrated for what he gave to cinema. I'm here because I love movies.

I honestly don't know how you could not like this one, unless you really hate cheesy fun movies.

There's a really great cast, fine direction, some interesting sets and shots, good pacing, Maggie Smith looking pretty hot, etc...

Watch this with your kids, and if your kids don't like it, get new kids.

[marilyninparis]

Graffiti Art Workshop and Cinematheque Francaise

One of the days I was most excited for on this trip was the graffiti art day, and I was not disappointed. After a 30-minute metro ride to Bercy, we met our teacher for the next two hours of our lives (if I heard him correctly, I believe his name was Nikolas, and that’s what I’ll be calling him throughout this post so I hope I’m right).

Nikolas first taught us graffiti basics: this is how you hold the can, shake it like so, hold it this far from the wall, etc. Individually, all of the things he was teaching us seemed simple. He drew shapes and thin, straight lines with the spray paint with ease. It looked so easy, and I was undaunted when it was time to try the techniques for ourselves.

It was not easy. All of the individual elements aren’t difficult, but there are SO MANY things you have to do at once for spray paint to look good—and you have to do it all quickly, or the paint will build up too much in one spot and begin to run. I had no confidence that we could go from our streaky, runny lines to such a beautiful mural in just two hours!

As we learned to blend colors, make and fill shapes, and create designs, we all began to feel more comfortable. We decided on a UK-themed phrase for our mural (Cats by 90) and Nikolas sketched out the outline for us. Then we got to work, pairing up and each pair tackling the design of one letter or number. Bailee and I ended up painting both the “C” and the “9”. I’m definitely no spray paint expert (and my right hands was sore for days!) but I learned a lot and had a blast creating such a cool piece of artwork and learning about street art.

Not far from the skate park where we learned to spray paint is the Cinematheque Francaise, the cinema museum. Several of us grabbed lunch at a Chinese restaurant across the street (it was delicious) and headed inside. The museum was cool—it mostly followed the history of how film was made and early films and filmmakers. It was very interactive; there were a lot of things you could touch, crank, spin, turn on, and control yourself. Spattered throughout the museum were spots where you could sit and watch clips of old films played on projectors. It was incredible to see how old cameras worked right next to the films they produced!

[sirikenobi12]

In Defense of New SW Makeup:

(From a special FX Makeup Artist)

There has been a lot of contention going around with regards to the look of certain characters in the "Disney Canon" - it's all Lucasfilm friends, it's got the same teams George Lucas had...but that's another argument for another day.

I'm not going to harp on the fact why most of these characters can't look like their stylized animated versions because I feel that point has been made by others already, no I am going to point out why they look the way that they do and why it is actually a positive thing.

In the late 2000's (after the prequels) high definition television and film completely changed the Fx Makeup industry, facial prosthetics could not hold up under the now crisp eye of the new technology and it looked incredibly fake on screen - Silicon prosthetics were the exception of course but they were relatively new and VERY expensive and hard to use. And because they were heavier they still didn't work for big pieces like lekkus and other headpieces.

And because of this CGI became the norm for fantasy and horror characters for most (if not all) of the 2010's.

FX makeup artists truly thought their positions were obsolete in this new high-def world and that they would have to settle for B-movies for the rest of their careers.

But then Disney came along with both the MCU The Force Awakens and totally changed the game, they found a way to mix practical effects with digital and made in my opinion a beautiful blend of the two arts in a really wonderful way.

But let's dig into why everyone needs to stop dumping on and instead appreciate these makeups, first off blaming Disney for these makeup choices shows how little anyone knows about the filmmaking process. I have been on multiple film sets where I have had to explain to Directors and Producers why they can't have exactly what they want due to the physical restrictions of makeup applications. Trust me, Disney would rather the fans be happy because it means more money. These were production restrictions and needs for these makeups, not an evil corporate decision.

AHSOKA TANO:

What a GORGEOUS piece of art that is!! It looks like an extension of her head while still holding up to demanding physical stunts. If either her lekkus or montrals had been any longer they would've started bending due to their weight or you would've seen more seams on the prosthetics. They are also painted beautifully and wrinkled just right to show some age on the character.

CAD BANE:

He is TERRIFYING in all the best ways!! People complain that he's not the right color blue but did you take into account that he's standing beneath 2 bright suns in a washed out environment that would reflect off his skin?? He's also aged which most people and creatures lose pigment in their skin tones as they get older.

You probably didn't think about that, but trust me the makeup artist sure did.

GRAND INQUISITOR:

The issues that I'm seeing people have with his makeup are similar to Ahsoka's. But a huge elongated head prosthetic would limit the mobility of your actor/stunt person. I keep seeing it compared to the same species in ROTS, but again keep in mind they didn't have to do stunts, in fact they barely could move. Also, the actor chosen for the role will impact how a prosthetic sits and behaves so maybe we should appreciate a good performance over tearing down someone's hard work.

At the end of the day all of these makeups are fantastic and I'd like to acknowledge the teams of artists and performers who bring these beloved characters to life!! Thank you!

And may the Force be with you!

[dat-is-chill-ghafa]

some incredibly important things the director (rojda sekersöz) and head writer (lisa ambjörn) said during deep talk- netflix about the creation of young royals and their inspiration

“Representation isn’t about pressing things into places where they don’t exist. It’s about portraying reality as it actually is, because we don’t do that.”

“ when you do stories about the working class or the lower class, it’s very obvious. Then, you talk a lot about class. Journalists ask you those questions, those issues are debated. But when you do stories about the upper class, the class issue isn’t brought up in the conversation surrounding the piece.

“When we depict the working class through Simon and Sara, I don’t want it to be portrayed as the working class is usually portrayed. That it’s dirty, poor, problematic, with problematic family relationships.... it also shows how the working class can be.”

“that it’s still hard to be homosexual or bisexual or LGBTQ+ at these schools. You think that the rest of Sweden has come far, we’re at the forefront, we have democracy and equality and equality between the sexes. But there are people at these schools who might be together with their roommate, but that’s not talked about until a long time has passed”

“I think it was important that this LGBTQ+ theme that it isn’t a sign, that it just exists in the world.”

As filmmakers at some point you have to take a stand about reproducing certain stories around LGBTQ+ characters, and instead just let them be people and characters who “happen to” have a certain sexual orientation or a certain identity, but that’s not at the forefront, it’s there as part of their character.”

“Creating representation is just about saying: Let’s look at the whole world. Let’s look at all the stories that can be told and that aren’t told, and are actively disregarded”

“That’s what I like about making this into a youth series, we constantly show and we trust our audience. We don’t have to tell our audience how they should feel and think or what is right or wrong”

“ so important to have a wide search in casting, and not be stuck on a particular skin colour or a certain clothing size, or whatever”

“in film or tv, you look for the things you’re familiar with. It’s a vicious circle when you don’t see people like you portrayed. Then you don’t think you stand a chance, and you don’t apply for things.”

“And then somebody is watching this and seeing themselves in it. Maybe they cry maybe they laugh, it’s magic”

“That we talked about, was that we’d cast real young people. That they’d look like real young people, because a lot of the dramas I watched, I loved everything, everyone I saw... but I was never able to feel that “she looks like me”, we might think about the same things but that person is gorgeous. We have the most beautiful cast in the world.. but they look like real people.. it’s so damn important ” ��and most importantly they’re not 30 year olds playing 16 year olds”

That’s something.. the pressure, that anxiety, that coverage that isn’t just like normal media, but anybody could film you... that’s something we worked hard on in this series because it’s something that is part of everybody’s not just young peoples lives.”

“Whereas now, you’re meant to have YouTube channels or you can look at the whole Megxit thing, and just posting or participating in the media where ordinary people are. This causes that last wall to fall, in front of the small private space you may have”

“You want to get famous. You want attention. You might think that you want attention, when you might need acknowledgement. But attention doesn’t have to be positive. It can be very damaging. Everybody needs that acknowledged. To feel that you’re capable and pretty or whatever it is. That you are enough.”

“Those who become known on social media... often have a particular socioeconomic background. You must be able to afford to buy things or be able to generate collaborations.. the class structure is perpetuated”

“At that age, you feel a lot of things very deeply. You think it’s your last chance. Or, “I will never” it’s rewarding to dramatise and work with..

In conclusion- the incredible people behind young royals- especially these talented and more than important women - ingrained so many important and essential things into this show that is v cool and necessary to acknowledge and appreciate.

[ramseyesscom]

Issue One Hundred and Twenty-Eight

You want to subscribe? Click over here!

It has been too long since I have given you a TV recommendation. So today, I provide you with three TV shows that the words is buzzing about, neatly digested for you. Why listen to recommendations from algorithms and strangers when a nice newsletter can decide what you're watching next?! Okay! Which are you? I Want Something Action-y and Intriguing I Want Something Thoughtful and Beautiful I Want Something Funny Okay! Do you have HBO? Yes! No! Okay! Do you have Showtime? Yes! No! Okay! Do you have HBO? Yes! No! Yellowjackets I didn't know what to expect when we started this show, and I think that's the ideal way to watch it. Here is the shortest, least spoiler-y explanation: 25 years ago, several members of a girls high school soccer team survive in the face of a tragedy. We follow their story. ALSO, in the present, we see the adult versions of those survivors as they deal with the circumstances, the mysteries, and the conspiracies of their past as they also attempt to compartmentalize that experience and move on with their lives with varying degrees of success. This show has just wrapped up its first season, but it has immediately mastered the art of the cliffhanger with each episode propelling you forward without wasting any space. It's good! How To With John Wilson John Wilson is a filmmaker who patrols the streets of New York City, camera in hand. But he has the perfect eye for finding strangeness and incongruity on the streets of Gotham. He then has incredible comedic timing and editing skills to weave those disparate elements underneath his deadpan narration to create something completely different; greater than the sum of its parts. Each episode is constructed as a "how-to" guide, such as "how to be more spontaneous" or "how to find a parking spot," but they all spiral wildly away from their original brief. Put yourself in the hands of a unique voice, and experience a side of life you may not have ever imagined! Station Eleven If you haven't already read the book by Emily St. John Mandel, here's the bad news: this takes place during a super-intense flu pandemic. I know. But here's the crazy thing, this story is sometimes sad, occasionally scary, but it's always hopeful. There's conflict, and tons of it, but that comes more from human interaction and the strange threads that are woven between our main characters. It's a beautiful story, but I think the thing I like best about it is that even though it's all based on one book, it doesn't feel like a 10 hour movie. The episodes stand-alone and work together. And, in a word with 3.5 million distractions available to me at every minute, it's saying something that I can't stop thinking about it days later. This show was an incredible piece of art. Hmmmm. Okay. Either find a friend who does, go back to the top and try a different option, or dust off the DVDs and start re-watching and old favorite.

Have you muted "Wordle" on Twitter? Are you more of a history person, sick of seeing your more verbose friend hog all the "game zeitgeist" glory? (If yes: "zeitgeist.") Well, be jealous no more! WikiTrivia is super fun and just as addictive. You start with a card on the timeline, for example: Sam Manekshaw, First field marshal of the Indian Army. There's a photo of him and a year: 1915. At the top a new card: 30 Rock (TV Show). Was the show created after or before 1915? You drag it into place and you are given a new historical item to place on your timeline. But the more cards you drag into place, the more precise you have to be! It's simple, fun, and occasionally frustrating! It's what every good game should be!  

WikiTrivia!

[lucysometimeswrites]

Hey can you please make a award season one but for a latina reader, if you would like you can keep the tom element. Sorry I'm asking again I accidentally deleted the last ask I made. I love your writing, you are amazing.❤️☺️

thank you thank you so much ur so sweet and of course! here you go and i hope you like it :) absolutely loved writing for latina!reader 

Awards Season (latina!reader)

---------------------------------------------------------------

“Here to present the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, please welcome Meryl Streep!” the host announced. A roar came from the audience at the mention of her name, the very acclaimed actress welcoming the attention and making her way to the microphone.

“Oh, stop it” she said and waved them away, earning a laugh and even more cheering from the theatre. “If I’m honest, I really considered not presenting this award because it breaks me inside to give the Oscar to someone else when it’s rightfully mine” she said in a funny, raspy evil voice, resembling a witch, “But you know, sharing is caring or whatever. Alright let’s get to it.” she continued dejectedly, still joking.

“This year, we have been blessed with beautiful films and, along with them, incredible performances from beautiful and talented actresses. Viola Davis, your abilities to embody different characters and raise awareness to ongoing issues in society has always amazed us, and it does once again in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, Meryl announced, the camera going to Viola who was sitting about 10 seats to my left, the audience (including me) applauding and praising her. Literally all of her performances are incredible.

Could I still believe I was here? Definitely not, and not any time soon. From small skits to my big break with Tom Holland in a stupid rom-com that I didn’t even want to make, to now. Tom knows it’s nothing against him, it’s just that I haven’t learned to appreciate romantic comedies the way he has, but the thing I loved most from doing it was finishing it with Tom. He had become such an important person in my life since that moment, what with guiding me through the newfound world of fame and being there for me when I joined the Marvel franchise, it was just more than I could ever dream of. Now I sit here at the freaking Oscars, with Tom Holland as my date, and having done one of the greatest films ever, nothing could keep the smile off my face. Or the nerves.

 My leg kept bouncing up and down, a nervous action I often did and one that the guy beside me had caught on to real quick when we first met. His warm hand gently squeezed my thigh, and I turned to look at him a little surprised.

“Hey, it’s okay” he softly said, his gaze soft and comforting.

“I didn’t even realize I was doing it” I answered in the same tone, whispering a thank you and letting my hand rest on top of his, weirdly interlocking our fingers. 

Meryl turned to where Olivia Colman was sitting, “Your Majesty,” she started, referencing her portrayals of royalty and causing her to chuckle, “your moving performances have always left us wanting more, and I’m sure that is what I and everyone felt when we saw you in The Father” a big smile broke out on her face, and cheering ensued once more for our queen, or at least one of mine.

“Aging is some we all go through...unfortunately,” Meryl uttered into the mic, touching up her almost white hair, “and you, Cynthia Erivo, made us relate to your character this way with your brilliant acting in Reaching 39″, that woman is simply amazing, I thought as I clapped and cheered with the audience.

“My dear Kate,” the camera panned to Kate Winslet, who just stared fondly at the woman on the stage, “watching you grow as an actress has been one of the pleasures of my life and you reach new heights both professionally and literally in Misdemeanors”, she is such an icon, oh my.

Finally, Meryl Streep turned to look at me in the front row with a grin on her face, and I quickly got into “camera mode”, as I like to call it. I sat up straighter, looking at her with gentle eyes and smile. 

“Señorita Y/N Y/L,” she started with the heavily accented Spanish word for Ms., “with your entrance into the world of filmmaking, you have set new expectations for all of us to reach. Even though this is your first nomination, I feel in my heart it won’t be the last, and we can’t wait to see more of you like we saw with your extraordinary performance in Paraíso” she finished, bringing a big smile to my face at her words. Turning to the camera, I became a bit shy and gave a small wave, feeling Tom squeeze my hand in comfort and another hand on my shoulder from behind. I turned to see Salma Hayek, one of my co-stars in the film, who gave me a strong nod and smile, loudly saying “Eso!” as a cheer for me.

“And the Oscar goes too...” ayyyyy no ay no que nervios que nervios que nervios me muero- all of this going through my head repeatedly but having to put on a smile and a calm façade for the camera was exhausting. Tranquila, tranquila, si no ganas está bien igual solo el hecho de estar aquí ya es lo más-

“Y/N Y/L, Paraíso!” Meryl announced, and all I heard were screams and loud clapping from around me. 

Shocked, I looked up with wide eyes and my jaw going slack a little. I felt a buzz fill my body and the idol on the stage beckoned me up, when I realized I hadn’t moved. I slowly stood up and instantly turned to Tom who quickly pulled me into his arms with a strong hug and whispering in my year, “I knew it! I knew you would do it darling. I’m so so proud of you babe, go get your award!” not giving me a chance to answer as he gave me a quick kiss and turned me around in the direction of the stage. Still in a bit of a daze, I didn’t see Salma, Eugenio (Derbez), and Benicio (del Toro) make their way to me, ambushing me in a group hug as they started jumping around and sort of with me, chanting “EH! EH! EH!” like Latinos at a party and causing me to laugh and come back to my senses. I hugged them all and continued to the stairs, stopping to hug my directors Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón. 

I lifted my dress as I ascended the steps, and in true nervous fashion, stumbled and almost face planted in front of thousands of people. 

“Uy, mierda” I chuckled to myself, and accepted the help of none other than Chris Evans who lent his arm for the remaining steps. I thanked him with a smile and after his Congrats!, I made my way to Meryl who held the famous award in her hands. She handed it to me and pulled me into her embrace, saying “Beautiful job, sweetheart, you’re amazing”, and all I could answer was “Oh my, thank you so much, you’re the amazing one”, sharing a laugh with her and standing in front of the mic.

I looked out into the audience, who were still giving me a standing ovation. Almost like a camera in my head, I tried to ingrain this moment in my mind and took a deep breath, starting my speech.

“God, I really hope I don’t forget any words in English right now” I said with a breathless laugh, inciting one from the people below me. “Thank you so much. Thank you to...um...so many people. To the Academy for this great, great honor. To my fellow nominees for inspiring me every single day. Being in the same room as you is already insane, let alone being nominated with you, it’s just- it’s truly out of this world. Viola, Olivia, Kate, Cynthia, you are my literal idols and if I could physically cut this Oscar into five pieces,” I said as I made a motion of cutting the award and humoured the audience, “I would give a piece to all of you. Um, thank you to my team, my agent, Victoria, te adoro y te agradezco for believing in me and helping me live out my dream. Sorry, I’m probably gonna switch between languages during this.” I said with a laugh. 

“Paraíso was a project that, for me, came out of nowhere. But for my extraordinary directors los señores Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón, it was a life’s work so to you, gracias por darme la oportunidad de darle vida a Marielos and for giving me the experience of a lifetime. Salma, Eugenio, Benicio, Gael, and all the cast and crew, thank you for becoming my second family and supporting me every step of the way. It has been my honor to work with you” I said with a hand on my chest, showing that I was speaking from my heart and smiling at the kisses and cheers sent to me from them, hearing a crazed Te amamos! from Eugenio. It eased the tension in my body which I was incredibly thankful for. 

“I also want to thank-” I stopped, getting a little choked up, “ha, sorry, it’s my family that couldn’t be here” I said, a wave of claps and cheering in comfort came from the audience. Quickly composing myself, I continued, “Ya, okay. All the way back home, lo hice! Familia, les dije que no les iba a agradecer si me ganaba un Oscar algún día por no creer en mi y hoy es ese día, pero no me lo perdonaría si no les agradezco. Gracias por apoyarme a pesar de que yo sé que les dio un ataque que quisiera ser actriz. Gracias por siempre estar ahí para mi, por quererme incondicionalmente y por enseñarme que trabajando duro todo se puede lograr. Los amo infinitamente.” I finished, with tears threatening to roll down my eyes. I tilted my head to the sky to prevent them from falling, and with a deep breath I turned to Tom who had his hands in a prayer stance while looking intently at me, the same smile from before still gracing his face.

“Tommy...” I started, and the audience audibly awed at the nickname, “Oh, you don’t even know what I’m gonna say to him” I said with narrowed eyes, but my gaze found my love once more.

“Thank you so much for being my rock ever since we met. I’m beyond thankful for you and all you do for me, baby. You make me the happiest and thank you for pushing me to do things that scare me. For being there for me in case I fall and for being my person. Te amo, amor.” I blowed him a kiss which he caught and jokingly used to wipe his tears, making me and the other celebrities laugh.

Please wrap up, I read from the screen, and let out and “Ay, perdón! I gotta wrap up sorry sorry” hurriedly finishing up my speech. 

“Lastly, this award goes out to all the Latina girls out there with big dreams. Nunca se den por vencidas. No dejen que nadie les diga que no porque de que se puede, se puede. Querer es poder! I love you guys, my fans oh my gosh, thank you thank you, gracias!” I rushed out, raising the award to the air with one last big smile as Meryl guided me backstage to answer some questions. Just before I was off sight, I turned and looked out to the stage once more.

Lo logré...

---------------------------------------------------------------

once again, disclaimer, movie names are mostly fictitious. feedback and requests always welcome!

[denimbex1986]

'Some filmmakers have the ability to channel pure emotion into a perfect presentation of magic, and that’s exactly what filmmaker Andrew Haigh delivers to audiences with All of Us Strangers, a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of love and memory colliding together in what can only be described as cinematic poetry.

One night in his near-empty London tower block, screenwriter Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal), puncturing the rhythm of his everyday life. As a relationship develops between them, Adam finds himself drawn back to his childhood home, where his parents appear to be living just as they were on the day they died 30 years ago.

Since 2011, filmmaker Andrew Haigh has marked himself out as a filmmaker to watch, and his work has laid bare the human spirit of nuisance and emotion time and time again with pictures such as 45 Years and Lean on Pete. Now Haigh fully opens himself up as an artist with the bold and thought-provoking All of Us Strangers, and this work is a showcase for the talents of a director who is unafraid to separate himself from his subject matter. A simple story of two lost souls who find a connection together, All of Us Strangers is like a beautiful haiku set to life as it examines one man’s present and past and his bold desire to be true to himself. To experience this film is to experience a transcendental dream of emotion, and its unexpected narrative will have you in tears by its final scene. This is a sublime and primal piece of direction from its filmmaker and its piece of pure expression.

Taking the centre spotlight of All of Us Strangers is British thespian Andrew Scott, and the renowned actor delivers the best performance of his career. As Adam, a burnt-out and lonely screenwriter, Scott is desperately longing for connection, and in his isolation, begins to lose himself to the memories of his youth as he begins to relive his past again. Scott’s performance is incredibly true to the emotional needs of the character, and Scott fully immerses himself into Adam and his conflicted, often hurting mind. Through Adam, audiences get a picture of the human experience and the moments and dreams that make it up. Scott’s performance is an expression of pure truth, and he becomes a symbol of our need for love and connection in a world that is so uncontrollable, and his performance is utterly heartwarming.

Playing off of Scott’s Adam is rising star Paul Mescal as Harry, another lonely soul whom Adam comes into contact with and who eventually becomes his lover and partner in a whirlwind romance that quickly sweeps them up. Mescal’s Harry is the romantic to Adam’s realist, and with his desire to experience every sensation, he quickly breaks Adam out of his rut. But this unabashed freedom quickly turns into a tornado of passion, and such levels of love can’t be contained forever. For his part, Mescal is incredibly brave in the role, and he delivers a committed and, at times, layered performance that will keep audiences pulled in. His performance definitely proves why he is tipped to be the next big thing, and he has the measure of a powerful actor at the head of his craft.

In All of Us Strangers, a huge measure of applause must be given to Claire Foy and Jamie Bell, who portray Adam’s mother and father. As the now-grown Adam travels back through memory and dream, he comes to communicate with his long-lost parents, and both Foy and Bell deliver a dual performance that elevates Scott’s position in the narrative and which helps to focus the direction of the story and gives emphasis to Adam’s own emotions and feelings. There’s an incredible honesty and nostalgia present in the dual performance of Foy and Bell, and you feel like they are truly a committed partnership as Adam’s parents, who, for this one single moment, are able to find a way to express love for their son one more time.

As a cinematic experience, All of Us Strangers is a beautiful piece of cinema to behold and its dreamlike ambience runs between the presence of both an artistic memory and a reflective ghost story. Light and sound come together to build an incredible ambience of feeling and emotion, and with its deep neon hues and 1980s-styled soundtrack, audiences will feel the nostalgia of the piece. The atmosphere of All of Us Strangers makes an incredible impression on the audience, and it elevates the emotion of the narrative displayed.

All of Us Strangers is a remarkable film that will catch viewers off guard, and its outstanding performances will stay with them even after the credits have rolled.'

[madmensideblog]

MAD MEN BOOK RECS

Happy pride/Don Draper’s fake birthday ❤️ Below the cut, I’ve listed info on my favorite Mad Men related books and a couple I haven’t read yet but I’m really looking forward to. Let me know if you check any of these out, or if you have any other recommendations! ❤️

Mad Men Carousel: The Complete Critical Companion by Matt Zoller Seitz

“Mad Men Carousel is an episode-by-episode guide to all seven seasons of AMC's Mad Men. This book collects TV and movie critic Matt Zoller Seitz’s celebrated Mad Men recaps—as featured on New York magazine's Vulture blog—for the first time, including never-before-published essays on the show’s first three seasons. Seitz’s writing digs deep into the show’s themes, performances, and filmmaking, examining complex and sometimes confounding aspects of the series. The complete series—all seven seasons and ninety-two episodes—is covered.

Each episode review also includes brief explanations of locations, events, consumer products, and scientific advancements that are important to the characters, such as P.J. Clarke’s restaurant and the old Penn Station; the inventions of the birth control pill, the Xerox machine, and the Apollo Lunar Module; the release of the Beatles’ Revolver and the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds; and all the wars, protests, assassinations, and murders that cast a bloody pall over a chaotic decade.

Mad Men Carousel is named after an iconic moment from the show’s first-season finale, “The Wheel,” wherein Don delivers an unforgettable pitch for a new slide projector that’s centered on the idea of nostalgia: “the pain from an old wound.” This book will soothe the most ardent Mad Men fan’s nostalgia for the show. New viewers, who will want to binge-watch their way through one of the most popular TV shows in recent memory, will discover a spoiler-friendly companion to one of the most multilayered and mercurial TV shows of all time.”

A classic episode-by-episode look at the series from reviewer Matt Zoller Seitz.

The Legacy of Mad Men — Cultural History, Intermediality and American Television (Edited by Karen McNally, Jane Marcellus, Teresa Forde, and Kirsty Fairclough)

“For seven seasons, viewers worldwide watched as ad man Don Draper moved from adultery to self-discovery, secretary Peggy Olson became a take-no-prisoners businesswoman, object-of-the-gaze Joan Holloway developed a feminist consciousness, executive Roger Sterling tripped on LSD, and smarmy Pete Campbell became a surprisingly nice guy. Mad Men defined a pivotal moment for television, earning an enduring place in the medium’s history.

This edited collection examines the enduringly popular television series as Mad Men still captivates audiences and scholars in its nuanced depiction of a complex decade. This is the first book to offer an analysis of Mad Men in its entirety, exploring the cyclical and episodic structure of the long form series and investigating issues of representation, power and social change. The collection establishes the show’s legacy in televisual terms, and brings it up to date through an examination of its cultural importance in the Trump era. Aimed at scholars and interested general readers, the book illustrates the ways in which Mad Men has become a cultural marker for reflecting upon contemporary television and politics.”

This is a really beautiful collection. It was published in 2019. It’s rather expensive. (I found a used copy for much cheaper.) If you can afford it, I really, really recommend buying it. There is a pdf floating around if you know where to look though. But like I said, it’s really amazing work and the women who curated it deserve high praise and compensation.

A few favorite essays of mine include “Don Draper and the Enduring Appeal of Antonioni’s La Notte” by Emily Hoffman, “Mad Men’s Mid-Century Modern Times” by Zak Roman, “Mad Men and the Staging of Literature via Ken Cosgrove and His Problems” by Aaron Shapiro, and “What Jungian Psychology Can Tell Us About Don Draper’s Unexpected Embrace of Leonard in Mad Men’s Finale” by Marisa Carroll.

Mad Men and Philosophy: Nothing Is as It Seems (Edited by William Irwin, James B. South, and Rod Carveth)

“With its swirling cigarette smoke, martini lunches, skinny ties, and tight pencil skirts, Mad Men is unquestionably one of the most stylish, sexy, and irresistible shows on television. But the series becomes even more absorbing once you dig deeper into its portrayal of the changing social and political mores of 1960s America and explore the philosophical complexities of its key characters and themes. From Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to John Kenneth Galbraith, Milton Friedman, and Ayn Rand, Mad Men and Philosophy brings the thinking of some of history's most powerful minds to bear on the world of Don Draper and the Sterling Cooper ad agency. You'll gain insights into a host of compelling Mad Men questions and issues, including happiness, freedom, authenticity, feminism, Don Draper's identity, and more.”

This collection was published just a month before the start of season 4, so it only concerns the first three seasons of the show. As such, it includes some assumptions that are proven false and a few strange misreadings that I’m sure would’ve been cleared up had they had the rest of the show at their disposal. But there are some great philosophical insights and analysis.

I haven’t yet read the whole collection, but my favorite essay of what I’ve read so far was “Pete, Peggy, Don, and the Dialectic of Remembering and Forgetting” by John Fritz.

The Fashion File: Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men (by costume designer Janie Bryant)

From Joanie's Marilyn Monroe-esque pencil skirts to Betty's classic Grace Kelly cupcake dresses, the clothes worn by the characters of the phenomenal Mad Men have captivated fans everywhere. Now, women are trading in their khakis for couture and their pumas for pumps. Finally, it's hip to dress well again. Emmy-Award winning costume designer Janie Bryant offers readers a peek into the dressing room of Mad Men, revealing the design process behind the various characters' looks and showing every woman how to find her own leading lady style--whether it's vintage, modern, or bohemian. Bryant's book will peek into the dressing room of Mad Men and reveal the design process behind the various characters' looks. But it will also help women learn how fashion can help convey their personality. She will help them cultivate their style, including all the details that make a big difference. Bryant offers advice to ensure that a woman's clothes convey her personality. She covers everything from where to find incredible vintage clothing and accessories to how to pair those authentic pieces with modern shoes and jeans. Readers will learn how to find their perfect bra size, use color to convey a mood, and invest in the ten essentials every woman should own. And just so the ladies don't leave their men behind, there's even a section on making them look a little more Don Draper-dashing.

I recently ordered a used copy of this book and haven’t yet received it, but I’m very much looking forward to it. Like Mad Men and Philosophy listed above, it was published between season 3 and 4, so unfortunately does not cover the whole show. It sounds like it might just cover the women’s costume design, though I’m not sure. Janie Bryant is such a meticulous, genius costume designer that I can’t wait to read it. Relatedly, you should follow her incredible costume design instagram where she posts lots of her work from Mad Men and other shows with fascinating insight into her process.

The Universe is Indifferent: Theology, Philosophy, and Mad Men (Edited by Ann W. Duncan and Jacob L. Goodson)

Centered on the lives of the employees at a Manhattan advertising firm, the television series Mad Men touches on the advertising world's unique interests in consumerist culture, materialistic desire, and the role of deception in Western capitalism. While this essay collection has a decidedly socio-historical focus, the authors use this as the starting point for philosophical, religious, and theological reflection, showing how Mad Men reveals deep truths concerning the social trends of the 1960s and deserves a significant amount of scholarly consideration. Going beyond mere reflection, the authors make deeper inquiries into what these trends say about American cultural habits, the business world within Western capitalism, and the rapid social changes that occurred during this period. From the staid and conventional early seasons to the war, assassinations, riots, and counterculture of later seasons, The Universe is Indifferent shows how social change underpins the interpersonal dramas of the characters in Mad Men.

I only just found out about this collection, but I’m very interested in finding a copy. This was published in 2016. You can see the table of contents here. EDIT: This book is available to read on Scribd. They offer a 30 day free trial.