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hockeyforthefirsttime · 4 years

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Nolan Patrick- Coaches Niece

A/N: this feels like a mess, and probably is, however i hope someone enjoys it originally it started out as a 4+1, but like i said, messy

Word count: 6.1k

TW: some angst, mentions of cheating, arguing

Pairing: Nolan Patrick + Fem reader

You are headed to Philadelphia for college, as well as for staying with your uncle. He is a man of few words, but he always means well. When you land in Philly and he is at the airport to pick you up, you are a little surprised. You suspected that you would have to hail a taxi to get to his place, but he sent you a text saying where he is in the airport. You are a little relieved, when you realize you don’t have to sit in a car next to a stranger for however long.

It is currently 6:37 am, and you haven’t slept a wink on your flight, so you drowsily head for the luggage claim. The other people from your flight are there as well. One of them is a kid in a flyers jersey, number 19 to be precise. He can’t be more than eight years old, but he has been babbling about hockey the entire flight. You know from him that the Philadelphia Flyers have a match coming up during the weekend, so when you walk out a little behind him and his parents, you aren’t surprised that your uncle is looking at them with a distant smile. Until he sees you. The smile, it’s more there as he walks up to you and takes the suitcases from your hands.

“Hey, it’s been a while kiddo. How was the flight?”

He greets as he pats your shoulder, careful to not overstep any boundaries.

“Hey Alain, the flight was okay. Some kid was gnawing half the plane’s ears off with Flyers trivia though, didn’t sleep much.”

You hum a little teasingly. Knowing the fact that your uncle is actually head coach for the team.

“Better get used to that kiddo.”

He chuckles as you walk to the parking lot together. He opens the trunk of the car and lets you help him put your suitcases as well as your backpack in. You don’t miss the overstuffed hockey bag that lies there as well.

“Now, I know you probably want to go home and get settled or maybe sleep, but I’ve got morning practice with the team, so you’re just gonna have to suffer through it.”

That would explain the hockey bag. You just nod as you unlock your phone and start scrolling through the messages and snaps you’ve missed on the flight.

----

You’re sort of used to being around hockey, but when you enter the Wells Fargo Centre at roughly 8am, you would rather be at home to be honest. The arena is a bit cold and you’re glad you brought a hoodie inside, as well as your beanie. They are both pretty plain; you hope to blend in with the seats.

“Okay, I’m gonna go through the locker room, but you can find a place anywhere near the ice okay?”

“Sure, Al.”

You say as you pull the hood of your hoodie up over your head, and go in the direction he pointed out for you. You’re rounding a corner when you crash into something hard. For a second you’re wondering if you’ve gone even more blind, but soon knock that thought away. The wall is actually a person, and from his dropped bag, you’re guessing that he’s one of the team players.

“Sorry, didn’t see you there.”

He says with his slightly hoarse voice, whilst bending down to pick up his stuff.

“No worries, partly my bad as well.”

You give the man a tired smile and head for the door that leads to the rink. You take a seat near the penalty box, propping your backpack up in one chair and lay flat out on the other chairs, so that your head is resting on your backpack. You don’t think anything of the run in with the player.

Unbeknown to you, he thinks of you. He just raises the question to his coach, who looks at him with disapproving eyes as he enters the locker room five minutes late.

“It’s my niece, she is going to be staying with me for a while, so you might see more of her around here, Konecny.”

This piques the interest of the single guys on the team. All except one. He doesn’t really care about girls right now, just wanting to make sure he does the best he can on the ice. That is until he sees the figure laying near the penalty box. His heart does a little clench when he sees this girl that is laying there seemingly unbothered by the ruckus the other players are causing.

You’re not exactly unbothered, but you try your best to keep it all under wraps. You don’t NEED any hockey players screwing you over. Not again. But you should have known, rowdy hockey players will always be demanding attention. And without fail you give it to them.

Your eyes are drawn to the players joking around on the ice, doing warm ups and various reps that your uncle keeps yelling out. The session is nearing the end and the players are all chanting for a practice game, and your uncle concedes, saying that nothing prepares you for a game like actually playing a game.

You sit up, deciding that trying to sleep is going to be futile, and decide to watch the training session, just to entertain yourself. You can’t recognize anyone, more specifically the guy you crashed into earlier.

Following the puck with your eyes, you admire the players chasing it, their technique is pretty good and while they aren’t as serious or quick as they usually would be, you can tell they are still as swift. They aren’t wearing numbers for training, but there is one guy that seemingly always comes closer to your side. You don’t take notice of it at first, but after he crashes into the wall separating the ice and the tribunes, you take a closer look. Starting to follow him around the rink, reading his play. It even seems like he has realized this, that he has caught your attention, because he now plays more all over the ice.

Hes tall, and you can see darker tufts of hair peeking out from underneath his helmet. There seems to be only one other player who has noticed his askew skating. They are currently playing on opposing teams and as they come closer to your side of the rink, you recognize one of them as the man you crashed into earlier. He body checks the taller man into the wall, playfully. You can see his lips moving as he chirps something into the ear of the taller man. You don’t hear it though. But you see the little smirk he sends in your direction.

------

You often come to the Flyers games if you can, and today after a series of away losses you really feel like supporting the team and your uncle. They end up winning against the capitals and some of the guys decide to invite you to celebrate with them, as well as to get to know you better. Even though it’s a wednesday you still say yes, as classes start later on thursdays.

You are waiting outside the locker room as first reporters exit, coaching and staff and later team members. Lately you have been texting TK, the guy you crashed into on your first day in Philly. It was actually him who had invited you out to celebrate, so now you were here standing outside the locker room, just waiting for them to emerge.

“Hey Y/N! How are you?” You look up from your phone and see TK and the taller man from the first day. You now know him as Nolan, or Nols, just to annoy him.

“Hey TK, I’m good, congrats on the win!”

You smile up at him, going in for a congratulatory hug. He lifts you up in his strong arms and spins you around once before setting you down. Nolan just looks at you a bit awkwardly, right hand rubbing his neck.

You ride with the two of them to the bar. It’s filled with the two of them recapping the game and the radio on low. You just sit in the backseat smiling at the two boys talking about the stuff they do best, always trying to do better. It’s a stark contrast to your ex. He usually blamed everything on everyone else.

While everyone is piling in the doors to the bar you enter last with Nolan, who has held your door open, and stuck by your side as you walked to the door. TK was quick out though, eager to get drunk in celebration.

“So what did you think of the game Y/N?”

He almost mumbles in that deep dark voice of his.

“It was a pretty good game, everyone played decently well.”

You smile at him as he opens the door to the bar. It is filled to the brim with people in orange, not only team players, but a lot of fans as well. It scares you sometimes, almost being in on the insanity that is hockey.

“What does pretty good mean?”

He wonders out loud.

“Well, you had some mishaps as well as shots and passes that should have worked out, but overall a good game.”

He looks at you curiously.

“You sound just like coach Alain.”

Trying to supress the laughter that threatens to escape you isn’t as successful as you’d like for it to be, but you think you manage to hide the smile on your lips.

“You have a pretty smile.”

Nolan mumbles, and you almost miss it as you walk over to the bar.

“Hmm?”

You question out of reflex. Looking up at the tall man, you expect him to repeat what he said, just for good measure as you almost missed it due to the loud music playing.

“Oh, nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

He says, ordering a beer. You just shrug, ordering a cider.

“Put it on my tab.”

He says to the bartender. You smile to yourself, but don’t comment on it.

“Well, I’m gonna go play some pool. You’re welcome to join if you want to, I promised TK a round before he gets too drunk.”

You could swear his face falls just a little bit as you mention his team mate, but you try not to overthink it as you make your way over to the tables where the team has gathered. You notice that Nolan has hung back a little. Not following as closely as he did when you entered.

You arrive at the pool tables just in time for a new game. You and Ghostie decide to play against TK and Carter, hoping to win.

Turns out, Ghostie is absolutely terrible at pool. Which means that against the goalie and the forward, you’re barely keeping up even with how much training in pool you have. It doesn’t help that the chirps go to Ghostie's head. Which makes him, if possible, even worse. Just for funsies you throw in some as well, just to mess with him.

Suddenly half the team starts cheering and TK yells out.

“Heyy Patty, just in time to save the damsel from playing another round with Ghostie.”

“I’m not that terrible.”

Ghostie protests.

“My back is literally breaking from carrying the team. I’m sorry man, but you're going to the bench.”

He hangs his head comically low, and you pat it, as he hands the pool cue over to Nolan. He proceeds to wink at you with that stupid smirk all over his face.

That was the birth of the meanest pool duo the team had seen in a while.

----------

You’re in the middle of a lecture when your phone lights up with a snapchat notification. You have turned vibration and sound off, but your eyes are still drawn to the device. As they have been doing for the last few days. Professor Ericsson has been drawing on about the Hidden Markov Model for ages explaining the same thing over and over, going in circles making things more confusing than it has to be. That’s why you decide to pick up your phone with your sweater covered hands and open the snap.

It’s Nolan, he’s sent a message in the chat.

Hey, want to meet up and play some pool later? Just to make sure were on top of our game next time the team goes out?

You smile a little, looking at the screen.

Sure, but I’m in a lecture now, I’ll text you when I’m out.

You type out the message carefully before hitting send, before flipping the phone upside down so you can’t see the response before you leave class.

Professor Ericsson keeps you five minutes past his time, but luckily it’s the last class of the day and you are amongst the first out the door. Tired of all the talking, you plug your music in and open snapchat as you head towards the library.

- Oh shit, sorry

The message reads and you smile to yourself.

- No worries, out now tho:)

Your coat is off and you sling your backpack to the floor before sending a second message.

- What bar? when?

The response is almost immediate after. You can’t help the little butterflies in your stomach, but you sure as hell can try to ignore them.

- John’s at 8?

He suggests, and you can’t think of any place or time better, so you agree and start studying the Hidden Markov model, trying to get it as well as the examples. Knowing yourself you set an alarm for seven, just to make sure you remember to meet up with Nolan. You have just gotten into the flow of things when said alarm goes off. That is also when you realise that you haven’t got a ride to the bar.

- Hey Nols, mind picking me up at the university? If you’re passing by.

You vaguely know where Nolan lives and hope he hasn’t left yet.

- Sure, on my way!

It’s an actual snap this time, a short video of him opening and closing his door with the text in the middle of the screen. Snapping a picture of yourself with a thumb up, you deem it as enough of an answer. You pack your backpack again and head for the main entrance. It’s cold out and frost is lying heavy on the ground. You pull your scarf higher up so it covers your nose.

Soon Nolan is pulling up and you get into the car, slinging your backpack into the backseats of the SUV.

“Hey, thanks for picking me up Nols”

You smile as he pulls out out of the campus and onto the road.

“No worries, I was gonna pass by either way.”

He answers, as you take in the inside of the car. It smells of energy drink and shampoo, which is explained by the red bull in his cup holder and his wet hair. He’s wearing jeans and a gray hoodie. You assume the jacket in the back is his.

“Straight from practice I’m guessing?”

You ask, looking over at him.

“Yeah, Alain was tough today. Fair warning, I think he might be in a bad mood when you get home.”

Nolan mumbles the last part, seemingly a little embarrassed. That’s when you remember you’ll have to let your uncle know you might be home late, just so he doesn’t get worried.

“That reminds me, I’ll have to shoot him a message.”

You say as Nolan parks the car. He exits before you, after grabbing his coat from the backseat. You type the message for your uncle and hit send. When you hear your door opening you’re a little surprised to find Nolan grinning down at you leaning lightly on the door.

“C’mon, we don’t have all day.”

He smiles. You exit the car, making sure you have your wallet and hear the door shut as Nolan slams it closed and locks the car. Together you walk into the bar. The bartender gives you a nod as you head for one of the open pool tables.

“Want anything to drink?”

Nolan asks politely as he hangs his coat on the back of a chair.

“I’ll just take a sprite, if you don’t mind.”

He nods and heads off to the counter to order. Meanwhile you grab a cue and line up the balls correctly in the triangle. The table is well used, evident by the green felt that has been worn white in some spots.

“I don’t mind if you drink, you know. Even if I don’t.”

Nolan says as he returns with one glass of coke and one with sprite. He sets the glasses down on the table closest to you.

“Nahh, I don’t like myself when I’m drunk anyway, plus I have classes in the morning.”

Nolan nods his head in an understanding way as he grabs a cue for himself.

“Want to split? Or should I?”

You smile, standing at the opposite side of the table to him.

“I’ll split if you don’t mind.”

He answers and goes to the right side of the table, and lines up his shot. You shake your head before you can even begin to admire him. Instead focusing on the game, seeing as he lands one solid into a pocket and the rest of the balls spread sort of evenly across the green felt. You nod in admiration; he still knows how to play.

“That’s good! Let’s see if you can keep it up.”

Chirping him seems to be the easiest way to carry conversation, without it getting too deep. Because if there is one thing you’ve learned about competitive boys, is that you don’t want to have a full blown conversation in the midst of a game. And the fact that he misses his next shot makes it a little more interesting. It goes back and forth like that for a while, you chirping him, and him chirping you.

You’ve played three games now, and even though it's him in the lead with one point, and you don’t want to lose, time is ticking and you should get home soon.

“Okay, this is not finished, I’m still gonna beat your ass in this game.”

You grumble on your way out to the car. Nolan just smiles at you, shaking his head.

“You know, the car isn’t gonna be cold enough for you to wrap that scarf around your head every time?”

He mumbles close to your ear, making you stop your movements as heat rises to your cheeks. He opens the door to exit the bar for you, and immediately you see a shiver run through his body as the cold winter air slithers in.

“No? But it’s still cold outside though, don’t you think?”

You say lowly as you lead the way back to the car. You’re feeling snug and warm, wrapped up in the gray, knit infinity scarf. Nolan never ceases to surprise you with his manners as he opens the passenger door for you, letting you enter the car first. As he closes the door for you, you lean forward and adjust the AC to low, just to mess with him.

The entire ride to Alain's apartment is filled with Nolan huffing and pulling the sleeves of his hoodie over his knuckles. You guessed right when you thought he was stubborn. He hadn’t even looked at the AC controls, so determined that the car would heat up soon. You are pretty sure he regrets tossing his coat to the backseat again.

He is pulling up on the curb of the apartment complex, and for some reason you don’t feel quite ready to leave, but you know you’ll have to.

“Thanks for tonight, I had a good time.”

You smile, looking at Nolan. A soft, almost shy smile is on his lips.

“Yeah, me too. We’ll have to hang some time later.”

He says, looking directly at you. Maybe hockey boys aren’t as bad as you thought. You pick your backpack from the backseat and open the door, but before you close it completely you turn and look at Nolan with a mischievous look in your eyes.

“And Nols? You should probably turn up the heat on the AC.”

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

Studying is probably the most tedious fun thing you do. Because, while you love system engineering, it’s a tough major and some of the classes are kicking your ass. So when your phone rings repeatedly you take it as a welcome excuse to take a break. However, you regret it just a little when you see Travis’ face light up the screen.

“Waddup, you complete and utter nuisance?”

You answer him before he has the chance to say something first.

“Wazzup, you nerd.”

He smiles back at you.

“Not nerd, it’s called college degree.”

You shoot back at him, playfully.

“You mean to say that my work isn’t actually work?”

Travis acts hurt, you can see the joking glint in his eyes though.

“Yeah, but I can see that it pays your bills though, so let’s call it a job…. for now.”

He laughs while looking at something in the background, before looking back at you.

“So, what big engineering theme are we working on today?”

Travis asks like he cares. You know he doesn’t though so you don’t bore him with small details.

“The Hidden Markov Model, it has to do with probability and stuff like that.”

You can hear rummaging and someone talking in the background of Travis’ end. He looks up at someone before you hear them speak.

“Who are you talking to?”

You could recognize that deep voice anywhere, even though the crackling of your speaker. Of course Nolan is around.

“Your girlfriend.”

Travis answers with a smirk on his lips. Nolan doesn’t show up in the frame, but from the way Travis gives you a cheeky little side eye, you’re guessing Nolan is giving him a death stare.

“Shut the fuck up Teeks.”

You just chuckle, not thinking it is anything serious.

“I don’t date hockey players anyway.”

It’s meant to be light hearted, really, and you don’t think anything of it as you speak up. But when Travis looks at you, slightly shocked and Nolan does appear on the screen, you suddenly feel a bit judged.

“Wait, really?”

Travis questions, looking at you curiously, you don’t notice the way he side eyes Nolan though.

“Yeah? I don’t get the big deal?”

You are confused to be honest. Why would they care about who you date anyway?

“Well, why won’t you date any hockey players?”

Nolan asks. He is trying to play it cool, you can tell. And you have to wonder, if you have sent the wrong signals.

“‘S just, I dated this Penns player a while ago, turned out that he was too busy for me, or never really cared for all I know. He ended up cheating on me while he was away for some games.”

The feeling of something gathering in the bottom of your stomach makes you feel sick, you would rather not bring all this back up again. It doesn’t help, when you look back up at the screen and see Nolan with furrowed brows and Travis looking generally uncomfortable.

“It’s stupid, I know. And I shouldn't judge people based on him. Anyhow, how are we feeling about the game tomorrow?”

You try to shift the conversation to something else. Of course you haven’t got that much luck.

“We’re playing the Penns tomorrow, you do know that.. right?”

Nolan utters, and all that goes through your head is FUCKFUCKFUCK. Because how in the everlasting fuck could you forget that they were playing the Penns tomorrow? It’s all Alain has been talking about for the last couple of days.

“I completely forgot that’s who you were playing.”

The sigh that slips past your lips doesn’t go unnoticed by the two boys.

“Well, I’ll be in the stands cheering for you boys.”

Smiling feels heavy and you can tell they don’t really believe it. The silence between the two boys is confirmation enough. And it lasts for a second, until Nolan breaks it.

“Who was it?”

He inquires. The question itself feels a little prying, but by the way he mumbles it you know it’s not intended to be.

“Does it matter?”

You ask, voice almost cracking, hoping he will budge.

“Yeah it matters, he hurt you.”

And he speaks so clearly, there really isn’t any question about it. And in a moment of weakness and hurt you let it slip.

“Marcus Pettersson, okay. No biggie. I’m gonna go to bed now you should too.”

You add before hanging up.

----------

You barely sleep last night, and the sleep you get gives you nothing at all. The hours spent at university are only manageable because of two cans of red bull. For some reason it makes you think of Nolan, about the smell of red bull in his car alongside the shitty shower gel scent that filled up the space. For some reason, the moment you pop open the can, you think it suited him.

“Wanna come out later?”

Alex from your last class asks you as the two of you exit the lecture hall. Usually you would have said yes, considering Alex is pretty cute and you have been harbouring a crush on them for the last few months. However the excitement you thought you would feel is not there. No, because your first priority tonight is a fucking hockey game.

“Thank you for asking, but I have some other plans I have to follow through with, but maybe some other time?”

You smile at them as you both head towards the main doors.

“No stress then, I will definitely keep that in mind.”

Alex winks at you before holding open the door. You exit together, but each of you head for opposite directions. While they start to head for their car, you start towards the main entrance, where you hope your Uber is waiting. He is in fact not, so you take the time to plug in the earbuds and turn on some music.

When the correct car pulls up, you greet the driver and let him know you’re ready to go. After ten minutes you’re at the Wells Fargo Centre, and you pay, as well as rate the driver five stars.

Using one of the side entrances you start to make your way towards the rink. You’ve been around enough for people to recognize you, but it still feels weird walking around here and hear greetings all around the place. Even if you’re wearing the hoodie, people seem to know who you are.

“Hey sleepyhead.”

But you don’t expect to hear that voice. Not yet. You have barely closed in on the wardrobes. He isn’t supposed to be here. He is supposed to be on the rink warming up. Shit.

“What do you want, Pettersson.”

You almost snarl as you turn around to look at him. He doesn’t look as mean anymore, and the voice he uses isn’t as arrogant.

“To say hey?”

He questions as you look at him, raising your brows.

“It’s been a while.”

He adds, trying to sound innocent. You don’t buy it for a second.

“It’s been a while for a reason.”

You scowl at him, trying to walk away before this turns into something you don’t want to be involved in.

“Wait! Please.”

Marcus says, making you turn around.

“I married her you know.”

He confesses to you softly. And that’s what breaks you for the day. With the little sleep, last night, and him ripping at your old wounds.

“I fucking know Marcus, and that's the worst part! You told me you didn’t want anything serious, you told me you couldn’t commit like that. And not even a year later you’re married! Okay. I get that, I didn’t have to be the one. But I know I deserve the respect of being broken up with in a proper manner. So truly, I know, and I don’t care about it.”

Angrily you wipe the tears that have dared to slip down your cheeks, and nothing is upsetting you more than the fact that he can still make you cry.

“I just wanted you to know, I hope I haven't ruined you for anyone else.”

He almost whispers, and you can’t help but roll your eyes.

“Don’t think so fucking highly of yourself, I’m for no one to ruin.”

You seethe and walk away for the last time. Some of the players from the home team are still outside the wardrobe, which is placed after the away teams. You can spot Carter and Kevin, even Claude is out here. But while your eyes only glide over them, your eyes stick to Nolan. He looks at you, knowing you just lied through your teeth to Marcus, and you hope to some sort of entity that he doesn’t out you for it. And he doesn’t. Even if he looks like he wants to say something.

You brush past the team, up to the VIP booth that has a bathroom connected to it. You look into the mirror, and see a distraught person looking back. With tears streaked through the concealer you used to cover up the dark circles under your eyes, they now seem more prominent.

Digging into your backpack you find some makeup wipes and clean your face before going to your usual spot in the regular stands. You sit there and wait for the game to begin. And when it does, it’s an intense one.

Your uncle seems to be happy for it, cause the guys are playing impeccably. Their passes are powerful and their skates cut across the ice faster than you’ve seen in a while. First period is pretty even though. Both teams are passing great, but at the end the Flyers pierce thought the Penns' defence by having Travis tackle Marcus and Nolan sending the puck flying into the goal. You jump in excitement as the horn blares across the stadium, although you see the angry way the Flyers are playing.

Second period is the same, however the Penns seem to be gaining on the Flyers and not before long, Crosby scores on Carter. While the other side of the rink bursts into celebration, you sink down into your seat, next to the Flyers' penalty box.

A few minutes before the second period is over, Travis is sent to the box beside you. He gives you a worried glance, which you meet, but then you spot fans standing up in their seats and start yelling. You’re worried, and that worry is not unfounded, because Nolan has dropped gloves on fucking Marcus Pettersson.

You don’t notice it, but your every action is viewed by Travis. He watches with hesitation as you sink down into your seat, and then with surprise as you get up and put your hands to your mouth just as the first hit from Nolan lands in Marcus’ gut. Marcus folds a little, but manages to aim a hit towards Nolan's head. Never in your entire life have you been more happy for helmets. One referee has come over to them and is trying to get in between. Nolan lands a final hit before they each get pulled to their own team. Nolan gets called for a body check and is sent off the ice for five minutes.

Nolan is currently getting checked out by the physio team, and with his previous head injuries, you have to admit that you’re worried. Not one thought isn’t about him and his head, possibly his fists as well.

Before a sane thought can strike your brain you rush to the checkout room. Travis gives a small smile, before entering the ice again. You fly by all the security with a hidden pass you have kept underneath your shirt, and knock on the door before you think twice. But the second it takes them to open the door makes your head spin. You know what it looks like and you don’t want those rumors for either of your sakes. He probably doesn’t even want you there either.

You’re just about to turn around and leave, when Catherine from the physio team opens the door. She looks equals parts shocked and confused when she sees you.

“Hey, Y/N, he can’t really see anyone right now, as we’re still not finished with his check up.”

“Oh, that's okay.”

Your mind is going in overdrive, hoping he hasn’t heard who’s at the door. You don’t have such luck.

“Hey, it’s okay, let her in.”

His voice seems to calm you down. Something about how smooth his voice is. So you take a careful step into the room. Nolan, thank god, seems to be doing alright. His cheeks are tinted pink and he has a slight smile on his lips. That’s also the moment you realise he is shirtless.

Catherine walks up to him and you have no idea how she keeps her cool.

“Now, just stare straight ahead, please.”

She tells him, and his gray gaze settles on yours. Not wavering for a second, not even when Catherine shines a flashlight into his eyes. After a few seconds she puts down the flashlight.

“You seem to be all good, Patrick.”

She takes the hint, from your twiddling thumbs and Nolan's intense stare.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She says as she closes the door behind her.

“I’m.. Nols, I was so worried about you.”

You decide to say, not knowing if there is a better option. He just pats the spot beside him on the bench, indicating for you to sit next to him.

“You know, I’ve been waiting to do that for quite some time.”

And for a second you feel a little angry with him.

“You’ve been waiting to possibly not be able to play again?”

The question comes out incredulous, and you don’t know how he could risk it like that. He sighs.

“No, I’ve been waiting to knock Pettersson on his ass for a while now. He is, if possible, the the most frustrating defenseman ever.”

He admits out loud. You can’t help but sigh as you know where he is coming from.

“That’s not the only reason though.”

Nolan mumbles, and you can feel his hand next to yours.

“I kind of figured.”

You whisper, letting reality sink in. But, just as you’re about to explain, Alain walks into the room. Things never seem to go in your favour.

“You good to go Nolan?”

He stops dead in his tracks when he sees you.

“Yes, sir.”

You feel Nolan automatically straighten his back, ready to get out there again.

“Y/N?”

Your uncle asks confused.

“I’ll just head out Al.”

“I expect an explanation when we get home, miss.”

You nod your head, and a feeling of blood rushing to your cheeks almost overwhelms you as Nolan squeezes your hand discreetly when you get up.

-----

The Flyers end up winning on overtime, with Laughton scoring the second goal. And while all the players go out, you decide you need to talk to your uncle. You’re sitting in his car waiting for him to do his last few rounds, when Nolan shows up outside your window. He is quiet, when he should be riding on a high from winning. However when you open the door and step out into the frigid air, a warm smile makes its way onto his face.

“What are you gonna tell your uncle?”

You ponder the question for a few seconds, unsure of what to answer.

“I don’t really know. How do I tell him that I want to date one of his players?”

And that’s the one and only second you regret saying anything at all. Nolan's face moves from a slight worried smile, to a full blown smirk, confidence rolling off him in waves, and it’s worth all the chirping. Because he finally looks like he should after a win.

“You want to date me?”

You don’t want to smile, but when he wiggles his brows excessively, while getting closer to you, you can’t help it.

“Fuckin’ yes, okay? I’m sorry it took me so long to realize, Nols.”

He chuckles and wraps you up in his arms, and you positively melt right there. His arms around your shoulders and yours around his waist.

“I wanna date you too.”

Nolan mumbles into your ear, his deep voice vibrating through your head.

#nolan patrick #nolan patrick imagine #nolan patrick blurb #nolan patrick fluff #nolan patrick fic #nhl fic #nhl imagine #Philadelphia Flyers #flyers fic #19 #nolan patrick angst

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queeniewriteshockey · 6 years

Text

Hospital Stay | Carter + OC

Original request here

Word Count: 3,325

It’s long so it’s going under a readmore

He rarely, if ever, had a moment before a game where he considered the idea that maybe he should be somewhere else. That wasn’t in his nature. The moment he was in the arena his mind cleared of all outside thought. He was zoned in on the task at hand, which was stopping as many shots as were sent his way. He was known for being hyper-focused. With a pair of headphones over his ears and some tunes blocking out the rest of his team, he left everything behind him and looked only to the game in front of him.

For years, that had worked for him. He had done so much and gone so far in his twenty years never looking behind him when what he wanted was in front of him. It wasn’t working now, though. He was a shell of his normal focus, his mind wandering back and forth between the moments before he left for the Wells Fargo Center and his current view, which was nothing more than blurred players flying down the ice chasing a small black object. His eyes tracked the puck like they normally did, watching, waiting for the moment when he would be needed. Sometimes, though, just for the briefest moment, his eyes unfocused and he lost the puck. In those moments his mind was transported back to his home. To where Emily lay on the couch, miserable and sick.

He didn’t like the split focus, he didn’t like losing the puck on the ice. It was a dangerous game he was playing, focusing both on his girl and on the game. He explained it away as best he could, refocused himself in the seconds before the puck shot forward and his gloved hand caught the speeding bullet without so much as a thought or real effort. His heart beat a little unsteadily in his chest as he handed it to the ref, though the smile on his face showed none of the spike of fear that had coated his veins.

He allowed himself a moment to think as the rest of the players queued up off to the side of him. He had made a choice. He’d call her during intermission and make sure she was okay. If there was one thing he knew about his girl, it was that she was watching the game. From the comfort of her couch, in a pair of sweats, she’d stolen from him. He could do nothing but deliver a half-hearted protest when he’d found her in them. They looked better on her than they did on him, plus seeing her in his clothing fed a deep seeded primal urge in him. She was his, she was telling anyone that saw her in them that she was taken. The beast inside him purred contentedly with that knowledge. It was another feeling that just was so out of the ordinary for him until she’d come along.

Emily wasn’t like anyone else he’d been with. She was sweet and sexy and humble, but she was so smart and didn’t back down. She didn’t put up with his moods, which weren’t as extreme as some he knew (Patty). He still suffered from the lost game blues. The goals he let in were on him, the team’s losses were his losses and sometimes he took that to heart more than he should have. It was particularly hard when he was actually pulled from a game. Possibly that was the worst feeling in the world.

Though… no. Maybe he was wrong about that. Maybe the worst feeling wasn’t being pulled from the game. The buzzer sounded, indicating the end of the first period and Carter skated off the ice. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember making any of the saves he’d made. He couldn’t remember tracking the puck even once while he stood between the pipes and readied himself for war. Somehow he’d gotten away with it, though. Somehow, he’d saved all nine of the shots that had been fired at him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he deposited his gloves and helmet on the bench beside his locker and rummaged through his suit for the phone he’d left there.

During intermissions, it wasn’t shocking for him to find he had a few messages. Some from his mom, a few from Parker or other Tips cheering him on back in Washington. They knew he wouldn’t respond, but they also knew he liked their encouragement. As much as he loved where he was, he missed where he’d been. Or rather, he missed those he’d been with. The friendships he’d made in the WHL and playing in the World Juniors had netted him a lifetime of memories and friendships. Each one cheered him on and chipped at the ego the fans threatened to give him with all their praise and love. He never had missed calls, though. Everyone that would call him knew he was in the middle of a game.

So naturally finding not one, but three missed calls, all from the same number, a number that he knows, sends a stronger spike of fear curling through his body. It shivers down his spine and twists in his guys. A moment of unfiltered panic wells up in his throat before he puts the phone to his ear to listen to the voicemail that was left after one of the three calls.

“Hey babe,” Emily’s voice soothed him the second he heard it, but it didn’t last long. She sounded stressed and strained. Her voice wasn’t smooth like normal and the coughing that broke up her words lasted longer than was comfortable. He could hear her getting sicker the longer she talked. It worried him, but he was at work, for lack of a better explanation and not going hadn’t been an option. “I don’t want to alarm you,” she said which instantly alarmed him. “I drove myself to the hospital after you left. I’m being admitted. They want to run a bunch of tests. I’ll keep you updated.”

Carter’s mind went blank as he listened to the message. One time. Two times. Three times. It was torture. An auditory loop of torture that sent shock waves through his body and locked up his mind.

“Hart,” someone called from the corner of the locker room, forcing him to blink dumbly out of his stupor. “You coming?”

Carter looked around, finding the voice in the nearly empty room. Nolan’s hooked nose and pink cheeks caught his eyes, his face the only thing visible around the corner. “What?” Carter asked, not really understanding what was happening.

Nolan’s brown furrowed and he pinched his lips between his teeth as he walked back into the locker room, coming into full view. It was a look Carter knew, it typically meant Nolan was thinking. “Are you okay?” He asked.

Was. He. Okay? “No,” he Carter said without thinking. It wasn’t something he would normally voice, deciding instead to keep his life private, even from his teammates.

Nolan’s eyebrows rose slightly and his chin dipped in recognition to both the answer and the fact that Carter had been genuinely honest about it. Not that he normally wouldn’t be, he just would have explained that he was fine. He’d take care of whatever it was after the game. “Who was on the phone?” Nolan asked, reading correctly into the situation and understanding that whatever had shaken his teammate had come from the small gadget in his hand.

“Emily,” Carter admitted. There was no going back after what he’d already admitted. “She’s in the hospital. I don’t know why.”

His team was lined up down the hall, the siren would blow any moment. Both he and Nolan knew that, but Carter was physically incapable of moving. He wanted to go to the hospital, he wanted to find out what was wrong, but he always wanted to stay, to play the game. To win for his team.

“Do you need to go?” Nolan, not one for words or comfort was at least willing to try and Carter appreciated it. “We can put Stoli in if you gotta go.”

Did he have to go? Carter couldn’t decide. It must have shown in his eyes, the war the raged in his head because Nolan shook his head before letting his chin jut up toward the showers. “Get cleaned up and get out of here. I’ll let Gordo and Giroux know.”

Before Carter could say anything, Nolan was gone, down the hall, skates hitting the ice. Only slightly behind his teammates. What happened after that, Carter had no desire to pay attention to. He did as he was told, by getting cleaned up and on the road to the hospital. He hoped she wouldn’t be mad at him for leaving the game for her. He just… He needed to know she was okay.

Carter had made up his mind even before Nolan had made it up for him. The trick had been convincing himself that it was the right thing to do and not a wholly selfish one. Leaving his team in the lurch, having the replacement goalie come in without warning. Vanishing without a word. Those weren’t behaviors people saw from Carter Hart, star starter for the Philadelphia Flyers. He’d examine what it all meant when he was done breaking characters. Once he was sure Emily was okay and he could breathe again, he would let himself contemplate just what this change in personality meant. Until then, he refused to let himself feel bad for the choice he had made.

Stolarz was a good goalie, better than people wanted to admit. Carter knew his team was in good hands, which made the act of getting dressed in his suit and packing up his hockey gear all that much easier. Not that it was easy. Every moment that he spent in the locker room and not either in his car on the way to the hospital or on the ice was a moment that he spent second-guessing himself and losing his mind a little more.

Worry and fear plagued him with every step but he told himself not to jump to conclusions. He was a rational and level-headed man, he could remain calm when a puck was flying at his head, he could make game-winning saves under pressure and not blink. He could do that here as well…

Before leaving the locker room, Carter stopped, bag and keys in one hand, phone in the other, and decided to give Emily a call. He didn’t really expect that anything would come of the call, but hearing her happy voice when the voice mail picked up still made him smile, internally anyway. He didn’t figure she would be able to actually answer her phone, but what kind of boyfriend would he be if he hadn’t at least tried?

The trip from the Wells Fargo Center was a long and arduous one. Traffic in Philly was no joke. It wasn’t unlike Seattle, but Everett was a small town, getting around had been a bit easier, even with the base there. Everything was much closer in Philly but there was also more cars and a lot more pedestrians. What should have taken ten minutes took nearly 30. It was agonizing. The music in the car was the only thing that helped to calm him, though he had considered listening to the game on the ride over. Long slender fingers tapped on the wheel, the beat of a tuneless song. It kept his mind from screaming and consequently kept him from screaming at the drivers that simply could not be bothered to drive. All it did was making the nerves tingle and the stress grow.

Calm was not in the cards at the moment, but he tried. He’d never been so happy to pull into a valet spot at the hospital. Refusing to waste more time looking for a spot he put the Lexus in park, handed over some cash and pushed his way through the double doors of the large hospital. He barely remembered even getting out of his car. The inside of the hospital was a rat maze that he honestly didn’t have time for. He was not above asking for help. Not when it came to this.

“Excuse me,” he said once he’d made his way through the throngs of people and up to the information desk.

The lady on the other side of it looked up, the bored look on her face vanishing the second she saw Carter. The double take was noticeable, but he didn’t say anything. He was still getting used to actually being noticed. “How can I help you?” She asked, deciding to stick to her job rather than to probe as to why he looked so familiar.

“I’m looking for a patient. She was admitted earlier this evening. Name’s Emily.” A generic name but her last name narrowed it down for them.

“Are you family?” She asked.

He considered the answer for a moment, lying wasn’t beneath him, though he didn’t typically make it a habit. “Yes.” He said, not leaving any room for argument.

Without having a way to disprove his affirmation that he was in fact family, the woman shrugged. Her fingers clicking on the keys as she looked up the information he had been in search of. “Fourth floor, room 240. Take the green elevator.”

As with most hospitals, this one was colored coded by wing, specialty, and floor. Typically, this wouldn’t be an issue, except for the fact that he was color blind. He was so glad the word was clearly stated when he arrived at the green elevators. “Fourth floor,” he said to no one as he pressed the button. The doors slid shut and for the first time since the voice mail, he took a moment to actually breathe. Deep calming breaths pulled in through his nose and out through his lips. His chest puffed up with the action and his body sagged with every exhale.

Everything was going to be fine, he told himself as the doors to the elevator opened and he stepped onto the ward that held not just other sick people, but his girlfriend. He hated how antiseptic it smelled. It wasn’t the kind of clean one was familiar with at home, this scent lingered in the hair like a noxious gas. It was medicinal. Liquid. He could feel it filling his lungs as he walked the hall, each number on the door a number closer to the room he was looking for. The scent was suffocating and dizzying. His vision tunneled as he got closer, his focus sliding back into place.

In the quiet ward, the sound of his knuckle hitting the solid wood door of the hospital room sounded like a shot echoing around an empty room. The pace of his heart beat a little quicker, not slowed by the lack of response from the occupant in the room. He took a chance, fingers wrapping around the handle of the door and pushed it open.

The beep of the monitors were the only sounds that filled the room, it was a sound that instantly put him on edge. Not that he hadn’t been on edge before. The curtain hid Emily from view until he pulled it back but the sight of her, sleeping in the bed; wires and tubes leading from her body to the machines didn’t do anything to soothe him. The sound of someone entering the room must have tipped her from the brink of unconsciousness because her eyes fluttered open at the slightest sound of his shoes on the floor.

“Carter,” she asked confused. Her voice was groggy from meds and sleep; raspy from a cough. “What are you doing here? You have a game.”

His fingers drag lightly along the linen of the blanket that covered her legs, he just wanted to make sure she was real, that he wasn’t still in the elevator having a massive panic attack. He wasn’t prone to them, but then, a lot of what he’d done so far was out of character. “Family emergency,” he said, the words catching slightly in his throat. He could explain better, but he had no words to do so. Everything he’d felt from the moment he got the call to the moment he realized she was okay knotted up in his stomach. Words felt like ash on his tongue, he could only look at her.

Her face went from puzzled and shocked to something softer, something warmer and a smile spread over her pale lips. “I’m fine,” she told him softly, her hand reaching out for his. “It’s just a little bit of pneumonia. Really. I’ll be about of here in no time. They just want to make sure I’m not dehydrated.”

Carter’s fingers threaded through Emily’s and he pulled her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her skin, mindful not to disturb the iv that had put give to her. He came to a stop beside her bed, eyes taking in the sight of her before him. She looked so much smaller in the bed than he remembered seeing her ever look. His thumb brushed over her knuckles and he sighed softly. For a man as tall as he was, with a profession like his, he was one the kindest and gentlest people. “Okay,” he said before leaning over the bedrail and placing a kiss on Emily’s head. His lips stayed pressed to her skin, eyes shut for a moment while he let himself find his center. He was not accustomed to actually being scared but Emily had scared him. “I’m not leaving until you’re discharged. I’ll take you home.”

There was no room to argue and Carter had made sure of it. They’d have to find someone to come get her car at some point, but he didn’t care. He’d pay for a service to get it if he had to. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight. A bit of pneumonia, there was no such thing. Especially not in the middle of a Philly winter.

“Okay,” she said softly, her body relaxing back into the bed as she acquiesced.

Carter smiled, actually smiled, for the first time since finding out the Emily was in the hospital, pleased to know that she was okay and that he was able to be there for her. He looked around the room, found a chair and pulled it over to the side of the bed so that he could sit beside her for the rest of the stay. He’d been torn between letting go of her hand and finding a seat, but the fact that he would be able to sit right beside her made it a decision worth making.

“Can I ask you a favor,” he said suddenly into the silence once he took a seat and made himself comfortable. He’d taken her hand again, his fingers twisting gently against hers.

“Of course,” she replied. Even as sick as she sounded, Carter loved her voice.

“Can you just… Not do this again? You scared me half to death.” Admitting his fears didn’t feel like an admission of weakness when he was talking to Emily. It felt like more. Like he was confessing more than just fear or worry. She knew he loved her, though, so he wasn’t sure why it felt different. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d was out of town when this happened.” Lose his mind, probably.

A laugh bubbled from her lips and she nodded. “I promise. No more hospital stays. For either of us.”

The laugh shattered the remaining stress that had settled in Carter’s shoulders and he joined her in her light-hearted laugh. “Deal,” he told her with a nod. “Now get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

-Fin-

#carter hart imagine #c.hart: fluff #c.hart: pov #nhl imagine #nhl imagines

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englishgeek82-blog · 6 years

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Great Scott! Is Back to the Future the best film trilogy ever?

I was watching the Back to the Future films recently, and it dawned on me that I'd forgotten just how brilliantly enjoyable the trilogy is. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I started to wonder if it just might be the best film trilogy ever made. I know it wouldn’t be first choice for a lot of people, but I thought that nevertheless, it might be worth comparing it to some of the other standard choices to see how it measures up. The major issue of course, is how you define “best”. I’m looking at the films as a collective whole, the overall story and effect of the entire narrative. I’m not judging it on solitary acting performances, or even the depth and development of the major characters, but rather how enjoyable and convincing the story is, and how easy the films make it for the viewer to enter and accept the premise of their world. For instance, the Back to the Future trilogy is about as unrealistic as any films could ever be. But so are Lord of the Rings, Terminator, Star Wars and The Matrix. The Bourne films and the Godfather films have a more realistic feel to them, although I’m not sure anyone would really defend them as being 100% true to life if placed under oath, so let’s remember that suspension of disbelief is an important part of any film experience. But what counts is that once you are inside that world, that the films stay true to it. This is a glaring error in the Matrix trilogy, which seems to make its own rules up as it goes along. The Indiana Jones trilogy seems to suffer the same problem, with Temple of Doom really never making up its mind as to what kind of film it wants to be, and consequently ending up as not much of a film at all. Plus, of course, there’s a fourth film in that particular trilogy but I’m being polite and not mentioning it.

I’m also judging the films as a trilogy, not as single films. Die Hard is an incredibly brilliant film, but the trilogy of which it is a part is not. There’s a fourth AND fifth entry in that trilogy, but I’m being polite and not mentioning them. The same goes for The Godfather, The Empire Strikes Back, and The Matrix. I’m also not counting “unofficial trilogies”, like Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge. Plenty to recommend in all those films, and they have been lumped together by Luhrmann, but as far as I’m concerned, it simply doesn’t count. Even Kevin Smith’s films in the View Askewniverse aren’t going to be counted in this, largely because there are more than 3 of them anyway, and second of all because the films are completely different stories linked tenuously together by supporting characters and locations, which doesn’t quite cut the mustard, and so they too, do not count.

The reason they don’t count is that unofficial trilogies aren’t telling the same story, and so you can’t have sly little references to the other movies therein. One of the many things that impress me about the BTTF trilogy is the self-referential nature of the films, which is common in a lot of sequels and trilogies, but rarely as subtle as it is here. Even the way Marty crosses the road when finding himself in a new time zone by the clock tower is consistent, not to mention the supporting characters such as the Statler family’s horse/car business, and the Texaco filling station, shown in the first two films and referenced in the third. This is one of the cleverest techniques in this trilogy and makes the films feel all the more familiar and makes repeat viewings all the more rewarding.

Now, obviously I realise that when it comes to epic genius in terms of acting and directing, the films may not be up there with The Godfather. That being said, Godfather III is notably poorer than the other two, and it could be argued that it's not even thematically consistent, which I don't think you can say about BTTF. The first two Godfather films are undoubtedly cinematic masterpieces, (though on a recent viewing I was surprised at how the first one has aged) but they certainly don’t have any of the feel-good factor of the Future films. You don’t just channel surf, spot Godfather II and decide to watch it for a laugh – like so many other classics, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Lawrence of Arabia, Gone with the Wind, to name but a few, you have to make a decision to sit down and watch it. This is all well and good, but it’s a solitary journey. It’s a rewarding one too, but you could never sit down with friends at a party and play those films and expect the humour levels in the room not to nose-dive. Al Pacino is incredible, in all three films, and Brando still sends shivers down the spine in the original, not to mention the more-than-able supporting cast who ply their trade with such style alongside them. But the story and cast of Godfather III seems completely out of kilter with the tone of the original two, and this was commented on heavily by critics. I personally think the third film has much in its corner, another fine performance by Pacino, a fitting conclusion to the epic story of Michael Corleone and Andy Garcia’s impressive turn as the young hot-headed Vincent. But there’s no denying that it stumbles through some very tenuous plot lines and is over-populated with characters that completely fail to enhance the story. Finally, Sofia Coppola, although she is not as bad as everyone says, is still bad. The Godfather is so hugely different from Back to the Future that it’s almost pointless to even hold them up under the same light, but for a trilogy that I would pick to watch when I was at a loose end and wanted cheering up, there is no doubt that I would dive for the Delorean every time.

I also know that in terms of Sci-Fi influence and impact, the films are not up there with the original Star Wars films. And the Star Wars films hold the aces in some areas too. For instance, Biff and the other Tannens are effective villains for their genre of film, but they’re more pantomime than would be allowed in a film that took itself seriously. Darth Vader, on the other hand, is a truly great villain, especially when his story is further revealed and his tragedy brought to the fore. As heroes go, Luke Skywalker certainly undergoes a more immense journey of personal development than Marty McFly, but he doesn’t have Marty’s quick wit and he’s a whiny little so-and-so, a trait that he obviously picked up from his father, if the god-forsaken and indeed critically-forsaken, and indeed audience-forsaken prequels are anything to go by. As for things that are wrong with the films, there’s very little – especially with the first two films, but by the time of Return of the Jedi, the Ewok storyline grates on even the most sympathetic fan. Once you compare the original three to the prequels, the originals look like genuine masterpieces, but then once you compare the home video my grandmother shot of my 10th birthday to the Star Wars prequels, you get the same result. And once you start to bring in the storylines of the prequels, the rule about staying true to the world that you have asked the viewer to enter goes flying out of the window like a drop-kicked Ewok. The prequels are truly three of cinema’s great horrors in my opinion, and sadly because they are prequels, their very existence adversely affects the original films. Incidentally, and strangely, even though the insinuations of incest are much greater in BTTF, and in fact both sets of films contain exactly the same amount of screen-time for blood relatives kissing each other, it’s much more unsettling in Star Wars than it is in Back to the Future.

So, we arrive at this century’s most titanic Sci-fi achievement (if you ask some people) - Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy? Batman Begins is one of my favourite films of all time, with Christian Bale’s performance so impressive that I thought I’d never see a better turn in a Batman film, until Heath Ledger’s incredible Joker burned itself into all our minds. I remember thinking If the third Nolan/Bale film was even half as good as the two that precede it, I would find it almost impossible to pick holes in it. Fortunately, it wasn’t. I wanted to like The Dark Knight Rises, I really did – and I did like it, but it was not the conclusion to the story for which I was hoping. Bat Bale’s growl whenever he speaks (which seemed like a good character move on Bale’s part in the first film) is irritating at best by the end of two hours plus of The Dark Knight and another two hours plus of The Dark Knight Rises. Tom Hardy’s Bane is menacing in appearance, but a big softie deep down and also speaks through his (ostentatious, to put it lightly) space mask in a way that makes him sound like the Head Boy of a southern private school who is addressing his prefects via a home-made walkie-talkie. There are also plot holes so massive in both TDK and TDKR that you could quite comfortably drive a DeLorean through them. The plot hole accusation is also true of the BTTF films, but since they never took themselves too seriously anyway, you could argue that the minutiae of time travel physics don’t matter as much as the overall effect of having a really good laugh.

The Back to the Future trilogy might not be considered as impressive, visually, as the Lord of the Rings films, but if you look at the standard of visual effects against the era in which the films were made, I think there’s a fine argument to be made that BTTF was hugely impressive. The LOTR films have been received incredibly well, and have plenty to recommend them, although they're all 16 hours long and if you don't like that particular genre, you'll be asleep before you see your first hobbit. And yes, I know they won a million Oscars, but that doesn’t always equal sheer enjoyment. Titanic won Best Picture because it looked nice, but was it really the best film of that year? Here are some films that didn’t win Best Picture at the Oscars, just for fun.

Citizen Kane, 12 Angry Men, To Kill a Mockingbird, Dr Strangelove, Bonnie & Clyde, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cabaret, The Exorcist, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Taxi Driver, Star Wars, Apocalypse Now, Raging Bull, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Goodfellas, Dangerous Liaisons, Born on the 4th of July, My Left Foot, JFK, A Few Good Men, The Fugitive, Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, Fargo, LA Confidential, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, The Sixth Sense, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hudson Hawk. All masterpieces.

For action and adventure, it's possible that the Back To The Future films don't compare with the Indiana Jones films; although they have more than their fair share, they admittedly are not as action-oriented as the Indy films. Sadly, following the below-average-but-probably-still-better-than-Temple-of-Doom “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, that trilogy has also been unnecessarily tampered with. Even if it hadn’t been, (or if Crystal Skull had been really good), the fact remains that Temple of Doom is pretty naff compared to the other two original movies. I’m not sure any adventure film will ever rival The Last Crusade, because that film pretty much has everything you could ever want from an action movie. Nazis being crap? Check. Exotic Locations? Check. Sean Connery? Check. Harrison Ford? Check. Biblical epic-ness? Check. And finally, Alison Doody...check. So, on its own, yes I would concede that Last Crusade is a better film than any of the BTTF flicks – but only just. As a trilogy though, our survey still comes back with a big X.

For Biblical allegory, although not for mind bending “ooh, makes you think”-ness (which isn’t really a thing, I just made it up) – the films don’t compare with the Matrix trilogy, but then unlike the Matrix trilogy, the second two BTTF films aren’t redolent of the Chernobyl aftermath. The first Matrix film is a really good (not great) film, with a really good (not great) idea behind it. As a standalone piece of cinema, it must rank as an important contribution to the art. However, the sequels are so mind-bendingly awful and lost in tracts of their own self-righteousness that really the whole concept is ruined and the brilliance of the first film is lost.

Pirates of the Caribbean is probably the closest set of films in terms of the general style, some wacky characters, good old fashioned escapade fun and some funky special effects and pretty far-out plot lines. BUT, the films are long, especially the completely directionless third one. This is nothing compared to the fact that Orlando Bloom AND Keira Knightley “act” in all three films. Now, Keira Knightley is a strangely alluring actress, despite her funny mouth, and in the last decade she has proven some admirable acting chops, but here her wooden stylings are not to my tastes, and for the schoolboy crush factor, she’s certainly no Lea Thompson. As for Orlando Bloom, well, I’m really not a fan. Yes, you could argue that Jack Sparrow is a better single character than any in the BTTF films, and Johnny Depp a more accomplished actor than any of the “Future” cast, but that on its own isn’t enough to rescue it. Also, by the third film, Depp has disappeared so far up his own Black Pearl that the character doesn’t have any of its original charm anymore.

For hard hitting pace and action and gritty realism with intrigue and espionage, it definitely doesn't come close to the Bourne trilogy, and I can't really think of anything bad to say about that one. It’s different, for sure, but the Bourne trilogy actually reminds me of the BTTF films in more than one way. For instance, there’s no single performance in any of the three films that truly stands out. Brian Cox is excellent, as always, as are Joan Allen and Matt Damon, but none of them put in an Oscar-winning turn. This is a good thing, in my opinion, because the films don’t demand it. The story and action is enough. Like BTTF, the cast are brilliant in their roles, but none of them dominate the screen and take away from the rest of the film, like Heath Ledger does in The Dark Knight. When he’s not on screen, all you can think is that you wish he was. This is not the case in the Bourne films, where no single character is so crucial that you can’t live without them. The films are not made for fun, and have little humour in them, and so there is no comparison there, but they stay thematically consistent and tell a story that stays completely true to the world it inhabits. If I had to pick a fault, it would be that the non-linear style of the end of the second film and start of the third is hugely confusing, but then I could hardly deny that certain parts of the third BTTF film could have been trimmed, so let’s not get too close into criticising brilliant trilogies.

Other notable trilogies could include:

· Die Hard (except there's 4 of them now, and the second one is rubbish)

· Home Alone (only joking. The first two are good though.)

· Jurassic Park (maybe if the third one had had some effort put into it by anyone associated with it, director, actors, etc)

· Evil Dead (first one, brilliant – other two, I’m not sure)

· Spiderman (Hmmm, the first two are superb. But any trilogy that includes that pointless “Emo Spidey” section of Spiderman 3 doesn’t deserve a place at this table. I mean, seriously, what the HELL were they thinking? It’s a bad film without that, but that absolutely nails its coffin permanently shut.)

· Terminator (third one rubbish, and there’s a fourth one now anyway)

There are also other film trilogies of course, like High School Musical, Matrix, X-Men, Mission: Impossible, Ace Ventura (yes, they made a third), Austin Powers, Mighty Ducks, Beverly Hills Cop, Blade, The Ocean’s films, Robocop, Rush Hour, Scream, Spy Kids, Transporter, Ice Age, I Know What You Did Last Summer, etc but all of these are discounted for either being a) completely terrible or b) let down by at least one entry in the set.

So, this is obviously a gigantically subjective theme, and a very subjective blog – and I’m fine with that, and I hope that everyone has different ideas about what constitutes the perfect film trilogy. After all, all of the above is only my opinion. But, fellow film lovers, let me ask you this - if someone sat you down and said "Right, you've got to watch an entire trilogy all the way through for pure enjoyment," is there a better choice than Back to the Future?

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junker-town · 5 years

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Alex Bregman and Anthony Rendon is a historically great third base World Series matchup

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

A hot corner duel reminiscent of MVPs Mike Schmidt and George Brett in 1980.

A fantastic matchup awaits us in the 2019 World Series, and not just because of the stacked starting rotations of the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. We also get to watch the two best third basemen in baseball, with Alex Bregman and Anthony Rendon providing the most exciting hot corner matchup in the Fall Classic in four decades.

Both Bregman, 25, and Rendon, 29, had their best seasons in 2019, setting career highs in most offensive categories. Bregman hit 41 home runs and led the majors with 119 walks, hitting .296/.423/.592, and even filled in at shortstop for two months when Carlos Correa was injured. Rendon hit .319/.412/.598 while leading the National League with 44 doubles and topping the majors with 126 RBI. Rendon has batted third in every game this postseason for the Nationals, while Bregman bats cleanup for the Astros.

Their personalities, at least outwardly, couldn’t be more different. Bregman is brash and cocky, and with good reason. He explained his confidence in March:

“When I’m walking to the batter’s box, I’m thinking that I’m the best hitter on the planet of Earth. When I strike out, or get a hit or do whatever, if I homer or get out, the next at-bat when I’m walking to the batters box, I’m thinking I’m the best hitter on planet Earth. In baseball it’s such a game of failure, you’re going to fail so many more times than you succeed, you have to continually hit the refresh button every single at-bat and move on to the next pitch.”

Rendon is happy go lucky, not one to show too much emotion on the field one way or another. His celebration was relatively tame compared to his raucous teammates after the Nationals finished off their sweep of St. Louis in the NLCS, so much so that it could be motivation for his teammates.

“He told me if we win the World Series, he’ll show excitement,” Rendon’s Nationals teammate Adam Eaton told Rustin Dodd of The Athletic. “So I literally want to play just so I can see when he’s excited.”

This World Series even gives us a hometown angle with Rendon returning to Houston, where he was born, played in high school, and even stayed in the city to go to college at Rice. Rendon is 9-for-20 (.450) with five doubles and a home run in his career at Minute Maid Park, though his last game there was two years ago.

Bregman was so highly touted coming out of LSU in 2015 that he was “pissed” he fell to the second pick (behind Dansby Swanson, who went to the Diamondbacks and was since traded to the Braves), and wears number two on his uniform in part to remind him of that umbrage.

Rendon was drafted sixth overall in 2011, so it’s not like he was completely anonymous. But he’s been underrated for years, overshadowed for the bulk of his career by fellow top Nationals draft picks Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, who were each picked first. This year was the fourth time Rendon has totaled at least 6 Wins Above Replacement (the FanGraphs version), including each of the last three seasons, but he never made an All-Star team until this July.

Both lead their respective draft classes in fWAR, plus Rendon and Bregman rank fourth and fifth, respectively in WAR over the last three seasons. These aren’t just the two best third basemen in baseball*, they are two of the best players in the game at any position.

*Yes, I’ve heard of Nolan Arenado, and he is also magnificent. But Bregman and Rendon are better, for now.

During spring training the Astros locked up Bregman through his arbitration years plus two seasons into potential free agency with a five-year, $100 million contract that kicks in in 2020. Rendon will get his big payday this winter as the top position player in free agency, whether he stays with the Nationals — who have reportedly offered him over $200 million — or elsewhere.

Not that his pending riches were on Rendon’s mind.

“I’m not even thinking down the road. I’m don’t even know what I did yesterday, and I’m not even thinking about what I will do tomorrow,” told reporters after Game 3 of the NLCS. “I live here, in the moment. One day at a time.”

Bregman achieved the pinnacle of modern baseball in 2019, in that he went toe-to-toe with Mike Trout for the title of best player in the American League. One of those two will win American League MVP, with Bregman’s very-deserving candidacy boosted by the fact that Trout missed the final three weeks of the season with a foot injury while Bregman and the Astros bulldozed into the playoffs with an MLB-best 107 wins.

Rendon seems destined for a third-place finish at worst in National League MVP voting, with one of Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger likely winning that award. It’s worth noting that major league players voted that trio the top three players in the NL, but Rendon joined Yelich and Trout as the players’ final three for Most Outstanding Player in the majors (though the MVP is voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America).

[READ MORE: Vox Media’s complete guide to the World Series]

A battle of MVP third basemen

This is the best pair of third basemen we’ve had in the World Series since 1980, when Mike Schmidt and the Phillies beat George Brett and the Royals. Both are Hall of Famers and considered at the very top of their position in baseball history, and both Schmidt and Brett were at the peak of their powers 39 years ago.

Schmidt hit .286/.380/.624 in his age-30 season, with career bests in both home runs (48) and RBI (121). He won the first of his three MVP awards, and the fifth of his 10 Gold Glove Awards.

Schmidt was famously booed during his Hall of Fame career by his own fans in Philadelphia, but 1980 was a wonderful boost for his reputation.

“There are certain guys who players say, ‘He’ll get the big hit for you when you need it,’ I don’t think that label has been put on me yet,” Schmidt told The Sporting News (1). “But somebody ought to start putting it on me. This year I have gotten a lot of important hits for this team.”

Brett, 27, also won MVP that summer, hitting an absurd .390/.454/.664 with 24 home runs, and drove in more runs (118) than games played (117). His 203 OPS+ has only been reached by five players in the four decades since.

The story of 1980 was Brett, who was chasing Ted Williams en route to the second of his three career batting titles. Brett was hitting .400 as late as Sept. 19, with only 14 games left in the season.

“Regardless of what I hit this year, they probably are going to say, ‘He failed in what he set out to do,’” Brett told The Sporting News during that World Series (2). “Well I didn’t set out to hit .400. I wanted it bad, but I wanted it too bad. This year I should have enjoyed more than any other in my life. But I didn’t enjoy it at all.”

The Phillies and Royals had similar breakthroughs to reach the World Series in 1980. Both teams lost their League Championship Series for three straight years from 1976-78, Philadelphia falling to the Reds and Dodgers while Kansas City was victimized each time by the Yankees.

The Royals got their fourth crack at the Yankees in five years, and a sweep provided sweet revenge, with Brett’s three-run home run off Goose Gossage the killing blow in the decisive Game 3. The Phillies went the distance with the Astros in a classic NLCS, with the final four games of the series decided in extra innings.

It was the first NL pennant for the Phillies in 30 years, and their first postseason series win of any kind in the 98-year history of the franchise. It was the Royals’ first playoff series win, too, but as an expansion team their “suffering” only dated back to 1969.

Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images

Mike Schmidt homered twice in the 1980 World Series, capturing series MVP honors while leading the Philadelphia Phillies to their first championship.

Rendon and Washington relate most to Schmidt and Brett in this regard. The Nationals never won a playoff series before this season, including three first-round exits for Rendon (2014, 2016, 2017). Asked before their NLDS matchup with the favored Dodgers if the Nationals’ loss to the Dodgers three playoffs ago stuck with him, Rendon just smiled.

“That’s in the past. It happens, it happens,” he said. “You think about your girlfriend that broke up with you like 20 years ago? Probably not.”

Meanwhile, all Bregman has known is winning. His three full seasons with the Astros are the three best seasons in franchise history — three years with triple-digit victories, averaging 104 wins, a championship in 2017, and another World Series berth this year.

Both Brett and Schmidt were great in the 1980 World Series. Brett homered and doubled in the Royals’ Game 3 win, and hit .375 (9-for-24) with four extra-base hits in the six game series. Unfortunately he also had to leave Game 2 early with the most famous case of hemmorhoids in baseball history.

“It is a pain in the ass,” Brett told reporters after Game 2 in perhaps the most literal quote in the annals of sport (3).

Schmidt was even better, scoring twice in Game 1 and knocking in go-ahead runs in the other three Phillies wins in the series. He hit .381/.462/.714 (8-for-21) with two home runs, a double, four walks, and seven RBI to capture World Series MVP honors.

Rendon this postseason is hitting .375/.465/.594 with five extra-base hits and seven RBI in the Nationals’ 10 games. Bregman is at .257/.435/.429 with four extra-base hits, 10 walks and 10 runs scored in Houston’s 11 games. The stars have come to play.

We can only hope the 2019 World Series gives us such a wonderful battle between two great third basemen like we saw 39 years ago. At the very least, let’s hope that for the one who falls short this year it won’t be such a pain in the ass.

Sources:

(1) “Royals Run, Run, Run Away With West Title” by Mike DeArmond — The Sporting News, October 25, 1980.

(2) “Schmidt’s Burning Desire: MVP” by Hal Bodley — The Sporting News, October 18, 1980.

(3) “A Big Pain for Brett — and Royals” — The Sporting News, November 1, 1980.

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ultralifehackerguru-blog · 8 years

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New Post has been published on http://www.lifehacker.guru/bbc-has-concluded-a-list-of-best-25-films-in-the-21st-century-that-you-should-not-miss/

BBC Has Concluded A List Of Best 25 Films In The 21st Century That You Should Not Miss

If I ask you to name some of the best movies in the 21st century, what will you say?

The Lord of The Rings? A Beautiful Mind? Little Miss Sunshine? Finding Nemo? Her? Inception? The Martian? Inside Out? Moonlight? Or La La Land?

There’re many amazing films released over the past 17 years. Some are very popular among the public, some got nominated or even received widely-recognized awards. They’re all amazing in their unique way but some of them really stood out from the crowd.

BBC Culture recently reached out to 170 famous film critics around the world and asked them each to pick the best 10 films released from the beginning of 2000 to present days. And based on the critics’ votes, BBC came up with the list of the 21st Century’s 100 Greatest Films.[1]

Here’s the famous film critics’ shortlisted best 25 films with the review for BBC, and you can save a bit of time and know which one to go first. Here we go:

25. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)

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Christopher Nolan’s Memento, an airtight puzzle of a movie about a man who can’t form new memories searching for his wife’s killer, set a standard for narrative sophistication that few mainstream films have tried to duplicate…The film forces us to consider the unreliability of human memory and our tendency toward self-deception, even as it thrills us with a captivating crime-noir story…Unforgettable. – Eric D Snider, Freelance, US

24. The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)

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Paul Thomas Anderson’s ambitious, powerful and ultimately elegiac masterpiece centres on the question of whether man is, in fact, an animal. Tormented alcoholic Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) returns from World War Two and struggles, unsuccessfully, to conform to post-war America’s social evolution…but the real point of the film is an exploration of thought and consciousness, and whether submission to belief systems can genuinely tame atavism. – Ali Arikan, Dipnot TV, Turkey

23. Caché (Michael Haneke, 2005)

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All of Michael Haneke’s films are bound to haunt you. With Caché he cuts to the chase and makes the idea of haunting the theme of the story itself. Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche star as a bourgeois Parisian couple that start to receive disturbing video tapes showing their home…The act of not looking away is the moral imperative at the heart of Caché, which makes it a supreme political and cinematic movie at the same time. – Hannah Pilarczyk, Der Spiegel, Germany

22. Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)

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The 21st Century’s reigning empress of cinematic ennui, Coppola has always used celebrity as a shortcut to the loneliness that exists between private lives and public images… Lost in Translation as her most perfect film, the one that best articulates how it can be to find yourself in a world that seldom lets you forget where you are. – David Ehrlich, Indiewire, US

21. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014)

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The Grand Budapest Hotel is the 21st Century’s farewell salute to the century before. It vaults backwards in time from today to 1985 to 1968 to 1932, where Ralph Fiennes’ concierge Monsieur Gustave welcomes us to proper civilisation with a nod. We know Gustave’s immaculate world is ticking towards destruction, first by war, then by decades of neglect. Inevitably, the lazy and impersonal present will win, mass-producing not just our hotels, but our cinemas and the blockbusters on their screens… This oddball tragicomedy enlists us in the fight for beauty. Sir, yes, sir. – Amy Nicholson, MTV, US

20. Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman, 2008)

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Synecdoche, New York was initially conceived when Charlie Kaufman was approached about doing a horror film. Instead of masked killers and extraterrestrial monsters, though, Kaufman set out to make a movie about the stuff that really keeps us up at night. Synecdoche, New York is every deep-seated fear you’ve ever had, writ large: you’ve disappointed your spouse and failed your children, you’ve let your loved ones die lonely, excruciating deaths… Kaufman’s masterpiece is a reminder that even at our lowest and darkest, we are not alone. – Angie Han, Slashfilm, US

19. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, 2015)

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A cohesive vision with a structured journey built around themes of survival and endurance, the fourth entry in the dystopian franchise showcased what is otherwise the narrative and thematic drought within the Hollywood blockbuster machine… Without resorting to cheap cynicism and faux-grittiness, Miller zeroes in on the sensuality of the environments, the carefully crafted machines and scorched landscapes. – Justine A Smith, Freelance, Canada

18. The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke, 2009)

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“By setting the story in a north German village in the months prior to World War One, Haneke not only challenged the myth of childhood innocence but also delivered a fictional prequel to the upcoming events in Germany… it speaks to this century’s audiences: an unsettling view of the danger of righteousness, an ominous threat that always seems to recur. – Fernanda Solórzano, Letras Libres Magazine, Mexico

17. Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)

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It’s Del Toro going back to his roots, to his alchemy of pop and auteur cinema, to give us a look into the horrors of war – in this case the Spanish Civil War… Pan’s Labyrinth gives us tragedy through the filter of fantasy, going deep into a well of suffering and magic. Its power lies in its purity: nothing we can imagine is as terrible as what we can do to each other. – Ana Maria Bahiana, Freelance, Brazil

16. Holy Motors (Leos Carax, 2012)

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Holy Motors is not a movie. It is an act of grief designed as an expression of love, and while enfant terrible Leos Carax has been an essential director for any film fan since his debut… Surreal, silly, sexy and sad, Holy Motors is a guided tour through everything about cinema that matters to Carax. He was drowning as a man in his own life – Holy Motors was his first feature in 13 years after struggling to get financing – and he turned his art into a life raft. Movies matter. Here’s why. – Drew McWeeny, Hitfix, US

15. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu, 2007)

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One scene, one cut, zero music… Imbuing a backstreet abortion with the brutal tension of a crime thriller – and abortion was a crime in 1980s Romania… Yet despite much harrowing imagery, depicted in unblinking detail within a fraught 24-hour timeframe, the film’s underlying humanism is glimpsed through the unbeatable spirit of protagonist Otila, a college student who takes unthinkable risks and goes through grueling lengths to help her friend Gabita fix her unwanted pregnancy. – Maggie Lee, Variety, Hong Kong

14. The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, 2012)

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Few films have dared to capture the full spectrum of human evil so candidly, so perceptively, as Oppenheimer does in his unclassifiable non-fiction epic in which the Texas-born Danish film-maker convinces members of the death squads to reenact their murders in the style of their favourite Hollywood films… it’s about national amnesia, about the power of self-deceit and the questionable morality of truth-seeking… it’s one of the most celebrated documentary in 21st Century. – Joseph Fahim, Freelance, Egypt

13. Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)

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Here’s a bold statement about a bold movie: Children of Men, like no other film this century, and perhaps no other movie ever, solves the meaning of life… it’s rich and vital in its emotional and philosophical depth: its sadness, its anger, its reverence and worry for humanity… Children of Men has endured to become a cult favourite that should be required viewing for anyone grappling with feelings of dread about modern civilisation. – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair, US

12. Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)

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Zodiac, his meticulous, gorgeous and haunting true crime movie, is a deep dive into obsession, following a newspaper cartoonist who becomes consumed by the 1970s Zodiac murders… Gloriously detail-driven, Zodiac drags viewers into a compulsive world where the smallest hint can be the biggest clue, and it presents the obsessive’s worst nightmare: that, in the end, answers are utterly unattainable. – Devin Faraci, BirthMoviesDeath, US

11. Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2013)

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Set in the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s, the Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis is an achingly melodic tribute to an unloved underdog. Davis (Oscar Isaac) is striking out on his own after his musical partner goes solo. Along his dour journey, he’ll find others vying for similar success and others just trying to survive… Inside Llewyn Davis is a solemn song for anybody trying to become somebody. – Monica Castillo, The New York Times’ Watching, US

10. No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2007)

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Bardem’s film characterisation is so powerful, so splendidly overwhelming in his random application of violence, that he manages to extinguish whatever preceded it in the mind of the audience. Set in West Texas in 1980, the film’s sense of time and place are unparalleled… There’s a hypnotic quality to the movie’s pace, watching characters you can’t help but like… make a series of catastrophic decisions that bring each into Chigurh’s universe, a world soaked in blood with a predetermined outcome. – Ben Mankiewicz, Turner Classic Movies, US

9. A Separation (Asghar Farhadi, 2011)

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If there is a film that makes you take a deep look at yourself in the mirror again and again, this is it. Asghar Farhadi’s searing relationship drama does not make a judgement about its characters. Rather, it pitches the situations so realistically that the viewer ends up sympathising with both protagonists even though they are pitted against each other… all made to look as if one is watching one’s neighbours, or maybe someone in one’s own home – create an unparalleled cinematic morality play. – Utpal Borpujari, Freelance, India

8. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (Edward Yang, 2000)

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Audiences in 2000 were astonished by how fluently Edward Yang’s Yi Yi portrays contemporary life through the intermingling stories of members of a Taipei family separated by the dilemmas specific to their stations in life. That’s quite ironic, because in today’s world of personal alienation through the allure of social media, the film now feels like a period piece, yet somehow, it resonates with an even greater urgency… Its quiet reflections on life, love, family and death are all gracefully affecting, no matter the gap in generation and culture. – Oggs Cruz, Rappler, Philippines

7. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)

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Like a great poem, The Tree of Life opens itself to a thousand interpretations, as director Terrence Malick takes a spiritual and lyrical journey through time, from a dusty 1950s childhood in Texas back to the beginnings of the cosmos itself… The joys and aching losses of parenting become transcendent, even Biblical, in Malick’s hands. – Kate Muir, The Times, UK

6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)

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The story of a breakup gone wrong… But this wasn’t your average whimsical tale of romantic yearning… the movie belongs just as much to Kate Winslet, whose character’s decision to erase her own memories of the ex-couple’s time together sets the drama in motion. Eerie and surreal, charming and tragic, the movie wrestles with the fundamental instability of all human relationships, achieving a wise and powerful vision that is — ironically for a tale about fading memories — unforgettable. – Eric Kohn, Indiewire, US

5. Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014)

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For more than a decade, Richard Linklater spent a few weeks each year chronicling the life of Mason (Ellar Coltrane)… and watching the cast, which also includes Ethan Hawke and a remarkable Patricia Arquette, age before our eyes, adds an extra layer of poignancy to every single scene. In an era when every aspect of society was accelerating, Linklater slowed down to tell the one of the definitive stories of our time. – Matt Singer, ScreenCrush, US

4. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)

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Miyazaki’s story of a young girl trapped in the spirit world, trying to rescue her parents, feels like a throwback to an earlier age of hand-drawn animation… it has an ambitious sweep to its elaborate visuals of Japanese spirit-monsters and a sense of soaring adventure. It’s a traditional fairy tale turned into an exciting narrative of transformation and discovery. – Tasha Robinson, The Verge, US

3. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)

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From its near-wordless opening scene, Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood feels like something forged, not filmed. Daniel Day-Lewis, as turn-of-the-century prospector Daniel Plainview, grunts, spits and scrapes his way into a hole under baked Western earth; he strikes silver, drags his half-broken body to certify his claim…The rest of the movie – a sprawling, half-mad testament to greed, industry, moral hypocrisy and ballyhoo at their most elementally American – could be watched with no sound at all and still be perfectly understood. – Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post, US

2. In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-wai, 2000)

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Wong Kar-wai is one of world cinema’s most notorious perfectionists, but he earned every moment of editing-room indecision with In the Mood for Love… We never see the faces of the spouses whose affair pulls two lonely neighbours into their delirious romantic spiral… all the better to heighten the erotic charge of every swaying hip and every voluptuous swirl of the camera. And we never hear the lost, whispered words at the climax… never before has a film spoken so fluently in the universal language of loss and desire. – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, US

1. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)

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WH Auden called Los Angeles “the great wrong place”. James Ellroy called it “the great right place”. The idea that two, or more, seemingly conflicting ideas can simultaneously be true is so often forgotten in the zero-sum culture of today, but it’s at the heart of David Lynch’s empathetic masterpiece… Mulholland Drive is a reverie of sex, suicide and “silencio”…. Lynch’s film is so gorgeous and so painful, so mysterious and, in many ways, so recognisable – drive on the actual road, Mulholland, at night, and then walk from Western to Vermont, and you’ll see – that, whatever theory you ascribe to it, the picture does indeed reflect a reality that moves beyond southern California and parks itself in our brains, tapping into our dreams, deepest fears, inscrutable natures, erotic desires, and pool boys. – Kim Morgan, Sunset Gun, US

Are some of your favorite films on the list too? And have you got some new films to watch up next?

This is just the top 25 from the list of the greatest films, check out the complete list on BBC Culture here .

Reference

[1] ^ BBC Culture: The 21st Century’s 100 Greatest Films

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tipsoctopus · 4 years

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Mr. West Ham: Mark Noble sums up the term 'West Ham Legend'

It’s July 2016 and a group of ardent Hammers fans have been waiting for four hours in the pouring rain for an opportunity to meet their Canning town born hero – Mark Noble.

He has been delayed for attending the grand opening of the new stadium store due to flooding in the Brentwood area in Essex where he now lives, caused by out of season torrential rain during the night and early morning. However, those Hammers fans don’t care; they’ve simply got to meet and have their photograph taken with him.

In their minds, any of them or their families could be Mark Noble and by the same token, he could be one of them. This, thoughm is only part of the reason why he is considered ‘Mr West Ham.’

This week it has been announced the West Ham United captain has donated £35,000 to Basildon Borough Council to help deliver essentials to the people effected by the Coronavirus outbreak. It is also believed he has played a part in the #playerstogether campaign – along with other senior Premier League players like Jordan Henderson, Harry Maguire and Troy Deeney – created to help raise funds for the NHS in these current troubling times.

Back in May 2016, he was even granted the freedom of the Borough of Newham – the London Borough West Ham resides in – for his services to the people of the area.

This came as no surprise to West Ham fans. A club captain for four years and part of the first team for thirteen, he is one of them after all, but what has led him to this point?

Below are just five of the reasons why West Ham fans hold their No.16 in such high regard…

He grew up in the local area of the club he now leads.

Mark grew up in Canning Town and then Beckton, a stone’s throw from Upton Park.

Having played for local side Barking Colts, he was then picked up as an 11-year-old by scouts at Arsenal. However, due to the distance to Highbury from his then home in Beckton, causing him to be consistently late for training, the decision was made for him to join his local club West Ham United’s Academy two years later in 2000.

Mark became the youngest player to appear for the club’s reserve team at the age of 15 and after several appearances for the reserves, he then made his debut with the first team as a 17-year-old in August 2004 in a League Cup match against Southend United.

“Obviously when you grow up in the area you love playing on the street, and to go from playing on the street with my mates to playing at Upton Park is a bit surreal,” he said after his debut.

His passion for the club and the fans

Noble became club captain in September 2015, in time for West Ham’s momentous final season at Upton Park in 2015/16.

Upon succeeding previous Captain Kevin Nolan, Noble said: “When you are at a massive Barclays Premier League club like West Ham United playing in the best league in the world, to be captain and be brought up in the same area is something very special for me, for my family and the fans because they can relate to it.”

He spoke to the fans during an interview after the famous final match against Manchester United in May of that year, stating “this isn’t a football club, this is a family. Every West Ham fan out there is my family.”

It’s comments like these that demonstrate Noble’s undoubted commitment and passion for the club.

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Over the years he’s been with the club through good times and bad, including in 2018 when fan unrest led to protests and pitch invasions at the club’s new home in Stratford..

Noble’s passion led to him helping to drag one of the protestors off of the pitch in a day of ignominy for the club.

“I’m a West Ham fan and I’ve always protected the club,” he said. “If someone approaches me, I’ll protect myself.”

He plays ‘The West Ham Way’

The phrase ‘playing the West Ham Way’ has long been derided, some of the time unfairly, but this largely depends on what your opinion of the West Ham Way is.

Most at West Ham believe it’s origins to come from the 1960s when Ron Greenwood’s side enjoyed arguably the most successful period in the club’s history. Winning the 1964 FA Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup the following season, closely followed by three of their players playing a major role in the glorious World Cup winning England team in 1966, West Ham United became known as a free-flowing football team.

Often, Greenwood’s philosophy was that it was as important to play well as it was to win matches. In the years since, the club haven’t always stuck to this idealist way of playing, but could it be interpreted that the West Ham Way has itself changed somewhat. Nowadays, West Ham fans expectation of their players is commitment and hard work, with maybe a little bit of style from time to time.

Mark Noble perfectly understands this philosophy. This was never better demonstrated than in the match where Noble scored his first league goal for the club against Tottenham Hotspur in March 2007.

Brought into the side’s midfield by Alan Curbishley, thanks in part to an injury crisis but also because of his hard-working industrious playing style, Noble spent much of the game buzzing all over the Spurs midfield before scoring a superb strike to give his side the lead. He even ended the game in tears following a last-minute defeat, seemingly condemning the club to relegation, before a marvellous end of season run, with Noble in the side, winning seven of their last nine games to stay up.

Over the years his playing style has adapted to an extent, leading the team from a deeper position as age has caught up with him, robbing him of his pace and stunting his previous penchant for running up and down the pitch.

Now, his deep lying midfield position allows him to be pivotal to the way the team plays, often spraying passes to players with more technical ability in advanced areas leading to goals. His pass completion rate each season has consistently been over 80% in recent years. In his 495 matches, he has 59 assists for the club and 60 goals – with 38 of those coming from the penalty spot.

He’s also the mentor for his central midfield partner and the man many West Ham fans hope will take his place as captain one day – Declan Rice.

He’s ‘Too Good for England’

Noble’s promise in his early career led to International recognition for England at U18 and U19 level, closely followed by a call up to the U21 side in the summer of 2007 by then coach Stuart Pearce. He would go on to captain the team at the 2009 U21 European Championships, where they would be defeated in the final by their German counterparts.

However, a call up to the senior national side has long eluded him, despite some critical acclaim over the years. He was tipped by some to go to the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Euros due to his club performances in those seasons, but on both occasions was overlooked by Roy Hodgson in favour of younger candidates, despite his obvious experience.

Noble’s lack of England caps put him alongside other West Ham ‘legends’ who have had similar snubs, like Billy Bonds and Julian Dicks, often because of fears their rugged style of play may not be suited to international football.

West Ham fans know his qualities, though, and if anything, this has helped endear him to the Hammers faithful, serenading him with chants of “Too Good for England” several times over the years.

His dependability and consistency

Since his return to the club after returning from a loan spell with Ipswich Town in the first half of the 2006/07 season, Noble has averaged 28 league appearances each year. That’s an incredibly consistent run over 13 seasons. That’s largely due to his importance to the side, allied with his superb injury record.

During the thirteen seasons that Noble has been part of the first-team, he has suffered only six notable injuries, with the maximum time away from the team being 49 days in both the 2012/13 and 2016/17 seasons. He has been consistently picked by no less than seven managers in his time at West Ham, who often use varying playing styles, yet still come back to using Noble as part of the spine of their teams. He even reportedly played through pain and required injections to play for the club in 2017, displaying his obvious dependability.

He’s not always been immune to calls at certain stages to be dropped, notably during the 2016/17 season, a time he said “was the hardest of his career” and also more recently this season during the club’s wretched run of form. There being some suggestions new loan signing Sparta Prague captain Tomas Soucek could take his place in the side once the Premier League resumes.

If this season does mark the beginning of the end of Mark Noble’s time as West Ham’s talisman on the pitch, then it’s surely only going to be only the beginning of the next stage in his football career. Noble admitted in 2018 that he hadn’t done his coaching badges but he certainly sees himself as a mentor figure: “I think there’s no better person than me at this club to know the morals and ensure the foundations are kept with the young players and staff members.”

It’ll be interesting to see what happens in the coming years, whether he moves into coaching or joins the growing list of former footballers that end up chatting to Sky Sports or BT Sport every week in punditry.

Either way, there can be no doubt those Hammers fans will always see him as ‘one of them.’

from FootballFanCast.com https://ift.tt/3aYPaDI via IFTTT from Blogger https://ift.tt/2yd1nWI via IFTTT

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thrashermaxey · 6 years

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Ramblings: Early Concerns; Updates on Jones and Pettersson; Game Recaps – October 23

We have a few lineup and injury notes to get through so let’s start there.

Seth Jones should be in the lineup for Columbus on Tuesday. He skated in a full practice (again) on Monday and coach John Tortorella said after practice he’s likely to return for the team’s home game against Arizona.

Where Jones slots with the power play is uncertain. The beat writers that I saw intimated that he was practicing with the PP units, but not which specific PP units.

Which PP unit is important if only for ice time. While the forward mix has changed since the start of the season, it’s still Artemi Panarin earning 4:30 of PP ice time per game. That’s over a minute more than other regular forwards. An extra minute per game for 75(ish) games could be 6-7 PPPs. I guess we’ll know for sure once Columbus takes the ice for their game.

Cody Ceci looks ready to return to the lineup after skating with the team on Monday. He said after practice that the official decision would come sometime Tuesday, but it should be sooner rather than later.

With the production from Max Lajoie and the superlative play of Thomas Chabot, not to mention good days from Chris Wideman, Ceci may never see the power play. On the other hand, he’s not drafted in fantasy leagues for point production anyway. All this does is limit his upside. As long as the even strength and PK minutes are there, so too will his peripherals.

The Kings have sent rookie Jaret Anderson-Dolan to the AHL. The second-round pick from 2017 had one assist and six shots in five games.

Los Angeles needs their young players to pan out soon because their depth is horrid. All the same, this is likely the right move. He had his chance playing higher in the lineup and nothing materialized. Let him go get some big minutes in the minors and try again next year.

Boo Nieves was skating in a non-contact jersey with his teammates on Monday. He looks close to returning after suffering a concussion a month ago.

Not that there’s much fantasy relevance here immediately but he could take the spot of a Rangers forward who is fantasy relevant right now. Keep an eye out for line combinations.

It appears as though Elias Pettersson could be back very soon for the Canucks. He took part in the game-day skate on Monday and is expected to talk to the media on Tuesday. That’s a very good sign for him, his team, and fantasy owners. And just fans of hockey in general; the game is at its best when its young stars are flourishing.

The Coyotes should have Alex Galchenyuk back very soon, maybe as early as Tuesday, as he skated on the top line with Clayton Keller in practice on Monday and the coach said he is a game-time decision. Lawson Crouse was on the left wing.

This is big news for Arizona. It’s no secret the team has had trouble scoring in the early going and that’s definitely an area where Galchenyuk can help. It’ll be fun to watch he and Keller develop chemistry.

Sometimes, the puck just doesn’t want to seem to settle for you. The Philadelphia Flyers had their chances in a home matchup with Colorado, but mostly couldn’t finish. Nolan Patrick redirected one shot past Semyon Varlamov but the Avalanche netminder stopped 37 others in Colorado’s 4-1 win.

Naturally, it was Colorado’s top line that did nearly all the damage. Mikko Rantanen had two goals, Gabriel Landeskog had another, and Matt Nieto scored the fourth.

Jakub Voracek once again skated on the second line and assisted on Patrick’s goal. Voracek now has 12 points in 9 games this season.

The Red Wings got dragged up and down the ice by Carolina in their home game Monday. At one point in the first period, the shots were 13-0 Hurricanes and they were 36-12 after the second. Thankfully, Carolina slowed down in the third period. Unlike previous iterations of the Hurricanes, this team managed to score and win 3-1.

Ironically, after the team managed just two power play goals in their first eight games, their first two goals in this contest came with the man advantage. The first from Justin Faulk and the second from Micheal Ferland (look for a bit on Ferland in Cam Metz’s Eastern Edge posted Tuesday morning). Andreas Athanasiou replied for the Wings while Jordan Martinook put away the empty netter.

Those hoping this would be the year for Jack Roslovic’s breakout, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news:

Jets fourth line icetime at 5v5 through 40 minutes: Perreault: 3:00 Roslovic: 2:01 Lemieux: 1:52

Perreault has 2:20 on the power play as well but, on a night where the top two lines aren't going, I'd argue Winnipeg's depth could help more.

— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) October 23, 2018

The rest of the games will be updated in the morning.

Last week in these Ramblings I covered a few early stats that fantasy owners should keep an eye on, specifically focusing on line stats and individual shot rates. Again, this is still very early in the NHL season. For evaluation purposes, I don’t touch my fantasy rosters until October, with exceptions being injury or demotion. It’s a delicate balance in fantasy leagues; owners need to wait until we have a decent sample to work with before making decisions, but wait too long and someone else in your fantasy league will get the first bite at the apple. In general, I favour aggressiveness over passivity, but I would wait until we have a few more games of data to work with for each team.

Let’s say, hypothetically speaking, I had to make a decision today, whether on a team or a specific player. Maybe I had a waiver move to make or a trade offer to consider. Maybe there’s a close race developing at the top of my league and aggressive moves need to be made to separate myself.

Regardless the reason, there are some emerging storylines that, at the very least, should be monitored. Here are some that stick out for me. Data via Corsica as of Monday afternoon.

There’s something wrong with the Jets

The line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, and Blake Wheeler has been absolutely torched by the opposition to start the season. In nearly 110 minutes together, the trio has controlled 45.9 percent of the adjusted shot share at five on five, their expected goal share is under 43 percent, and their actual goal share is abysmal. That last part doesn’t matter too much for evaluation purposes but the first two points sure do.

This is a deviation from last year. The line was over 52 percent and 54 percent, respectively, in those first two categories in 2017-18. For fantasy purposes, having such a poor shot share is not in and of itself a significant issue. There are players from bad teams or skating on bad lines aren’t automatically disqualified from fantasy relevance; just think of the Tavares or Eichel line from last year. The problem for Connor-Wheeler-Scheifele is they are generating absolutely no offence, clocking in at 45.1 shot attempts per 60 minutes. Among the top-12 most-used lines in the NHL this year, they’re last in this regard, and a distant last at that as no other team is below 50 shot attempts per 60 minutes.

It’s not as if they’ve had a brutal schedule to start the year, either. Their eight games have been in STL, in DAL, vs. LAK, at NSH, vs. CAR, vs. EDM, vs. VAN, and vs. ARI. It’s possible we see one playoff team emerge from that group, and the Jets are basically mid-pack in adjusted shot share, coming in below 50 percent as a team.

If the Winnipeg top line can fix their woes, this team can turn around things in a hurry. But it’s been a brutal start to their year for the top line, even if Connor has seven points to lead the way. Fantasy owners need to decide whether this start portends things to come or is just a 100-minute blip, because now would be the time to either trade them away or trade for them, depending on your view.

The Ducks are terrible

Injuries played a factor early in the Anaheim season undoubtedly. They lost Corey Perry, Ondrej Kase, and Ryan Getzlaf early on. They recently got Getzlaf back but lost Jakob Silfverberg. I was thinking to myself, “ok things are bad, but once Getzlaf is back, they’ll start to turn things around.”

Not quite.

They got Getzlaf back on the weekend and got absolutely thrashed by the Golden Knights on Saturday. The score was just 3-1 but Anaheim’s shot share came in just over 42 percent at five on five in that game. Not to mention that Vegas has their own significant injuries and suspensions they’re dealing with.

Sunday wasn’t much better as the Ducks lost 4-2 to Buffalo and the Sabres scorched them to the tune of a shot share over 60 percent. So yes, they got Getzlaf back, and then they got dominated on the road to a team missing Paul Stastny and Nate Schmidt, then got dominated at home by the Sabres, at best a middle-of-the-road team.

Sure, they’ll be a bit better once they get their wingers back but adding a couple second-line wingers won’t turn a 40 percent shot share team into a 50 percent shot share team. John Gibson owners will need him to play out of his mind in order to put up respectable win and goals against totals.

Tampa Bay lines will be an issue

We’ve already seen it so far this year: JT Miller has been moved to the fourth line, Brayden Point is skating with Steven Stamkos, the Triplets line has been reunited, and Yanni Gourde is skating top line minutes. We’ve also seen Alex Killorn take the top PP spot away from Point. All this and we’re still over a week away from Halloween.

A lot of fantasy owners like to draft pairs or entire lines. This can work out very well if a line stays together most of the year. Many people probably targeted JT Miller to pair with Stamkos or Kucherov for this exact purpose. The power play correlation is still there, at least. For now, anyway.

This is a team facing significant pressure. It’s a team built for a Stanley Cup. Not a playoff appearance, not win a round. It’s Stanley Cup or bust. As we’ve seen already, if the smallest thing starts to go wrong, we will see changes, some of them being significant. I wager we’ll see this all year long.

What do you fantasy owners and readers say? Are these situations where you agree or disagree? Even though it’s still very early in the season, what situations are raising a concern for you? Let us know in the comments.

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-early-concerns-updates-on-jones-and-pettersson-game-recaps-october-23/

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gokinjeespot · 7 years

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off the rack #1199

Monday, February 5, 2018

Way to go Philadelphia Eagles. I couldn't stay awake to watch the whole game after a long day at the monthly Capital Trade Show with Chris. I was surprised at how well we did considering that it snowed all day, it was Super Bowl Sunday and Winterlude was going on in Ottawa. We had our regular show folks looking for old comics and magazines to thank for our sales. I'm happy for the Eagles for winning their first Super Bowl and for all their fans. I hope they enjoy the celebrations.

Detective Comics #973 - James Tynion IV (writer) Jesus Merino (pencils) Jason Wright (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). Fall of the Batmen finale. Whoever inked this issue did a great job but their name was left out of the credits. The fate of Batman's team of crime fighters and Clayface in particular gets answered. I thought it was a very satisfying end to this story.

Jessica Jones #16 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Michael Gaydos (art) Matt Hollingsworth (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Return of the Purple Man continues. Every time I read a Marvel Bendis book now there's a feeling of finality. He made me feel like this was it for Jessica a few times here. Just when I thought that the end was near be takes this story in a new direction that makes me happy that we get to read another issue.

The Silencer #1 - John Romita Jr. & Dan Abnett (storytellers) Sandra Hope (inks) Dean White (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). Code of Honor part 1. Meet Honor Guest, a loving mother and wife who used to be a very dangerous killer. She took early retirement from her old job but the past has caught up to her and threatens her idyllic life now. John Romita Jr.'s art made this feel like a future version of Hit Girl. The appearance of a Batman nemesis puts this New Age of Heroes book in the DCU but it didn't need to be. This first issue was good enough to make me want to check out the next one.

Hungry Ghosts #1 - Anthony Bourdain & Joel Rose (story) Alberto Ponticelli & Vanesa Del Rey (art) Jose Villarrubia (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). This 4-issue mini is an anthology of creepy tales told by famous chefs. I've watched Anthony Bourdain's adventures on TV as he travels the globe immersing himself in other cultures and enjoying their cuisine. These could be stories he's heard from fellow chefs. I found this quite enjoyable and would have left a generous tip if it were a meal.

Moon Knight #191 - Max Bemis (writer) Jacen Burrows (pencils) Guillermo Ortego (inks) Mat Lopes (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Crazy Runs In The Family part 4. I like this simple story with this complex hero. The bad guy wants to make Marc suffer and now he has Marlene. The rescue mission will be fun to watch.

Avengers #678 - Mark Waid, Al Ewing & Jim Zub (writers) Pepe Larraz (art) David Curiel (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). No Surrender part 4. Still loving this weekly action packed story. Lots of super heroes fighting super villains and super villains fighting super villains. If this were a movie it would all be a blur on the screen. That's the cool thing about comic books. The art may be two dimensional and static but you still get a feeling of movement and action. Still loving the art too. The cover by Mark Brooks makes you want to grab the book off the racks. Page 2 showing the Black Order against the Lethal Legion is just screaming out to be made into a full sized poster. The drone's eye view of Quicksilver and the Lethal Legion was a perspective that I don't think I've seen before. Pepe and David are rocking this story.

All-New Wolverine #30 - Tom Taylor (writer) Juann Cabal (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Orphans of X part 6. This is a very well thought out finale where Laura and the good guys manage to win their freedom without having to kill the bad guys. Juann Cabal's art was so frigging good throughout. Not since Joshua Middleton was drawing X-23 in NYX back in 2003 have I been so in love with how Laura is drawn. Look for Juann's art on the racks and buy it.

Detective Comics Annual #1 - James Tynion IV (writer) Eddy Barrows (pencils) Eber Ferreira (inks) Adriano Lucas (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). It's the origin story of Clayface. This is a nice companion to Detective Comics #973.

Defenders #9 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) David Marquez (art) Justin Ponsor (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). I love the double X chromosome power on the cover and this issue delivers all those lethal ladies on the last page. So Bendis puts himself in a vanity appearance on page 2 but I don't know what 17-year running gag he's talking about. Maybe somebody out there in fandomland can enlighten me.

Punisher: The Platoon #5 - Garth Ennis (writer) Goran Parlov (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Rob Steen (letters). Frank's platoon is trapped by the Viet Cong army during a recovery mission. The fire fight is intense and even though we know that some of the soldiers survive, these pages still convey a feeling of despair. This is where the revenge driven Ly Quang finally catches up with Lt. Castle. I can't wait for next issue's conclusion.

Phoenix Resurrection #5 - Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Leinil Francis Yu & Joe Bennett (pencils) Gerry Alanguila & Belardino Brabo (inks) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Well that's it then. There's going to be another Jean Grey on the racks with the Phoenix force petering out like a spent candle in the wind. The Phoenix arrived with a bang and went out in a whimper. I was also disappointed with the switch in art halfway through. Leinil and Joe's styles are so different that it made for a disjointed reading experience. I wonder when we'll see this resurrected Jean meet the resurrected Logan.

Incredible Hulk #712 - Greg Pak (writer) Greg Land (pencils) Jay Leisten (inks) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Return to Planet Hulk part 4. It's the Unworthy Thor versus Hulk in the fourth bout of the gauntlet. It's fun to compare this to the big fight scene in the movie Thor Ragnarok. The winner won't be a surprise but what the bad guy has up his sleeve for the fifth stage of the gauntlet will.

Invincible Iron Man #596 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Stefano Caselli & Alex Maleev (art) Marte Gracia & Alex Maleev (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). They sure seem to be dragging this return of Tony Stark story out past its best before date. I'm actually more interested in what's going to happen to RiRi Williams. The last panel made me very happy indeed.

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flauntpage · 7 years

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Your Wednesday Morning Roundup

Well, we can’t have every day be a good one. For hopefully at least a day, we returned back to the sad and depressing times of being a Philly sports fan.

Let’s start with the Flyers. They played Anaheim to wrap up a four-game homestand and lost 6-2. They sucked.

This also sucked:

Kevin Bieksa superman punch http://pic.twitter.com/r8PZs3jchF

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 24, 2017

But what makes the loss worse is the injury suffered by rookie Nolan Patrick. His head hit the boards and came off very woozy, needing the help of trainers and a few of his teammates:

Patrick heads to locker room after taking this hit. #Flyers @AntSanPhilly @CrossingBroad http://pic.twitter.com/JnSKXIA0WX

— Tyler Trumbauer (@tylertrumbauer) October 25, 2017

Woof.

What about the Eagles? Fresh off a nice win Monday night against the Redskins and they sit atop the NFL!

Except Jason Peters tore his MCL and ACL and Jordan Hicks ruptured his Achilles. They’re officially done for the season.

Woof.

And last but not least, because they’ve gone together so well for the last few seasons, the Sixers got the injury bug again. And it involves a top rookie draft pick. It’s Markelle Fultz.

Originally, Fultz’s agent, Raymond Brothers, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski his client had fluid drained from his right shoulder. Head coach Brett Brown was asked about Fultz and his shoulder at the end of practice yesterday.

A few hours later, Brothers updated his statement to Woj, saying Fultz actually got a cortisone shot on October 5.

At least nothing has happened to Rhys Hoskins…yet.

The Roundup:

With Tuesday being the day after an Eagles win, that means plenty of game recaps. We’ve got our ten takeaways, and what the media is saying about the Birds.

Jimmy Kempski asks what the Eagles will do without Jordan Hicks and Jason Peters.

With nine games left, the second half of the schedule will test the team’s offensive line, pens David Murphy:

After Sunday’s game against the winless 49ers, the schedule turns daunting. Five of the Eagles’ last nine games come against teams that rank in the top third of the league in sack percentage. The Rams have sacked opposing quarterbacks on 9.2 percent of dropbacks (fifth), the Cowboys on 8.7 percent (seventh), the Bears on 8.2 percent (eighth), and the Broncos on 7.8 percent (11th). That does not include a game in Seattle against the Seahawks’ vaunted defense.

The sudden uncertainty at tackle is, in some ways, a reminder of the unique nature of the Eagles’ situation. Since Roseman regained control of the roster after Kelly’s dismissal before the 2015 season finale, both he and owner Jeffery Lurie have spoken of their roster building as if its endgame lay somewhere beyond this season. As the only offensive linemen selected by the team in the last four drafts, some combination of Seumalo and Vaitai was going to need to contribute to that future. Peters wasn’t going to play forever. There had already been rumblings about center Jason Kelce’s contract.

Carson Wentz met with the family of the Dutch Destroyer after the game and even gave them a game ball.

Meanwhile, Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long, and Torrey Smith went to Harrisburg to talk to state lawmakers yesterday morning.

Let’s enjoy the Eagles and Sixers again.

—

Kevin Kinkead has his five observations from the Sixers’ first win of the regular season.

Backup center Richaun Holmes is out of his brace on his left wrist and should be reevaluated later this week:

“Hopefully, I get cleared and hopefully ready to play,” he said.

Holmes has been participating in shooting, dribbling and layup drills.

“Everything is pretty normal,” he said Monday night. “I just got to get back to taking contact. That’s kind of the last step. Then I’ll be ready to go.”

Looks like Andre Drummond wants Joel Embiid again:

See you Dec 2nd

— Andre Drummond (@AndreDrummond) October 24, 2017

—

In other sports news, Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Houston Astros 3-1 in Game 1 of the World Series. Game 2 is tonight at 8 pm on Fox. Justin Verlander will get the start for the Astros, while Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers.

Lonzo Ball’s Laker teammates didn’t take Marcin Gortat’s tweet too lightly:

“Yeah, of course we did,” Ingram said when asked if he saw Gortat’s tweet on Monday. “Everyone has social media, definitely saw it. The competitor in Lonzo, of course he didn’t take it so well and, with his teammates behind him, we didn’t take it so well.”

Sorry Rudy Gobert:

Excuse me coming through. http://pic.twitter.com/FiawcatHpb

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) October 25, 2017

The Seahawks have signed defensive end Dwight Freeney to a one-year deal.

According to the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, it’ll be Bruce Arians’ last season of coaching in the NFL. But according to Bruce Arians, that’s not true:

Hearing reports I'm retiring. News to me. Nothing could be further from truth & 100% focused on getting back on track at SF! #birdgang

— Bruce Arians (@BruceArians) October 24, 2017

The best hockey game last night, Connor McDavid and the Oilers against Sidney Crosby’s Penguins, ended with the Penguins winning in overtime. You probably didn’t watch it, and even if you wanted to, you couldn’t because NBCSN decided to air Detroit-Buffalo.

Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch will serve his one-game suspension after appeals officer and former Eagle James Thrash upheld the ban.

—

In the news, a fire on South Street has damaged Bridget Foy’s restaurant.

A manhunt for an escaped shooter led Philadelphia Police to a huge heroin facility.

Texting and crossing the street in Honolulu is now illegal.

Chipotle, which I am a fan of, had profits and sales rise in the third quarter. But the Hurricanes and avocado prices hurt as well, along with their very bad queso.

Your Wednesday Morning Roundup published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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junker-town · 7 years

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NHL Preview 2017

Previews for all 31 teams, plus division-by-division predictions

The 2017-18 NHL season is finally here. The offseason was long — longer for some more than others — but we’ve all made it to the other side with most of our relative sanity intact.

Every new hockey season feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s a clean slate for all teams, no matter how good or bad they were in the previous season. Of course some are favored more than others, but hockey has that random element that throws even the best predictions into chaos by the end of the year.

Teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs certainly made for the biggest surprises last year, and there will be more to come this season. Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Patrik Laine will continue to make their first strides as the NHL’s new generation among old greats such as Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, and Jonathan Toews.

It’s been awhile, but we’re glad to have you back with us for the start of a new year. Welcome aboard, folks. It’s time to come fan with us.

Atlantic Division

Tampa Bay Lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs

Boston Bruins

Montreal Canadiens

Buffalo Sabres

Ottawa Senators

Florida Panthers

Detroit Red Wings

The Atlantic Division is poised to gain back one of their heavyweight teams in a big way this season. Last year, the Tampa Bay Lightning missed the postseason by one point after injuries spoiled a season ripe for the taking. With Steven Stamkos back at the helm, the Lightning will likely charge back into the top of the Atlantic standings, even with the loss of Jonathan Drouin.

Toronto is looking as dangerous as ever this season with their young core of incredible talent. The addition of Patrick Marleau will strengthen an already deep offensive lineup, pushing the Maple Leafs into second in the division thanks to the contributions of Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander.

Heading up the third spot in the Atlantic are the Bruins, who have Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak leading the charge at offense. While Zdeno Chara has slowed down in his old age on the back end, the real gem might be the addition of young Charlie McAvoy to the blue line.

Despite finishing in fourth in the Atlantic, it’s going to be tough for the Canadiens to make a push into the postseason. While they added Drouin in the offseason, they didn’t do much more to improve a stagnant offense. Elite goaltender Carey Price will no doubt steal them wins, but scoring might prove tough for Montreal this year.

A healthy Eichel will be an incredible improvement for the Sabres, but the team doesn’t have much else going for them. Eichel will have a better crowd to work with on offense, as Jason Pominville was brought in during the offseason. However, their goaltending situation with Chad Johnson and Robin Lehner might be a disappointment.

The biggest fall this season will be the Ottawa Senators, who have lost Colin White and Derick Brassard to injury to open the year. Worst of all, their best player in Karlsson is still unavailable to play after foot surgery this offseason and his absence will be felt as the new season gets underway.

Florida will flounder once again this season thanks to curious moves to cut salary on integral hockey players. The absence of Jaromir Jagr aside, it’s hard to see the Panthers making a leap after cutting fair amounts of offensive and defensive upside.

Rounding out the Atlantic are the Red Wings, who are straddled with too many bad contracts and not enough young core pieces to make any sort of push after missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

Metropolitan Division

Pittsburgh Penguins

Washington Capitals

Columbus Blue Jackets

Carolina Hurricanes

Philadelphia Flyers

New York Rangers

New York Islanders

New Jersey Devils

It will be hard to knock the Pittsburgh Penguins off their game as the reigning Stanley Cup champions. Despite a weaker offensive lineup, it’s difficult to count out the Penguins as being anything but the Metropolitan Division’s best with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the lineup. Young Matt Murray will also get his first shot as the Penguins’ unequivocal starter, as his two Stanley Cup rings at the age of 23 will no doubt be a help without Marc-Andre Fleury waiting in the wings.

The Capitals took a hit this offseason after being bested by their Metropolitan Division rivals in the playoffs last year. The expectations were high on Washington and they failed, but it could be different this time around. Alex Ovechkin isn’t the player he once was, but his surrounding cast of Nicklas Backstrom, T. J. Oshie, and Evgeny Kuznetsov are still a force to be reckoned with.

Columbus won’t take anyone in the NHL by surprise this season. Their incredible rise ended abruptly in the postseason, but their core of Nick Foligno, Alexander Wennberg, Brandon Dubinsky, and Artemi Panarin will be equipped to handle most everything that will be thrown their way.

The Hurricanes will finally make the leap back into the postseason this year with a fourth-place finish. A strong offseason of solid additions brought them a goaltender, offensive depth, and defensive help. Alongside a core lead by Noah Hanifin on the back end and Jeff Skinner up front, this year will be their year for substantial growth.

Sneaking into the postseason this year will be the Flyers, who are also experiencing a bit of a youth movement. Nolan Patrick’s addition to the top-six will jumpstart an offense that sagged uncharacteristically, while Ivan Provorov, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Radko Gudas anchor the team on the back end.

While the Rangers still have all-world netminder Henrik Lundqvist, the goaltender struggled at times last season. The Rangers added Kevin Shattenkirk to their thin blue line, but the team will go where Lundqvist goes.

The Islanders, meanwhile, will try to placate John Tavares before his contract expires in July. Adding Jordan Eberle and Josh Ho-Sang to the team will help the Islanders’ offense, but it won’t be enough to overcome a strong division.

Despite grabbing Nico Hischier in the draft, the Devils will finish at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. New Jersey has some incredible pieces to work with, but the team will falter despite a more potent offensive showing.

Central Division

Minnesota Wild

Dallas Stars

Nashville Predators

Chicago Blackhawks

Winnipeg Jets

St. Louis Blues

Colorado Avalanche

In a Central Division ruled by the Chicago Blackhawks, this year it will be the Minnesota Wild’s turn to step into the spotlight. Trading Jason Pominville and Marco Scandella opened roster spots for rookies and veteran signings to bolster their already solid depth. While the Wild don’t boast the incredible star power many top NHL teams have, their lineup is of the league’s best top to bottom and it will show by the end of the year.

The most improved team in the Central will be without a doubt the Stars. Dallas finally mitigated their biggest weakness this offseason, and after signing Ben Bishop the team will no longer have to rely on goaltending to save them. An offensive lineup of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov will be one of the NHL’s most potent in a bounce-back season.

Last year’s Western Conference champions will hover at third in the Central Division this year. The loss of James Neal to Vegas will hurt the offense, and Ryan Ellis’ injury will do them no favors on defense. Even still, the Predators boast some of the best blue line talent in the league, and that will carry them once again to the postseason.

The Blackhawks lost many key pieces in the offseason, including backup Antti Raanta and former Calder Trophy winner Panarin. Their young pieces in Nick Schmaltz and Alex DeBrincat will plug the holes on offense nicely, but their defense has taken hits. Chicago will bend, but not break as they slide into a playoff spot.

Also improved, but not enough to crack the postseason, will be the Jets. Mark Scheifele is one of the NHL’s most underrated forwards, and he’ll lead Laine, Blake Wheeler, and Nikolaj Ehlers with quite the offensive punch. Steve Mason will have a better year in net, but a postseason berth will be just out of reach.

The Blues have been riddled with injury, and they’ll suffer because of it. Both Alexander Steen and Patrik Berglund have various ailments to start the year, and Robby Fabbri will miss the entire season. St. Louis’ got some offensive help this year with the Brayden Schenn trade, yet a step back seems assured.

And, to no one’s surprise, the Avalanche will fill out the Central Division’s basement. While Colorado won’t be as horrific as last year, Matt Duchene’s presence hangs over the team like a black cloud. A new venue for the star is needed, and not a moment too soon.

Pacific Division

Edmonton Oilers

Anaheim Ducks

Calgary Flames

San Jose Sharks

Arizona Coyotes

Los Angeles Kings

Vegas Golden Knights

Vancouver Canucks

The legend of Connor McDavid will continue to grow this year. The Edmonton Oilers may have their cap space shrinking by the day, but their roster will carry them to a first-place finish in the Pacific. When not facing down McDavid, opponents will have to contend with Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Milan Lucic. If there’s one Achilles' heel to Edmonton, it’s how well Cam Talbot can stay healthy. If he’s as on his game as last season, the Oilers will roll right on through the Pacific.

Always a Pacific Division stalwart, the Ducks remain just as steady as ever. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf lead the team, but their defense of Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, and Josh Manson will be the real backbones of the lineup. Anaheim is nowhere near Edmonton’s levels of excitement, but they will continue to be a constant threat.

Another young threat in the Pacific will be the Flames, who may boast the best defensive lineup in the NHL. Adding Travis Hamonic to an already stacked lineup of Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, T.J. Brodie, and Dennis Wideman will give Calgary a boost. Johnny Gaudreau, of course, will be the team’s creative centerpiece and the addition of Jagr will shine bright as they head back to the postseason.

The Sharks remain quite a deep team even with the loss of Patrick Marleau to Toronto. While their core has aged, San Jose didn’t do much to jostle their winning formula outside of adding a few small pieces. The Sharks’ window is still closing on them, but they’ll stick around for another season longer.

Maybe the most improved Pacific team will be the Coyotes. General manager John Chayka has added depth to Arizona across the board. While Jakob Chychrun’s absence on the blue line to start the season stings, this team will surprise many with a fifth-place finish.

Offense will once again be an issue for the Kings, who will finish out the season out of a playoff spot. Jonathan Quick can solve some problems, but Los Angeles will once again have a hard time scoring goals after doing nothing this offseason to fix it.

The NHL’s 31st team will not have the most amazing first season in franchise history, but they won’t be awful either. The Golden Knights have some exciting options on offense in Jonathan Marchessault, James Neal, and Vadim Shipachyov. Marc-Andre Fleury will be solid in goal, but Vegas’ will do their future selves a service by remaining at the bottom half of the league.

Rounding out the Pacific will be the Canucks, who have looked stagnant for a few seasons now. Their core is getting older, and no help outside of Bo Horvat has yet to arrive. Until management gets it together, this season will be another lost one for Vancouver.

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nicdestro-blog1 · 8 years

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Prometheus

It is ironic that movies provide escapism, and some, the best of them, provide a safe place for experiemental escapism, where our contemporary travails are disguised in life and death struggles on faraway worlds. We can indulge our discomforts there, even if we lack the courage to consider how perfectly they reflect back to our modern world on Earth.

On Earth, the Prometheus mythos suggests, as it is in Scott's scary, star strewn heavens. The desert of the real on distant moons is the same desert that we encounter all too frequently on Earth. Places that do not nourish us. Yet places filled with meaning.

Tom Hardy was so impressive as just this sort of fighting machine in last year's Warrior,” stripped to the waist, his face a beefy landscape of brutal determination that occasionally cracked to reveal his emotional pain.

But here, Hardy is forced to wear a mask (supposedly delivering some sort of pain-killer for Bane's past injuries, rather than strength-enhancing steroids as in the comic) through which only his eyes are visible. Bane struts around holding his lapels like a caricature of a self-important politician. And his voice - well, it probably is Hardy but who knows, because you never see his lips move. His entire Darth Vader-voiced performance might as well have been delivered in the dubbing studio (and probably was).

July 19, '12, update: The Dark Knight Rises Rotten Tomatoes fans 'defended' by Christopher Nolan. At the London premiere for The Dark Knight Rises on Wednesday, Batman 3” director Christopher Nolan appeared to defend - or at least understand” - the reasoning (or lack thereof) of psychotic fans who dumped on Rotten Tomatoes a barrage of comments deemed so vicious (see further below) that the site (temporarily) suspended comments on their The Dark Knight Rises review page.

Directed and co-written by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale as the billionaire-with-a-mission Bruce Wayne / Batman, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle / Catwoman , Tom Hardy as Bane, and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate, in addition to Michael Caine , Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Matthew Modine, and Tom Conti.

And so we get The Dark Knight Rises,” the third Batman film in Nolan's trilogy and also the weakest. Where Batman Begins” (2005) had a mythic feel that remade the origin story in an exciting new way (away from the flat-footed cartoonishness of the Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher entries), The Dark Knight” felt like an overreach - an attempt to tell too many stories in one long movie. But it won over the critics, mostly because of a sizzling performance by Heath Ledger, who died before the movie was released (and who was given a posthumous Oscar).

I agree with this interview completely, save the comments about the 2nd installment. I look at the outcries much like Star Wars: Phantom Menace. At the time, any critic panning the movie was in idiot…they are now the sages who had the wisdom to keep themselves emotionally separated from the hype and look at the movie for what it is.

A failure that didn't live up to the hype made by a director that should have been more open to alternative opinions and not revered as a god…al la, M. Knight Shammy. The Dark Knight: Rises is not a terrible movie, it was a pretty good movie…it was also, the weakest of the 3. I am confident in time that this review will ultimately be shown to be true, as evidenced by poor DVD sales and more and more fans willing to see this movie for what it could have been after the hype dies down.

At turns Prometheus seems to wander into the same territory of the ALIEN franchise, and perhaps some fanboys were hoping for Part 5 (or is it 6) of those face offs. But we already know what happens. Thankfully, Scott does and does not go down that familiar rabbit hole.

While Scott does carefully PING some of the necessary ALIEN iconography (and I reckon he does so with great style and finesse) he is also really making an entirely separate flick. That, in itself, was a bold move from the old legend. I feel he succeeds, and grandly. If Weyland suffers from hubris, perhaps some of it rubbed off on me, for I feel this flick is perhaps the greatest science fiction film ever, and one of the top films ever produced. In every department. Story. Acting. Pace. Visual effects. Score. Creativity. Intelligence.

To complicate matters a fifth Alien film , from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp, is also moving forward, though it is thought Prometheus 2 will arrive first on our screens. The sequel is set to debut in 2017, so if the final two movies arrive in 2019 and 2021 (based on a reasonable gap of two years between films), Scott would be at least 83 by the time the saga is finally complete.

A top tier film with a superb cast. I think the Case for The Dark Knight Rises is a good one. A Best Picture nomination should not even be questioned. I will be surprised if it doesn't get it, even with a strong year for films. A win is tough, but it possible. Michael Caine for best supporting actor. All his scenes, specially when him and Bruce part ways were top notch. It was satisfying when we get to see him again as he sees Bruce and Selina together.

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beersfromthebleachers · 8 years

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2017 Fantasy Baseball rankings

With a week into Spring Training and a week before the World Baseball Classic begins, we wait to see our favorite stars take the field again. Some of us baseball fanatics will take note as we watch some of the best play against another country or some new talent that will be joining them later on this season. This is the best time to look at players before you draft them for your fantasy baseball team. After doing some extended research, participating in some mock drafts, and observing the results from last season; I will list the top twelve players to draft that you should take in the first round!

1. Kris Bryant, CHC 3B/OF - I know what you are thinking...”You’re such a stay home!” or “Get off the Cubs bandwagon!” Look, before I spit the real, let this be known that this will be the ONLY Cubs player on this list. Now that we got that out of the way, let’s continue. Bryant was considered to be the next best thing coming to the big leagues since he was a prospect in the Cubs farm system. Coming from the same area of Las Vegas as Bryce Harper, he was set to make a huge impression after the Harper hype. Now, after reigning as Rookie of the Year to becoming the National League MVP with a World Series title, his shadow is now hovering over Harper in Washington. The kid slashed his strikeout numbers in half with what he displayed hitting 39 home runs and a .292 batting average. The best part about Bryant working under Joe Madden’s system is the fact that he can play almost anywhere, but he’ll squeeze him in the outfield for some days. If you grab Bryant and another prestige third baseman, you have some leverage for a good trade or so. If you pass on Bryant within the first five picks, those first five players in your league are in for a rude awakening.

2. Mookie Betts, BOS OF - You’re looking at the new face of the franchise that comes to clutch hitting since the departure of Big Papi. Mookie is the real deal, he has doubled his RBIs from 2015 to 2016, and with those same years he has kept a consistent batting average over .300. Now at the best time where the Red Sox are looking to compete at high level again, this gives Mookie enough fuel to be slashing at the plate even more. A remarkable speedy outfielder, he also loves collecting stolen bases and rarely gets caught doing so. Some writers outside of Boston have him as their favorite to win the AL MVP this year who is not a pitcher. Mookie’s numbers keep blowing up more and more after each year, I would not be shocked if he puts up the same numbers as last year and wins the award for himself.

3. Clayton Kershaw, LAD SP - Say what you want about the injury that had him miss a good chunk of the season last year, the man worked well at the end of the season and had one of the best post seasons of his career. Clayton Kershaw has not demonstrated the amount of strikeouts he has collected since his Cy Young-winning season, but he still has what it take to lead a well talented Los Angeles Dodgers team for a great deal of wins. In the off season, he nursed his back pretty well to the point where he did not need surgery. With the front office bringing back a great deal of the supporting cast to back Kershaw this season, he has all the right tools to be the ace of the group and dominate more on the mound. Expect him to duel against some of the best in the league, but he knows how to collect enough strikeouts for those bonus points in fantasy match ups.

4. Jose Altuve, HOU 2B - Jose Altuve is looking to do what Kris Bryant has done for the Cubs. After putting a few seasons under his belt, the farm system the best it has been in a decade, and enough supporting cast full of veterans; Altuve is looking for nothing less than a title. Some of the fastest hands in baseball, behind the plate and defensively, he is the perfect threat on anyone’s fantasy baseball team. He has been criticized with his numbers with the long ball, but Altuve remains consistent with a career batting average over .300. As one of the fastest players in the game, he is always seen either stealing bases or collecting extra base hits when the opportunity arrives. Expect his numbers to grow from the last season as long as he is leading off, however if he drops in the line up, be cautious of his teammates performance. Altuve may not get those extra plate appearances if his teammates strike out more than him.

5. Mike Trout, LAA OF - No, he is not the best outfielder in the league anymore. As a matter of fact, there has been a small hiccup in Mr. Trout’s performance with last year’s numbers and speculation of him leaving the Angels organization, but you would be too if you were surrounded by aging ball players that cannot amount what you are laying out on the field all summer long. Look, Trout is an amazing athlete; remarkable at the plate and as spectacular in the outfield. It would be remarkable if he played in the World Baseball Classic so he could compete in a competition and win a title for once in pride for his country. Aside from the criticism, he still collecting over 100 RBIs, hitting with a career .300 batting average estimates, and his slamming line drive home runs into the stands. I’m expecting a big year from Trout so he be dealt to a better team to compete with when we get closer to the post season.

6. Max Scherzer, WAS SP - As far as being a “stay home Cubs fan,” Max Scherzer is still not my Cy Young Winner of 2016 (sorry I’m not sorry). Never the less, I can still let the stats do the talking with the remarkable season Scherzer had last year: A 20 win season as a starter, 284 strikeouts, and a 2.96 ERA...oh yeah, that definitely won him the awards. Let us not forget the record setting game where he struck out 20 batters against the Detroit Tigers. So let’s settle the argument of all reality; Max Scherzer is on a tear to be the best pitcher in the majors and there is no way he is stopping anytime soon. Nobody in his club wants to win a title more than him, besides Bryce Harper and their skipper, Dusty Baker. I would not expect the same amount of wins, but I would expect dominant starts with this being your first pick at pitcher in the draft. Tread lightly with Scherzer, he suffered an injury earlier this year that scratched him from being the ace for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, but he’ll most likely be ready by Opening Day.

7. Josh Donaldson, TOR 3B - It is unspeakable to see a player like Donaldson go from a club like the Oakland Athletics and hit the numbers he had there and explode into the super star that he has become in Toronto as a Blue Jay. If Mike Trout is supposed to be the next Mickey Mantle, consider Josh Donaldson the next Reggie Jackson. Slashing through that division with all the top pitching he has to face, it is remarkable how many home runs he is hitting each season. Just one problem with him playing in Toronto; the team is losing its touch. Don’t be shocked if this guy is hitting more solo shots then collecting RBIs with his long ball. If you’re thinking about passing on Donaldson at seventh in your draft, do not worry. The next third baseman is just as good.

8. Nolan Arenado, COL 3B - After two back-to-back seasons of hitting over 40 home runs, Nelson Arenado has earned his place as one of the best third baseman in the majors. This dude’s bat is an absolute weapon being an absolute threat at the plate. Along the side of all the home runs he can hit, he collects a great deal of RBIs as well. The Rockies are a developing club that is on the rise and with the talent surrounding Arenado, so his numbers are sure to rise. I am really happy this guy is representing the United States in the World Baseball Classic at third base, he will really be entertaining to watch. If all goes well in spring, this guy is looking like my first overall pick in round one.

9. Paul Goldschmidt, ARI 1B - I have nothing against Goldie being the best first baseman in baseball, as a matter of fact, I enjoy the rivalry both Anthony Rizzo and him share for being the best at their position year after year. I also did not intend to having Goldschmidt drop this far in the rankings. In most drafts I have seen, he has gone well before his position in this ranking system. However, due to the supporting cast that was around him last season, it is the reason why his ranking dropped slightly. Doing it all by himself last season, he was just short of his 2015 numbers that were so prestigious with 24 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a .297 batting average. He did manage to collect more runs with 106 versus his 103 in 2015. Expect Goldie to go in the first round, if not, it would be a steal in the second.

10. Madison Bumgarner, SFG SP - Better pitching is in the National League and this argument is silenced with Madison Bumgarner wrapping up the top 10 players in the majors. Bumgarner has done it all except win a Cy Young (all alleged to be snubs), but he has more rings than the two pitchers ranked before him (which are his three to their none). His third straught season striking out over 200 batters, he suffered less wins in his decesions than he normally has in the regular season. A freakish athlete, MadBum also demonstrated that he had timber along with his arm knocking a couple home runs himself. Like I said, the best pitchers are in the National League because they actually know how to hit. If he keeps this up, a Cy Young probably would not be sufficient enough to award Bumgarner, but probably be more satisfied being dubbed MVP of the National League.

11. Bryce Harper, WAS OF - Good news: Bryce Harper does not want to be considered second to Kris Bryant is looking to redeem himself from last year’s numbers that were awful. The bad news: risk of injury. There are always an issue with an athlete like Bryce Harper when it comes to throwing your body at every play during the season, but that is still a major risk. Harper also suffered a huge hit to his batting average last season as it sank to .243. But that is the best part about redemption. Harper is looking to redeem himself after an abysmal year as the reigning MVP for the NL. After all, he looks to claim that title back for himself from Bryant.

12. Anthony Rizzo, CHC 1B - ok, so I lied about having Bryant as the only Cub on this list as top players to draft for fantasy baseball this year (again, sorry not sorry). But this is where I put the “band wagoners” in check. There is no Kris Bryant without Anthony Rizzo, that is why they call them “Bryzzo” kiddos. Let us also remember that Rizzo finished closed behind Bryant as a candidate to win the MVP for the National League as well with 32 home runs, 94 runs, and 109 RBIs. Yes, Rizzo is the real deal as one of the best first baseman next to Paul Goldschmidt in the majors. Yes you can also throw Miguel Cabrera into that argument, but he is playing for an ailing Detroit Tigers and he has played more games at third base than first. Expect similar numbers from Rizzo this season with the Cubs riding the high they’re on with their title win. As the team captain, he will do anything possible to keep him and his team reigning supreme on top.

There you have it, your first round in a 12-man league for fantasy baseball. I will be certain to watch the majority of these individuals play during spring training if they are one of your top picks in the first round. Do not agree with our list? Comment what player you believe deserves to be part of this collection of players. I won’t challenge your opinion, but I would love to talk baseball with anyone; most importantly fantasy baseball.

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thrashermaxey · 6 years

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Ramblings: Panarin-Atkinson connection; Boston enjoying their Pasta; Pennsylvania Penalty-fest, Ty Rattie and more (Apr 16)

If you have a late playoff pool draft (you’d be surprised how many of these happen), my 13th annual Interactive Playoff Draft List is a wise investment. Pick up the list here.

It’s April 16 and the Greater Toronto Area is covered in snow. Icy snow, as the temperature is hovering around zero degrees or minus-1 (Celsius, for you Americans). Very depressing because we were sure winter was over!

The increased scoring from the regular season has carried on into the playoffs…

Ty Rattie was signed to a one-year contract worth a rumoured $800,000. I can’t dig up if it’s a one-way deal, but since he would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer my guess is that it’s a one-way deal. But that’s not a detriment to the Oilers sending him down in the fall if warranted, because the amount is low enough to bury in the minors anyway. This is an interesting one from a fantasy standpoint. From a ‘real hockey’ standpoint I think the Edmonton Sun has it right – it’s a low-cost, low-risk signing and he deserves a chance, but he should only be an option not the option. So in fantasy hockey, we owners have a decision to make: swing for the fences and risk falling on our face, or let someone else do that. Off the cuff, I’d put this at a 20% chance that this works out for the season ahead. Like a Conor Sheary circa 2016-17. And also like Sheary, he could still fall flat in his second full year. The Oilers need to take a page out of Pittsburgh’s book here and give a one-dimensional AHL player a shot on the superstar’s line – the only place where he can be effective – and save some cash.

I wish I had an answer for you about the Leafs. I know Boston is amazing and a better team, but the Leafs are far better than this. Even without Nazem Kadri. But this has been the result of just one line. That line – Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron – and some minor piece who is just tagging along – has been amazing. As in…this is as good a line as I’ve seen in 20 years, harkening back to the Legion of Doom line.

I kid, of course, about David Pastrnak being a minor piece. I mean – holy shit. Six points? Nine points in two games? I don’t think anyone has done that all season.

The fact that the Leafs now have home ice advantage means that they can line match, which will go a long way towards shutting that big line down. So the Bruins need an answer from their other lines or Toronto will just take two games right back. I say that because on paper it’s true. But after watching those first two games, it’s hard to believe in any other outcome but one that involves a broom.

Phil Kessel saw 9:27 in PP time Sunday. Shayne Gostisbehere, Nolan Patrick, Jake Voracek and Claude Giroux did him one better with 9:29 of PP time (9:39 for Giroux). That’s the story of the Pittsburgh – Philadelphia game. Half of it was on the power play for one team or the other, which screwed up the ice time and line combos of pretty much everybody. The superstar forwards were of course taken care of. They’ll get their premium ice time regardless. But Derek Brassard seeing just 11 minutes of action, or Conor Sheary just 7:38 were the victims. Also Kris Letang was killing penalties for six minutes, leaving him fresh for just 3:30 of PP time. The domino effect on that was Justin Schultz getting eight minutes on the power play.

All the penalties cut Jamie Oleksiak’s ice time down to 9:42. He had been a surprise multi-cat fantasy stud since coming to the Penguins midseason.

For the Flyers – Ivan Provorov killed penalties for 8:11

One suggestion I have for the Penguins is to not have Carl Hagelin on the Evgeni Malkin – Phil Kessel line. As I said about Rattie earlier, Sheary is useless in the bottom six. He needs to be in Hagelin’s spot or else the press box. I mean, what’s the worst Sheary can do, miss a shot? Well that’s Hagelin’s calling card!

Brian Dumoulin has four points already. In the regular season he got his fourth point on December 29.

Wild rookie Jordan Greenway scored his first career NHL goal. He has two points in three games these playoffs despite playing on the third line and not seeing much PP time. His arrival reminds me of when Chris Kreider joined the Rangers several years ago. And I think you can expect his production ascension to be similar. Big men tend to take a little while longer to reach their peak. On a side note, I’ve said this before but watch for Kreider (if healthy) next season. That’ll be his big one.

With two points Sunday, Matt Dumba has 21 in his last 27 regular season and playoff games. He has stepped up production significantly with Ryan Suter out of the lineup and it’s going to leave a lasting impression on Coach Bruce Boudreau heading into next season even when Suter returns. Dumba was 19th among defensemen in scoring this season and I’m calling Top 10 next year – and that means 59 points or more. Lock it in!

Mikael Granlund, this pass is disgusting!

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a pass. What a goal. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WPGvsMIN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WPGvsMIN</a> → <a href="https://t.co/62JQAt6zMy">https://t.co/62JQAt6zMy</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ur0rXnVQBq">pic.twitter.com/Ur0rXnVQBq</a></p>— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) <a href="https://twitter.com/mnwild/status/985681869525209089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

Tyler Myers was injured on this play and left the game…

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It’s an injury to his leg, and he’s had a history there. Last season was his hip (66 games), but he’s also had a broken leg and a knee injury over the last few years.

With Myers out for an unknown length of time, look for one of Josh Morrissey or Jacob Trouba to fill in on that second PP unit. In the regular season, Trouba saw more than Morrissey so he’s the odds-on favorite.

Kyle Connor ended the campaign with six points in four games but he is pointless so far in three playoff games. The Wild have done a great job of shutting down the Connor – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler line so far. Wheeler (two) and Scheifele’s (one) points have come on the power play.

Connor Hellebuyck had won 11 games in a row before Sunday’s loss. He was pulled after giving up that sixth goal to the Wild.

Artemi Panarin has tallied at least two points in each of his last seven games. He has 34 points in his last 18 regular season and playoff games. He’s making Nikita Kucherov’s start-of-season production look like a slump.

It sure helps Panarin to have a Cam Atkinson on his line when Atkinson is back to his 2016-17 self. He has 28 points in his last 27 games – and yes, much of that is thanks to playing with Panarin. But he’s getting the bounces now and the Columbus power play is finally rolling. I’d said all along during his lengthy slump that his even-strength numbers were on par, but the team wasn’t scoring on the PP and that is his bread and butter. Ten of those 28 points came on the power play. If the power play wasn’t rolling, then he would have 18 points in 27 games, right? That’s how things were from October through his injury in January.

Sergei Bobrovsky set a career high when he stopped 54 of 58 shots.

I feel bad for Washington and their fans. They had such good teams over the last decade, and a couple of times just had bad luck with hot goaltenders. Now they don’t have quite as good of a team, so their odds are obviously worsened. Alex Ovechkin deserves a Stanley Cup and it would be a shame if he retired without one. But this team is on the downside of the cycle, so it will be several years before they’re back on the upswing again.

Ovechkin really showed up for Game 2, firing 10 shots and scoring twice.

Andre Burakovsky suffered an upper-body injury early in the game and did not return. He will be re-evaluated, but I get the sense that Shane Gersich or Jakub Vrana will draw back into the lineup for Game 3.

The Blue Jackets scored three goals in the final 11 minutes of the second period so Braden Holtby came out to start the third. He gave up one goal on eight shots in a period and a half – the Caps really dominated the third thanks to a hundred power plays. It was 21-5 in shots that period. Bobrovsky stole it.

Jake Muzzin was back for the Kings on Sunday – and David Perron was back for the Golden Knights. Interestingly enough, the Golden Knights scratched Tomas Tatar.

Weird that the Kings scratched Paul Ladue when he scored their only goal on Friday.

I watched most of the Knights-Kings game (as I write this Karlsson just scored to make it 3-1 late in the third) and I don’t really have a lot to add. The Kings just don’t have an answer for Vegas’ depth (did I just say that?). I just really like Vegas’ lines from one through four.

Alex Iafallo was still playing with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown, and he scored. With a year of pro experience under his belt and likely first dibs on that spot next year, I think he’ll build on the 25-point season and forego the sophomore jinx. But his upside is capped. He’s a responsible player and a hustler, but he’s really just Los Angeles’ version of Zach Hyman.

Easiest road to the Final Four is a toss-up between the Sharks and the Golden Knights. While a team like the Leafs would have to get through the Bruins, Penguins and Lightning to get to the Final, these teams get to go through the Ducks and then each other? Just a thought, off the cuff. A “Ramble”, if you will. They get to the Final Four without facing a Nashville or a Winnipeg – whereas Nashville or Winnipeg will eliminate the other. Reminds me of the Habs back in the early 90s when they waltzed through easy teams to win a Cup.

The AHL finished their regular season Sunday. Impressive to see Carolina prospect Valentin Zykov lead the league in goals with 33. He’s a boom-or-bust prospect who I had figured was leaning towards “bust”. But this breakthrough combined with his impressive finish in the NHL (seven points in 10 games) leads me to believe that maybe there’s something there. Read more on Zykov here.

Oh man, I’ve seen Eric Daoust’s work on the new Frozen Tools and I have to say – I’m pretty pumped. Beautiful, clean look with amazing navigation and nice, quick loading. You’ve seen, bit by bit, some of the tools switch over to the new look. But when these profiles are ready you’ll fall out of your chair. Truly the best fantasy hockey player pages on the Internet, hands down, no question. Look for that soon!

Here are the latest 20 Fantasy Hockey Thoughts. As you can see, it’s back off Sportsnet and on DobberHockey for the offseason. See you next week!

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-panarin-atkinson-connection-boston-enjoying-their-pasta-pennsylvania-penalty-fest-ty-rattie-and-more-apr-16/

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aion-rsa · 8 years

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15 Reasons Why “Batman & Robin” Isn’t the Worst Movie Ever

By any reasonable standard, “Batman & Robin” is not a good movie. Joel Schumacher’s film suffers from a multitude of bizarre choices that pull it in a thousand different directions at once. In 1997, both critics and comic fans savaged the film for being a feature length toy commercial defined by campy performances and an incoherent tone. After two decades of continued mockery, the movie’s reputation has rotted even more, and the film is widely considered one of the worst movies ever made.

RELATED: Digital Justice: 15 DC Comics Video Games You Forgot Existed

With “The Lego Batman Movie” weeks away from release at the time of writing this, it’s a perfect time to revisit the older toy-friendly Batman movie. Now, CBR is taking a look back at 15 reasons why “Batman & Robin” isn’t the worst movie ever. Although the film remains deeply flawed, it’s a fascinating production that reveals some truly redeeming qualities upon closer reexamination.

THE SPIRIT OF “BATMAN ‘66”

In the 1990s, Batman occupied a different place in pop culture than he does today. In the wake of the 1960s’ “Batman” show, the character had been primarily considered a children’s character for decades. By the 1990s, Batman had just started to step out of that show’s shadow thanks to the works of creators like Frank Miller, Paul Dini and Tim Burton. Instead of shunning it, “Batman & Robin” whole-heartedly embraced the legacy of the Adam West era and tried to update it for modern audiences.

While that move backfired spectacularly, lighter takes on the Batman franchise have become more accepted since 1997. In recent years, DC Comics has reclaimed the legacy of the 1960s’ “Batman” with comics like “Batman ‘66” and the animated film “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders.” Like “Batman & Robin,” these newer projects are filled with tilted Dutch angles and corny jokes. Although darkness still largely defines the modern Batman franchise, “Batman & Robin” reclaimed a perfectly valid version of the characters years before anything else did.

UMA AND ARNOLD

One of “Batman’s” most notable features was its cast of over-the-top Technicolor villains. “Batman & Robin’s” main antagonists are perfectly logical extensions of that era’s campy foes. Uma Thurman’s Poison Ivy channels Mae West, Julie Newmar and Cruella de Vil in a performance that relishes every bad gardening pun. Since Ivy was created by Robert Kanigher and Sheldon Moldoff in 1966’s “Batman” #181, that era’s aesthetics are a foundational part of her character. Although Ivy never appeared in the old show, Thurman’s Ivy would’ve been right at home facing down Adam West and Burt Ward’s Dynamic Duo.

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s turn as Mr. Freeze is one of the film’s most reviled aspects, but it’s a faithful update of the Mr. Freeze of the 1960s. In his three appearances on “Batman,” Mr. Freeze was portrayed as a heavily-accented, pun-loving villain by George Saunders, Otto Preminger and Eli Wallach. Schwarzenegger’s Freeze has the exact same traits with his TV predecessors. Even as Mr. Freeze tries to freeze Gotham City, Arnold’s good-natured, jokey performance keeps the character from ever becoming truly evil, which enables his redemption by the movie’s end.

HEART OF ICE

While “Batman & Robin’s” Mr. Freeze is largely an extension of his 1960s persona, the film recognizes that “Batman: The Animated Series” added a deeper dimension to the character. In the Emmy Award-winning episode “Heart of Ice,” Paul Dini and Bruce Timm gave Mr. Freeze a tragic origin involving his attempts to cure his terminally ill wife Nora Fries. That’s a compelling motivation for any interpretation of Mr. Freeze, even Schwarzenegger’s neon-blue decathlete.

Schumacher and scriptwriter Akiva Goldsman wisely incorporate Victor Fries’ attempts to cure Nora into “Batman & Robin.” While it doesn’t totally work here, the movie replicates a moving “Heart of Ice” sequence where an imprisoned Mr. Freeze stares longingly at a snow globe that reminds him of Nora. By injecting this pathos into Freeze, the filmmakers make him a sympathetic figure who realistically seems like he would help cure a terminally ill Alfred from the same disease that took his wife.

ALFRED’S STORY

After appearing in two Tim Burton directed Batman movies and Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever,” Michael Gough’s Alfred is tasked with carrying a lot of “Batman & Robin’s” emotional heft. While Gough had a fairly distinguished career as an actor, his Alfred was largely a supporting character in his first three Bat-film appearances. In this film, Alfred’s sudden terminal diagnosis becomes the driving force behind Batman’s emotional journey towards accepting his place among his adopted family.

While this subplot doesn’t have the space to cohere into something really substantial, Gough elevates the script with the warmth and tenderness that his Alfred shows Bruce Wayne. Although Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy doesn’t share much with “Batman & Robin,” this film sets a precedent for foregrounding the Bruce/Alfred relationship. While those later films would explore their dynamic to great effect, this film uses that same familial warmth to fast-track Alicia Silverstone’s Barbara Wilson, Alfred’s niece, into the Bat-family.

BATGIRL’S PRESENCE

Despite its faults, “Batman & Robin” contains the only live-action feature film appearance of Batgirl. Although Yvonne Craig’s Batgirl joined Adam West and Burt Ward’s Dynamic Duo after their big screen adventure, the character’s inclusion here is another nod to the 1960s “Batman” series. In the ’60s series and that era’s comics, Batgirl is secretly Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Commissioner Gordon. Since the elder Gordon hardly has a presence in this movie, Batgirl’s familial relationship to Alfred makes more sense in the context of the film.

Although she doesn’t share a last name with Barbara Gordon, Silverstone’s Barbara Wilson shares her aptitudes for computers and motorcycles. While she doesn’t get much screen time in-costume, the film treats Batgirl as an equal to Batman and Robin and gives her a pivotal role in the film’s climax. While Batgirl seems like a fairly likely candidate to show up in the upcoming “Gotham City Sirens,” “Batman & Robin” remains one of Batgirl’s most visible appearances outside of comics right now.

GOTHAM CITY RACER

In one of the film’s better action sequences, Silverstone’s Barbara and Chris O’Donnell’s Dick Grayson race each other through the streets of Gotham City in an underground motorcycle race. Within the context of the film, the event gives Barbara and Dick a chance to establish a kinship over their shared love of thrill-seeking.

In the race sequence, the film’s various tones coalesce into a stylistic delight. The crowded scenes that set-up the race feature several explicit references to films like “Mad Max” and “A Clockwork Orange,” and even an inexplicable cameo from the rapper Coolio. In a strange but inspired choice, the race plays out like a real-life level of “Mario Kart,” complete with balloons and explosions littering the track. Set against the pulse-pounding beat of Underworld’s minor techno classic “Moaner,” this sequence is legitimately thrilling. While the rest of the film struggles to find the right balance between campy comedy and serious action, this scene finds the perfect tonal blend.

BATMAN & ROBIN: THE ALBUM

While “Batman & Robin” was only a moderate commercial success, the album featuring “music from and inspired by” the movie was a smash hit, filled with an eclectic mix of artists. In 1997, the album produced several chart-making singles across genres. The album’s lead single was the Smashing Pumpkins’ “The End is the Beginning of the End,” a frantic mix of distorted guitars and electronica that won a Grammy in 1998. The compilation also featured R. Kelly’s “Gotham City,” a bizarre ballad that ends with a children’s choir praising Batman’s hometown as an inspirational “city of peace.” In addition to Underworld, the album produced memorable singles from rappers Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, singer-songwriter Jewel and pop-rockers the Goo Goo Dolls.

Although Elliot Goldenthal’s score never reaches the heights of Danny Elfman’s seminal scores for Tim Burton’s Batman films, insertions of his bombastic theme are subtly woven throughout the film. While this might seem like a minor note, it adds a sliver of cohesion to the film’s tonal inconsistencies.

ROBIN’S ARC

The film’s puzzling plot seems to pull most of its characters in wildly divergent directions amidst changing motivations and shifting alliances. While he’s underserved in this overcrowded feature, Robin’s character arc has a clear trajectory that’s true to his comic roots. After being introduced in “Batman Forever,” O’Donnell’s older Robin expresses the same exasperation with being Batman’s sidekick that fueled Dick Grayson’s evolution into Nightwing in the comics.

While Schumacher’s Robin is called Dick Grayson, his quick temper, endless frustration and recklessness seem to be borrowed from the comics’ second Robin, Jason Todd. “Batman & Robin” is only this Robin’s second adventure, and recasting Grayson’s desire to move beyond the Robin identity as an extension of his Todd-esque immaturity works. Since Robin’s emotional arc encourages him to outgrow those emotions, it conveniently paves the way for a return to the status quo at the film’s conclusion. Instead of flying solo, this Robin reaffirms his status as a more equal partner to Batman and Batgirl.

BATMAN IS BATMAN

When this film was released, George Clooney’s turn as Batman was criticized for making the character supremely arrogant and intensely unlikable. Even though decades of stories have conditioned readers and fans to think otherwise, that’s not an invalid interpretation of the character. In the franchise’s most beloved iterations, Batman remains a regular source of frustration to his closest allies. Since most stories cast Batman as a protagonist, these unlikable failings can be easily glazed over in favor of showing Batman doing something cool.

As 2014’s “The Lego Movie” proved, an unlikable Batman can still star in a compelling story. Given Batman’s fundamentally altruistic mission, the interpersonal flaws enrich the character. While Clooney’s Batman seems uncaring, he spends a great deal of time rescuing civilians and thawing out frozen civilians. While some more recent superhero films have featured wanton destruction and loss of life, Batman repeatedly goes out of his way to save Gotham and protect its citizens from danger. Regardless of any other factors, that concern for the well-being of others cements the validity of Clooney’s Batman.

IVY’S POISONS

Despite Thurman’s delightfully exaggerated performance, Poison Ivy never really comes into her own as a multi-faceted character. Although she plays an increasingly less important role as the plot progresses, the script finds some clever ways to tie her into some of its more outlandish aspects. Before she’s doused with plant chemicals and becomes Ivy, Dr. Pamela Isley is seen doing research cross-breeding animal and plant DNA. While the full extent of this Ivy’s control over plant life is nebulous, these experiments explain how she can facilitate the growth of sentient monster plants so quickly.

Brilliantly, “Batman & Robin” also gives Ivy a role in the creation of Bane. As part of her experimental research, Ivy inadvertently creates the Venom serum. While Bane is reduced from a criminal mastermind to a gurgling plant monster, he is given super-strength from Venom just like his comic counterpart. Even if Bane is used as Ivy’s glorified henchman, the revelation of her involvement in his creation ties the characters together well.

JOHN GLOVER’S JASON WOODRUE

A few years before John Glover started his lengthy tenure as Lionel Luthor on “Smallville,” he played a small but essential role as Jason Woodrue in “Batman & Robin.” In comics, Woodrue, also known as the Floronic Man, has had a fascinating trajectory from a minor plant-based DC villain to a mystical “Swamp Thing” antagonist. While Woodrue is only a human here, he plays the mad scientist who’s in charge of Pamela Isley’s research lab and is responsible for her evolution into Poison Ivy and the creation of Bane.

In a sequence that would be right at home in the “Batman” TV show, Woodrue tries to sell the Venom serum to a group of dictators called the “Un-United Nations.” As the character, Glover seems to channel every B-movie mad scientist cliché there is with extreme gusto. Glover hones in on the maniacal glee at this movie’s core and embodies it perfectly during his brief time on screen.

BATMAN LORE

Even though this overstuffed movie barely has enough room for all of its characters, the film is still filled with a number of allusions to Batman lore. Although “Batman & Robin’s” Bane only has surface connections to the Bane of comics, the character’s inclusion here is still noteworthy. When the movie was released, the character had only been around for four years after his 1993 comic debut. Along with the inclusion of a Nightwing-inspired Robin costume and the “Heart of Ice” references, the film showed a remarkable willingness to engage with that era’s Batman mythology.

The film also includes several nods to older, more obscure Batman lore. Wilfred Pennyworth, Alfred’s rarely seen older brother, earns a mention in the film. When Batman’s recounting Mr. Freeze’s origin through the Bat-Computer, there’s a subtle reference to the villain’s original moniker Mr. Zero. The producers of the 1960s’ “Batman” series changed the character’s name to Mr. Freeze for an episode that involved a diamond robbery. The movie references that specific episode by making diamonds the source behind Freeze’s power suit, ice gun and giant freeze ray.

FLASHES OF BRILLIANCE

Despite the tonal confusion that plagues so much of the film, Schumacher and the production team manage to capture a few striking moments of brilliance from the midst of the film’s madness. In one blink-and-miss-it scene, an extreme close up on Poison Ivy’s toxin-filled lips highlights their neon hue and reframes them in the same way a documentary might showcase a poisonous tropical plant.

While some of “Batman & Robin’s” action scenes are very silly, most of the chase sequences work pretty well. In the middle of a chase with Mr. Freeze’s gang, Batman cuts power to the Redbird, Robin’s motorcycle. As Batman continues pursuit, Robin is left to cry out in agony on the fingertip of a skyscraper-sized statue. O’Donnell lets out a scream that releases years of unseen frustration in one of the movie’s best pieces of acting. Having already seen Robin’s exhilaration during the motorcycle street race, the audience is left to linger on Batman’s cruel indifference to his partner’s wants as the chase continues.

GOTHAM CITY

The Gotham City of Tim Burton’s Batman movies was a dense gothic urban environment, shrouded in perpetual dusk. In “Batman & Robin,” Schumacher’s Gotham, brought to life by production designer Barbara Ling, is filled with neon lights and garish color that seems to expand infinitely upwards. With dense pockets of buildings and elevated roads, the city seems to be built around giant figures that look like giant Renaissance era statues come to life and then trapped in steel.

While these design choices are deeply impractical, they bring a hint of operatic grandness to the fundamentally silly proceedings. The cavernous Batcave seems to reduce everything but the Batmobile into miniature size and the Gotham Observatory sits in the palms of a giant statue that towers over the city’s skyscrapers. Schumaker’s Arkham Asylum twists like a whimsical dungeon pulled from a hallucinogenic-fueled nightmare. Where most modern depictions of Gotham have some basis in reality, “Batman & Robin’s” Gotham boldly highlights the inherent unreality of a world with superheroes.

IT HAD TO HAPPEN

Despite its multitude of flaws, “Batman & Robin” was a necessary growing pain in the development of the superhero movie as a viable genre. The failure of this fascinating experiment killed the idea of campy superheroes on film and made it clear that the next wave superhero movies couldn’t just be live-action Saturday morning cartoons.

In the decades following “Batman & Robin,” filmmakers learned from its mistakes and, from its ashes, created the modern superhero film as we know it. These revelations led to a greater emphasis on the sci-fi elements of the X-Men franchise in the early 2000s. As the general public grew more accepting of superheroes, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy and the early Marvel Studios movies found a streamlined story-driven approach to embrace full-fledged superheroics. The failure of a supposedly kid-friendly Batman paved the way for Christopher Nolan’s adult-skewing “Dark Knight” trilogy in the 2000s and Zack Snyder’s even darker take on the character in the 2010s. While “Batman & Robin” remains defined by misguided choices and tonal inconsistency, it’s never dull and hints at the future highs that awaited the resilient Batman franchise.

Stay tuned to CBR for the latest on “The Lego Batman Movie” and the Dark Knight’s continuing adventures! Let us know what your favorite Batman movie is in the comments below!

The post 15 Reasons Why “Batman & Robin” Isn’t the Worst Movie Ever appeared first on CBR.com.

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flauntpage · 7 years

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Your Wednesday Morning Roundup

It’s finally time.

The Sixers play a meaningful game tonight. More meaningful than any game in the past few years. Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz will all play with each other tonight against the Washington Wizards.

Embiid, who sported cornrows yesterday, will be on a minutes limit which he isn’t happy about, Simmons will be making his NBA debut, and Fultz, who will also make his NBA debut, is still working on his shot.

There’s still problems with the team, but the expectations for many are a fighting chance for a playoff spot.

We’ll have more Sixers coverage later today. But for now, Kevin Kinkead was at practice yesterday and writes that you shouldn’t expect Simmons guarding John Wall tonight.

Embiid also did a funny video with DraftKings pranking fans.

The Roundup:

The Flyers’ offense continued to stay hot, as they took care of the Florida Panthers 5-1 behind a four-goal second period. Sean Couturier stayed hot, while Nolan Patrick added an assist on a Dale Weise goal. Wayne Simmonds did leave in the third period with a lower-body injury. He’s day-to-day.

Michal Neuvirth got his first win of the season and was awarded with the team’s Ric Flair robe as player of the game:

Ric Flair robe given to #Flyers’ player of game. Tonight, it was Neuvy. http://pic.twitter.com/6EtvRUT1ZE

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 18, 2017

WOOOOOOOOO!

Anthony SanFilippo takes you inside the team, and he discusses how Robert Hagg is making Shayne Gostisbehere better this season.

—

The Eagles had their first practice since Thursday night’s win over Carolina. Lane Johnson and Wendell Smallwood returned to practice.

From an awful start to training camp to being one of the best corners in the league, Patrick Robinson has regained his confidence:

His rough training camp threatened to send his confidence sinking again, his lamentations over his poor play becoming a daily ritual throughout late July and August. He was hard on himself but maintained perspective.

“It’s never as bad as you think it is,” he said, “and it’s never as good as you think it is.”

Of course, he and his coaches would acknowledge it’s much better now.

“He never lost his confidence, and we never lost our confidence in him,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “He’s been through the ringer, so to speak, and he understands, and he has the maturity and the confidence and the experience to be able to deal with those things. He understands the business.”

Carson Wentz has been unbelievable against the blitz. Take a look at these stats:

Carson Wentz is the MOST blitzed QB in the NFL! Blitzed on (39.3%) of his dropbacks!

Wentz has thrown 5 TDs & 0 INTs vs blitz#JawsStats

— Ron Jaworski (@jawsespn) October 17, 2017

He and Ertz are also one of the best connections in the NFL this year:

Consider these numbers from ESPN Stats & Information: Their 34 completions this season is the most of any quarterback-tight end duo through Week 6. They have six red zone hookups, second only to Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald (7) to this point in the season. Wentz has targeted Ertz eight times in the red zone, which is even with Brady-Gronkowski, while their four red zone TDs is the most of any QB-TE combo.

This isn’t a brand new development. Since Week 8 of last season, Wentz-to-Ertz has connected 101 times, again the most of any QB-TE duo.

Malcolm Jenkins was part of a group of players that joined yesterday’s NFL owners meeting.

Remember when you wanted Marcus Mariota? So do I, because I wanted him too. Glad we didn’t get him? I am.

—

Could Giancarlo Stanton nix a deal that could send him to the Phillies?

Some inside the Marlins clubhouse suggest they doubt Giancarlo Stanton would approve the Phillies due to their rebuilding state – though they have some very good position prospects and are deep-pocketed enough to pay big this winter (or afford Stanton).

—

An early honor for Villanova’s Jalen Brunson:

Villanova's Jalen Brunson has been named Big East Preseason Player of the Year, per release.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 18, 2017

A surprising rumor involving the Union’s United Soccer League affiliate:

Ok, so that rumor led immed to a 2nd UNCONFIRMED late night rumor. One source says Bethlehem, Sounders2 also out. Union to aff w/ Rochester.

— Brian Straus (@BrianStraus) October 18, 2017

Philadelphia’s new NLL team name is down to three finalists. Well, the eventual winner and two other names:

The @PhillyLax18 naming contest is down to the final 3 names. Do your job and vote at https://t.co/R07x3G1p5i to make sure they're the Wings http://pic.twitter.com/RWDQ4s4y0A

— Jordie (@BarstoolJordie) October 17, 2017

Vote for the Wings.

—

In other sports news, the NBA season opened up last night. The Cavaliers edged Kyrie Irving and the Celtics 102-99. But the biggest moment came early in the game, when Gordon Hayward went down:

WARNING GRAPHIC

Gordon Hayward with one of the worst injuries I’ve ever seen http://pic.twitter.com/O3g8yUQzMw

— Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) October 18, 2017

It was on par with the Kevin Ware and Paul George injuries. Hayward suffered a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia. He’ll undergo surgery later today.

In the other game, the Rockets escaped Golden State with a 122-121 win. The Warriors also got their NBA Championship rings:

Warriors unveil 2017 championship rings (h/t jasonofbeverlyhills/Instagram) http://pic.twitter.com/VIAHJe4KHp

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 18, 2017

We said goodbye to the NBA offseason last night, but we got one more unbelievable story out of Chicago. Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic is out indefinitely after suffering fractures to his upper jaw and a concussion after a fight with teammate Bobby Portis:

The players had been talking trash to one another in practice, going back and forth before those exchanges escalated into a physical encounter, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Mirotic charged at Portis twice before Portis threw a punch and connected with Mirotic’s face, league sources said. Mirotic dropped to the floor and lay there for several minutes before getting up, league sources said.

Portis was battling Mirotic for the team’s starting power forward spot. Looks like he got it?

In Game 4 of the ALCS, the Yankees beat the Astros 6-4 to tie the series at two games apiece. Game 5 is this afternoon.

In Game 3 of the NLCS, the Dodgers dominated the Cubs with a 6-1 win. They look for the sweep tonight.

Ricardo Allen with what could be the Twitter takedown of the year:

This is a hell of a Twitter exchange between a Falcons fan and Falcons player. http://pic.twitter.com/USRoDaqG8F

— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) October 16, 2017

Former Louisville basketball head coach Rick Pitino is suing Adidas, Louisville’s current athletic apparel partner, for damaging his reputation. In the suit, Pitino says…get this…he has nothing to do with Adidas and has no knowledge of the situation.

De’Aaron Fox thinks In-N-Out Burgers are overrated. I’m fine with that statement. But this:

“Honestly, for me, I don’t count Chick-fil-A, because it’s way too good to be considered fast food,” Fox replied. “So I’m gonna say Wendy’s. Fat Burger in L.A. is better than In-N-Out. My fans know I keep it real. I’ve told so many people I hate In-N-Out, it’s funny. Now everyone can read about it.”

It’s way too good to be considered fast food. That’s the worst excuse I’ve heard regarding your favorite fast food. By the way, Jake’s Wayback Burgers are the best.

—

In the news, a freight train derailed in North Philadelphia and caught on fire.

Teens in Colorado broke into someone’s house and had a party. Someone at the party recorded it on Snapchat. Phones can be bad sometimes.

M&Ms are Pennsylvania’s favorite Halloween candy. Skittles is second, while Hershey mini bars are third. Skittles are the favorite in New Jersey, and Delaware loves Life Savers. My top three: Skittles, Hershey mini bars, Twix.

A bull was on the loose in Brooklyn yesterday afternoon.

Same http://pic.twitter.com/xHxHYDzICs

— Agent of NBA Chaos (@World_Wide_Wob) October 17, 2017

Finally, college can be weird:

just another Tuesday at Temple University http://pic.twitter.com/xt8pQpcgaZ

— Barstool Temple (@BarstoolTU) October 17, 2017

Enjoy the Sixers. Trust The Process.

Your Wednesday Morning Roundup published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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