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The Weekend Warrior 12/4/20 – HALF BROTHERS, THE PROM, I’M YOUR WOMAN, BLACK BEAR, LUXOR, ANOTHER ROUND, ALL MY LIFE, NOMADLAND, MANK and Much More!

I hope everyone had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine was relatively uneventful, and I only spent most of my time watching movies. And holy shit, there are a LOT of movies out this week, but at least a few of them I’ve already seen and reviewed, and there are others that are actually pretty good, so I might as well get to it, hm?

First up is this week’s Focus Features theatrical release, HALF BROTHERS, a buddy road comedy directed by Luke Greenfield (Blue Streak, Let’s Be Cops) that’s fairly high concept but also with quite a bit more depth than the director’s previous movies. It stars Luis Gerardo Méndez as Renato Murguia, a wealthy Mexican businessman whose father left him to come to America when Renato was just a child. Just as Renato is about to get married while having issues connecting to his future stepson Emilio, he gets a call that his own father is dying, so he begrudgingly goes to see him. Once there, Renato’s dying father sends him on a scavenger hunt to find someone named “Eloise” with his annoying slacker half-brother Asher (Connor del Rio), because that will provide all the answers Renato is looking for on why his father never returned from America, remarried and had another son. What could possibly go wrong?

If you’ve seen any of the ads for Half Brothers, you may already presume that this is a fairly high-concept buddy road comedy that is constantly going for the zaniest and craziest of laughs. That probably would only be maybe 25% of the movie. Instead, this fairly mainstream comedy finds a way to take a very common comedy trope and throw in enough heartfelt moments that you can forgive the few times when it does go for low-hanging fruit. We’ve seen so many movies like this where two guys (or sometimes ladies, but not as often) are paired with one having zero patience or tolerance for the other, who is beyond aggravating to them. (Planes, Trains and Automobiles is one of the better ones.) Obviously, Renato fits snugly into the first category, and Asher could not be more annoying, very early on stealing a goat for no particular reason.

The Mexican angle and the fact that a lot of the film is in Spanish – Focus getting into Pantelion territory here? – does add to make Half Brothers feel like more of a personal story than we might normally see in this kind of movie, touching upon the immigrant experience, from the viewpoint of a low-paid worker as well as a well-to-do industrialist. It also deals with things like fatherhood and brotherhood and what it means to be one or both, so everything ultimately connects far better in the end than some might expect. I also want to give the filmmakers credit for putting together a cast of mostly unknown or little-known actors and getting such great results out of them.

On the surface, Half Brothers seems like just another buddy comedy, but underneath, it’s a heartfelt and emotional journey that touches in so many ways and ends up being quite enjoyable.

Another movie opening nationwide this Friday is ALL MY LIFE (Universal), starring Jessica (Happy Death Day) Rothe as Jennifer Carter and Harry (Crazy Rich Asians) Shum Jr. as Solomon Chau, whose wedding plans are thrown off when he is diagnosed with liver cancer. They realize they have to get married sooner since he might not live to make their planned date, so their friends launch a fundraiser so that they can get married in two weeks. The movie is directed by Marc Meyers (My Friend Dahmer), who is a more than capable filmmaker with this being his third movie in the last two years.

Now that I’ve actually seen the movie… I’ll freely admit that this is not the kind of movie I usually have very high expectations for, and maybe that’s because I’ve already been burnt twice this year with real-life romantic dramas, first with the faith-based I Still Believe in March and then more recently with Two Hearts. In both cases, I could count the issues and why they failed to tug at the heart strings as they were meant to do. Even though I’ve generally enjoyed Meyers’ past movies, I wasn’t even sure he could pull off this type of studio romance movie without having to cowtow to the corny clichés that always seem to slip in – or at least find a way to make them more palatable. (And let’s be realistic. This is the kind of movie that snobby film critics just LOVE to trash.)

First of all, Meyers already has two truly fantastic leads working in his movie’s favor. I’ve been a true Jessica Rothe stan ever since seeing her kill it in Happy Death Day and its sequel. Shum is perfectly paired with her, and the two of them are so good from the moment they first meet and we meet them. In every scene, you feel like you’re watching some of that rare on-screen romantic chemistry that’s so hard to fake. Their relationship is romantic and goofy, and you’re just rooting for them all the way through even if you do know what’s to come.

Eventually, Sol does fall ill, and it does lead to some more dramatic and tougher moments between the couple, but all of it is handled so tastefully, including their need to raise money so they can have their wedding rather than waiting. I am living proof that people really do come together to step up when they see someone in real need, so I couldn’t even tut tut at something like their fundraiser getting so many people to chip in. On top of his two leads, Meyers has assembled such a great cast around the duo, the most recognizable being Jay Pharaoh from Saturday Night Live, everyone around Jess and Sol handles the requisite emotions with nary a weak link.

There’s just so much other stuff that adds to the enjoyment of watching All My Life from the use of Oasis and Pat Benatar in the soundtrack just to the quality storytelling that makes it all feel quite believable. These sorts of movies tend to be rather corny and the diehard cynic who doesn’t have an ounce of romance or love in their body will find things to hate.

All My Life finds its way into your heart by being one of those rare studio romance movies that understands how human emotions truly work, and there’s nothing corny about that. It’s a beautiful movie that entertains but also elicits more than a few tears. Watch it with someone you love.

This week’s “Featured Flick” is Chloe Zhao’s amazing film NOMADLAND (Searchlight), which I reviewed out of its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, but it’s (sort of) being released in theaters this week. It stars Frances McDormand as Fern, a woman living in her van as she moves from place to place taking odd jobs within a community of nomads. It’s another amazing film from the filmmaker behind The Rider, who will make her foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe next year with The Eternals, which I’m just as psyched about. There’s no denying that McDormand gives a performance that’s a knock-out, even better than the one in 3 Billboards if you ask me, and there’s also a great supporting role for David Strathairn, who I’ve been hoping would have another role as good as this one. Zhao is just a fantastic filmmaker, and I’m glad to see that The Rider was no fluke.

Unfortunately, Nomadland is only getting a one-week Oscar qualifying run, and I’m not even sure where it’s getting that run since theaters in New York and L.A. aren’t even open yet. Maybe Searchlight will do some drive-in screenings like they did for the New York Film Festival and Telluride? It will get a stronger theatrical release (hopefully) on February 21, just to make doubly sure it qualifies for Oscars.

Opening in theaters this week before streaming on Netflix December 11 is Ryan Murphy’s adaptation of the Broadway musical THE PROM, the first feature film he’s directed in ten years. The multiple Tony-nominated musical is about a high school girl named Emma (newcomer Jo Ellan Pellman) who wants to take her girlfriend (Ariana DeBose) to their senior prom, but the head of the PTA (Kerry Washington) cancels the prom instead. The national outrage the situation creates gets the attention of a quintet of self-absorbed Broadway actors who decide to improve their PR by taking up Emma’s cause. Oh, yeah, and those actors are played by Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, and actual Broadway stars Andrew Rannells and Kevin Chamberlin. What could possibly go wrong?

I’ve never had any sort of positive or negative gut reaction to Murphy’s work on television over the past few years, but I’ve definitely been mixed on the three movies he’s directed to date. I wasn’t a huge fan of his Eat Pray Love, though I vaguely remember enjoying his debut, Running with Scissors. Either way, he certainly has found his niche with musicals from Glee (a show I’ve never watched) and finding a musical like The Promseems to be a perfect fit between filmmaker and material.

Having not seen The Prom on Broadway – surprise, surprise -- I was a little worried that it was going to go down the path of nudge-nudge wink-wink inside Broadway path that helped Mel Brooks’ The Producers become a Broadway hit. That I saw, and I didn’t hate the movie based on it, although I’m by no means a total movie-musical stan. There’s some obvious older ones I love, some newer ones that others love but I hated – Rob Marshall is about 50/50 for me -- and you might be surprised by which of them I liked best.

What I thoroughly enjoyed about The Prom is that Murphy manages to truly surprise everyone watching it, whether it’s in Kerry Washington’s single song – who knew she had such an amazing singing voice? – or how enjoyable Keegan-Michael Key is as the school’s Principal Hawkins, who not only loves musicals but actually admires Streep’s two-time Tony-award winning Dee Dee Allen. Considering my frequent disdain for Streep’s over-confidence, knowing full well that she’s one of the best living actors working today, she’s actually pretty amazing in the role of what many must assume Streep is like in real life, which makes her character more than a little META. In some ways, I can say the same for Corden, who is pretty fantastic as Dee Dee’s frequent stage co-star Barry Glickman, who has his own connections to Emma’s plight having been disowned by his mother (Tracey Ullman, who only shows up for one brief scene late in the movie) when he came out to her. Corden has one dramatic moment so powerful I was taken quite aback.

Even with those two actors and Kidman likely to get much of the attention, there’s no denying that the romance between Hellman and Debose, and the three or four numbers they have together, makes up the true heart and soul of The Prom. So here you have this amazing cast, and it’s a musical made-up of very fun and quite catchy songs, and that’s long before you get to Andrew Rannells as out-of-work actor Trent Oliver, who practically steals the whole movie with his showstopper of a number, “Love Thy Neighbor.” And then watching Key holding his own with Streep, both musically and dramatically, you might start wondering, “What is going on here?”

Like I said before, it’s pretty obvious that Murphy has fully poured his passion of movie-musicals into every second of The Prom, and it shows on the face of everyone joining him on this adventure. As much as the subject at the film’s core is fairly serious and a hurdle that many gay kids across the world every day, it’s also quite funny. Kudos must be given to Murphy for being able to emphasize those moments as well as the more dramatic ones. Besides that, Murphy really takes advantage of being able to go to different locations, including a sequence on Broadway that could have been done during the pandemic (it actually was built on a soundstage), another number at an actual mall and even at a monster truck rally. It also doesn’t hurt that Murphy hired Matthew Libatique, a god-like cinematographer in my book, to film the movie either.

Like most musicals, The Prom might lose a little as it goes along, since it gets to be too much that goes on for too long, but then there are more than enough great moments to pull you back. It’s by far one of the stronger movie musicals I’ve seen in a very long time, and just the right feel-good experience we all need right now.

I’ve already reviewed David Fincher’s MANK – a few times, in fact – but if you’re in one of the places where it opened theatrically in November, you can finally see it on Netflix starting this Friday. This is the general problem with the way things are these days because even though this only opened a few weeks ago, I already feel that it’s been discussed and forgotten before most people will have a chance to see it. Anyway, if for some reason, you’ve managed to avoid things about the movie, it essentially stars Gary Oldman as Herman Mankiewicz, the Hollywood screenwriter who ended up co-writing Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane in 1940. The film follows Mankiewicz as he mingles with the Hollywood elite in the 30s, including billionaire William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance) and his young ingenue girlfriend Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried) who would be the influence for his Oscar-winning screenplay. I expect to be writing a lot about this movie as we get closer to Oscar season sometime next year.

Also on Netflix this week is Selena: The Series, starring Christian Serratos. It’s the kind of thing that I probably would never watch unless I have an excess of time, and as you’re about to learn from the rest of the column, that doesn’t happen frequently.

The third chapter of Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe Anthology,” RED WHITE AND BLUE, will debut on Prime Video this Sunday, starring John Boyega as Leroy Logan, a young black man who joins the Metropolitan Police after seeing his father assaulted by police and wanting to make a difference in the racist attitudes from within. You might remember that I reviewed this out of the New York Film Festival a couple months back, so not much more to say there.

A week from Sunday, on December 13, McQueen’s fourth film, ALEX WHEATLE, will hit Amazon, and guess what? I’ve already seen it, so I will review it now. How about that? Alex Wheatle is also a true story, this one starring Sheyi Cole as the award-winning young adult writer when he was a younger and just learning the ropes as a drugdealer/DJ in Brixton before his involvement in the 1981 Brixton riots gets him thrown in jail.

As with the other three movies in the “Small Axe Anthology” there are recurring elements and themes in Alex Wheatle, mostly about the way the immigrants to England from Jamaica and other islands are treated by “The Beast” aka what they call the Metropolitan Police. It does take a little time to get to that, as McQueen, working from a screenplay co-written by Mangrove’s Alaistar Siddons, takes a far more non-linear approach than the other three films. We first see Wheatle being taken into prison where he’s thrown into a cell with a constantly-shitting Rastafarian, but we then cut back to his schooling for a short sequence that reminded me of Alan Clarke’s Scum. Both in prison and in school, we see Alex being abused by classmates and head matron alike, and this portion of the film includes another one of arty moments of actor Cole laying on the ground eyes wide open staring for what seems to go on forever. In some ways, this sequence reminds me of McQueen’s fantastic early film Hunger, since it seems to be cut from similar cloth.

Eventually, Alex gets to Brixton and that’s where this chapter in “Small Axe” really takes off as we see how naïve and green he is while dealing with quite a tough crowd and trying to adjust to city life among the Rastafarian community.

As with the other “Small Axe” chapters, I love how McQueen and his team used reggae music to help set the tone and vibe for the episode, because like Baz Lurhman’s Netflix series The Get Down, the music is frequently a key to this biopic working so well. Of course, it’s also due to the performance by Cole and the actors around him that helps make you feel as if you’re seeing a real part of history.

As with Mangrove, this chapter culminates with an amazing recreation of the 1981 Brixton Riots, done in protest after a house party fire in New Cross that the police don’t bother investigating. The actual riots were a much bigger and scarier event going by Wikipedia which says that 279 police were injured and 56 police vehicles set fire, which makes it sound more like the ’92 L.A. Riots.

I’m not sure Alex Wheatle does as good a job explaining how the young man goes into prison as a DJ and comes out as an author, but like Red, White and Blue it’s still an important and inspirational story that adds quite a bit to the previous three “Small Axe” films.

And once again, here is my interview with McQueen from over at Below the Line.

Also, I should mention that Darius Marder’s excellent Sound of Metal movie, starring Riz Ahmed, hits Amazon Prime Video this Friday, too. Check out my review!

The magnificent Andrea Riseborough stars in Zeina Durra’s LUXOR (Samuel Goldwyn), playing British aid worker Hana who while spending time in the ancient city of Luxor, runs into her former lover Sultan (Karim Saleh), as she reflects on past decisions and her current uncertain situation.

I was quite interested in this one sight unseen, not only because it’s another great starring role for Riseborough. (Honestly, she is one of the best actors working today, and I strongly believe she is just one role away from being the next Olivia Colman, who had been amazing for years before everyone in America “discovered” her in The Favourite and then The Crown… which I still haven’t watched! ARGH!). I was a little anxious about the movie, having seen Rubba Nadda’s Cairo Time, starring Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig, which seemingly had the exact same plot.

Durra is a much more capable and confident filmmaker and there’s a lot more overall value in watching Riseborough exploring Egypt as Durra quietly allows Hana’s story to unfold through her interactions with others, as well as her time alone, often languishing in one luxurious hotel room or another. Then there are the quiet and sometime awkward scenes between her and Saleh, the two of them having been lovers when they were both much younger. We also see Hana in far more vulnerable moments, so we know that she’s by no means actor, and it takes a great actor to really pull off such a dichotomy and bring such dimension to a character with so few words.

There’s something that’s almost comforting watching her dealing with emotions like loneliness in such a tranquil way. I’d even go so far to say that Luxor works in many ways similar to Nomadland, which obviously is getting the far more high-profile release with lots of festival love long before its actual release. Like that movie, Durra’s film benefits from having masterful cinematography by Zelmira Gainza and an equally gorgeous score by Nascuy Linares, to boot.

Luxor is a quiet, beautifully-made film that really took me by surprise. It acts as much like a travelogue of the title city as it does a tourist’s map to what it must feel like being a woman very much on her own in a foreign land.

I also spoke with Luxor filmmaker Zeina Durra, an interview that will be up at Below the Line hopefully sometime later this week.

With all the talk about Aubrey Plaza in Happiest Season (now on Hulu!), this would be a great time to release another one of her indies that played at the Sundance Film Festival this year, right? What can possibly go wrong?

In Lawrence Michael Levine’s BLACK BEAR (Momentum Pictures), Plaza plays Allison, an actor/filmmaker who arrives at the remote lake house of Christopher Abbott’s Gabe and his pregnant partner Blair (Sarah Gadon), to relax and work on a screenplay, only for the night to turn into philosophical discussions that transform into angry and even violent squabbles. In the second part of the movie, Gabe is the director, and Allison his actor wife, who thinks he’s sleeping with Blair, who is also acting in Gabe’s film.

That plot might seem a little vague, and I can’t exactly tell you whether there is much connection between the two parts of the movie other than it features the same three characters. The first half turns from a drama into a thriller before ending abruptly, while the second part is equal parts comedy and drama as we see a larger part of the world around the trio. In fact, the second part of Black Bear reminded me somewhat of Olivier Assayas’Irma Vep, one of my favorite movies, and that might be one of the highest compliments I can pay a movie.

But first, you have to get through the more quizzical and dramatic first part, which easily could have been done as a three-handed stageplay as we see the changing dynamics between the three people as things get crazier and crazier with one “Holy shit!” moment after the next. (It reminded me a little of Mamet or the play “Gods of Carnage,” although I only saw that as the movie version Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski.)

The fact the connection between the two parts is never explained might confound some people who were otherwise enjoying what is a pretty decent three-hander, but the common theme involves jealousy between the two women. Plaza is a fine dramatic actor when she wants to be, and Gadon is absolutely fantastic, which makes Abbot almost literally the odd man out, but the three of them just have great scenes together.

Black Bear is certainly an enigma of a movie, as much a mystery about what must be going on inside Plaza’s head during some of her softer and crazier scenes, but if you want to talk about range, this gives her so much material for her demo reel that no one could possibly doubt her as an actor again.

Thomas Vinterberg’s new movie ANOTHER ROUND (Samuel Goldwyn) reteams him with his The Hunt star Mads Mikkelsen for a comedy…. Ish… about a group of four middle aged Danish teachers who decide to hold an experiment to prove a theory that people only reach their maximum effectiveness and creativity when they’re .05% drunk. It starts out innocently enough but soon, the men are drinking heavily at school, leading to horrible and unfortunate side effects. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

Even knowing Vinterberg’s knack for strange and twisted “comedies,” Another Round is definitely on another level, opening with a scene of drunken kids playing a drinking game that gets them so out-of-control drunk and rowdy. We then meet Mikkelsen’s Martin, a history teacher, whose rowdy seniors are so bored by his classroom technique that Martin is put in front of an inquisition of parents who think he’s going to make their kids fail their final exams. Martin’s home life isn’t much better with his wife Anika (Maria Bonnevie) or his own teen sons. Although Martin says he won’t drink when he has to drive, his friend Nikolaj (Magnus Millang) convinces him by announcing his theory about how everyone needs to always maintain a certain percentage of alcohol in their system. Over the course of the rest of the movie, we’re shown the alcohol level of our “heroes,” although most will see their behavior as some kind of synced-up middle life crisis. For Martin, it’s a breakthrough, as he starts feeling more confident and assertive towards his students, even trying to connect with them via their drinking activities, as seen in the opening montage.

Another Round is quite a different beast from The Hunt, because there’s a more humorous tone to the point where I could totally see an American studio trying to remake this with the likes of Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler, which would probably lose a lot of the poignancy of what Vinberberg was trying to achieve here. At one point, he throws in a montage of seemingly drunk world leaders, which is kind of amusing even if it’s not quite so apparent why it’s there. There’s a lot of really bad white guy dancing, too, for anyone who is into that sort of thing.

There is definitely a good amount of grief and sadness to the way this story resolves, although Vinterberg still finds a way to leave Martin in a place of joy with a closing scene that may surprise a lot of people. Another Round is another tremendous feather in the cap of the Vinterberg/Mikkelsen collaboration, and it will be in select theaters this Friday before going to digital on December 18.

Another Round will be in select theaters this Friday and then on digital December 18.

Fast Color director Julia Hart returns with I’M YOUR WOMAN (Amazon), once again co-written with husband Jordan Horowitz. It stars Rachel Brosnahan from The Amazing Mrs. Maisel (which I haven’t seen) as Jean, a woman unable to have a baby with her small-time crook husband Eddie. One night, Eddie brings home a baby for Jean, but then he quickly vanishes and Jean finds herself on the run with a stolen baby and one of Eddie’s accomplices, Cal (Arinzé Kene), and there are bad men wanting to question Jean about her missing husband’s whereabouts.

This is another movie where I really didn’t know what to expect, and having not watched Brosnahan on her award-winning show, I was watching this movie trying to figure out what all the fuss was about. It’s evident from the start that Hart/Horowitz were trying to make a ‘70s-set movie with all the trappings of ‘70s fashion and music, but when you throw in the crime element, it comes across a little too much like last year’s The Kitchen, which wasn’t very good but also wasn’t based on very good source material.

One would presume that the genre elements and a few scattered set pieces, like a shootout at a club, would be the main draw, but it’s almost 30 minutes before we even get any sort of plot, and that’s a big problem. An even bigger problem is that I’m Your Woman just drags for so much of the movie, and it’s pretty obvious that Hart-Horowitz were trying to create a ‘70s movie like some of the films by Scorsese and the movies John Cassavetes made with wife Gena Rowlands. By comparison, I’m Your Woman is stylized almost to a pretentious degree. Brosnahan does show a few glimpses of there being a good actor in there, but the material just really isn’t quite up to snuff. It also doesn’t help the movie to have the baby crying almost non-stop throughout.

Jean eventually pairs up with Cal’s woman Teri (Martha Stephanie Blake), her son Paul and Cal’s father (played by Frankie Faison), and this is when she learns more about Eddie’s life that she doesn’t know about. Eventually, things start to pick up in the last act, but the multiple problems Hart has with maintaining a steady pace or tone only mildly is made up for by her terrific DP and whoever put together the musical score. Essentially, the last 30 minutes of I’m Your Woman does make up for the previous 85 minutes, but it’s going to be very hard for many people to even get through how dull the movie is up until that point.

This is a week with some very fine docs, the first one being Weixi Chen and Hao Wu*’s cinema verité film 76 DAYS (MTV Documentary Films), which goes behind the doors of the Wuhan ICU Red Cross hospital over the first 76 days of the COVID pandemic after it hit the rural area of China. (*One of the film’s co-directors/cinematographers shot the film anonymously.)

Here I thought that Alex Gibney’s Totally Under Control would be the best or maybe even only movie about the pandemic released this year, but here we have a fantastic documentary that captures what it was really like in one Wuhan hospital as it was nearly overrun months before COVID started to rear its ugly head in the States. The film begins in January 23, 2020 and follows a number of cases as we watch the personnel, all decked out in head-to-toe PPE, trying to save lives and keep people calm while trying to struggle with all the stresses that come their way. There’s actually a little bit of humor in a cranky elderly man (clearly with some form of dementia) who keeps wandering around the hospital, frustrating his tenders, but there’s also a very moving story of a young pregnant woman who has contracted COVID, who ends up being separated from her baby after a Cesarian section.

There are moments early in the movie where you can see panic starting to set in as we see how out of control things begin, but the anonymous health care workers soon get things underhand and manage to find a way to deal with the panic that’s setting in. There’s no question that these doctors and nurses – many whose faces we never even see -- are the definition of frontline workers, trying to deal with this unknown virus without all the answers and solutions that have been discovered over the past ten months.

76 Days will open via the Film Forum Virtual Cinema as well as other places presumably.

I’m glad I had Dana Nachman’s DEAR SANTA (IFC Films) to watch after 76 Days, because I don’t think I could have handled another dark or deep movie after that one. This doc is all about “Operation Santa,” the amazing group of volunteers and adopters who receive the letters young kids write to the North Pole and go out of their way to fulfill the kids’ wishes.

I was a big fan of Nachman’s Pick of the Litter, so I’m thrilled to say that Dear Santa is just as wonderful and joyous, starting with a bunch of kids explaining Santa Clause enthusiastically, because they really believe in Jolly Saint Nick. Over the course of the film, Nachman profiles a number of Adopter Elves, who look through the letters written to Santa by unfortunate kids and pick a few to fulfill their wishes. A lot of them are in New York and Chicago where the program has led to a number of non-profits, but Nachman also goes to Chico, California where many of the families from Paradise, the town destroyed by fires in 2018, ended up relocation. One story of an Adopter Elf named Damion is particularly wonderful, since he, like many of those who get involved in the program, are trying to give back and pay it forward.

Operation Santa is such a great program and Dear Santa is such a wonderful movie, I challenge anyone to watch it and not tear up from how big their heart will grow while watching it.

Julien Temple’s doc CROCK OF GOLD: A NIGHT WITH SHANE MACGOWAN (Magnolia Pictures) is pretty self-explanatory from its title, but as someone who was never really a Pogues fan, I was almost as entertained by Temple’s film as I was by Alex Winter’s Zappa about a musician who I actually was a fan of. Temple uses MacGowan’s own narration to tell his story from growing up in Ireland, the early days of punk that led to the Pogues and eventually, mainstream success.

My absolute adoration of well-made music docs is fairly well-known at this point, and you can’t really get much better in terms of music doc makers than Julien Temple, who had his cameras rolling in the early days of punk, captured one of David Bowie’s more interesting mainstream phases and also made a very cool movie about The Clash frontman, Joe Strummer.

Although I never really cared for The Pogues, that’s probably because I didn’t know them from their rowdier days and more from their mainstream success from “Fairytale of New York” but Temple’s movie rectifies that with some amazing footage from the band’s earlier days. Even more impressive is the footage and pictures of MacGowan during the late ‘70s dancing in the audience at Sex Pistols and other punk shows. (Temple even interviewed MacGowan during this period in the ‘70s, then put the footage in the movie.) As MacGowan tells his own story about growing up in Ireland, Temple frequently uses varied animation to recreate the stories being told, and that does a lot to embellish the cartoon nature of MacGowan’s storytelling.

I still think MacGowan is a bit of an asshole -- I’m sure he’d agree with that assessment -- but Temple has found a way into this very difficult musician, sometimes using close friends like Johnny Depp (a producer on the film) and Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream to try to get MacGowan to open up about as much as he ever might. Crock of Gold is certainly an eye-opening portrait of the Pogues frontman that surprisingly offers something to enjoy even for those who never got into his music, but it also shows another dimension to his many fans. If nothing else, it’s a fine testament to why Temple is one of the best music doc filmmakers.

Magnolia held a bunch of one-night only theatrical screenings on Tuesday and will have more on Thursday, but if you miss those, you can catch it On Demand/digital this Friday. (I also have a really enjoyable interview with Julien Temple over at Below the Line that you should check out.)

A.J. and Jenny Tesler’s doc MAGNOLIA’S HOPE follows four years in the life of their young daughter Magnolia (aka Maggie), who has Rett Syndrome. Maggie’s filmmaking parents talk about noticing her strange behavior and finding out that she had a genetic disorder that makes it harder for children to retain what they’ve learned in terms of movement but also might led to far worse disorders. It makes it almost impossible for her to communicate with her parents, which makes it heartbreaking but also quite inspirational that the parents would allow us into their very own difficult journey to try to get their daughter to use and develop all of the skills she learns by making her practice them every single day. The movie will be available to watch for the month of December on the streaming platform Show and Tell, but it’s such a personal movie and another one where I think it will be hard for many to watch without getting a little teary but more out of joy than sadness.

Also out this week is David Osit’s MAYOR (Film Movement), which follows Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah during his second term of office and determined to make his city a beautiful and dignified place to lived despite being surrounded on all sides by soldiers and Israeli settlements. It will open today at the Film Forum’s Virtual Cinema in New York after winning the Grand Jury Prize at the 2020 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.

What there’s more? How about Braden R. Duemmler’s WHAT LIES BELOW (Vertical Entertainment), a thriller starring Ema Hovarth from Quibi’s Don’t Look Deeper as Liberty (aka Libby), a teen girl returning from camp only to learn her mother (Mena Suvari) has a hot younger boyfriend named John (Trey Tucker), who Libby soon begins to question whether he’s human. What could possibly go wrong?

I knew I was in trouble when Suvari is picking her daughter up from archeology camp (that’s a thing?) and I misheard her asking her daughter “Any nice digs?” (think about it), especially since Suvari is playing a stereotypically over-sexed cougar, something that becomes far more obvious once we meet her boyfriend that she’s been sexing up at her lake house. There’s certainly a danger of What Lies Below turning into a prequel to a Pornhub video, but thankfully, Duemmler gets away from the inappropriate sexuality inherent in John’s presence and into the weird behavior that gets Libby suspicious.

Sure, maybe calling the movie “My Stepfather is an Alien” would have been more apropos, and there’s elements of the movie that reminded me of the Tom Hanks’ movie The ‘burbs, and not in a good way. Even so, Hovarth, who really looks like Suvari’s daughter, does a fine job holding this together and keeping you invested in how things might pan out, as things get weirder and weirder and the movie eventually transforms itself into a halfway decent and creepy “body horror” flick.

Weird but well-done, What Lies Below is not even close to the worst thriller I’ve seen this year. That might seem like damning praise, but it’s the best I can do for this one.

Debuting on Shudder this Thursday is Justin G. Dyck’s ANYTHING FOR JACKSON (Shudder), a “reverse exorcism” movie in which a seemingly kindly couple, played by Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings, kidnap a pregnant woman (Konstantina Mantelos) in hopes of getting the spirit of their grandson Jackson, who died in a car crash, and put him into her baby… with the help of demons. What could possibly go wrong? (If you hadn’t guessed, this is the theme of this week’s Weekend Warrior.)

I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the horror delivered by streamer Shudder this year, and Anything for Jackson is no exception. In fact, going over Dyck’s filmography, it’s kind of surprising how decent a horror filmmaker he is, because most of his other movies seem like Hallmark-style Christmas movies? Crazy. There are aspects of Anything for Jackson, written by Keith Cooper, who wrote some of those holiday movies for Dyck. I honestly can imagine the two of them making this movie just to be able to do something different, so they come into the horror realm with tons of fim making experience and easily transition into horror.

At the heart of this movie are McCarthy, Richings and Mantelos, who are all fine actors who do a great job selling the horrors but do just as well during the quieter dramatic moments. Not that there are that many of them, as Dyck/Cooper throw so many absolutely horrific moments at the viewer so that diehard horror fans will not be disappointed. Things shift into another gear when Josh Cruddas joins in as a Satanic cult leader they bring in to help them when they realize they’re out of their league. The results are something akin to Insidiousin terms of the types of demons and ghosts thrown at the viewer.

At times, Anything for Jackson was a little hard to follow, maybe due to its non-linear storytelling, but at least it has a substantial amount of decent replay value, since the demons and kills are so gloriously gory.

Eric Schultz’s dark and trippy sci-fi thriller MINOR PREMISE (Utopia) stars Sathya Sridharan as neuroscientist Ethan, who gets caught up in his own risky experiment involving memory loss when he becomes trapped in his home with his ex-girlfriend Allie (Paton Ashbrook), and he doesn’t remember how they both got there.

For his directorial debut, Schultz has taken the cerebral indie sci-fi film route that we’ve seen in other filmmaking debuts like Shane Carruth’s Primer, Darren Aronofsky’s Pi or Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko, and if you’re a fan of those movies, you’ll already know if this would be for you or not. This is also the kind of movie that really requires the closest attention and fullest focus, which is not something I’m great at right now. Because of that, I don’t have a ton to say about a film that does a good job pulling the viewer in with its intriguing premise.

Schultz is a pretty decent filmmaker and discovering Sridharan, who has done a lot of single-episode TV appearances but nothing major, is quite a coup since this is quite a solid showcase for the young actor. I wasn’t as crazy about Ashbrook, which makes it for a rather uneven two-hander.

Minor Premise is just fine, and I think some people will definitely like it more than I did. I definitely will have to watch it again when I’m not so distracted by ALL THOSE OTHER MOVIES ABOVE THAT I JUST FUCKING REVIEWED!

It will be in theaters, in virtual cinema, and digital/On Demand this Friday, so check it out for yourself.

And finally…

Director Dennis Dugan of Big Daddy and Happy Gilmore directs LOVE, WEDDINGS AND OTHER DISASTERS (Saban Films), a “Love American Style” rom-com anthology with a cast that includes Maggie Grace, Jeremy Irons, Diane Keaton and more. Grace plays Jessie, a fairly inexperienced wedding plan hired to orchestrate the high-profile wedding of Boston mayoral candidate (Dennis Staroselsky), and then… oh, you know what? I’ll leave the rest of the description to the review portion of our review.

We meet Grace’s character as she and her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend are skydiving, which goes horribly wrong as they end up fighting all the way down and crashing through an outdoor wedding, caught on a viral video that gets her dubbed the “Wedding Thrasher.” Imagine what a PR disaster that would be for mayoral candidate Rob Barton to have her planning his wedding, but Jessie quickly bonds with his fiancé Liz (Caroline Portu) and begins preparations. Meanwhile, Barton’s problematic brother Jimmy (Andy Goldenberg) has gone on a game show called “Crash Couples” (that’s hosted by no less than Dugan himself) and he allows himself to be chained to a Russian “lawyer” named Svetlana (Melinda Hill) who is actually a stripper. They’re willing to stick it out since the winner gets a million dollars.

Surely, that’s more than enough stories, right? Nope. Turns out that Jessie’s main competition to plan the wedding is a legendary caterer named Lawrence Phillips (Irons) who is set-up on a blind date with Diane Keaton, who is blind. Oy vey. Also, there’s Andrew Bachelor as Captain Ritchie, who gives humorous sightseeing tours of Boston via the Charles River in an odd land/water vehicle, but one day, he encounters a young woman with a glass slipper tattoo, and he becomes quite smitten. We’ll get back to him. Maybe. In fact, Duggan spends so much time setting up different stories and relationships without much connection that you wonder whether he can tie things up in the oh-so-predictable way these things normally go.

Although the movie starts out fine, and it’s actually not a bad role for Grace, as soon as Duggan introduces the game show, then we learn that Svetlana (real name Olga) is a tripper connected to the mob and they get involved, things just start going downhill very fast. Also, the idea that Keaton -- who I haven’t seen in a good movie in almost two decades -- would not think twice about playing a klutzy blind person. As soon as she shows up and immediately knocks over one of Phillips’ signature champagne glass fountains, I knew we were in for a very long haul. I didn’t even mention the other storyline involving a musician named Mack (Diego Boneta) whose band Jessie is trying to get to play the wedding – one of the multiple meet-cutes in the movie -- although Mack is squabbling with his bandmate Lenny (Jesse McCartney) who has a new Asian girlfriend who is intruding in their friendship. (I’m sure the fact her name is “Yoni” is meant as as Yoko Ono reference.)

Then on top of that, Dugan steals the gimmick from There’s Something About Mary, by constantly cutting back to Elle King and Keaton Simmons as they’re playing folksy songs in the park. Okay, the fact that Dugan wrote many of those pretty decent songs they perform is pretty impressive.

But the movie is very predictable, especially how it all comes together for the finale, which obviously has to take place at the wedding to which everything has been building up to.

Otherwise, Dugan’s film is maybe 20% an okay movie but the other 80%? Yeesh!! It’s about as romantic as a date with the Marquis de Sade, and it somehow manages to be an equal opportunity offender... in terms of offending blind people, Asians, Jews, Arabs, gay people and even strippers and Russian mafia. It took Dugan 14 years to get this passion project made, and it’s pretty obvious why.

As usual, there were a couple movies I didn’t have time to watch, but not quite as many as the ones I did make time to watch:

King of Knives (Gravitas Ventures) End of Sentence (Gravitas Venture) Billie (Greenwich) Godmothered (Disney+) Wander (Saban Films) Music Got Me Here (First Run Features) Stand! (Fathom Events, Imagination Worldwide) HAM: A Musical Memoir (Global Digital Releasing) In the Mood for Love (4k Restoration)

By the way, if you read this week’s column and have bothered to read this far down, feel free to drop me some thoughts at Edward dot Douglas at Gmail dot Com or drop me a note or tweet on Twitter. I love hearing from readers … honest!

#TheWeekendWarrior #Movies #Reviews #ImYourWoman #Mank #Nomadland #CrockOfGold #TheProm #BlackBear #Luxor #AnotherRound #HalfBrothers #AllMyLife

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infinitelytheheartexpands · 4 years

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ALL (supervillain laugh) take your time tho :D

Oh no WHY alright I submit *sighs, shakes my head, and briefly regrets all my life choices*

here we go! (#9 and #19 are pending specific opera submissions)

I wrote an overly long post here in response to this question a while back

Don Carlo!!!

Just started Halka. Not very far in, but I’m liking it so far.

In full, Cavalleria rusticana (yesterday)

Die tote Stadt (specifically the one recording conducted by Erich Leinsdorf)

Sopranos, with baritones in a very close second.

I will keep advocating for a Belle Époque Simon Boccanegra until it actually happens. Also Paris Commune Le prophète.

*see the 2017 Paris Opéra cast, except very reluctantly swap in Furlanetto for Abdrazakov*

pending submission of a specific opera

really tough...the ROH 1985 one was my first, so it may be my favorite for sentimental reasons, although I also LOVE the current ROH/Met coproduction (with the exception of some details), the Salzburg 2013, and that Liège production from not too long ago

well, based on several factors (including roles I’ve played in musicals, choir assignments, and stuff from voice lessons in the past), I’ll say Poppea (Agrippina), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), and Urbain (Les Huguenots)

Yes, my answer is Don Carlo

Depending on the day, either ‘Dio, che nell’alma infondere’, ‘Nuit d’ivresse et d’extase infinie’, or ‘Ô ciel! où courez-vous?’

my HOMEGIRL Princess Éboli

any really good rendition of ‘Depuis le jour’. that aria SLAPS.

I’m cheating and doing a play instead BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT anyway we need Ibsen-based operas and I nominate Hedda Gabler with Sonya Yoncheva and Lisette Oropesa as Hedda and Thea there I said it if you want further casting ask me again later

I don’t know if there’s any one character I have the same personality as??? although I was recently told by someone else on here that my personality is a cross between Figaro and Marguerite de Valois so... make of that what you will (and tell me what you think!)

we all know my answer to this (it’s Carlo/Rodrigo)

also pending a specific opera submission

depends on...a lot of factors, but I adore both Jonas Kaufmann and José Carreras (he is the best of the Three Tenors; no, I am not accepting criticism at this time)

going with Carmen for the sake of argument here, definitely Carmen

...I am not a fan of Puccini’s Manon Lescaut

probably Die tote Stadt, which is seriously bizarre but incredibly amazing (possibly because of its inherent bizarreness?)

not sure if this is in reference to characters or singers; I’ll assume this is about characters and say (of course) Carlo/Rodrigo, with Marie/Tonio and Fenton/Nannetta very close behind.

Renato needs love and hugs and just deserves so much better (he just needs to learn to not be a Jealous Baritone Husband). Other than that drama, he has a proven track record of being a good friend.

waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too many. for the sake of being concise, five I love: Callas, Popp, Benackova, Oropesa, Rebeka.

Verdi ❤️ no one else has written so many great operas I love so much over such a long period of time

waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too many (again). first one that popped into my head just now was Sophie from Werther, so we’re gonna go with her.

Act III finale, La bohème.

how has there not been a good opera version of Twelfth Night? that is operatic comedy gold WAITING to happen

a) I hate these singer questions because I have way too many, and b) among many, many others, Milnes, Gobbi, Zancanaro, Keenlyside, and Tézier.

I see a sweet trouser role, I adopt him. also Annina from La traviata deserves WAY more credit than she gets. love her to death.

since I try to be optimistic or at least neutral when going into a new opera, none

cannot gender swap names in my head at the moment, so Carlo becomes a standard mid-late Verdi soprano role, Elisabetta becomes a baritone (YOU THOUGHT SHE’D BE A TENOR BUT NOOOOO), Rodrigo is the Good Mezzo who gets the Basically Non-Existent Mezzo Death Scene, Éboli is a tenor, Filippo goes full dramatic mezzo, and the Grand Inquisitor becomes a nearly-impossible-to-sing contralto role with a few extremely powerful high notes thrown in because why not. Tebaldo remains a coloratura soprano.

slightly cheating, but Berlioz’s Les Troyens (not directly based on myth, but kinda?)

‘We really gotta hurry-‘ ‘But first, let’s sing about our feelings!’ or ‘death scene with lots of blood and sadness’ or ‘death by singing’ or party gone wrong (I’m a sucker for good opera tropes)

For baritones: Onegin, don’t go to the name day ball. Just don’t. For tenors: either Otello re: trusting Iago over Desdemona or...pretty much Hoffmann’s entire life.

Again, I hate these questions, but here are five anyway: Cossotto, Troyanos, DiDonato, Garanča, and Rachvelishvili.

FILIPPO (I would DIE to be able to play Filippo. also can I just say that bass and bass-baritone roles in (at least originally) French operas are...*chef’s kiss*.)

Éboli’s outfit in Act IV, Scene 1 of the 2017 Paris Don Carlos.

I really, really want to like Aida as much as everyone else seems to, but I still think that while the plot is good and the music is good, it somehow just doesn’t work and is also massively overrated.

so I don’t talk about Lucia di Lammermoor much but it’s awesome and the mad scene is one of my favorite things ever and ALSO THE OPERA SHOULD HAVE ENDED WITH THE MAD SCENE WHAT THE HELL CAMMARANO so yeah there’s that

well, I’ve been in love with Carmen since I was 7, so...

so many! Figaro seems like he’d be a pretty awesome BFF

Three words: Così. fan. tutte

La gioconda, which has okay music overall (although ‘Stella dal marinar’ is good and the Dance of the Hours is an absolute BOP) but I like the plot a lot better (imagine how it would have been if Verdi or even Boito wrote the music!). also ‘Cielo e mar’ is the third-most overrated tenor aria of all time and you can fight me on that.

way too many (again), but I gotta say it: especially in Verdi, Furlanetto simply cannot be beat.

so many ridiculous roles...you know what’s ridiculous? Hélène in Les veprês siciliennes. At least she gets a scene off, but other than that it’s *high notes* *low notes* *coloratura* *declamation over a huge orchestra and chorus* *sassing the French* *cadenza* *repeat for three hours*

I have been meaning to watch Boris Godunov in its entirety for a while and I WILL THIS WEEK (thanks, Met Opera!). Also literally any Wagner. I was going to see the Met HD of Höllander but you know what happened.

Tosca for tragedies, Barbiere di Siviglia for comedies, Don Giovanni for everyone.

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cncocubanita · 6 years

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enamorao enamorao pt 1

inspired by cncozadaddy’s ask since I really want to showcase them competing I'm gonna extend this into a 2-3 part series. It had been maybe six months for me, working with CNCO. I traveled with them, took their pictures, orchestrated how they were perceived via pictures on their social medias. Today we were in a coastal city on Puerto Rico, shooting promo pics for their newest album. “Que lo que, mamacita. Have a good night’s rest? Sueño de me?” A gruff cackle cascaded over me as I snapped Erick’s last pic. I turned my head over my shoulder to see a familiar face, toothily grinning as he wrapped his arm around my waist. “Coño, she’s still mine right now.” Erick tsked his tongue at Richard, who remained firmly at my hip before his arm unwinded and he took a step to the side, hands up in a way that proclaimed his innocence. “Lo siento, bro. I didn’t realize we had to schedule her tiempo.” He continued to laugh as Erick broke his pose to approach us both, taking the space at my other side to glance at the camera’s screen. All I could do was laugh at this interaction, something I had grown used to over the past months. I’m pretty sure the boys had a bet or something at this point, with how much they played with each other regarding me. “Ay díos mio, baby girl. Are these idiotas bothering you again?” Christopher came up from behind, the only space that wasn’t occupied and wrapped his arms around my middle. He then laid his chin atop my shoulder and laughed his signature high-pitched cackle. I shook all of them off a few teasing expletives, turning to all of them as I let the camera hang from my neck so I could cross my arms defensively across my chest. “Chicos, chicos. I’m just trying to do mi trabajo.” I clicked my tongue and shook my head, making fun of their antics. “And you all are awfully distracting.” They laughed along for a moment, the moment being interrupted for me when a gruffer voice slid in beside my ear. “You wanna see a real distraction?” Zabdiel pressed cheekily as he came up from behind, his finger brushing a strand of my hair back before he slid both of his hands in his pockets, stepping to my side before he jutted his hip out to bump mine suggestively. “Jesucristo, can I catch a break?” I pressed both of my palms together towards the sky in mock prayer, lifting my chin up as well before breaking off into little chuckles. The rest of the boys shifted their positions to enclose the circle, looking towards me and Zabdiel, before everyone’s head turned to see Joel finally make his way out of hair and makeup. I looked to my watch in comic melodramatics, before tapping it and lifting my gaze to find his. “Fashionably late again, princesa?” I inquired with a cheeky tone, and to a slight avail I managed to get Joel to crack a smile. “Seems like I interrupted something, sorry. Are we finally ready to get to work?” Joel completely ignored my question to come at all of us with a bit of his signature sass. With a symphony of grunts and groans the rest of the boys rolled their eyes and cracked small smiles as they returned to their places. Joel then approached me, knowing it was his turn to get photographed. “Do you ever get tired of all the attention?” He asked with a softer voice, his tone serious but carrying a passive aggressive yet teasing undertone. “Not until I get your attention, Joelito.” I rolled my eyes in response, my hand gesturing for him to get in the frame, the backdrop of the day being a rocky beach in front of an aquamarine ocean. In response to that nickname, his nose scrunched in a displeasure that I reveled in. When he finally got into the designated area I began snapping photo after photo, and it didn't take long to get a few good ones, considering Joel was one of the more photogenic ones. “Done with me already? Or do you just want to get to Zabdiel?” He asked with his chin raised, lips pressed into a thin smile. At his name Zabdiel took his attention away from his phone to center it on us. He then got up and came over, suspecting that his time in the spotlight was nearing. In a coy response I lifted my shoulders into a shrug before answering, “I don’t know, why don’t you figure that out yourself.” He laughed and shook his head at my answer, and didn’t even bother looking at the photos I took before going to sit down. Zabdiel stood before me, waiting for direction. He was one of the boys who always looked towards me for artistic direction. Or perhaps he just liked talking to me. “Try smiling more this time around. Todos aman tu sonrisa.” I barely caught his smile that followed suit, and in a flirtatious response he took a step towards me. “y tu? Amas mi sonrisa?” His eyebrows rose, his arms folding across his chest as his frame stood tall above mine. “Yes Zabdiel, te amo tu sonrisa.” I shook my head, not able to meet his gaze really, because it was well -- enamoring. “Can you say that louder so the others can hear?” He spoke slyly, before dipping his head back in laughter. The comment only made me shake my head more, the seriousness in the flirtation shattering after that. “Pendejo, go get into position before I make someone else be your photographer.” I snapped with a laugh, continuing to shake my head. He eventually stepped back and decided to sit on one of the various rocks protruding from the shell-white sand. Zabdiel ultimately did what I told him though; smiling at the camera, smiling at the ocean, smiling at me. I took picture after picture, until I had realized that I took plenty more than I needed to. Well shit....I mumbled to myself, before taking out this memory card and sliding it into my case. “That took awhile.” Richard bounded up behind me, resting his palm at the space between my shoulder blades once he reached my side. I snapped back in immediate response, hoping no one would catch the time that I had wasted. “You know how Zabdiel is, with his facial expressions and all.” To his dismay, Zabdiel clutched his chest in mock shock and hurt before putting his head down in faux-shame. “Ah, ya veo ya veo.” Richard nodded with a chuckle, and as the rest of the boys dispersed he leaned in, brushing my hair away from my ear so he could murmur right up against my ear. “Take some really good ones of me. I’m trynna look good for a certain mamas.” I could nearly feel the sly smile formed as he said that. Just then the hand that rested between my shoulder blades dropped and briefly fell to to my hip, his wide palm giving it a gentle pat before he walked over to the scene. I stood their for a moment in awe, the places where he touched me heating up exponentially, and for certain my cheeks did as well. The rest of his shoot went by smoothly, as he was quite photogenic as well. In the end he came up to me, looping an arm around my shoulders as we walk towards the rest of the boys -- since Richard was the last one. Before we approached them he pulled me in slightly so only I could hear what he would say. “Keep the best ones for yourself.” My gaze flickered to his at the same time his did mine, and for a split second I imagined taking something a little further, but before my mind could divulge the possibilities he broke free from me and congratulated all the boys. Up until this point everything between me and the boys had remained purely professional, but recently they’ve all been pushing the boundaries and I’ve certainly been feeling the heat of it. “So we’re all going to that celebratory Luau right?” Christopher inquired, looking at all of our faces as we sat in a circle with the director, Clara, Renato and some other managers. All the boys agreed with hearty excitement, before everyone turned to me. “uUh, si si. I guess.” I answered back with a frantic tone, now that all eyes were on me. “Alright well then I get first dance.” Zabdiel elbowed the boys playfully, before looking at me with a suggestive smile. “Then I’ll get the last.” Richard said so seriously, looking at all the boys as if anyone was going to challenge him, but no one did. Then he looked to me with a bright smile, saying something a bit quieter so only I could hear. “I mean....ese es el que vale la pena recordar.” He admitted with a shrug, and to play it off I waved my hand in dismissal. I could already tell it was going to play it cool in front of all the other boys, knowing how flirtatious they were when we were working.

#cnco #cncowners #cnco fanfic #richard camacho #zabdiel de jesus #christopher velez #joel pimentel #erick brian colon

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secretradiobrooklyn · 4 years

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That Gingerbread Feeling | 12.19 & 12.25.20

Secret Radio | 12.19 & 12.25.20 | Hear it here.

That Gingerbread Feeling edition

1. Irving Berlin - “Snow”

I really enjoy picturing Rosemary Clooney beelining for a snowbank with a bottle of shampoo in one hand, blissfully mashing clumps of snow into her hair.

2. Christie Laume - “La musique et la danse”

The payoff holler in this song is like hearing an unknown animal call from the palm trees over there.

3. Gedou - live 1975

This is a straight-up holdover from the last broadcast. We were delighted to discover Gedou’s Japanese glam rock glory — especially in the context of the videos, where you can see how extremely unlike their world they are. In this one, a crowd of excited teens watches and claps along, and you can tell that they’re the rockers of their peers — they all sport variations on early rock pompadours. Gedou, however, has blown right past that style and is going full-orchid Spiders from Mars. They appear to be loving the shit out of every second onstage, and it’s completely infectious. This take also has a killer lead-in to a great live “Scent,” the song of theirs we played last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdAP9ud-uEQ

4. Mannequin Men - “Private School”

I would like to shout out the rich music life of Chicago’s rock world, specifically from 2002-2008 but extending in both directions on the calendar. I feel truly fortunate to have been in Bound Stems, on Flameshovel Records, for most of those years. James and Jesse worked from an office above the Empty Bottle, sharing the space with a young Riot Act Media, and that label was the center of so much great music. Paige and I both especially loved Mannequin Men’s “Fresh Rot” album — I always think of me and Paige in the Stems band van on Milwaukee Ave, headed gradually northwest toward Midwest Buy and Sell aka the best amp shop in Chicago, with “Private School” cranked, watching the train pass the other way, feeling like the city went on forever.

5. Ed Blaszczyk, Rock Band Himself - “Hully Gully Neurasthenique” from “The Quirky Lost Tapes 1993-1995”

Born Bad Records is the hottest of spots. I don’t know anything about this guy but I am under his control.

- Five minutes of a pink oyster mushroom playing modular synthesizer

A sincere thank you to Kevin Vlack for introducing us to the mesmerizing thoughtwaves of a pink oyster mushroom, as expressed by a wickedly set-up synth. By any objective measure it sounds random and unmusical, but my subjective experience is that it is incredibly smooth and welcoming to hear. It feels almost like an aural massage or something. I feel an autonomic response to it. In any case, we both immediately listened to it a bunch, and it only gets more appealing.

6. William Onyeabor - “Hypertension”

We still haven’t seen “Who Is William Onyeabor?,” so all I know about him is that his rhythmic approach is always totally absorbing. The cascading phrase that happens throughout the song feels like water being poured out of a jug. I especially dig how they split the vocalist between “hyper” and “tension,” kind of not unlike The Fall.

7. Renato Carosone - “Tu Vuó Fa’ l’Americano”

You want to be American — in Italian. Fun is being poked. It gets so surprisingly intense in the instrumental middle passage!

“Whiskey soda rock & roll”

8. Star Feminine Band - “Rew Be Me”

Another return performance from last week! Star Feminine Band’s new album is so freakin awesome. “Rew Be Me”’s rhythms are so fascinating on every instrument. Also, they’re made by girls between ages 11 and 17. This song is so many songs in one!

9. Ros Serey Sothea - “Kom Kung Twer Evey (Don’t Be Mad)” - “Cambodian Rocks”

More jaw-dropping ’60s Cambodian rock full of epic melodies and major-league parts from every member of the band — above all Ros Sereysothea, who was pronounced the “Queen with the Golden Voice” by the King of Cambodia.

Like every musician of her generation in her country, she was killed in the Khmer Rouge genocide.

10. Lohento Eskill et T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - “Mireille”

11. Mohamed Mazouni - “Ecoutes moi camarade”

A scenario that we’re just starting to consider is Algiers, which was a French territory in North Africa with as many Europeans as Africans. Before and after the revolution in 1962, Algerians are expanding the definition of French citizenship. An intoxicating version of the two cultures having equal input on the song’s palette and reference points.

- The pink oyster mushroom

12. The Fall - “Free Range”

This 7” came from a visit to a record shop in London that had an entire wall of Fall albums and singles and I just goggled at it. Kind of picked this one at random and it hits just so hard. For some reason this song sometimes reminds me of Self-Help Seminar, good friends from Seattle who we played with from early on. Harvey Danger did a version of their song “Heroine with an E.”

13. Les Poppys - “Non non rien n’a changé”

A pretty large chorus of garçons just kind of beautifully swarming around, I don’t really know where to put this song in my head. I love the “Hey Joe” style bassline in the finale passage so much!

14. Mahmood - “Soldi”

This is driving around Cambridgeshire to London, again and again, listening to this music and shouting “Fregherai!” This trip’s soundtrack was exclusively the 2019 candidates for Eurovision’s top prize. This was Italy’s contender. It was considered controversial, I was told, because they’re drawing on a musician who is speaking in Italian and describing the world from a minority’s experience in Italy. That’s pretty bold to use as your country’s champion — I thought that was pretty cool.

15. John Williams - “Home Alone Main Title”

Merry Christmas! We time-traveled in this moment up to and through Christmas. It was a quietly wonderful Christmas, I must say, and included viewing “Home Alone” for the first time in decades. “Feeling that gingerbread feeling” indeed. We’re thankful for so much this year even in the middle of all this giant mess.

16. The Fall - “Jingle Bell Rock”

My preferred Santa voice.

17. Lithics - “Hands”

Sure do like this band more than ever. “Tower of Age” has been nothing but awesome so far.

18. Samba Negra - “Long Life Africa” - “La Locura de Machuca”

Happy holidays to Ryan, who just got this album! Analog Africa is one of the flat-out most amazing record labels on Earth, and they put out this album this year. The cover art is insane, and the music is — also insane. This is the setup: “One night in 1975, a successful tax lawyer named Rafael Machuca had his mind blown in Barranquilla’s ‘Plaza de los Musicos’. Overnight he went from a high-ranking position in the Columbian revenue authority to visionary production guru of the newly formed record label that bore his name, Discos Machuca, and for the next six years he devoted his life to releasing some of the strangest, most experimental Afro Psychedelia Cumbia and Champeta ever produced.”

I mean, right?!

19. Meridian Brothers - “Salsa Caliente: Versión Aumentada”

This came to us via Francis Bebey, in the big ol’ stream. I definitely see the relationship. That’s what I’ve been really appreciating recently, how musicians from all over the globe seemed to be in musical communication with each other in the ’70s. There was such a wild explosion of music happening worldwide, influencing each other in a way that must have been at least partially psychic.

20. The Little Rabbits - “Yeah”

I got this CD in an armful of albums from Harvey Danger’s French distributor. I put this one on and was just… it was fascinating. This song is a definite high point, but the whole album is a complete jam. It’s clear to me (though I’ve never done a lick of study on this) that the Little Rabbits worked with Beck on “Odelay,” because you can hear whole passages of music that you associate with Beck songs stitched inside this album. I always want to know more about what happened there and I never

21. Orlando Julius & the Afro Sounders - “Alo Mi Alo (Parts 1 & 2)”

Another example of that international ’70s kismet! This horn passage reminds us strongly of Adriano Celentano’s “Prisencolinensinainciusol,” written in faux-English for a French audience in 1972. This song was written somewhere between 1969-72, in Nigeria!

I also love how the song has this sort of geologic dynamic going, where instead of bouncing between parts, it changes flavor gradually over the course of many minutes, until it ends far from where it began — not unlike a film.

- Bug Chaser - “Christmas Van”

We miss Bug Chaser, St. Louis lords and legends. We played some magic shows on the City Museum rooftop with them, and danced our faces off at their shows all over town. If you lived in St. Louis in the last ten years, I hope you went to Bug Chaser shows, because they were the realest of deals.

22. Half Japanese - “Swept Away”

I hadn’t revisited Half Japanese in a long time, for no good reason at all. It’s part of what I have loved about Yo La Tengo and Daniel Johnston and Jonathan Richman and what I love about Jad Fair, so giant and so sincere all at once.

23. Thomas Roebers & Floris Leeuwenberg - excerpt, “FOLI (There is no movement without rhythm)”

Speaking of sincerity, this is an excerpt from a 10-minute movie called “FOLI.” I don’t know how it came to be made, but this section in the middle immediately grabbed me and feels super African and somehow refracted through a Western lens as well

24. Ayalew Mesfin - “Zebeder (Mesmerizing)”

The thing about Mesfin is that his band seems to set up the song in a Western tempo and pattern, and then Mesfin lays an Ethiopian melodic count across the top of the phrases they play, creating a third pattern from the intertwining. It creates a sense of the exotic and the familiar at the same time, which sparks into a dreamlike feeling, where you remember something you know you never experienced. I feel like that opens up some capacity to appreciate his melody’s deeply human quality.

- “Tuneup #1” from “Rent” / Glenn Miller - “Moonlight Serenade”

25. Ella Fitzgerald - “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”

Consider this an invitation! Send us a message however we normally talk and we’ll send a link. Or not! In any case: here’s to making it through 2020 (chin chin), and here’s to a productive, restorative 2021 (chin chin)

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solartranslations · 7 years

Text

Debito 5/11: Purple Jewel

She has found out about Debito’s dark wish. In her confusion, where she heads is…

~*Scene: Isis Regalo*~

Coins Guy 7: Here I go! Just like Capo!

Coins Guy 7: …!

Coins Guy 8: What’s with your expression! It doesn’t look like him at all!

Coins Guy 9: …*snickering*

Coins Guy 7: But it’s well received

Coins Guy 10: Only by you

Renato: Welcome…

Rollo: To the Isis Regalo of thrill and desire

Jeremy: Hey, isn’t it Ojou!? You two need to distinguish her from our customers!

Rollo: That’s true, but maybe she came to play today?

Renato: …Really?

Jeremy: Play…?

Jeremy: Does that mean…you made some friends that you came to play with?

Rollo: What? Jeremy, are you asking her to introduce them to you?

Jeremy: That should be fine! I’ve decided to live for a new love!!

Jeremy: But…please tell me if you hear from Milena!

Renato: …*sigh*

Rollo: *laugh*

Beata: Um, is Debito-san here?

Jeremy: Um…Capo didn’t come today

Beata: Oh, I see…

Townswoman: Huh~! Debito-san isn’t here?

(*smile) Jeremy: Then, to make up for it, I can ––

Beata: Um…Renato-san, could you show me around?

Townswoman: Please

Jeremy: Huh…?

Renato: …Mm

Renato: …Please, this way

Jeremy: Damn it! Why does this always happen!

Rollo: Recently, Capo has been absent so it’s always like this

(*sigh) Jeremy: …I’m going to walk around a bit

Rollo: Haha! He’s so funny

Rollo: Oh, right

Rollo: I have a small request for you, Ojou-san…

~*Scene: Forest*~

(*footsteps)

~*Flashback: Isis Regalo*~

Rollo: I’d like you to deliver this letter to our Capo who is skipping work

Rollo: I actually would have liked to go, but I have to stay here today

Rollo: I’ll tell you where he said he would go, so please

~*End Flashback*~

Felicita: …

Felicita: !

(*jump) (*step)

Debito: …*lands*

❤≪Debito≫ Seems concerned

Person: I don’t want to see anyone

Daily: You were looking for me, right?

Pain: Sleepy…

Debito: Who are looking for while lost in the woods, Bambina?

Debito: If you need directions I can at least tell you the way back…

Debito: *yawn*…

>Are you tired?

(+20 Amore)

>Are you skipping out?

(No Amore)

Debito: …Huh

Debito: Does it look like that to you, Ojou?

Debito: Ha…so even Bambina can tell…

Debito: For me to look indecent of all people…

Debito: …No

Debito: Did the Coins say so?

Debito: Damn…those guys

Debito: Well, it doesn’t matter if they think I’m sleeping here and leaving work to them

❤≪Debito≫ Seems concerned ❤≪Debito≫ Seems concerned

Person: You were looking for me, right?

Daily: I didn’t want to be seen like this

Pain: Sleepy…

Daily: Can’t be helped if I’m seen like this

Pain: Sleepy…

Person: I don’t want to see anyone

Debito: So, what do you want?

❤≪Debito≫ Seems concerned

Pain: Can’t sleep

Person: I don’t want to see anyone

Felicita: …

Debito: Huh?

Debito: ––!!

❤≪Debito≫ Can’t seem to handle it

Person: That old man is so freaking annoying!

Arcana: This is why I can’t sleep

Felicita: !

Debito: Damn it! …For him to…

Debito: *Sigh*…I guess I should tell you then, Bambina…

❤≪Debito≫ Can’t seem to handle it

Arcana: This is why I can’t sleep

Person: I ended up giving Bambina a shock again

Debito: Having been found out partially doesn’t feel too good…

Debito: Hey, did you know?

Felicita: …

Debito: The reason I nap so much is because I can’t control the Tarocco I was made to contract

Felicita: !?

Debito: I didn’t tell you did I, Ojou?

Debito: In my right eye, is an artificial eye made of amethyst refined with alchemy

Debito: This amplifies my Arcana powers

Debito: But, it hurts every night

Felicita: …

Debito: I just want to be released

Debito: …And there’s someone in the way of that

>…With alchemy?

(-20 Amore)

>…You mean Jolly

(-20 Amore)

Debito: Bambina, don’t play dumb

Debito: There’s a guy who uses alchemy that I hate so much I want to kill, right?

Debito: *chuckling*…you remember well

(*smirk) Debito: When I hear you say that name in front of me, I just get more depressed, Bambina

❤≪Debito≫ Seems concerned ❤≪Debito≫ Seems to be plotting

Pain: Leave behind the feeling that you don’t want to believe it

Arcana: I’m so sleepy

Pain: That letter was an invitation from the old man

Arcana: I’m so sleepy

Debito: I’ve told you before. My power was forced on to me. I didn’t want it, and I don’t want to use it

❤≪Debito≫ Seems irritated

Arcana: I didn’t even need Arcana powers

Pain: This is why I can’t sleep

Person: ???

Debito: It’s just…the price of the power I’ve received is too much for me

Debito: No one in my Serie knows what this power is doing to me

Debito: Among the Family members, only the old man and those close to me know

Debito: Damn, it makes me feel sick…

Debito: Since you’re so perceptive, Bambina, your next question is “why do you obey him then”, right?

Debito: Trading secrets with you like this, is also needed to support my artificial eye

Debito: Even if I want to defy him, the old man’s power gets in the way…

Debito: He keeps showing me the moment I had my artifical eye implanted over and over! I hate it!

Debito: Hahahaha!!!

Debito: Anyone else would be more suited for this

Debito: So. Don’t you think an unwanted power is nothing but resentful?

Debito: You remember too, right Ojou?

❤≪Debito≫ Tarocco

Pain: Even living is too much trouble now

Person: Why do people even need Arcana powers

Arcana: This is why I can’t sleep

Debito: There’s a reason why you were living deep in the island until recently

Debito: –– That would because of the Tarocco’s shackles, right?

Felicita: !?

Debito: Of course, it’s not just that. I don’t have family or siblings, but I still feel like I’ve been made a prisoner

Debito: But, living just means running from death…I guess

Debito: What is the purpose of the Arcana Duello…and for who does it exist for. You want to know too, right Ojou?

Debito: I also want to wipe out all the obstacles here

Debito: I think this is my last chance

>Why do you think this it you’re last chance?

(+20 Amore)

>Are you really okay living like that?

(-20 Amore)

>What will you do after you accomplish your goal?

(+10 Amore)

Debito: Because I can’t see myself after fulfilling my goal…

Debito: This conversation is ridiculous

Felicita: …

Debito: Oh yeah. If you were to stay by my side, Bambina, it wouldn’t be bad

Debito: Who gets to decide whether my decision is good or bad? God? You?

Felicita: …

Debito: Then, I can decide that, right?

Debito: Are you going to say “You can live for me” after that?

Felicita: …

Debito: If you didn’t put any thought behind it, don’t say it

❤≪Debito≫ Seems shocked ❤≪Debito≫ Seems to feel insulted ❤≪Debito≫ Seems shocked

Pain: Last means last

Arcana: I can’t imagine it

Daily: Sleepy…

Person: Are you lecturing me, Bambina?

Pain: Such a pain

Daily: Sleepy…

Arcana: I can’t imagine it though

Pain: Such a pain

Daily: Sleepy…

Debito: In any case, right now there's only one path for me

❤≪Debito≫ Can't seem to handle it

Arcana: I hate everything

Person: Tell me if there’s another way

Daily: Such a pain

Debito: Yes…even though I’ll take risks, I won’t die for my goal…

Debito: …Even if I live a life of shame, I’ll have my revenge…

Debito: Definitely

Felicita: …

>Even though you don’t really want to…

(-20 Amore)

>Even so, I can still care

(-20 Amore)

Debito: …Why do you think so?

Debito: The Signora who visit say that a lot too

Debito: Everyone desperately wants to bury my darkness. Do you too, Bambina?

Debito: You say that so lightly…

Debito: Caring and doing are different things, you know?

Debito: Anyhow, the world beyond your imagination is growing…you know that right?

❤≪Debito≫ Seems concerned ❤≪Debito≫ Seems to be plotting

Pain: Reality exists whether you like it or not

Love: ???

Link: You’d care…for me…?

Love: ???

Felicita: …

Debito: Oh right…doing that –– is your power, Ojou

❤≪Debito≫ Bambina

Arcana: Did she find out?

Pain: What I think won’t change

Love: ???

Debito: I had planned on hiding this…

Debito: Or is this the result of our Ojou-sama’s growth?

Debito: Anyway, putting any deep meaning in it is no fun

Debito: I don’t want to treat you coldly anymore…

Debito: Please understand, okay…

(*slide)

Debito: If you could just give me some peace…that would be enough

❤≪Debito≫ Can't seem to handle it

Arcana: …Can I deceive you?

Pain: Don’t look at my heart, stay away from me

Love: Only look at me, please stay with me

Debito: If you can’t do that –– then leave me alone

Debito: That’s all

Liberta: Heeeey! Debito!

Liberta: Oh, Ojou’s here too!

Liberta: I finally found you~. Debito, Jolly’s calling for you. You should go!

❤≪Liberta≫ Seems as usual

Place: After I finish delivering this message I want to go out to sea

Daily: Oh, Ojou’s here too!

Debito: Hmph!

❤≪Debito≫ Seems irritated

Pain: That is the last name I want to hear right now

Person: Freaking Foolerta is here

Daily: Such a pain

(*whish)

Liberta: Hey! You almost hit me!!

Debito: Stupid old man…I'll make him realize which one of us is in trouble if my amethyst eye isn’t taken care of

Debito: This is one of the reasons I’m tied to this island

Liberta: What are you talking about?

❤≪Liberta≫ Seems concerned ❤≪Debito≫ Seems to want to run away

Daily: Is he annoyed?

Person: What was he talking to Ojou about?

Person: I could tease him since I’m angry

Daily: Sleepy…

Pain: Such a pain

Debito: Nothing. Don’t interrupt our date

Debito: …Felicita, our chat from before is a secret from everyone, okay?

Felicita: !

Liberta: Huh?

Debito: I’m seriously jealous of the fool’s ignorance

Liberta: You!

Liberta: Ugh…ignore it, ignore it! I won’t go along with you provoking me! I’m growing everyday…!

❤≪Liberta≫ Can’t seem to handle it

Pain: Being told that wasn’t nothing

Person: What was he talking to Ojou about?

Debito: *Sigh*…I know. I’m just angry that you interrupted my secret meeting with Bambina

Liberta: S-s-secret…!? No no no no!!

Liberta: Ojou, are you okay? You weren’t getting teased like I was, right?

Debito: Huh? Like who, did you say?

Liberta: Whoops! My tongue slipped again!

Debito: Instead of doing that, shouldn’t you figure out how to entertain women with conversation?

Liberta: …Ugggh

Liberta: Somehow, I feel like Debito hasn’t been himself lately, am I imagining things?

❤≪Liberta≫ Seems concerned

Person: What was he talking to Ojou about?

Arcana: Debito isn’t a man of the sea, but we’re still part of the same Family

Liberta: I feel like he was calmer before…

Liberta: …Debito, if you’re worried about something ––

Debito: I’m fine

❤≪Debito≫ Seems irritated

Daily: I’m so sleepy

Person: I don’t care if you’re worried

Pain: Such a pain

Debito: Also you interfered with my date. Take responsibility and take Bambina back to the mansion

Debito: It’s the first step to being a good man

Debito: It’ll help you get used to women a little. *laugh*…

Liberta: Didn’t have to say that!

❤≪Liberta≫ Seems concerned

Place: Since I’m mad I should just go out to sea!

Person: What was he talking to Ojou about?

Liberta: Damn it, he’s making fun of me again!

Liberta: Just when I’m worried about him, right!?

Liberta: And he was being weirdly pushy…!

Liberta: …But is he really okay? Debito I mean…

Liberta: …He didn’t look too good

Felicita: *sigh*

~*End of Scene*~

You have one Heart Voice. It can be heard within SPECIAL

(Continue to Common Route May 12)

(Back to Directory)

#debito #arcana famiglia #la storia della arcana famiglia #may 11 #5/11 #solar translations #psp game #translation #releases #stop calling serious conversations a date #we've been over this #also jeremy get over it #even if she did come back she likes Fel #still not letting this go

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ithoughtyouweredifferent · 7 years

Text

Chapter 15 What is Love

Previously on…”“I love you,” he said pulling back an inch so he could look into your eyes as he said it making your breath hitch, why wasn’t it automatic and easy to say it back. It should be easy to say those three words, natural even, especially to someone you’d said it to in the past. But now you froze.

A/N: This is such a roller coaster of emotion I don't even know. You’ve heard of word vomit? Well, this is feels vomit.

Word Count: About 4,500

Chapter 14

Masterlist

Chapter 16 (link also at bottom)

Shout out: @superwholockbooknerd526 @panacebean @genericusernameblahblahblah @casual-vaporwave

You didn’t know what to say and you would have to figure it out later. You couldn’t just not say anything. The best thing you could come up with for now, in the moment, was to kiss him again and act like you hadn’t heard him. It was a terrible thing to do but you couldn’t think of anything else. You could sort through your problems later but this was the only stalling technique you could think of that would eliminate the ability of an awkward conversation. It was a great kiss and you hoped with everything in you that he would think you just hadn’t heard him. After a minute you pulled back smiling as if nothing had happened,

“I meant what I said,” he told you quietly and you did everything you could to keep a blase attitude,

“Meant what? About ripping apart an audience's heart with this path of events? I meant it too, but really you should think on it, maybe a sad kid who is trying to come to terms with a traumatic event isn’t the right person to blame for a crime. People will either love or hate it, there won’t be an in between. We’d get accused until our ears bleed about subtly encouraging blaming the victim, it could be a mess. So think on that, back to the opening song…” you said. You probably didn’t convince him but he at least played along figuring out the opening song.

After a few minutes things had fallen back to your normal routine, a line here, an idea there and eventually just playing to play.

“Well I think we’ve made some excellent progress even if somebody didn’t do his part since the last session,” you said teasingly lingering near the door before you went home for the night.

“You have had an excellent teacher on how to do this,” he said and you rolled your eyes,

“Are you sure?” you looked around, “I didn’t realize someone great had been practicing with us, I’d like to meet this person,” you said and he chuckled,

“This is why I love you, Socrates,” he said as you clasped your hands behind but stayed leaned back enough to look in his eyes,

“You’re none too bad yourself you lazy oaf,” you said before kissing him again. Not as a planned diversion technique this time but because it just felt right

“I’m serious, I really love you,” he said when you separated,

“I know you do and what’s not to love!” you laughed and walked out the door not seeing him shake his head in frustration. You let out a small breath of relief, he was not going to let that go. You needed to figure out what to say when you’d see him tomorrow because you couldn’t laugh him off forever.

It was weird, you’d thrown around I Love You’s with people for ages when it seemed like the right times to say something, not because of actual feelings. After you had realized the whole concept of love was a joke you had just said it or said it back. It didn’t need to mean anything. So why couldn’t you say it back to Lin?

There’s different types of love, you had seen the six types of latin or greek love or something somewhere recently. It was like the love of self, love of basically others in general, platonic love, one was more lust than love, the idle happiness love, and then there was long-standing love in the English hearts and romance form.

You loved being around Lin, you loved talking to him and just being with each other. He made you happier than anyone you had ever been with, you felt safe and at home around him. Everything seemed easier and better when you were with him. You thought about him constantly. You had spent hours upon hours wondering about a future with him in it. Everything said you should love him. You wanted to love him. In at least one form of the word you do love him, so why couldn’t you say so?

You had been with him for what felt like forever but hadn’t actually been that long. Was that what was bothering you? Afraid of falling too hard, too fast? You must have loved him before with how badly it hurt when you went separate ways. Had you built back up those walls you used to have? He had helped you take down so many of your walls since he had come back into your life. Since you had met him in the first place. Was this a good thing?

You thought about how much you had changed, you started playing the piano for other people because he built up your confidence. You got a dream job because he pushed you to. He had reminded you that not everyone is cruel and cold. You found it easier to talk to other people now, you had become more optimistic overall. He had you writing a Broadway musical for crying out loud! You had never remotely imagined doing something like this!

Why did he have to go and say something like that? He had pushed through so many barriers in you, you didn’t want that to end. Just imagining it ending was heartbreaking.

But why wasn’t it just an instinct to say it earlier? Why did it take power walking home when the subway would have been a hundred times more logical for you to put it together? Were you just afraid? You only had another block before you reached your building which was absurd, you lived miles apart, but you had spent the whole trip worrying over this and now it felt like your heart was miles away.

Confused. The only word that could fit this moment was confused. You slowed down as you got up the stairs and to your place. You needed to figure this all out by tomorrow morning. It was almost 8 now. You weren’t going to get a lick of sleep tonight but you figured you might as well try. Maybe a new day would bring new insight to your situation.

The museum was doing nothing for your delima. The budget meeting had everybody on edge. Your nerves were through the roof and your whole focus was on not letting butter fingers get the best of you while handling priceless artifacts. This was not usually a problem, but this was not a usual day. Your palms were sweaty, you were focusing on focusing which had an opposite effect. You thoughts alternated between don’t drop this and don’t think about Li-him,

You wanted to just cancel your plans this afternoon and stay home so you could keep trying to think things through. On the subway home you were making your umpteenth pros and cons list on Lin.

The fact you were making a pros and cons list was one of only three reasons on the side against, the others being your reaction yesterday and how intertwined your relationship was with this Broadway Musical. Writing a musical with him in itself was a whole list of pros and cons that were all negating each other.

Why was this so difficult? You dragged every step on your way from the subway to his home. What was the big deal with saying you loved him anyway? You had never had a problem with “I love you too” no matter what you felt. At least one, if not two or three or four of the Greek meanings of love applied.

“You’re here!” Lin said opening the door before you had even lowered your hand from knocking, he had been waiting for you.

“I said I would be,” you replied smiling, you were always smiling around him - another of the many reasons pointing that you do love him that way.

“So what’ve we got Socrates?” He asked leading you on over to the piano and you threw your coat and bag on his couch. You felt at home and comfortable around him, another reason indicating you loved him.

“I actually didn’t come up with anything,”

“Really? That’s new,” he noted and you shrugged,

“I’ve had a lot on my mind between the meeting yesterday and the new exhibit and about you-you and Alex-and yeah, some of us with normal jobs get preoccupied,” you said almost telling him what the other weight on your shoulders was,

“Oh yeah normal jobs,” he dramatically shuddered, “So glad I’m a successful weird jober,”

“Jober?” you asked with a bit of a laugh, “to think I’m trying to write something with you,”

“Got a better word?” he challenged with a raised eyebrow, “jober”

“I-wait,” you quickly stood up all but pushing him off the bench to find the right journal,

“If you are about to somehow mash job and robber together please don’t,” he asked crouching down next to you looking at the precious journals you were carelessly throwing from one side of the bench to another,

“Really? A rap battle interrogation around town, have someone get nervous and stumble over their words,” you asked looking dead into his eyes with a strong determination in yours,

“But why would anybody be nervous? Nobody is lying about their alibi, not if we have Renato do it,”

“Isn’t there one particular person who is lying anyway though?” you asked leading him to the conclusion you’d already made,

“Terry and Marirea are covering for each other,” he said slowly finally catching on, “because Terry is a sketchy guy and was doing something that’d get him in trouble,”

“And only Marirea knows that, Marirea who is still learning English anyway now being put under pressure to tell a secret…”

“See why working in silence wouldn’t work?”

“You always have to be right don’t you,” you accused not bothering to hide the humor in your voice,

“Around you, I’ve gotta take what I can get,” he said smiling a bit,

“What you need to get is a haircut and some sleep,” you said reaching over to ruffle through his hair and he rolled his eyes,

“Sleep is for wimps,”

“What are you doing so late anyway that has you so sleep deprived? You’ve picked up some hot other woman haven’t you” you teased and he rolled his eyes, after a moment though your mocking shifted, “Seriously though, your chronic eye bags have been making a reappearance a lot lately, what’s eating at you?”

“Nothing. Maybe I just have trouble falling asleep sometimes,” he said a bit defensively,

“C’mon I know you, what’s bothering you?”

“Nothing….everything...the past, the future, people, the couch lint, why I have three colors in the ceiling fan blade, poverty rate, I don’t know,” he sounded defeated which was rare. Most people mask sadness and contain anger, Lin tried to find a way around them. There’s two sides to every coin and he made it a personal goal to find the better side. Even when everything was great, there was always a better side to find. But when he couldn’t find the better side...you had no idea what to do, the helpless feeling was both on your pro and con side of the list. The positive aura he carried was something you couldn’t imagine being without and how terrible you felt knowing you couldn’t make him stay in his happy bubble versus your inability to help him stay in his happy bubble.

“I just, why am I doing this? They say write what you know and so I took this crazy idea and found out everything, years of constant finding out more so I would know what the right thing to write was. Why don’t I just have a normal job and be a normal person and...I don’t know,”

“Because you’re not normal,” you finally said, confident but quiet, “because you have this determination and understanding and ability and brain that nobody else has. You would never be happy in a normal job. And this...you’re giving these people voices. Lin-Manuel,” you began annunciating every syllable but staying soft, “you’re telling people’s stories for them and giving them a chance for them to tell it. A chance. A hope. A story.

“The purpose of theater is to tell a story,” you recited, “you’re bringing a whole new story to the table, you love doing this. You did all of that research because you care. Because you knew this was going to be something big. Because you are offering these people a voice. And you know it needs to be an accurate voice. Because they deserve accurate stories to be told about them and you care about getting that story told. Because that’s who you are, brilliant, in every sense of the word.”

It was silent for a long moment while you both drank in everything you had said, absorb and realize why you couldn’t just say you loved him yesterday,

“Why are you here? Do you really want to be with me or am I just a way to pass time?” he asked and you looked at him shocked,

“A way to pass time?” you asked slowly

“Was all that indecision at first just an Iago to Othello ruse? Pretending not to want to agree so I'd think you were being really genuine when you did?”

“What are you talking about? Lin I-”

“Because that’s all I’m coming up with, I’ve not been sleeping for a while now because I’m back at reading the dictionary all night so I don’t think about this, but I have to know. You said yourself you’ve been single for ages, am I just someone who will give you the time of day?”

“No that’s not-”

“And it just keeps going through my head, you didn’t want to even talk to each other while we were writing, you’ve taken over this show and you’ve done some great things for it but not all of your ideas are perfect you know but I don’t know how to tell you that. I know that they’re threatening cuts at the museum, is this just some sort of insurance policy and I’m part of the deal?”

“Lin where is all this coming from!” you said trying to get a word in, “You have it so backwards. I never wanted this show but it was part of the deal with you, this isn’t me, if you think something's terrible rip it out because I have said countless times I don’t know what I’m doing. But I thought it was worth a shot because-”

“Because why? If it is such a waste of your time and it makes you so unhappy why are you doing it?” he was shouting at you and your voice matched that just as strongly. Whatever calm deep moment you had been having was gone just as quickly as it had come,

“Because you're a drug to me, because I am addicted to being around you. I am happy around you, seeing you and writing this musical has given me something to look forward to day in and day out. Because I need you in my life and if composing a musical of all things is what it takes to keep you around then I’m doing it! And I love doing it, I didn’t think I’d love it this much but I do but if walking away this instant is what it takes to convince you I’m not just ‘in it’ for the show or the money then consider be out because I love you, Lin-Manuel Miranda,”

“You-you what?” he started to shout again but cut himself off when he realized what you’d said

“You said last night you loved me, three times, and I blew you off because I was scared. I spent all night and most of today trying to understand why I was scared. And I’m still not certain. Who does that? Who has to go home and think about whether or not they love somebody else?”

“You said it to me before, you told me you loved me constantly, when did the phrase become so meaningful to you huh?” the accusation was ringing through his tone again, this whole argument was such a roller coaster,

“Because it didn’t matter then! Because I didn’t actually love you back then, I deeply cared for you, sure, but then it was just something to say. But actually meaning it is terrifying, because it’s admitting how much I have to lose. Once a word has a meaning, that meaning is the only thing you focus on when you use it. You’ve changed me and you know it, so believe me when I say that I love you.”

Something happened after that, something you didn’t understand, but something changed. Whatever had caused that outburst on both of your parts left the room and both of you in a silent confused loss of words

“What the hell just happened?” he asked after a moment and you started cackling all of the crazy emotion and tension the past few minutes came out through a cathartic laugh, and he joined you after a moment. You both needed this.

“I don’t think I have ever heard of someone saying something so heartfelt as all of that in such a hateful tone,” he finally said,

“You think you can do better?” you asked raising an eyebrow,

“Yes,” he a beat for emphasis and to pull out the look that came out whenever you came up with a good idea, the one he knew put you on top of the world, “I love you,”

“You win,” you said after a minute and he chuckled,

“You must really love me if you’re finally admitting to that you aren’t the best in something,”

“I didn’t say that!” you protested and he rolled his eyes, “Conveying a positive message in a less hateful tone is not something you can do better than me if I actually give myself a shot,”

“By all means,” he moved his arm as if gesturing you to walk ahead of him though you were both still on the floor. The only move you made was to lean forward,

“I,” you kissed his forehead, “love,” his nose, “you,” his lips, a slow and love-filled kiss,

“That is so not fair,” he murmured against your mouth

“Are you arguing?” you asked leaning back just a bit to look at him,

“Not at all,” he said pulling you back to him slowly weaving his fingers into your hair,

“You really do need a haircut. A good clean it up trim at least,” you said after a minute and he snorted

“Oh come on! I’m going back to the shoulder length mane. You’ve never even known me with long hair,”

“Yeah we should keep it that way,” you said and he narrowed his eyes raising an eyebrow, you sighed before exchanging your statement in the most dramatic tone you could muster, “it’s your head to do with as you please but I’m just saying, in my very humble opinion the in-between stage is an unclean mess,”

“You’re so rude,”

“You look younger and happier with short hair than any picture I’ve ever seen with a ‘shoulder length mane’ pft”

“Maybe I like the serious well aged wise man look,” he said and you laughed,

“Whatever Lin I don’t really care,” you said

“Are you suuurreee?”

“Lin do whatever you want it’s your head, gosh, you’re making me into some villain, I’ll go cut my own hair and super glue it onto your neck if that makes you happy,” you said laughing

“That would be incredibly time-consuming,” he pointed out trying not to laugh with you, “maybe you should just be patient a few months until it’s back to long luscious locks,”

“Long luscious locks? Oh my God” you snorted and face palmed, “I think you’re right, hot glue might be better,”

“I already have an appointment on Tuesday to get it but I just wanted to see how far I could push you,” he said kissing your temple smiling,

“You’re a mess,” you said rolling your eyes,

“Hey you’re the one who loves me,” he kissed your other temple and you rolled your eyes,

“Ugh don’t remind me,”

“You love me,” he said poking between your ribs where he knew you were ticklish

“Stop!” you shrieked trying to pull back but he just poked you again,

“Stop what this?”

“Yes! that stop that!”

“‘Yes’ well if you insist,” you were saved by an unfamiliar ring tone, you’d never heard it before but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out,

“Lackity lac, lackity lac lac lac lacity lac lackity ackity lacity LAC!”

“I think Alex is calling you,” you quipped and he rolled his eyes letting you go to get his phone

“Hello hello hello!” he said putting it on speaker, “guess who’s here!”

“There is no telling with you, listen, Lin we-”

“Say hi to my Socrates she looooovves me,”

“Lin!” you whisper shouted smacking his arm

“We-wait what? Your girlfriend actually exists, I gotta hand it to you man, you really had me convinced she was a fake,”

“This is where you say hi,” Lin said to you and you smirked,

“payback,” you mouthed and he glared,

“Ummm hello, I’m Alex uh this is weird,” you covered your mouth to muffle giggles, “Lin is this some sort of joke? Ugh okay but seriously, meeting Mon-”

“No she’s real, she’s right here I swear, say something c’mon I’m looking really dumb,” Lin said pushing you and wiggling his fingers threatening to tickle you again, you scrambled across to the other side of the rug like some sort of animal as quietly as you could,

“Lin I don’t have time for this-”

“No, I’m serious come on, come on you’re making me look dumb-”

“Lin you need to bring something tomorrow. We’re falling behind schedule again and this is the sort of shenanigans that’s causing that. We have a meeting tomorrow and I truly hope for everyone involved’s sakes that you can put on a grown-up face for once and give us something to work with. Not all of us are interested in quitting our jobs to be comedians,”

“Behind?” you mouthed, “I thought we were ahead?” you whispered

“Yes behind,” Lin said to you, “Maybe if you’d come along you could show him that there’s good stuff coming,”

“God Lin you’re talking to yourself again. Go take a nap and drink some coffee and then write us another song, I know you can’t rush art but don’t keep dragging it out. Get busy.” Alex hung up,

“Yeah I think I’m fine staying away from those meetings with you,”

“Alex is a really great guy, you’d love him he’s just a bit mad at me right now - at us actually,”

“I don’t understand, you keep talking about how far ahead we are,” you said, “What’s going on?”

“Well…” he scratched his ear,

“Lin.” you said in a warning tone,

“See we’re doing great, we are ahead of schedule but I might have a tendency to just blank when me and Alex and them sit down to talk, and I mean there’s so much that’s happening and-” he stopped, “So yeah, we me and you are great but we us and Alex...not so much,”

“Lin,” you groaned,

“But! You’re really great at planning things and getting stuff organized and collecting thoughts and all that, you can explain all of this so much better than me and I get all nervous about misrepresenting your ideas and...maybe if you were to come with me it’d work out better?”

“Lin I don’t know how to do this!”

“That’s what you’ve said about everything and look! We’re making something great,”

“But-”

“But you need to come to one of these or all of this might as well be for nothing,” he said,

“Be glad I love you,” you muttered,

“So you’ll do it!”

“On one condition,” you said raising a finger and he cocked his head to the side, “you let me dye the tips of your hair highlighter pink Monday before you get it cut on Tuesday,”

“Absolutely not,” he said shaking his head vigorously,

“That’s my deal, take it or leave it,”

“I hate you,” he said and you grinned,

“So we have a deal?”

“Just the very ends and the mess on my neck or behind my ears or whatever else is getting hacked off,”

“So if I accidentally slipped with the brush and you just got a pink streak right there?” you asked dragging your fingers in a zig-zag motion between the tops of his ears,

“You wouldn’t,” he said narrowing his eyes and you smirked,

“Would I?” you let him think, “Don’t worry there was a kid in the museum the other day talking to her dad about some sort of wash-out chalk dye,”

“I cannot believe I am going to let you turn me into a Sharpie product,” he groaned,

“I cannot believe I’m going to let you drag me to a meeting with Alex Lacamoire to plan a musical I’m co-writing,”

“Touche,” he said and you snorted, yes hair dye that takes a few months to wash out is the exact same as becoming the next Broadway sensation,

“Hey guess what,” you said leaning against him,

“Hm?” he looked at you

“I think I might be unhealthily in love with you,”

“Good to know the feeling is mutual,” he said tilting his head to rest against yours.

Next Chapter!

#Lin x reader #chapter 15 #lmm x reader

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usnewsaggregator-blog · 7 years

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Stoke 2-1 Swansea: Mame Biram Diouf completes turnaround

New Post has been published on https://usnewsaggregator.com/u-s/stoke-2-1-swansea-mame-biram-diouf-completes-turnaround/

Stoke 2-1 Swansea: Mame Biram Diouf completes turnaround

How long can the Swansea City board leave it? Five points from the last 36 available. Nine defeats during that stretch. Most alarmingly, they were actually in control at Stoke.

Now rooted to the Premier League’s foot, Paul Clement was left looking over his shoulder on Saturday night. Managers have been sacked for far less.

‘We’re toothless – we’re a toothless team,’ Clement rued. ‘I can’t say that we’re unlucky. We’ve lost 10 games. It’s not misfortune. We deserve to be bottom.

Mame Biram Diouf celebrates his goal as the Senegal star proves the difference for Stoke on Saturday afternoon

Diouf latches on to a knock-down from Peter Crouch before firing his left-footed strike past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski

Fabianski is left with no chance as Diouf’s strike rockets into the top corner to complete the Potters’ comeback

Wilfried Bony gestures to the home supporters after scoring the opening goal inside three minutes at the Bet365 Stadium

Swans manager Paul Clement described his side as ‘toothless’, now winless in eight Premier League games

MATCH FACTS, RATINGS, TABLE AND MATCH ZONE

Stoke City (4-4-2)

Butland 7; Zouma 5.5, Shawcross 6.5, Martins-Indi 6 (Wimmer 53, 6), Pieters 6; Shaqiri 7, Fletcher 6.5 (Afellay 70, 6), Allen 7.5, Choupo-Moting 6 (Sobhi 70, 6); Diouf 8, Crouch 7

Subs not used: Grant, Berahino, Jese, Adam

Swansea City (4-1-2-1-2)

Fabianski 6; Naughton 6, Van der Hoorn 5.5, Mawson 6, Olsson 6; Ki 6; Fer 5.5 (Sanches 85), Clucas 5.5 (Carroll 73, 6); Ayew 5 (McBurnie 73, 6); Bony 7, Abraham 5.5

Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Dyer, Routledge, Rangel

Referee: Craig Pawson 6.5

Attendance: 28,261

<!–

Season at a glance

Premier League

Championship

League One

League Two

Scottish Premiership

Scottish Div 1

Scottish Div 2

Scottish Div 3

Ligue 1

Serie A

La Liga

Bundesliga

A nine-pass build up led to a long punt by Ryan Shawcross, which was met by Peter Crouch, who headed down to Mame Biram Diouf to fire Stoke into the lead. For more key match details, visit Sportsmail’s exclusive Match Zone, here.

‘Where do you go? There is nowhere else but up. It’s down to the ownership to decide. If you can’t see any chance to change it that’s down to them. You can’t sprinkle magic dust.’

Clement maintained he has the skillset to achieve but will Swansea’s owners feel he is the man to conjure a response from his players before West Brom next weekend after listening to that?

It is hard to see how the answer could be yes, even if performances have picked up over the last few days. The counter to that, of course, is they could not have possibly become worse.

This is not solely down to Clement, far from it. His main protagonists lacked heart and did not possess the guile to unlock a Stoke team bereft of themselves and certainly there for the taking. They still cannot beat the first man at set pieces.

‘I’ve got the players,’ he added. ‘We’ve got a team struggling and individuals not playing well. There’s no point me moaning about the transfer window.’

Jack Butland had saves to make but they were not plentiful and Swansea lacked an urgency a collection of men trying to save a man’s job require.

And then there is the dearth of options up front, poor substitute Oliver McBurnie – who thought he would be spending the year on loan at Barnsley – left with the burden of sparking a comeback.

A comeback that should not have been necessary after their start, ahead inside 135 seconds.

The Swansea striker beat Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross in an aerial dual to head the ball past Jack Butland

Joe Allen follows up a one-two with Shaqiri to find space for a shot, which flashes past the post of the Swansea goal

Stoke’s veteran striker Crouch does what he does best as he wins an aerial battle with defender Mike van der Hoorn

Mark Hughes appeals to referee Craig Pawson midway through the first half as Stoke look to gain an advantage

Defender Bruno Martins Indi holds his thigh as he receives treatment on a painful injury at the start of the second half

The Dutchman is deemed unable to continue as he is stretchered off the pitch and subsequently replaced by Kevin Wimmer

Afforded Swansea’s entire left flank to himself, Martin Olsson whipped a menacing cross towards Wilfried Bony. The striker, without a goal in 397 days, was livelier than Ryan Shawcross and steered past the returning Butland. Not something seen while on loan here last season and Swansea’s first goal for over seven hours. So far, so good for Clement.

Restless natives. Players were jeered for passing backwards, for misplacing balls forward. Hughes’ mood was as black as the haunting sky above.

The Stoke boss had twice given indication that he did not trust his players, too, choosing to match Clement up by reverting to a back four before kick-off and then even copying his diamond formation. Hughes was the cricket captain chasing the ball with his field changes.

Kurt Zouma was lost at right back. Xherdan Shaqiri and Maxim Choupo-Moting both neglected defensive responsibilities. Stoke seemed too top heavy with attackers.

But then some Mame Biram Diouf tenacity paid off. Leroy Fer dithered 25 yards from his own goal, Diouf barged him away and Stoke turned Swansea around. Joe Allen took over, slipping in Shaqiri and he poked an equaliser with nine first-half minutes to play.

Shaqiri leveled the Premier League tie with less than 10 minutes of play remaining in the first half

The Switzerland international celebrates his goal with the cheering home crowd as Stoke enter the break with the lead

Swansea players are stunned as their early lead over their hosts is overturned by Shaqiri and Diouf

Stoke boss Hughes issues orders to Shaqiri as he persists to change his tactics throughout the afternoon

Swansea players celebrate with goalscorer Bony with only their eighth goal in the Premier League so far this season

Swansea loanee Renato Sanches holds off the challenge of Allen but continues to struggle in the top flight

Swansea were shellshocked, their fragility all too apparent. Four minutes later and a long, hopeful Shawcross punt aimed at Peter Crouch provoked panic.

Mike Van der Hoorn lost his footing, Crouch nodded in Diouf’s direction and from there only one outcome was likely. Diouf planted his right foot to stand, swung through it with his left and thundered Stoke ahead. Back to basics.

Hughes prowled, as he always does, concerned by the departure of Bruno Martins Indi after a nasty collision with Bony. The central defender lay motionless, tended to by eight members of medical staff during a five-minute stoppage. A groin strain, Hughes revealed.

‘We’ve done OK recently but have not got results,’ Hughes said. ‘We’ll look to move up the table from this moment forward.’

Two should have become three with 25 minutes left. Diouf – so powerful and so key to Stoke’s revival here – was guilty of glancing a header wide right in front of goal as Swansea failed to deal with Shaqiri’s wicked delivery.

Ki Sung-Yueng almost capitalised seconds later, his drive just tipped far enough wide by Butland. Sam Clucas could not connect with Tammy Abraham’s centre either.

This was not quite over and Butland had to make a stunning reflex save to keep out a Shawcross header hurtling in. A mistake seemed the only way Swansea would force a draw and it never arrived.

Clement rushes to collect the ball as he looks to push his Swansea side on in their search of a late equaliser

Goalscorer Diouf should have settled the result for his team-mates but squandered his opportunity for a second goal

Bony fouls substitute Wimmer as seven minutes of added time is announced with Stoke looking to hold onto their lead

Crouch roars as Stoke move six points clear of the drop zone ahead of a busy Christmas schedule

Original Article:

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renatorizzuti · 8 years

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Spotlight on Scott Takeda: Actor/Writer/Director/Producer

Interview by Renato Rizzuti

Scott Takeda, like most highly creative people, is talented in more than one area. In this interview, Scott touches upon those different areas in which he is talented in. Scott also reveals some very important aspects of acting theory and practice. A great deal can be learned by reading Scott’s comprehensive and thoughtful answers!

Renato: Scott, you recently had a supporting role as Ed Faber opposite Tina Fey, Margot Robbie in the Paramount comedy “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. In what way is acting in a comedy different from acting in a drama? Which do you prefer, comedy or drama?

Scott: I love both. Some may know me as a dramatic actor, but I’ve been training with UCB and The Groundlings for years, and I love comedy. I’ve learned that when comedy is done right, an actor is still striving for authenticity and a sense of realness. In fact, sometimes, an actor needs to commit more in comedy because it grounds a scene. These days, so much of comedy is about situational humor, not necessarily the punch line. So if the situation is absurd, like in “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” when I played a news executive who has to send behind-the-scenes people to cover the Afghanistan War as on-camera correspondents because I’ve run out of people, I have to commit to a pretty absurd situation. Sending people to war doesn’t happen every day. So I committed to my purpose and played the “realness” of the situation to make that scene work.

From my perspective, it felt a lot like a dramatic scene, except that the situation was absurd.

While I feel comfortable in both drama and comedy, comedy sets have a lot more laughs, so I’d say I prefer comedy.

An interesting note: the directors on “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” allowed us to do a lot of improv. Usually the first two takes were on script, and then they’d give us a lot of room to color outside the lines. I had a lot of fun improvising with improv master Tina Fey, and when I wasn’t on camera, I’d sneak on set to watch her work. I laughed so hard during my time there. She’s amazing to watch!

Renato: You also had a role in the actioner “Code of Honor” starring Steven Seagal. In what way is acting in an action film different from acting in a comedy or drama?

Scott: I didn’t have any actions scenes in the Steven Seagal film. I played a lawyer for the bad guy in the film, so my scenes showed me talking to the media and defending my sleazy client. That was fun. In many ways, it felt almost like a comedy scene because it was such an absurd, over-the-top situation. My client was scum, with no redeeming characteristics. As an actor, I had to commit to defending my client. I had to put up a believable front that could show that I was a smooth talker and very skilled at getting the bad guy out of jail despite a mountain of evidence against him.

I think a lot of action films are simple that way. You have clear good guys and bad guys. And with Steven Seagal films, it’s even more clearly delineated. His films have overwhelmingly bad guys, to allow the audience to feel a catharsis when his character wipes them out.

I was in a little seen low-budget action film very early in my career called “Assassins’ Code,” when I played the henchman to another bad guy. In that film, I was in quite a few action scenes. Because it was low-budget, I had to do my own stunts for the fight scenes. Wow, that’s hard work. I quickly learned that stunt people are amazing, and even the most basic fall can be extremely painful if you don’t do it correctly. I had quite a few bumps and bruises after my week of shooting.

Renato: What aspects of your own life did you draw upon to play a supporting role as a TV producer In “Gone Girl” which starred Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike and was directed by David Fincher?

Scott: For “Gone Girl,” I completely pulled from my own career as a TV producer to play one for that film. In fact, Fincher specifically was looking for real producers to play that role. I’ve played a lot of journalists and TV people in my career, and I think I just have a way of carrying myself that has been shaped by decades working in news.

I loved being part of that film. Fincher is an absolute genius, and it was a joy to watch him work. When I wasn’t shooting, I’d hang around set just to see how he ran his set and worked with the cast and crew.

Renato: You have had roles ranging from a doctor to drug lord including “Dallas Buyers Club” with Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey. Do you prefer roles that are similar to your own life or do you prefer roles that a quite a “stretch” from your own life?

Scott: Outside of the roles where I play journalists, most of the roles I get are outside of my own life. Right now, I’m booking a lot of doctor roles (“Grey’s Anatomy” and “Days of Our Lives”), and I’ve never gone to medical school or practiced medicine. I’m also never in life-or-death situations. But these roles require me to create characters that live in these situations.

I try to find how my life somehow intersects with a character’s life. So while I’m not a doctor, I have been a journalist, so I’m used to a world where facts are important and where the search of truth is paramount.

Additionally, I’d like to believe that within all of us is the capacity to do the highest good and the most egregious bad. And given a situation, that part of me could come out. I’ve been trained that it’s my responsibility as an actor to tap into that part within me and truthfully bring them out.

Renato: You opened Takeda Entertainment Inc. so you could write and direct the Emmy-nominated documentary short, “The Holocaust: Colorado Remembers” that addressed the Holocaust through first-hand experiences and stories from survivors. You have since expanded to directing corporate films for clients like Buick GMC, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, and MSN as well as narrative short films. What are the intrinsic rewards of having your own entertainment company?

Scott: I am first and foremost a visual storyteller, and I tell these stories behind the camera as well as in front. By running an entertainment company, I’m able to tell stories in so many ways, from producing, to writing, to directing. And these various skills feed each other and cross-connect. For example, acting has taught me how important casting is to telling stories. And editing has taught me which kinds of shots I need to tell impactful stories.

Another intrinsic reward for having my own production company is that I can create my own work. We’re in post-production for a short film I wrote and directed in December. With this story, I cast my friends, myself and even my own family.

Finally, I really love the flexibility of having my own company. I never know when shoots or auditions will come up, and I’ve been very fortunate that I can pick-up and go to these.

Renato: I once had a chat with Frank Sivero, an Italian-American actor who was in “The Godfather II” and “Goodfellas.” When I asked him for acting advice, his response was, “In this business you have to be different, you can’t be like everybody else.” What advice would you give to young actors just starting out?

Scott: I’d say that it takes a long time. I’ve heard a saying in this business that goes something like “he/she is an overnight sensation – ten years in the making.” You usually hear it whenever someone you’ve never heard of is nominated for an award or delivers a breakout performance in a high profile show or movie. It may seem like the person has suddenly hit it big, overnight. However in most cases, that person has probably been working at his/her craft for years, and in many cases, decades. They’ve put in countless hours of study and an unending amount of money into their craft. And they’ve probably have been doing amazing work, but haven’t gotten cast. Or perhaps they’ve gotten cast, but in small roles. That’s this business for almost everyone – directors, writers, producers, studio executives, agents. Everyone puts in long-hours, works on weekends, and toils away just for the opportunity to work in this business.

So if you want to do this, you have to be in it for the long-haul. There’s going to be a lot or rejection, a lot of seemingly fruitless attempts, and a lot of just putting your time in. And you should do it because you love it. If you don’t love it, then find something else that you do love, and put your time in there. Life is way too short to be striving and struggling in something you either hate or think is just okay.

Renato: Thank you very much for your time Scott!

Scott: Thank you!

#Scott Takeda #actor #writer #director #producer #acting tips #acting theory #acting advice #Whiskey tango foxtrot #Tina fey #Gone girl #ben affleck #david fincher #dalla buyers club #matthew mcconaughey #grey's anatomy #days of our lives #takeda entertainment

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