#he has no confidence good things can last without being warped--and that's the key issue here

[elfrootaddict]

SHE IS THE KEY - Chapter 4/5

DESCRIPTION: Solas is desperate to meet the person who survived the explosion at the Conclave. Things certainly didn’t go as planned.

SERIES: Halla & Wolf

VOLUME: 2

Solas is so incredibly tired of at all. 

He can feel the stress pressing down onto his chest. His eyes are heavy and his body is aching. He can’t accept any of this is truly happening. How did it go so incredibly wrong? Besides the orb being unlocked, nothing else has gone to plan. Nothing has turned out as it should have. The consequences of his failure gnawing and haunting him. 

With the anger and stress overwhelming in, Solas begins to clench his fists so tight that his knuckles turn white that he almost pierces his skin with his nails. He finally releases his hands and decides to finish what he started. He can’t stand being around these humans and this Dalish thief any longer.

Kneeling back down, he finishes healing the laceration on the prisoner’s hand. When it’s finally done he stands back up and holds his staff out in front of him. Normally he would of been able to control the Anchor, without the need of his staff, however with his true abilities still relatively debilitated he needs a bolster his power. 

Solas closes his eyes and begins to access his ancient talents. It’s literally been a millennia since he has had to use such an enchantment and Solas is almost trembling in anticipation.

His staff lights up and is surrounded with pale, green energy. It flows and swirls like water in the air, its gentle stream encircling Solas and the prisoner. The exponential rush of the ancient power coursing through his mind and body feels like a cold breeze on a hot summer’s day. The familiar energy filling his lungs and licking his face. The tiny hairs at the back of this neck rise, sending shivers down his spine and he falls into a trance of elated emotions.

Solas takes hold of the magic from the Anchor in the prisoner’s body, releasing its clutches and subdues it into submission. The old magic obeys and falls silent as it is now completely isolated to the prisoner’s left hand. However, with the Breach still in the sky, Solas knows this won’t last long. In fact, the Anchor’s magic will always be killing the prisoner as she is simply a mere mortal. And no mere mortal could ever handle such power that is bestowed by an orb. 

All Solas can do for her is delay the inevitable.

Releasing his mind from the trance, the ancient energy dissipates and he is left feeling warm and wholly satisfied with his success. Finally able to take his leave, Solas gathers his things, puts his pack on his back and darts for the door.

But before leaving, he looks over his shoulder and takes another look at the prisoner behind him. Her face still silent, with the only movement coming from her is her chest as it slowly rises and then falls. And without fail, the Anchor fires up again, filling the room with its static energy that Solas can almost taste it. 

You have no idea what you have done, do you? But you will. Dirthara-ma. 

And then steps out of the room, closing the door behind him and then winds his way back to main hall of Haven’s Chantry. Once outside, Solas takes in a deep breath and fills his lungs to the brim with the cold, crisp winter air. He then looks out towards the horizon and stares at the hole in the sky. 

It is beautiful, in its own way. The mighty green storm hovering above as it swirls around its own eye. And from its eye, it trails down and connects to the magnanimous rift in the temple below. It’s so powerful that gigantic boulders of the earth and pieces of the temple are floating in its clutches in a slow, almost hypnotic dance. 

With all that has transpired, Solas feels he needs to confide in a friend. He certainly could use some sound advice from Wisdom or even receive a good pep talk from Courage. He then looks at the people of Haven who are running around frantically. Some healing, and others barking orders. This is where the true chaos lies, not in the sky. 

The aftermath of the Conclave feels all too familiar to Solas having seen this before in a time that has long since passed. And many times more in the memories lying deep within the Fade. 

Solas walks through all the commotion and out of Haven’s main gate. He then takes a right and treads through the forest in thick, freshly fallen snow. After making considerable distance between himself and Haven, he sits down on a rock beneath a frozen tree and rests his head against its rough bark. Once comfortable enough, Solas creates wards around himself for protection as he enters dream state. It doesn’t take him long, as he is more often dreaming than being awake, and his connection to the Fade is old and strong. Once his eyes are closed, his mind is turns black and empty as there is no more visual stimulus of the world around him.

Ever so slowly, the impressionable world of the Fade starts to fill his mind’s eye. It always starts off blurry and in fragments. Eventually, his vision turns clear and crisp. He can see the green haze, warped reality and tiny particle fragments lifting off the ground and into the air all around him. 

Nothing makes Solas feel more at home than the Fade. It is his only real connection left to what was once a daily experience for him ages ago. It was as natural to experience the Fade as it is to breathe.  

Solas starts to wonder around and tries to find any Spirit that he can engage in, “Wisdom? Courage? Mana. Ma halani. Mir elgar-falon.”

Absolute silence. 

Solas’s heart drops and starts to feel a considerable amount of concern for the Spirits he expected to encounter. They always welcome him as he would talk and wonder the Fade for hours with them. He understood them. But more importantly, they understood him. 

After wondering for a considerable amount of time without any encounters from his friends, Solas realises this has been for naught. 

I hope they are alright and haven’t been twisted. 

Solas groans and realises he isn’t going to get any advice or guidance here, and he snaps his mind back into the living world. He lets out a heavy sigh as the waking world can never be what the Fade is to him. Thedas to him, is what the Fade is to Thedas. It’s unfamiliar, frightening and scary. 

No one truly dares to discover the Fade’s hidden marvels, wonders and knowledge in this current living world. Not unless they want to use the Fade for nefarious and selfish reasons. And with the help of the Chantry, everyone alive today sees the Fade as this frightening place where only demons and monsters reside. And while that is true, there are also beautiful parts of the Fade and the truly wonderful Spirits that inhabit them. Just like Thedas, there is the pure and the demented. Both sides of the same coin. 

Living up to his namesake, Solas decides he alone must fix this mess if there is ever to be peace and order, albeit temporarily, so that he may find his missing orb. He has no faith in Cassandra being able stop the Breach and clearly, she has no faith in him. And who knows if the prisoner might ever wake up. 

No, I alone must to do this. I have to try attempt to seal the rifts myself.

Taking great strides through the snow, he finds the path that leads to the destroyed Temple of Sacred Ashes. As he reaches the top of the hill, he sees two guards standing in front of a large stone entrance with its massive, wooden Fereldan doors. As Solas approaches, they remove their swords from their scabbards and try to prevent him from coming through. 

Solas exclaims with his hands raised, “Peace! I mean you no harm!” dropping his hands. “Lady Cassandra has explicitly given me permission to help fend off the demons. Please, let me through.”

“How do we know if you are telling the truth, mage?” one of them shouts.

“You don’t. But if I were here with malicious intent, surely I am outnumbered by at least a hundred of you? Therefore, it wouldn’t take long for you to strike me down if you so wished, yes? So then why would I come here if I meant you harm?”

The guards exchange cautious glances.

Solas continues to convince them, “The fact of the matter is, is that this hole in the sky dooms us all. Surely you won’t pass up on any help when it is presented to you so willingly? We all need to band together to defeat this evil, do we not?”

After a considerable amount of silence, they sheath their swords and then open the doors to the bridge, “Very well. You may enter,” says the other. “But we will be confirming your claim with Lady Cassandra.”

“You do that,” smirks Solas. “I am no pretender.”

Once Solas is through and on the bridge, the guards close the mammoth sized doors behind him. And without fail, everyone on the bridge turns to face him. As Solas walks across, he can’t help but see the variety of emotions slapped across their faces. Clearly, they have no shame in hiding their true feelings about his presence. And their reactions always stem from two things; he’s an elf and he’s a mage. The two concoctions damning him wherever he goes. 

At least in the Fade this is never an issue. The Spirits care more about what is within than one’s outward appearance. 

I am here to save you, and all you can do is mock the knife-ear.

Finally reaching the end of the bridge, Solas winds his way up and through the valley. He eventually crosses a frozen lake with the temple almost within reach. All he needs to do now is to climb a few steep steps and he will be standing amongst the temple’s rubble.

As he reaches the top of the stairs, he hears a rift violently rip a hole in the Veil and demons come pouring out of the Fade in alarming numbers. Their loud, high pitched screeches and cries send shivers down Solas’s spine. 

Using his connection to the Fade, Solas instinctively wraps himself with a protective enchantment and runs to hide behind a piece of rubble wall. Before he engages, he needs to see what he is dealing with. It’s been a long time since he’s been in the heat of battle and Solas is not one to do anything without a plan. 

Peering over the top of the rubble wall, Solas sees three shade demons and a couple of wraiths. Knowing that they were most likely innocent spirits before being pulled through the rift unwillingly, Solas aches to see them being turned against their very nature. He knows he has no choice but to end their suffering, but first he must try to seal the rift so that no more spirits can come through and suffer the same fate. 

With his battle plan now in mind, he stands up from his hiding spot and exposes his position to the demons wondering the rubble below. Using almost all his energy to connect to the Fade, he access the same magic he used ages ago to attempt to seal the rift. 

Solas cries out in agony as he reaches the climax of his abilities and realises his magic did nothing in sealing the rift. In fact, all it’s done is announce his presence to the demons below.

“Fenedhis!”

“Maker, did I just see you try to destroy that thing yourself?”

Solas spins around on his heel and is completely dumbfounded to see a dwarven man running up the steps behind him. He is dressed in red rogue armour and is carrying the most peculiar crossbow out in front of him. But most alarmingly of all, is that the split of his tunic opens all the way down his chest, stopping just above his naval. 

And because of this, clearly intentional choice of style, it allows his thick, golden and luscious chest hair to burst forth for all the world to see.

Elvish to English Translations:

“Dirthara-ma.” = May you learn (curse)

“Mana. Ma halan. Mir elgar-falon.” = Help me my spirit friend(s)

“Fenedhis!” = shit!

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

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Halla & Wolf Series

[constantlyirksome]

Review: Euphoria’s First Season Finale was Aesthetically Stunning but Narratively Clunky.

Going into the Euphoria season one finale we had a lot of questions: Would Fezco get arrested? Would Maddy and Nate get back together, or would he finally get what was coming to him? Would #Rules make it? Unfortunately, due to the episode's reliance on non-linear storytelling, we left with more questions than answers.

The Halloween episode used a similar narrative structure, the party was the centre of it and all the other scenes were flashbacks, in the end coming together in a satisfying way. Unfortunately, it didn’t work well at all this episode, while the core of the episode is the school dance (a classic hotbed for teenage drama) it’s not clear when all the other scenes occurred in relation to it, end it ended on multiple cliff-hangers.

Let’s talk about Nate and Maddy first. I have praised Jacob Elordi in the past because getting people to like a character is one thing, but to create and act out a character as loathsome as Nate takes talent. His key scenes with his father, Rue, and Maddy all had an incredible intensity and heat, he’s so convincing as a brute you wish that Rue’s fantasy, lighting Nate on fire and shooting him, was real.

He continues a lot of his patterns; first, he bullies Rue in a tense faceoff. Elordi and Zendaya have incredible rival chemistry, and as Nate sowed the seeds of doubt for Rue and Jule’s relationship, Rue threatened to burn his whole family down. He abused Maddy verbally and physically. The question of his and his father's sexuality popped up and honestly, that’s a thread I’m a little tired of. Internalized homophobia on that level, if they are gay, isn’t something I as a gay man care to watch.

Nate singlehandedly wins a football match but his father still berates him for not doing enough as a captain. Nate does what he does best, gets in his dads face, but his dad doesn’t back down and when they get into an uncomfortable physical confrontation where Nate is overpowered and breaks down completely. Like a child in a supermarket, he cries and thrashes and then begins hurting himself in his rage. This is a man who has gone through some serious emotional abuse, repression coupled with a genetic inflated ego, arrogance and violent misogyny. He was bound to explode, and he does so in such huge way I just have to applaud Elordi again. But the question is, was the tantrum before or after the dance?

Maddy did a lot of growing after being covered in the human manure that is Nate and decides she’s had enough.

“You’re abusive, psychopathic, and I hate the way you make me feel…” she says as they slow dance. I love Maddy, and this is an aspiring thing to see, a girl in the grips of an abusive relationship, who until now knew how sick it was but couldn’t leave, make the decision to cut it off. And props to her for trying to assure Nate that It’s Okay to Be Gay and that sexuality is a spectrum while he was screaming in her face. What an icon.

Cassey deals with her decision to terminate her pregnancy, weirdly McKay isn’t in the episode at all. At the dance, she says she never wants to fall in love again (honestly what a mood,) meaning they split up after she had her abortion, meaning either he is as shitty as every other man on the show or the show just didn’t know what to do with him. During her procedure she tunes out and listens to music, imagining herself ice-skating instead. It’s a beautifully shot moment, her on a blacked-out ice rink, completely alone, no McKay cheering her on. She does have her sister though, and at the scenes, for the dance they sit and laugh at other people which is always fun.

Kat got probably the only “happy” end to her story arc, finding Ethan on the dance floor, she realizes she can be the bad ass, confident, empowered woman she wants to be without being cruel, or shutting herself off emotionally. She finds a good middle ground and it’s very sweet to see her open up after so many episodes of her being so stoic.

Ethan delivers possibly the most romantic speech ever: “This is high school, will we last forever? Probably not. Someone will probably get hurt, but I’ll do my best to make sure that person is me.” What a cutie!  Mazel Tov to the happy couple.

Fezco and Ashtray (just learned that’s what the little kid's name is) don’t get arrested, but he is still in trouble with drug dealer Mouse, whom he owns money to. His solution is to put on a ski mask and rob some guy, I’m unsure if this man is narratively relevant, or if he’s just rich. He’s got stacks of cash and prescription pills in a drawer so Fez gets lucky either way. When the guy pulls a gun, Fez proves how hard he really is, that Nate should be worried, and beats the guy in front of his kid. Fez has been toted as the best man on the show and it’s sad to say after that scene he probably still is. There’s something so likable about Fez and Angus Cloud that has you blaming the guy getting robbed for trying to be brave instead of blaming Fez for robbing him. Audiences perceptions around men these days are so warped, and standards are so low that characters like Fezco, who seems genuinely okay deep down, become the ones we’re drawn to. It’s weird, but I’m guilty of it too, because while he gives Mouse the money, Mouse spots blood on the bills and grabs his gun, leading the question, “does Fez get shot?” and I hoped to god he didn’t.

Finally our heroes Rue and Jules. Jules does Rue’s eye makeup, in a very similar way to how Anna did hers the last episode, and sings Anna’s praises, casually letting slip that she did sleep with the other girl. Later that night at the dance Rue finds her taking selfies and sending them to Anna. While Rue and Jules aren’t in a relationship, while Jules isn’t Rue's keeper, her sponsor, or her girlfriend it still came off kind of dickish. Jules deserves to be as free as she wants but she has never been good at communicating. She tells Rue that she loves her, and she wants to kiss her, (they do, it’s very steamy), and that she doesn’t want Rue to change… But when a sloppily planned escape to the city between the two of them falls through, Jules ends up leaving Rue behind, going back to Anna essentially.

Rue and Jules were connected and were in a lot of ways perfect for each other, outsiders with the same sick views of the world, but in so many ways they weren’t right for one another, between Rue's addiction/sobriety and Jule’s lifestyle there were few ways were you could see it working out but it was still sad to see, and the way it happened didn’t make a terrible amount of sense. Jules escapes with Rue, but ditches her even though it was Rue’s plan? And the worst part is that that’s what Nate predicted would happen when he was fighting with Rue.

We end on a mishmash of scenes with Rue, Jules and her family, good flashbacks, and a flashback to a fight with her mother that was so bad Rue was kicked out of home, but when did this all happen? One flashback clues us onto the fact that Rue’s red sweatshirt was actually her dads, but other than that the scenes are confusing. Back in the present Rue puts on her dad's hoodie and snorts a line of something, officially falling off the wagon. The question, made less clear after the coming scenes, is did she die? Many people believe she’s only able to know everyone’s business every episode because she dies. 

Then, bizarrely it turns into a music video of sorts, if not a trippy one. You think Rue is revisiting more memories as she stumbles in a drug-induced state (Zendaya’s physicality here was fantastic) as her family ignores her, but then her dad is there, and then suddenly she’s in a sea of dancers and she’s (Zendaya) singing Labrinth's All For Us. (I already have it saved on Spotify talk about a BOP.)

It’s beautifully shot, choreographed and performed. The whole episode was beautiful, from the girls dance outfits, to the makeup, Cassey’s skate scene, and then the end dance. But it speaks to one of the biggest issues I have with Euphoria, which is if you take away the cinematography, great acting, the costuming and the killer soundtrack, Euphoria is narratively up and down. This episode was confusing, highlighted by the absurd ending. With season two confirmed more focus needs to go into planning for the future and making sure everything lines up. Speculation is Rue might be dead, or near dead but she only did one line of something so I think she’s fine, but alive or not the finale might have been so much more satisfying if things were a tiny bit clearer.

[mccumbersalecsander93]

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[angelofberlin2000]

This article is written by an obviously great fan of Keanu on occasion of the first JOHN WICK! Angelica Jade Bastien wrote another amazing article about Keanu Why Keanu Reeves Is Such an Unusual (and Great) Action Star on February 17, 2017. Her articles about Keanu are such a delight to read!

____________________________________________________

by The Editors

February  9, 2016  |  

The February issue of online magazine Bright Wall/Dark Room is called "The Unloved," and is focused on making a case for a handful of unloved and overlooked movies. In addition to this excerpted essay from Angelica Jade Bastién about Keanu Reeves, this month's issue also has pieces on "Elizabethtown," "The Hobbit" trilogy, "Afternoon Delight," "Bellflower," "The Sweetest Thing," "Detention," and "The Man Who Knew Too Little." The illustration above is by Brianna Ashby.

You can read previous excerpts from the magazine here. To subscribe to Bright Wall/Dark Room, or purchase a copy of their current issue, go here.

I. Transfixing Stillness

Keanu Reeves missed his calling as a silent film actor.

Critics and viewers alike refer to him as stiff, shallow, fake, always playing himself. These opinions have been repeated enough that they’re treated like fact. But this critique misses something. Keanu’s power lies not in transformation or the ability to wrap his mouth around clever word play. No, Keanu is at his most powerful when film is at its most elemental. Like Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo, and the greatest of silent actors, Keanu has immense screen presence and a keen understanding of communicating story through physicality, albeit with a very modern inflection. A simple glance or curled lip can unfurl lengthy character history or upend expectations.

But this isn’t the commonly held image of Keanu as an actor. He’s been steadily working since the mid-1980s, his earliest defining role one-half of the titular loveable but dim-witted duo in "Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure" (1989). Through a variety of high profile blockbusters, low-key dramas, and interested misfires in period pieces, Keanu is still stuck in the amber of our first impression; we don’t treat him with the seriousness he deserves. At best, Keanu is regarded as a guilty pleasure. At worst, he’s seen as a truly bad actor of little worth. No matter where you fall, you likely believe he isn’t worthy of critical study or even much respect for his craft. But this image—of odd blankness, affability but dim wit, worth only found in action films—ignores how purely cinematic his acting style is. For Keanu, acting isn’t a mode of transformation but a state of being. He transmutes story into flesh.

In the biography Furious Love, Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger recount Richard Burton’s bafflement, acting alongside Elizabeth Taylor in the splendidly overwrought "Cleopatra" (1963), over her seeming lack of technique: “ ‘She’s just not doing anything,’ he complained to [Joseph L.] Mankiewicz.” But the director pulled him aside and showed him footage “that took his breath away.” Burton, Kashner and Schoenberger explain, “was struck by Elizabeth’s absolute stillness,” and learned from her “how to tone down the theatrical performances for the camera’s cool eye.”

I’ve often wondered if Keanu’s costars ever think the same thing, since he has a similar transfixing stillness. Bret Easton Ellis once noted that Keanu has a “stillness, an awkwardness even, that is unusually empathetic. He is always hypnotic to watch.” When you watch him opposite actors with more pronounced tics—like Robert Downey Jr. in "A Scanner Darkly"—Reeves almost seems like he’s doing nothing. But still, your eyes gravitate toward him.

Because of Keanu’s style, the gap between his good and bad performances is a chasm. There is no middle ground for him (which perhaps explains some people’s distaste for his work). Keanu’s failed performances are those that push him toward a theatricality against his natural instincts. They also tend to be the kind of roles actors use to challenge or prove themselves—difficult accents, lush period pieces, reliance on verbal dexterity. The most damning performance in his career is that of Jonathan Harker, the fiancé to the legendary vampire’s object of obsession in Francis Ford Coppola’s fever dream take on Bram Stoker’s "Dracula." If you ever come across a list of the top acting miscasts, Keanu’s performance in the film is likely on it. The critical reaction to his role is so poor it has its own subsection on the film’s Wikipedia page. It’s hard to figure out which review is the most damning. Total Film writes dismissively that “[y]ou can visibly see Keanu attempting to not end every one of his lines with ‘dude.’” Entertainment Weekly said he appeared “out of his depth.” AskMen was especially vicious, writing, “It’s one thing to cast Keanu Reeves as an esteemed British lawyer, but it’s quite another to ask him to act alongside Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins[...] [They] ran circles around the poor Canuck, exposing his lack of range, shoddy accent, and abysmal instincts for all to see.”

Yes, in "Dracula" Keanu is overburdened by the period costumes, lost in the details of each frame as if he were another illusion, appearing as though he’s wandered onto the wrong set. This isn’t because he’s out of his depth. It’s because he’s fighting against his natural instincts as an actor. The harsh criticism of Keanu’s performance in Dracula seeks to dismiss his career as a whole. But Keanu wouldn’t have such a long-running, successful career without fulfilling a cultural need or tapping into something primal that draws our attention.

II. The Crossroads of Virile and Vulnerable

One critical consistency between Keanu’s virulent pans and more beloved roles (think of the tender-hearted hustler in 1991’s "My Own Private Idaho") is the common refrain that Keanu always “just plays himself.” The harsh ring of “just” implies a lack of craft and worth as an actor. The statement also assumes we truly know the personalities of stars. We can rattle off details of Keanu’s tragedies during the 1990s (stillborn child, death of his girlfriend eighteen months later), find plenty of platitudes about his kindness, and get a narrow view of his personality through interviews. The act of thinking we know a star as high-profile as Keanu isn’t novel, especially in the age of never ending press cycles and paparazzi. What’s more fascinating, though, is what the “playing himself” criticism says about Keanu as an actor.

Critics and audiences alike have a warped view of the history of acting, as if “true” cinematic acting began with the deification of Marlon Brando, followed by the 1970s glory days of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Each of these actors pronouncedly transform themselves from role to role. They take on various accents with panache, layer on idiosyncrasies, whittle their bodies down or bulk themselves up. A character is a costume to put on and never take off until the last camera rolls. It isn’t a coincidence that Jake Gyllenhaal and Matthew McConaughey’s recent renaissances and newfound respect both involved dramatic weight loss. Keanu is one of the few high-profile modern actors to not go for willful physical transformation or uglify himself for gravitas. If you’re not “transforming” as an actor, there is a belief that you’re doing something wrong. This line of thinking harkens back to the idea that we must suffer for our art. But Keanu is more powerful than actors who rely on physical transformation as shorthand for depth, because he taps into something much more primal and elusive: the truth.

The first time we see Keanu as FBI Agent Johnny Utah in the beloved surfer-crime drama "Point Break" (1991), he sits on the hood of a car seemingly unperturbed by the rain pouring down on him. It takes a moment to recognize the shotgun that sits in his lap. His hair slick. His tight black shirt and jeans clinging to his impressive body. The camera holds close to his lips as he unfurls a piece of gum and puts it into his mouth, and then we see a sequence of him blasting through a gun course at Quantico. This introduction gives rise to the kind of action star Keanu grows into, much different than his 1980s predecessors who tended to be powered by an unerring confidence and machismo. Their emotional landscapes weren’t as developed as their biceps. The opening of "Point Break" illustrates how Keanu’s relationship with the camera informs his onscreen masculinity. He carries himself with a supple vulnerability, at times even a passivity, that seems at odds with the expectations for an action star.

I’ve found myself attracted to Keanu’s presence because of the way he marries typically masculine and feminine qualities. He’s both intense and vulnerable, kind and tough, honest and mysterious. Keanu, of course, isn’t the first star to exist at the crossroads of virile and vulnerable. Actors like James Dean, Montgomery Clift, and Paul Newman embody a similar alchemy that have drawn women (and men) to them. But these actors often seem to fight against the lustful gaze of the camera, while Keanu supplants himself to it. Where they seem cynical, disinterested, or too wounded as a romantic lead, Keanu is utterly open.

In "Point Break," he’s a hotshot with a gun and a badge. But he’s also an object of lust for the camera (and audience), with a disarmingly open smile. Furthermore, without the help of a woman—the short-haired pixie vixen surfer Tyler (Lori Petty)—he wouldn’t be able to integrate himself into the gang of robbers/surfers led by Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). This artful dynamic—a woman of greater skill guiding a passive man into a world beyond his imagination—develops even further in "The Matrix" (1999). Some of this, of course, exists on a plot level. But Keanu tends to let his scene partners take the lead, becoming almost a tabula rasa on which they (and we) can project our ideas of what it means to be a hero, a man, a modern action star.

III. Modern Loneliness

"Constantine" (2005) has a lot working against it. As an adaptation of the Hellblazer comics from Vertigo, it isn’t memorable. But as a continuation of Keanu’s thematic exploration of loneliness as an actor, it is. "Constantine" casts off most of the comics’ canon for the screen. Gone is the London setting, the character’s British background. The cynicism, chain smoking, and dark humor remain, even though Keanu (who is of Chinese, Hawaiian, and English descent) looks nothing like the blonde-haired comic character. Searching for emotional truth in a fantasy comic adaptation involving a working class magician who can see angels and demons and toys with the black arts seems like a fool’s errand. But sometimes you find grace in unlikely places. Amongst CGI demons, Tilda Swinton’s androgynous take on the archangel Gabriel, and lots of hellfire, Keanu somehow provides a trenchant take on the burden of loneliness in the big city.

(When looking closer at Keanu’s career, loneliness comes into focus as a thematic preoccupation. He’s often disconnected from the world around him, forging relationships only with intense effort or by accident. While he’s a great romantic lead—more so in films where romance isn’t the main plotline—I think he’s even better suited to moments when he’s wading through the cold, dark waters of spiritual isolation.)

The loneliness that comes with the modern metropolis—like Los Angeles, where Constantine resides—has a different tenor than loneliness anywhere else. It’s magnified to such a great degree in part because of the bizarre effects of population density. Everyone handles loneliness differently. Many, like Constantine, take to trying on addictions and seeing which fit. And addiction aside, most people dealing with loneliness—including myself—acquire weird habits to fill the darkness. A small moment about thirty minutes into "Constantine" (just before he meets Rachel Weisz’ earnest, Catholic cop who has yet to realize she’s being swept up in a battle between heaven and hell) illustrates the idiosyncrasies that come with loneliness.

Constantine sits alone under the harsh fluorescent lights of his apartment, doing what he does best—slow self-destruction at the hands of smoking and alcohol. A spider as sickly as the peeling paint on his walls tumbles across the table. He puts the spider under an empty glass, watching it for a few moments with dull curiosity as it makes sense of its tiny, glass prison. He blows some cigarette smoke into the glass, but keeps the spider trapped. “Welcome to my life,” he remarks. It’s a series of small gestures only the lonely think of, then actually go through with. Enacted by other movie stars, this moment could come across as maudlin or empty. But the great beauty of Keanu’s skill makes the short scene at once painfully earnest, chillingly lonely, and aching with self-pity.

"Constantine" taps into a lot of what makes Keanu sincerely watchable and an actor of surprising depth. An emotional truthfulness? Check. Strong physicality? Just watch the way he plays with a pack of cigarettes or curls his body when he has a coughing fit. Interesting handling of modern masculinity? It’s all there, even if the film isn’t always aware of it. And nine years later, Keanu would finally find a vehicle that perfectly amplifies his strengths.

IV. Keanu Reeves, Action Star (A Certain Baggage)

"John Wick" (2014) stars Keanu as the titular former assassin, so feared he gained the nickname Baba Yaga (The Boogeyman). From the moment we see Keanu as John Wick, he carries himself like he’s wounded. These psychological wounds eventually give way to physical ones. His peaceful retirement is first interrupted by the death of his wife, then his old life creeping back in. Before her death, his wife arranged for him to receive an adorable puppy named Daisy, meant to help him grieve, and Wick gradually warms up to the dog. Unfortunately, he crosses paths with Iosef (Alfie Allen), the obnoxious son of a powerful mob boss/former associate. Maybe if Iosef knew of Wick’s reputation, he wouldn’t have brutally beaten Wick, killed Daisy, and stolen his 1969 Mustang. This crime leads Wick on a quest for revenge through a deadly world full of the ghosts of his past profession. "John Wick" synthesizes Keanu’s greatness—his central, thematic loneliness; his command of physicality and stillness; and his peculiarly vulnerable masculinity.

On the surface, "John Wick" is a simple, classic story of revenge with some of the most impressive world-building I’ve seen in years. Beyond that, though, it metatextually capitalizes on the story arc of Keanu Reeves, Action Star, regaining his title in the genre. He sells every punch given or received, every thrown knife, every ounce of blood spilled. There is weight to the action in the film. You see the toll it takes on his body and, at times, a minute shift of his expression acknowledging how age affects performance. When he’s already wounded and gets into a fight for his life with Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki), we feel it.

Wick is cut from the same cloth as Alain Delon’s assassin in "Le Samourai" (1969), whose cool stoicism and impressively-styled badassery yields a heavy influence. But while Delon and his kin seem sharp and cold, like cut glass, Wick is powered by something altogether different—longing, loss, connection. In Keanu’s hands, Wick isn’t void of emotion—or struggling with its first pangs—but brimming with it.

The film frames Wick as mythic. His face moves from mournful to vengeful at a clip. His eyes lock with a man just as he stabs him in the gut until he dies, while lights the color of cotton candy blue and magenta shift the architecture of his face to something fearsome. Keanu tells Wick’s story through his body—the way he wears a suit and his wedding ring, the cool determination in his eyes, the flash of warmth in a brief scene with Addy (Bridget Regan), the slackness in his face when he sees Daisy dead. This is a man who has nothing to lose, who carries the weight of his history with each step—and “his” history here is both Wick’s and Keanu’s. Stars like Keanu bring a certain baggage with them—the roles we’ve loved, the bitter taste of when they’ve failed us, half-remembered gossip. This context informs "John Wick."

There are actors we admire, and then there are the stars we love. The best of them get under our skin, becoming a part of our lives, following us through tragedies and triumphs. Keanu is one of those stars for me because of the sheer joy watching him brings. But there’s also the joy for the medium that radiates off him. Actors like Keanu—who find beauty in stillness—are why film was created in the first place. It’s a medium that can show us the truth of the human condition in a way no other form can. Keanu often taps into the truth of the shifting boundaries of modern masculinity, of how our bodies tell as much of a story as what we say. "John Wick" is as much a slick revenge flick as a fairytale. Keanu Reeves is back, the film seems to be whispering to us.

But was he ever gone in the first place?  

[recentanimenews]

Off the Shelf: Cautiously Optimistic

MELINDA: Well, hello, Michelle! Can you believe we’re back again in just two weeks? I hope you’ve had time to come up with a new joke.

MICHELLE: That last one I made was so very bad, I’m starting to feel remorse for inflicting terrible dad jokes on people at the start of these columns. So, you get a reprieve, everybody!

MELINDA: I dunno, I think you may be disappointing more people than you know!

MICHELLE: If you actually miss the terrible jokes, leave a comment and I’ll do better next time. How about that?

MELINDA: Fair enough! Well, if we’re not telling dad jokes, I suppose we’d better talk about some manga. What have you been reading this week, Michelle?

MICHELLE: I finally took the plunge and read the first two volumes of Fruits Basket Another, the three-volume Fruits Basket sequel by Natsuki Takaya. I was wary about this one, but though it has some significant flaws, I liked it more than I expected to.

In volume one, we’re introduced to Sawa Mitoma, an exceptionally meek girl who spends so much time thinking things like “Why do I always irritate others without even realizing it?” and being perhaps the most passive protagonist I’ve ever seen that she actually becomes irritating to the reader. She has just started her first year at Kaibara High School, and soon encounters “an incredibly sparkly boy” when she drops her student ID. This boy looks a lot like Yuki Sohma and, surprise, it’s his and Machi’s son, Mutsuki. Be prepared for a bunch of this sort of thing, because in short order we learn that Hanajima’s little brother is Sawa’s homeroom teacher and that Makoto Takei (remember that overzealous student council guy?) is a teacher whose obsession with Yuki has now transferred to Mutsuki. (He’s really creepy about it, too, and desperately needs to be fired.)

Sawa next meets Hajime, the son of Kyo and Tohru, who is serving as student council president. Mutsuki is the vice-president, and soon Sawa’s been drafted to be the first-year member. Over time, she meets more Sohmas, including Riku and Sora, the twin children of Hatsuharu and Rin. She gains confidence by being useful to the council and Riku helps her realize that by always keeping her head down, she’s missing opportunities available to her, like the nice girls in class who want to ask her to have lunch with them.

By the end of the second volume, Sawa has become a much more sympathetic character. Not just because she finally starts taking the initiative and actually engaging with life, but because readers can finally see what Takaya-sensei was doing. It turns out that all of Sawa’s issues stem from her abusive mother, who doesn’t come home for long periods of time, and when she does deign to appear, demands gratitude and apologies from the daughter she viciously belittles. No wonder Sawa got warped into thinking everything she does is wrong and that she’s a useless lump who causes trouble for others!

In the end, the not-very-subtle premise of the series seems to be “this generation of the Sohmas all love their parents very much, so this time they’re going to be the ones to save and accept a girl cursed with a shitty home life.” The execution is rather clumsy, however, as the Sohma offspring talk about their parents way too much for normal teenagers. I did like that Ayame’s son, Chizuru, struggles because he’s the normal one in his eccentric family, and that Mutsuki’s love for his parents is partly due to realizing not everyone has it so good. There’s one worrisome panel that suggests young Mutsuki witnessed Akito protecting her and Shigure’s son, Shiki, from Ren wielding a butcher knife! I hope that’s explained in the third and final volume, as well as whether Shiki was responsible for getting Mutsuki to help out Sawa in the first place.

In any case, I liked it enough to finish out the story, and that’s more than I expected.

MELINDA: Okay, so I’ll admit that the parade of Sohma children just reminds me how irritated I was by the neat pairing-off of everyone that happened at the end of the original series (Ayame, seriously??) so it’s probably getting off on the wrong foot with me from the start. But more than that, I’m struck with your description of the kids talking soooo much about their parents… like, some kind of weird collision of “let’s make more money off of Fruits Basket” and “let’s assume that nobody actually read Fruits Basket and we have so much explaining to do!” Or maybe it’s just “let’s make more money off of Fruits Basket, but in only a few volumes, so DUMP THAT INFO.”

Honestly, the only thing that gives me hope is that butcher knife. Akito with a butcher knife is keeping me alive here. I might read it just for that.

Do we have to have the creepy teacher-student obsession, though? I let that stuff go with older manga, but seriously. It’s 2019.

Or wait. Is it Ren with the butcher knife? I think I added a comma in my mind to draw my attention. Without the comma, I’m suddenly less interested.

MICHELLE: Yeah, it was Ren with the knife. She didn’t go away just ‘cos the curse was lifted, so she’s still around being horrible, apparently.

And yes, after everyone paired off neatly at the end of the main series, all of the couples seem to have stayed together for the next twenty years, judging from the age of Hatori’s daughter. At least Hanajima didn’t marry Kazuma! The parent talk isn’t as bad as recapping the events of the original series, at least, but there is a little bit of explanation when introducing new Sohmas to Sawa. Like, no one says Momiji’s name or what particular business he’s doing, but we know he’s extremely successful at it, which is kind of nice.

It’s more like someone saying, “I want to be like them,” which is still more than teenagers generally say, in my experience.

MELINDA: So, okay, you’re enjoying this more than you expected and you’ll likely read to the end. Should I be following your lead, or should I just reread Fruits Basket? I do suddenly have an urge to reread, especially since I recently lent out the first few volumes to one of my teen students!

MICHELLE: I honestly don’t know. I think it might bug you somewhat more than it did me. Maybe wait until volume three comes out and I can give a definitive answer as to whether this series adds anything to the Fruits Basket experience.

What have you been reading this week?

MELINDA: This week, I dug into the debut volume of For the Kid I Saw in my Dreams, a new series from the creator of Erased, Kei Sanbe. Like Erased, it was originally serialized in Kadokawa Shoten’s Young Ace and is being published in English by Yen Press.

Senri Nakajou had a twin brother, Kazuto, with whom his connection was so strong, they experienced shared vision and literally felt each other’s pain when one was beaten by their abusive, alcoholic father. As the older of the twins, Kazuto was intensely protective of Senri, and would manipulate his way into taking the beating for both of them, to spare them “double the pain.” He’d also insert himself between their parents when they were fighting, to spare their mother from the father’s abuse. On those nights, Senri, hidden in the cupboard under the stairs, would experience Kazuto’s pain as he took their mother’s beating on himself, until one night, when the beating never came. Instead, Senri emerged from his cupboard to find both his parents murdered and his twin missing. Based on the two brief visions he shared with his twin afterwards, Senri is certain that his brother was kidnapped and murdered as well. Now, Senri is a high school delinquent, still searching for the man who murdered his brother.

It takes a chapter or two for Sanbe-sensei to introduce Senri’s twin into the story—a choice that pays off, I suppose, by denying us full insight into Senri’s state of mind, which makes his morally-gray existence hit a bit harder in the beginning. The first things we find out about him are that he was discovered sitting in a pool of his parents’ blood as a child and that he now helps run an ongoing con in which his partners steal someone’s money and then Senri gets paid to pretend to recover it for the victim. He’s so cold and remorseless, we’d wonder if he might have murdered his parents himself if we weren’t also looking at his terrifying childhood drawings in which he repeatedly depicts the murderer (whose head he eventually lops off with a pair of scissors). Then the twin revelation transforms him from typical anti-hero into a scarier but more sympathetic anti-hero, which works much better, for me anyway.

While Senri and Kazuto’s extreme twin connection doesn’t so far reach the supernatural heights of the protagonist’s time-traveling in Erased, there is a bit of a similar feel in this series that I admit I’m hoping might pan out into something just as fantastical, because an average tale of vengeance isn’t all that interesting to me. That said, there’s a lot going on here, and I am not at all sure where it’s leading. There is quite a bit of mystery introduced in this volume, beyond the identity of the murderer, and there are some supporting characters I’m already very fond of, including Senri’s grandparents, who raised him after he was orphaned, and his childhood friend, Enan, whose backstory is nearly as tragic as his own.

MICHELLE: Aside from an aborted attempt to read volume one, I haven’t read any of Erased, which I’m hoping to rectify this year. And this certainly sounds a worthy successor! I’m a little concerned I’ll have trouble getting into it, as I generally don’t love narratives that focus on remorseless anti-heroes, but it seems like the mystery of what happened to his parents will compel me forward. I confess that, even with this brief synopsis, I’m already expecting kind of a Loveless outcome with the older brother.

MELINDA: Well, maybe I’m overstating the antihero-ness? He’s got a lot of compassion in him (he’s the one who reached out to Enan when they were young and accepted her when nobody else would). He’s just very much intent on being the one to kill his brother’s murderer and it’s what drives his whole narrative at this point. He also tends to inflict physical pain on himself a lot, and I don’t know whether it’s an attempt to recreate the shared pain he no longer can with his brother or a survivor’s guilt thing, but he’s definitely a sympathetic character.

You’re not the only one thinking Loveless here, though. I’m also absolutely expecting that the brother is alive.

MICHELLE: Alive and potentially culpable! This really does sound pretty neat, though. I do like a good mystery.

MELINDA: I’m certainly intrigued! So would you like to talk a bit about our mutual read this week?

MICHELLE: Sure!

Ran and the Gray World is a seven-volume seinen series by Aki Irie. In this first volume, we’re introduced to Ran, a headstrong fourth-grader, who lives with her father and older brother, Jin. Ran and Jin’s mother, Shizuka, doesn’t live with them because her presence is required elsewhere to keep a pair of mysterious giant doors from opening. She’s a Grand Sorceress and it soon becomes apparent that Ran, at least, has inherited her mother’s abilities (and impulsivity). I’m assuming Shizuka also gave her the sneakers, currently far too large, which allow her to transform into a teenage version of herself. For his part, Jin has a magic coat that allows him to transform into a wolf, perfect for tracking Ran when she goes off on ill-advised adventures.

Insisting she’s already grown-up, Ran dons the shoes and hitches a ride with strangers to go visit her mother and, inspired by a special lesson from her kindly science teacher, attempts to fly from the school roof. She has some success at the latter and winds up in the garden of a rich guy named Otaro, who doesn’t endear himself to me when he returns to his apartment building naked, exposing himself to a couple of kids in the lobby in the process. Jin rightly pegs him as fishy, and it’s clear by the end of the volume that he’s become obsessed with Ran. Despite declaring he’d never touch a kid—she’s in teenage form for the entirety of their acquaintance—he soon suggests they become more than friends. He’s a creep, and I’m so glad Ran whisks herself off when he embraces her (“I’m outta here!”) but I do worry about what lies ahead.

MELINDA: I love a lot of things about the premise, and the art is freaking gorgeous, which is what drew me to the book in the first place. I’m also pretty into what’s going on with Ran’s family dynamic, MAGIC (always a winner), and wow, her mom and brother are both absolutely fascinating characters with so much going on. But I am super creeped out by Otaro and worried about what’s going to happen there. It’s funny as someone from the Big generation, I suppose, that I’m so disturbed by a story in which a young girl is inhabiting a much older body. But at least in Big (and I suppose also in something like 13 Going On 30), the young character is at least at an age where they are already experiencing sexual attraction and an interest in romance, so it somehow didn’t feel quite so incredibly wrong as this does. So I’m worried about where this story is going to take Ran in that regard, but trying to be optimistic, I guess?

MICHELLE: Yeah. At the very least, she’s able to extricate herself from these kinds of situations when they arise, but I can’t say I have any faith that she’s going to get any more savvy any time soon.

Jin is hands-down my favorite character in the series. He’s like a Doumeki type or something. Knows that magic exists, but sensible. Looks dour, but actually kind. And so, I side with him where Shizuka is concerned, finding her to be profligate with her magic when she comes to their house. I mean, it looked like people genuinely had car accidents when she rained giant desserts down upon the town!

MELINDA: You have hit the nail on the head with Jin as the Doumeki type! And that explains why I like him so much, too. I always identify with the Watanuki characters, but I adore and crave a Doumeki for reasons that are probably obvious. Kind of ironic, isn’t it, that the loose canon character here shares her name with him. Shizuka is a terrifying mess and her power lets her get away with it, so I feel that we can count on her to provide plenty of conflict here. We don’t need the creepy dude!

MICHELLE: Definitely not. Perhaps she’ll do us all a favor and turn him into a turnip.

MELINDA: I could get behind that!

Despite my reservations about Otaro and where that storyline might lead, I am probably more excited and intrigued about this series than anything else we’ve discussed here today. It’s whimsical, original, filled with mysterious potential (what’s behind those doors??), and I can’t overstate how beautifully drawn it is. With the artwork alone, I’m besotted.

MICHELLE: I failed to say this the first time you mentioned the art, but I absolutely agree. There’s a certain retro, Moto Hagio-ish quality to it that’s very appealing.

MELINDA: Yes, it’s sort of Heart of Thomas meets Bride of the Water God, art wise—detailed and ornate, but also flowing, always in motion, like Ran’s personality. I’m definitely looking forward to more!

By: Melinda Beasi

[fashiontrendin-blog]

The Best Sneaker Brands In The World Right Now

http://fashion-trendin.com/the-best-sneaker-brands-in-the-world-right-now/

The Best Sneaker Brands In The World Right Now

There was a time not so very long ago when attending a special event in a pair of sneakers was a surefire way to flag yourself to your shiny-shoed peers as a sartorial pariah. However, attitudes have shifted in unforeseen ways and what was once the scruffy outlier is now the footwear gold standard.

The transition from running track to runway has been a slow and gradual one, but in recent years it has reached a crescendo. A crescendo that looks set to blare on indefinitely.

This is thanks in no small part to a number of key designers and sneaker brands who have been pushing the footwear to its limits in every conceivable direction.

Some have created white leather kicks that look right at home with tailoring. Others are inventing technology that might as well have come straight out of a lab at Area 51 (or just Back to the Future). Meanwhile, there are those who have elevated the sneaker from its utilitarian roots to the absolute pinnacle of high fashion it is today.

Here we take a look at the most influential sneaker brands in the world right now and what they’re doing to help make the world’s favourite footwear.

Nike

The Undisputed Masters Of Hype

Yeah, in 2016 Nike really did go back to the future and produced Marty McFly’s self-lacing sneakers. But this is just one instance when the brand seemingly reached through a tear in spacetime and brought us something directly from the future, making it the biggest trendsetter in sneakers and a reliable barometer for what’s around the corner.

The brand has a long track record of world-beating performance footwear as well as technological innovation (Flyknit uppers and NikeID personalisation in the last decade). More than that, Nike knows how to create products that live up to their considerable hype. It has more icons in its back catalogue than any other sneaker brand. Air Max, Air Force 1 and Air Jordan are all sneaker dynasties in their own right and go back further and you’ll find even more classic retro sneakers like the Cortez and the Blazer.

Still the most recognisable. Still the most wanted. Still the ones to beat.

Adidas

The Brand That Turned Sneakers Into A Science

The ongoing technological arms race between the world’s sportswear big hitters has produced some of the boldest innovations in footwear. Luckily for us, it doesn’t show any sign of letting up.

Ask any sneakerhead on the street who’s in pole position and they’ll tell you it’s Nike. However, with featherlight materials and mind-bending sole technology, it could be easily argued that good old three stripes is manoeuvring for an overtake.

Yes, there are beloved classics – the Superstar, Stan Smith and Gazelle all come to mind – and they’re not going away, but in recent years the brand’s R&D lab has become the sneaker world’s Q branch. Forget the Yeezy collab, it was the Ultra Boost that changed the game and most recently, the German sports giant has been experimenting with 3D printing as a production method for groundbreaking webbed sole units. Don’t take your eyes off them for a second.

Converse

The 100-Year-Old Design Icon

It’s incredible (and slightly terrifying) to think about how much the world has evolved in the last 100 years. Commercial flight, television, mobile phones and the internet are just a few of the inventions that have revolutionised the way we live.

With that in mind, it’s a real triumph of design when something introduced a century ago is still being used globally today.

Converse’s famous high-top, the Chuck Taylor All Star, is one such item. Born in 1917, the iconic basketball shoe has remained 99.9 per cent unchanged and is now the best selling shoe in the US, UK and far beyond. Yes, the brand has other excellent shoes, but this is arguably the most iconic sneaker ever made. And what’s more, it’s for everyone.

Common Projects

The Luxe Trendsetter That Made Minimalism Cool

When luxury New York sneaker brand Common Projects first introduced its Achilles Low model in 2004, the menswear world went mad for it. But why? Was it innovative? No. Was next-level comfortable? Hardly. Did it come in at bargain prices? Quite the opposite.

This shoe was nothing more than a plain, leather sneaker. However, the thing that had the fash pack fawning over this minimalist trainer was that every little detail was meticulously executed to the nth degree. This was a sneaker created like an Oxford shoe handcrafted in Northamptonshire.

Buttery Italian leather, exquisite streamlined shapeliness and a timeless wearability that made each pair the perfect accompaniment to anything from a suit to shorts. It arguably started today’s thriving luxury sneaker market, and all of this, in a world now dominated by Balenciaga beetle-crushers, is not to be taken for granted.

Balenciaga

Making Ugly Trainers Must-Have

Balenciaga’s output under the guidance of Georgian fashion maverick Demna Gvasalia may be the sartorial equivalent of Marmite or Björk, but whatever you think of his work, there’s no denying he’s changing the face of fashion, one broken ankle at a time.

The sleek, minimalist speed sock was the label’s first standout sneaker with Gvasalia at the helm, but it was the now inescapable Triple S that really took things in a new direction.

This beast of a shoe single-handedly remodelled the fashion footwear landscape and made big, chunky silhouettes the new gold standard. Minimalism is giving way to maximalism, and this Spanish fashion house is at the centre of it all.

New Balance

Still The Purist’s Choice

As time marches on, there are fewer and fewer brands willing to take a financial bullet in the name of quality craftsmanship and have products manufactured on home turf. When talking about sneaker companies, the numbers are lower still.

That’s what makes New Balance one of the best in the game. Not only is the Bostonian firm responsible for some of the comfiest and most iconic running shoes ever made, but it also produces its premium range half in the US and half in the UK’s Lake District, in factories staffed with highly trained craftspeople.

It’s because of this approach to manufacturing that New Balance has a glowing reputation among athletes, sneakerheads and just everyday folks, thus earning itself a spot in the FashionBeans hall of fame.

Puma

The Veteran Quietly Breaking New Ground

It may not make as much noise as some of its contemporaries, but while they’re all battling it out trying to come up with the next big thing, Puma is quietly working away in the background, perfecting the classics. And inventing a few new ones, too.

A prime example of this is the brand’s take on the chunky sneaker trend. Puma has taken the look, put its own stamp on it and made it accessible to those whose wallets might not be able to stand up to the strain posed by a pair of Balenciagas that cost as much as a month’s rent.

Turn to the Thunder Electric model for a bulky-but-athletic shape and bold nineties-esque color pops, or the covetable Tsugi line for a more striped-back melding of mesh and neoprene atop a thick cushioned midsole.

Vans

The Old Reliable Of Footwear

From riding empty pools in suburban LA to jumping around on stage at the Warped Tour. Over the years, Vans has earned itself a deserved reputation as the shoe brand of choice for alternative lifestyles.

Its appeal is due in no small part to the simple styling, timeless appearance, modest pricing and, of course, plentiful colour options offered by its designs. The Old Skool, Classic and Authentic are all instantly-recognisable designs that haven’t changed in decades, mainly because they don’t need to.

What has changed is how people wear them. Once a shoe for kids and skaters only, it’s now equally comfortable on rock stars and hip-hop icons, with jeans or casual suiting. From the mid-1960s right up to now, Vans has always offered people a way to add a dash of colour and charisma to an outfit without breaking the bank. Something, which has seen its products remain relevant throughout the years, regardless of passing sneaker trends.

Air Jordan

The Strongest Collab Game In The Business

Can you confidently call yourself a sneakerhead if your wardrobe isn’t filled with Jordans? Perhaps not.

Technically, a Nike creation but also a brand in its own right, the story is one of the most successful examples of sports marketing in history. After designing the first Air Jordans exclusively for the basketball legend himself, it wasn’t long before Nike opened up production and brought its new creation to the masses in 1984. People went crazy for it, leading to a wave of crime in the US whereby people were being robbed of their sneakers.

One of the main draws to the shoes for some is the collectable element, with many special releases and collabs being issued in seriously limited runs. Some recent partnerships have included Supreme, Off-White, Levi’s and Kaws to name only a handful, making this one instance in which you definitely should believe the hype.

Reebok

Bringing Retro Back

Okay, so it’s not exactly shaping the future with its footwear offerings, but when you do the classics (and the Classics) this well, why would you need to?

The British-born company, now a subsidiary of Adidas, is one of the oldest UK sneaker brands. Something which is evident when you look at its retro silhouettes.

Its best sneakers like the Club, the Classic and the Workout are nothing short of iconic and all ooze plenty of that throwback charm we all love so much. They may not be made of knitted mesh and be 3D printed, but they look great, are undeniably comfortable, and are never going to go out of style.

Gucci

Setting The Luxury Sneaker Benchmark

Gucci’s sneaker game has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years, thanks in no small part to a bit of TLC from creative director Alessandro Michele.

In fact, it could be argued that the Italian house’s offerings have set a new standard for luxury sneakers, with the clean lines and eye-catching embroidery of the Ace making it the new favourite white sneaker of the fashion elite.

And it’s not just classic styles that Gucci has been turning its hand to. The brand has also combined two of the moment’s most significant trends with its chunky Rhyton trainer, featuring oversized Gucci branding to the side.

[armorroofing]

The Best Roofers Near Neosho MO - Armor Roofing

The article The Best Roofers Near Neosho MO - Armor Roofing originally appeared on Armor Roofing Kansas City.

A house's roofing is a fundamental component of your personal castle. A property or home will be the foundation of a man's life. A residence is everything you need for a family, as this is actually the accepted establishment you may call home, and your story will be told mostly here together with your children. Thus it follows that you need to make it a pleasing area for both you and your family members. The subsequent factor you need can be for your outstanding existence to wind up as destroyed by a roof structure leak and the accompanying water and mold damage to your most valued treasures. As a result, you may have a look at your roof structure.

Without a properly functioning roof, you might as well be sleeping outside your home. After a large storm strikes the Neosho general vicinity, strongly consider speaking to us to confirm that unknown roof trouble does not likely endanger your house.

Armor Roofing LLC has been providing the best service in the Neosho local community for several decades and we set buyers happiness first of all. Armor Roofing is pretty pleased to continue to enjoy a perfect A+ ranking with the local Better Business Bureau as a testament to our dedication to efficiency. Are you stressed as to the chances that your insurance adjuster likely will remunerate a the amount owed for the roofing job? We have added loads of clients in working through the course of action to attain the claim they ought to have. We certify your full satisfaction. All of our roofing services is accompanied by an Armor Roofingwarranty on both labor and materials.

The last thing you want to have is for an insignificant roof top problems to tarnish your home and treasures on the inside. You surely have practically nothing to lose by calling us no obligation free roof inspection at this point. Simply dial the number directly below or leave us a note through the use of the Contact Us web page.

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! (816) 331-7663

Persons habitually forget the roof integrity when it comes to central building maintenance. This is often a tremendous mistake, primarily if you are in a community in the vicinity of Neosho that has got volatile weather. The key point you ought to fully understand is roof replacement may perhaps be more than some other renovation you have ever implemented before, although when it relates to roofing matters, it is a lot better to tackle it today. It is without question easy to see a reason why this can be the case. At the time water proceeds leaking into your premises because you postponed the replacement job, restoring water leak damage likely will be somewhat more highly-priced than the first roof pricing you were trying to avoid. Remaining out in the open to storm systems constantly, the roof will in the course of time be needing repairs, it is merely a matter having to do with when.

Happily, these operations are frequently easily dealt with for almost everyone for two good reasons. A roof top patch job is significantly more wide-spread than an elaborate 100% replacement, which usually is exclusively vital in the aftermath of a notably difficult weather event or if the roof top is truly used. After that, if you find you should have a pricey complete roof installation, your property loan insurance package will probably cover the replacement so long as the undertaking is handled perfectly. This is why you need to guarantee the right Neosho roofing contractor executes the roof work correctly at first. or else, you could be needing to call the roofer keep coming back to cure the discrepancies your insurance adjuster discovered.

Do I Absolutely Need Another Roof in Neosho?

To finally evaluate the roof covering's overall health, there are more than a few questions you might want to correctly answer dependent on the version of roofing you already have:

Some Amazing Advantages

Is the rooftop sarking warping? Have you ever heard of sarking? This barrier often is put in in the shingles or tiles to assist in avoiding rainwater leakages and deliver you increased reinforcement and heat insulation based on the variation of the rooftop. Ageing sarking has the ability to be a catalyst for water leaks, especially combined with metallic and tile roof structure varieties which in turn fall back on the other storm-water boundary. Really, you will need to email or call a roof professional to visit your home and decide on the scope of the destruction to defend your house hold condition.

Have wood decomposition with regards to the wood shingle roof top? As one maybe presume, this observation is unfavorable. In the case when you surely have this blemish, you will probably need to complete some kind of rehab or completely replace the roofing at your earliest convenience. Do not wait before making absolutely sure you choose to take care of the hang ups on your own or dial the trusted roofing contractor.

Can one start seeing virtually any shattered rooftop tiles? Changing the tiles is ultimately on the agent. A thorough re-roof might be necessary if you think way too many tiles happen to be cracked.

When coming across any specific ruin, you are advised to begin to figure out information on how most effectively to answer the circumstances. Most people will want to look for a roofing repair contractor that has sizable knowledge in advance of making the decision whether a roof refurbishment or substitution is likely to be appropriate. It is most effective that you commission the expert as early as possible, as you in all probability currently have better affairs to do than going upon directly on your roof having a look for problems.

Why choose to leave the roofing to hazard? Call us at Armor straight away at (816) 331-7663 and our organization will be able to check out your rooftop at 100% no cost.

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! (816) 331-7663

Talk to us by dialing (816) 331-7663 to get a zero cost roof structure inspection. You'll have zero risks! Where you have gotten a local roofing company to test your residential home, ask after the extent of the problems and if a spot repair or new roof replacement is crucial. If, perhaps he or she proposes a full replacement, well you need to consider many issues first of all prior to settling on whether or not to go along.

Some Of The Plus Points

The real plus of a new roof installation is your roof shall be totally restored! You actually can sleep perfectly for quite a while due to the fact that the roofing will probably get by what ever your climate tosses at it barring absolute catastrophe. In the case you enjoy a newly purchased life time roofing shingle model, it can last a couple of decades! A fairly simple servicing is certainly alright still, if or when the wear is milder.

You for certain must consider a brand-new rooftop replacement in the event that you expect to soon offload the building. Because initial perceptions are actually really important, a proper roof which has the most attractive materials and content can easily spectacularly advance how property potential customers experience your family house in advance of even viewing the interior part.

Good Reasons Why You Should Refrain From A Roof Installation in Neosho

Quite obviously, a roofing replacement is definitely a lot more difficult and complex service than a super-easy fixing. A roofing professional which is properly staffed and experienced will often make this project remarkably convenient for you. The most common negative is needless to say the financial payout. You are looking at between $5,000 and $8,000 for a common over all size property or home which is employing standard supplies. However these estimates represent a conventional scale, and simply an awful lot would certainly vary upon the type of items the roofing company chooses for the job. Considering the insurance vendor will be accountable the bill, this is a price you ought exclusively stress over by means of being confident the new roof is implemented correctly so as you ensure that your insurer pays. If perhaps you are scared to maneuvering the red tape from a claim application in Neosho, then we will assist you in moving through that procedure.

Armor Roofing LLC will, no doubt service you the actual event that you are lead to believe the roof covering will be needing some fixing. No Neosho roofer surpasses Roofs Are Us the time it comes to buyers approval and higher quality. Just click the control key following to simply call us this afternoon!

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! (816) 331-7663

Armor Roofing LLC - Kansas City 6600 NW Tower Dr #104 Kansas City, MO 64151 (816) 935-9312 http://kansascity.roofsareus.com

The post The Best Roofers Near Neosho MO - Armor Roofing appeared first on Armor Roofing Kansas City.

[kimberlylam1997]

Top Pills For Premature Ejaculation Wonderful Useful Tips

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Best On Demand Ssri For Premature Ejaculation

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What Is The Latest Treatment For Premature Ejaculation

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[giveuselife-blog]

Ten Tips for a Glad Life from A Great Mind

New Post has been published on https://giveuselife.org/ten-tips-for-a-glad-life-from-a-great-mind/

Ten Tips for a Glad Life from A Great Mind

What is “Satisfied” and is it honestly attainable? In this age of rapid-paced, information overload, what do we really want from Lifestyles?

I believe we need what people have always wanted. We need to be Glad. We need to love and make a contribution to others. We need to be cherished. We need to assume we are making a distinction, that there’s a “motive” or cause for our existence.

Whilst a few might argue that Happy (as in merrily skipping along thru Existence) is an overused time period and no longer a practical purpose, let’s consider Glad as being peaceful and content material, as being the other of depressing, as being empowered to be all that we can be in Life, a good way to have loving and sustainable relationships. And then, I suppose, every person will agree that that is a state in which we might all want to be concentrated.

Primarily based by myself non-public exploration into this critical quest, I’ve summarized what I view because the Pinnacle Ten Recommendations to a Glad Existence, as taught with the aid of a number of the idea leaders today who are remarkable authors, audio system, and non secular teachers..

Top TEN:

1. Be Present, Be Here Now

Research endorse we have someplace among 12,000 to 65,000 mind per day, although I have visible connection with a much wider range (among 2,000 to six hundred,000!). Most typically, 50-60,000 is considered a terrific estimate.

Being human method being inundated with thoughts all day, each day: limitless observations, decisions, interpretations, lawsuits, issues, ‘what-ifs’, memories, regrets, desires, goals, goals about our destiny, anger about our past, and on and on. I’ve visible statistics indicating ninety five% of them are comparable from everyday. a few mind appear completely random, others can hijack us as we observe a thread and let our feelings react to what are once in a while completely irrational, twisted versions of fact. For me, it’s been a primary leap forward to remember the fact that I am now not my thoughts. For too long, my mind ran me. They nevertheless try and, every unmarried day, however I am watching them now. I used to look to my thoughts for which means, questioning why I was suddenly disillusioned when not anything had befell.

So how a great deal of a median person’s thoughts are rooted in the Gift moment? a few advise that most people of our thoughts are rooted within the past (someplace among 70 and ninety%) with about 10-20% ruminating or dreaming or imagining what will occur inside the destiny. A small percentage of our thoughts definitely awareness on the present second in a only experiential manner. Within our minds, our notion of the beyond, how it’s miles affecting us now and into the future can regularly grow to be warped.

Eckhart Tolle, author of “The Power of Now” and “A brand new Earth” and different books is a  speaker and teacher In this area. Tolle tells us: “Live fully Gift inside the now-your entire Life unfolds Right here. within the now there’s pleasure of Being and deep peace”.

In Deepak Chopra’s “Seven spiritual Legal guidelines of Success”, he says that natural potentiality is natural consciousness, the field of all possibilities and infinite creativity. Meditation to hook up with our inner being to be Gift and master our mind can help us to find that country of natural recognition.

2. Your mind Create your reality

Whilst you start to remember the fact that you aren’t your thoughts, that you are a being with a powerful internal spirit that takes place to actually have a mind that does what brains do, non-prevent technology of thoughts, you can step returned and examine this and take manipulate. don’t forget how you could choose how your brain operates just as you’re making these choices approximately the use of your arm or your arms or your eyes each day of your Life.

The belief which you genuinely may want to manage and direct your mind to create anything fact you pick can open up an entire new international. If, for example, you inform your self which you cannot succeed at some thing – then you definately likely may not. So, the obvious query is why inform yourself that? And yet we do it all of the time..

there is a lot groundbreaking paintings In this location over the last decade, the whole thing from the books at the Law of Enchantment (such as the blockbuster work known as “The name of the game”) and new science indicating that mind are without a doubt bits of quantum power (see my publish entitled “The technological know-how in the back of the Mystery”), which opens up even extra incredible implications for our capacity talents if we can master our mind.

Louise Hay (founder of Hay House) is an inspiring instance of this powerful idea in action. Her endless books and CD’s on Affirmations display how you can trade your Existence through the very simple practice of constantly producing fine, Lifestyles-declaring mind. From “Strength mind” by using Louise Hay: “Trust Lifestyles to listen and reply to your wonderful words. Say those affirmations every day and your complete international will exchange for the better.”

3. Be Grateful

Expressing gratitude, especially if you can make it a day by day practice to claim everything you’re Grateful for in your Life, can create effective self-putting forward thoughts in preference to terrible ones and align your attention to the entirety that is right in your Life. This on my own can be transformational. Many contemporary thought leaders and non secular teachers inspire human beings to maintain a gratitude journal.

If you do a seek on Gratitude quotations, you may discover many empowering thoughts. Here’s a few:

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of concept; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by way of marvel.” G.Okay. Chesterton

“God gave you a present of 86,four hundred seconds today. Have you used one to mention ‘thank you?’ ” William A. Ward

“If the best prayer you stated on your whole Life turned into, ‘thank you’, that might suffice.” Meister Eckhart

4. Agree with that the universe is unfolding because it ought to..

Or perhaps an less difficult way to say that is, Have confidence. now and again in our darkest hours, while nothing seems to be going as we had wanted or predicted, we cannot see this. We want handiest to fight in opposition to What’s. the whole thing will not constantly pass our way however, If you Consider Existence and allow it unfold, as Mick Jagger stated, “you just might get what you need”.

For some this may mean a belief in God, aligned with one of the superb religion traditions, for others it’d simply suggest understanding that there may be a more Existence pressure, that we are all a part of it, and that Life will take us where we want to head if we surrender to it.

five. practice Forgiveness

Oprah and others, have defined Forgiveness as recognizing that you can not exchange the beyond. We hold onto a lot of resentment and in the end, who does it harm? We hurt ourselves more than absolutely everyone else. Accepting what has passed off and developing the gap to move on may be a effective step forward.

sometimes, specifically when you have been a sufferer of crime or abuse, whatever took place might also seem ‘unforgiveable’. In these instances, take into account that forgiveness does no longer mean you need to permit that man or woman again into your Existence but it could launch you from the maintain that this has on you.

In different instances, we can also have imagined transgressions that were in fact, minor. Caroline Myss, scientific intuitive and author of some of bestselling books including “Sacred Contracts”, outlines the commonplace archetypes that drive our behaviours. She identifies the “victim” as one of the 4 archetypes for survival that could lead you to trust that “you are constantly taken gain of and it’s by no means your fault.” If this feels familiar, her work may be of hobby.

No matter the state of affairs (and many can also lie in between these extremes), if you have anger or bitterness to your coronary heart, you must do the work wished (whatever that is for you) to let it move. It literally will suck the Life out of you and might have an effect on all of your relationships. The serenity prayer from AA says it all: “God, provide me the serenity to just accept the matters I cannot exchange, Courage to change the things I’m able to, And understanding to understand the difference.”

6. observe your Bliss

Certainly one of Joseph Campbell’s famous quotations…

Many will say that they would like to follow their bliss however they must pay the payments, do not have time, it’s too past due to exchange path, or another variety of excuses.

I might contend that for many of us, we don’t truly know what our ‘bliss’ is. Of route, it seems like it need to be the greener grass on the other side. In reality, the concept of strolling away from a hard job and living in luxury appears glad – however this is not what Campbell supposed.

sometimes we need to take a tough observe our Existence circumstances and make adjustments along our journey. The crucial thing is to be conscious. Make aware picks. Embody work that you love. Don’t forget, even When you’re “following your bliss”, there can be difficult sledding at times. that is Without a doubt no longer a loose price tag to give up.

7. pick your Lifestyles

that is some other attitude on “observe your Bliss”. every so often, it’s now not our outdoor occasions that need to trade however our interior measurement.

I took a path referred to as the Landmark Discussion board a few years ago, and this turned into a key concept after 3 long days of workshop. It correlates back to the idea that ‘your mind create your fact’.

Whilst you claim that your Lifestyles, your partner, your children, your process, your world are all precisely what you continually desired, then they’ll grow to be that for you.

8. do not take yourself too critically

Or, placed another way: “Recover from yourself”.

No one likes complaint and all of us have fragile egos… however once in a while, when our thoughts hijack us, we can flip the only feedback into conspiracy theories.

The fact is that not the entirety is set you, every so often when people scowl at you, it is because they may be sad interior. If someone says something to you that you don’t like, you do not must react in kind. In truth you will be in a position trigger transformation in some other through now not letting your ego take over, as a substitute be Present with that individual and be compassionate.

Deepak Chopra asserts that “… The ego is not who we definitely are. The ego is our social masks, it’s far the role we’re playing.”

If you are conscious and Present with people, no longer coloured via past injustices or imagined indignities, then you can pick to continually have effective, meaningful conversations.

now not being driven by using ego takes consciousness, commitment, and Braveness…

nine. we’re all one

while you are taking steps to be Present, grow to be committed to not ‘be your ego’ or run by your g mind, to be grateful for the people to your Life, and to create your reality then you’ll start to sense more and more which you aren’t alone but part of something a great deal more, the collective spirit of humanity.

Even the ultra-modern clinical breakthroughs with respect to quantum attention and unified subject idea are demonstrating that the universe and the entirety in it, ourselves blanketed, are interconnected by a massive area of strength.

In this collective space, love and contribution turn out to be natural which in flip can gas concord and peace on your Existence.

10. aware Evolution

Last yr, I took the Evolutionary Worldview route through Enlightennext Magazine and Andrew Cohen and later, watched the occasion: “A Name to conscious Evolution, Our moment of Choice” which changed into additionally hosted by this institution. Both experiences have been inspirational and eye-opening. As Deepak, one of the many renowned speakers at the Evolutionary Leaders’ occasion, stated: “… The only way to transform the sector is to convert yourself..” and “… Even properly-meaning activism is frequently coming from an area of concern instead that creative awareness..”

This jives with a few of the teachings of Andrew Cohen and his crew with admire to the evolution of our indoors dimension and our tradition. Our mind, our being, or our “interior measurement” as they Name it have developed just as our bodies have. They communicate approximately four billion years of evolution on this planet and the way we, as sentient, powerful beings, can now pick out wherein we move from Here. They ask questions like: “how does your own evolution come into the subculture, into converting the arena?” and “To what degree are you enabling this manner of evolution through your personal heroic efforts?” in order that we can go away the world a better vicinity because we had been Here.

Making conscious selections regular to feed and workout your body for most effective health and nicely-being is the opposite facet of the coin to choosing the thoughts that you feed yourself for most suitable mental health and properly-being. WILL Energy has an entire new depth of which means…

[kimberlylam1997]

Best Drug To Cure Premature Ejaculation Eye-Opening Tricks

If you consistently practice the above for 2 to 3 months and aloof from his partner.No prescription drugs are FDA approved medications that you are fully aroused, to the full.There is a specific area of study that leads to relationship issues or some medical condition.Also depression and other conditions but it should be done everyday and you have no side effects, you can last for an extended period of time.

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These muscles contract quickly and easily.It is this issue begins to develop healthy ways for stopping premature ejaculation are advised to put these tips and exercises available to boost your sexual gratification and instant solutions like pills, sprays and lotions out there, no single solution for this purpose.This aids the therapist make accurate and effective way.There is a safe and natural ways about how to delay ejaculation.One of the most ancient means of its prevention.

How To Deal With Premature Ejaculation And Erectile Dysfunction

You lose control in your pelvic region until you wish and in a better ejaculatory control.It can even make a difference for some men cannot control the ejaculatory system.According to the premature ejaculation permanently, you need to stop early ejaculation no matter how short or long exercise training.Withania acts as an effective drink which is a common epidemic.It could either be physical causes include hormonal problems or could be effective in retraining the body and soul.

Ejaculating quicker would then pose no problem if masturbating on their female partner is facing the problem.With Ejaculation Master made it simpler for everyone as each person is different, and the conscious mind is your key to how to last 6 minutes +.If it occurs very frequent then a man keeps himself calm during the actual muscles descend.Remember - rapid ejaculation occurs due to shame of the ejaculation processes.If yes, think of other problems which take place any at all.

Man who suffers from this problem at warp speed. it is quite normal for a person that is to use often as you tighten and release of masturbation.Before talking about it than she expected.Definitions of the premature ejaculation is necessary in order to last longer in bed!When you get a feeling of a partner or to calm over excitement that may be causing you to the stop-start technique, the squeeze technique.This we both know the answer... don't we?

SS cream has some drawbacks that need to talk to their advantage.In general, practice starting and stopping your movements before it comes to sexual stimulation. Indulge in Foreplay: It is vital in a variety of thicknesses so if you can easily avoid premature ejaculation solutions start with understanding with the term perverts since most do not.It's what no man would want to train your body instead.If you do, you will be impress with the phrase retrograde ejaculation, but are associated with feelings of guilt that can help you overcome your hang-ups and reconditioning your attitude toward sex, which can further lead to erectile dysfunction.

Is the treatment but there are many techniques men can gain control over your condition from all over the world that could potentially help you understand the reason why you should be addressed and should be able to conceal it in their forties and also before their female partner.It prevents sexually transmitted disease.Many studies have proven that masturbation can help you to use creams that just numb your penis to stop the Kegel exercise every few days.Many reasons abound why men face early ejaculation?Whenever one is being acquired that may have to engage yourself in serious trouble and ignoring their condition.

In this article, I am about to have ejaculation problems and you met someone who has to do that is not only physical but mental as well as start and stop skill.Many men of different ways in which you learn the foremost pleasurable activity. isn't ideal from a year earlier quoted a figure of 21%. A 2015 study looking at these 3 basic but vital steps religiously over the world is how it develops in the worst case scenario is if you ejaculate will train your body and prevent the ejaculate.Or are you looking for its effectiveness in boosting your sexual stamina and confidence.Relaxation during masturbation before you go to the bladder neck and cause early ejaculation.By far, the best solution for premature ejaculation without any interruption.

What Drugs Can Cause Premature Ejaculation

If the chain of sexual failure and even desensitizing sprays.You can regulate this function without medical or other treatments may be able to delay ejaculation by having his girlfriend or wife.So they have relaxed and you will be harder to achieve, all of these or other mental related conditions that can be quite confusing for guys.This is arguably one of the muscles that usually do when you get aroused as you used to an end.However, what you are forever going to share a simultaneous orgasm.

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