#jordan isaiah white

[milliondollarbaby87]

The Black Phone (2021) Review

When Finney Blake is abducted by the serial killer than has been named The Grabber, he must use all of his wit to stay alive. The mysterious black phone in the basement keeps ringing and it’s the previous victims of the killer who all try and help him. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Continue reading The Black Phone (2021) Review

[f1inl3ey]

He’s infected almost everyone.

Becca and braxton have been infected.

Banks and Miguel have been infected.

Brady and madeleine have been infected.

Brady and Jordan have been infected.

TRISTAN WAS INFECTED TOO NOO

What has mason done 😭😭

This is a joke btw

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have The Black Phone 2021

[rookie-critic]

Rookie-Critic's Top 25 Films of 2022: #18: The Black Phone (dir. Scott Derrickson)

For those that don't know, Ethan Hawke might possibly be my favorite actor. He's a fascinating guy who shows a passion and a love for filmmaking that's palpable in his work. I also think that he's massively underrated as a horror actor, with top notch performances in both The Purge and Sinister (which was directed by Scott Derrickson, who directed this, as well). So needless to say I was beyond excited when I first saw the trailer for The Black Phone and saw that, not only was Hawke collaborating on another film with Derrickson, but that this time he'd be playing the villain. While Sinister might be a scarier film than this film, the story of the Black Phone is more fleshed out and robust. I will admit to a bias for Stephen King-esque stories, which this most certainly is (the short story this is based on was written by King's son, Joe Hill), but I think there is an objective quality to Black Phone that exists outside of that bias. Hawke is genuinely menacing as the antagonist of this film, and Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw don't disappoint, either, with McGraw in particular bringing a humor to some of the film's moments that is both unexpected and beneficial at the same time. The suspense and intensity of the film's more climactic moments are masterfully crafted and left me in a nervous ball in my theater seat. Everything about the Black Phone is just solid, quality thriller filmmaking, and it was an early addition to the list that clung to its spot for dear life. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Read my full review of The Black Phone here.

[weclassybouquetfun]

Next month is the annual exhibitor showcase Cinemacon where movie studios tout their wares for the very anxious theater owners.

It has already been announced that Sony is sitting this year out, so no info on VENOM 3: THE LAST DANCE, to be released October 25, 2024.

While I assume there will be some changes to the lineup, so far it is shaping up to be:

OPENING DAY: International Day features a screening of Universal 80s series remake THE FALL GUY starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who has said in a recent interview that it is a small role) ; directed by David Leitch (BULLET TRAIN, DEADPOOL 2)

DAY ONE: WB pulls up with their presentation "The Big Picture". It will be the first Cinemacon for James Gunn in his position as Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DC Studios.

I expect a song and dance from Gunn about how awesome sauce the new DC film universe will be

I'll believe it when I see it.

Sure to tease SUPERMAN LEGACY which stars David Corenswet as the title character, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX, BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUCE

MORE STUDIO OFFERINGS

Also, FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

, the supernatural horror film THE WATCHERS, directed and written by Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night

, M. Night Shymalan's TRAP starring Josh Hartnett, ALTO KNIGHTS with Robert DeNiro playing a dual role.

Certainly don't expect anything to hear about THE BATMAN sequel other than it won't shoot until 2025. There has been no reason provided, but some say there isn't even a script, others say it was because there were no soundstages available in London to shoot this year.

DAY TWO: ANGEL STUDIOS - The outfit behind SOUND OF FREEDOM.

I suspect they will tease SIGHT starring Greg Kinnear and BONHOEFFER (aka GOD'S SPY) about German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, starring August Diehl, Flula Borg and Clarke Peters.

LIONSGATE: I suspect they will tease Guy Ritchie's THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE starring a pick-a-mix of men for all tastes - Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding and Hero Fiennes Tiffins

; the action-thriller BOY KILLS WORLD fronted by Bill Skarsgård and costarring Sharlto Copley, Andrew Koji (who is working like mad), Famke Janssen and Isaiah Mustafa.

Surely, another Bill Skarsgård film THE CROW with fka Twigs

; THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1, which is the third film in the franchise - doing a bit of FAST AND THE FURIOUS mathing. It stars Madelaine Petsch, Froy Guittierez and Gabriel Basso

At long last the BALLERINA has pliete into the spotlight. This JOHN WICK spinoff stars Ana De Armas, with Anjelica Huston reprising her role from JOHN WICK 2. It's direct by Len Wiseman who directed the UNDERWORLD films starring his ex-wife Kate Beckinsale.

BORDERLANDS, an action-comedy based on the game, brought to the screen by Eli Roth. Starring Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, Haley Bennett and Édgar Ramírez, amongst others.

and WHITE BIRD, which is in the same universe as the excellent children geared film WONDER. It was due to come out in 2023 but was pushed back due to the actors strike.

UNIVERSAL / FOCUS FEATURES: I suspect teases for Dev Patel's directorial debut MONKEY MAN. The film was originally slated to go to Netflix but Jordan Peele, under his Monkey Paw shingle, bought it and took it to Universal so it could have a theatrical release. *Granted, Netflix does a theatrical release for most of their films in certain markets, but I get Peele's rationale.

Their Monsters Universe theatrical idea didn't work, but Universal has realized there is more than one way to skin a cat. They are creating a Universal Monsters themed area at their parks and their monster/horror film ABIGAIL is a re-imaging of DRACULA'S DAUGHTER. It stars Alisha Weir, Melissa Barrera and Dan Stevens and features Angus Cloud in one of his last roles.

THE FALL GUY most definitely will have a place. Same with THE BIKERIDERS (with Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Norman Reedus, Mike Faist, etc.), which was a 20th Century (Disney owned) Film, and even though it was the first major film out the gate ahead of Oscars/Golden Globes' FYC season with a screening and Q&A held in L.A., the studio purposely stalled the engine and towed it off their schedule. It will now be distributed by Focus Features in the U.S., and Universal, internationally.

Other possible teases? DESPICABLE ME 4, TWISTERS, the standalone sequel to the 90s film TWISTERS

, horror film SPEAK NO EVIL starring James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis

, WICKED: PART ONE and Sir Ridley Scott's GLADIATOR 2 with Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal.

There will also be a surprise screening; studio unknown.

DAY THREE: PARAMOUNT: Expected: the mixed live-action and animated comedy IF starring Ryan Reynolds, written/directed and produced by John Krasinski.

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE, GLADIATOR 2 (though this is a co-production with Universal, so maybe Uni will tout it), SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3, the unending production that is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 8,

WALT DISNEY: Possible: THE FIRST OMEN, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

, MOANA 2, INSIDE OUT 2, DEADPOOL 3, ALIEN: ROMULUS, CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD and SNOW WHITE.

CinemaCon always closes out with their awards (which always ties into an upcoming release. Funny how that works.

So far the honourees are:

Star of the Year - Lupita Nyong'o (A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE)

Breakthrough Performer of the Year - Joseph Quinn (A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE)

CinemaCon Vanguard Award - Amy Poehler (INSIDE OUT 2)

Director of the Year - Shawn Levy (DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE)

[steelbluehome]

Variety

‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Trailer: Anthony Mackie Takes Flight as Cap to Stop Red Hulk and a Presidential Assassin

By Jordan Moreau

Cap is back!

Marvel Studios has released the first trailer for “Captain America: Brave New World,” the fourth Captain America movie and the first starring Anthony Mackie‘s flying superhero Sam Wilson, formerly known as Cap’s sidekick the Falcon.

Mackie takes the Cap mantle over from Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers, who famously starred in the previous three “Captain America” movies and the four “Avengers” movies. At the end of 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Steve bids farewell to his fellow superheroes and goes back in time to spend a new life with his beloved Peggy Carter. He gives his iconic vibranium shield to Sam, who vows to do right by the world-famous hero.

In the new trailer, Sam is greeted by Harrison Ford’s U.S. president Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, who wants to make Captain America a U.S. agent. The action heats up quickly as the superhero stops a would-be assassin at the White House. The trailer ends with a quick look at the new character Red Hulk, another gamma-irradiated monster, who is the alter-ego of “Thunderbolt” Ross in the Marvel comics. It’s unclear if the fourth “Captain America” movie will follow the same storyline as the comics, though.

The first time Marvel fans saw Sam suit up as Cap was in the Disney+ TV series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Sam teams up with Sebastian Stan’s antihero Bucky Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier, to take down a group of terrorists. The show received praise from fans and critics alike, in addition to five Emmy nominations.

“Captain America: Brave New World” will be the first time Mackie returns to the Marvel universe. The cast includes his “Falcon and Winter Soldier” co-stars Danny Ramirez, as the new Falcon, and Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley; Shira Haas as the Israeli superhero Sabra; Giancarlo Esposito as a mysterious villain; and Ford taking over the role of “Thunderbolt” Ross from the late William Hurt. The movie also includes an MCU throwback by bringing back Liv Tyler, as Betty Ross, and Tim Blake Nelson, as the Leader, from the “Incredible Hulk” movie.

Julius Onah directs “Captain America: Brave New World,” which was written by Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson and Matthew Orton. The film hits theaters next year on Feb. 12, 2025.

[blackcharactertournament]

Black Character Tournament: Left Side!

adding a post break to make this more rebloggable

—

Chidi Anagonye | The Good Place vs Bow | She-Ra & the Princesses of Power

Marina Ida | Splatoon vs Youngblood Ra | Roleslaying with Roman

Barret Wallace | Final Fantasy VII vs Lunella Lafayette/Moon Girl | Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Lucas Sinclair | Stranger Things vs Gus Porte | The Owl House

Carole Stanley | Carole and Tuesday vs Garnet | Steven Universe

Aisha/Layla | Winx Club vs Carter Kane and Sadie Kane | The Kane Chronicles

Martha Jones | Doctor Who vs Death | Sandman (TV)

Finn | Star Wars vs Oluwande Boodhari | Our Flag Means Death

Leshawna | Total Drama vs Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog

Jodie Landon | Daria vs Helen Brand | Glass Onion

Wolf | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts vs Benson | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Mike Hanlon | IT (Steven King) vs Burton Guster | Psych

Flow | Roleslaying With Roman vs Nasuada | Inheritance Cycle/Eragon Trilogy

Jordan Hennessey | Dreamer Trilogy vs Ava Coleman | Abbott Elementary

Duke Thomas | DC Comics vs Mel Medarda | Arcane

Molly Blyndeff | Epithet Erased vs Michael Burnham | Star Trek Discovery

Neena Thurman (Domino) | Marvel comics / Deadpool 2 vs Nyota Uhura | Star Trek The Original Series

Gregory Eddie | Abbott Elementary vs Kipo Oak | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Elena Amamiya | Star Twinkle Precure vs Simon Aumar | Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Karli Morgenthau | MCU: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier vs Enfys Nest | Star Wars: A Solo Story

Connor Hawke/Green Arrow | DC Comics vs Myla | One Last Stop

Winston Bishop | New Girl vs Khalil Harris | The Hate U Give

T'Challa | Black Panther vs Dr. Charlotte | Falsettos (Revival)

Gigi Thompson | Inside Job vs Isaiah | One Last Stop

Ivan Taylor | The Wilds vs Nathan Byrne | The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself

Miranda Bailey | Grey's Anatomy vs Essun | Broken Earth Trilogy

Agent 355 | Y : The Last Man vs Audacious Opportunity (A.O.) Rooke | Friends at the Table (Partizan)

OJ Haywood | Nope 2022 vs Nubia | Wonder Woman

Mr Nancy | American Gods vs Storm | X Men

Ambrose Spellman | Chilling Adventures of Sabrina vs Louis | The Walking Dead Game

Angela Moore | Boy Meets World vs Hilary Banks | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Junko Saotome | Nana vs Wes Gibbins | How to Get Away with Murder

Turk | Scrubs vs Wallace Fennel | Veronica Mars

Frozone | The Incredibles vs Kendra Young | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Joelle Brooks | Dear White People vs Sans | Undertale

Anissa Pierce/Thunder | Black Lightning vs Koriand'r/Starfire | Titans (DC TV show)

Andre Harris | Victorious vs Sara | Over the Garden Wall

Samol | Friends at the Table vs Taion | Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Emerald Haywood | Nope (2022) vs Genly Ai | The Left Hand of Darkness

Sarah Miller | The Last of Us (TV) vs Pinkie Pie | My Little Pony

Muhammed Avdol | Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure vs Dr Foreman | House MD

Efi Oladele | Overwatch vs Jason Hauer | We only find them when they are dead

Bram Greenfeld | Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda / Love, Simon vs Zélie Adebola | Children of Blood and Bone

Nick Fury | Marvel vs Sam Wilson | MCU

Uniqua | The Backyardigans vs Alexx Woods | CSI Miami

Rue | Euphoria vs Bill Potts | Doctor Who

Nadine Ross | Uncharted series vs Jalil Sherman | Everworld

Baal (Valentine) | The Wicked + the Divine vs Jamal Saturday | Locke and Key (comics)

[theparkerschronicles]

The Twin

     It was a cloudy day this morning when i woke up not knowing what to expect of today just knowing i have that mystery dinner tonight with my friends about a week ago we received invites to a mysterious dinner and we decided we wanted to go we  had no clue who sent the invites i didn't know if it was a good idea with my black outs happening more frequently and me waking up in random spots but i decided to go anyway because my best friend ivory convinced me to go as i brush my teeth it happens i blink and suddenly i'm dressed in my cloths a pink and white letterman jacket with a black shirt and blue jeans. I'm so confused and worried for tonight hoping i don't have one i grab my keys off the table and head out the door to my car as i drive i wonder why it happens why i pass out its like i'm someone else like i'm not even there just my body i like to call it my other side no one knows about it but me i'm too scared ill be labeled a freak. I finally arrived at school and saw my best friend ivory.

    “Hey ready for tonight” she says with her gleaming smile that makes me feel less nervous

   “Yah totally” i say hoping she can't see through me and my lies because i was anything but ready for tonight i had a bad feeling about it thinking i should just stay in. The day goes by fast to fast i wish time would stop and for once i wish to be in chemistry for longer and i hoped that the feeling would be gone by math but it didn't and just like that i was in 7th period reading with ms.Brown this class always went by fast but today it was like i blinked and the bell ring. As i left we all met outside on the courtyard where we walked to my house each of use getting into a car we had all decided to carpool because the trip was far and gas was expensive i road with ivory,jordan,issah and david while caroline,emma,stella and ace took another car. The car was kinda small but i sat in the front like i always do i could feel ivory place her phone on my lap like she usually does so i could pick the music but i was still worried i passed it to the back seat

     “You guys can pick today. I'm gonna try and get some rest before we arrive, "I say, yawning. I wasn't really tired but i didn't feel like singing and was hoping rest would help from the blackouts i rest my eyes and wake up to a bumpy dirt road yawning i say “is your car ok this tiny little thing is not built for this” laughing ivory replies 

     “My car is kenough and is doing just fine”  we all laugh and it's like the feeling was never there i chop it up to nervousness because we had no clue who invited us but there's something weird about the road it has that familiar feeling to it we arrive to a golden gate with the letters GM carved into it we get up to the box ivory rolls down her window and presses the button 

     “Hi we're here for the dinner” she is interrupted by a loud buzzer and the gates slowly open and she drives in we pull up to a huge mansion not knowing where to go she parks in the front

     “I hope we were  the only ones because I'm parking right here” she says as we all get out of the car we walk to the door it feels so firmalar like i have been here before like i have deja vu. Isaiah knocks on the door and it slowly creeps open one after another as we get into the house. We entered a big ballroom entrance with a giant clock on the wall that looked broken. There were two tall staircases curving into another floor and a big carpet covering the white tile floor. Everything was very clean and polished. I was the last one in the house when the door slammed shut.

     “Wow mariah you couldn't have been more gentle” david says in a sarcastic tone

      “Guys that wasn't me” i saw worried i walk back over to the door and pull on it it doesn't budge its like its stuck and i began to get that worried feeling again 

     “guys its locked i cant open it” the group looks at me as a voice suddenly comes on

     “Wellcome you have all been chosen for my dinner party the theme tonight is murder mystery one of you was given a special invite and was chosen to be the killer…in the rooms you will find  clues to the killer of tonight's game if you can't find the killer before they get you then you lose… dinner will be served in the next room over good luck you have until 6am form yours truly game master” i had no clue who that was but i was extremely hungry. 

     “Maybe it's like an escape room and we have to find the killer to win, guys let's go eat,” Ivory says. She always finds a way of making things better and i hope she was right about the game we all follow her next door to the dining room the food looked so good as soon as we walked in laid on the table of all types of food the table was decorated with nine golden plates and silverware the table cloths was blue and at each plate labeled a spot to sit we were all confused and wonder what we were supposed to do as the look at the table and all the food like freshly warm basket of rolls the steam radiating into the air and fresh juicy steak sitting one for each person and a basket of salad with cheese and bacon bits in it on the table also lay a lazy susan with different condiments from stake sauce to ranch and ketchup. The gourmet food smelled amazing and I was so hungry. We all sat in our spot. I sat between Emma and David and I did what I always do, putting my feet on his legs because it was so comfortable once we were all sat we began putting food on our plates when the voice came on again. 

     “Welcome to my dining room. As you see I have made you a nice gourmet meal feel free to eat and find some clues by talking to everyone the game has officially started and the killer can get you at any time so beware” we began to talk about school and work and eat. When stella asked ace     “So Ace are you the killer” 

     “Yah totally and your gonna be my first victim” Ace replies laughing as everyone  began getting full from the feast the lights switch off and all i  could hear is large steps of boots stomping around worried i move closer to david the lights came back on and with a scream too i feel a scarred feeling run down my spine and i look over to see aces body i quickly get up and check her pulse 

     “guys she's dead like actually i dont think this a game anymore” i say worried all i want to do is get out of here 

     “What do we do” jordan ask 

     “There has to be a way out of here” Stella says as she gets up from the table rushing into the ballroom where they came in and we all get up following her. David and jordan began to try their hardest to kick down the door with no luck not knowing what to do i sit on the steps wishing this was all just a dream 

     “You can't force us to play your stupid game let us out” stella shouts i began to look for something to help us out when i see a mirror with a note covered in ruby red lipstick with the message “play or die” i read the message out loud that's when it sinks in we are trapped and if we don't do something none of us our living through this night. Ivory replies “guys maybe we should split up into groups and try and find clues” 

  I don't think that's a good idea but we need to find clues quickly.

     Jordan responds `ok killer splitting us up to make it easier for yourself '' 

     He makes a good point: one of us could be the killer and we could never know it but why would one of us want to kill each other? It made no sense. Ivory replies to jordan

      “No i'm just saying if we are in groups of 2 to 3 we can find clues faster plus they killed aces by cutting the lights so i dont think it matters if we're all together” 

     she right as always we all split up into three groups: group one  mariah,ivory and stella group two jordan,david and isaiah and group three emma and caroline.As we all split up we ended in a room filled with dust and old collectables as i trace the room looking for clues a tiny ballerina  sticks out to me the space around it clean and almost polished i pick it up and turn it over reading the bottom out loud 

    “I have hands but i can not clap”

     “What does that even mean” stella replies 

     “Maybe it's talking about an idiom in here” ivory adds

     “What has hands but cant clap.. What has hands but cant clap..” the phrase goes over and over again in my head it sounds so familiar i know what it means but i dont my concentration is broke by ivory

     “David could know he practices riddles all the time” she's right that's probably where i know it from we all head back to the group in hopes david would know and they found other clues.

     As we were walking back we heard a loud scream. We hurriedly ran back to find the group As we approached, we saw Jordan and David covered in blood, walking with Karoline, hoping they were okay. Stella immediately asked,

     "What happened, and where is Emma?"

     "Issah was attacked by the killer. He died, and they ran off. Then we found Karoline in the halls," David explained.

     "We need to find Emma before the killer does," I said, hoping she was still alive.

     "How do we know she's not the killer? Maybe Karoline is the killer, and Emma's already dead. None of us are safe," Ivory said, her fear evident. Everyone began to argue.

     "Quiet, guys!" I screamed, trying to restore order. I could hear something from the other room, and their fighting wasn't helping. As I got up to check, Emma ran in, holding her stomach with blood dripping down her arm.

     "Please help, I was attacked!" she screamed.

      I rushed over to comfort her and tried to stop the bleeding. Everyone fell silent and scared.

     "We need to get out of here, and fighting won't help us. We found a clue in the room, and we're hoping David knows what it means. It was a riddle ‘'I have hands but cannot clap.’' Does that mean anything to you, David?" Stella asked.

     "Yes, it's talking about a clock," David replied.

     "I also found a clue. It was a set of numbers, 0715," Karoline added.

     "That number is my password. Why is my password a clue? What if it means I'm next?" I thought to myself. As I walked over to the clock, I opened it and set the time to 7:15. The clock opened from the wall to reveal a passageway.

     "How did you know what time it was?" Karoline asked.

     "That's my phone password, and that's what it means. I just took a chance, I guess."

     "Maybe that's our way out," Ivory responded.

     "I hope so, but I'm too weak to walk," Emma added.

     "You guys go; I'll stay with Emma," Stella said.

     We began walking down the passage. It seemed like forever, but we finally got to two passageways. Not wanting to choose the wrong one, we split up. No one wanted to go with Karoline because of earlier, so I volunteered. This time, it was me and Karoline in one group and David, Ivory, and Jordan in the other. As Karoline and I entered a dark room with screens, we clicked on the keypad, and the screens lit up. We could still see our friends going through the tunnel.

     "These must go through the house," Karoline said. 

     As I turned to look at her, I saw myself, but it wasn't me; it was like a clone. I didn't know who she was. I was frozen in fear.

     "Are you okay?" Karoline asked.

     "Behind you!" I managed to blurt out. 

     Karoline tried to turn, but in an instant, she was stabbed repeatedly. I was frozen, unable to help. All I could think was that I was next.

     "Do you know who I am?" she asked.

     "No," I responded. 

     "I'm your twin, Luna. You don't know me, but I know all about you and your friends."

     "Why are you doing this?" I asked, backing away from her.

     "Don't be scared; I'm not going to hurt you. I want your place, your life, everything you have."

     "Why?" I screamed.

    "Because you took my life. I shouldn't have to live here in this mansion alone. I should have your friends and loving parents, but I don't."

     "What happened to you?" I asked, hoping she would tell me.

     "A long time ago, our mom gave me up. She couldn't afford both of us. I found out a while ago, and I have been stalking you ever since, seeing everything you have that I never got, wondering why she chose you over me."

     "You're lying! My mom would never..." 

     I hoped she was lying; my mom wouldn't do that, hoping she was just lying to me. Just then, my friends walked in, but she ran to them.

     "Help, she's trying to kill me!" she screamed. What did she mean? She's the killer.

     "Don't believe her; she's lying to you."

     "Who's the real Mariah?" Ivory asked.

     "I don't know," Jordan and David said.

     "Wait, Mariah, what's the code?" Ivory asked. I had no clue what she meant; I didn't know the code. I was so confused when the other me shouted, 

     "Apple."

     "What?" I responded. 

     Just like that the red and blue lights flashed in my eyes, and I can't remember much after that, but I do know one thing: she planned it all, from the tunnels to the code. She knew everything. That's why I'm here, writing this, knowing I may never see the light outside of this cell, hoping someone will read this and tell them I'm not me, and she has my spot with my friends and family. She made the code; she watched me and studied every inch of me. The only thing keeping me alive right now is the hope that she messes up one day, and that I'll be free.

     "You have a visitor," the warden shouted. 

     As I was dragged out of my cell, wondering who would want to see me after all these five years, my eyes were in shock as she spoke.

     "We made a mistake. I know she's not you."

[idolatrybarbie]

hiii wonderful bea :)) can u pls tell me anything about for times of trouble, if you please? 🫶

EEE i am so glad you asked - this is my first venture into writing joel and tlou and OC fic. we're following my OC jordan lowell, a half-black young woman who is raised by her father in a white supremacist evangelical protestant cult based in arkansas - the community of Love. when the cult falls to insurrection and is overrun with infected, jordan makes it her mission to find the remaining parts of her family: her estranged mother and unknown half brother, henry (yeah that one.)

joel and ellie are both in this, with joel and jordan's relationship being very platonic and reluctant father-daughter vibes. found family babeyyyyy~ i am super excited to get this out (probably in the late winter/early spring) to explore a tlou family dynamic with an older kid, since jordan is nineteen when this story starts. i also wanted to explore the grief of having a complicated family dynamic and losing that, and the way that can affect someone both before and after the loss.

the family and racial dynamics in this are very personal to me. i've discussed this fic a lot with @wannab-urs and realizing that a situation such as this isn't familiar with a lot of people made me want to write about it. i view jordan as a version of myself that's had the world fail her a lot more and only has rage to channel the impact of that failure. we will slowly learn just how much of a mangled and disturbed person she is. jordan is an angry black woman and there is nothing wrong with that.

oh and the title comes from proverbs 17:17. ok onto the snippet.

Even with the long wooden seats seemingly overflowing with sitting people, there are a pointed few missing from service. A dozen boys—though they'd certainly prefer young men—that Jordan knows varyingly well. She knows Isaiah. She likes him. He's got that same wandering eye she has, finding the cracks of stained glass or the autumnal explosion of coloured leaves a more worthy subject of his attention than...this. He's also the only other one here like her and unlike them. His skin is more taupe than her tawny, but they notice regardless. It doesn't matter what colour either of them are, not really. All that matters is that it isn't what they wish it were. Still, the people of Love let kids like them stay. Be here, members of the community, even if it comes with a few mumbled words. A few glares, a violent launch of sticky spit. That was one time. It'd never happened again. But Isaiah isn't here, his eyes nowhere to be found amongst the crowd. It sets Jordan's stomach alight, gut rolling. One thing Isaiah is that Jordan cannot be is angry. And that, he certainly is. Rage oozes off of him in waves, all-consuming in its power. It's exciting until it's scary. Like when he starts talking about leaving, the two of them, all by themselves. That's something she won't—can't—do. Isaiah never likes that answer.

that got a little serious, but regardless - thank you for asking ^__^

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

2nd January >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops, Doctors 

on

Second January.

Second January

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the feria (Tuesday))

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Tuesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading 1 John 2:22-28 The anointing he gave you teaches you everything.

The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ – he is the liar, he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well. Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you, you will live in the Son and in the Father; and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life. This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray. But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you, and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything; you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him. Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence, and not turn from him in shame at his coming.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 97(98):1-4

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.

R/ All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Gospel Acclamation John 1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia! The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. To all who received him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!

Or: Hebrews 1:1-2

Alleluia, alleluia! At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia! A hallowed day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, worship the Lord, for today a great light has shone down upon the earth. Alleluia!

Gospel John 1:19-28 'One is coming after me who existed before me'.

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops, Doctors 

(Liturgical Colour: White: B (2))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Tuesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13 We are all to come to unity, fully mature in the knowledge of the Son of God.

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all. Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 22(23)

R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

R/ The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 23:9,10

Alleluia, alleluia! You have only one Father, and he is in heaven; you have only one Teacher, the Christ. Alleluia!

Gospel Matthew 23:8-12 The greatest among you must be your servant.

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You must not allow yourselves to be called Rabbi, since you have only one master, and you are all brothers. You must call no one on earth your father, since you have only one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor must you allow yourselves to be called teachers, for you have only one Teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will exalted.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[the-chosen-fanfiction]

John (the Baptiser) | Wherever The Spirit Leads Us | Romantic

Dialogue prompt: “As long as we’re together, we can deal with this.”

Requested: Yes

There has always been more between you and John, but the voice of God is louder than any earthly relationship. Both of you are aware of that, no matter how much it might hurt.

You have always been proud of John. 

From your early childhood in Judea, the two of you had been friendly with one another. There was something about him that drew you to him, no matter if it made you an outcast, too. Since you stuck up for him one day when a few children from the village picked on him, a friendship was born, one that extended into adulthood.

Crazy John and his crazy friend (Y/n). It was what you often heard throughout your youth and it didn’t sting anymore. Even now, when overlooking the river Jordan, leaned against a tree for some shade, the strange glances cast your way go over your head.

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” John preaches time and time again, “For this is He who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ' Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight .'"

You know Jesus - used to play with Him when He came over to visit John when you were children. He had always said that God would use you for His Kingdom some day. You had never understood what He meant, until now.

Day after day, you assist him with his baptisms, guiding people to the front that want to repent of their sins.

One morning, a familiar face pops up, smiling kindly at you as a greeting. 

“Jesus!” you call out, rushing towards Him. John falls silent in his passionate preaching and lowers the finger he had pointed up to the heavens, all eyes turning to the One Who had caught the Baptiser’s attention. 

“It’s good to see you, (Y/n),” Jesus softly says when you arrive at His side and you smile, looking over your shoulder to face your friend John, who gestures towards Jesus. 

“Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man Who ranks before me, because He was before me.’ I myself did not know Him, but for this purpose I came baptising with water, that He might be revealed to Israel.” 

Your breath hitches in your throat as goosebumps spread all over your skin. As the people step aside to let Jesus through, you maintain eye-contact with John, who nods slowly at you. It sends butterflies through your system.

The crowd falls silent as Jesus steps into the water, wading towards his cousin until he is waist-deep, smiling gently as he waits for him to move, but John seems reluctant.

His voice wavers as he speaks up: “I need to be baptised by You, and You come to me?” 

Jesus is patient and reassuringly hums. “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.”

You manage to get yourself to the front when John guides Jesus into the river, engulfing Him fully. With a coiling gut, you watch the scene with bated breath as do the rest of the people around, and right as He rises from the water, an almost blinding light bursts from the heavens for a split second.

When your squint relaxes, you witness how a crisp white dove descends from above and lands on Jesus’ bare shoulder, remaining there for a few moments. A voice calls out – too loud to be John, too intense and warm to be mortal – and you nearly fall to the ground as it rumbles through the sky.

“This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased.”

The horde erupts in a cacophony of shouts, exclamations of awe and pure puzzlement. Within a second, everything is chaos, though amidst it all, you find Jesus and John on the shore of the river, droplets of water gathering underfoot. The dove has left but Jesus seems to glow, and you can’t do anything else but let out a shaky exhale when He locks eyes with you, a wide grin spreading over His face.

“What did you think of that, huh?” He queries, winking at you. 

John slowly shakes his head, grinning, “Oh, that was… I can’t even put words to it! Transcendental!” 

“It was!” you gawk, “Is… Is the Kingdom of heaven truly at hand?”

Jesus hums and gives a slow nod, looking around at the dispersing crowd. Nobody seems to be paying attention to the three of you anymore now that everyone is either fleeing in panic or running back to tell the village what they had been witness to. 

“May I invite you for dinner tonight?” you immediately ask, “I’ve got so many questions about what just happened!”

He chuckles and puts a hand on your shoulder, then looks at his cousin and back to you. 

“Thank you for your offer, (Y/n), but maybe that you could invite John to go in my stead. He looks like he needs a decent meal and I’m going into the desert for a while.”

Shaking your head in confusion, you open your mouth to speak, but it is as if John steals them away from you. “The desert? Why?”

“I need to spend some time with my Father. Now friends, I will return. It will be a while, but do not be alarmed. This is something I must do Myself.”

Puzzled yet trusting that He knew what He was talking about, you whisper an affirmative answer. In silence, you and John watch as Jesus redresses, mutters a final greeting and heads off into the distance.

“Do you think He’ll ever not be an enigma to us?” you wonder out loud. John laughs and puts a hand on your back, something that makes your gut positively swirl with the butterflies you have mustered towards the odd preacher since the moment you met him. 

“Are you seriously asking me if you and I could ever comprehend the mystery of God’s ways? I think not, (Y/n). But as long as we’re together, we can deal with this. ”

You flush and lower your gaze. “Ah, you’re right, that does sound silly.”

“Not at all,” John tells you, “I’ve got those questions, too, even though He is related to me. Now, does that offer for dinner still stand? I’ve got a feeling that I’ll be busy soon with my new students and I’d love to spend a quiet evening with just the two of us,” he smiles, “If that is alright with you?”

“Of course,” you breathe, helping him get the few belongings you’ve brought along. 

_

Your heart is heavy. 

Under the darkness of the cloud-packed sky, you stand in a barren field with Jesus, John and a recent addition to the group – Simon the Zealot. There is tension in the air that you cannot quite place, and your throat tightens when your eye falls upon John, who holds onto the strap of his bag, his hair blowing into his eyes. It has always been too long, too unkempt, but he always refused to have it cut, jokingly telling you that you’d only make it worse.

It always hurts to see him leave, but it’s nothing new. When you met Jesus, it had always been clear that you and John would not spend your lives being together, but rather in service of God. 

A gust of wind blows a stray tear over your cheek as you stare at him, your bottom lip trembling. You do not trust your voice, so instead wait until Jesus finally speaks up. 

“So, you're really going for it?” He muses. 

“You know I can't be silent.” John says, smiling a bit. You mirror it, watery, almost desperate. Of course he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. It was in his nature.

“Soon, I will break My own silence as well.” Jesus promises to His cousin.

John clicks his tongue. “ Soon. Such a strange word, soon . It could mean anything.”

Your throat runs dry when the cousins embrace one another tightly. “I love you.” Jesus mutters, patting him on the back. 

“And thank You… For letting me see that. I heard about the miracles, but I never thought I'd actually get to see one.” John muses with a sparkle in his eye. 

Jesus hums. “Well, timing is everything, I guess. Now, go on, say goodbye to our friend.” He gestures towards you. You gladly accept John’s hug and inhale deeply, tears running down your cheeks despite your best efforts to stop them. 

“Hey, hey, don’t you cry about me. I’m just going to do what is needed, alright? You and I will always be connected, no matter what happens. We’ll be alright, okay?”

You sniffle as he runs the back of his hand over your cheek, smiling sweetly. Passionate, Spirit-filled John, whom you will never call yours despite your feelings and the fact that he reciprocates them.

It’s time. He kisses your forehead before backing off slowly, his hand grabbing yours yet eventually slipping out of it, your arm awkwardly flailing in front of you for a moment before it slumps back to your side.

Jesus breathes in to call after him: “John… What you are about to do–”

“I've lived my whole life with warnings,” the Baptiser interrupts. “Warnings are how I know I'm on the right track!”

“It's not a warning. You're doing what you're supposed to do. I'm just reminding you to be sure to listen to God's voice as you do it.”

John waves. “Always.”

Always. 

Jesus sniffles whereas you are full-on crying albeit silently. You stand like that as you watch John walk off, hoping that he’d cast one final glance over his shoulder.

One more time.

Before he disappears behind the hill. 

He doesn’t look back.

An arm is draped around you and it takes as second to realise that it is Jesus who is pulling you into an embrace, which you immediately welcome, hugging him tightly whilst you remain in your state of grief for a minute before Jesus’ voice sounds against the top of your head.

“It’s okay.” He whispers, “I know what John means to you. I know what you feel for him and what he feels for you , and that it hurts the both of you very much. Not everybody is meant to marry in service of the Kingdom. What you will receive in return is so much more than this, and what you share with John is so much deeper than an earthly relationship.”

“I know.” you whimper, “I know,” for you completely trust in Him. 

Jesus holds you for a while longer whilst you look at the road where John had gone, secretly hoping that he’d turn up back at the horizon, but you knew that he would not be back.

Mixed feelings of being both empty and fulfilled tugged at your heart as your tears dried on your face, until Jesus said it was time to go.

[hcppilyneveraxter]

[CISMALE, HE/HIM]. Hey, is that MICHAEL B. JORDAN, no that is just ZACHARIAH AVERY around Turtle Bay. I heard they are 33 years old, and their birthday is JANUARY 15TH, 1990. They rest their heads in the OCEANSIDE but they can mainly be found working as POLICE DETECTIVE. Some say they are CHARMING, HARDWORKING, PERSUASIVE and can be SERIOUS, UNFORGIVING, STUBBORN. If they had a theme song it would be, A SONG FOR DAD BY KEITH URBAN. I hear they are NATIVE, either way Turtle Bay is home and welcomes you!

BASICS:

Full Name: Zachariah Avery

Nicknames: Zach

Age: 33

DOB: January 15th, 1990

Hometown: Turtle Bay, South Carolina

Current location: Turtle Bay, South Carolina

Neighborhood: Oceanside

Occupation: Detective for TBPD

Gender: Male

Pronouns: He/Him

Sexuality: Bisexual

Relationship status: Single

Positive Traits: Charming, Hardworking, Persuasive

Negative Traits: Serious, Unforgiving, Stubborn

Theme song: A Song for Dad by Keith Urban

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:

Face Claim: Michael B. Jordan

Hair color: Black

Eye color: Dark Brown

Height: 6 ft

Weight: 175 lbs

Build: Athletic

Tattoos: One with his last name, one for the TBPD, and a small one for his daughter Olivia

Piercings: None

FAMILY:

Mother: Destiny Avery

Father: Jerimiah Avery

Siblings: Isaiah Avery, Ashanti Avery

Children: Olivia, 10 (unbeknownst to everyone except Aunt Carrie)

Pet(s): Czechoslovakian Wolfdog named Ghost

BIO:

Growing up Zachariah Avery had everything he could ever wish for. He was surrounded by a warm and loving family, was well liked by his peers, and never wanted for anything. Sure his dad could be strict but Zach knew that they were Avery's and that meant there was a certain image they were expected to uphold. A reputation to protect Not only were they one of the founding families of Turtle Bay they were a black family in a predominately white town which Zachariah learned from a young age came with added scrutiny. As the oldest Zach took it upon himself to take care of his siblings and make sure they knew what was expected of them, often causing some friction particularly between he and Isaiah but Zachariah assured his siblings it was for their own interest. As a result, as they grew older Zach and his sister Ashanti remained close while Zach and his brother Isaiah grew further and further apart. Zay was far too lazy and selfish in Zachariah’s, opinion always putting himself and his desires before the family.

School was easy for Zach. He worked hard and got good grades, had a great group of friends, and played both basketball and soccer. From the time he was little Zachariah always knew he wanted to follow in his family’s footsteps. He respected the men that his father and his uncle Marcus had grown into and hoped that law enforcement would do the same for him. He had planned to join the police force right out of High School but his parents asked him to get a college degree first.

Zach settled on the University of North Carolina. It had a great criminal justice program and was close enough that he could still keep tabs on his family or make it home for family gatherings. It was during his senior year that Zachariah met Nicole Sunitha. She was in his criminal law class and he was immediately taken with her the moment he saw her walk through the door on the first day of class. As luck would have it they were paired together on a group project and Zach quickly fell for her intelligence in addition to her beauty. She was the full package. She challenged Zach for what felt like the first time in his life and it wasn't long before he fell in love.

The pair began dating and spent every moment they could get with each other, often wrapped in each other's arms. They had a beautiful love affair but as Zach's graduation rapidly approached he came to terms with the fact that they would never last. He had to return home to Turtle Bay and she had a couple years of classes left to take. He hadn't been home long when Nicole informed him that she was pregnant.

Zach knew how poorly this would reflect on his family if the word ever got out so he kept the whole thing a secret, only turning to his Aunt Carrie for advice. Zach had seen his daughter a few times over the years but mostly stuck to monetary support sending Nicole money every month and doing his best to support little Olivia from afar. He's managed to keep this quiet so far but in the back of Zach's mind he's always worried that one day his biggest secret could come to light and ruin his families reputation, one he's worked tirelessly to uphold, once and for all.

[cagliostrohq]

most wanted male faces?

Hiya, anon! We'd love it if you brought any of these FCs !!! :

FCs in their 20's: Fabien Frankel, Jordan Gonzalez, Froy Gutierrez, Cody Christian, Ashton Sanders, Win Metawin, Kofi Siriboe, Sydney Mae Diaz, Jordan Fisher, Evan Mock, Wang Ziyi, Jharrel Jerome, Mason Gooding, Archie Renaux, Chance Perdomo, Luka Sabbat, Bright Vachirawit, Ncuti Gatwa, Boun Noppanut, Michael Evans Behling, Sota Fukushi, Eli Goree, Zethphan Smith-Gneist, Shô Kasamatsu, Jonathan Daviss, Brandon Perea, Eddie Liu, Rafael Silva, Shayan Sobhian, Jan Luis Castellanos Wolfgang Novogratz

FCs in their 30's: Alp Navruz, Regé-Jean Page, Martin Sensmeier, Kiowa Gordan, Alex Meraz, Charles Melton, Riz Ahmed, Mena Massoud, Charles Michael Davis, Logan Lerman, Avan Jogia, Casey Deidrick, Ryu Junyeol, Chay Suede, Keita Machida, Michael B. Jordan, Manny Jacinto, Rahul Kohli, Alfie Enoch, Sen Mitsuji, Tomer Capone, Harvey Guillén, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Song Joongki, Daniel Kaluuya, Drew Ray Tanner, José Ramón Barreto, Lewis Tan, Ekin Koç, Lakeith Stanfield, Penn Badgley, John Boyega, Jeremy Allen White, Steven Yeun, Clayton Cardenas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Miguel Gomez, Aldis Hodge

FCs in their 40's+: Omar Sy, Taika Waiti, Ricky Whittle, Gil Birmingham, Idris Elba, Gong Yoo, Michael Ealy, Kim Jihoon, Isaiah Mustafa, Michiel Huisman, Lee Dongwook, Mads Mikkelsen, Danny Sapani, Samuel L Jackson, Bill Hader, Mahershala Ali, Cillian Murphy, Daniel Henney, Ben Barnes, Pedro Pascal

[rookie-critic]

The Black Phone (2022, dir. Scott Derrickson) - review by Rookie-Critic

The Black Phone was incredible. Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, and Madeleine McGraw give some of the best performances of the year so far and Scott Derrickson proves once again that he is a horror director to be respected. He has, without a doubt, made scarier films (Sinister is one of the more terrifying movies of recent memory), but the story in this one is undeniably his best yet. While it's definitely not the scariest film he's made, it's not without it's moments. Even more so than the fear, the suspense and intensity of the film are high, and there were moments that my heart was genuinely racing. I'm very glad Derrickson had creative differences with Marvel over Multiverse of Madness, because it's the thing that allowed him to make this absolute gem of a film (and Multiverse ended up just being ok anyway. No disrespect to Sam Raimi, but it kinda makes you wonder what Derrickson would have done with it.). When the credits started rolling, I was kind of upset knowing that the Elvis movie would definitely overshadow this one with them being released the same weekend. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Elvis is fine, but I can almost guarantee that this movie is way better. It is hands down my second favorite of the year so far behind Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.

(For context, this review was written on June 26, my rankings of this year's films has shuffled around a ton since then.)

Score: 10/10

Currently streaming on Peacock.

[justthegreat1]

Answer The Call: The Black Phone Review

I know I’m a little bit late for this review as “The Black Phone” came out on June 24th,2022. But this movie is something I have been wanting to talk about for a while and I didn’t get a chance to do that until now. I’m going to give you my spoiler free thoughts about this movie.

The Black Phone is a 2022 horror film directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister and Doctor Strange) who also produced this movie, The Black Phone is produced by Jason Blum and C. Robert Cargill. The executive producers are Joe Hill, who is Stephen King’s son (and the movie has that Stephen King elements), Ryan Turek, and Christopher H. Warner. The cast involves Ethan Hawke (Sinister) as The Grabber, Mason Thames as Finney, Miguel Cazarez Mora as Robin Arellano, Madeline McGraw as Gwendolyn “Gwen” Blake, Jeremy Davies as Terrence Blake, James Ransone (Sinister, Sinister 2, and IT chapter two), Tristan Pravong as Bruce Yamada, Jacob Moran as Billy Showalter, Banks Repeta as Griffin Stagg, Brady Hepner as Vance Hopper, Rebecca Clarke as Donna, Gaven Wilde as Moose, Spencer Fitzgerald as Buzz, Jordan Isaiah White as Matty, and Brady Ryan as Matt.

The Plot:

After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims.

Positives:

One of the many positives I have about this movie is the cast, and I know I said this in my “Scream (2022)” review, but the cast worked so well together. I really enjoyed Ethan Hawke’s performance as The Grabber as it sent chills down my spine when I saw him wearing that mask and the dialogue he had in the movie. I loved the performance of Mason Thames and Madeline McGraw as brother Finney and sister Gwendolyn Blake as they felt like actual siblings trying to protect each other and their performances make the audience hope that they get reunited.

Pictured above is Ethan Hawke as The Grabber

Image credit: Universal Pictures and BlumHouse Studios

The second positive I have is how faithful the movie was to the short story which can be read over here, The Black Phone short story by Joe Hill. I really loved the fact that Scott Derrickson includes elements from the story while telling his own story. Now it may seem cliché to some, but I believe that adaptations of stories can be faithful to the source material while telling their own story has the potential to be good or at least decent…but that’s just my opinion.

The third positive I have is that the victims felt like actual people and not meaningless characters that killed off with no consequences. These victims matter and it pays off in the finale. As the movie progresses, we get to learn some backstory on some of the victims and that makes the movie so disturbing.

Negatives:

One negative I have about the movie is that we do not learn about The Grabber played by Ethan Hawke’s backstory. With the movie having a budget of $16 million and earning over $150 million, Here’s hoping that we get a prequel exploring The Grabber’s backstory and his motivations.

My overall thoughts

After watching this movie, I can say that this movie has the potential to be a classic for future generations. This movie is one of my favorite horror movies of 2022 as it delivered on the scares, the chills, and the thrills. The characters were amazing, I enjoyed the soundtrack, and it had many edge of your seat moments.

What did you think about The Black Phone?

Feel free to leave a comment

The Black Phone trailer:

The Black Phone Trailer (2022)

Where to watch The Black Phone?

Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital Retailers, and Peacock

Sources of Information:

IMDB-The Black Phone

The Black Phone short story by Joe Hill

CNBC: Blumhouse’s ‘The Black Phone’ shows that horror, and original storytelling have a place at the box office.

 Pictured above is “The Black Phone” poster. Image credit: Universal Pictures and BlumHouse Studios

[the2awakening]

♡ Cast ♡

Love interests

♡ Damien Thorn

♡ Estella Havisham

♡ Christophe Delorne

♡ Phillip Pirrip

♡ Herbert Pocket

♡ Gary Harrison

♡ Gregory Thibault

♡ Cosette

♡ Alejandro White

♡ David Rodriguez

♡ Leslie Meyers

♡ Terrance Mephesto

♡ Trent Boyett

♡ Jimmy Valmer

♡ Thomas Lacey

♡ Tweek Tweak

♡ Mike Makowski

♡ Lizzy

Non-love interests

☆ Mark Cotswolds

☆ Rebecca Cotswolds

☆ Kyle Broflovski

☆ …Muffy.

☆ Jason White

☆ Josh Myers

☆ Linda Triscotti

☆ Red McArthur

☆ Henry Kline

☆ Scott Malkinson

☆ Bobby Palmer

☆ Adam Borque

☆ Clyde Donovan

Potentials

✿ New Kid

✿ Sophie Gray

✿ Pete Thelman

✿ Michael

✿ Tammy Warner

✿ Nichole Daniels

✿ Tolkien Black

✿ Kevin Stoley

✿ Kenny McCormick

✿ Corey Lanskin

✿ Thad Jarvis

✿ Heidi Turner

✿ Isaiah Jordan

✿ Kelly-Ann Barlow