#( opposite: james mcallister. )
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Oliver Jackson-Cohen, on Bly Manor and Other Things That Haunt Him
by Diana Colcer for Cosmopolitan Romania, 24 October 2020
Energetic, suave, and anchored in the reality of the problems around us, Oliver Jackson-Cohen is part of a generation of actors looking for something else, something that will remain imprinted in the collective memory. I talked about this with the actor you know from The Haunting - by the way, the latest season, The Haunting of Bly Manor, now on Netflix, is the ideal choice for a scary night, if you want to spend Halloween at home this year. Let's see what Oliver Jackson-Cohen has to say about Bly Manor and other things that haunt him.
"Why choose a role that's safe when you can take risks?" This is the question that came to my mind as I was documenting the interview with Oliver Jackson-Cohen. Because that's what I was gathering from the things we know about him. You first saw Oliver as Luke in The Haunting of Hill House - and now, just in time for Halloween, you can see him again alongside Victoria Pedretti in the even scarier second season, The Haunting of Bly Manor. In this adaptation of the short ghost story The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, Oliver Jackson-Cohen plays the charming and manipulative Peter Quint, a character who hides many scary secrets and… I won't give away more!
So you understand what I'm talking about: Oliver is used to playing characters haunted both by their own inner conflicts (PTSD due to childhood traumas, drug addiction, etc.) and, well, ghosts. And the answer to the question at the beginning of the text, which I did not ask out loud, was given to me while I was talking to him. Born in London, Oliver, the son of fashion designer Betty Jackson, has dedicated his entire career to a different philosophy of acting, starting from the premise that fear makes you grow, develop and get out of your comfort zone.
And that's exactly how most of his roles are. After the BBC drama Larkrise to Candleford, he starred in the Emmy Award-nominated mini-series World Without End, then in shows such as Dracula and Man in an Orange Shirt. In real life, when he "strips off" his characters, Oliver is a guy oozing charisma and sex appeal: he’s 1.91m tall and has a pair of blue eyes in which you can get really lost, an extremely attractive and a style of being (and, let’s face it, dressing) extremely cool.
So, he’s one to watch, and, as such, we invite you to read the interview he gave us exclusively for Cosmopolitan Romania, after which we found out spectacular details about the unseen parts of horror, fashion, lifestyle and what Oliver Jackson-Cohen has something to say about Bly Manor and other things that haunt him.
What made you determined, at only 6 years old, to become an actor?
Simple! I saw Home Alone at the movies and suddenly I wanted to be Kevin McAllister. I just couldn't believe a child was appearing in a movie. I remember my father explaining to me that he was an actor and then I said to myself, "Well, I'll do all that, too."
Many people who discover their dream at such a young age change their minds later. How did you stay in acting?
Looking back, it was probably a stupid thought [process]. But I became fascinated by how you can disappear into another world and how you can become whoever you want. I still think that these things are what kept up my passion for acting. I love the whole process behind this job and the way you translate into reality something that is not, in fact, real. It's also been about luck, I admit - that people pay me to do that, and that's how I make a living.
You appeared in the first season of The Haunting of Hill House as Luke Crain. I was impressed with how you managed to get Luke away from the typical drug addict stereotype. How did you avoid this cliché?
I have seen many portrayals of drug addicts over the years and I wanted to show what the person behind the addiction is like, the one who is not defined by this addiction. I think that's an extremely important thing. All over the world, people are struggling with drug addiction and, most of the time, they are excluded and marginalised because of this, but also because they are seen only in this way, as addicts. I didn't intend to do this with Luke. I felt that it was essential for the public to see the man in him, to see that he is someone who is really shaken inside, someone who has lost control of what is happening to him, but who is always trying to control his addiction.
As a society, we usually condemn or shun such people. We need more empathy in these cases, and these people need to receive the attention shown primarily to them, not to the addiction they suffer from.
When your work is so rigorous, so emotional, I imagine it consumes you a lot to play a character who has struggled with addictions all his life. How do you detach yourself from this intensity?
I can't tell you exactly. I don't think you can, to be honest. For the series The Haunting… the filming was long and stressful for all the actors, but also for the crew. I think you have to gradually detach yourself from the story, as much as you can, when you get home, but at the same time, you have to stay in the character's shoes, because the next day you return to the set for a new round of filming. It was a demanding experience, but it was worth it.
Is there anything you wish you’d known before you started working a horror TV show? Or about a series with an intense family drama?
Know that it's not that scary when you're filming. Not at all. I started working from the pre-production phase and I knew it was going to be a ghost series… and, initially, I had the impression that there was always “someone” in my Atlanta apartment. But from the moment you get on set, you realise that the series about ghosts is just another job. The coolest thing when you are part of a horror series is when you realise, in the end, that you can watch it [later] without any problems, because all the tension and panic are built up in the editing process.
I know you're a big fan of the horror genre in general. Is it an area you want to explore further?
I think so. But I wouldn't say that I intended, from the beginning, specifically, to explore any certain genre. Everything is, in fact, in the characters. Always. If it's an interesting role, I definitely want it. But what I find incredible about this genre is that the dose of horror is often a metaphor for other elements of our lives. But when horror is done properly, it can affect us incredibly, which is true.
You're back to haunt us again in the second season of the Netflix anthology series, this time called The Haunting of Bly Manor. What can you tell me about the new character you play?
I'm afraid I don't want to reveal too much and I'd rather you watch the show and form your own impression. All I can say is that the new series, Bly Manor, is completely different from the first, which I like. My current character, a young man named Peter, is the polar opposite of Luke, so for me, as an actor, he was wonderful. Ah, also don’t even try to watch this season at night, alone at home, because the plot is really creepy!
About The Invisible Man, another classic monster comeback, in which you play alongside Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale), what can you tell me?
The film debates the notion of ownership of a person (editor’s note: Jackson-Cohen's character is a sociopath obsessed with control, and we don't know if he terrorises his ex-girlfriend as a ghost or if he actually staged his death). I look forward to seeing how this film will be received by the public, because Leigh Whannell is an incredible screenwriter and director. He wrote a fresh story, which I find brilliant, which follows the Invisible Man in the context of connections with other characters, but also with real people. It's a very clever movie.
How would you best describe yourself using the title of a movie?
Hm… The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, the classic directed by Sergio Leone in 1966.
Are you into fashion?
Yes, I really am. I was raised by my parents who worked in the fashion industry, which influenced me quite a lot over the years.
Do you wear high-fashion pieces in everyday life?
Why not?!
Your mother is the designer Betty Jackson. Has he ever given you advice on clothing style?
I don't know if she gave me style advice in the true sense of the word, but it's great to talk to her about style and clothes. Her belief has always been one like "Wear something that makes you feel good,” so I adopted this perspective as well. She is an incredible woman, with a good eye for fashion, so she often helps me.
You divide your life between London and Los Angeles. How do men groom themselves in the two cities? Have you noticed different approaches?
Probably. LA is a more eccentric place in terms of style and fashion, with more pressure to that end, at least from what I've noticed. In Los Angeles, it's more important to look good physically. In London, on the other hand, it seems more important to combine clothes and accessories in a cool and smart way.
How do you stay in shape?
I honestly don’t care. I only exercise when I have to, and when I don't have to, I eat everything I can. I go to the gym if I notice that my weight is getting out of control.
What do you like to do in your free time?
To be the laziest person. Seriously. I would love to count all the hours I’ve spent sleeping or lazing around!
#oliver jackson-cohen#oliver jackson cohen#peter quint#luke crain#thobm#the haunting of bly manor#the invisible man#interviews#2020#photo shoots#translated by me and google
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Dead Poets Society: The Story
Dead Poets Society opens in a pretty traditional way: with the first day of school.
It’s the beginning of a fresh school year for transfer student Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), new, shy kid on the block at Welton Academy, a prestigious prep-school for boys, located in Vermont. At the opening ceremony, older recruits march through a church, down the aisles full of other students, carrying banners that display the words: Tradition, Discipline, Honor, and Excellence. New students light candles, and, most importantly, headmaster Nolan takes to the podium to welcome the new students, and shy, quiet Todd Anderson sits in the pew, looking nervous as Headmaster Nolan begins his speech, discussing the four Pillars of the school, the prestigious nature of the establishment, and introducing the new English teacher: John Keating (Robin Williams).
The panel of teachers, sitting behind Nolan, is notably older and grayer than Keating, who, while not a terribly young man, is considerably more lively and animated than his new colleagues. This will be important later, but not right now. (Spoilers below!)
After the ceremony, the courtyard in front of the school is full of parents saying goodbye to their sons. It is here that we learn something interesting about Todd: he has, as Nolan puts it, “big shoes to fill” . As it turns out, Todd’s older brother was a student here, and a pretty good one. Even more nervous, Todd files out of the courtyard with the rest of the students, where we meet Todd’s to-be roomate: Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard).
Neil Perry seems to be Todd’s complete opposite in personality. He’s confident, and out-going, and is expected by Nolan to be doing ‘great things’ this year. He takes Todd up to their dorm room, and there, Todd meets Neil’s friends: Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles), Richard Cameron (Dylan Kussman), Stephen Meeks (Allelon Ruggiero), Gerard Pitts (James Waterson), and Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen). The boys get comfortable in Neil and Todd’s room, teasing Neil for being made to take chemistry courses over the summer. The laid-back nature of the introductions is cut short, however, by a knock at the door.
It’s Neil Perry’s father (Kurtwood Smith).
Mr. Perry tells Neil that he has spoken to Mr. Nolan, and has cut all of Neil’s extra-curricular activities for the year, including the school yearbook, as he doesn’t want Neil distracted from the end-goal of medical school. Neil tries to argue, but is quickly shot down.
After Mr. Perry leaves, the other boys encourage Neil to stand up to his father, but he refuses, resigned to doing what he’s told. The other boys leave, inviting Todd to join them for a Latin study group the next day.
The next day, on the first true day of classes, the boys pass through lesson after lesson, taught by wizened, distinguished men who bore their students to tears.
And then comes English class.
Mr. Keating enters the room, passes his entire classroom, and heads for the opposite door, telling his class to follow him. Confused, the class obeys.
Keating takes them out to the hallway, encouraging them to look at the case full of pictures of Welham alumnus, and tells them that those who first attended Welton, explaining that these people who were once young, are now old, or even dead.
“Carpe diem, seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.”
He also recites to them some poetry:
“O Captain, my Captain. Who knows where that comes from? Anybody? Not a clue? It’s from a poem by Walt Whitman about Mr. Abraham Lincoln. Now in this class you can either call me Mr. Keating, or if you’re slightly more daring, O Captain my Captain.”
After class, Cameron remarks that Keating seems rather odd, but the rest of the boys seem to like him, or at least, find him interesting. While the boys hit the showers, Knox reveals that he has to attend a dinner at the Danburys’ (whoever they are, more on that later) explaining that he can’t meet to study with them tonight. The boys pick on him a little and then invite Todd, who doesn’t seem to be on board for the plan.
That night, the boys meet to study, and Knox comes in late, elated. See, he’s met the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen: Chris. The bad news is that she’s engaged to a guy named Chet, but that doesn’t seem to deter Knox that much. He remains completely smitten.
The next day, Keating’s class remains as unconventional as the day before. This is no course where the first class is fun and then it’s down to business the next day: Keating seems to mean business about seizing the day.
He opens class by requesting that Cameron reads the first page of the introduction of their poetry book, an introduction about how to rate a poem’s ‘greatness score’. As he reads, Keating writes on the board, allowing him to reach the end of the page before telling Cameron, and the rest of the class, to rip out the introduction.
At first, the class hesitates, but after a moment, many of the students gleefully obey. As they tear out the pages, another teacher, Mr. McAllister stops to investigate. Keating explains that he is teaching the boys to think for themselves, to enjoy the use of language and the power of words.
“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”
The boys contemplate this as Keating adds:
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, “O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?” Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”
At dinner, McAllister sits next to Keating and chastises him warningly about his choice to educate the boys to think for themselves, encouraging them to be creative.
“Show me the heart unfettered by foolish dreams and I’ll show you a happy man,” McAllister quotes.
Keating smiles and replies with a verse of his own: “But only in their dreams can men be truly free. ‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be.”
At their own table, the boys unearth an old yearbook, searching for Mr. Keating’s page. They learn that he was involved in a group called the ‘Dead Poets Society’.
Curiosity piqued, the boys ask Keating about the Dead Poets Society after dinner. Keating explains that it was a secret society, inspired by the words of Henry David Thoreau to ‘suck the marrow out of life’. This group would gather in a nearby cave and read poetry aloud, and write some of their own.
Neil suggests to the rest of the boys in private that they should revive the Dead Poets Society and meet that night. In his room, he finds a book called Five Centuries of Verse, with an inscription from Keating: the opening to every Dead Poets Society meeting.
“I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I had come to die, discover that I had not lived.”
That night, the boys all sneak out of the school and meet in the caves. Neil begins the meeting, reading the opening, and then the group takes turns reading poems and talking, getting progressively more spirited. After a while, they conclude, heading back to the school and singing.
The next day, in English class, Mr. Keating shows the boys how to read Shakespeare: not dull and stuffy, but full of life, (doing impressions of Marlon Brando and John Wayne to illustrate) and then does something even stranger.
Keating climbs onto his desk and asks the class why he does this. Charlie suggests that it is to feel taller.
“No! Thank you for playing, Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.”
With that, Keating encourages his class, one at a time, to stand on his desk, looking at the room from a different perspective. As class comes to a close, Keating announces that the boys are to write, and then read aloud, their own poems, privately telling Todd that he is quite aware how much this assignment must scare him.
In his room, Todd attempts to write a poem as Neil bursts in, full of excitement. He has discovered a flier for a community play of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and intends to try out, realizing that he wants to be an actor. He says:
“For the first time in my whole life, I know what I wanna do! And for the first time, I’m gonna do it! Whether my father wants me to or not! Carpe diem!”
The next class, Keating takes the boys out to the field, handing them each a line of poetry. He begins an exercise where each boy must read aloud the line before running up and kicking a ball, one after another, while he plays classical music. Directly after, Neil blazes through the dorm, shouting that he’s secured the part in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, his enthusiasm undaunted by the fact that his father will never write the approval letter necessary. He forges the necessary letter from his father for the theater and the school principal as Todd looks on.
It is the next English class, and it is time to read the poems from the class. Knox, who has ridden his bike to Chris’s school to watch her at least once, reads aloud a poem dedicated to her. Other students read, and finally, it comes time for Todd’s turn.
Todd, as it turns out, hasn’t written a poem.
Undaunted, Keating brings Todd to the front of the class, covering his eyes and encouraging him, helping him create a poem on the spot. Todd’s spontaneous poem brings the class to applause, and Mr. Keating moves the class outside for some more ‘poetry in motion’.
At this point in the story, we’ve got a lot of information about quite a few characters.
Protagonists Todd and Neil, originally apparently the opposites of one another, are similar in pressures from home: Todd to be like his older brother, and Neil to follow the carefully laid plan that his father has set out for him. Neil is already moving outside of that plan, pursuing acting, and Todd, with some encouragement, manages to come up with an intense poem in front of an entire class, despite his shyness.
Even the other boys in the group have unique characterization: Charlie, the anything-for-a-joke class clown, Knox, the hopeless romantic, and Cameron, the reluctant tag-along. (Meeks and Pitts are there too, but they have far less screen time and personality than the rest of the DPS.) We as an audience are watching their growth and personal arcs after the catalyst that is John Keating.
Oddly enough, Keating is the main character that we spend the least amount of time with, and know the least about. We don’t know a lot about his home life, or what his background is, or what his thoughts are. All we see is his direct influence on the boys at the school, and his unintentional inspiration to restart the Dead Poets Society.
Speaking of which:
At the next Dead Poets Society meeting, Knox seems uneasy, announcing that he’s going to kill himself if he can’t be with Chris, and leaves the meeting to call her. The boys follow, cheering him on, as he makes the call, hanging up at first, before working up his nerve (Carpe Diem) to call her again. Chris invites Knox to a party, saying she was thinking about calling him, and elated, Knox accepts the invitation.
The next night is the night of the party. Knox heads off to the Danbury house, where he’s swallowed up by a rowdy crowd of teenagers. Soon enough, Knox (and everybody else) is at varying levels of intoxicated. Inhibitions loosened, Knox kisses the forehead of a passed-out Chris, enraging her boyfriend and starting a fight, ending the party abruptly.
Meanwhile, Todd is given the exact same birthday present as last year: a desk set that he didn’t even like, yet another sign of his parents not really paying attention to him. Neil, noticing Todd’s disappointment, cheers him up, throwing the desk set off the roof, before taking him to another Dead Poets Society Meeting, where Charlie (now insisting on being called Nuwanda) has brought girls in to impress them with poetry.
Charlie also announces that he published an article in the school newspaper demanding that girls be admitted to Welton, signing it the Dead Poets Society. The rest of the group is justifiably angry, afraid that this will put the school’s administration onto them.
Sure enough, at an assembly, Headmaster Nolan demands to know which of the students was responsible for the article. At first, none of the students come clean, until a phone rings.
Charlie picks it up, and announces that it’s from God, saying they should admit girls to Welton.
This prank inevitably ends with Charlie getting paddled in the Headmaster’s office (1959, remember?) and threatened with expulsion. Nolan wants the names of the other members of the Dead Poets Society, but Charlie won’t tell.
After dismissing Charlie, Nolan calls Keating in, questioning him about his teaching methods. Keating explains that he’s trying to teach the boys individualism.
“I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.”
“At these boys’ age? Not on your life!”
Afterwards, Keating approaches the boys, specifically Charlie, and gently scolds him for his stunt.
“There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for,” he says, explaining that being stupid is not the same as being an individual.
This is a common theme of the entire story, actually. As much as Keating encourages free-thinking and exploration of ideas, he knows the difference between bucking authority for the sake of it versus nonconformity. Each of the boys is exploring this aspect in their own way, from Todd’s slow-growing confidence to Neil’s direct disobedience of his father’s oppressive plan to Charlie’s defiance, even to Cameron’s caution against ‘disobeying rules’. Dead Poets Society is a story about encouraging people to think for themselves, but to be wise about what they do once they start, and while some are more obvious than others (Charlie’s foolishness and Knox’s overzealousness contrasted with Cameron’s blind following of ‘the rules’, all portrayed as kind of problematic), some examples are more ambiguous.
Such is the case with Neil.
After a rehearsal for the play, Neil comes back to his dorm to find his father, very displeased with him. He’s incredibly angry about Neil joining the play, and instructs him to quit the play the next morning, the same day as the first performance. Upset, Neil goes to Mr. Keating’s office to ask him for advice.
Keating listens to him, and suggests trying to talk to his father, for Neil to show him how passionate he is about acting so that he will allow him to do the play, encouraging him to come to his father earnestly before the play.
On a slightly lighter note, Knox enters Chris’s high school and follows her to class with flowers, trying to apologize for the previous night. She’s understandably embarrassed and tells him that her boyfriend, Chet, is still upset with Knox and is out to get him. Undeterred, Knox follows her into class and reads a poem about Chris aloud, in front of all of her classmates.
Remember what I said about ‘wise’ ways to deal with free thinking?
A little later, Neil lies to Keating, telling him that he’s talked to his father, and that he’s allowed to stay in the play.
The next night, Keating and the boys prepare to go see Neil perform, with Chris even turning up and deciding to accompany Knox to the play. It’s well worth it. Neil is in his element, comfortable and dynamic on stage, and his classmates and teacher cheer him on, awestruck by his talent.
Before the last monologue, Neil spots his father, entering the theater. Clearly daunted, he goes out and sells his final monologue anyway, to the wild applause of the audience.
All but his father.
After the performance, Neil’s father brings him home, informing him that he is being pulled out of Welton, and enrolled into a military school, immediately followed by medical school. Neil attempts to argue, to plead his case, but his father shuts him down, and Neil stops arguing.
Later that night, after his parents go to bed, Neil sneaks into his parents’ room wearing his costume, opens the drawer, taking his father’s gun, before retreating to his father’s study and killing himself.
It is right here that the movie goes from a good, even average film about ‘seizing the day’ and living life to the fullest, to a great movie about the consequences of doing it.
In another movie, Neil’s father would have seen the performance and realized his son was right. Or if he hadn’t, Neil would have finally stood up for himself, and his parents might have seen the light.
In another film, Neil wouldn’t have died. Especially not like that.
It is this moment, this gear-switch, that the audience is forced to contend with the implications, the fallout of these actions, and that sometimes, even ‘seizing the day’ is impossible, depending on your circumstances.
It’s not an easy idea to swallow. It’s not one we’re used to in movies. But it’s here, nonetheless.
Back at Welton, the boys tearfully wake Todd up to tell him the news. Upset, Todd runs out into the snow, as the boys follow. He remarks on how beautiful the snow is before throwing up and breaking down, rushing into the snow alone. In the classroom, Mr. Keating paces empty desks, arriving at Neil’s and removing the poetry book he left for him with the Dead Poets Society inscription.
The next morning, it turns out that the fallout affects more than Neil.
Headmaster Nolan announces that he intends to conduct an investigation into what happened. The boys gather to talk as Nolan interrogates Cameron, the rule-abider. The remaining Dead Poets are certain that Cameron is going to sell them out, and sure enough, that’s exactly what he does. Cameron enters, telling the group that he told them everything, and that they all should too, as it’s too late to save Keating, but not to save themselves.
Charlie reacts to this by punching Cameron in the face, getting him expelled.
The next boy called in is Todd, who enters Nolan’s office to find his parents there, too. Nervously, he sits as Nolan tries to get Todd to sign a document blaming Mr. Keating for Neil’s death. Todd glances at the page: the rest of the Dead Poets have signed too.
Later, in English class, Headmaster Nolan arrives and announces that he will be teaching until they can find a permanent replacement for Keating. As he opens class (encouraging people to read the ‘excellent’ ripped out introduction from the book) Keating enters the room to collect his things. After long moments of silence of the boys keeping their heads down as Keating gathers his belongings, Todd finally breaks, calling out to Mr. Keating and telling him that the school forced them to sign the confession.
As Nolan tries to get him to sit down, Todd shouts out: “O Captain, My Captain”, and stands on his desk. Many other students follow, one by one, as Keating tearfully watches.
Keating gratefully thanks the boys, and the film ends on a closeup of Todd’s face, after he’s finally stood up for himself, and seized the day.
Make no mistake, this is not a happy ending. Keating is forced to leave the school. Neil has taken his own life, trapped into a lifetime he didn’t want. Charlie has been expelled, and it’s likely the rest of the boys will be too. This is a movie based on, and ending with, great uncertainty. Not every boy stood up. Not everyone is coming out of this okay.
The question is, what are we supposed to take away from this?
The message of the film, the core theme that people remember, is Seize the Day. And yet, of those who ‘Seize the Day’, very few come out of it unscathed, if any. Instead, people are left with heartbreak, making bad decisions or, even if the decisions may have been morally ‘right’, or what they felt they had to do, consequences must follow. Charlie’s overzealous sense of humor and bucking of authority gets him expelled. Knox’s over-the-top romanticization of Chris nearly drives her away and gets him in trouble. Neil kills himself because the restricting nature of his family won’t allow him to ‘Seize the Day’.
And Todd?
Todd finally speaks out, but too late to fix any of the damage.
Despite the focus on Mr. Keating in most of the promotional material, the protagonist of the movie is, of course, Todd. Once Neil dies, Todd is who we are left with, and it is Todd who changes from shy boy who won’t speak out to the leader of a final daring farewell to a teacher that changed his life. He’s the one that grows. He changes.
It’s just too little too late.
The story of Dead Poets Society is a sobering one, and not exactly a story you’d expect. The first two-thirds could have been part of any typical, ‘feel good’ teen drama about self-discovery, but the last third takes expectations and turns them on their head. This is real life: it doesn’t always work out. People get fired for trying to do the right thing. Parents don’t see the harmful impact they have on their children. People value rules and tradition over the dreams of the young.
It is in this devastating third act that Dead Poets Society earns its place as a classic: by refusing to allow the cliched beginnings to define its ending.
It would have been so easy to allow Neil to convince his father to allow him to act. It would have been simple to allow Keating to change the mind of the establishment, for the Dead Poets to take Welton by storm.
But real life doesn’t always work out like that. Sometimes, the way we go about ‘seizing the day’ can end badly depending on our circumstances and the wisdom in the method we choose. The film isn’t telling us how to do it right. It’s showing you the lives of people who did it wrong, or at least, who seized the day, tried to make their lives extraordinary, and failed, due to many different reasons.
But.
That doesn’t mean we should stop trying.
For every failure, for every mistake (Neil sneaking to do the play, Charlie’s pranks, etc.), Todd’s example stands above and beyond. Yes, he might get into trouble. But this moment, this act of telling a beloved teacher that his work was not in vain, that his students will remember him, that he was not to blame, feels right. This is what he is supposed to do.
We cheer for that moment, we feel the weight of the movie lift just a smidge, because in the end, we have to seize the day. We have to try to make our lives extraordinary, but we have to find the right way to do it, the wise way to do it.
Because, for all of the mistakes made, Keating is right: Words and ideas will change the world. It is up to us how to use them, when to use daring, or caution, and in the end, try to find the meeting place between doing what is right, and doing what is true to yourself.
The ending is uncertain, yes. But it’s the only satisfying ending that an honest movie could give us.
Dead Poets Society is an emotional story, bringing up questions about non-conformity and following the rules that go beyond a surface: ‘yes or no’. A gripping story full of great performances, a warm atmosphere, and immortal dialogue, Dead Poets Society will continue to be a testament to words as long as we care to use them.
In the articles ahead, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the other important elements of Dead Poets Society, so if you enjoyed this one, stick around and join us! Don’t forget to leave a comment, like, or some other form of love if you enjoyed it, and follow for more! Thanks so much for reading, and I hope to see you in the next article.
#1989#80s#Dead Poets Society#Dead Poets Society 1989#Comedy#Drama#Dylan Kussman#Ethan Hawke#Film#Gale Hansen#Josh Charles#Kurtwood Smith#Movies#Peter Weir#PG#Robert Sean Leonard#Robin Williams
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"i meant every word." for jillow.
“ --- Is that supposed to mean that I never did?” Sharp words cut through the girl’s scoff, like a metaphorical dagger slicing through her words like ice, coated in defeat and weary excuses. Even so much as an even glance toward James meant that she was waving her white flag of surrenderance. They had become professional pretenders in the name of fake love, every calculating grasp of their hands like it was accidental, though almost as if their palms were magnetically attracted to each other. Every shameless peck on the cheek in front of leisure followers in their wake. It shouldn’t have devastated Willow in the way that it did. The agreement was all capitalized in the name of jealousy. Regina. Even the name passing her lips felt like venom evaporating into the air like a line of destruction. But if it was one thing Willow could think of, it was that she was grateful to have been placed in this situation. Up until now, she didn’t believe in her skills of acting like she was in love with the boy every girl had seemingly talked about behind his back like a famous icon. It wasn’t the fact that in Vanderbilt’s regard, his talent on the football field brought him the recognition and the admiration. It was solely based on every idiosyncrasy that shaped him into the mold of James McAllister. Not only the Vanderbilt quarterback, but so much more. “Maybe we should just stop.. There’s no point in continuing this plan since Regina’s already made it clear she’d have my head served on a silver platter the minute you leave me alone with her.” Distressed fingertips tapped timorous on the marble countertop as Willow used all of her might to not meet the gaze of his own. It felt like a cheat code that would suddenly unlock every suppressed and undiscovered feeling that would leave her in reproach. “It’s not making it any easier that your favourite movie is Fight Club, or the fact that you spent your entire Sunday, after playing in the most intense rivalry game of your life and beat Georgia, watching The Breakfast Club with me and my little sister to ‘figure out everything about me just in case someone asked you’.” A pause. A beat that she despairingly needed before coughing up and inevitably spilling every secret she’d ever had to keep to herself regarding the dirty blonde in front of her. “It’s not because I know your middle name is Maxwell, or that you make an effort to be respectful and kind to my father to impress him without even really trying. And it’s not because I know it’s your dream to one day play in the NFL and make all of your fantasies come true.” There was no end in sight, no light at the end of the tunnel as Willow word vomited all over the kitchen floor, still her caramel orbs stuck to the lining of the grout in the tiled floor beneath her. “It’s because no matter how much I act like you’re my boyfriend and that we have to tell people that our relationship is real, there’s nothing more in the entire world that I want more than for it all to be real. And I promise you, every lie I’ve ever told about you was actually the opposite. And I’m sorry...but I can’t keep this up anymore. You deserve someone who’s willing to do this and not be confused. I’m not the one for you.”
"focus on my voice." for relena.
Sweat soaked hair matted itself to Roman’s head, his lungs regretting to allow air to pass through his body. It wasn’t until Selena whisked the apples of his cheeks into her palms, her eyes zoning in on his as he finally realized the air he’d been holding was caught in his throat. Focus on my voice. And focus he did, however it was set up just like a Hollywood soap opera, their situation tying all of their hands behind their backs. Roman was less than well equipped in the field of delivering a baby. Bringing his thumb up to stroke the lining of her jaw, it was a jolt of abrupt panic every time she ached in pain. It was nearly comical that his raven haired partner was wasting her precious energy keeping him afloat. “I am.” His mumbled whisper like a prayer as every effort of trying to soothe her proved to be difficult. They were alone, just the two of them, like acceptance of whatever the outcome, it would always be the two of them in the end of it all. Each lull came with a soft brightness of calm that was nearly lost time within the minute that followed. “I can’t believe you’re having to tell me to calm down. Have I ever told you how strong you are?” Her silent nod prompted a soft chuckle to repress from his chest. If they didn’t laugh, the only option left was to cry, despite Roman’s promise to himself that he would salvage all of his tears for the aftermath. Before he knew it, it came to the moment of bittersweet anticipation and paralyzing fear. Silence captured the room as Roman’s light irises followed his future wife’s every movement. “Do you trust me, Lena? I promise it’s all going to be okay. Just look at me. Whenever you’re ready.” Bursts of adrenaline flourished through every vein in his body, hands as steady as a vibrating crash of waves meeting the lining of the shore bed. With every ounce of strength he had, Roman nodded to Selena. “Take my hand, angel. I’m right here.” After what felt like an eternity meeting the break of dawn, the first breach of a cry came to light, the newborn’s sweet displeasure of discomfort showed signs of life. “You did it, Lena” Roman choked, immediate flow of tears salted his cheeks as he passed their baby onto the chest of Selena. “Can you believe it?” He whispered quietly, his heart swelling in pure joy after the combustion of fear met with the welcome of euphoria as it spread through his entire body. “You just did that, holy crap. I have the most badass wife in the whole world.”
#( finished. )#( otp: you've got that james dean daydream look in your eyes and i've got that red lip classic thing that you like. )#( otp: when you look me in the eyes i catch a glimpse of heaven. )
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ranking a selection of my OCs least to most dumbass
Lafayette Jones: Level-headed. Smart. Cautious. Someone you’d trust to watch your kid and to get them to bed on time.
Levi and Ginny Morningstar: Willing to see the good in situations, but practical at their cores. Don’t kid themselves or others.
Delilah Wells: Naive tendencies, but clever. Street smart. A good egg
Iris and Gideon Benjamin: Vicious, but subtle about it. Know what they want and will pursue nothing further or riskier. Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em (in half, to fit in a barrel of acid)
Aurelia Volpe: Educated, with a crash course in Street Smarts, yet makes rash decisions when it comes to her loved ones that result in the exact opposite of what she intended.
Miranda St. James: Plays up the dumbassery, actually smart as hell. Zero impulse control.
Jules McAllister: Book smart. Book smart. On paper, she’s brilliant. In practice, oh honey. High INT, low WIS at its finest.
Vex Svitlo: Trying Her Best
Corinth Aya TIED WITH Tahki Pelletier: “please make smarter life decisions” vs. “just once will you think before you post please”
Meg Murphy: A fool, a coward
Cassidy Belmont: bless her heart
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Seventh grade. A flash of time that rarely ever passed Willow Cordova’s mind, but when it did, it sent shivers down her spine. Why? It was a time where she was happy. She had friends, her sisters were too young to care, but most of all -- she still had her mother. Spin the bottle was a dangerous game. Willow had never locked lips with a boy before. Her? She was quiet, meek, standoffish. If there was ever a time when a boy kissed her, it would have been on a dare. But that night was different. Her best friend had mentioned a handful of times before that she had a crush on the most popular seventh grader in school. Many instances the girl ignored her pressure, knowing she could never forget the name that passed her lips every time she brought the subject up. His name? James McAllister. Methodically Willow imagined the two of them together, and it made sense. Her friend was beautiful in the physical sense: with beach-waved naturally curly blonde locks that cascaded down her back, oceanic hues that captured anyone’s attention the moment they landed on their prey, and an airheaded voice that had boys swooning at her feet, no matter what subject she talked about. Comparing herself felt detrimental, considering Willow had neither blonde hair, blue eyes, or a pretty voice. She had pin straight dark hair, green hues and a raspy undertone to her voice. Maybe it was because of all the times she held her tongue in public and was visibly uncomfortable speaking out loud, but no matter which way you turned it, they were polar opposites. Somehow she was dragged to a mutual friend’s house to play the God forsaken game that spurred every moment that followed. It was James’ turn to spin and somehow by fate it had landed on Willow. Her eyes grew wide, mouth nearly gaped in surprised before she shook her head with dissatisfaction, knowing her friend’s perfectly cerulean eyes were darting a ring of fire in the side of her temple. “We can spin it again,” she suggested calmly, her gaze never once taking note of the boy in front of her, but instead her best friend.
“If you do that, it’ll be cheating!” The girl heard from a far off bystander who sat in the ring of middle schoolers alike. Needless to say, Willow’s suggestion was shot down. She was now staring her future down as if it were a boulder about to crush her into a million pieces, yet right then, that was what she’d hoped would happen before fate was sealed. What happened next felt like a nano second long before it was over. Her lips puckered up as her back straightened out, not daring to lean in to James as their lips pressed, immediately receding after the connection. A rose coloured blush fell to her cheeks, her eyes shaking as she looked to her friend with mild disappointment and guilt giving her the middle finger. Metaphorically, of course. That day on, her friend had refused to spend any time with Willow, exiling her from the friendship she had thought would be strong for an eternity. But that was seventh grade. Nothing good lasted forever. However, despite losing a friendship over something so trivial, the girl had felt something she had never encountered before. Once arriving home from the party, it was hard to get James McAllister out of her mind. It wasn’t hate that she felt for him, or dislike, even disgust. He was a nice boy, and for a brief moment, Willow felt terrible for running out of the house like a mad woman as if he had done something wrong. He was sweet, kind, compassionate. You could say all of those thoughts collectively brought her to the realization that she had developed a crush on James. She couldn’t tell him about it, that much she knew. Days went by, and every consuming, mind altering thought was about him and that stupid peck. In a last ditch effort to forget about him and to let her feelings go, Willow began to write a love letter, signed to him, with no intention of being sent to his front door. And maybe, just maybe, she could lie her life without her overwhelming emotions taking hold of her.
It didn’t just stop at James. Throughout the years following to her freshman year of college, there had been four other male counterparts that took a piece of Willow Cordova’s heart. One in question being her older sister’s now ex-boyfriend. She knew it was wrong to love someone who was in love with someone else -- that someone else being Harley Cordova whom they shared blood. So, every time she met a boy that made her take flight, her pen was immediately down on the paper, allowing her to spill all of the secrets that threatened to boil over her. A safe place that she decided to keep her letters in was a hand me down circular box, green velvet with a bow on top. Stripes of white covered the sides, a total vintage piece of vanity that her mother had left behind when she’d passed. It was almost like she was sharing her own secrets with her mother, they were connected. And every so often, Willow had forgotten about those letters she had written, in hopes that if no one knew, nobody would ask.
Commodore Central. Vanderbilt University was a fresh start, a new beginning to an old, rusty end. Willow wasn’t entirely sure what it was she wanted to study, but she had hoped freshman year would be a good indicator of what there was to offer for her. Coincidentally, her old crush -- one that was easily matted with cob webs and dust, buried into the ground -- James McAllister was on the football team. Every time Willow had passed sorority row, they called out the players’ names, praising them like gods. It wasn’t hard to hear his name as snicker to herself at the fact that she had at one time shared a tender and fleeting moment of her first kiss with him. She never anticipated passing him by on campus, but her memories left a soft impression on her just as it did in seventh grade. But now? She was running, laughing, and waving her past behind her. Literally. With the advantage of a football team needing an updated facility for practice, she was now circling the bend of the track that belonged to the University. “What did you do last night, W?” Jaqueline questioned her, a raised eyebrow on the redhead’s face as if she was unsure of Willow’s answer. With a sharp giggle, Willow gave her exactly what she’d expected. “I finished another book! It was so good, I’ll have to give it to you sometime.” The brunette said, nodding her head as her ponytail whipped back and forth with each hop she took. Willow Cordova felt free, content, and happy. Nothing could disrupt the positive aspiration that filled in her soul.
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Sketchbook page 5: Designer inspiration.
My focus for these pages, is to show the different outcomes of reuse, recycle and patchwork.
Starting at the top right hand side of the page is a Jeremy Scott SS11 Womenswear up-cycled dress made from bin bag material. I thought it was an innovative idea from Jeremy Scott to use plastics as the sheer amount of plastic going to landfill is a big factor with our climate change crisis. Reusing what is available is a tiny step further to a more conscious and sustainable industry.
Directly beneath Jeremy Scott is a designer called Bethany Williams.
“Bethany Williams believes that social and environmental issues go hand in hand and through exploring the connection between these issues we may find innovative design solutions to sustainability.Each garment is 100% sustainable and made in the UK, even down to the buttons which are hand crafted in the Lake District. She has collaborated with TIH Models, a new modelling agency supporting youth in London affected by homelessness, casting Kris McAllister and Mustapha, both homeless and unemployed in London, for the collection Women of Change.” - https://www.fashionrevolution.org/usa-blog/7-fashion-brands-that-are-designing-out-waste/
Opposite Bethany Williams is a photo taken from James Long F/W 2015 Collection. I featured this image due to the patchwork and embellishment. My thumb is covering the image so I will include it below:
The colour palette of the blues all work well with each other, offering different shades, I’d say this is the best way to pull off the double denim look without it looking forced and tacky. Not only that, but the different use of fabrics paired with the denim adds a creative edge to the fit. The different embellishments used on the jeans add to the conceptual finish, with the cargo pockets the ultimate touch for functionality. This is inspiration I could use with my own work, such as the embellishments. I plan to use print as a way to add more edge to my patches.
Directly above James Long, is a reuse and remake piece by Christopher Raeburn, renowned for his sustainability and up-cycling ethos it made sense to include him on this page. Christopher is a designer that I aspire to be in the future, progressing from patchwork and using innovative techniques to bring anything to life. You could go as far to call this genius a Frankenstein of the fashion world.
Moving across to the other page, I’ve featured two catwalk photos from Junya Watabe, once the creative director of Comme Des Garcons, this designer focuses on using denim as the base for his 2015 designers that feature patchwork and reusability. I love the contrast fabrics with the blanket stitch that’s used to sew the patches together. This gives me inspiration for the above techniques to use on my final project.
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Protesters in Bristol dump slave dealer Edward Colston in water(Video)
Edward Colston (1636-1721)
Protesters tore down the statue of Edward Colston, a infamous British slave dealer Sunday.
They then dumped the statue in a harbour.
The removing of the statue got here on the second day of demonstrations towards George Floyd’s demise.
Footage confirmed just a few dozen individuals tie a rope across the neck of Colston’s statue and produce it to the bottom within the southwestern metropolis of Bristol.
They stamped on it for a couple of minutes earlier than carrying it and heaving it into the harbour with an excellent cheer.
The ultimate finish of Edward Colston statue: combo picture
Crimson paint was splashed on Colston’s face and a protestor put his knee to the statue’s neck to recall how Floyd — an unarmed African American — was asphyxiated by a white policeman within the US metropolis of Minneapolis final month.
“The person was a slave dealer. He was good to Bristol but it surely was on the again of slavery and that’s completely not on.
“It’s an insult to the individuals of Bristol,” 71-year-old protestor John McAllister advised Britain’s Press Affiliation.
“As we speak I witness historical past,” one other witness named William Need tweeted.
“The statue of Edward Colston, a Bristol slave dealer, was torn down, defaced, and thrown within the river. #BlackLivesMatter.”
However inside minister Priti Patel known as the toppling “totally disgraceful”.
Town’s police promised to hold out an investigation.
“That speaks to the acts of public dysfunction that really have now develop into a distraction from the trigger which the persons are truly protesting about,” Patel advised Sky Information.
“That may be a fully unacceptable act and speaks to the vandalism, once more, as we noticed yesterday in London.”
The London police reported making 29 arrests throughout a day of largely peaceable protests Saturday that included just a few scuffles with officers defending the federal government district round Downing Avenue.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the sporadic violence however didn’t immediately tackle the toppling of the statue.
“These demonstrations have been subverted by thuggery — and they’re a betrayal of the trigger they purport to serve,” Johnson mentioned in a tweet.
“These accountable will likely be held to account.”
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees struck a extra conciliatory tone than the one adopted by Britain’s inside minister.
“I do know the removing of the Colston Statue will divide opinion, because the statue itself has finished for a few years,” the mayor mentioned in a press release.
“Nevertheless, it’s necessary to hearken to those that discovered the statue to signify an affront to humanity.”
Watch the Video by BBC:
Colston grew up in a rich service provider household and joined an organization in 1680 that had a monopoly on the west African slave commerce.
The Royal African Firm (RAC) was formally headed by the brother of King Charles II who later took the throne as James II.
The corporate branded the slaves — together with ladies and youngsters — with its RAC initials on their chests.
It’s believed to have bought round 100,000 west Africans within the Caribbean and the Americas between 1672 and 1689.
Colston later developed a status as a philanthropist who donated to charitable causes similar to colleges and hospitals in Bristol and London.
His 18-foot (5.5-metre) bronze statue stood on Bristol’s Colston Avenue since 1895. Town additionally has a college named in his honour.
The Guardian newspaper mentioned a neighborhood petition to take away the statue had gathered 11,000 signatures by the weekend.
UK opposition Labour celebration lawmaker Clive Lewis welcomed its toppling by the gang.
“Good,” Lewis tweeted.
“Somebody accountable for immeasurable blood & struggling. We’ll by no means clear up structural racism until we familiarize yourself with our historical past in all its complexity. #BLM”
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Transfer news LIVE: Neymar to Barcelona, Man Utd exit, Real Madrid stance, Arsenal plan | Football | Sport
08:50 UPDATE: Celtic domination prediction
Former Rangers assistant manager Ian Durrant reckons the Gers will have to see Celtic streaking to more titles if they let go of Alfredo Morelos.
“It’s everything,” Durrant said on keeping Morelos. “For both sides of the Old Firm, and if you look at Aberdeen with [Scott] McKenna, it’s important that any team keeps their best players.
“Rangers are going for everything this year now. They are in a good place in Europe, second behind Celtic on goal difference, and Gary McAllister was saying they have a squad to compete on all fronts.
“If you are going to win things, if you are going to win leagues and cups and have a good run in Europe, you need to keep your best players. Morelos is a key factor in that.
“The manager was saying there might be a bid coming in for [James] Tavernier or Morelos so he will be wanting to fend that off and keep the strongest squad squad as he can.
“Hopefully it will be quiet and Rangers can keep him, because if Rangers want to win things, they will need Alfredo Morelos this year.”
08:45 UPDATE: Arsenal to Real Sociedad move on
Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal is being chased by Real Sociedad ahead of Friday night’s Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao.
Express Sport revealed on Tuesday that the La Liga side want to get a deal wrapped up as soon as possible so they can integrate him into their team.
Sociedad have offered Monreal a contract which could keep him in San Sebastian until 2022 and want him to train with them on Wednesday and Thursday if possible.
Whether Arsenal will sanction a deal remains to be seen, with Unai Emery potentially needing the veteran in the absence of Kieran Tierney.
08:15 UPDATE: Neymar stance on Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has informed Leonardo that Barcelona are the only club he wants to join in a blow to Real Madrid’s transfer hopes.
Neymar is high on Real and Barcelona’s wish lists with less than seven days to go before the transfer window closes over in Spain.
The wantaway forward is, though, determined to head back to Barcelona, according to the latest report from Goal.
Neymar’s disregard for Real will leave Florentino Perez at a loss, with the Bernabeu president having already missed out on his signature before.
07:45 UPDATE: Man Utd exit on cards
Manchester United are set to move on Alexis Sanchez with the flop winger on the verge of going on loan to Inter Milan.
Sanchez has endured a torrid spell since swapping Arsenal for United in a deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan head the opposite way last January.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s eagerness to focus on young players and bring through prospects has pushed him further to the fringes.
United chiefs have worked away behind the scenes to get a switch lined up, with Inter poised to loan Sanchez until the end of the season.
07:10 UPDATE: Neymar chats to Barcelona star
Barcelona ace Gerard Pique has confirmed he has been in touch with Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar over a return to La Liga.
Barcelona want the Brazil international back two years after he acrimoniously quit the Nou Camp in a world-record £200m move.
And Pique says he and his former team-mate have been in touch – although he was reluctant to disclose details of their conversation.
“We have spoken yeah,” Pique told Express Sport, when asked if he had discussed Neymar’s potential transfer with the wantaway PSG star. “But obviously it is a private conversation.”
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How to Outsmart Your Peers on afa poker
Some rookies will are available in and make an instantaneous influence while in the league. Some others may have a far more subtle influence and work their way in the lineup. Just how much playing time these rookies acquire will ascertain not only their worth, but in addition the value of many other verified veterans who could possibly be higher fantasy draft picks. Many of these veterans may eliminate many price because of rookies stealing precious taking part in time from them. This is especially troubling in keeper leagues.
Rookie Starters
This was among the list of much more remarkable drafts lately. Quite a few proficient players really should stage correct into main roles with their NFL groups. Many of these guys are going to be properly worthy of owning in your fantasy crew. If youre in a very keeper league, these men could be very substantial picks.
Reggie Bush The Texans may need handed on him, however you shouldnt. Bush may have an abundance of chances to score fantasy factors for his owners as he is anticipated to separate carries with Deuce McAllister, whose worth drops drastically. Bush is going to be a huge concentrate on out in the backfield for new Saints QB Drew Brees and at times hell line up as a broad receiver. Bush could also be capable to get within the scoreboard returning punts and kickoffs.
Vernon Davis The massive tight conclude will instantly develop into Alex Smiths most loved goal in San Francisco. Whilst the 49ers offense is absolutely nothing to write down home about, they need to make improvements to and they're going to Engage in in opposition to some weaker defenses. Some say Davis may be the up coming Antonio Gates. That almost certainly wont take place at once, but he might be a leading 5 restricted conclusion and also have figures much like Baltimores Todd Heap.
Joseph Addai The Colts hurried to exchange Edgerrin James by drafting the LSU managing again in the initial spherical. Addai will stage correct into your leagues most potent offense and will be the attribute back. Like James, hes a superb go catcher and shouldn't have any problem beating out Dominic Rhodes For almost all of your participating in time.
Waiting around during the Wings
These guys might not start instantly, but They are going to be precious players for his or her new teams offenses.
Laurence Maroney & Chad Jackson The Patriots leading two picks is probably not immediate starters, however it wont be long until finally they pressure their way to the lineup. Rated by several as the top broad receiver within the draft, New England was in a position to seize Floridas Chad Jackson in the 2nd spherical. Jackson fills a right away hole to the Pats after they lost David Givens in cost-free company. Regardless of whether he doesnt start, New England loves to run three-, four- and five-receiver sets, and you'll guess Tom Brady will find the rookie. The Patriots No. 1 choose was RB Laurence Maroney. Maroney rushed for in excess of 1,000 yards three straight seasons at Minnesota. He wont displace incumbent Corey Dillon given that the starter right away, but Maroney can get his share of carries and could produce into an exceptionally productive NFL managing again very quickly. He is an excellent mid-spherical decide on greater in keeper leagues.
DeAngelo Williams The undersized functioning back again is definitely the NCAA job leader in all-objective yards. He will have to struggle DeShaun Foster and Carolinas 2005 leading decide Eric Shelton for taking part in time. Williams will likely be Section of the backfield rotation from the beginning. Foster and Shelton have both had issues staying nutritious, so Williams may be in line for all the more enjoying time.
Santonio Holmes The Steelers, similar to the Patriots, had a right away will need for a large receiver and stuffed it with the amazing Ohio Condition speedster. He should really fit in nicely While using the Tremendous Bowl champs and has a terrific tutor in Hines Ward. Search for Pittsburgh to relieve him into your lineup and for Holmes to help make his way into your starting off lineup by mid-period.
LenDale White The other USC operating again fell to the center of the 2nd spherical after a hamstring injury and character concerns have appear up in latest months. On the sphere, White has become a strong runner which has a nose with the conclusion zone. Tennessee by now has two confirmed backs in Chris Brown and Travis Henry, but equally have already been prone to accidents. Try to find White to get started on the season as being the intention-line back again and obtain an opportunity within the element again position afterwards from the period.
Better of the Rest
Some other gamers to control this period involve: Leonard Pope The 6-foot-eight limited close will probably be an enormous target for Curt Warner and will get an abundance of Pink Zone alternatives in the Cardinals new higher-run offense; Sinorice Moss The Miami (Fla.) receiver need to be a superb complement to Plaxico Burress to the Giants. Moss will have to struggle for catches within an offense that features Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey, and Burress; Anthony Fasano Monthly bill Parcells hopes Fasano will turn into another Mark Bavaro for the Cowboys. Dallas presently has Jason Witten, a solid limited close, but Parcells likes to Participate in two tight ends, and Drew Bledsoe likes to work the middle of the field.
The Quarterbacks
The theres the 3 large-profile quarterbacks: Vince Younger, Matt Leinart, and Jay Cutler. I believe they can all have successful Professions, but just not this year. Younger has a chance for enjoying time with Tennessee given that Steve McNair has still left for Baltimore. Billy Volek is ready to stage up, nonetheless, so Young ought to be carrying the clipboard this season. Leinart fell on the tenth pick, but he couldnt have questioned for a far better predicament. The Cardinals are loaded on offense with the most beneficial young wide receiver duo from the league Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald and also a stud working again inside the newly acquired James. Kurt Warner sales opportunities the Arizona attack and nevertheless has a great calendar year or two still left, but Warner includes a historical past of injuries so Leinarts time could arrive sooner as opposed to later. The Broncos drafted Cutler a single decide on right after Leinart was selected. Cutler will again up Jake Plummer in Denver following year as he is groomed for that starting up location at the time Plummer wears out his welcome.
Monitor the situation battles around the summertime and dont be afraid to take an opportunity on a rookie that could be described as a afa poker difference maker.
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Can four pictures really sum up my week? Well, if I’m being honest they come pretty close. Reading, paperwork, sunny skies and traffic jams. That’s what I’ve been up to. The sunny skies makes a nice change. Well … not a change exactly, it’s becoming quite repetitive now, but hey – we mustn’t complain.
So how has your week been? Good? Good. I had a pretty awesome one by all accounts. Monday, despite being at work (boo hiss) I had a pretty fabulous day as I was Netgalley approved for one of THE books I have been most anticipating all year, the first in James Oswald’s brand new Constance Fairchild series, No Time To Cry. Now I was in Dublin training on Monday so I started reading it in my lunch break. Carried on reading it in the airport where I was only disturbed by a small false fire alarm, boarding the plane and driving home. I know! Annoying right? Carried on reading when I got home, finished around two a.am. I am completely gutted now as reading it so quickly means I have ages to wait for the next book in either series but by ‘eck. It was good. Sooooooo good. This was my only Netgalley this week, but that’s no bad thing lol. And as I arrived home to a signed copy of The Reckoning by Yrsa Sigurdardottir courtesy of Goldsboro Books too, the day was pretty good all in all.
Tuesday was a work day (boo hiss) but I crammed in some reading in the evening, even though I was absolutely shattered from my early morning book binge. Wednesday was a little more exciting as I drove down to London for an early morning (six a.m.) appointment the following day, Whilst there it felt only polite to head along to the London launch for Louise Voss’ The Old You and Doug Johnstone’s Fault Lines. The sacrifices one makes for blogging huh?
A fabulous evening in the gallery of Collyer Bristow on Beford Row in some wonderful company. So nice to catch up with old friends, Vicki Goldman, Joy Kluver, Jacob Collins, Anne Cater, Karen Cole, Mary Picken, Barry Forshaw and Marina Sofia. I met Daniel Pembrey who is lovely, and of course it was a chance to say hi to the lovely Karen Sullivan again and also the effervescent Meggy who was in her element and perhaps more than a little high on chocolate cake ;), One of the biggest surprises of the night was seeing Thomas Enger there – totally not expecting that but just shows what a fab team the Orenda guys are as he flew in all the way from Norway to give his support to the launch.
Book wise I picked up a signed copy of Fault Lines (I already had The Old You from earlier in the year at the Orenda Roadshow in Warwick) and an arc of Good Samaritans by Will Carver, an arc I have been rather jealous of having seen arriving with all my blogging compadres.
Driving home from Tottenham on Thursday was pure hell. Hell I tell you! Left at three and, with a series of delays, accidents and general nonsense to contend with, plus a very late breakfast stop at four thirty p.m., I finally arrived home just before eight. You’d think I’d be unhappy about that right? Well normally I would be but I managed to finish an audio book and then, when you arrive home to a massive parcel with your TBC auction wins in it, well you can’t stay in a bad mood for long can you? Such a wonderful sight to see.
What was in it? Well … Random, Snapshot, Cold Grave, Witness The Dead, In Place of Death, Murderabilia and The Photographer by Craig Robertson and The Unseen, The Price, The Harrowing and The Book of Shadows by Alexandra Sokoloff. Oh, plus some Ferrero Rocher and a Bloody Scotland t-shirt. Tidy.
Friday it was back to work and some rather dull but essential meetings and a lot more spreadsheet work. You’d think I’d be flagging by this point, and normally you’d be right, but an email from the lovely Karen Sullivan put a big smile on my face and not even talking coffee pods, cost centre reports or proof of delivery capture could get me down. More on that later in the week 😉
Saturday and Sunday … well a little walking and more reading plus a whole lot of review writing. I’m a little behind. Unlike my actual behind which is currently anything other than little hence my need for all the walking, even in this heat… saw some cygnets down a the local canal basin though so that was nice. And the books I have been reading are awesome which is also nice 🙂
Book purchase wise I was quite good really. For me. No new audible, just the one Netgalley above and only three book purchased, two pre-orders and one free short story. They were The Night She Died by Jenny Blackhurst; Death’s Door by Paul Finch and No Further Questions by Gillian McAllister.
Books I have read
No Time To Cry – James Oswald
Undercover ops are always dangerous, but DC Constance Fairchild never expected things to go this wrong.
Returning to their base of operations, an anonymous office in a shabby neighbourhood, she finds the bloodied body of her boss, and friend, DI Pete Copperthwaite. He’s been executed – a single shot to the head.
In the aftermath, it seems someone in the Met is determined to make sure that blame for the wrecked operation falls squarely on Con’s shoulders. She is cut loose and cast out, angry and alone with her grief… right until the moment someone also tries to put a bullet through her head.
There’s no place to hide, and no time to cry.
Oh my life how I loved this book. Constance ‘Con’ Fairchild is a brilliant new protagonist who I am looking forward to getting to know. Very different in tone and style from the Inspector McLean series, it still bears James Oswald’s natural style of a twisted and complex story, with just a hint of something … supernatural, captivating characters and feisty determination. He may give his leads a very privileged start in life but he never quite lets them get comfortable. Loved it. And if you’ve not read any books by Mr Oswald yet, this is a great place to start. I’ll be reviewing later in the year, may do a taster review later in the month (ebook publication is late July) and you can preorder your own copy here. Do it. you know you want to.
…
The Killing Habit – Mark Billingham
How do you catch a killer who is yet to kill?
We all know the signs. Cruelty, lack of empathy, the killing of animals. Now, pets on suburban London streets are being stalked by a shadow, and it could just be the start.
DI Tom Thorne knows the psychological profile of such offenders all too well, so when he is tasked with catching a notorious killer of domestic cats, he sees the chance to stop a series of homicides before they happen.
Others are less convinced, so once more, Thorne relies on DI Nicola Tanner to help him solve the case, before the culprit starts hunting people. It’s a journey that brings them face to face with a killer who will tear their lives apart.
Mark Billingham has a real knack for taking real life cases and spinning them into an occasionally gruesome, always compelling, what if kind of scenario. The book starts in an almost surreal way with Thorne tasked with capturing a cat killer of all people, and ends in a way no-one could have foreseen, Gripping, action laden and with the wonderful pairing of Thorne with his exact opposite, Nicola Tanner once more, this is irresistably good. I’ll be reviewing soon but you can get your own copy here.
…
A Patient Fury – Sarah Ward
When Detective Constable Connie Childs is dragged from her bed to the fire-wrecked property on Cross Farm Lane she knows as she steps from the car that this house contains death.
Three bodies discovered – a family obliterated – their deaths all seem to point to one conclusion: One mother, one murderer.
But D.C. Childs, determined as ever to discover the truth behind the tragedy, realises it is the fourth body – the one they cannot find – that holds the key to the mystery at Cross Farm Lane.
What Connie Childs fails to spot is that her determination to unmask the real murderer might cost her more than her health – this time she could lose the thing she cares about most: her career.
This was my first Connie Childs book, although I have the others on my kindle waiting patiently. I know I’veprobably missed quite a bit in Connie’s first outings but I have to say i really liked her, a determined officer, stubborn even, who is not willing to let things go just because she is ordered to do so and who has great instincts which she knows to trust. A harrowing case involving the death of a child puts the whole team on edge. Clever plotting, excellent writing and a guarantee I’ll be back for more. I\ll be reviewing as part of the tour later in the month but you can buy a copy here.
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Dancing on the Grave – Zoe Sharp
In one of the most beautiful corners of England,
Something very ugly is about to take place…
A sniper with a mission…
a young cop with nothing to lose…
a CSI with everything to prove…
a teenage girl with a terrifying obsession…
There’s a killer on the loose in the Lake District, and the calm of an English summer is shattered.
For newly qualified crime-scene investigator, Grace McColl, it’s both the start of a nightmare and the chance to prove herself after a mistake that cost a life.
For Detective Constable Nick Weston, recently transferred from London, it’s an opportunity to recover his nerve after a disastrous undercover operation that left him for dead.
And for a lonely, loveless teenage girl, Edith, it’s the start of a twisted fantasy—one she never dreamed might come true.
A standalone CSI led thriller this involves a high profile murder, a killer on the loose with a very unstable young woman at his side. High tension, high action and with brilliantly drawn characters this is another top class read from author Zoe Sharp and highly recommended. I’ll be reviewing on the tour later in the month but do yourself a favour and bag a copy here.
…
Four books – not too shabby all things considered. It’s been a busy week. Less so on the blog but I am meant to be slowing down…
The Note by Andrew Barrett
A Meditation on Murder by Robert Thorogood
Death on Dartmoor by Bernie Steadman
After He’s Gone by Jane Isaac
Guest Post: Robert Dugoni – Author of A Steep Price
The week ahead is pretty full on. I’ve a few blog tours starting tomorrow with The Death of Mrs Westaway by Rith Ware and A Summer Scandal by Kat French; How Far We Fall by Jane Shemilt and Gone To Ground by Rachel Amphlett.
I’ll also be taking part in an exclusive cover reveal on Wednesday so do stop by. I promise you that you really want to see this. Love it.
My week will otherwise be made up of work, reading, reviewing and – wait for it – actual writing. Yes, you read that right. No more messing about. I will be writing. Eek. No pressure.
Have a fabulous and hopefully sunny and book filled week all. See you on the other side.
Jen
Rewind, recap: Weekly update w/e 01/07/18 Can four pictures really sum up my week? Well, if I'm being honest they come pretty close.
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