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#I mean SOME of Tom Taylor’s stuff has been good (most has been bad though and reeks of laziness)
katekanemybeloved · 2 years
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I’m sick of shitty writers like Tom Taylor and Tynion getting these really cool story premises greenlighted and then just. Wasting all potential of the series with their inevitably subpar writing.
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spidernerdsblog · 4 years
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I Forgot That You Existed : Chapter Nine
A/N: Chapter nine is here. It’s showtime. Kind of a musical chapter. The concert part is completely based on Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour you can watch the concert for better visualization of that part. Only one more chapter to go before the epilogue. Hope you like this chapter. Feedback and suggestions are always welcome.
Pairing : Tom Holland × Singer reader
Summary : It's been more than five years since you and Tom have gone their own ways after a heartbreaking breakup which had left both of you shattered. Both of you thought that you were finally over with each other and were happy in your respective lives until you meet again at a reunion trip planned by your best friend and you realize you are still not done with each other.
Warnings : none
Mini Playlist : Are you ready for it, I did something bad, Gorgeous, Delicate, Shake it Off, Style, Love Story,You belong with me, This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things and Cornelia Street by Taylor Swift
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After reading out the letter you let out a deep sigh you felt a little giddy as you shakily folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. You sat on the bed immersed in deep thought for how long you don't know. The words written in the letter were constantly reeling in your mind. You felt as if someone had placed a mirror in front of you and you can’t hide from your real self. You were snapped out of your train of thoughts when you heard Harry going off about something. You went out of your room and stood on the corridor upstairs holding on to the railing as you looked down to see everyone gathered. 
"What happened?" 
"Tom is not answering his phone, he said he would return by afternoon and it's almost evening now." Sam said. 
"I'm so done with his careless attitude, what does he think of himself?" Harry grumbled. You puckered your face thinking suddenly you remembered something. 
"Okay guys calm down I know where he could be." You went to your room to grab your bag and came down the stairs. 
"Don't worry I'll bring him back before dinner." You said before leaving. 
The cliff top was the only place you both used to go when you felt down. So you started to walk in that direction. The sun was setting and as you had guessed you could see him from a distance sitting there. You went to one of the stalls and bought two beers before going up to him. 
"I knew I would find you here." You said nonchalantly. Tom turned his head. 
"Oh.. Hey" 
"Why aren't you answering your phone? Everybody is worried for you." 
"Sorry didn't mean to bother anyone." 
"Here." You handed him a beer bottle. As you sat beside him, you clinked your bottles taking a sip you spoke. 
"So how are you doing?" 
"Fine I guess." 
"You wanna talk about it?" 
"No. " You scoff rolling your eyes and grabbed his jaw making him face you. 
"C'mon talk to me"
"There's nothing to talk about Y/N, I'm fine, really fine." You turned your gaze to the horizon letting out a deep breath. 
"Why did you let her go?" you said softly.
"Because that will be best for us." 
"But you were in love with each other." 
"Maybe. Or she was just in love and I was looking for a distraction which I had mistaken as love" 
"See nothing has ended Tom if you want I'll go talk to her and apologize for everything." 
"You don't need to do that, you haven't done anything to apologise. It was all my fault whatever happened today and six year ago I'm to be blamed. My insecurities made me indecisive. For the first time in these six years I have made the right decision." Tom ranted. 
"I'm sorry Y/N I'm really sorry for everything." You placed your hand on his shoulder reassuringly.
"Hey if you're to blame then I'm equally guilty too. Everyone told me to sort out our differences but I didn't. Moreover, I hid the truth about our baby from you and your family. I'm sorry too. And if I wouldn’t have come here in the first place none of this would happen." 
"By the way, sorry for ditching you today at the rehearsals."
"Though I was mad at you before but now it's okay." 
“Is it ok for you to drink cold stuff before your concerts doesn’t it affect the throat?”
“It’s absolutely fine mom. Plus I need it, you know, stress relief.”
"Hey you remember when we were in high school we sneaked out to go to that party our parents told us not to go and got really drunk and your parents caught us late at night when you were trying to get into your house through the window." 
"Oh that was a hell of a night and we got caught all because of Harrison who tripped on one of our flower pots in the backyard breaking it and waking up my parents." You scoffed. 
"Then my parents told both of your parents. And we all got a two hour lecture the next day with one month being grounded." 
"You and Haz always used to fight when we were younger." Tom chuckled
"Yeah because that div had an annoying habit to pull my hair. And you know how much I hate when someone touches my hair" 
"By the way I watched your recent movie it was really good." 
"Thanks" 
"Though I felt the intimate scenes were quite sloppy" you stick out your tongue and chuckle. Tom rolled his eyes.
“Because you weren't there princess I don't get the feel and passion unless it's you.” He winked. You rolled your eyes.
"Your new album really took me by surprise. I was left wondering where did my naive country girl go?" 
"Had to put some people in their place." You gave a sly grin. 
"That was hell of a comeback." 
"Sure it was.. Going by the words of the media, 'PHENOMENAL!', 'RECORD BREAKING!', 'SAVAGE!'." You both giggled. 
"I thought you didn't like my songs."
"Oh C'mon, you believe that?" 
"I haven't been here around six years. A lot of things have changed so who knows?" you shrugged. 
"This feels good... Us together having heart to heart conversations like old times." Tom said. You hummed lacing your fingers with Tom's, resting your head on his shoulder. 
"You sent the VIP passes to Mrs Nelson?" 
"How can I forget our little special guest."
"Vienna is such a sweet girl that reminds me of…" you stopped as memories of when you were going to be a mother flashed in front of you. 
"I don't know why I'm sharing this but we were going to have a girl." You mumbled placing your other hand on your belly. 
"You know the time when Destiny was inside me." You said fiddling with his fingers. 
"Destiny?"
"Yeah I had thought to name her Destiny. I know it's silly." You shrugged. 
"No it's actually cute." 
"Those were the most precious moments of my life. A tiny speck of life growing inside me that we made, accidentally though.” You gave a low laugh.
“Motherhood is a whole new feeling.She would have been the same age as Vienna and maybe we would have been celebrating her 5th birthday here." You said with a hardened gaze. 
"Sometimes I really feel she might have known that I'm going to be a horrible mother that's why she left me." 
"Hey don't you ever think like that you would have been the best mom." Tom said with a serious tone looking at you.
"Hmm.. I really missed you." You snuggled into him. 
"I missed you too." Tom pecked on your hairline. 
"So what did you actually miss about me?" 
"Umm.. let me think, I definitely missed the face you made after losing in golf. You were such a cry baby" you chuckled.
"You are never letting that go aren't you?"
"Nope" 
"Then I missed your half burnt pancakes." 
"I missed your soft curls and I mean it" you ruffled his hair with your hand. 
"I honestly hated your buzz cut. It was so depressing for me to see you without the curls I adore so much. I felt so angry on the Russos I thought of giving them an earful for why they made you cut your hair." 
"But I felt really good, no need for styling. And what about you? You also cut your hair short." You straightened yourself. 
"Hey! That's a bob cut that has nothing to do with your buzz cut. I atleast had hair on my head." You retorted. 
"Okay.. what other things you missed?" 
"I missed your unruly eyebrow" you brushed your thumb over his eyebrow. 
"I missed your crooked nose." You booped his nose with the tip of your index finger. 
''I missed your smile and your soft lips" your hand rested on his cheek. 
"And?" Tom said in a low voice your faces were inches apart as you breathed heavily.
" I..I" you stuttered as you glanced at his lips. Tom licked his lips watching you enigmatically. You cleared your throat and pulled away immediately. 
"Never mind what did you miss about me huh?" Tom was snapped out of his trance as he blinked his eyes a few times. 
"What did I miss?" 
"Uh.. I missed watching sunsets like this with you." 
"I missed the priority access to your new album and listening to them up close. You are still not going to tell me about the song you are going to sing in the end are you?"
"Nope you have to wait mister that's a surprise. Okay now continue" 
"Well I missed this adorable face, I missed these beautiful eyes which could read me like an open book, I missed this captivating smile which can light up my whole day, I missed you so much." He tucked in the loose strands of your hair flying in the sea breeze behind your ear. 
"Y/N I.. I" 
"No Tom, don't say those words. Don't make it harder for me to leave than it is already." 
"Then don't leave." Tom hold on to your hand. 
"We don't have a choice Tom." You got up. "Now come on let's go back before everyone gets even more stressed than they are already for us." 
Your heart crumbles under the weight of the fact that the love you share isn't enough for either of you. You could finally tell that you want to live your life with him. But you don't want to get carried away with the misconception of proclamation of love equates to a happily ever after. You know your realities are not aligning. 
Tom stood up and laced his fingers into yours. You smiled and gave a little squeeze to his hand as you both walked down the road hand in hand. 
Tom looked at you intently. He wanted to hold on to you tighter and believe that maybe this time things would work out as he had dreamed of once but he knew you had let go long before that. You are hurt and scared to fall in love again. And he is desperate to try and make you realize that your long lost love is still alive and wants to come back to you. You just need to open your arms and embrace it. 
"Here I brought back your brother safe and sound." You said reaching home. 
"Why do you have a phone if you're not going to answer it?" Harry scolded Tom. 
"Okay it was my fault I'm sorry." 
"Guys I have an announcement. As you know tomorrow is my concert so I have arranged VIP passes for you guys." Everyone cheered. 
………………….......
Next day went really fast as the time came for your concert. Thousands of people waiting on the ground just to get a glimpse of you and listen to your songs. Your heart was racing even after performing so many concerts the anticipation was killing you as you got ready looking into the mirror touching up your makeup for the one last time. 
"Y/N are you ready?" Tom said, his jaw dropped as you turned around. 
"Wooww! You.. You look ravishing." You giggled. 
"Thanks Tom." 
"Okay it is going to start in five minutes. Don't worry everything will be fine, I will be there backstage." 
"Tom, Tom, relax , you seem to be more stressed than me. I have done this before a lot of times. You just enjoy the show, I got this." 
The stage was set, the stadium was full, the crowd cheering at the top of their voice as the show began. 
Pre recorded song playing
Baby, let the games begin
Let the games begin
Let the games begin
Baby, let the games begin
Let the games begin
Let the games begin
The screen doors slide open as you enter the stage. Audience went crazy cheering loudly. You stood in the center and pulled down your hood of the jacket you were wearing and started singing.
“Knew he was a killer first time that I saw
 him loved and left haunted
But if he's a ghost, then I can be a 
phantom
Holdin' him for ransom
Some, some boys are tryin' too hard
He don't try at all, though
Younger than my exes but he act like such a man, so
I see nothing better, I keep him forever
Like a vendetta-ta
I-I-I see how this is gon' go
Touch me and you'll never be alone
I-Island breeze and lights down low
No one has to know
In the middle of the night, in my dreams
You should see the things we do, baby
In the middle of the night, in my dreams
I know I'm gonna be with you
So I take my time
Are you ready for it?
Me, I was a robber first time that he saw me ............”
You continued singing. After the song ended you paused to look at the whole stadium as the audience cheered loudly. You peeled off the jacket to reveal the bodysuit you were wearing. The notes for your next song started playing.
“I never trust a narcissist
But they love me
So I play 'em like a violin
And I make it look oh so easy
'Cause for every lie I tell them
They tell me three
This is how the world works
Now all he thinks about is me
I can feel the flames on my skin
Crimson red paint on my lips
If a man talks shit, then I owe him nothing
I don't regret it one bit, 'cause he had it coming
They say I did something bad
Then why's it feel so good?
They say I did something bad
But why's it feel so good?
Most fun I ever had
And I'd do it over and over and over again if I could
It just felt so good, good”
Fireworks went off, it was spectacular to watch. 
"Holyy!! Shit!! Man she's literally a queen. Just look at her." Ed exclaimed. Everyone agreed to him as they all witnessed you in your full glory from the VIP seating area. 
“That’s my girl!!!” Zendaya exclaimed.
“I never trust a playboy
But they love me
So I fly him all around the world
And I let them think they saved me
They never see it comin'
What I do next
This is how the world works
You gotta leave before you get left
I can feel the flames on my skin
He says, "Don't throw away a good thing"
But if he drops my name, then I owe him nothin'
And if he spends my change, then he had it comin'
They say I did something bad
Then why's it feel so good?
They say I did something bad
But why's it feel so good?
Most fun I ever had
And I'd do it over and over and over again if I could
It just felt so good, good
It just felt so good”
(Loud cheers from the audience.)
"Well good evening Cornwall!! And welcome to the Reputation extended Stadium tour beach carnival concert." 
"You know guys I have been coming to this area since I was about 15 years old. So it's a good long history between us. And I want to say thank you for a few things. First of all having been to Cornwall as many times as I’ve been here, I know how many things are available for you to do on a Saturday night. You have lots of options and you decided to spend your Saturday evening with us. Thank you so much!!" Audience cheers loudly.
"You may have heard this. It’s a little known fact. This is the last night of the beach festival and my tour." audience cheering. 
"And so you decided not only to spend your Saturday night with us, but to come here and commemorate the last night of the festival. That is such a beautiful thing."
"Thank you for deciding all of those things tonight. I would even say it’s something even more than beautiful. It’s like a step above beautiful. What’s the word for that, Cornwall?"
Voice echoes "Gorgeous"
"That’s the one." You chuckle. 
Notes of Gorgeous playing
“You should take it as a compliment
That I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk
You should think about the consequence
Of your magnetic field being a little too strong
And I got a boyfriend, he's older than us
He's in the club doing, I don't know what
You're so cool, it makes me hate you so much (I hate you so much)
Whisky on ice, Sunset and Vine
You've ruined my life, by not being mine
You're so gorgeous
I can't say anything to your face
'Cause look at your face
And I'm so furious
At you for making me feel this way
But, what can I say?
You're gorgeous
You should take it as a compliment
That I'm talking to everyone here but you (but you, but you)
And you should think about the consequence
Of you touching my hand in the darkened room (dark room, dark room)
If you've got a girlfriend, I'm jealous of her
But if you're single that's honestly worse
'Cause you're so gorgeous it actually hurts
(Honey, it hurts)
Ocean blue eyes looking in mine
I feel like I might sink and drown and die”
You're so gorgeous
I can't say anything to your face
'Cause look at your face
And I'm so furious
At you for making me feel this way
But, what can I say?”
"And now Cornwall I would like to introduce you to the incredibly talented gorgeous women of the tour." 
"Make some noise!!!" the audience cheered. 
"For Jazz!, Maria!, Gracie!, Kamilah!, Jeslyn!, Melanie!, Nadine!, Stephanie!, Yoe!, Eliotte!" 
"And I'm Y/N." 
"Thanks for hanging out with us tonight!" 
You resumed singing. 
(Medley of Style, Love Story and You belong with me.) 
As the song ended the crowd erupted in cheers you looked up to the whole stadium smiling. You turned your back to the audience and strolled sensually and again turned around throwing your voice to a higher pitch.
“You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye
And I got that red lip, classic thing that you like (crowd screaming)
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style
You've got that long hair slick back, white t-shirt
And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt
And when we go crashing down, we come back every time
'Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style
Midnight, you come and pick me up, no headlights
Long drive, could end in burning flames or paradise
Fade into view, oh,
It's been a while since I have even heard from you
(Heard from you)
And I should just tell you to leave 'cause I
Know exactly where it leads but I
Watch it go round and round each time”
''Cornwall will you please make some noise for my incredible band?!" crowd cheered. 
“We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes and the flashback starts
I'm standin' there
On a balcony in summer air
See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns
See you make your way through the crowd
And say, "Hello"
Little did I know
That you were Romeo, you were throwin' pebbles
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"
And I was cryin' on the staircase
Beggin' you, "Please don't go, " and I said
Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"
Chords of you belong with me playing......
“Oooooh, I remember you drivin' to my house
In the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh
When you know you're 'bout to cry
And I know your favorite songs
And you tell me 'bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong
Think I know it's with me
(audience cheering)
Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you?
Been here all along, so why can't you see
You belong with me
"Let me see you jump!!" You jumped in your place singing, the audience jumped along with you too.
“Standin' by and waitin' at your back door
All this time, how could you not know, baby
You belong with me
You belong with me
You belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me
You belong with me”
Loud cheering as you bowed and went backstage. 
"Man she could wage a war against the world just look at the crowd." Harry joked.
"Couldn't be more proud of her. She has come a long way" Harrison said
“I knew how much you love to sing that song” Tom quipped handing you a water bottle. 
“Fuck off!” Tom chuckled. You quickly slipped on to a new costume and went back to the stage. You performed a couple of songs from your album.
(soft notes playing in background) audience cheering
"I LOVE YOU Y/N!!!" A fan screamed. You smiled. 
"Are you having fun yet?" You listen to the audience scream yes.
"Oh good.. You know you may notice this…"
"Not sure if you  picked up on it yet I'm pretty sure you have, though. Have you noticed that you have a light up bracelet on your wrist?" the whole gallery got lit up as everyone raised their hands. 
"There they are." Crowd cheered. 
"So pretty." 
"Um… but that's not the only thing about them, the reason why I wanted to have those on the tour to make sure no matter what I would see every single one of you in these stadiums. So if you are on the top, top deck, last row and you think I can't see you that would be incorrect. I can see every one of you dancing, throwing your hands up in the air. And the top of that I can hear you… "
"It really seems you guys have memorised every single word to the songs and so not just singing them but like…." 
"Screaming them." 
"If I had to take a guess I would say one thing that probably everybody has in common I think I would say that one thing would be…" 
"That all like the feeling of finding something real like… you know finding real friendships, real love or somebody who really gets you or somebody who is really honest with you." 
"I think.. I think that's what we're really all looking for in life and…" 
"I think the things that can scare us the most in our lives are the things that we think will threaten the prospect of us finding something real. For ex- having a bad reputation in our mind would get in the way of you… Finding real friendship, real love, real acceptance, people you really fit in with because you think to yourself what if they've got the preconceived notion about me that they heard from gossips and rumors." 
You sang Delicate whilst you got up a hydraulic suspended stage. You waved to the crowd taking a tour of the whole stadium in it. As the song ended you were back again on the stage. 
"Allright Cornwall, I… just decided to go… A little exploring around to see… If you guys are having a good time back there." you walked around the stage.
"Are things fun back here? Alright well would you dance with me?! What do you say?!"
“I stay out too late, got nothin' in my brain
That's what people say, mmm hmm, that's what people say, mmm hmm
I go on too many dates, but I can't make 'em stay
At least that's what people say mmm mmm, that's what people say mmm mmm
But I keep cruising, can't stop, won't stop moving
It's like I got this music in my mind, sayin' it's gonna be alright
'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Heartbreakers gonna break, break, break, break, break
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
I'll never miss a beat, I'm lightning on my feet
And that's what they don't see mmm mmm, that's what they don't see mmm mmm
I'm dancing on my own (dancing on my own), I'll make the moves up as I go (moves up as I go)
And that's what they don't know mmm mmm, that's what they don't know mmm mmm
But I keep cruising, can't stop, won't stop grooving
It's like I got this music in my mind saying it's gonna be alright
'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate..........
You sang as you climbed up an elevated platform. 
Hey, hey, hey”
“Just think while you've been getting down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats in the world
You could have been getting down to this sick beat
My ex-man brought his new girlfriend
She's like "Oh my God", but I'm just gonna shake it
And to the fella over there with the hella good hair
Won't you come on over, baby, we can shake, shake, shake, yeah oh”
You were about to do a free fall as the dancers below raised their arms to catch you but you stopped. 
"Nah...No, one second. I don't care if this is a promotional concert, I'm not gonna jump off from here. Sometimes people can get bitten by snakes.. dangerous." The audience laughed. Tom facepalmed laughing at your antics in the back stage. You came down running from the elevated platform panting as you went to the centre and let out a high pitched shriek. 
“Yeeeeaaahhh!!!” 
'Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate (haters gonna hate me)
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Song fading away. You went for another costume change and came back with your guitar and addressed the crowd. 
"So you guys I was wondering if, um… If it would be all right with you if we just had a…
You were cut off by Joseph who came up to you and handed you a tissue bending down on his knee. 
"Thank you so much…" you took the tissue. "There's a.." 
"I feel like it's important to be honest with you guys. I have a tiny miniscule cold. Do not mind this.. This is just gonna be me blowing my nose. I'm gonna turn around and do it." 
You turned around and blew your nose. Then you hand over the tissue back to Joseph. 
"But I what.. I really think it was all good to take note of how Joseph presented me with the tissue. This is the best thing I have ever seen. Never in my lifetime has anyone presented me a tissue with such commitment."
"Umm so okay guys wanna talk to you about something. I propose the idea that we spend some time with just you and me and the guitar." 
"Is that alright with you?" 
"So one thing that you guys have always been.." 
"Really uh…" 
"Really not just supportive about but you've, um… Cause that sounds like you were understanding of it." 
"You've really encouraged me to experiment with my music and try different things, different sounds, try different instruments. "
"Um… you guys were always the ones pushing me to experiment and grow. And I really appreciate that." 
"Cause…" 
"I have had so much fun, switching up you know, styles of music, genres… um.."
"My relationship with you and how much we interact on social media platforms, at shows or at my house." 
Fans scream
"I am.." you chuckle
"I know from our conversations that you guys are so all about lyrics and all about feeling, all about whatever that the person you listen to is singing about what you happen to be going through, or did go through at some point in time, I.." 
"I think that's kind of all you care about when it comes to a song. So I've always written songs with the lyrics, the feeling and the melody in mind. That no matter whatever it took a turn after production be it pop or acoustic or whatever. I always wanted for a song to be able to be stripped back down and still be something that you liked and wanted to sing at the top of your lungs." 
"So before leaving I wanted to gift you guys something."
"You guys are going to be exclusively listening to an all new song from my upcoming unreleased album." 
The audience roared. 
You started playing the guitar and closed your eyes as you sang. 
“We were in the backseat
Drunk on something stronger than the drinks in the bar
"I rent a place on Cornelia Street"
I say casually in the car
We were a fresh page on the desk
Filling in the blanks as we go
As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead
Leading us home”
You pour your heart out as you sing. 
“And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name
And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again”
Tom listened to the song carefully as he understood why you said it was a surprise. Because this song tells the story of you, him and the love you share. 
“Windows swung right open, autumn air
Jacket 'round my shoulders is yours
We bless the rains on Cornelia Street
Memorize the creaks in the floor
Back when we were card sharks, playing games
I thought you were leading me on
I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street
Before you even knew I was gone”
The memories of six years ago flashed in front of both of your eyes. The day when all went wrong, the day you parted ways and left. 
“But then you called, showed your hand
I turned around before I hit the tunnel
Sat on the roof, you and I
I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again”
You had tears in your eyes. 
“And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name (city screams your name)
Your voice went an octave higher. You want to bid adieu to this place as it only reminds you of him. The memories haunt you.
And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
You hold my hand on the street
Walk me back to that apartment
Years ago, we were just inside
Barefoot in the kitchen
Sacred new beginnings
That became my religion, listen”
You were transported to that time when you were together so in love with each other. Those lazy mornings you wearing one of his sweatshirts sitting on the kitchen counter looking at him making breakfast for you. So domestic it felt as you hoped to wake up to him like this everyday for your lifetime. 
“I hope I never lose you
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
Oh, never again
And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name
And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
I don't wanna lose you, hope it never ends
I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
I don't wanna lose you, yeah
"I rent a place on Cornelia Street"
I say casually in the car”
You bowed in front of the audience smiling after the song ended.Tom wiped his tears as he watched you through the monitors in the backstage. 
Fans screamed in excitement. 
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things started playing in the background.
"Thank you so much for an incredible evening and an amazing tour. We love you." 
"Please give it up for the dancers!"
"Make some noise for the singers, Cornwall!"
You bowed
"Give it up for the band!" 
The whole team bowed in gratitude. You walked the lengths of the stage waving at the crowd and blowing air kisses. You ran to the other end waving and giving flying kisses. You went to the centre of the stage and bowed for one last time. As the stage descended, taking you down the stage as you waved goodbye and mouthed to the audience. 
"I love you guys"
As the show ended you went backstage and everyone hugged you and applauded for the marvelous show you put up, someone handed you a bottle of water to drink. But your eyes were searching for only one person and as you caught sight of him you ran to him. Tom was standing at a corner, arms crossed across his chest, smiling his eyes showed how much proud he was of you. You went and hugged him tightly. Tom gave a light peck on your cheek. 
"Darling, that was so good. Didn't know you were such a big star, you literally set the stage on fire." he said cupping your face. 
"Couldn't have done that without you. Thank you Tom. Love you so much. You kissed him on his cheek." Tom couldn't ignore the fact that unknowingly you told him you loved him. 
"Okay I'm going to get changed and join you at the little party the crew has thrown okay." You left. 
But Tom was in no mental condition to enjoy a party, not after listening to your confession. He felt time was slipping out of his hands as he could not hold you back. He straight away went home. 
You went to the hall where the party was arranged, you didn't find Tom there. 
"Hey Maria where's Tom?" 
"He went back" 
"Went back? Why?" 
"Don't know honey, you enjoy the party, this is all for you." You felt something was off. 
"Sorry Maria I need to leave too. You guys enjoy." 
Tom was the first one to return to the house. Others came back a while later. 
"Y/N just nailed it" Paddy chirped. 
"Can we have some dinner now? I'm starving" Tuwaine complained.
Everyone headed towards the kitchen as Harrison's eyes went to Tom. He was standing on the porch. He frowned and made his way towards him. 
"Hey man what's up?! The concert was damn good! Weren't you supposed to be with Y/N for the after party?" Harrison asked. Tom turned his eyes puffy red with tears. 
"Bro what's the matter?"
"Harrison I can't let her go, not this time." Tom sobbed. 
......................................
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aaronmaurer · 3 years
Text
TV I Liked in 2020
Every year I reflect on the pop culture I enjoyed and put it in some sort of order.
Was there ever a year more unpredictably tailor-made for peak TV than 2020? Lockdowns/quarantines/stay-at-home orders meant a lot more time at home and the occasion to check out new and old favorites. (I recognize that if you’re lucky enough to have kids or roommates or a S.O., your amount of actual downtime may have been wildly different). While the pandemic resulted in production delays and truncated seasons for many shows, the continued streaming-era trends of limited series and 8-13 episode seasons mean that a lot of great and satisfying storytelling still made its way to the screen. As always, I in no way lay any claims to “best-ness” or completeness – this is just a list of the shows that brought me the most joy and escapism in a tough year and therefore might be worth putting on your radar.
10 Favorites
10. The Right Stuff: Season 1 (Disney+)
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As a space program enthusiast, even I had to wonder, does the world really need another retelling of NASA’s early days? Especially since Tom Wolfe’s book has already been adapted as the riveting and iconoclastic Philip Kaufman film of the same name? While some may disagree, I find that this Disney+ series does justify its existence by focusing more on the relationships of the astronauts and their personal lives than the technical science (which may be partially attributable to budget limitations?). The series is kind of like Mad Men but with NASA instead of advertising (and real people, of course), so if that sounds intriguing, I encourage you to give it a whirl.
9. Fargo: Season 4 (FX)
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As a big fan of Noah Hawley’s Coen Brothers pastiche/crime anthology series, I was somewhat let down by this latest season. Drawing its influence primarily from the likes of gangster drama Miller’s Crossing – one of the Coens’ least comedic/idiosyncratic efforts – this season is more straightforward than its predecessors and includes a lot of characters and plot-threads that never quite cohere. That said, it is still amongst the year’s most ambitious television with another stacked cast, and the (more-or-less) standalone episode “East/West” is enough to make the season worthwhile.
8. The Last Dance (ESPN)
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Ostensibly a 10-episode documentary about the 1990s Chicago Bulls’ sixth and final NBA Championship run, The Last Dance actually broadens that scope to survey the entire history of Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson’s careers with the team. Cleverly structured with twin narratives that chart that final season as well as an earlier timeframe, each episode also shifts the spotlight to a different person, which provides focus and variety throughout the series. And frankly, it’s also just an incredible ride to relive the Jordan era and bask in his immeasurable talent and charisma – while also getting a snapshot of his outsized ego and vices (though he had sign-off on everything, so it’s not exactly a warts-and-all telling).
7. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
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This miniseries adaptation of the Walter Tevis coming-of-age novel about a chess prodigy and her various addictions is compulsively watchable and avoids the bloat of many other streaming series (both in running time and number of episodes). The 1960s production design is stunning and the performances, including Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead role, are convincing and compelling.
6. The Great: Season 1 (hulu)
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Much like his screenplay for The Favourite, Tony McNamara’s series about Catherine the Great rewrites history with a thoroughly modern and irreverent sensibility (see also: Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette). Elle Fanning brings a winning charm and strength to the title role and Nicholas Hoult is riotously entertaining as her absurdly clueless and ribald husband, Emperor Peter III. Its 10-episodes occasionally tilt into repetitiveness, but when the ride is this fun, why complain? Huzzah!
  5. Dispatches From Elsewhere (AMC)
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A limited (but possibly anthology-to-be?) series from creator/writer/director/actor Jason Segal, Dispatches From Elsewhere is a beautiful and creative affirmation of life and celebration of humanity. The first 9 episodes form a fulfilling and complete arc, while the tenth branches into fourth wall-breaking meta territory, which may be a bridge too far for some (but is certainly ambitious if nothing else). Either way, it’s a movingly realized portrait of honesty, vulnerability and empathy, and I highly recommend visiting whenever it inevitably makes its way to Netflix, or elsewhere…
4. What We Do in the Shadows: Season 2 (FX)
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The second season of WWDITS is more self-assured and expansive than the first, extending a premise I loved from its antecedent film – but was skeptical could be sustained – to new and reinvigorated (after)life. Each episode packs plenty of laughs, but for my money, there is no better encapsulation of the series’ potential and Matt Berry’s comic genius than “On The Run,” which guest-stars Mark Hamill and features Laszlo’s alter ego Jackie Daytona, regular human bartender.
3. Ted Lasso: Season 1 (AppleTV+)
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Much more than your average fish-out-of-water comedy, Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso is a brilliant tribute to humaneness, decency, emotional intelligence and good coaching – not just on the field. The fact that its backdrop is English Premier League Soccer is just gravy (even if that’s not necessarily represented 100% proficiently). A true surprise and gem of the year.
2. Mrs. America (hulu)
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This FX miniseries explores the women’s liberation movement and fight for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and its opposition by conservative women including Phyllis Schlafly. One of the most ingenious aspects of the series is centering each episode on a different character, which rotates the point of view and helps things from getting same-y. With a slate of directors including Ryan Bowden and Anna Fleck (Half-Nelson, Sugar, Captain Marvel) and an A-List cast including Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Sarah Paulson, Margo Martindale, Tracey Ulman and Elizabeth Banks, its quality is right up there with anything on the big screen. And its message remains (sadly) relevant as ever in our current era.
1. The Good Place: Season 4 (NBC)
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It was tempting to omit The Good Place this year or shunt it to a side category since only the final 4 episodes aired in 2020, but that would have been disingenuous. This show is one of my all-time favorites and it ended perfectly. The series finale is a representative mix of absurdist humor and tear-jerking emotion, built on themes of morality, self-improvement, community and humanity. (And this last run of eps also includes a pretty fantastic Timothy Olyphant/Justified quasi-crossover.) Now that the entire series is available to stream on Netflix (or purchase in a nice Blu-ray set), it’s a perfect time to revisit the Good Place, or check it out for the first time if you’ve never had the pleasure.
5 of the Best Things I Caught Up With
Anne With An E (Netflix/CBC)
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Another example of classic literature I had no prior knowledge of (see also Little Women and Emma), this Netflix/CBC adaptation of Anne of Green Gables was strongly recommended by several friends so I finally gave it a shot. While this is apparently slightly more grown-up than the source material, it’s not overly grimdark or self-serious but rather humane and heartfelt, expanding the story’s scope to include Black and First Nations peoples in early 1800s Canada, among other identities and themes. It has sadly been canceled, but the three seasons that exist are heart-warming and life-affirming storytelling. Fingers crossed that someday we’ll be gifted with a follow-up movie or two to tie up some of the dangling threads.
Better Call Saul (AMC)
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I liked Breaking Bad, but I didn’t have much interest in an extended “Breaking Bad Universe,” as much as I appreciate star Bob Odenkirk’s multitalents. Multiple recommendations and lockdown finally provided me the opportunity to catch up on this prequel series and I’m glad I did. Just as expertly plotted and acted as its predecessor, the series follows Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman on his own journey to disrepute but really makes it hard not to root for his redemption (even as you know that’s not where this story ends).
Joe Pera Talks With You (Adult Swim)
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It’s hard to really describe the deadpan and oddly soothing humor of comedian Joe Pera whose persona, in the series at least, combines something like the earnestness of Mr. Rogers with the calm enthusiasm of Bob Ross. Sharing his knowledge on the likes of how to get the best bite out of your breakfast combo, growing a bean arch and this amazing song “Baba O’Reilly” by the Who – have you heard it?!? – Pera provides arch comfort that remains solidly on the side of sincerity. The surprise special he released during lockdown, “Relaxing Old Footage with Joe Pera,” was a true gift in the middle of a strange and isolated year.
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
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One of the few recent Star Wars properties that lives up to its potential, the adventures of Mando and Grogu is a real thrill-ride of a series with outstanding production values (you definitely want to check out the behind-the-scenes documentary series if you haven’t). I personally prefer the first season, appreciating its Western-influenced vibes and somewhat-more-siloed story. The back half of the second season veers a little too much into fan service and video game-y plotting IMHO but still has several excellent episodes on offer, especially the Timothy Olyphant-infused energy of premiere “The Marshall” and stunning cinematography of “The Jedi.” And, you know, Grogu.
The Tick (Amazon Prime)
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I’ve been a fan of the Tick since the character’s Fox cartoon and indie comic book days and also loved the short-lived Patrick Warburton series from 2001. I was skeptical about this Amazon Prime reboot, especially upon seeing the pilot episode’s off-putting costumes. Finally gaining access to Prime this year, I decided to catch up and it gets quite good!, especially in Season 2. First, the costumes are upgraded; second, Peter Serafinowicz’s initially shaky characterization improves; and third, it begins to come into its own identity. The only real issue is yet another premature cancellation for the property, meaning Season 2’s tease of interdimensional alien Thrakkorzog will never be fulfilled. 😢
Bonus! 5 More Honorable Mentions:
City So Real (National Geographic)
The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)
How To with John Wilson: Season 1 (HBO)
Kidding: Season 2 (Showtime)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Vs The Reverend (Netflix)
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wolfpawn · 4 years
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I Hate You, I Love You, Chapter 127
Chapter Summary - Danielle and Tom return home and organise themselves for their next time apart, but Danielle's trip to the shops leads to a peculiar situation.
Previous Chapter
Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)
Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.
authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.
Copyright for the photo is the owners, not mine.
I WILL get there, it is my dream!
All image rights belong to their owners
tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog​​ @jessibelle-nerdy-mum​​ @nonsensicalobsessions​​ @damalseer​​ @hiddlesbitch1​​ @winterisakiller​ @fairlightswiftly​​ @salempoe​​ @wolfsmom1
‘Where are my best boys?’ Both dogs were almost frantic to get to Tom and Danielle as she knelt down in front of them. Mac got there first on account of his longer legs and Bobby tumbling en route. When he righted himself, he decided to seek attention from Tom before both dogs seemed to hear a silent signal and both swapped humans almost as though they had choreographed it. ‘Did you miss us?’ Bobby all but climbed into her arms and licked her face.
‘What happened to not rewarding this behaviour?’ Tom asked as he scratched the fur on Mac’s chest.
‘I saw you do it first.’ She grinned as she cuddled the pup in her arms.
They got the dogs into the car, securing them before heading back to the house. Tom spoke about different engagements to do with Early Man as they went.
‘Did you spend much time with the rest of the cast for the movie?’ Danielle asked.
‘No, you don’t with voice work, you are in a recording studio, mostly by yourself.’
‘Do you know the rest of the cast well, bar Redmayne?’
‘Not really, I mean, I met most of them a few times, the British circuit is a smaller one, but I will have to spend the most of my time with Maisie and Eddie for the promotion.’
‘Maisie Williams, right?’
‘Yes….’
‘I like her, she and I spent way too long talking about her stunts when she and I were on the set together, she is mad in the loveliest possible way.’ Tom stared at her. ‘She’s in Game of Thrones you absolute numpty.’ Danielle laughed.
Tom shook his head and chuckled. ‘Oh course, how foolish of me. You will see Redmayne before me though.’
‘No, he is there for the second week, he is doing stuff for Early Man the first one.’
‘How do you know this?’
‘I may have checked the schedule on the flight back.’
‘Elle!’
‘What, you were asleep and I am leaving first thing, so I wanted to get ready and that way get in the shopping and walk the dogs at home instead of readying for this.’
Tom nodded slightly. ‘That does sound like a better idea, in all fairness.’
‘So, we drop the dogs and bags back, I get some shopping while you sort the house and...why are you looking at me like that?’
‘You’re not even going to be here, why are you getting the shopping?’ Tom chuckled.
‘Because I don’t forget half the list because some people recognise me and then forget why I was there, leading to a return to the shop fifteen minutes later to forget….again!.’
‘That was one time.’
‘You mean you only forgot twice one time, it is not the only time you did that.’ She laughed. ‘You can remember Hamlet, including five soliloquies but you cannot remember to get red currant jelly.’
‘I am a terrible man.’ Tom chuckled, taking her hand and kissing it.
‘Well, you had to have some faults. Contrary to many of your fan’s beliefs, you’re not actually a deity.’
‘You seem to think me a deity when we’re in bed.’
‘Behave.’ She warned, giving him a momentary glare, but there was a grin edging its way into her features as she did.
When they got back to the house, Mac saw fit to mark the two cars as well as the two brick gate posts before finally going inside, Bobby having already went to ensure their bed was still where it had been before. Tom and Danielle brought in their bags and their gifts that they had gotten, into the house.
‘I am not going to lie, your way of doing this is far easier.’ Tom beamed as he took his suitcase upstairs as Danielle brought hers to the back kitchen to the washing machine.
‘Well, it makes more sense, all the dirty laundry in one bag, the clean in the other, otherwise you are forced to wash everything, and that is not practical.’ Danielle explained as she ascended the stairs after him.
‘Very thrifty, Ms Hughes.’
‘I am a very practical woman.’ She smiled as she entered the bedroom, laughing as she watched Tom jokingly toying with her unused underwear, a cheeky grin on his face. ‘You fecking eejit.’ His smile only widened at her reaction. ‘How are you a man that is assumed to be so professional and proper and here you are, messing with my panties?’
‘I am a very talented actor.’ Tom beamed proudly.
‘Fecking eejit.’ She laughed. ‘I am going to get some shopping.’ She grabbed her purse that she had left at her side of the bed and left the room.
‘What about…’
She paused on the stairs as a concerned looking Tom came out of the room. ‘Yes, love?’
‘Why would you pay for the food when I am the one that will eat most of it?’
‘Because there is a water charges bill that needs paying on the counter, they will be about the same.’ She dismissed.
‘Fair enough.’ Tom shrugged. ‘Don’t forget the Hobnobs.’
‘I plan on getting two packs.’
‘I love you.’
‘You love Hobnobs.’ Danielle laughed.
‘I love you more though.’
‘Good to know.’ She chuckled as she grabbed her jacket and went to the shops.
*
Danielle paid little heed to anything around her bar the road as she parked and paid her ticket before grabbing a few bags from the back seat and rushing into the first shop.
It did not take long to get what she needed, eggs, milk and other such items, before heading to the butchers for meat. Grabbing the few things for the rest of the week, she didn’t really think too much of anything before bagging her purchases and leaving again. It was at the last stop, a small Tesco Express not far from the car to get Tom’s biscuits that she paused and frowned.
She had seen Tom on magazines before, especially after the whole Taylor Swift situation, but seeing herself and him on them seemed to make her brain incapable of processing it. On the front cover of three different magazines, there were photos of her and Tom on their arrival to Rome, as well as a comparative picture with him there with Taylor, and a few headlines that made her brow raised. Shaking her head, she turned slightly only to see a women flicking through one of the magazines only to stop at the page of her and Tom, the woman reading ardently what few lines that were there before noticing Danielle next to her.
‘My daughter is stone mad about him, he’s not bad to look at. Could do with a shave though.’
‘I prefer a beard, personally.’
‘Well, his girlfriend doesn’t seem to mind. Poor Amanda was gutted to see him with someone, as though she’ll ever even meet him.’ The woman rolled her eyes. ‘She seems too down to Earth for all that madness, look at that outfit, she’s not trying to show off her knickers like half of them.’
‘I don’t blame her.’ Danielle smiled before going to get the biscuits, laughing to herself. As she grabbed Tom’s favourites she fell into fresh giggles and forced herself to breathe deep before laughing again. When she got to the checkout, the girl behind the counter was looking at her oddly, which did little to help Danielle’s giggles. She barely uttered out thank you as she took her change, noting the girl checking her hand. Danielle, unable to stop herself, turned over her hand and gave a pretend saddened face before thanking the girl again and walking off, another checkout girl nearby laughing loudly as she did, also saying “I told you it was her” as she did so.
Danielle was still laughing when she parked the car in the driveway and collected the bags of shopping and heading into the house. She was about to see where Tom was to tell him her funny story when she heard him speaking on the phone.
‘So nothing too mad then? No, I told you I wasn’t going to propose. No, she loved it. She needed the break, work has been hard on her recently.’ Danielle closed the door gently and went to make her way into the kitchen quietly so not to startle Tom and interrupt his call. ‘No, I haven’t asked her.’ Danielle paused for a moment. ‘She could tell I wanted to ask her something and I froze.’ She frowned at his words, remember the odd look he was giving her and her questioning it before he dismissed it. ‘Because she will say no and everything will become awkward and it could very well destroy everything.’ Danielle felt odd about what Tom was saying, not sure what he was wanting to ask her. ‘She actually allowed me to embrace her and she kissed me, in public, I am not risking all that. I….I can’t. If she said no and felt as though I was pressuring her and...no, it’s not worth it. I know I do, but not at the cost of her.’
Deciding not to let the conversation continue without Tom knowing she was there, Danielle inhaled deeply and used her elbow to open the door. Tom swung around, clearly startled by her appearance. She gave an attempt at a smile as Tom ran his hand through his hair before clearing his throat.
‘Luke, I need to go, Danielle is back and I need to help her get sorted here. I’ll talk to you more tomorrow. Yes, I will send back the paperwork to them as well. Bye.’ Tom hung up the phone and rushed over to Danielle. ‘Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you were getting everything.’ He smiled as he brought the meat to the fridge. ‘Was there anything of note in the village?’
‘No, here?’ Danielle asked, wondering if Tom would think to mention the earlier content of his call.
‘Nothing much. Luke rang, as you gathered, letting me know that there was a few pictures and articles, nothing of note.’
‘We are on the front page of a few magazines.’ Tom stared silently at her. ‘There are a few of the weekly trash ones with the pictures of us in Rome on them. Going by the publishing dates, if there is any of us elsewhere, they will happen in the next issue.’ She did not even look at him as she put the rice and other foods in the cupboard.
‘Are you alright?’
‘Fine, you?’
‘Fine.’ Tom eyed her cautiously. ‘Are you mad?’
‘About what, the magazines?’ He nodded. ‘Not at all, I couldn’t give a fuck about them, I thought it was funny if I’m honest. I giggled the whole way around Tesco’s and the entire journey home about it actually.’ She stated as she all but threw the groceries away. ‘I am going to get changed. Are we both walking the dogs or am I going alone?’
Tom could not help but notice her harsh manner. ‘I thought we were both going?’
‘Well, we better get started so, I need to get an early dinner as I have to be up at stupid o’clock to get the half six flight.’ She left the room and a baffled Tom behind her.
For the whole of the walk, though Danielle ensured she kept her tone light and spoke casually, Tom did not reveal anything of the conversation that concerned her with Luke, upsetting her slightly.
He tried to suggest ordering something or going out to dinner since they were tired out after their holiday and Danielle was up so early, but she insisted on cooking, making sure both their steaks were done as they liked them and putting together a delicious dinner to go with them.
‘Thank you, Elle, that was incredible.’ Tom kissed her cheek as she soaked the dish she had put the roast potatoes in. ‘I am going to miss you terribly.’
‘Yes, it is odd after so long of both of us in the house to be apart again, but we are well able for it.’ Danielle smiled. ‘Unless we don’t count my hell hours.’
‘How will Safeguard do without you around for two weeks?’
‘Well, I will have a shit-tonne to do again on my return, obviously, but for the most part, I am needed to ensure the set is ready but that is going to be mostly before shooting, I can deal with a lot of the paperwork while on site, so I will be fine, just checking over everything when I...stop that.’ She gently pushed Tom, who was snaking his hands down her sides. ‘You are insatiable.’ His lips pressed against her skin. ‘The dogs are looking at us.’
‘So?’
‘Tom, I am not a prude, you know that but we are not going any further in front of our pets, that is not something I am into.’ She nudged him again.
‘Then leave the dishes and get away from the dogs.’
‘I need to tidy and pack.’
Tom groaned. ‘Spoilsport.’
‘Finish these and let the adult get her work done.’ She scoffed, drying her hands and tossing the tea towel at him before leaving the room.
When Tom joined her upstairs half an hour later, Danielle had a fresh bag packed and everything she needed ready. ‘I will bring that down for you.’
‘You’re fine. I am going to get a cab in the morning, let you sleep in.’
‘What? No, I will drop you.’
‘You don’t have to, I’m better off getting there myself.’
‘Elle, are you alright, you have been bothered since coming back from the shops?’
‘I’m fine, I just don’t want you having to get up early for no good reason.’
‘Seeing you off is not “no good reason”.’
‘Are you that desperate to get rid of me?’ She joked, putting her arms around him. ‘Tom, I mean it, nothing happened when I was out today, well, it did, but positive, I was actually in a great mood from it all.’
‘But you seem …’
‘Don’t go looking for issues when there are none,’ She warned, throwing a pair of folded clean socks at him. ‘I am trying to get myself ready for two weeks of hard work after a fortnight of shit, then a nice break, it’s a lot to organise in my head.’ She explained.
‘I’m sorry, I just don’t want something like magazines coming between us, I don’t want to lose you to something so inconsequential.’
‘Do you think you will?’
‘No, or I hope I don’t, but the way you kissed me, you actually leant up and kissed me, in front of others, in full view of everyone...I…’ There was some emotion in his face that Danielle found difficult to place, it was almost like happy disbelief. ‘I love you, so much. And the idea that we are developing this much...You have no idea how incredibly happy I am, Elle.’ She could not help but smile as he looked at her adoringly. ‘I love this, I love you and I love us.’
‘Tom, you are too loving, do you know that?’ She smiled. ‘I love you too.’ She leant up and kissed him. ‘But no matter what, I am not going to run off over something small, I promise, so don’t ever feel you can’t talk to me about certain things that are bothering you, okay?’
Tom’s brows knitted together slightly before he nodded. ‘I know.’ He kissed her and pulled her in against him, but said nothing else on the matter, causing Danielle to wonder again as to what it was he was referencing in that phone call.
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aion-rsa · 4 years
Text
Upcoming Movies in September 2020: Theaters, Streaming, and VOD
https://ift.tt/2CUVT60
Movies are back! Granted they never really left either, with Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, and others keeping us satiated with content these past five months. Still, the streamers are about to be reinforced for those willing to return to movie theaters: Major Hollywood blockbuster releases are coming, and limited rollouts are slowly making their way back into cinemas around the world.
For that reason, we’ve assembled a list of potential moviegoing experiences in September, whether on the big screen (please consider the risks of attending a theatrical screening) or at home via video on demand. It’s time for the popcorn to get popping.
Bill & Ted Face the Music
Now playing in theaters and VOD in the US (September 23 in the UK)
One of the biggest movies yet to eschew its intended theatrical window for a premium video on demand (PVOD) release is this most excellent adventure. It’s been 29 years since we last saw Alex Winter’s far out Ted or Keanu Reeves’ perpetually astonished Bill, yet it’s good to have both back in their legendary stoner roles. 
The fact they’re middle-aged and still having adventures through time and space, and against the visage of Death—he’s still cheating!—is pretty sweet. As is Keanu coming back to this role one Speed, three Matrixes, and nearly five John Wick chapters later. But this time they’ve got daughters (played by Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine)… but rest assured, the children are as amused as their dads.
Tenet
Now playing in the UK (September 3 in the US)
Already playing in the UK, Tenet will be making its much vaunted North American debut in “select U.S. cities” in September. We’re still not entirely clear what that will look like, but hopefully it will be worth it for this mysterious and visually dazzling Christopher Nolan epic. 
Early reviews are in, and the majority promise Nolan’s most exciting use of IMAX spectacle to date, though even without spoilers, this one might be too big for its own good. Our own Rosie Fletcher describes it as Nolan’s long-whispered about James Bond movie meets Doctor Who…
The New Mutants
Now playing in the U.S. (September 4 UK)
Josh Boone’s journey into the X-Men universe has been pushed back so many times it almost feels like a mythical lost movie. So when it finally arrives in UK cinemas on Sept. 4 (it landed in the U.S. at the end of August) it might feel like a bizarre flashback to another era – namely that of 2017 when the main shoot took place. 
Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Blu Hunt, and Henry Zaga star as five young mutants held in a sinister facility against their will. It’s been positioned as an action horror which in theory sounds pretty cool, though what the final cut will look like is anyone’s guess.
Mulan
September 4 (Disney+ with premium)
One day after Tenet makes its U.S. debut, Disney, and more specifically Disney+, offers a starkly different vision for the future of cinema with Mulan. Whereas Tenet will attempt to jumpstart moviegoing, Disney has pushed one of their biggest 2020 blockbusters exclusively to streaming in all markets featuring Disney+, including the U.S. and UK. That means if you want to see Niki Caro’s anticipated reimagining of the 1998 animated Disney movie, you are going to have to pay $30 on top of your Disney+ subscription to get a load of this bad boy on a new PVOD model.
Read more
Movies
Mulan and Tenet Show Competing Visions for Future of Movies
By David Crow
Movies
UK Cinemas Slam Disney After Mulan Streaming Announcement
By Kirsten Howard
Even so, the film’s need to step away from the 1998 version’s iconography—Chinese moviegoers generally dislike musicals—appears to offer an opportunity to make a modern 2020 epic that can stand on its own two feet.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
September 4 (Netflix)
Charlie Kaufman does horror? Well, uh, maybe?! For his first Netflix original production, the idiosyncratic writer-director behind Synecdoche, New York, and the Being John Malkovich screenplay is adapting Iain Reid’s thriller novel, I’m Thinking of Ending Things. But Kaufman is expected to come at it from his singularly off-center perspective.
With a somber setup about a young woman (played by Wild Rose’s talented Jessie Buckley) going to meet the parents of her boyfriend (Jesse Plemons), the movie is actually about an unhappy lover planning to terminate her relationship. Yet when she meets Mom and Dad (Toni Collette and David Thewlis), things are going to get weirder, if not necessarily better for the relationship…
The Roads Not Taken
September 11 (UK)
Sally Potter’s wistful drama was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival earlier in the year before the world went into lockdown. It follows Leo (Javier Bardem), a man with dementia, as he imagines different paths in life he might have taken, while his daughter Mollie tries to help him keep various appointments and struggles with decisions about her own future. A very personal study of mental illness, grief, and regret.
The Devil All the Time
September 16 (Netflix)
Southern fried noir might be the creepiest noir. With its rural and sunny backdrops, and a smiling Christian face, its pleasantries belie an evil heart. And Tom Holland of all people will be driving right to the dark center of it in The Devil All the Time, a new thriller by writer-director Antonio Campos. 
Ready to bow on Netflix this month, the all-star cast, which also includes Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, and Robert Pattinson, as a fire and brimstone preacher no less, The Devil All the Time reimagines post-WWII Tennessee backwoods as a hotbed of corruption, hypocrisy, and murder. Sounds about right.
Antebellum
September 18 (U.S. Only)
Co-writers and directors Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz appear to have cracked the code in making one of fiction’s favorite fantasies terrifying. You know the type: From Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court to Midnight in Paris, some congenial fellow travels back to a point in history he loves and has an all-around splendid time. Now imagine that same scenario except the protagonist is a Black woman. And she’s sent to the Antebellum South on the eve of the Civil War. Scared yet?
It’s a disturbing premise that aims to put Antebellum in the same wheelhouse as recent horror movies that have tackled American racism head on, including Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Us. The movie stars the ever compelling Janelle Monáe as a 21st century author trapped inside a 19th century nightmare, and it’s one of the most intriguing setups of the year. It also will be available on VOD and in select theaters.
The King’s Man
September 18 (September 16 in the UK)
Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of the nicer surprises of 2015. A better Bond movie than that year’s Bond film, this Matthew Vaughn directed and Jane Goldman co-written spy adventure was both a satire and loving homage to 007 movies of the 1960s and ‘70s, with excessive swagger and style to boot. Unfortunately, Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) didn’t live up to its predecessor. It did, however, make enough money to spawn a prequel. Which brings us to The King’s Man.
As Disney/20th Century Studios’ latest release, this movie sees Vaughn return to the director’s chair as he travels back in time to World War I and the origins of the Kingsman secret service. With the same daffy style but now in period garb (it worked for Vaughn in X-Men: First Class), the prequel hopes to recapture the charm of the original. It certainly has a winning cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Daniel Bruhl, Djimon Hounsou, and Gemma Arterton.
Kajillionaire
September 18 (October 9 in the UK)
One of the happy discoveries out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Focus Features’ Kajillionaire is a movie we’ve had our eye on for a while. The picture is writer-director Miranda July’s pleasant vision of criminality and heists being the stuff of family team-building. Take Evan Rachel Wood as Old Dolio. She’s an adult daughter whose depression has forced her to live at home with her small time crook parents. But Mom and Pop (Debra Winger and Richard Jenkins) have a plan; they’ll incorporate their daughter in the next heist and bring her out of her funk. It’s a charming premise that won over almost every critic who saw it back in January.
The Nest
September 18 (U.S. Only)
Another apparent highlight out of Sundance this year, Sean Durkin’s The Nest presents itself as a foreboding drama. As the follow-up feature from the director of Martha Marcy May Marlene, the film intends to be an unsettling account of a wealthy marriage descending into Gaslight levels of manipulation. With Jude Law as the rich patriarch and Carrie Coon as his quietly suffering wife, a sudden move to the country reveals dark dimensions to their relationship and the brittleness of domesticity. If the buzz is to be believed, the wound up WASPy tension in this could strangle an elephant.
Enola Holmes
September 23 (Netflix)
Did you know Sherlock Holmes had a little sister? You’re about to thanks to some strong synergetic mojo going on at Netflix with Enola Holmes, a new mystery/adventure that stars The Witcher’s Henry Cavill as Sherlock, The Crown’s Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Holmes, and Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown as the eponymous Enola. That’s right, Eleven’s going to use her own English accent and play Sherlock’s kid sister. 
Often kept in her famous brother’s shadow, it is up to Enola to do him one better when she sets off to find their mysteriously vanished mother. In the process, she proves she’s a super-sleuth in her own right and brings to light a deadly conspiracy. The game’s afoot!
Misbehaviour
September 25 (Open in the UK)
A crowd-pleaser that debuted earlier in the year in the UK, Misbehaviour has all the markers of a charming dramedy with real world ramifications. In fact, it’s set during the events of the Miss World competition in 1970, a televised beauty pageant in London that was then the most-watched event on the planet. In this context, the Women’s Liberation Movement reached international acclaim by disrupting the proceedings, and a Woman of Color from Grenada became a contender for the Miss World title.
Director Philippa Lowthorpe (The Crown) reportedly explores these events to winning results with an ensemble of players that Keira Knightley and Jessie Buckley as lead activists, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Jennifer Hosten (aka Miss Grenada), and Greg Kinnear at his greasiest as an aging Bob Hope.
Greenland
September 25 (U.S. Only)
Imagine this: A comet that is supposed to gently pass Earth by was misjudged by the science community, and instead a cataclysmic extinction level event occurs with comet fragments destroying parts of the world one action scene at a time! Yeah, in 2020 that sounds about right. It’s also the plot of Greenland, a new high-concept survivalist action movie starring Gerard Butler as a family man who, realizing Florida is gone and his home state is next, tries to save his wife (Morena Baccarin) and child by getting his family to the last place that may be spared: military bunkers in Greenland!
And you thought U.S. leadership was being ridiculous when it tried to buy the country a few years ago…
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theteaisaddictive · 4 years
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It just hit me in a flash that i never asked for your thoughts/rankings of the Cats 2019 soundtrack. Please forgive my ignorance and bestow the gift of your wisdom upon us
i have been caught in a whirlwind of events, which is why i have not responded sooner, but i’m currently home sick so what better excuse is there to wax evangelical (evan . . . jellicle??) about the cats movie soundtrack than this precise moment
i. jellicle songs for jellicle cats
i mean. well. first things first, it was recorded in advance (i assume that the 90s version was a live recording, but i could be wrong here) so of course it is going to sound awkward and stilted. this is nothing compared to how awkward and unnatural it is to see a bunch of actors naked save for cgi fur and ken-doll-like crotches singing and . . . uh, i think they’re dancing? -- around the white cat victoria, who did not have nearly so big a part from what i can digest of the 90s youtube clips. my favourite part has to be the fucking techno beat though. god damn. party on, you funky little abominations.
ii. the naming of cats/the invitation to the jellicle ball
yes, i will be smushing the exposition-related songs together unless i feel like separating them. this is my life, these are my choices. idk, it was fine?? i guess? munkustrap (aka The Main Cat Who Isn’t Victoria or Judi Dench and Quite Frankly Deserved Better Because He Was Giving This Performance His All) kind of just says the naming instead of it being a company-wide thing. they did not include bombalurina or demeter’s names in the naming, and this was the point at which i realised that the big name stars were not, in fact, going to lounge around in the background for the entirety of the play like they do in the musical. :(
the invitation also sees my Sweet Boy mr mistoffelees get his first solo line, which is good bc i fell in love with his sweet little face over the course of the film, and bad bc it marks the start of the absurd victoria/mr mistoffelees subplot which i am convinced was put in because of course a plotless weirdmageddon like cats needs a romantic subplot
iii. the old gumbie cat
something that needs mentioning is that idris elba shows up as macavity at various points in-between songs. i’m pretty sure he shows up for the first time here and like, tries to lure victoria away?? i think?? anyway it obviously does not work bc unfortunately we are stuck with victoria for the entire film, so onto the gumbie cat song we go.
what can i say about the rebel wilson song that hasn’t already been said. she unzips her skin. the cockroaches are uncanny in the extreme. there are slater-sized mice played by children. there is no funky tap routine, or if there is it was erased from my mind by the frequent awkward gaps in which rebel wilson attempted to be funny. dear god. 
iv. the rum tum tugger
miiiiilllllkk
ok, ok, fine. jason derulo gave a fun, lively performance and didn’t even have the decency to do a bad english accent, which means there is at least one song which i have to genuinely like and can’t just like ironically. but also miiiiillllkkk why is there a milk bar in london which is perfectly cat-sized whyyyy. 
v. grizabella
i am going to be honest. i think that this song appeared later in the movie, but the soundtrack only lists ‘highlights’ so it doesn’t appear in the track list. idk what to say. there are some girl cats (unnamed, although i think they have names in the stage version) who are mean to grizabella and then they say that she started working for macavity?? i’m not sure if this does or does not imply that he became her pimp, although he certainly has the coat and hat for it, which only raises more questions which i dare not put voice to.
vi. bustopher jones
fuck james corden. what the fuck did he do to the refined, fat old cat who frequents gentleman’s clubs and only dines on the finest stuff?? he made him dig around in the rubbish bins and interrupt the song twice to make ‘jokes’ about how fat he is. god i cannot fuckign stand james corden and i do not think he’s funny so i’m aware i may be biased but still. god. 
oh yes and then at the end macavity lures him over to a giant bin (in full view of the other cats, might i add) and thanos snaps him out of existence, but sadly not out of the movie. rebel wilson also got thanos-snapped earlier i just forgot to mention it.
vii. mungojerrie and rumpleteazer
i understand that this melody is the original melody and that the melody used in the 90s recording was a change made for broadway; however, this was the most boring fucking song in the movie and they should have used the broadway version, good night. also victoria is there while they burgle the house, for some reason, bc having an audience surrogate means she needs to be in Every Fucking Scene, so that was a Choice.
viii. old deuteronomy
a nice, sweet song introducing judi dench, sung by munkustrap in such a manner that i began to wonder if he was like, her boytoy or something. also the nuzzling is, like, out of control. i know there’s nuzzling in the stage version, but onstage they're also all crawling around on all fours and stuff whereas here they’re bipedal most of the time. it makes it look like everyone is constantly going in for a kiss when they’re actually just being sociable, and it is fucking disorienting.
ix. the jellicle ball
by the way, the jellicle ball itself takes place in some sort of cat-friendly dilapidated theatre, and it is both the weirdest and least weird thing about this whole movie. 
idk, it was fine?? oh wait, i actually forgot -- so waaaaay back at the start, victoria has a famous solo which wasn’t actually a solo in this version but danced with munkustrap, which . . . .was a Choice. so now she dances with like five different male cats, and it gets frantic, and Every Single Cat is just tearing it up on the dance floor, seriously the dancers in this are incredible, and then i think they all collapse on the floor in a heap, and it was at this point that i learned to be thankful i was not subjected to watching a cgi cat orgy while sitting next to my horrified sister
x. grizabella the glamour cat/memory (prelude)
like i said, i can’t remember what order this happens on the movie, so i’m taking the tracklist from the olc on genius. anyway victoria sneaks out for . . . reasons, and she sees grizabella. and grizabella is sad, and sings her song in the first person, because demeter got cut, because fuck demeter, i guess. oh yeah, and tom hooper, he of the masterful subtlety, had jennifer hudson sitting at a lamppost with withered leaves collected at her feet which she pointed to at the relevant lines. i’m surprised he didn’t add a sound effect of a moaning wind.
xi. beautiful ghosts
this was the song that taylor swift wrote for the movie and by god can you tell. it is incredibly jarring and serves no purpose (beyond, i guess, the purpose of deepening the nothing character of victoria), and -- ugh. look, it’s a pretty little song, and both victoria and taylor swift sing it well, but it’s thoroughly unnecessary. it’s like ‘suddenly’ in 2012 les mis -- why is this here??
xii. gus the theatre cat
i am not ashamed to admit that ian mckellen ‘singing’ gus the theatre cat was enough to bring a tear to my eye. because, well. the man may not have sung, but by god he acted. i challenge anyone with a heart to sit through all of cats and not even feel the slightest tug at their heartstrings when gus’s song plays. not even judi dench lifting one leg in appreciation could completely break the mood. oh wait. it did. (also gus got thanos-snapped by macavity immediately after exiting the stage)
xiii. skimbleshanks the railway cat
oooooh fuck YESSSSSS this is the single best song in the whole damn film. skimbleshanks himself?? wonderful. iconic. beautiful. his tap routine?? inspired. he’s skimbleshanks the railway cat -- the cat on the railway train! he inexplicably is wearing red dungarees, making him the fourth cat to be wearing clothes for no reason, and at the very end he spins like a top all the way into the air, before being thanes-snapped out of existence (but happily, not out of the movie) by.....
xiv. macavity the mystery cat
taylor swift is there. she’s undressed except for her cgi fur and a pair of stage heels. she starts tapping her little container of catnip over the collective of cats, causing munkustrap to make the sort of face you see reeve!superman make when he’s being poisoned by kryptonite, except that he is a cat being drugged with catnip and it is hard to take him seriously as a result. the song itself is a perfect guilty pleasure. taylor swift’s accent is shitty enough that you can enjoy the ridiculousness of the entire situation. idris elba cuts in to join the final chorus on ‘the Napoleon of criiiiiimmme’ and then he takes off his pimp coat and is . . . distressingly nude for the rest of the film. he dances briefly with taylor swift. it’s a thing.
anyway they thanos-snap judi dench to a boat on the thames bc she won’t let him go to cat heaven and the rest of the cats are left discombobulated. this is when Local Sadboy mr mistoffelees is uh, peer-pressured into attempting to magic judi dench back to the cats. bc mr mistoffelees has an arc now, you guys. and his arc?? is about getting his mojo back.
xv. mister mistoffelees
this song is also sung in first person by mistoffelees, which makes less sense when you get to the second verse, but whatever the movie only has about twenty minutes left let's just do it. it’s a solid song, but they keep pausing after every chorus to see if he can get judi dench back yet, which really dampens the groove that they have going on. anyway, they get her back, mr mistoffelees believes in himself now, yadda yadda yadda. meawhile back on the boat, this dickhead apparently didn’t bother to teleport the other cats back, so they fight their way out and rebel willson unzips her skin again. at this point in the cinema i was praying for mercy.
xvi. memory
memory was a song. it was clearly sung with a lot of emotion. for me, personally?? that emotion did not connect. sorry jennifer hudson. oh yeah also victoria has a verse in this song and i mentally wanted to s c r e am because this is not your fucking moment victoria, let the sad jennifer hudson cat belt her lungs out in peace
xvii. the ad-dressing of cats
god. let it end. let it end. this last ‘song’ was dragged out minute after minute after minute. judi dench looked into my very soul when she told me a cat was not a dog, and i still don’t know what she found there. when she started talking about cream and pie i could see munkustrap, he of the Giving This Performance His All, continue his impeccable acting by making faces of delight at her words. oh, munkustrap. even now, at the very end, you brought me joy. thank you, dear cat. thank you. 
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singularname · 4 years
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ooc: cats 2019 was hot garbage that doesn’t belong in the jellicle junkyard. Below are my thoughts and my review. I get pretty technical at points. So here you go. PERSONAL BLOGS DO NOT REBLOG! Liking and commenting and sending me asks about stuff is fine. But please do not reblog. I’m sure more thoughts will come out as I discuss things and such, but these are my first impressions.
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positives ( will be above the cut ):
You could tell who the broadway singers were and they stood out.
Munk was good, but I have some thoughts but overall he was good. He was probably the only one that even remotely understood his character, but he still had a few off beats.
Jennifer killed it, no i wont take critiques. Memory was pretty good.
Mungo and Rumple made the debut version of their song likeable (cause I do not like the debut version of their song) yet i have thoughts.
Bustopher Jones (the song) was decent, out of all the reworked numbers it fit the best and didn’t seem to far from the reworked plot or the original, so it was a good middle ground. James did well, he’s no operatic singer, but he did well, best of the non-trained leads at least.
Gus was good but his song was a bit boring he needed someone more to play off of as that is what acting is partially
Skimble may just have been the best part of the whole damn thing. The inclusion of tap into his number was pretty smart. I do wish more of his accent shined through though.
The rundown theater worked it would have worked better if they kept it all there.
negatives ( below the cut ):
Dance was sacrificed for cinamtography which was a damn shame. this musical is one of the premier dance musicals
Munk’s voice at the beginning was far too high, and did not exude power. It got better.
Victoria being the stand in for the audience was stupid and pointless. Especially with the fact that Addressing of Cats was kept in and broke the fourth wall.
Victoria’s acceptance of Grizabella was pointless because the jellicles hadn’t accepted her, she wasn’t even considered a jellicle yet. Her agency in that number meant nothing. If she had been a jellicle it would have been better. A better audience stand in would be the fucking kittens cause its their first ball.
The lack of touching made the touching that was their awkward. It was like they were all afraid to touch and interact with each other. And the CGI didn’t help, like when Munk lifted Victoria off the car at the beginning which looked like he wasn’t grabbing her at all which we know isn’t true.
Tugger had no point in the musical because he sang his number and disappeared, and not by fucking Macavity. Jason could have done more with the character, he had the right voice, but its like he wasn’t trying.
Jenny-Any-Dots was ruined. She wasn’t a respectable cat, and the mice were stupid. Sorry, I mean the idea was cute in theory, I liked that, but the execution was stupid. And the zipping of her skin NO. It just works better with the cats acting it out like they act out skimble’s number or bustopher’s number. It didn’t add anythign to the cats sing the songs about themselves because that idea was dropped when Skimble and Bustopher even sang their songs. Like its a poor idea and poorly executed, especially since the original is like gossip the cats gossiping about who could be chosen.
Who will it be echoed only once? UGH. The chorus was fucking weak in the few moments they were given to stand out.
Speaking of clothing, the clothing choices made no sense, along with proportion of human clothing. If I put a watch around a cat’s neck it would fucking choke. Yet a ring can fit around a cat’s arm? Some of the clothing was too human like all of Misto’s costume (which why was he wearing it the full time? he looked better without it).
The replacement of coricopat and tantomile for the hip hop twins was utterly stupid and useless.
Some of the framing of songs and such especially at the beginning was bad. But that could also be because it takes you about 4 songs to get your eyeballs used to the damn CGI.
Mungo and Rumple were good, but Rumple would have been better if she kept the accent up like Mungo did. I loved seeing them do a burglary, but I prefer the musical version where the scare the cats away under the guise of macavity then have fun in the junkyard.
Growltiger had promise as a song but they only gave us a line followed by a joke so that was stupid. The whole barge shit was stupid. Their were no stakes and we never see the other cats get off the damn barge. Also griddlebone poor poor griddlebone.
The opening number was missing so many things like decent choreography. None of the choreography made them look feline, they looked like humans doing a mix of jazz and ballet. Just turning their hands over instead of open hands would have been a tremendous change. But like I said earlier what choreography there was was sacrificed for cinematography so you could see what you were supposed to see instead of letting the audience watch and see it on their own with some lighting suggestions to draw the eye away from the main dancing.
I think the concept of Skimble’s number was great, but I thought taking them out of the ballroom was stupid. But it was the strongest number and the one besides memory which had the most relation back to the original.
Why were their so many songs and verses cut? Naming of cats named only plain names, not the fun names which is where we get names of our characters from! Like half the cast is named in that number. It made the chorus seem distant and impersonal, along with the lack of touch.
Robbie should have gotten the same treatment as the girl playing victoria he had almost a bigger role than her, aside from her little grizabella moments which all of those important grizabella moments were done in seclusion. Half the reason they have agency in the stage show is because other cats can see her.
The lack of touch! enough said.
Tugger not singing Mistoffelees song upset me. Robbie did good, but he is not Tugger. Mistoffelees song was ruined by all the pausing and bullshit. There was not a climax to the song at all because it was always stopped and restarted. it felt like a dinky kids roller coaster that had no real payoff because Misto has no confidence so when Deuts appears it may not have been because of Misto at all just saying.
Old Deuts was... bad. Judi was pitchy at best (sing talking the lines just don’t work), and just not very convincing. Her presence wasn’t commanding or authoritative no matter how much Robbie tried.
Bomby was fucked three ways to hell. Taylor was okay, but the song Macavity was ruined with the catnip and all the bullshit with that. Macavity is a cautionary tale, and doesn’t fit in with the actual purpose the musical wanted it to be. Her song wasn’t as a good as normal, and it missed aspects that having it as a duet brought.
Beautiful ghosts was absolutely pointless, and quite petty of a song. Perhaps if we knew more about Victoria or she was a jellicle it would have made sense, but it just seemed very disconnected.
I am mourning the cut of Peeks and Pollicles. Because it explain its a dog, so when Bomby says it in Macavity you have a connection to the word. Here it just seemed like a nonsense word. Plus no rumpus cat. Cutting it means that Munk’s normal song was changed to skimble, and i guess misto. Also cutting it means you take a whole number away from the chorus, and thus you loose more personality of the chorus cats.
The chorus seemed absolutely pointless because you never could watch them and focus on them. They were just their not interacting with one another, not doing anything really. All of what makes the jellicles a tribe was taken away because these cats seem like strangers to one another. Not to mention taking away their solos at the beginning is a crime and again takes away from the personality of each individual chorus cat.
Jason should have sang misto’s song cause it would have given him a purpose besides a star to get butts in seats. he was their and i half wanted him to sing the end where victoria did because then he would have had a purpose but nope.
The cutting of so many verses from songs was just a shame. The musical inspires people to take up ballet, and jazz, and tap but all of it was cut for cinematography purposes and to make you look at the main actors in a different shot so their is no inspiration for the dance.
Skimble’s number had an awkward shot on the train bridge that was so far away you couldn’t even see the silhouettes any more.
I mentioned proportion earlier but like the train tracks were way off, i mean we’ve all seen Aristocats right?
Victoria not having her moment after naming of cats was sad. And whatever moment their was ruined by the assassination of misto’s character. Cause it was bad. He never questions himself as being good in the stage show just where his powers come from. But here he has no steadiness in if he is good or not, and he’s just badly characterized.
The kittens had no excitement for Tugger in his song. None of them did they seemed more happy about the milk rather than this hunk in front of them.
Macavity was shit. Seeing him throughout took away from him being mysterious and threatening. Seeing him fall at the end with Griz floating away was absolutely stupid and cartoonish and TS Eliot is rolling in his grave at that alone. Why he is not a zombie yet coming to kill Tom Hooper for fucking his poems up is beyond me. Also Macavity is a ginger cat... but he had no hint of red hair on him at all.
The jellicle ball dance sequence was bad. It wasn’t just that they weren’t cat like it was that what’s his face was trying to do a Sugar Plum Fairy and have them all dance to the quieter notes in the musical which made it seem disjointed. Sugar Plum Fairy works like that because its a light number she is supposed to make you listen for what she’s dancing too not just what you are hearing. This did not work.
The plot was stupid. The competition and stealing of cats was stupid. It was not needed. The had the element of putting on a show and talking about cats getting chosen they didn’t need macavity for more than that, or to make him want to be chosen. Him being a threat alone is good enough.
Munk did not get his fight. That was given to the damn cats on the barge. I am not happy with that.
I wish the named cats were more present in the bigger group. They blended into the background before their own songs, and then they disappeared because of the shitty capturing the cats plot device that was shitty and not needed. It took away from your familiarity with the cats who were present because we know nothing about those cats at all.
A moment of silence for all the chorus cats we don’t see or know, or were written off, and had no interpersonal relationships with each other. Literally the lack of touching between them makes it seem like all these cats are strangers to each other. Robbie tried.
Another moment of silence for Gillian Lynne’s choreography. The nuance she gave to it, that was all lost and gone.
Finally the CGI the hands were inconsistent, as was the face stuff. They had whiskers but they were hard to see, and because they had no nose or mouth (cat versions) defined it didn’t feel right, and we know it was possible to do both since the actors wore makeup.
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About your issue
Hey, I checked your thoughts on Marvel Comics 1000 and while it was nice to see, though I noticed you have some big issue here. Your problem with Zdarsky calling his panel of Iron Man to be the most obnoxious even though it was mostly just Iron Man over the years going backwards from suit to man. That’s it. Just representing who Iron Man was. And honestly, there was nothing obnoxious about it. I mean, filler yes, but, the rest of the things in that issue was filler from Whitely, Simone, DeConnick, and a few others. Calling this thing from Zdarsky shows you have some sort of hatred for this guy. Sure, he might not give you the most favorable stuff like Life Story. But,the guy has proven to be a great writer with his run on PP:SM, his story with Norman, the time travel thing, The Tinkerer, Sandman, and the final issue. The stuff with Peter and his younger self was nice. And his Two-In-One was really brilliant as is his Invaders and Daredevil. Yet, you seem to be more hard on the guy based on some issues with Life Story(which I have debated with you) and other stuff. You also seem to judge him based on one work of Sex Criminals even though it was mostly Fraction and Zdarsky had done the art yet never gave into Two-In-One, Invaders, and Daredevil. And now I see you be harder on the guy based on a few panels of Iron Man even though that was nothing compared to a few others. Infact, you also judge him more based on his work in the previous issues of PPSM from # 2 even though the ones before issue # 6 we’re not that favorable to many. So going back to that just kinda seems redundant on criticizing a guy for his past faults who then improved later on.  Really, it seems you have some sort of issues with the guy even though A) He’s done some great work on Spidey even on the 616 universe making them in character compared to how you see in Life Story B) has made some hard hitting stories C) Has improved since then. And D) Has started making the character strong again before guys like Sean Ryan, Nick Spencer, Donny Cates, and Tom Taylor came along(Tom being the more Problematic). So, Really. What issues do you have here? 
“obnoxious even though it was mostly just Iron Man over the years going backwards from suit to man. ”
That is why it WAS obnoxious. There is no story there. There isn’t an attempt at a story.
“ That’s it. Just representing who Iron Man was. ”
You know DeFalco and Frenz represented who Thor was but actually had a beginning, middle, end, dialogue and something beyond ‘this sure is Iron Man and these sure are his outfits’. It doesn’t say anything about Tony beyond he is Iron Man which like...yeah, thanks I know.
“And honestly, there was nothing obnoxious about it. I mean, filler yes, but, the rest of the things in that issue was filler from Whitely, Simone, DeConnick, and a few others.”
I don’t recall their stories off the top of my head but if you are right then that doesn’t legitimize Zdarsky, it just means there was a lot of bad filler in this book. But at least they had some dialogue and were making some kind of point.
“Calling this thing from Zdarsky shows you have some sort of hatred for this guy.”
Don’t make presumptions.
I don’t hate him personally.
I hate the work of his I’ve read for Marvel and the fact that this is yet another example doesn’t change that. He’s just wrapped up a big Spider-Man story after a big Spider-Man run so obviously he’s a writer I will single out on a Spider-Man blog moreso than Gail simone who’s never written for Spider-Man that I know of. But I singled out Ewing too.
“Sure, he might not give you the most favorable stuff like Life Story. But,the guy has proven to be a great writer with his run on PP:SM, his story with Norman, the time travel thing,”
No he didn’t, that story wasn’t that impressive and it included BS like Peter’s sister. His run on Spec was more bad than good especially regarding all the team up crap, his sister and Jameson.
“The Tinkerer, Sandman, and the final issue.”
How the fuck is basically associating the Tinkerer with aliens again, an idea so dumb that Lee and Ditko never mentioned it again and later writers actively retconned out of the character’s background good?
How is doing the same story Paul Jenkins did over 10 years earlier (and better I might add) proof he is a good writer?
“The stuff with Peter and his younger self was nice.”
A broken clock is right twice a day.
“And his Two-In-One was really brilliant as is his Invaders and Daredevil. ”
I’ve not read that so i can’t comment. Different writers are better fits on different characters.
“Yet, you seem to be more hard on the guy based on some issues with Life Story(which I have debated with you) and other stuff.”
No I’m more hard on the guy due to Life Story and his Spec run, and whilst you have indeed debated the points with me, the points I’ve seen (I’ve not gotten around to all of them yet) haven’t held up to objective scrutiny.
“You also seem to judge him based on one work of Sex Criminals even though it was mostly Fraction and Zdarsky had done the art yet never gave into Two-In-One, Invaders, and Daredevil. ”
When did I ever once judge Zdarsky on Sex Criminals? Provide a link showing that I did that?
And frankly i can only judge him based upon the works I’ve read. The works I’ve read have been his spidey works which have generally been bad.
“And now I see you be harder on the guy based on a few panels of Iron Man even though that was nothing compared to a few others.”
See above.
“Infact, you also judge him more based on his work in the previous issues of PPSM from # 2 even though the ones before issue # 6 we’re not that favorable to many.”
He still wrote them. They are still bad. They are still therefore part and parcel of something i can judge him on. And frankly issue #6 itself was the worst issue he did period.
“So going back to that just kinda seems redundant on criticizing a guy for his past faults who then improved later on. ”
Improving later on would entail not insisting Spider-Man has a super secret sister, not having a clusterfuck for issue #300, not pushing on the PeterxGwen ship, not doing...pretty much anything in Life Story.
“Really, it seems you have some sort of issues with the guy even though A) He’s done some great work on Spidey even on the 616 universe making them in character compared to how you see in Life Story ”
I respect you believe he’s done some great work. This doesn’t change the fact that he has at best done like 2 or 3 decent-good issues. you are giving him the accolade of ‘great’ for stories that don’t fit that descriptor. Sandman’s swan song inherently can’t be a great story because we’ve seen it already!
“ B) has made some hard hitting stories”
Like what? Because from where I’m sitting the only thing Zdarsky has managed to hit is my wallet for Life Story.
“C) Has improved since then”
Going from crap to less crap isn’t much to write home about.
“And D) Has started making the character strong again before guys like Sean Ryan, Nick Spencer, Donny Cates, and Tom Taylor came along(Tom being the more Problematic). So, Really. What issues do you have here? ”
LULZ...no he didn’t.
He absolutely didn’t.
Making the character strong again is what Spencer was doing.
Spencer was reconstructing the character and mythos surrounding him.
Zdarsky simply wrote him LESS badly than Slott.
Please explain to me what Zdarsky did at all that made the character strong again?
Because all I can see to even hint at that is his final issue which is playing in the ballpark of Slott’s final issue anyway.
Zdarsky’s lasting contributiong as of right now is having Peter and Jameson act toxically out of character. THAT is his legacy at the moment!
In contrast Spencer has like 99% of the time written him properly and fixed sooooooooooo much shit Zdarsky either didn’t or broke more, like his stupid Black Cat story, or his stupid FCBD issue with MJ, or Jameson, or his sister, or insisting upon the Gwen ship or doing alien, time travel, wacky sci-fi crap that generally doesn’t belong in Spider-Man at a point in time when we’d been having YEARS of that shit.
Now I am absolute going to reply to your other comments at some point, but know this.
I’m not going to stop criticising Zdarsky when I feel it’s warranted and if you have such a problem with that either don’t read my comments about him or unfollow me. It’s your choice.
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wildlyfamousmusic · 4 years
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Another message to Webweildingavenger
Bullshit.
You are essentially arguing that if Gwen Stacy came back and the Green Goblin killed her but it was ‘different’ that’d be okay, even though it’s literally the same versions of the characters. I’m not even talking about an AU or an adaptation I’m talking about Sandman having TWO heartfelt sombee death stories in his canonical biography. This may surprise you but most people die just the once in real life, therefore that should ideally extend to fictional characters intended to be reflections of us too. 
Uh huh. And just because Sandman is dying, doesn’t make this story any less bad nor intriguing. Infact, it could be a heartfelt story and one that could serve an importance later on or at least an impact. 
Killing off Sandman is inherently stupid in the first place as you are removing one of Spider-Man’s more memorable villains off the table, but literally having the same concept behind the story is asinine. 
I don’t see the point. Sandman could be dying. Or at least lead to something interesting that could serve Spidey and him. Something to do with that depending on what the story may take. It’s not as bad as randomly killing off characters good or evil in poor taste unlike the previous run.....
This isn’t like Hunted where killing Kraven again for starters wasn’t the same concept but more specifically was a means to an end, that end being course correcting the fact he ever came back. 
Yep. That was the best part. This however is different for a story like Sandman compared to others. 
With Sandman Zdarsky, as is routine with him, arbitrarily ignored whatever he wanted and ploughed on ahead with HIS version of Sandman’s death rooted in the same concept.
Same concept with an interesting idea. Whatever Flint was going through compared to his other experience, it could lead somewhere. 
So what’s next?
Are we going to go ahead and accept Aunt May finding out Peter is Spider-Man again if it ignores that she already knew or indeed that she finds out after she finds him beat up and they have an issue long conversation about it? Will it be okay for Kingpin to target Aunt May prompting Spider-Man to kill him again? 
None of those would likely be what Sandman had gone through. Whatever Aunt May’s death would be, it should be a satisfying and impactful end to her character. 
“Really,it honestly shows you have some kind of feelings towards Zdarsky.”
a) Duh I hate his work because it sucks shit and 
No, not really. 
b) I can say the same of you in the opposite direction
“Ho early, his work had been great under Spidey.”
No, it absolutely has not. As I’ve pointed out time and time again it’s shit. 
And your reasons weren’t good enough nor really fair and I brought up how they were. you just didn’t respond or accept it. 
"Honestly, Nick Spencer is great. But,even his stuff has problems.”
Never said it didn’t. I critiqued Hunted and his second issue and his latest issue in fact and even the issue where MJ opens up to the therapy group. 
Yes, he has some good stuff and great stuff. But, his strength his missing. He needs to put in more of those strength. 
But there is a difference between having problems but being good on balance and killing off Sandman AGAIN, having Jameson find out AGAIN but ignoring what happened the first time he knew, establishing Spidey has a secret agent secret sister from his secret agents parents’ secret pregnancy and having an embarassing lack of knowledge about how the Cold War worked! 
Stuff with Jameson was not how we wanted. But, it’s a start. And the stuff prior to it like his annual was fine enough. Teresa was one fans from what I’ve seen wanted back and were interested in see how much she could play into the mythos. infact, it would not be just Zdarsky who would find her interesting but so would Nick Spencer, Gerry Duggan, Donny Cates, and may other writers. 
“Like, some of his stories aren’t strong enough. Even Hunted which had a strong beginning and end had a pretty weak middle that was holding back on things.”
The middle wasn’t weak, it had weaknesses that’s not the same thing. 
Weak, Weaknesses, same thing. And if you read my previous message you would understand why. It didn’t feel like the horror survival that it could. It felt like it was holding itself back. just putting some filler HU like Vulture. The middle could’ve been stronger if it felt more like a horror survival.
Game of Thrones had a strong start but grew weak in the middle and ended weakly. The Infinity Saga had weaknesses at various points but none of the 3 phrases were weak. See the difference? 
Game Of Thrones was a series with plenty of episodes that had 8 seasons. Infinity Saga had a strong beginning, middle, and end with what has been given to us. Hunted is an arc that had a strong beginning and end but had a weak middle for many reasons like it didn’t feel horrifying enough, the HUs like Vulture weren’t strong enough, the deaths in the survival weren’t hard hitting aside from Gibbon, things with Vermin before the end was bizarre, everything in the middle felt like it was holding back. 
“Really, as much as Nick Spencer is bringing things back, his writing isn’t really shown the same when it comes to the level of quality like Zdarsky and even Donny Cates.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Okay I loves Cates and I’m not going to criticise him. His work is very strong. As strong as Spencer’s? I’d say just different, neither better nor worse. I think some of the concepts he comes up with could be communicated a little better and he ignores continuity to an extent but the continuity he ignores in his Venom run is stuff that’s already a mess anyway. 
Yeah, That strong.
As for Zdarsky ***** please.
Zdarsky is a better Spider-Man writer than Spencer.
Let’s put aside how if that’s true it’s incredibly unlikely that Spencer would’ve gotten that gig instead of Zdarsky. Zdarsky was popuiar at a time when Spencer was reviled. Zdarsky had well recieved work on actual Spider-Man projects whilst Spencer merely had Superior Foes, an acclaimed book not actually about Spider-Man and circa 2018 a long since cancelled title.
How the flying fuck exactly can Zdarsky, the dude who literally IGNORED Jameson’s decades long characterization, his co-writer Slott’s own continuity regarding the mind wipe AND mere 10 year old continuity, be doing a good job? 
Be better than Slott. you see, for a while, we had so much bad stuff from Slott that he basically nearly ruined everything that made the Spider-Man Mythos so unique and brilliant. Zdarsky was the guy to help fix things for a while with better writing, impactful stories, brilliant handlings of the characters, and a much more satisfying end to his run before Nick Spencer took over to fix things and bring some interesting stuff as well as Tom Taylor who mostly has some good stuff and sometimes not and Donny Cates who’ve brought some interesting things. Same with Saladin Ahmed for Miles. 
Do you get it? That’s OBJECTIVELY BAD writing! 
Read my previous post ontop. No, it’s not. It’s Really not. 
Spencer meanwhile went ahead and refamiliarized himself with most Spider-Man stories, used that stuff and generally keeps it in line, keeping everyone in character and consistent to their established characterization. 
yes, but while he does that, what I want is better and stronger writing. What he needs  is to make things stronger. Because if there were ever story arcs we would expect in the near future, he needs to make them stronger. And so far, his 2099 arc seems to be that/ 
When he killed someone off a second time he did it with the explicit intention of fixing the fact he ever came back and acknowledging the prior time he died. The story was also different in concept to the original, not the same general idea at all. 
Same with Zdarsky. But, the story with Nick Spencer was a very brilliant conclusion to Kraven and a brilliant take on the story at the end. 
Zdarsky had Spider-Man go on adventures in time travel  and alien crap before following up with the single most overrated Spider-Man mini/AU of all time where he systemically wrote Peter, MJ, and indeed most everyone out of character and failed to demonstrate even basic knowledge of real life history. 
Aliens and other stuff. But, it did give The Tinkerer a very interesting take making him relatable to his views on humanity and an interesting backstory when he confronted Spidey at the end. Plus, the time travel stuff was very well handled bringing in some interesting stuff, emotional and impactful moments, some interesting results, and some brilliant high end struggle.  The stuff was bizarre but handled well. Especially with what it’s like meeting your past self and fix all those mistakes and teaching him to be a better person. 
The stuff with the Nukes was already explained and the stuff took place while the heroes were in Secret Wars.
Spencer in contrast deconstructed Peter’s character in 5 issues before reconstructing him and realigning him at the very least closer to who he is as opposed to what Slott, the BND staff and yes Zdarsky himself contorted him into for over 10 years. 
No, Zdarsky did him well before Nick took over. He just made him more competent before Nick fixed his life. Like I said, woth Zdarsky, Peter 
Made sacrifices for himself 
made a villain a better person. 
ouytbested the other heroes and foes. 
fought off against a team of SWATs while they were gonna bring harm to his neighbors if he didn’t show. 
turned himself in to save his Aunt May 
Nearly risked his life to save all life 
taught his younger self to be a better person 
Gave Sandman the opportunity to have his final moments even nearly revealing himself especially since he sees the good in Flint at the end like he always had 
Get treated with respect from the other heroes instead of being made fun of or look like an idiot
the final issue of his run. 
stuff like that before Ni9ck took over. See what I mean when I said you ignore most pf what Zdarsky did. and compared to the likes of Slott, Waid, Bendis, and the others during BND, Zdrasky did it better. Better before Nick Spencer took over. Better before Sean Ryan took over. And as good as Donny Cates got involved. 
Nick was fixing things and did some good and great things. But, compared to the strength in quality, it hasn’t picked up yet. And since his issue 29, Absolute Carnage Tie In, and first chapter of his 2099 arc, it looks like it’s starting to pick up. And what Nick needs is that level of quality in his work. 
Shit dude, Spencer even USED Zdarsky’s own continuity better than he did in the Lifetime Achievement arc where he gave us a potted summation of exactly who Jameson is! 
No, not really. His Jamson arc was good. But, like I said, the quality of his work needed to be stronger.
Zdarsky throughout his run has REJECTED the idea of the wider Marvel universe intruding upon Peter’s adventures and thereby making him look weaker and less competent as a result. Zdarsky WASTED a 300th issue on that and followed it up with a shitty Black Cat story. 
HOW? He bested both TChalla and Hawkeye making them look like fools, he bested the Six, tried to outbest The Tinkerer, Beated Norman Osborn while trying to save his Aunt May and his younger self, made the boldest sacrifice in trying to stop The Tinkeer, made the Tinkerer into a better person connecting his essence with his, bested Norman’s police force, bested the SWAT team while he was on the run and while his neighbors were at risk from them, gave Sandmam his final moments. Please. Tell Me. How Did He Make Peter Entirely Incompetent The entire time. Because From What I’ve Seen, He Made The EXACT OPPOSSITE. I can expect a few hang ups from Nick’s take. But, neither of them were incompetent at all. it just shows you have some problems with Zdarsky overall. And whatever that is, you need to deal with that.  
Also, his Black Cat story was suppose to be a gag issue.  Infact, it was a Parody of Tom King’s Wedding arc of Batman and Catwoman in that exact moment Bruce proposed to Selina. Look it up.
Spencer took the Gibbon and in one issue wrote one of the best single issue Spider-Man stories of this decade. Zdarsky decided to take the Tinkerer and retcon that he WAS in fact associated with aliens, an idea so stupid Lee and Ditko distanced themselves from it and other better writers further buried that idea in the 1980s. 
The Gibbon issue was good. But, Zdarsky made the thing with The Tinkerer better making him more relatable as well as getting some personal backstory he held for so long.
Shall we compare their pet projects? Okay.
Life Story vs. Superior Foes.
On the one hand a side splitting story that develops a C or D list character into a fan favourite and on the other a story that is so idiotic it thinks that that America wouldn’t  simply win the Vietnam War if they had fucking superheroes on their side! 
Nick made that work. So did Zdarsky, infact, many writers can make many C and D list characters better. 
So….Spencer is worse than Zdarsky how again?
Not to mention btw, it’s pretty weak to try and build up Zdarsky by throwing shade at Spencer. 
You make it li9ke you claim Spider-Man wasn’t better until  Spencer took over which isn’t really the case especially with the @#$% Bendis, Slott, Waid, and the rest had given us before Zdarsky took over. So saying a brilliant writer handle come to fix things hadn’t existed is pretty insulting. Especially since a writer like Spencer, while he is fixing things, hasn’t reached to the level of quality it needed to be. And so far, his issue 29, Absolute Carnage, and 2099 were the strongest we’ve ever gotten in a while. I don’t hate Nick Spencer nor do I find him anything bad. What I want is that his work needs to be in the level of Quality as it should.
“Honestly, the best one he had since his first 4-5 issues of his ASM was his Absolute Carnage Tie in.”
a) There were 2 tie-in issues 
Yes, both good.
b) Many people, myself would argue ASM #29 was better 
29 was great. But the tie ins were an improvememt.
c) Even if one disagrees with that ASM #29 is simply different to the Absolute Carnage tie-in issues as they are distinctly different types of stories
d) Even if those WERE the best that doesn’t support any kind of argument against Spencer because 4/5 of the last 5 issues were good, just because one or two of them were the best of the bunch doesn’t discredit him. Shit the last 5 issues weren’t even BAD! 
I’m not saying the last 5 were bad. The Syndicate arc was a bit weak but good. But, it’s not up to the same level of quality as issue 29, Absolute Carnage Tie In, and 2099 later on. 
e) If hypothetically the Absolute Carnage tie-ins WERE the best issues he did out of the last 5 how does this devalue Spencer? Spencer made 2 issues hijacking his book due to an event, in which the inherently asinine idea of Norman as Carnage was a thing, work to exceptional effect. That doesn’t devalue him that shows you how skilled he is. 
Yes, that’s what I meant when his story on that was the best. And his 2099 seems to be reaching there as well. 
“Honestly,he has alot of stories to unfold in the future. And if he continues to hold back on them,then he Really needs either a co-writer or just put more thought into them.”
Please. Just cut the shit okay.
You are at this point dissing Spencer who doesn’t deserve it (’he needs a co-writer’ my ass) to build up your favourite horse. 
I’m not dissing him as a writer. I Want him to be greater. I Want him to reach that level of quality. If you ignored a previous writer’s best work and said none of the stuff ever happened Before that writer showed up even though that writer’s quality is not up to par, it’s not only ignorant, but, also insulting. After all this time Spider-Man fans suffered, saying this type of @#$% is insulting. And Really, I Want Nick Spener to Reach that level of work. And if we ever get to a very important story arc or more like with some very important ones like Goblin, Kindred, Otto, and stuff, then Nick Spencer NEEDS to put in that same level of quality. otherwise the whole thing would suffer and be for nothing.
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darthspideys · 6 years
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I want you with me --- 2
best friend! roommate! Tom x reader
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SERIES MASTERLIST
word: 1317
Summary: The one where someone realizes what they need to do
A/N: Yeah so, I’ve very into the concept of writing flashbacks and present-day story simultaneously, and have one interrupt the other, can you tell?
Song: Delicate, Taylor Swift
Lyrics: Is it cool that I said all that? Is it chill that your in my head? ‘cause I know that its delicate.
(Y/N)'s relationship with Tom was, unconventional to say the least. The two of them lived together and has since two months after they had first met, and that was a little weird in the societal norms of the genders kind of way. Their relationship did not have a lot of boundaries, to say the least. Sometimes (Y/N) would come home from a long day of work and be so tired that she just laid down on the couch to fall asleep, and on those days if he was some she would fall asleep on Tom. She would fall asleep and he would run his hands through her hair, or put a blanket on her,  or slowly rub her back if she wined or couldn't get comfortable. And she would know that he did that, and not think anything of it, because that's the kind of relationship that they had. Although sometimes, she would come home and not be so tired and she would start kissing him, and that would lead places.
Most people who knew them found it at least a little bit weird but it was all a part of their deal. Fulfill the girlfriend/boyfriend roll without any actual feelings involved. That was the rule, no extra feelings involved. Both of them liked each other, but just as friends. Only lately, (Y/N)'s feelings had begun to grow for Tom. She worried about this, she worried about ruining her friendship with him and upsetting the delicate balance the two of them had. All of which came to a head one day when she came home from work.
She sat down on the couch and huffed, loudly. Leaning into the cushions and getting ready to shed her shoes when suddenly she felt something close to her. Tom was kissing her, slowly, and she let out another huff. "Tom..I'm tired." When really she wasn't, she hoped that he hadn't noticed but she had been taking steps back from him, for her own good so that maybe the feelings would go away.
"You've been tired a lot lately." He frowned, he had noticed her stepping away just a little.
"Probably because I have  a job." She snapped, not meaning to.
"Wow, okay." Tom scooted a little farther away and looked at the TV.
"I'm sorry." She said, quickly realizing her mistake.
"Whatever." He huffed, crossing his arms.
"Don't pout, Tom, it doesn't suit you." (Y/N) said, leaning in closer to Tom, "Do you want to get ice cream or something, baby? Will that make you feel better?"
"I do want ice cream but don't mock me."
"Well, there's some in the fridge, which you can get yourself. But get me some when you get up, please?" (Y/N) batted her eyes a little, and she swore she could see Tom smile a little. He stood up and rolled his eyes at her before pulling two bowls out of the cupboard, along with two spoons. He scooped out ice cream for both of them before walking over to the couch and handing one to (Y/N. "Thank you." She said.
"Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes clear with worry. "You've been irritable the last few days."
"Yeah." (Y/N) shrugged it off. "I'm good."
"Are you-?"
"If you finish that sentence with menstruating, then I will hit you, hard." She paused, "And no."
"See? Right there." Tom told her, moving closer. "You usually don't have a problem talking with me about that kind of stuff, heck I've gone to the store and bought it for you."
"And I appreciate that but there's nothing wrong, okay? I'm fine."
"Is it work? Or is someone bothering you? You mom, or something?"
"Nothing is wrong Tom jeez!" She snapped again, throwing her hands in the air for emphasis. "Just, stop worrying about it. Okay."
"Okay." Tom let out a breath and grabbed the remote to turn the volume of the TV up. He reached out and grabbed (Y/N0's hand, and just held it. She didn't do anything, and she just let him. God, why did he have to be so charming?
-------
Okay, (Y/N) think rationally here, you were drunk at a bar and he drove you home. Let's be perfectly honest here, you probably embarrassed yourself monumentally, so you shouldn't call him, he doesn't want to take to you. But he did leave his number... and say call me. Call him for what though? A date? You broke up with your boyfriend yesterday, after not talking to him for a week. So clearly your not emotionally healthy, definitely not enough for a relationship. So why call him?
(Y/N) was pacing her kitchen with Tom's note in her hand, having a very intense argument with herself. She was one-day post break-up with her boyfriend, and instead of drowning her self in Netflix binges and chocolate ice cream she was trying to decide whether or not to call another guy, another awesome decision on my part, (Y/N) thought, still looking at the phone numbers in her phone.
You know what? Maybe hanging out with a super cool celebrity will make me feel better, (Y/N) smiled to herself as she dialed the number, and waited for the line to ring.
Hours later, she and Tom were walking around LA looking at all the sights that both of them had seen before. They were involved in small talk, little conversations about their lives and their families and the overbearing heat in California.
"So you're a big shot actor guy, how does that feel?"
"Umm, overwhelming. I walk onto a set and I feel like I'm the new guy, so I always have to try my best to prove that I'm supposed to be there."
"From what I've seen, your pretty good. I don't think you have a lot to worry about."  
"Yeah? Try sharing a set with RDJ, Chris Pratt, and Chris Evans-I am the new guy and for some reason, I feel like I always will be."
"Hey." She punched him in the arm, "Someday you'll be that big successful actor that the new guy on set it looking up to." He smiled at her, and his eyes sparkled in the sun. "Or your career will crash and burn and you'll end up living in your tiny apartment alone, living on ramen noodles and broken dreams."
"Wow." Tom stumbled back a little, feigning hurt, "That's harsh."
"Joking. Hey, I mean your playing Peter Parker who arguably is the most famous Marvel character of all time, your doing it for Marvel that's now owned by Disney, not Sony, who sucks and your not half bad even if you were to only play him for the rest of your career you'd be okay, financially anyway."
"Well isn't that reassuring." he paused, "Your quite the pessimist, aren't you?"
"Eh." (Y/N) shrugged, then she chided herself before taking a breath. "Actually if I'm being honest I do talking, in social environments a lot like a comedy show, where the comedian tells a joke and if the audience laughs then he or she continues the joke because it worked the first time, and then you get a feel for what the audience likes, and you can continue to make them laugh and you become popular. And now I'm rambling which is what I was trying to avoid because who wants to be friends with someone who rambles like a weirdo and treats social conversations like a performance?"
Tom stared at her blankly before his stare turned into a smile, which made a little of (Y/N)'s worry melt away. "You're really cool."
"What?"
"I've never met anyone like you before."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Good." He smiled again, wide. "Really good." He paused and seemed to weigh two options in his head.
(Y/N) looked confused.
"Do you want to be my best friend?"
--------
She looked at Tom again and sighed internally so he wouldn't notice the intense thought process she was going through. Then, it came to her and she realized exactly what she would have to do.
"I think we should date...People."
permanent taglist: @downeeyjunior @peters-vlogs @tomsfireheart   @spideydaddyboy @built4broadway
I want you with me taglist: @beautiful-holland @translucentthoughts @ironspiderguy
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Looking towards Avengers 4 (with major Infinity War spoilers)
I'm aware that this might come across as negative, so I need to get something out there immediately... I absolutely loved AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR.  I thought it was epic, and in the same way that THE AVENGERS shouldn't have worked, it totally did.  Bringing all those characters together and it not being a shambles. I've always had faith in Marvel and (in particular) the MCU... all in all INFINITY WAR is a triumph.  My excitement for AVENGERS 4 is on overload already.
The second (and much better) ANT-MAN AND THE WASP trailer has just been released, and early next year we get to meet CAPTAIN MARVEL.  That's all exciting stuff, but AVENGERS 4... that's where we've heading to.  Kevin Feige has stated that there will be a line drawn for the fans... everything before AVENGERS 4, and everything after it. 
That's something to remember when discussing AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, because whilst it feels like everything has been leading to THAT film, that's not true, it's next year's outing that really is - as Doctor Strange would say - the endgame.
It's impossible to look towards AVENGERS 4 without  talking about INFINITY WAR, of course.... especially as, well, it killed off a lot of it's characters.  I'm not about to review the film, but we HAVE to talk about the deaths.   They're very important.
Marvel have always, seemingly, been afraid to kill off major characters.  One-off villains, sure.  The odd supporting character, maybe.  But the big players?  Not so much.  During the first two phases of the MCU, the biggest death is arguably Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.  Sadly, the death is underwhelming because... we've only just met him.  Barring a tease at the end of a previous movie, the 'twins' were only properly introduced in the film that offed him, so we can't possibly care as much as if, say one of the originals had died instead.  A lot of people thought Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) might bite the dust, and that would've meant more, certainly.  Quicksilver it was though.   Then phase three happened - would things change?  A little bit, and not at first.  Personally I was disappointed with CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR, as it was a film I went in absolutely expecting the exit of a known character.  The comic book source suggested a death should happen, and really if it wasn't known that Chris Evans had more films on his slate I would've really expect Captain America to be a goner.  Knowing that wouldn't happen I expected someone in his place.   The closest we come is (Don Cheadle's) War Machine's plummet. It's dramatic... but it's not a death and it is sadly completely signposted in the trailers.
I've made my peace with CIVIL WAR though, and moved on from my initial disappointment to regard it as one of my favourite movies in the franchise. Since then, Marvel have seemingly cottoned on to the fact that - as much as we don't want to see our favourites die - it needs to happen if the audiences are to believe the jeopardy of the situations the characters are in.  In GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 director/writer James Gunn chose to kill off Yondu (Michael Rooker).  It's actually a powerful moment, and whilst Yondu is hardly a core member of the group, it's affecting enough.   THOR: RAGNAROK took it further... with half the cast of the previous films not returning anyway (Foster, Selvig, Darcy and Sif all missing), the devastation across Asgard at the hands of Hela (Cate Blanchett) sees off Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, with Odin (Anthony Hopkins) having his swansong earlier in the film.  It's enough.  True none of the 'crossover' characters get taken out... but RAGNAROK does run straight into INFINITY WAR as the fleeing Asgardian race come face to to face with Thanos' ship.
That's precisely where we start INFINITY WAR too.   Whilst some characters are questionably missing - Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie and rock dude Korg for example - those we do see aren't around for long.   The Asgardian bodies are scattered, and the first 'proper' death of film is Idris Elba's Heimdall.  He bifrosts the Hulk to Earth and in doing so is killed by Thanos (Josh Brolin).  Thor (Chris Hemsworth - in his biggest, most important role during an Avengers outing) is shocked, but the bigger shock comes when Loki (Tom Hiddleston) is throttled to death.  Okay, for some of the audience I don't think this is as big a shock as it is for Thor, but it means a lot.  Loki has been a favourite with the fans, especially the favourite villain in the MCU, and whilst I've seen some bemoan a wasted death, I think it's perfect for the film. Loki IS  a villain, and the 'bigger' deaths need to be reserved for the heroes.
Gamora.  That's a big death, which actually guides the film to it's conclusion.  Zoe Saldana's green assassin plays such an important role.... it is sad when Thanos sacrifices her for the soul stone... but again, I'm sure we saw it coming.  ONE of the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY had to be offed. As the story unfolds, it makes sense that Gamora is the one.... and if it's a permanent death it's going make a big hole in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 3!  She's the lead female after all.  But her death works... and, let's be honest, it's the effect on Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) that stops Iron Man and Spider-Man succeeding in getting the gauntlet off of Thanos, which could have won everything there and then.
We then have Vision (Paul Bettany).  He dies twice.   Once at the hands of Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) to save half the universe... and once by Thanos to destroy it.  Those deaths all have a lot of weight to them for varying degrees and reasons.  Heimdall is the first notable death, Loki a god, Gamora a guardian and Vision an android who probably could've been the saviour of the universe had his head not been a target.
Thanos then clicks his fingers.  A simple act, that has devastating consequences. Half the life in the universe gets wiped out - including half of our heroes.  Bucky, Falcon, Black Panther, Groot, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, Maria Hill, Nick Fury and Doctor Strange.  They all... disappear.  It's has a massive impact  The bad guy won.  The good guys lost.  The last shot of the film is Thanos smiling.   The credits are black and sombre.  At the very end we're normally told that our heroes will return... but we're not... instead we're told that Thanos will return.
It's a shock.
Until you think about it. 
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If AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR was the last film of the phase, then the impact would be astounding, but we know AVENGERS 4 is now a year away. When the third phase was announced, a two-parter was announced - AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR PART 1 & PART 2.  Since then, the writers and directors have tried to undo that.  INFINITY WAR has now 'part one' attached, and the title to the follow up is still a secret.  We've been told that the film is very different to the one we've seen, but the title is technically a spoiler, so they chose to withhold it so audiences could concentrate on the movie at hand.
Having seen INFINITY WAR (and I'll state again - I loved it) I really wouldn't be surprised if the title for the next film ends up simply being AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR VOL 2.   I can't see how it's not a simple 'second part'.  Thanos smiling at the end of this movie might as well have had the words 'to be continued' written across it.
And the more I think about those deaths at the end, the more it bugs me. Why?  Because it's the wrong characters that died.   That might sound like a silly statement, but stick with me here... look at the list again.... in particular, Black Panther, Doctor Strange... Spider-Man... almost all of the Guardians.   They're all characters that will DEFINITELY be back.  Next year sees the sequel to SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING.  The year after, we have GUARIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 3, and let's be honest, there's no way we're not getting a DOCTOR STRANGE 2 or  BLACK PANTHER 2.  Most of the characters (barring Maria Hill and Nick Fury) are phase 2 or 3 characters, and will have their place amongst phase 4.
Who are we left with?  Iron Man, Thor, Dr Banner, Steve Rogers, Black Widow, War Machine, Nebula, Okoye, Rocket and M'Baku.  These are the characters we'll be following into the next movie - what's odd about that is, except for the last few names on the list - these are the guys who are moving on.  Robert Downey Jr was the first guy we ever saw in this franchise.  Chris Evans has publically said he's done, and Chris Hemsworth's arc seems largely done now.    I'm going to come back to this.   This is important.  Right now, I'm going to start looking at what I know/suspect about AVENGERS 4...
CLINT BARTON, ANT-MAN, WASP and CAPTAIN MARVEL
These four are joining the action.   No question.   There's been a lot of upset that Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) was absent from the marketing, but that's simply because he wasn't in the film.  They probably could've shoehorned him into it they wanted, he could've shot lots of arrows in the Wakanda fight... but he's been saved for something bigger.   The on-set photos of him seem to suggest Clint is now going by the name Ronin.  I assume this is because, whilst he was keeping away from the Avengers to keep his family safe, his family then disappeared with Thanos' click.   He probably blames himself.  Maybe an extra pair of hands could've helped save the day?  With so many characters now taken out of action, I reckon Barton (whatever his moniker) will have a major role to play in the next movie.  Likewise, Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly and Brie Larson get to tag in... with Ant-Man (also noted to be missing from IW) Wasp and Captain Marvel (both ladies kept back until their superhero statues had been revealed officially in their respective movies) coming in the kick ass.  Captain Marvel even gets a tease in the post credits as Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) sends her an emergency message).  She's likely to play a key part too, as she's be noted to be the most powerful of all the heroes.
And it's now I need to go back to my feeling that they've killed off the wrong characters.  You see, think about this... as it stands, with the deaths we've have, we known it's all going to get undone.  We know things are going to be sorted to some degree.   But now switch it.   Imagine the characters that died at the end were Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, Rocket, Nebula, War Machine... would we be so certain things would be undone?  Knowing certain contracts were at the end, others happy to leave... and imagine also, that first battle in New York, but with all the new guys - Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Spider-Man, the Guardians... all joining in what was already an brilliant cinematic scene.   How great would that money shot be - you know the one, with the six Avengers in a circle together for the first time, but now bolstered by added Ant-Man, Falcon, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel...
I just wonder if the writers have missed a trick.  Because we do, really know things are going to be okay.  But we return to that feeling that a lot of these deaths in this movie were for shock value only, they will be undone.  Maybe not for EVERYONE, but mostly.  It also makes us wonder... is Vision gone?  Will Gamora, and maybe even Loki rise from their graves?  Hell, will the reset button go so far back that even the likes of Quicksilver and all over Asgard come back?
I think what we will see, is the original gang lay down their lives to bring all those characters back.  Going back in time might not actually be the big finale, it might be second act action leaving into a third act where Thanos joins forces with the Avengers against... a Gauntlet wielding Nebula (Karen Gillan's character does get to do that in the comic, and she's still around) or a different character... maybe the Skrulls will appear?  (I don't think that's the case though).
Whilst I am, I guess, disappointed with who they killed off, I do believe we'll have a cracking end to the three phases of the MCU.  I do believe that it'll end the franchise as we know - as certain characters will be leaving us, and there'll undoubtedly be a lump in the throat as they do.   Whilst a lot of the characters will (probably) be missing for large portion of the film, I do believe - if Sebastian Stan can be believed - there'll be the biggest 'money shot' we've seen - with more characters than we've ever seen, including characters like Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) coming into the mix somehow.
Whatever AVENGERS 4 has in store, I am so excited.  This will most definitely not be my last post n the matter.  There's so much to look forward to... what we already know, and all the stuff we haven't got a clue about!
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closetofanxiety · 6 years
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Beyond Wrestling: Americanrana 18
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I got home after 1 a.m. today and woke up at 6 a.m. Then it was a full day of home improvement stuff. I’m tired. I’ve got ice on my bad foot. But I have some thoughts and impressions about the hottest US independent wrestling show of, uh, the month of July, at least. 
Big crowd: This was Beyond’s biggest live gate of all time, and at the same time the most-watched live stream in the young life of Powerbomb TV, AND the single event responsible for more new subscribers than anything else they’ve shown so far. At the venue, a Polish-American club in Worcester with oil paintings of the Old Country on the walls, people were berserk for almost everything that happened during the night. I don’t know how it came across on TV (or whatever, screen, I’m talking about watching it on a screen), but people were loud and excitable. Dan Barry got the biggest reaction Dan Barry has possibly ever had. People reacted to the surprise appearance of Anthony Green  like he was Mike Bailey, and they reacted to the surprise appearance of Mike Quackenbush like he was Steve Austin. It’s so much fun to be with a crowd of people who are just going nuts for professional wrestling.
Final appearance: Matt Riddle had what is almost certainly his last-ever Beyond Wrestling match, getting pinned by Nick Fuckin Gage during a tag match that pitted Gage and Matt Tremont (the New H8 Club) against Riddle and Filthy Tom Lawlor. It’s wild to think that a year ago he was putting his undefeated streak on the line in the main event at Americanrana 17, and this year he was in a mid-card tag match where he ate a pin. He’s headed for big things, though. Gage is great as the fan favorite, thanking people for willing him onto victory, and looking genuinely delighted when he got the pin. Awkward moment: the crowd, excited at the announcement that the winning team was now called “the New H8 Club,” started chanting “C-Z-Dub! C-Z-Dub!” despite Gage having gone over to bitter rivals GCW and Tremont wrestling his final CZW match on Saturday night. Just chant “Nick Fuckin Gage! Nick Fuckin Gage!” Speaking of which ...
Working blue: This was the sweariest Beyond Wrestling show I can remember for some time. They had pregame interviewers with Wrestling Social Media Personality Alicia Atout in front of a fancy Beyond/Powerbomb backdrop, and Janela and ring announcer Rich Palladino, of all people, kept using the word “fuck” like a comma. Kids in the room, gentlemen! 
Unpopular Opinion #1: I like intergender wrestling a lot, but in order for it to become a normal part of pro wrestling, promotions and wrestlers have to stop loudly drawing attention to the fact that THEY AREN’T AFRAID TO HAVE INTERGENDER WRESTLING, DAMN IT. The opening match on the show was a terrifically fun four-on-four pitting Team Pazuzu against “Team WWR”: Kimber Lee, Jordynne Grace, Mia Yim, and Skylar. It was fun and crazy, as you’d expect from that cast of characters, and Skylar did a good job of keeping up with wrestlers who are much more experienced and established than she is. But then after the match, Chris Dickinson cut a promo about how HE RESPECTS THESE GIRLS SO GODDAMN MUCH AND INTERGENDER WRESTLING IS HERE TO STAY. Good! I like that! But the more you act like it’s some remarkable anomaly, the more people are going to treat it like that. It’s just another variety of match, like tag team wrestling.
Oh, also: There was a GREAT moment in the match where Dickinson was about to give Jordynne Grace a Pazuzu Bomb, but she was saved by Kimber Lee, who then stared Dickinson down. This was a callback to the spot in Beyond years ago where Dickinson waffled Lee with a chair and then hit her with a crazy Pazuzu Bomb in a clip that went viral and gave both of them some not-entirely-wanted exposure to the wider world. The crowd, happily, recognized this immediately and went APESHIT. I loved it!
Loco spotfests: There was an announced four-way tag match with Team Tremendous, the Gentlemen’s Club, the Beaver Boys, and the recently renamed Massage Force. There was also an unannounced Chikara showcase, with Solo Darling, Fire Ant, someone working a “Dasher Hatfield’s kid” gimmick, and Quack himself against a Dungeon of Doom-esque cast of characters. Also Travis Huckabee. I honestly groaned when I heard “Chikara showcase,” but they tore down the house. Quackenbush may be a guy who talks like Darril and wants to turn wrestling into TED Talk fodder, but he’s one of the most important US indie wrestlers of all time, and I had never seen him wrestle in person before. At one point, a sea creature or maybe the Gimp or someone picked Quackenbush up by his feet and heaved him backwards over the rope, and he sailed higher and farther than any person I’ve ever seen launched out of a wrestling ring. It was just a hugely fun match, and the four-way tag managed to top it. There was no “storytelling” or “psychology” in either match, and honestly, that’s fine for a big-spectacle show like Americanrana. Just have a bunch of talented people come out and do stuff they don’t normally do in a show, and go wild.
The plot thickens: The big news from the four-way tag is Dan Barry’s betrayal of beloved partner Bill Carr (there was a loud, enthusiastic chant of “Bill Carr fucks! Bill Carr fucks!” after the big man launched himself through the ropes. “Oh my God, I love it! I love it, you guys!” he yelled back. He is like a big happy golden retriever and it’s impossible to think negatively about him). Betrayals don’t always work on the indie level, and I’ve seen my share of partners turning on partners that are greeted with shrugs by the crowd, but people went NUTS after Barry screwed over Carr. A louder, more sustained negative reaction than I’ve ever heard in Beyond. Should be a hot feud! In further plot twists, MJF was injured and couldn’t wrestle Gresham in their blowoff, so Trent was drafted as a surprise Dream Team member. The match ended in a DQ and Gresham roughed up Stokely Hathaway while MFJ watched helplessly from the outside. THIS SETTLED NOTHING. Presumably. 
Unpopular Opinion #2: I think PCO’s run as the TV veteran who has inexplicably become an indie darling is nearing its conclusion. I also think that run does not sit as well on PCO’s shoulders as it would Gangrel. It should be Gangrel out there, getting the big paydays and the crazy receptions from crowds. PCO does not have a lot in his toolbox, if I’m being honest. He had a sloppy, overlong match with Brian Cage that was full of blown spots and awkward pauses. Let’s all focus on Gangrel from now on. 
A new favorite: I’ve done a total 180 on “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams, who used to bore me to distraction. I really like him now. I think it’s because I’ve heard him on commentary a bunch, and he reminds me of friends who lived in squats and punk houses in the 1990s but who now live in Brooklyn and have respectable jobs in the low six figures, but who are still capable of smashing a bottle in the face of a Nazi skinhead. 
Mayhem: What can I say about the main event, a no-ropes barbed wire death match between David Starr and Joey Janela, to settle a feud that’s been simmering on and off for years? It was extremely violent and bloody. It lasted 22 minutes but felt like 10. Starr won, and cut an absolutely searing promo afterward, calling Janela “a glorified stuntman” who only came to prominence because someone else made goofy Internet videos about him; seriously, it’s one of the best promos I’ve heard an indie wrestler give. Bile and bitterness from a man covered in his own blood; there would be no Triple H Handshake of Respect between these two gladiators.
Grace notes: This was the most efficiently run Americanrana I’ve ever attended. The doors were supposed to open at 6:30, and they opened EARLY. An indie show! This was good, but it trapped one of my friends outside, because he had gone to a bar, assuming it would take forever to get inside the building. I mean, he made it in eventually, he just had to wait at the back of the line ... There was a nice shoutout to Dominki Dijakovicokowiczogonov, gone but not forgotten from Beyond: during his match with AR Fox, Anthony Greene did the Feast Your Eyes and hit Dijakulakovich’s poses while the crowd chanted “Feast Your Eyes! Feast Your Eyes!” ... Chuck Taylor hit a Rainmaker during the four-way tag match and screamed “This one’s for you, Little Kazu!,” which is a reference to an ongoing Twitter joke that I’m almost ashamed to have recognized ... I bought a hat from David Starr and we talked about the need for national healthcare, which is a conversation topic that wouldn’t work with most wrestlers .... I don’t know why or how they do it, but Americanrana really feels special. Everyone seems to raise their game for the show, and the fans are really in a holiday mood. It’s not a show I ever want to miss ... The crowd went from skepticism over the Chikara wrestlers - one guy grunted, “Fuckin’ Vince Russo gimmicks” when the bad guys came out - to joyous acceptance, capped when the same guy yelled at the sea monster character, “Look at this big green bastard! How’s he able to breathe on land?” ... One of my favorite parts of the day was sitting in the bar downstairs while they broke down the ring and set up the barbed wire. Just seeing a bunch of the wrestlers relaxing and enjoying themselves, having a (non-alcoholic) drink with my friend Mike, enjoying the air conditioning on a summer night: this was a good night ... after the show, we stopped at a service plaza on the Masss Pike to get some unhealthy snacks and use the bathroom, and on our way in we passed Solo Darling. “Great match tonight,” we said. “Thank you!” she said. On our way out, we passed a much less happy Solo Darling as she walked over to the counter to give the McDonald’s people hell. “I distinctly said no cheese on ...” she began, as we hurried out. 
Final thought: There was a 20 or 25 minute break before the main event, where they set up the barbed wire and all that. Mike and I went downstairs to the bar while Mark stayed up in the hall. The first person we saw in the bar, sitting by himself at one end, was David Starr. He was hunched over a glass of water and a shot glass and staring into the middle distance, at nothing in particular. In a few minutes, he was going to walk upstairs and wrestle the most violent match of his career in front of 500 people and you could see the concern on his face as he went over the possibilities: barbed wire, steel chairs, staple guns, cinder blocks, baseball bats. One spot that goes a little sideways and someone leaves the building in an ambulance. That glimpse of David Starr brooding put the whole night - put all of wrestling, really - into perspective. This wasn’t an angle, this wasn’t a promo, he wasn’t in character: this was a man working up the courage to do something reckless and potentially dangerous because he wanted to do it more than anything in the world. It was the look of a man who has willingly taken a great weight onto his shoulders, as many of us have, or will have to one day. It was a wordless rejoinder to all those snide comments about how wrestling is fake: looking at David Starr’s face, sitting alone and being left alone by his friends and peers, his staring eyes showing exactly what he was prepared to do, one thing was clear to anyone who was paying attention - nothing is more real than wrestling.
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deadcactuswalking · 3 years
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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 24/04/2021 (AJ Tracey, Young Thug/Gunna/Drake)
On this week on the UK Singles Chart, we get a well-deserved break after last week’s chaos but we still have seven or so new arrivals – half of last week’s amount. Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” is unfazed by any of it as it spends a fourth week at #1, and welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS.
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Rundown
So last week was busy but a lot of what debuted and returned didn’t actually sustain so we have a plentiful amount of drop-outs and returning entries this week as well. For notable drop-outs – as in songs that had peaked in the top 40 or spent at least five weeks in the chart (specifically the UK Top 75, which I cover) – we have “Anyone” by Justin Bieber, Drake’s “What’s Next” after only six weeks, “What Other People Say” by Sam Fischer and Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift’s re-recorded version of “Love Story” and “Headshot” by Lil Tjay featuring Fivio Foreign and Polo G as well as the late DMX’s “X Gon’ Give it to Ya” off of the return last week.
We do have an oddly large amount of returning entries as a result of this because I guess there’s not enough new stuff to fill in the cracks, as “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles is back at #75, “Heat” by Paul Woodford and Amber Mark at #69, “Anxious” by AJ Tracey at #68 off of the album boost, “Another Love” by Tom Odell at #67 and “Cover Me in Sunshine” by P!nk and Willow Sage Heart at #62.
Then we have songs actually on the chart that are moving about – first off, let’s start with our notable losses, falling about five spots or more on the chart. We don’t have an excess of these, but we do have “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay and 6LACK getting ACR’d at #23, “Latest Trends” by AI x JI and remixed by Aitch at #33, “Mercury” by Dave and Kamal. off of the debut to #47 (good!), “Black Hole” by Griff at #48, “All You Ever Wanted” by Rag’n’ Bone Man at #49, “Mr. Perfectly Fine” by Taylor Swift at #50 off of the debut, as well as “Anywhere Away from Here” by Rag’n’Bone Man and P!nk also off of the debut at #51. Oh, and again, falling after last week’s debut, we have “Way Too Long” by Nathan Dawe, Anne-Marie and MoStack at #52. Other fallers that actually lasted at least one more week on the chart include “6 for 6” by Central Cee at #57, “Paradise” by MEDUZA and Dermot Kennedy at #63 and that’s about it. Also, somehow “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” by Drake featuring Rick Ross is sticking to the charts at #71 despite all of the more pop cuts off of that EP – and by that I mean the songs that aren’t six long minutes of pure rapping – dropping out. How that is I have no idea but it does bring us to our gains.
Our gains are always more interesting and we do have a fair few of them this week, like “Starstruck” by Years & Years at #56 off of the debut, “Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing)” by Fred again.. and the Blessed Madonna somehow surging up to #55 off of the debut, “Beautiful Mistakes” by Maroon 5 featuring Megan Thee Stallion at #54, “Summer 91 (Looking Back)” by Noizu at #53, “Last Time” by Becky Hill at #46, “Don’t You Worry About Me” by Bad Boy Chiller Crew at #45, “Medicine” by James Arthur at #44, “Head & Heart” by Joel Corry and MNEK at #41, “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd rebounding at #40, “Runaway” by AURORA making the top 40 at #34 (six years late), “Levitating” by Dua Lipa bizarrely rebounding at #32, “Didn’t Know” by Tom Zanetti at #31 and that’s pretty much it other than big gains for Olivia Rodrigo’s “deja vu” up big to #12 and “Let’s Go Home Together” by Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan breaking into the top 10 at #10. A lot of these new entries are concentrated towards the bottom of the chart, so let’s start with something that’s actually pretty great.
NEW ARRIVALS
#74 – “How Does it Feel” – London Grammar
Produced by London Grammar and Steve Mac
London Grammar are an indie pop band from Nottingham that just scored their second #1 album with Californian Soil, one I found genuinely promising but absolutely meandering. For all of the great, swelling and powerful tracks there were – many already on the pre-album EPs and singles – there were pointless, time-consuming ballads that feel if anything underwritten and dull. My personal favourite track, “Baby it’s You”, was the lead single and it actually charted, though this cut is the highest-peaking track from the record and also, thankfully, one of my favourites. Hannah Reid has a smoky, unique voice and it always swells over these atmospheric, reverb-drenched instrumentals, full of subtle bass and those infectious guitar links before it drops into the borderline vocaloid drop in that distorted synth-pop chorus that... okay, is pretty anti-climactic and there for no reason other than to give an excuse for the band to incorporate that 80s production into the rest of the song. Regardless, it’s still a damn good production and that chorus is unreasonably catchy, even if she’s hitting falsetto notes I’d never be able to sing along to. It’s not a song that ends too early so it can stream well either; this is a pop song constructed like one of old, and is just as intricate, especially with those twinkling keys in the final chorus. This isn’t the best on the album by far but it’s understandably the one that’s the most accessible and upbeat so it makes sense it’s here. I don’t expect it to stick around but I wouldn’t mind if it did.
#73 – “Sunshine (The Light)” – Fat Joe, DJ Khaled and Amorphous
Produced by Cool N Dre and Amorphous
So, Fat Joe might be back? I’d be hard-pressed to find out way until I look at this... comeback single of sorts and realise that the chorus is just straight-up taken from a Rihanna song, that being the verse of “Kiss it Better” from 2016 layered over this almost disco-sounding sample of Luther Vandross and that’s pretty much the song as far as the beat is concerned. In that way, I guess it’s kind of fun and harmless but Rihanna’s vocals are mixed pretty horrifically on this instrumental without any attempt to cover it up with some backing vocals, which would have been a really good touch. DJ Khaled is only here because he finishes Fat Joe’s punchline and he contributes literally nothing else. In fact, Fat Joe is a waste of time here as well, especially in that really odd bridge and second verse. Admittedly, I guess his first verse has one clever line but it’s all clearly so unfocused even when the sample gives you a lot to work with in terms of content. By the time the Luther Vandross vocal sample is oddly dribbling over the beat, I’m out of this.
#72 – “Ski” – Young Stoner Life, Young Thug and Gunna
Produced by BabyWave, Outtatown and Wheezy
Slime Language 2 was a project I thought was actually fairly enjoyable given its runtime and content. I mean, it’s 23 tracks running at about an hour and a half of just mindless flexing, sex and gunplay from Young Thug and YSL affiliates but it has an energy and camaraderie that I rarely find is all that noticeable during these label or collective albums, and whilst not any particular rapper shines on more than one track, we still hear a lot of voices on the record that are far from unpleasant and can hold their own against Thug, one of them of course being Gunna. I’m surprised the songs with Travis Scott or Lil Uzi Vert didn’t debut but this Thug-Gunna cut did, but I guess that video pushed it over the top and I’m glad because this is by far one of my favourites on the album on pure, stupid and mindless energy. That camaraderie that I mentioned is in full force here as Thug and Gunna trade bars over this basic watery beat with some catchy strings and, of course, awkward bass mixing. The first intelligible words are “Spider sex” and then Thug just goes into yelling “Yeah!” because, sure, that’s a chorus. Thugger delivers his typical flow-switching charisma with a lot of loud, fun energy and whilst not anything of lyrical standard is said here, I love how he and Gunna trade each other’s names on their versions of the post-chorus. It’s a clever, little touch that makes songs like this feel just that bit more fun, if the manic ad-libs didn’t already show that. Gunna’s verse might be the best of the two here as he actually comes with some unexpected energy over that beeping synth loop that sounds great finally coming from Gunna, and, yeah, what can I say? It’s a mindless trap banger that will be out as soon as it was in – both for the charts and your ears – but it’s so much fun and with Thug’s poppier projects, that’s all that matters.
#66 – “You” – Regard, Troye Sivan and Tate McRae
Produced by Regard
The Kosovan DJ that brought us that great remix of Jay Sean’s “Ride It” as well as original song “Secrets” with RAYE is back and bringing... Troye Sivan and Tate McRae with him. Okay, I mean, sure, maybe Regard can pump up the production to get either of these singers to sound enthused. The content is pretty basic, with the “coming back to an ex” story we’ve heard before and not much interplay between Tate and Troye – not that there can feasibly be but that’s beside the point. This isn’t all that important to a song like this, though, but it can be done so it always feels anti-climactic when these EDM songs don’t have good lyrical content anchoring its groove and catchy hooks. That said, this song is actually pretty good, trading much of the more fast-paced house grooves and minimal deep house drops for a pretty slick, almost synth-funk production with some hard-hitting 909 bass and Troye’s laid-back mumbling falsetto actually sounding pretty great over electro percussion and this blend of really cool, retro synths that aren’t afraid to sound jerky and out-of-tune in that post-chorus. They almost remind me of Plastic Beach if this isn’t that ludicrous of a comparison. Tate McRae barely exists here but that’s fine – sadly she has the only verse and her voice just doesn’t mesh that well with Troye’s outside of some of the chorus harmonising, and on its own just sounds kind of unwarrantedly raspy on pretty clean, smooth production. Regard’s addition of those distorted backing vocals and the lenient vocal manipulating in that bridge make sure you know this is intricately produced to every detail and I just love that ramping of intensity even if the final chorus doesn’t really act as that impactful climax so the song ends on kind of a low note where I can tell Regard didn’t know where to go from there. Otherwise, this is a pretty great synth-pop track and I really hope it sticks around. I knew Regard had an ear for more unique EDM production since he came onto the charts for the first time with “Ride It” so I hope to hear what’s next from him as well. For now, oh, God, please make this a hit.
#61 – “Kukoc” – AJ Tracey featuring NAV
Produced by Yung Swisher and Pxcoyo
This is our first of two songs that debuted this week from AJ Tracey’s album Flu Game, which I decided not to listen to on the basis that it was nearly an hour’s runtime with a NAV feature. It’s just my luck then that for whatever reason, the British public decided the NAV song was the second most important track to listen to when the album dropped. Well, I guess this beat isn’t bad, especially with that synth flashing over the acoustic guitar inflections and the Pop Smoke-esque rattling drill percussion creating an oddly-mixed and cluttered beat but one that I guess still hits pretty hard. NAV sounds more enthused than ever over a drill beat – maybe he should stick to that – but I still feel like this is just a pointless song. The content is primarily just flexing and AJ Tracey’s energy is there but not in a particularly likeable, charming way or in an intimidating, menacing way so he just ends up out-shined by NAV’s cheaply Auto-Tuned and simple, basic flow in his verse where he emphasises how he’s a grown man at 30 years old – yet still not showing any sign of maturity, seemingly. This is listenable for sure but at best it’s a mildly amusing drill track and at worst it’s sensory overload. The build-up is only in the intro here and it’s just full force for the next two minutes making it kind of aggravating to even listen to and keep up with. Oh, and “Kukoc” is some Croatian basketball player mentioned once in the chorus. That’s about as interesting as this content gets.
#36 – “Solid” – Young Stoner Life, Young Thug and Gunna featuring Drake
Produced by Foreign Teck, Elvas, Wheezy and OZ
It’s an unwritten rule that if you release an album, the song with Drake on it will always debut on the charts, and often particularly high. Okay, I guess it didn’t work for Drakeo the Ruler – sadly – but it did work for Slime Language 2. “Solid” which absolutely did not need the four producers it has is pretty much just the trio being as uninteresting as possible as they slide over a synth-based trap beat with, say it with me, odd bass mixing. I guess Drake’s hook is mildly catchy and the steel pans in the verses are kind of fun even if they’re there for pretty much no reason. Gunna probably delivers the best verse, if not the purest as he brags about having solid friendships, and boasts wealth over the beat which gets a lot more eerie and downbeat with Gunna over it for whatever reason, even when he’s spitting ridiculous sex bars. The best part of this as with most of the YSL label projects is the interplay between Young Thug and Gunna, as over an increasingly badly mixed beat and some slick organ licks, Thugger ends off the track with an effortless verse and... well, it sure is a trap-rap song by Young Thug, Gunna and Drake. That’s for sure. It’s not bad at all and this beat could be a lot better if there were more steel pans and better mixing, it’s just that none of these guys deliver as well as they can and like most things he’s on nowadays, Drake is the worst part of it.
#29 – “Little More Love” – AJ Tracey
Produced by Venna, Mark Raggio, RyFy and Yoz Beats
I’m surprised there’s little fanfare about this song and the album in general, especially given how big songs like “West Ten” and “Bringing it Back”. Sadly, I think this might be a case of waiting too long to get the record out or just AJ’s star fading away and towards – unfortunately – Digga D. This cut got the music video treatment and hence debuted the highest of any entries this week but it was set for a top 10 debut from the album and video boost, but just seems to have stalled. I actually think that’s pretty unfortunate as this is a great song, with that tropical guitar lick that sounds cheap when drenched in the reverb and especially when the beat comes in and it’s mixed too loudly, but that doesn’t really obscure the trap knock and groove, particularly in that chorus with AJ’s expected dead-beat delivery. That delivery really works for this song, though, as it’s about the paranoia that comes with unexpected fame and success for someone from a background of poverty. I wish the beat gave AJ more room to breathe but he still flips the typical UK flows on his verses so they’re a lot more catchy and smooth, particularly over those soulful vocal loops that come in at the same time. That second verse is pretty excellent too, as whilst it’s short, it runs through some pretty excellent flows and some interesting lines, like about how he sees himself as Che Guerava, represents his Trinidadian identity and how he’s “got God” so he and his crew don’t need to wear a bullet-proof vest, which is actually kind of profound for Tracey. The horns at the end of this beat deserve some credit for making this song great too, and with all the sounds packed into this song, I think I understand why this one has four producers, even if this cluttered mix could use halving that total.
Conclusion
This is a pretty solid week all things considered, with a lot of good to great songs, so much so that it’s difficult to give out titles. I guess Best of the Week is going to “Ski” by Young Stoner Life, Young Thug and Gunna but I’m convinced to give a three-way tie for Honourable Mention. I think I’ll just stick with giving it to Regard, Troye Sivan and Tate McRae for “You” but it was close. Worst of the Week ends up going to “Sunshine (The Light)” by Fat Joe, Amorphous and DJ Khaled almost by default, with a Dishonourable Mention to AJ Tracey’s “Kukoc” featuring NAV, even if I still kind of like the song. Here’s our top 10 for this week:
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Hopefully next week will keep this quality going, but in terms of new arrivals I can’t really make any concrete predictions other than a boost for “Save Your Tears” and hopefully an impact from Jorja Smith and Little Simz. I guess time will tell however, so thanks for reading and I’ll see you next week!
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wolfpawn · 4 years
Text
I Hate You, I Love You, Chapter 98
 Chapter Summary -  Tom and Danielle enjoy a few days in Ireland after the world learns about them.
Previous Chapter
Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)
Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.
authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long.  This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.
I put photos in to give an idea of the areas Danielle and Tom are in and visiting. I will add more for the next few chapters (since I have now figured out how to do so)
I own none of the images used, all Copyright is of course, to the owners of these images. I am merely using them to shamelessly show off my lovely country.
Okay, few things.
- The Burrows does not exist as far as I am aware. - The place in Galway does, it is called McDonaghs and I love it! - Irish people until recently tended to have big families, my mother is one of 7, my dad is one of 14, my partner's mother is one of 9, his dad is one of 7, you get the idea, cousins are something that I seem to have everywhere.
Much of this is seen in Ed Sheeran's Galway Girl video
tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog​​​ @jessibelle-nerdy-mum​​​ @nonsensicalobsessions​​​ @damalseer​​​ @hiddlesbitch1​​​ @winterisakiller​​​ @fairlightswiftly​​​ @salempoe​​​​ @wolfsmom1​​​​
If you wish to be tagged, please let me know.
Tom adored Ireland, it was just like Scotland in most ways and as Danielle had stated, most everyone did not seem to care about their being there. A few people seemed to recognise them, but they did not seem overly bothered by the fact there was someone famous nearby as they walked through the narrow streets of Galway City.
They had stayed at Danielle’s grandmothers the night before and with consent from Lourda and Michael, had gone to Galway to get one or two things sorted for it. Danielle had taken a slightly larger loan than the cost of the house and the solicitor fees, Tom had realised, as she wanted to fix one or two issues in the house while they were there. He smiled as she walked through the city and got what was needed to be ordered and paid for. “It’s about an acceptable time to eat dinner, right?” She asked as she looked at her phone.
Tom checked his watch. “Yes, what have you in mind?”
“Fish and chips, really nice ones.” She smiled.
“You’re not going to convince me they are any better than the ones in Aldeburgh, let us just put to rest that argument here and now,” Tom stated firmly but with a large smile on his face.
“We’ll see.” Tom’s smile faltered with the smug grin on Danielle’s face.
Tom had to admit, it was delicious, the cod was almost equal to the place near his mum, but the chips were incredible, giving it an edge, the smile on Danielle’s face only grew as she watched him eat. “Fine, it’s amazing.” She grinned widely at that admission. “The batter is nicer in The Burrow’s though.” “It is, I will concede, but the chips make this better.” “We did not discuss the chips, only the cod, so I am right.” Tom goaded, Danielle gave him a warning glance, “You know it’s true.” “We’re in public, so I can’t fight you on this one.” Tom laughed at her annoyed expression.
* “Why did you leave?” Danielle looked at Tom as they walked along the path next to the ocean in a small area of Galway Danielle had called The Claddagh. “It is so beautiful here, how did you decide to leave?” “There’s nothing here. I mean jobs are still being lost a lot, even though it is not as bad as it was, but there was nothing for me, I also needed to get away, I felt like I would just combust if I stayed, I felt so alone and lost after Dad and Mam left. I didn’t even know where to go.” “Why Suffolk?” “I fell asleep watching TV and when I woke up, a documentary was on, Suffolk, Cornwall and I think…Isle of Wight, or was it the Isle of Man, regardless, they were on it. I had thought about going to England, but I was sort of lost about what to do, it was a documentary on why certain people retire to those areas and it sort of led from there. I felt like the cities were too big, they were a good size and fit for me.” She looked up at him. “It worked out well in the end,” Tom looked down at her. “Had I decided to move to London, if I was some girl you walked passed getting out of a Tube or walking down the street, I may never have gotten to know you; and why would I? I would never have afforded a place in Belsize, maybe I may have chosen a house near Emma, but would I have started talking to her, probably not, I would never have gotten to know you. That random show on TV is why Suffolk, your mum saying hello as she got her shopping out of the car the day and being nice to me while I was waiting for the estate agent was why that house.”
Tom stayed silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. A simple little decision, made when tired and lonely was the reason they were introduced and in turn together. “It’s weird how one thing leads to another.” “Yep. Everything we have done to date has led us here.” Danielle smiled. “We are always the results of our actions or inactions.” “I wasn’t meant to be home that weekend you moved in and I wasn’t supposed to go with Emma that day for the hotel choosing, but I was, I remember that day, you were not taking any of the hotelier’s bullshit and you were incredible.” “Is that when you realised I was amazing?” Danielle jested.
“Yes, it was.” She paused and stared at him. “I spent a year of my life in love with you and did nothing about it. I did not do anything about it and caused myself more than a few miserable nights thinking about it, over and over. We could already be together for far longer, I…” He looked around to ensure no one was eavesdropping. “I have to confess, I have not always slept well since we have been together.” Danielle frowned at his admission. “I have woken a few nights, thinking of ‘what ifs’ and one that gets me every time is what if when you were with Paul and you had gotten pregnant, not this other woman. I literally cannot get that out of my head.” “We never…” “But you would have, sooner or later.” Tom pointed out, Danielle could not argue, if she had remained with Paul, sooner or later, yes, it would have happened. She would have still been on contraception, but there was always a chance. She physically shuddered at that. She was not ready for children yet, but with Tom, she believed she could make it work, she did want it with him down the road, but with Paul; that was a terrifying prospect to her. She would have felt trapped then. “Are you okay?” Tom noted her shuddering but did not know the reason why. “Did I say something wrong?”
“I…the idea of that, of alternatives to this…I don’t like it.” She explained, “But we are not in those alternatives, I think about it sometimes too, the weird little voice in my head playing games with me, but you can’t listen to it, it’s not healthy.” She pointed out. “Now, we better drive back to the house, we have an early day tomorrow.” “I never actually asked, but where else is planned on this little holiday?” Tom asked curiously. “Galway is incredible, I can see why Sheeran sang about it.” Danielle looked at him. “Ed Sheeran has a song about Galway on his next album, or more about a girl from Galway, falling in love with an English man,” he laughed. “It’s a lot like you actually.” “How do you know what is on his next album?” “He was in Rome last summer when I was there, I was in the room when he…” He stopped talking. “You were there when he let Taylor listen to it.” She completed, Tom nodded sheepishly. “I see.” She said nothing more until they made their way back to the car.
Tom looked at her worriedly as she sat in and started the engine. “I could drive if you would like?” “No offence, but this is a city with a serious one-way street system, watching you get flustered would be hilarious, but I really just want to get back to the house.” She laughed. “Come on.”
“Elle, did I…?” “Make things weird back there by ceasing to talk when it came to referencing an event that occurred in the three months of your life that you had lost the absolute run of yourself? Yes, you did. Was I ignoring it because I don’t want to make a big deal of it, yes, I was.” She replied. “You did stuff in your time together Tom, I know no one wants to talk about that stuff with the current partner, nor does their current partner want to hear those things, especially if they think they are comparing them, but what you were saying had little to do with Swift, you were talking about Sheeran, I had no idea he was out there.” “No one did,” Tom informed her. “I am not comparing you to her by the way, and if I did, you’d win.” “Obviously.” Danielle smiled, but she bit her lip after. “I sometimes feel like the money thing is an issue though.” Tom’s eyes widened slightly. “I have nowhere near your money, I never will.” “What the hell does that matter?” Tom got a little angered by her words. Her income was good, good enough to afford her everything she needed, that was all that mattered to him. In truth, Tom worried about that being a point of contention between them, Danielle was too proud and independent to ever take handouts, he’d known that before he ever offered to help her with the house, but he also knew that she would compare herself to other women of better income. As she had said before, Taylor had been able to private jet anywhere she wished, Tom wondered how that may have affected her self-esteem. “I don’t want someone based on their bank balance, I am not like that, I want someone that makes me happy and who is a pleasure to be around.” He argued.
“I know, but I wish I was able to afford to drop everything and get a private jet across Europe or to afford to go to exclusive expensive restaurants, but…I’m not.”
“I know, and I like that about you; you weren’t raised with a silver spoon in your mouth, expecting everything to be given to you. When I was nineteen, my parents didn’t have the money to get me a car, but I wanted one. I got a waiting job in a posh country club, and fuck me, was every one of them an ass. They were so rude, self-centred and all round horrible.” He stated. “I swore that summer I would never be l them, or surround myself with people like them, for fear I would turn into one.” “So you are using me to keep you grounded, to still feel like you’re part of the normal set?” Tom looked at her horrified, his face calming when he saw her sticking her tongue out between her teeth as she did so, a large grin on her face. “Behave.”
“Make me.” “What day are we heading on?” “We are going to Clare tomorrow.” “And we are not returning to your grandmothers?” “No, we are staying down there, then heading to Kerry, then to Cork before heading up to Dublin to go home, why?” Tom’s smile grew as she spoke of London as ‘home’. “Because when I get you to Clare, I am going to make you.” Danielle’s brows rose at that statement. “What do you say to that?” She opened and closed her mouth a few times silently at that. “Lost for words Darling?” “It’s going to be a difficult night.” She admitted; her voice slightly higher in pitch.
“And why is that?” Tom’s voice deepened as his hand slid up her thigh.
“Tom.” “What Darling?”
“Don’t.” she warned.
“Don’t want?” “Tom, I swear, I am finding it hard enough to stay behaving myself at Nan’s with you rubbing your crotch into me in your sleep, making naughty noises, adding to that is not fair.” Tom slipped his hand further up her thigh. “I swear to God, if you make me crash this car,” Danielle warned, but she was smiling and did not take her eyes off the road.
“Is it a B&B in Clare?”
“Yes, a nice one. I stayed there for a wedding before, good thick walls.” She grinned.
“How do you know about the walls?” Tom asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer. “My cousin had a girl to the next room, let’s just say, going into my room, I could hear a lot, in my room, I heard hardly anything.”
“You have a considerable number of cousins,” Tom noted.
“Like you can talk.” “I have eight, you seem to have…”
“Forty-three first cousins.” “Jesus Christ.” Tom stared at her.
“Fine Catholic Irish families. Mam was one of nine, so you know how it is.” Danielle shrugged. “I am the only only-child on both sides.”
“That is pretty insane,” Tom commented. “It happens a lot in rural families.” “Will we meet any of them?” “I dunno, do you want to? I haven’t seen any of them since Mam died. I only talk to one or two on Facebook at birthdays.”
“It’s sort of sad you’re not close to them.” “If I had been, I would not have left, so selfishly, no I am not bothered by it. I have you instead now, I prefer that; plus, I love having Emma and your Mam, and even the Duchess and everyone else. I am happier over with you all.” “Well, we sort of are your family now.” “I take it you’re not getting the updates from your sisters.” Tom looked at her confused. “Your Mam was mentioning hotels.” “For what?” “Wedding receptions.” She glanced at him for a bare moment as she waited for them to get their turn to enter a roundabout. “Yep, I kid you not. Emma has had to tell her, more than once, to stop.” “You’re kidding, why have I not been told this?” he stared at her as though expecting her to erupt in laughter. “Elle, are you serious?” “Ask Sarah.” “Wait, you said she was talking to Emma.” “Yes, and Sarah.” She laughed.
“You’re lying.” “Ask her.” Tom took out his phone and typed a message to his sister, he looked at Danielle again before pressing send, Danielle not looking at him as she focused on the road. Only a moment later, there was a beep to tell him he received a new message, looking at it, his eyes widened. “Jesus, Mum.” “Told you.” “She’s even hinted at places here apparently over the last day or so.” “Ha-ha.”
“Elle!” “What, it’s funny. Let her have some fun, we are not getting married so it’s not like she is actually interfering, she is only…” “Getting completely ahead of herself, how are you not running for the hills?” Tom looked at Danielle, who clearly was just finding the whole situation amusing. “Because I am not bothered, yes, she is getting a tad ahead of herself, but if it keeps her happy, she’s not harming anyone. I actually love that your Mam thinks that that would be a good step for us, have you any idea how terrible some people have it with their partner’s mother?”
“But we’re not even together a year, marriage…” “Is not even on the cards yet, I know, but leave her have her fun, saying something may cause her to feel hurt, saying nothing and letting her have it when it is a non-issue is far better for everyone involved.” She smiled.
“So, this is not scaring you off?” Danielle laughed as she used the indicator, then turned the car up the smaller road they were driving to. “No, it does not. I actually like it.” Tom looked at her worriedly. “Not because I want to get married in the next week or so, but because it makes me feel like this is something that matters.” She explained, smiling as she did so, but not taking her eyes off the road.
Galway City - including a castle in the centre of it.
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The Claddagh
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Connemara, where Danielle's grandmother's cottage is.
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jim-reid · 6 years
Text
Midnight Express
Andrew Perry / Select 01.1993
the nocturnal noise-fest that is the Rollercoaster tour rattles into New York. In the front car, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Curve, and Spiritualized... --On the door, it says "Curve--this one's yours." In the four-star dressing room deep in the bowels of New York City's Roseland Ballroom, the five members of the group are draped around with varying degrees of knackeredness, but a shared, if glazed, look of contentment. Surely they're not enjoying life on the road? Maybe it's because, after two long days without, the band's grass consignment has just come in, and boy, it's a whopper. Only enough to see The Orb through a soundcheck maybe, but to most earthlings, they've got a stash the size of Central Park. Each of them is either skinning up, toking or too stoned to do either. And they only started when they came offstage ten minutes ago. Those Hollywood-style bulbs around the mirror are shining much brighter now. "This is the best tour of my life," gushes Toni Halliday from her pew on the floor, as Dean Garcia looks on from the sofa, quiet and alert. "I mean, the Spiritualized LP is my favourite album of the year, and the Mary Chain are my all-time favourite band. It's perfect. I don't want it to end. We're in tour heaven, basically." But what about the technical hitches, the hangovers, the long drives, the hotel reservations that don't exist, the irregular eating and sleeping patterns, the paranoia, the horror, the soul fear? Something must have gone wrong... Oh, there's a weird guy at the door sporting the sort of rough, fashion-free haircut given to hippies on their first day in Vietnam--the degradation crop. But he looks more than happy as well, showing his teeth in a fixed, almost piss-takingly broad smile. Images from Tom & Jerry spring to mind--Tom just before his shattered teeth tinkle to the floor. "Alright?" someone asks. "What are you doing?" "Just been talking to Jim." He pauses. "Jim The Grin." Hearty giggles all round. Jim Reid maybe? "Yeah, Jim The Grin," he continues poetically, "we should put him in the bin." Hysteria. Tears of merriment. But hang on. That t-shirt's familiar. It's grey like the guy's been wearing it for four years, and the big, black letters on it say 'DRUGS NOT JOBS'. It's Jason Pierce of Spiritualized. He's supposed to be a Black Belt in unremitting miserabilism, so what the hell's he got to smile about? This mustbe tour heaven. Welcome aboard Rollercoaster USA. It could be less hairy than expected. Last time around, you'll recall, when Jim and William Reid arranged Rollercoaster Mk1 for the UK last spring, things weren't quite so rosy. The bands didn't know each other too well, and only the Mary Chain had a fixed position on the bill--at the top, with an enviable light show behind them. The other three acts were switched around every night, the first going on at a vibe-unfriendly 7pm. Nobody wanted to follow My Bloody Valentine's nightmare monochord climax, Blur had to deal with being seen as the joker in the packs, and Dinosaur Jr... Well, they probably didn't get it together to cause much hassle, but what started out with the best, four-way, VFM, brain-blowing intentions seemed to result in tension, confusion and (rumour has it) financial loss. Perhaps shrewder, more realistic planning went into the Stateside venture. The running order doesn't change--Spiritualized at eight, Curve at nine, then the Mary Chain--and that's fine by all concerned. As well as Toni Halliday's seal of approval, Spiritualized boast Jim Reid as one their biggest fans. They just failed to make it off the shortlist on to Rollercoaster UK. Curve and the Mary Chain, meanwhile, go back a long way with their shared production assistant, Alan Moulder, who lives with Toni. "It's so cool," Halliday enthuses, "everybody's just doing their thing, going on and playing. There's no egos or bickering at all. Nobody gives a fuck, really." When the doors open at 7:30, mind, it's not looking so cool. There isn't a queue. The huge, absurdly tanned doorman sings the words "Honey's Dead" with mocking atonality. Presumably this means he doesn't approve of musicians who dress in black and have no muscles. You'd think even Jason and his laissez-faire troupe might take umbrage at hitting the stage in the 3,200 capacity all-standing Roseland to a crowd of precisely five people. It's said, too, that when they've seen ad-posters for the tour, the band have often had to add their name in with marker pens. And they've all had the 'flu. New York's lowlife must've had trouble dragging themselves away from the daily hour of Roseanne on Fox 4 between six and seven. They gradually crawl from the woodwork during Spiritualized's 40 minutes, which acts as a low-key overture to their evening--an understated role for a set that's relaxed but relentlessly ambitious. With a six-strong line-up that includes sax-player Will Gregory, Pierce's arrangements are complex and irrepressibly lavish for a beery nocturnal noise-fest. They begin with a new gem, featuring Sean Cook on the bluest harmonica in North America, and soon pump out the fluctuating aural dazzle of 'Medication', 'Angel Sigh' and a cracking version of Spacemen 3's 'Walkin' with Jesus'. Still, it's clouded--and we aren't talking little fluffy ones here--by the fact that they don't have time to kill between numbers to get things right. When Jason straps on a fresh axe for the finale, his amp instantly packs up. Exit Spiritualized, tangibly pissed-off. 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' by The Beach Boys comes over the PA. Even with three bands who are mates instead of four who aren't, and without the chaos of a rotating bill, Rollercoaster's US sibling is proving a bit of problem child. "It's a waste of time comparing the two tours," claims Jim Reid after the show. "This one shouldn't have been called Rollercoaster, it was a misunderstanding." "We didn't want Rollercoaster to become like Lollapalooza--every fuckin' year," adds brother William, heaving a sigh that'd fill a petrol tank. "No thank you. We don't want it to become an international institution. This is just a bunch of bands touring together--that's the way I see it. If we'd called it Shindig, it'd still be the same." The Mary Chain, notoriously road-shy but permanently touring since February, had a pretty bad time on this summer's Lollapalooza. They had little say in the travelling festival's wider aims and had to perform among macho, MTV-hungry stagers like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and the Chili Peppers--in daylight. Perhaps their idyll has taken a bit of a kicking in '92, but they're clearly trying to offer a better class of tour here, with a crap-support exclusion policy and good music in between (from The Pastels and Pixies to The Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart). Surely they're after a sense of event? "Aye, most gigs are too boring," Jim agrees, warming with anger. "People don't give it any consideration. The band come off, the lights go up and everybody's standing around with pints of beer. Anything to get away from that. We thought of keeping the house lights down, putting coloured strobes in the audience and cranking up the music like it's a club or something." "Did we do that tonight?" William asks. Jim: "No, I was just saying..." William: "No, but you remember we told them..." Jim: "Pfff..." William: "We give people these elaborate instructions, and they ignore them and do what the fuck they want anyway." You wouldn't guess it, but Curve's tour hasn't been blemish-free. Last night Lawrence Taylor, their ligthing man, heard his wife was seriously ill and had to fly home. Without him, their illumination is in some disarray--mid-way through, they're playing under the glare of two hand-held torches. It's rather effective, because as a live combo they're in outrageously fine fettle, blasting off with 'Doppleganger' and 'Die Like A Dog', cooling down on mellower stuff like 'Sandpit' and slamming to the end with 'Coast Is Clear', 'Fait Accompli' and 'Ten Little Girls'. Often regaled as callous and calculated, they have a warm presence that's reciprocated by a now extensive moshpit which incorporates every race, age and sexual denomination. At one point, a ten-year-old black girl surfs overhead. Great, well-received shows like this probably explain best why these bands are so into Rollercoaster USA. Later, the brothers Reid will have to admit, however grudgingly, that they're in shit-hot form too. In England, they have that ancient reputation for riots and shambolic behaviour to live up to, but as anyone who saw their early gigs will testify, they were (very exciting) rubbish in those days. Their streamlined barrage of abandoned riff trash and bloody noise owes its roots to junkpile Americana, so the Yanks are far readier to tip their hat in appreciation. Though Jim has to get quietly plastered every night of the tour, to forget the organisational horrors and erode his stage fright, the Reids swagger with regal arrogance--and when they do 'Gimme Hell' and Bo Diddley's 'Who Do You Love' they're like Louis XIV and Frederick The Great. Blasphemous, evil kings. With a white-noise flurry of televisual litter flickering on the screen behind him, William desecrates the final 'Kill Surf City' with feedback atrocities, and does the same to the unbelievable encore, 'Reverence'. What'll happen when they do all this down South, down in redneck Texas? Jim may get his death wish. Maybe they'll all die in the USA. And so the Rollercoaster roars on to Washington DC, but not before calling in at The Mission, a gothy East Village bar. All three bands continue to knock it back copiously in pals-only surroundings. Toni's especially happy when the Banshees' 'Helter Skelter' gets an airing. Somewhere along the line, she also loses her purse. Curve and the Mary Chain convene in their hotel foyer the next morning--OK, call it 5pm. There are plenty of sorry, whiskey-wounded faces. Not Toni's. "I shouldn't feel like this," she beams from behind circular mirror shades. "We've lost Lawrence, I've lost all my money, cards and everything, but I'm loving every minute of it. We just wanna do a tour as good as this at home."
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evenstevensranked · 6 years
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#20: Season 2, Episode 14 - “Sadie Hawkins Day”
The Sadie Hawkins dance rolls around and Louis is expecting Tawny to ask him. He ends up blowing his chances with her by trying to seem desperately desirable to all the girls. He's left to go to the dance with Monique last minute.. and Tawny goes with some popular, shirtless dude Tad. Meanwhile, Ren’s stuck taking care of a pig. Seriously. So, let’s listen to some Relient K and get into the Top 20! 
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This one opens with Ren getting everything settled for the upcoming Sadie Hawkins Dance. Of course she’s in charge of it. Who other than Vice Principal Ren Stevens? We see that a pig has been delivered to the school a day early, so Ren is now stuck taking care of it for the rest of the episode. Ren honestly deserves better plots. Like.. what the heck. Louis gets an entertaining, romance-y main plot -- and Ren gets... a pig. Christy Romano even said in an interview recently that working with this pig was a low point in her career, lol. Wow. 
A scene later, Tawny and Ren have a little conversation about the dance and Tawny mentions that she’s gonna ask Louis!! Yeeeee! She asks Ren if she’s gonna ask Bobby, but the melodrama strikes and Ren is all “That’s actually been over for a while...” EXCEPT!!! This episode initially aired the literal day before Sibling Rivalry, which is Ren and Bobby’s official break up episode. Seriously, Disney?! I will never understand why they jack up their airing schedules so bad. At least the order of my countdown inadvertently tackles these episodes sequentially! I’d also like to mention that Tawny says the idea of the girls asking the guys is cool, but states “I don’t do Hillbilly” with an air of disgust. I RELATE TO HER CHARACTER SO MUCH???
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At lunch, 6 girls who have asked Twitty to the dance swarm him, anxiously awaiting his decision. This is one of those instances where you realize... Oh, right. Twitty is supposed to be cute and kinda popular even though he hangs out with the outcasts? Okay. Louis walks over with Tom and shouts to the girls “Hey, what’s up! I’m Louis!” The girls scatter and you hear one snicker “Yeah. No kidding! So what?!” HAHA. Louis is a little salty over the fact that not one girl has come “within 50 feet” of him, yet Twitty has 8 potential dates lined up. I think y’all know by now that if I were a student at LJH back in the day, I totally would’ve been that weird girl who asked Louis Stevens lol. Tom exclaims that the only other guy with as many offers as Twitty is Tad Taylor. Some popular dude we’ve never seen or heard of, who Disney clearly didn’t want to cut a check for because he never says a word. 
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Twitty himself is shocked that the Sadie Hawkins thing has suddenly turned him into a “babe magnet.” Tom interjects “I’m like a lint magnet! I mean, how am I getting this stuff all over my trousers?!” *whips out a lint roller and gets to work.* Gee, I wonder why Tom hasn’t received any invites!! Tom doesn’t understand it either! “Why do all the really good looking guys with sparkling personalities get all the girls?!” he asks. Which is possibly one of the greatest lines in the entire series. Louis is left wondering the same thing! So, Twitty reassures him that no girls have asked him because they all assume that Tawny will. :)
Later that day, the guys are hanging around Louis’ locker when Tawny starts approaching. Twitty tells Louis “This is it! She was just makin’ you sweat a little!” and Tom says yet another gem: “Yeah, ya know. Girls are always doing that! ...................*cough* or, so I’ve read.” Tom seriously has SO MANY incredible lines in this episode. I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through this review without quoting every single one. This is probably my personal favorite Tom performance ever. 
Louis royally messes everything up. Tawny was totally going to ask him, until he tried to be over-confident. “Yeah, I figured. You wouldn’t believe how many girls have been asking me out to that thing. Can’t keep their paws off me!” Since Tawny is the greatest ever, she’s immediately turned off and doesn’t ask him. Yaaaasss, gurl. 
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Twitty: I said play it cool.
Tom: “Yeah, and you played the foooooool! ...Sorry. Ya know, I just like to bust the occasional rhyme.” -- I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH HOW FANTASTIC TOM IS.
After school that day, the guys go to Louis’ house and spin a literal wheel of dates to help Twitty make a decision. We get yet another A+ Tom moment. “Big money, big money!” he shouts as it spins... and lands on DORIS!!! HIS FREAKIN’ MOTHER. The camera zooms in on her photo and it kills me. “Oh. *nervous laughter* Sorry. That... Must’ve fallen out of my wallet” is Tom’s excuse. I don’t even fully understand this comment or why the HELL Tom (or Twitty accidentally) would put her on the wheel to begin with, but it’s hilarious. Just because it’s one of my favorite moments, I have to gif it:
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That zoom in is something straight out of The Office and Louis’ reaction is the best.
Just then, Donnie receives a phone call from a random girl who called to say he’s hot. Donnie tells Louis his appeal and ability to nab dates comes from giving off a “bad boy” vibe. Louis takes that information a little too far (as usual) and transforms into the most repulsive version of Louis Stevens ever: 
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First of all: He’s burping here. Secondly: Yeah, Louis. Dressing like a total bum from Middle of Nowhere USA with a taped-on anchor tattoo and bag of cheese puffs is really gonna reel in the ladies.
Obviously, this attempt at being a “bad boy” did not work for Louis. It did, however, work for Tom. Who looks absolutely amazing!! haha.
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“Hu hu hu, au contriare pierre!” he says as Gwendolyn, his date, appears. Are we sure this chick isn’t at least 30 years old? Is that part of the joke? No way in heck she’s in 7th grade. I always thought that was a little disturbing, lol. 
It’s weird because Louis is actually already a “bad boy” ...is he not? I mean, he’s not the stereotypical “bad boy” but it’s not like he’s a nerd. He’s always getting into trouble, always in detention, etc. I guess people like the idea and aesthetic of a bad boy instead of the real thing, ayyyy!
We get a montage of Ren trying to ask numerous guys to the dance but the pig keeps ruining everything for her. It eats one guy’s lunch, farts in front of another guy, and attacks some other dude. Which means that guy is really weak, or that pig is really strong: 
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If this were a lame sitcom someone would shout “Aw, shucks! That darn pig!!” and the audience would erupt in laughter and applause.
Louis runs into Tawny in the hall and tries to apologize for acting stupid earlier by yelling "WHY DON’T YOU JUST ASK ME!!!!” assuming she hasn’t asked anyone else yet. Wow, Louis. Wow. But Tawny, being the badass that she is, tells Louis “There’s one little problem with your logic... I do have a date. Bye.” Yes. Just, yes.  Louis is left sulking on the floor when Monique approaches him. She’s trying to give him a bag of some pig food that Ren left in her locker, but Louis jumps to conclusions and is all “YESSS, I’LL GO TO THE DANCE WITH YOU!!” before she even says anything lol. Even though that wasn’t Monique’s plan, she agrees to go with him. So, in the end Louis basically asked a girl to the Sadie Hawkins Dance... that’s not how it works, Lou. 
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That banner tho... “GALS GIT YOUR’N FELLERS for the SADIE HAWKINS DANCE!” 
CUT TO THE DANCE! Monique isn’t there yet. So, once Twitty and Tom arrive with their dates, Tom gives us his last great line of the episode: “I gotta say, we’re all a little worried about ya. Truth be told I had Doris on standby.” Louis is so insulted: “DORIS? YOUR MOM DORIS?! No, Tom. I’m NOT gonna go out with your mom!” -- The way Shia says this gets me every time. He informs them that he was “asked to the dance” by the head of the cheerleading squad -- Yeah, that’s a bit of a fib, Louis.. but I’ma let it slide. Louis thought he was going to the dance with a hot cheerleader.. but Monique shows up in full hillbilly mode.. complete with blacked-out teeth and everything. Meanwhile, Ren is stuck in the pig pen. She’s purposely dressed to kinda look like a young farm girl so this is one of the only times I’ve watched this show and thought “wow, Christy actually looks 14.″
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Lawrence Jr. High is really dedicated to ~immersion~ I guess, because Principal Wexler gets up on stage and speaks in the most ridiculous southern accent. Like... I always wonder... How do people from the south feel about stuff like this? Wexler announces that the square dance caller for the night is STEVE STEVENS. Oh my freaking god. Steve is the best, hahaha. He pops up outta nowhere like “HOWDYYYYY” and a crowd of 30-something-year-old adult extras stare back at him, confused and unimpressed. 
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Yeah, Gwendolyn probably is 30+ years old.. because apparently the majority of LJH students are grown adults. Either that or... Did these adults not get the memo that it’s a dance for middle schoolers? Why is no one concerned that adults are partying it up with 13 year olds? WHO LET THEM IN?! *shrugs* But, seriously. Disney couldn’t find some KIDS to attend the dance? Come on, now.
Monique invites Louis to square dance with her and Louis says "I'm not a square dancer, I'm more of a circular kinda guy." Idk I just kinda like that line. Tawny shows up with her date, the popular silent boy Tad Taylor. She and Louis spend their night trying to act like they’re having a great time without each other. Tawny is specifically trying to make Louis jealous and it’s pretty great. They give us these dramatic slow-mo shots of them dancing and glancing longingly at each other from across the room. I love it. There’s also a bit where Monique takes the call “Swing your partner round’n round!” a little too seriously and I can’t help but laugh: 
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I will always be a sucker for a good obviously fake dummy gag. 
That crazy swing ends with yet ANOTHER Louis stunt double flying into (and destroying) the pig pen. I seriously never realized how many stunts happen on this show!! There has literally been a stunt every week of this countdown as of late! Anyway, the pig gets loose, runs to the principal’s office, and starts oinking into the intercom. That’s basically the end of the pig subplot. 
Louis is scarred from the twirling incident so he hides from Monique in a tiny, little pig house. For whatever reason, Monique looks for Louis in handfuls of hay! WHAT?! She literally holds some hay, looks at it and asks “Louuuuis???” I kid you not: 
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WHY IS THIS SO FUNNY 
She eventually finds him, of course. Right around then Wexler announces that it’s hitchin’ time! While Monique excitedly asks Louis to go get hitched, Tawny looks on and decides to get hitched to Tad before them as a way to get back at Louis... and it works. He’s all depressed watching the two of them up on stage. Monique can clearly see he’d rather be with Tawny so she encourages him “Go get her, cowboy!” So Louis ruuuuuuns up there and interrupts the “wedding.” Which is something else that must be gif’d:
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“If ya’ll wanna get hitched, say waaAHHH-HOOO!” I love how Margo is laughing as she shouts “waaaahhh” lol. That zoom in on her confused face as Louis runs up there is too good. 
Louis objects and claims “This whole wedding is a mockery!” To which Wexler says “Oooo! You’re a sharp tack, Stevens” as he points to a sign that says “Mock Weddin’s: 5 Cents.” That’s one of my favorite moments ever honestly.
Tawny pulls Louis off stage and out into the hallway where they end up having a really sweet talk where Louis admits to messing everything up. It’s so nice, complete with tinkering romantic piano in the background and everything, haha. I love their dynamic so much. So, yeah. They makeup and square dance the night away to royalty-free, generic bluegrass music. 
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And that’s it!
I like this one a lot. Tom pretty much MAKES it, he’s so good here. I obviously adore the Louis/Tawny content as well. It’s just a fun and solid episode overall, imo. 
Question: Did your school ever have a Sadie Hawkins dance? I remember both Even Stevens and Lizzie McGuire (among other childhood shows, I’m sure...) had Sadie Hawkins episodes. So in Junior High, I remember waiting for my school to hold one but it never happened. For the longest time I was under the impression that Sadie Hawkins dances only existed on television. To this day, I still kinda believe that lol. 
Thanks for reading! Chime in via Disqus below please. :) 
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