lmfao what the fuck is wrong with these guys

Heya so I know this isn't on the list for Thirsty Thursday so totally feel free to say no but I'm currently in my Oscar Isaac era and I think I'd absolutely die for any smutty thoughts you've got on Nathan or Pope 😳

Ahhh the Oscar Isaac era. I remember those days. Those were good days. I haven't written for either character in a long time so forgive me if I'm rusty. Also, we'll consider this sinful sunday now, okay? 🤣

Santiago Pope Garcia

Likes pulling hair. And having his own tugged on.

Is down for any position but likes when you're on top. It's easier on his knees plus he gets the view of you riding him. What more could he ask for?

Doesn't mind quickies. Thinks they're actually pretty great. He gets to have you even if it's on a time constraint. Don't worry, he'll get you there and then some.

Good with his fingers, even better with his mouth. That's all I'll say on that.

Doesn't mind getting you off even if there's only time for one of you. He can wait it out. He's patient like that.

Nathan Bateman

Stamina. Stamina for daysssss. You better be prepared for marathon sex at least once a week. Especially if he's gone the rest of the week without touching you, like if he got busy on a project.

The flip side to this is sometimes he disappears for days while he works on his projects. So you gotta get used to that.

Won't begrudge you using toys on yourself but will absolutely peek in on you and watch.

And if he gets too turned on, he'll come to wherever you are and offer his assistance 😉

Sex everywhere. No place is off limits. He lives in a house in the middle of fucking nowhere. It's not like the neighbors are going to see.

Nine Five people I'd like to get to know better

Tagged by @firstaudrina 🥰💛 Thank you darling!

Last Song: Crystal Caving by Darlingside - went to see them this weekend and they were gorgeous 💛

Favourite Colour: Changes with the tides. In a bit of a green era right now, but often come back to yellow with pink & yellow as a fave combination.

Last Book: I've been in a bit of a slower reading stage for a few months now, sort of picking at several different books, but the last one I finished was Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk on the recommendation of bestie @kieren-fucking-walker. Palahniuk's writing style really propels you along and it was appropriately unhinged 💛 I also recently read Bryan Lee O'Malley's latest graphic novel Seconds, which I really enjoyed although the romance subplot turned out to be a bit underbaked and it kinda lesbian-baited me a little 😅

Last Movie: Me and the folks just watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off, an all-time favourite. And now that I've got some space to myself I treated myself to a Jaws night 🥰🥰🥰

Last TV Show: Just been watching some Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) because it's an old fave of mum's. The show I'm chugging along through myself atm is good ol' Hatecrimes House MD.

Sweet/Spicy/Savoury: Mostly savoury, but got a real sweet tooth for fresh fruit

Relationship Status: Single and too lazy/awkward to do nought about it </3 Fellow fags come flirt with me

Last Thing I Googled: em9 ukulele - I keep forgetting to make a note of the shapes of the more niche chords and having to go look 'em up

Current Obsession: 'Tis still Saw 😔 Feel free to ask me for my horror/Saw fic sideblog but only if you can be trusted with my secret identity and dark/kinkfic lmao

Looking Forward To: I have a trip to London planned and I'm gonna see some friends and some mutuals and I'm going to wear my stupid dinosaur shirt (it's a white tee with a T-Rex and the word FASCINATING printed above it) and draw the critters in the Natural History Museum. Also looking forward to having my big room revamp done, my cosy bed nook is basically there but now there's more furniture to customise! And of course I'm looking forward to some more changes, I'm one month on T and counting - gonna have the nastiest little rat moustache 🥰💛

I'm gonna tag @evilphrog @girl-bateman @theflirtmeister @motherdanger @captainclickycat and anyone else who feels like sharing, consider yourself tagged!

ahh this is so cute, thanks for tagging me @girl-bateman!

favorite time of the year: fall, definitely. love spooky season

comfort food: pinto beans w/jalapeños and cornbread (depression-era staple passed down to my mom and now to me!)

do you collect something: postcards (I have like, 50 from all over the world) and books mostly. also socks with cloud patterns!

favorite drink: thai iced tea or brown sugar boba. black coffee. shiner bock! wait, also chocolate malts my beloved

current favorite song: “valentine” by snail mail and “barely on my mind” by the regrettes

favorite song: kind of a deep cut but “perfect enemy” by t.A.T.u

i’m only gonna tag a few people because i’m lazy: @nonsensegnomes @soltoes @bringmefoxgloves @macabre-angst @monsieurlerobot @carouselcometh @dougrenettis

American Psycho (2000) Review - Important Conversations, Handled Clumsily

An ambitious indictment of greed, capitalism, and masculinity that beckons respect but doesn’t land every mark. ★★★☆☆ - above average, leaning towards good

If time is a flat circle, then it stands to reason that history is similarly shaped. I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” American Psycho’s most impressive (and terrifying) features come from the fact that it still feels so…contemporary, in spite of it being a 22-year-old movie, depicting an era that proceeded it by 20 years.

This movie was very similar in structure to The Fallout, a 2021 movie that is probably in the top 5 films of that year, though it might be more accurate to say that The Fallout is similarly structured to this film (what did I say about time being a flat circle?). Instead of a traditional plot-oriented structure, the film opts for a character-centered approach, focusing on the titular American Psycho, Patrick Bateman. This lends itself to each scene having a much larger interested in affective storytelling than narrative. Each scene builds on the spiral that Bateman takes into madness. We question his sanity, both in the normative sense, and his ability to accurately narrate the world around him. The world is seen through his distorted lens, and that is the movie’s biggest strength. Everything, from his vapid sensibilities, to the material realities of his caste, reflect this warped worldview that see money, status, power, and bravado as the most important areas of life. Everyone in the film is one-dimensional, because that’s how they see remaining in the seats of power that they currently occupy.

One of the biggest dangers of not having a traditional movie narrative structure is that you risk scenes blending together, or generally having a feeling of stagnation during sections of the movie. This is where the movie falls apart for me. For swathes of the movie, I felt like I saw through the routine, and at that point, I wondered what showing similar actions over and over again added to my experience. There wasn’t really anything satisfying about the violence; I just felt bad for everyone. This feeling of…pointlessness is exacerbated by a [twist in the third act] that caused me to wonder even more broadly about the purpose of that twist and how it was meant to serve the narrative in a satisfying way. I can see why they did it, but I feel like there was a way to have that resonance and achieve a satisfying character moment for Bateman.

Overall, I think that this movie has a lot going for it, and it really reaches for the stars in a lot of ways. I commend it for that. I just feel that the experience is too contrived and uneven for it to be something that is recognized as a mainstay of the cinematic landscape, from a meritocratic perspective.

Final Verdict: If you like slashy-killy movies that are a little more cerebral than the usual fare of the genre, this movie will probably win you over. It's not as cringe as you would think it is from the way incels latch onto it. Just don't go expecting an academic analysis of the beginnings of what can be seen as modern American society.

Child’s Play (2019)

After hanging out with a bunch of my favourite people all day long, we settled into theatre 7, to watch, what I think most of us assumed would be a bad reboot of a beloved franchise. But surprisingly, the story added enough to stay relevant to the current era, as well as keeping movie-goers and die-hard fans alike interested.

Summary:

Andy and his mother move to a new apartment with his mother’s new boyfriend. It becomes apparent that the boyfriend is a deadbeat. And eventually down the road he gets abusive.

Andy’s mother is a cashier at Zedmart, who are heavily advertising the Buddi 2 doll which is set to come out later in the year. A damaged Buddi doll is returned, so Andy’s mother took it, to give to Andy as a birthday present.

Once given to Andy, is becomes clear that this is no ordinary Buddi doll, and all hell breaks loose.

Review:

What an amazing film, it is very rare that a reboot, can both reinvent a franchaise, as well as making it enjoyable, but this film manages to do both.

The voice work from Mark Hamill is awesome. The way he minupulates his voice in order to give off emotion, as well as giving the impression that Chuckie can’t feel anything eithier.

The work from Gabriel Bateman is astonishing, the genuine reactions he gives a impeccable. His sister played Janice is 2017’s Annabelle: Creation, it’s almost as if the talent runs in the family.

The fact that Chuckie wants nothing other than to make Andy happy so that they can play, gives an edge to this film that the previous Chuckie films could not give. I really enjoyed that aspect of the film.

The film was genuinely scary without relying too heavily on jump scares which was great.

Overall I’d give the film an 8/10 This brings genuine fear into people, the gore is something I think a lot of Hollywood films forget to tap into sometimes, and it really helps this film out. I hope a sequel gets greenlit!

Play.

“When something is cute, it puts the audience at ease, and that builds the horror more.”

We talk to the team behind a new reboot of the 80s horror classic Child’s Play.

The new Child’s Play reboot is unique among reboots in that the series it is rebooting remains an ongoing concern. The original Child’s Play came out in 1988 and spawned no fewer than six sequels. Although the last two skipped theaters to be released straight to home entertainment platforms, the series has maintained an admirable level of quality and consistency thanks to the continued presence of original screenwriter Don Mancini, who wrote all seven movies and directed the last three.

He’s currently putting together a Chucky television show that continues the often innovative mythology of the features. But in one of those only-in-Hollywood situations, two separate companies currently own the rights to make Child’s Play films, and Mancini has nothing to do with the new film, which puts a modern spin on the Chucky story.

When the reboot was announced, Mancini threw a little shade on the film, apparently (and understandably) concerned that it would muddy the waters around his upcoming TV show.

Jennifer Tilly, who voiced Chucky’s girlfriend Tiffany in the gonzo fourth movie, Bride of Chucky, and co-starred as herself in the meta fifth movie, Seed of Chucky, also expressed her displeasure with the remake.

Mancini appears to have declined an executive producer credit on the new film, which was shepherded into existence by the top studio horror producers of the moment: Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg, who were also behind the insanely successful It and its upcoming sequel.

You wouldn’t know it from the original film’s poster, which seems positively ashamed of the film it was selling, but the conceit at the heart of the 1988 film existed as a direct response to heavily marketed dolls of the era such as Teddy Ruxpin and the Cabbage Patch Kids. The new film updates Chucky’s origin so that it similarly reflects a heavily marketed contemporary product: smart toys.

While the original Brad Dourif-voiced Chucky was, sorry, is a talking doll who became possessed by the soul of a serial killer, the new Chucky is an artificially-intelligent robot friend who turns murderous when his programming is tampered with. And he’s voiced by Mark Hamill.

Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West) stars in the film as Karen, a single mom who takes home a returned Chucky from the big-box store where she works and gifts it to her son Andy, played by Gabriel Bateman (who previously encountered a sinister doll in Annabelle).

Norwegian filmmaker Lars Klevberg directed the new Child’s Play, which was written by Tyler Burton Smith. Klevberg’s American feature debut, Polaroid (an expansion of his own 2015 Norwegian short), has yet to be released in the States due to the Weinstein Company’s ongoing problems.

Letterboxd caught up with Plaza, Bateman, Klevberg and Smith at this year’s Wondercon.

Aubrey Plaza as Karen and Gabriel Bateman as Andy.

What was your reaction when you were offered this film? Aubrey Plaza (Karen): I was so honored that they thought I could pull that character off and took a chance on me and, I dunno… Chucky is an iconic character in the history of film so I feel really lucky to be a part of it. I’m really excited about that.

I play a woman named Karen Barclay who is a single mom. Her son is named Andy and she’s kind of a young mom doing the best she can and struggling a bit but trying to provide for her son. She ends up giving Andy a toy for his birthday that starts to try to kill everybody, so… but Karen thinks that her son is kind of losing his mind. So she’s going through a lot.

And Chucky was on set while you were filming? AP: Oh yes, we did a lot of things practically, so the doll was there at all times.

What do you think fans of the original should expect from the new Child’s Play? AP: I think they should expect a total re-imagining of this character. I think the whole idea behind it is: how could Chucky be relevant right now? And the idea of making Chucky a smart doll is kind of brilliant and it’s a cool way to bring Chucky back into the theaters, you know? And show a whole new generation of people how terrifying that doll can be.

Is it tough making something that is cute also scary? Tyler Burton Smith (screenwriter): I think in some ways when something is cute or funny, it puts the audience at ease in a way, because they feel like it’s safe and I think in some ways that builds the horror more. When you feel safe with a character or with a product or with a thing, seeing that transform into something dark is a lot easier. Because you’re put at ease and then you’re fighting against that. So I think that’s kind of a fun dynamic shift in a way.

‘Child’s Play’ director Lars Klevberg (left) with cinematographer Brendan Uegama.

This is an R-rated horror with kids in peril—is it tricky to know how far to go with that? Lars Klevberg (director): Well, there are different levels, when you’re making a movie, of how far you wanna push it. When you’re dealing with a Child’s Play movie, when you introduce Chucky as a toy, of course there will be kids involved. We bumped up the age a little bit on this one, which I think was a smart move. Andy’s no longer eight, he’s thirteen. But we’re dealing with a movie that takes an object that everybody loves—a doll, a toy—which is in many ways when you’re young, it’s kind of your safe spot. And you turn that around and what you love and trust in your fantasy world when you’re young turns against you, so suddenly your fantasy world becomes very very real and that’s interesting.

Screenwriter Tyler Burton Smith.

This is a separate project to the original Chucky franchise, which is still going. How did having the original creator of Chucky vocalize his opposition to this film affect you, if at all? TBS: We love the original Child’s Play. We love Don Mancini. I grew up on Child’s Play, it’s just an awesome movie and we wanna make the best version of that possible. It’s unfortunate that he’s not more involved in this movie. It would’ve been amazing to work with him on this, but we love Child’s Play as a whole, we love him and just wanna make the best version of a Child’s Play film possible.

LK: With something like this, it’s an iconic IP, of course you think about it, but you get the script and you read the script and you connect to the story and the characters and for me as a director that’s where it starts. And you have to be able to separate that and just focus on what’s there on the page, which we did. Tyler has a big brain, and he was able to get in a lot of those things that made the first one successful. I kind of jumped on and went back and watched all the movies and I was amazed by how the atmosphere was still there.

What do you think the key differences are in this version? TBS: A big part of it is the doll in the original film was just a stationary doll that you played with and it had these lines that it would say, but otherwise it was just a doll. The idea of updating that and asking what this toy would be now, or five years from now in the future, the idea of a different kind of product that is more technologically advanced was definitely kind of at the heart of it, but definitely keeping a lot of the elements that made the original great.

When I figured out the direction they wanted to go I thought it was a great balance of being a tribute to the original and doing something new with the franchise at the same time. It wasn’t just an excuse to remake a movie, it felt like a lot of people who loved the original who wanted to do an awesome reinvention of that concept. I was a bit nervous at first, but once we found the direction for it, I was really excited. I think we found a cool fresh take on that film.

Gabriel Bateman as Andy in ‘Child’s Play’ (2019).

You dealt with practical Chucky dolls on set—did you ever get concerned they might turn on you? Gabriel Bateman (Andy): No, not really. I don’t know how much I can say but the animatronic dolls don’t really have all that much motion. But I mean, when I’m actually filming and the cameras are rolling, I feel afraid, because I’m trying to be the character, but as soon as the cameras cut, it’s the same.

You’ve been in a lot of horror, but you’re totally a kid. Have you ever seen any of the horror stuff that you’ve been in? GB: I don’t think there’s ever been something that I didn’t watch that I was in. I think I’ve watched everything.

Were you excited about the idea of being in a remake of Child’s Play? GB: I kind of figured out that it was Child’s Play from the [audition] side, so I watched it pretty early on, but I was really excited. A lot of my family were fans of the original trilogy before, so I was always familiar with it. So yeah, I was definitely excited.

What do you think Child’s Play fans will make of the film? GB: We’re not trying to take away from the original in any way. It’s just a re-imagination of Chucky as a character, so I just hope people can enjoy it as its own film, without comparing to the original.

‘Child's Play’ will be in theaters on June 20.

DuckTales 2017 - “The Depths of Cousin Fethry!”

Story by: Francisco Angones, Madison Bateman, Colleen Evanson, Christian Magalhaes, Bob Snow

Written by: Christian Magalhaes

Storyboard by: Stephanie Gonzaga, Vaughn Tada, Brandon Warren, Jason Zurek

Directed by: Matthew Humphreys

Not really that deep.

The episode begins with Huey nerding out over tree rings, and wanting Dewey to experience it. Bath be damned, he has to show him this amazing thing that only a nerd like him would be interested in. But why wouldn't he be interested, this tree managed to live through three leap years in a row! He then starts to lick the log to get resin samples, because that wouldn't be funny enough if he just used his fingers.

After that necessary scene, a can starts saying "brrring, ring ring ring" in a really annoying way. Scrooge and Donald, who show up only in this scene, tells the boys that this is just their "coo-coo bananas" Cousin Fethry. To discourage the boys from, Scrooge decides to tell them he lives in a deep-sea laboratory, and he likes to go on fool's errands that lead to unnecessarily dangerous adventures...

...and they’re already coerced Launchpad to steal Scrooge's submarine, singing that it's the "best waste of time ever". Huey immediately realizes once the theme song ends that they stole the submarine, and we immediately cut to the theme song. The best we get is that we hear Scrooge call Launchpad about why he's driving the submarine, and Dewey just takes the receiver, breaks it, and throws it on the ground.

Launchpad eventually reaches the lighthouse, bumping into it before parking right next to it to remind us that he's Launchpad, and a voice calls out to the boys to meet him at the top.

As for Launchpad, he hears the call of Oceanika, a siren who used to be his lover. Do not worry if you never heard of her, because I do not think you are supposed to. I am sure we'll cut back to him and whatever adventure he goes on.

After the boys, we finally get to see Fethry, showing off his anti-pirate decoy. Right from the beginning, the boys get to question this guy's sanity.

Dewey: Do you get a lot of pirates?

Fethry: Never! He’s that good.

Dewey: Eh.

The sad thing is that this is about as good as the humor surrounding him gets. In fact, they don’t even add a beat after this for the audience to laugh at it. I could say It’s a bit more dry than a lot of the humor in this show. Huh, this ocean-related episode is a bit dry. How ironic.

This is the animated debut of a character that I had no familiarity with before his name popped up in the upcoming episodes. Originally, I thought this was because I'm not that familiar with the Barks-era comics, but it's really because his origins are in the European Disney Duck comics.

I did a little research and found this image. I decided that was the best research I could do for this guy. I’m sure he had some other character traits, like his love for getting into the latest fads, but I could say this perfectly explains why Donald acts he way he did when his name is involved. One thing I can say is that he's not going to age the show by referencing a current fad. I mean, he's not into Gummi Bears Go or anything like that.

Turns out, he lives in the Sealab, long before 2020. Or 2021, for that matter. Actually, it's called the McDuck Sublab of the Future. The joke is that it was made in the past. Going down the Aqua-vator, man’s niftiest invention, they go to the McDuck Sublab of the Future. The joke is that it was made in the past.

There’s a joke about an outdoor jai alai court, which isn’t as popular as the indoor one. Because it’s a sport that involves bouncing a ball against a wall. Also, outdoors under the sea? I have a feeling they came up with this joke before the concept of this episode.

Meanwhile...okay, I guess it's not the time to say that yet. I'm sure we'll eventually see what Launchpad is doing, right? Fethry tries to show off the world's best kept secret: the ocean. I think the joke is that we're expecting him to talk about that amazing thing that he just saw. Huey and Dewey use this spotlight to try to find who could it be, this animal that Fethry did see. Can they help guess this mystery?

Unfortunately, the first thing the boys see is a blobfish. Instead, Huey and Dewey get scared by a blobfish. Fun fact: blobfish are only ugly like that when they're above water; their bodies are meant for the deep seas, and once they get out of it, they become that ugly. This show will not teach you that. Huey continues his defense of Fethry, and it's not just because he liked his hat. He argues that maybe he's an eccentric genius like all of those geniuses on TV...

...as he imitates this turtle and later imitates a shark! And then he disgustingly licks the radar, which totally justifies the log licking from earlier! Get it, he's weird, and Huey's weird because he's such a nerd! There's quite a bit more grossout in this episode than any other episode of DuckTales 2017, and it's not that great of a look on this show.

There’s also the occasional scene where he seems creepier than usual, possibly trying to instill in our minds that this guy is actually evil. I mean, why not, he's practically a stranger even if he is family. For example, once they get to the Tulley Observatory, Fethry gets out a crowbar, and for second he looks like he’s going to crowbar these poor children. But no, that never actually happens. Expectations subverted!

However, we do get to see tentacles squeezing all three of these characters thanks to Fethry's actions. Okay, these are actually giant sea worms, mutated from the toxic vents as Fethry explains. There's hints, and then there's outright giving away future plot twists, and this is squarely in the latter.

Fethry does have a plan because he's used to these worms: just convince the worms that they're not threatened, as they smell fear and are very happy to try to squeeze it out of them, by being affectionate towards them. See, it's completely nuts, but it ends up working as his compliment ends up loosening its grip. Huey does it, but Dewey doesn't seem to have a clue. Huey has to do something, and it ends up being...

...this. Yeaaah, I don't really have anything to say about this kiss scene. The other worm that's squeezing Dewey just gives up after this. I would, too.

We're finally get to see the crew, and if it wasn't for that kiss that is now etched in my memory, I would be just thinking to myself "it's not going to be people, it's not going to be people, it's not going to be people..."

Big surprise, it turns out to not be a crew of people Fethry could talk to and expect an audible answer. Instead, it's a crew of glow in the dark krill. Huey still believes he's a genius, even though Dewey points out he seems to be singing to them. Don't worry, there's a point later.

If one hasn't noticed, there is a duo dynamic here with the two nephews they use. Huey is still clinging on to what little respect he has, while Dewey is desperately trying to convince Huey to see the obvious. Dewey also sees something Dewey accuses Huey of being exactly the same as Fethry. They’re both nerds, they’re interested in things no ordinary kid would be interested in, and they both wear red caps that they never take off. They

Fun fact: this is actually an reference to his debut comic in Europe, where Fethry gave that exact explanation for why he always wears this hat. Okay, I did do more research. I also know he apparently wasn't very well liked among fans of the comics outside of Europe, which isn't that surprising. Speaking of which, Fethry is glad to be with a fellow “Chucker“.

Huey: I’m not that into the Junior Woodchucks. It’s more of a part-time hobby...

Unlike the original, the Junior Woodchuck is his one thing in the reboot that separates him from the others, so he’s clearly lying here. Before this becomes obvious, a large thud happens. They turn to Fethry, only for him to say "end of the line" in an ominous voice.

But it’s actually because some sort of monster cut it, as we see this shadowy colossus cut it down. My only guess for these “could he be evil” scenes is that DuckTales 2017 episodes tend to have outright villains, and I don’t feel like I’m giving anything away by saying this is not one of them. I mean, it is scary that these two kids are now stuck with this guy who’s clearly nuts…yeah, let’s try not to think about that too hard.

While getting into scuba gear, they have to swim across the vents. We do get to learn that Fethry’s “crew” may be a bunch of krill, but they are trained krill. All he has to do is sing a song to them, and he’s able to command them to do formations to help them towards the place to see all of those. See, the singing isn't him being nutso after all.

They finally get to Fethry's own living space. I didn't get a screenshot here, but there’s a ripped poster talking about the symptoms of Ocean Madness in the background. I feel like that's another hint towards a twist that never actually happens. Fethry directs the boys to the window where this amazing thing will show up, even overselling it by calling it an amazing creature. Mangatsika!

Do I even need to say what's going to happen next? He continues to delay the completely expected by asking them if they want a sandwich, but Huey and Dewey tell him to get on with it. They're practically echoing my sentiment, too.

NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Well, okay, there’s some krill that light up into the colors of the rainbow, continuing his utter obsession with krill, but that pretty much sums it up. This was the very kind of thing Scrooge warned the boys about.

Huey, on the last ounce of respect for the man, decides to outright ask Fethry if this is some sort of scientific breakthrough from a genius scientist. He responds that he just thinks it's cool looking, and says he's not even a scientist...he's just the janitor.

This is the last straw for Huey, and Dewey didn’t even have any straws to begin with. Anyone can get where this scene is going, especially when the sad music starts playing. Fethry walks towards the window, crestfallen that nobody really cared about his krill as the nephews decide to leave and tell him he won't be seen again in a really rude way that wouldn't be that unchararactistic of them. He then turns around and tells the boys that they're not going anywhere...

...because the giant monster is here. I am honestly surprised we never use this "could he be evil" gag inbetween commercial breaks. Honestly, that would have made this gag worse.

Meanwhil...oh, come on! We're still here? Yeah, there's no real B plot here, it's all A. Actually, it's a C plot so far, and that bell curve I use with these reviews isn't going to take kindly to that. Hint, hint. This is another case of "this adventure was just too cool to show you", and I'll detail that a little bit later in this review.

Huey is still going through the motions of the mistunderstanding scene, though. Even though we totally understand it. After a chase scene where they have to rush back to the aquavator while avoiding getting mutated by toxic fumes themselves, we get a scene where Huey accuses Fethry of leading them into an adventure that could get them killed. They never repaired that line, but that's not going to get the explanation.

What's worse is that the aquavator and the rest of the Sublab is getting torn apart. They're knee deep in ocean water. Suddenly, the bulb in the spotlights burns out, but don’t worry, just replace the bulb with the jar filled with the krill crew to it, and the glow ends up making the spotlight work again. Don't doubt the krill, I guess.

In the end, Huey ends up singing to it via the aquavator’s loudspeaker. Dewey says he must have gone sea-mad, while Fethry just stands there and realizes what's happening. It’s because the spotlight has proven that it’s just an oversiZed glow in the dark krill, mutated by those toxic vents.

While it seems like I'm just picking apart every flaw of this rather flawed episode, one part I can’t really fault is its sense of scale. At no point do we ever see this prawn's entire massive being in frame.

They get saved by the giant krill in the end, and Fethry ends up going away standing on its colossal figure in glory. Even better, Dewey gets to call it the Dewnificent Krilldebeast. Gag over.

There were similar patterns with some of the other characters, especially with the already mentioned Gladstone Gander. Also, Glandstone Gander didn't have to have random scenes where he looks evil because we already hate him.

Finally, right at the end of the episode, we see Launchpad. He must have had quite the interesting adventure than the rest of the cast. Again, I have to unfavorably to The House of Lucky Gander, because they did the exact same thing in that episode. He only sums it up with “sea stuff”.

All is well, Dewey even manages to accept that this wacky uncle was cool to be with. But what about telling Scrooge about the stolen submarine, and how his Sublab is now in ruins? Dewey has a plan for that, in the very last line of the episode.

Dewey: Let’s go home and convince uncle Scrooge this was Louie’s idea!

Yeah, remember that kid? He probably would have added nothing to the episode, but hey, a reminder that he existed.

How does it stack up?

Guy is nuts, nephews react with disgust, everything turns out well in the end. Rinse and repeat, add a cliched misunderstanding, and you get this episode. There are some neat touches, but in the grand scheme of DuckTales 2017 episodes. A lot of the problem stems around the fact that I just didn't find Fethry that funny.

Sure, it's still better than the worst of other cartoons, but this is the first time I put my foot down and give this rating. Alas, while they hoped it was the best waste of time ever, I honestly thought of only three of those words.

I'm sure there's people who would disagree with this assessment. I fought myself with earlier episodes to give this rating and ending up just giving them Neutrals. However, Terra-firmians had cool Lena scenes, and Other Bin is too important to the overal arc and I ended up liking some of the scenes I did not like after future viewings. This doesn't have any of that.

Next, we get to learn what happened to Flintheart Glomgold since The Shadow War. Okay, there’s only been two episodes in this season, but that does seem like a long time for this reboot.

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New Post has been published on Books by Caroline Miller

New Post has been published on https://www.booksbycarolinemiller.com/musings/social-concerns/the-future-in-a-time-when-cookies-dont-crumble/

The Future In A Time When Cookies Don't Crumble

A man in his 50s admitted on Facebook he was depressed about the changes he saw barreling down on society like a runaway train. He doubted the alterations were for the better.  As he is a liberal thinker, I supposed he was suffering from Trump fatigue and wondering, as I do, when our defeated 45th President will get off the political stage.  The situation doesn’t depress me, however. I’m old enough to be my friend’s mother and have lived through many trying times; the rise of the John Birch Society, the  McCarthy era, the stirrings of the  Moral Majority, the Tea Party revolution, and now the Maga world. None of these vicissitudes do I blame for my grey hair, which makes me want to say to this young man, “Stiffen your spine.” Life IS change and already the current evolution is being consumed by the swell behind it like a wave retreating from the shore.    Being baffled by the kaleidoscope of events is exhausting, I’m willing to admit. But it shouldn’t be surprising. Open your email each morning and risk being smothered by announcements — changes in privacy policies or service policies, upgrades in services, demands for security code changes, or you find new instructions for how to access a favorite media site. The pandemic has foisted additional change upon us. Wear a mask. Keep your distance.  Wash your hands. Don’t imagine hugging friends and family. Zoom is the new point of contact. As for in-store shopping, that’s as quaint as traveling by horse and buggy.  “Browsing” today means scanning the internet. No more examining seams for loose stitching.  No more pinching the avocados. Browsing the internet brings a new set of worries, of course.  Cookies, for example. I don’t mean confectionary.  I’m referring to advertisements that stick to our screens and obscure the message. I’ve grown crow’s feet as I attempt to squint past them. Frankly, I miss the good old days of a department store, when I could try on new jeans in front of a three-way mirror and with a half-turn gain an honest critique of my derriere.  Any garment I carried home was certain to fit and needn’t be returned. Best of all, I liked the convenience of a personal shopper.  A saleswoman at Macy’s, whom I once relied upon, could smell when a Gucci jacket was about to go on sale and would give me a call.  Her devotion was driven by her lust for a commission, I know. But, the system worked for both of us. She was as loyal to me as a kid to an ice cream cart.  I never sense anyone is on my side on the internet. Mostly I feel like a sheepdog running through a forest heavy with ticks. Besides, on the internet, a personal shopper costs as much as $12,000 a year. (“Is FARFETCH the New Barnes” by Kristen Bateman, Town&Country, March 2021, pg. 58.) No longer in the public eye, I needn’t make a fashion statement, but I pity those who must. Take Kamala Harris, for example. Fashionistas used to focus on the First Lady’s wardrobe. No more. Kamala gets the attention. And there’s the rub. She’s the second-highest politician in the country, so her wardrobe serves a duo purpose. Not only must it salute American designers but, like a suit of armor, it must project true grit to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In weaker moments, I agree with my  50-year-old Facebook friend. Most of us can feel discouraged. The blur of change is dizzying.  Yet, Nature seems to thrive on it.  So what are we mortals to do? We can blow ourselves to smithereens. Beyond that, we haven’t much power as a species. A dog senses a predator before we do.  A cat sees better in the dark. I suggest we stick to the bright side of events. Without change, we’d have no progress. Besides, we’ve been warned, haven’t we?  “…there is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so?” (Hamlet, II, ii)  

Minnesota: 2020 Outback Bowl Champions

TAMPA, FLA. – Tyler Johnson launched off the field and outstretched his right arm.

Reaching, reaching.

Eyes pinned on the ball as it smacked into his curved palm. His right foot, toe pointed, just barely tapped the green turf before he tumbled out of bounds.

Like Michelangelo’s hand of God imparting the spark of life to Adam, Johnson ignited the Gophers. Not just to a divine victory against SEC powerhouse Auburn in the Outback Bowl but to a future that doesn’t just look bright — it might be electric.

Johnson, a senior playing his last collegiate game, caught 12 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns to become the Gophers’ all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns in the 31-24 win against the No. 12 Tigers on Wednesday at Raymond James Stadium. He cemented his legacy of 213 catches for 3,305 yards and 33 touchdowns by helping build the No. 18 Gophers program into one that demands national attention and respect after an 11-2 season.

“It was my last chance to go out there and give everything I got,” Johnson said. “To be able to not only represent myself but my family and my community. One last chance at the school that I decided to go to, back four years ago.”

Johnson’s journey embodies that of the entire senior class, with many of the 12 other graduating players from the same 2016 recruiting class. While their impact on the field has been prominent, from seven key defensive players to the all-purpose yards record-holder in running back Rodney Smith, the path they’ve paved off it has led the Gophers to their current star status.

For Johnson, he came back for this final season despite the allure of the NFL. He did so to show his five younger siblings the importance of graduating from college, to show his north Minneapolis community what hometown pride means, to show his young receiving corps how it’s done.

Johnson said seeing out his Gophers career instead of turning pro last year was “definitely worth it.”

“He’s going to leave here the greatest receiver in the history of the University of Minnesota,” said teary-eyed Gophers coach P.J. Fleck. “… Everybody is going to look at that game. Every NFL scout, every NFL wide receiver coach, GM, president is going to watch that game.

“Look at what he just did.”

An announced crowd of 45,652, saturated with Gophers fans, saw it all, what Johnson achieved and more. They witnessed the Gophers respond from early setbacks such as quarterback Tanner Morgan’s interception on the third play and a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. They watched sophomore running back Mohamed Ibrahim reclaim his No. 1 spot, one he took up for an injured Smith last year but ceded with no qualms back to his mentor this season.

Ibrahim, last year’s Quick Lane Bowl MVP with 224 yards, ran for 140 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries against Auburn. He dragged defenders for every extra yard and exploited every hole his offensive line gave him, with that unit refusing to bend to Auburn’s veteran defensive line boasting SEC Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brown.

The senior-heavy defense held Auburn’s rush, which averaged 211 yards per game heading into Wednesday, to just 56 yards. The Tigers converted only three of 11 third downs.

“Throughout the entire season, it was one of those things where we have to earn everybody’s respect,” senior defensive end Carter Coughlin said. “And we did this year. We earned the respect and respect from other conferences now. And now that’s just a wake up to the rest of the world.”

Coughlin finished his time with the Gophers upholding his father’s and grandfather’s legacies. Linebacker Thomas Barber did the same for his father and two brothers. They’re both Minnesota natives in Johnson’s same class that Coughlin nicknamed all those years ago as the “Empire,” after how the Romans dominated their era.

“That all has to start somewhere,” Coughlin said. “We kind of started that. I think that we were a part in making Gopher football what we’ve always dreamed it could be.”

This could just be the beginning for the Gophers, who probably will enter next season ranked and return all but two of their offensive starters, including Morgan and next-in-line receiver Rashod Bateman.

For Johnson, Coughlin, Barber and more, though, this is the end.

On his penultimate catch for the Gophers, Johnson looked up in the open field. He would track the ball as it dropped into his waiting hands before running free to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown.

But in that moment, he was Adam. Looking up into the light, anticipating what’s to come.

Best 80s Tv Shows List

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Original Run: 1987 94 Creator: Gene Roddenberry Stars: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis Network: Syndicated The original collection was groundbreaking. Deep Space Nine and Voyager had their occasions. But TNG was head-and-shoulders the Star Trek franchise. Jean Luc Picard. Data. Worf. The holodeck. The Borg. Gene Roddenbury mustn't have had a cynical bone in his human anatomy, and as I watched his characters explore unusual new worlds, look for new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no one h-AS gone before, I didn’t either.

The Cosby Show

Original Run: 1984-1992 Creators: Bill Cosby. Weinberger and Michael Leeson Stars: Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rash? d Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Sabrina Le Beauf, Geoffrey Owens, Joseph C. Phillips Network: NBC George Jefferson may happen to be moving on up, but The Cosby Present gave the nation a mo-Re relatable glimpse of the expanding middleclass among African-Americans but much mo-Re usually, dealing with all the trials that we all faced. Inspired by Cosby’s own family encounters which had been a staple of his stand-up routine, the show dominated the 2nd half of the ’80s, topping the Neilsen scores from 1985-90 and averaging more than 3-0 million viewers in the ’86-87 period. Cosby’s legacy might currently be in shambles, but the display was bigger compared to the man.

Magnum, P.I.

Original Run: 1980 88 Creator: Donald P. Bellisario, Glen A. Larson Stars: Tom Selleck, John Hillerman. Mosley, Larry Manetti Network: CBS When every other adolescent male of the ’80s and I grew up, we needed the li Fe of Tom Magnum, performed by Tom Selleck and his mustache: dwelling in an opulent Hawaii beachhouse as a guest of a never-current millionaire novelist and driving his Ferrari 308 GTS; wracking up a never-to-be-paid tab a T the country club run by one war-vet buddy and bumming helicopter rides from still another; and periodically solving mysteries using a mixture of smarts, toughness and mostly chutzpah. I never did figure out the way to walk that particular career path, but it was fun to dream.

TV Boxed Sets DVDs

At the Movies

Original Run: 1982-2010 Creator: Gene Siskel Stars: Roget Ebert, Gene Siskel Network: Syndicated Two different exhibits, both titled In The The Films from various production companies, the combination of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert completely revolutionized the notion of movie criticism. Greatly admired for his or her ability to succinctly sum up the newest films together with their honesty and integrity in sparring with each other when opinions differed, the pair were also criticized by many for degrading the integrity of film criticism by decreasing it to arbitrary “thumbs up“or “thumbs down“gestures. Such was the legacy of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert and the duality of the show. They were among the only film critics whose thoughts an “average American“could often be expected to respect and did much for legitimizing the idea of film criticism outside of a class-room environment. Some might nonetheless criticize the idea of a two-outcome rating program, but it was the approachable eloquence of the hosts that created the format work.

Taxi

Original Run: 1978 83 Creators: James L. Ed, Brooks, Stan Daniels, David Davis. Weinberger Stars: Carol Kane, Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza, Andy Kaufman, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Conway Network: ABC/NBC Let’s just pause for a moment and remember that somebody once confident a community to set Andy Kaufman to the air. I just wish it'd been live TV. Like M*A*S*H, Taxi frequently tackled serious social problems like drug and gambling addiction, but did it with an incredibly unusual cast of characters from the alien-like Latka Graves (Kaufman) to drugged-out hippie Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd) to misanthrope Louie De Palma (Danny DeVito).

St. Elsewhere

Original Run: 1982 88 Creator: Joshua Brand, John Falsey Stars: William Daniels, Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd Network: NBC The seminal hospital drama of the 1980s, St. Elsewhere was never resoundingly productive in the ratings, but it racked in Emmys over the years for its practical, frequently-dark tone and occasions of humor. Its big, ensemble forged carried on several long and had a number of cross overs together with the Hill Street Blues that are related - serialized story-lines, type, leading to fantastic character development within the course of the series. Needless to say, it’s today often remembered for a different cause: For having perhaps the single-most WTF finale moment in TV history. At the conclusion of the final St. Else Where episode, the characters are revealed as having all been the creation of the autistic Tommy Westphall, who owns a snow globe wherein the imaginary St. Eligius hospital exists. Moreoever, because so many other exhibits and characters overlapped with St. Elsewhere, some followers posit this signifies that everything from Hill Avenue Blues and Murder: Life on the Road to The X-Files all take invest the “Tommy Westphall Universe“by extension.

Pee-Wee’s Playhouse

Original Run: 198690 Creator: Paul Reubens Stars: Paul Reubens, Laurence Fishburne, Lynne Marie Stewart Network: CBS There are two types of folks within my life: Those who like Pee Wee Herman and enemies. Years ago, I was gifted the total collection of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse DVDs. Over the years, I’d created a point to watch Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-Wee whenever the feeling was correct. As much as I loved this show as a child, I only expected to get a great kick from an episode here and there, but I found myself inhaling these DVDs. Pee-Wee’s Play-House is joyous morning viewing (over a bowl of Mr. T cereal, of course) or a great way to unwind at evening (I’d recommend taking a drink from a good beer whenever somebody says the “secret word“ only if your day was exceptionally hard). To get a display that had a cast of breakfast plates and genies, cowboys, puppet couches, pterodactyls, clocks, I think Playhouse still makes sense in 2014. It’s a fully realized vision of Pee-Wee’s whimsical, wacky world—puppet strings and all—and the collection is just pithy enough to pull in adults that are ready to go on the ride, too. Paul Reubens is a comedy icon and master of timing, and it’s unusual that a well-placed Peewee gurgle or squeal doesn’t get a chuckle out of me. If you can’t find any joy in all of that, we’ve got to re Consider our friendship.

Wonder Years

#s#The Original Run: 1988-93 Creators: Neal Marlens, Carol Black Stars: Fred Savage, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, Olivia d’Abo, Jason Hervey, Danica McKellar, Josh Saviano Network: ABC The Wonder Years is a family present, and yes, a few of its episodes inch dangerously shut to after school-unique territory, but make no error: revisiting this late-’80s/early-’90s staple as a grown-up is just as—if perhaps not more—enjoyable than observing it the first time around. It’s unabashedly nostalgic, but it chronicles the ups and downs of Kevin Arnold’s, Winnie Cooper’s and Paul Pfeiffer’s adolescence from the backdrop of the Vietnam era and our nation’s changing social landscape with a maturity most exhibits geared towards kiddies absence. The small childhood moments that stay with us are treated with the respect they deserve. We laugh when Kevin’s brother Wayne gets him in a headlock and calls him “scrote“for the umpteenth time (attempt sneaking that by the Nick a T Nite censors today!) or when Kev squares off along with his mortal enemy Becky Slater, and we cry when Kevin’s periodically distant father struggles to relate solely to his teen-age children. And sorry, but if you don’t hold your breath when Kevin puts that letterman jacket over Winnie’s shoulders, you’re lifeless within. Music geeks will enjoy the amazing sound track as well.

Family Ties

Original Run: 1982-89 Creator: Gary David Goldberg Stars: Meredith Baxter-Birney, Michael Gross. Fox, Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers Network: NBC We were given the Keatons by one of the finest family sit-coms of our time; these were were our family. Liberal working parents Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse (Meredith Baxter) raised their three children—smart and conservative older brother Alex (Michael J. Fox), flighty and trendy middle kid Mallory (Justine Bateman) and sarcastic younger sister Jennifer (Tina Yothers)—with love, compassion and limits. Fox, whose job was introduced with all the collection, made Alex’s Republicanism humorous yet not cliched. The collection is still remembered for the very special episode, “A my name is Alex,“ where Alex struggled to accept the sudden death of his friend. Today family comedies continue to try to capture the magic that was Family Ties

Hey there. Thanks for checking out the premier edition of my Milwaukee Brewers blog. A little background on how this came to be: Late last year my position at the job I held was eliminated. It was a pretty good job that I thought would be a lasting career. I spent seven months looking for a similar job, to no avail. I ended up going back to the same company in a different position. I had a lot of time to think during my “vacation”. When I was younger, the few times I actually considered trying in school, my favorite thing to do was creative writing. During the past few months I actually came up with a book idea. At this stage in my life I figured it was too late. Then a very special someone who has more faith in my ability than I do encouraged me to go for it (thanks baby). So in preparation for a book I decided I'd practice with a blog, a pretty bold move in a time where websites are continuing the dumbing down of America by going to video only formats. 

The subject of this blog will be something near and dear to me: The Milwaukee Brewers. I live in Green Bay WI and I am (gasp) a bigger baseball fan than a football fan.  I plan to do this weekly and just give my musings about the Brewers and baseball in general. A few things to know: I'm an old school guy, I don't keep up with the modern stats (War...etc). Give me batting avg, hr, RBI, wins, strikeouts and era any day.  So don't expect in depth analysis  if I could provide that I'd be on MLB network. Also there are 162 games in a season, I can't and won't watch everyone  I do other things, I watch movies (Baby Driver, Get Out & The Big Sick are three of the year's best, check them out) I watch TV (Ozark on Netflix with Jason Bateman, I'm one episode in and it seems like it's going to be good, also The Defiant Ones on HBO is a must see). I also occasionally visit local tap rooms. This blog will be a summary of the week that was, not game by game analysis. With that said let's get to it 

The Brewers had spent most of the year in first place before a recent slump caused them to fall behind the hated Cubs I will do a future column on the silliness of the Cubs and their fans. This year was supposed to be a rebuilding year  I had pretty low expectations going in. I didn't think they'd lose one hundred games but I certainly didn't think they'd be contending in August. Some Brewers I'm currently high on, Lewis Brinson and Josh Hader  I know, I know, shocking that I'm high on their top two prospects. Header is lights out and I look forward to the day he is a starting pitcher.  Brinson is currently hitting a buck ten. He's been stellar in CF and once he gets consistent playing time the production will come. A special mention goes to Manny Pina who deserves to catch full time. A Brewers I wasn't high on going into the season was Junior Guerra. I figured he'd be a one year flash in the pan and I was right. They should've traded him in the off season while his stock was high. 

This initial edition is getting long but now you have a sense of what this will be. I'll probably go off on tangents, on movies, music, beer, politics....ok I'll steer clear of politics. Next week I'm thinking I'll discuss my top five baseball movies. Also I should come up with a title for this thing. All these words spewing out and I can't come up with a freakin title. 

Finally each week I'm going to discuss a former Brewer of the week. The first one is Julio Machado. He was a pitcher for the Brewers in the early nineties. He holds the Brewers all time record for murders with one. While spending his off season in Venezuela he shot and killed a woman following a car accident. He then went missing so the Brewers assumed he was no longer with the team. He was eventually caught and sentenced to twelve years in prison. Sadly for Julio, holding the team record for murders does not qualify him for the Brewers wall of honor. 

Thanks for reading. Til next time...

Design Milk Travels to… Tbilisi, Georgia

The Georgian capital of Tbilisi is currently experiencing a boon in tourism, catering to Russian and European tourists drawn to the city’s colorful pastiche of dilapidated, yet captivating architecture peeling away toward inevitable modernization. A waft of international capital and cosmopolitan luxury perfumes the air everywhere today, but at the moment, the city still retains a distinct character proudly expressive of its own history of place, time, and people. If there’s anywhere in the world to go today – before it changes – it’s Tbilisi.

WHERE TO STAY

All photos: Adjara Group, Stamba Hotel

The Stamba Hotel is indicative of the transformation descending upon Tbilisi’s most historic quarters. Situated in the main thoroughfare of Kostava Street in the Vera district of Tbilisi, the Adjara Group utilized the three R’s – retain, restore, and repurpose – to give new purpose to this former Soviet-era publishing house. The design here is as lofty as the hotel’s five-story atrium, with nostalgic nods to the “roaring ’20s and glamorous ’30s” offset by contemporary details like handmade ceramic tiles by London-based studio Pataki.

Color and texture play in contrast to the industrial heritage of the original structure.

Bespoke libraries continue to be a popular feature offered by the newest and most luxurious hotels. The Stamba’s collection claims 80,000 books for guests.

“Oh, you’re a design writer? Then you should go to The Rooms Hotel Tbilisi!” – advice offered numerous times by locals when conversation steered toward what brought us to Georgia. Praised for its vibrant nightlife, retro design-centric ambiance, and the local young and beautiful set that descends upon the hotel every evening, The Rooms has been the place to eat, drink, and most definitely be merry for years now (laying claim as the first design hotel in the city), and it still wears its 1930s New York x Georgian industrial past well.

Rooms worthy of a Wes Anderson film are simply furnished, yet romantic and chic. Photos: Rooms Hotel

If you’re looking for a getaway outside the hustle and bustle of Tbilisi, the Radisson Collection Hotel, Tsinandali Estate Georgia – a former estate and winery turned luxe getaway in the Georgian wine region of Kakheti – should fit the bill rather luxuriously. Spanish designers Christina Gabas and Damian Figueras were not averse to using modern swaths of colors and texture to complement the synthesis of historic structure to its contemporary additions. The hotel’s 141 rooms and suites are surprisingly intimate in relation to the grand scale of the hotel’s walkways, rooftop pool and spa, concert venue, verdant park grounds, and other public spaces, each guest room decorated with seasonal cues of the region’s viticulture-focused landscape. It may take 1.5 hours to get here from Tbilisi, but the drive to and from offers a glimpse of the country’s exceptional and varied landscape.

Sumptuous colors and organic textures within the room mirror the Caucasus mountains, local wine and vineyards and the surrounding park grounds. Photo: Gregory Han

Photo: Gregory Han

Architects John Fotiadis, Christina Gabas and Damien Figueras worked to merge new and old. Interior design is credited to designer Ingo Maurer and Georgian artist and sculptor Tamara Kvesitadze.

Photo: Gregory Han

Photo: Gregory Han

Notable mentions: Fabrika Hostel \\\ Radisson Blu Iveria Hotel \\\ Shota @Rustaveli Boutique Hotel \\\ Timber Boutique Hotel \\\ Tbilisi Marriott Hotel

WHERE TO VISIT

The Mother of Georgia, Kartlis Deda, a 20-meter-tall aluminum statue designed by sculptor and Tbilisi native, Elguja Amashukeli stands sentry over the city, rewarding those who trek to the top by stairway. Photo: Gregory Han

Architecturally speaking, Tbilisi may top my list for its surprising diversity of styles and states. Walking here is fairly easy, though sections can be arduously steep (taxis are everywhere for those not seeking to return with firmer glutes and calves), with the heart of the city offering countless moments of serendipitous pleasures for the architecturally minded. Derelict doorways in the city’s heart are as likely to reveal the ornamental flourishes of Tbilisi’s bourgeoisie Art Nouveau past as they might expose a small cadres of cats suspiciously eyeing your intrusion. The seemingly abandoned building? Past the gates and around the corner, a world class restaurant with a romantic courtyard garden welcomes the hungry.

The curious (and polite) are rewarded in Tbilisi. Photo: Gregory Han

Remnants of Soviet era, post-constructivist construction also remain brutally evident with their characteristic concrete edifices; many have been reclaimed and reborn to serve in public and governmental capacities today. Weathered cobblestone streets and steep stairways in the historical section of Dzveli Tbilisi wind past bric-brac wooden residences defiantly ignorant to both gravity and age, many painted with a delightful impunity, festooned with family laundry blowing in the wind like flags. The local government has made efforts to protect these distinct residential dwellings, but concerns remain as development has become rampant.

The Bank of Georgia headquarters. Photo: Matt Bateman (CC BY-SA 4.0)

If wandering without plans or guidance seems daunting, hiring a guide is not a bad investment for either extended, but especially, shorter visits. We hired art historian Nikita Ivanov to lead us out from the capital for a day trip to a hermitage nestled into a mountainside at the border of Azerbaijan. His wealth of knowledge about Georgia’s past – buildings and culture – colored our entire drive out and back with details we’d otherwise have overlooked or been completely ignorant about (e.g. the numerous Soviet-style murals hidden on sides of buildings on the outskirts of the city center). I can’t recommend his services enough.

Visitors can’t help notice curiously contemporary CAD-designed structures credited to Italian architects Massimiliano Fuksas and Michele de Lucchi, The totally tubular reinforced concrete and steel paneled buildings can be found along the Rhike Park Music Theatre and Exhibition Hall sitting finished, yet unopened. Photo: Studio Fuksas

The Tbilisi Emergency and Operative Response Center. Photo: Malkhaz Tchubabria (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Palace of Rituals. Photo: Carl Ha (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Notable mentions: The Bridge of Peace \\\  Leaning Tower of Tbilisi \\\ National Botanical Garden of Georgia \\\ Tbilisi Architecture Biennial

WHERE TO SHOP

To be honest, shopping rated low on our list of things to do during our first visit to Georgia. This is not to say we didn’t visit numerous shops, but those that caught our attention were dedicated to the region’s renowned wines, aromatic spice blends, and handcrafted items. The Dezerter Bazaar is not to be missed by anyone with an inkling of interest in the region’s foods (a visit that added a great deal of depth to this documentary about farmers serving the market), while Khurjini offers anyone who can get past the talkative cat out front an assemblage of local homemade spirits, spices, Georgian sweets, teas, and other treats presented with an artistic flair.

Local honey, preserves, sauces, and the infamous local vodka chacha are all found at Khurjini to weigh down your check-in luggage. Photo: Gregory Han

But if shopping is an imperative, there is one recommended destination for modern design fostered by the local scene: Fabrika. Housed with a former Soviet-era sewing factory, Fabrika was reborn to operate as a multi-functional space for art, design, food, music, and retail endeavors. The list of occupants (referred to as “residents”) represents Tbilisi’s contemporary urban culture of creatives doing creative things. A few below:

Margo Skate Shop

Funduki specializes in eco-friendly DIY furniture designed to be assembled without glue or screws. Chairs, stools, shelves and tables are assembled and dismantled like pieces of a puzzle, flat-packed for easy return home.

Plant Shop inside Fabrika

Notable mentions: The Dezerter Bazaar \\\ Tbilisi Flea Market

FINAL THOUGHTS

When I informed friends I was planning to embark on a trip to Tbilisi, Georgia, most often I was greeted with recommendations about the Peach State. Other times, incredulous expressions accompanied with a “why there?” was the response. Such is the blind spot most Americans harbor about the distant nation cradled within the Caucasus, situated at the gateway between Europe and Asia. A shame, as Tbilisi proved itself an achingly beautiful urban capital yet to be fully enveloped by the sense of “like everywhere else”. Nowhere else have I been prone to unwittingly impersonate a young Keanu with my endless successions of “whoa!”, so taken by a most excellent adventure.

Photo: Gregory Han

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Earlier than he wrote and directed this summer time’s action-thriller “Skyscraper,” Rawson Marshall Thurber created one of many beloved sports activities motion pictures of a era. “DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story,” starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn, launched us to “The Ocho,” to the enduring broadcast staff of Cotton McKnight and Pepper Brooks, and to the immortal line, “For those who can dodge a wrench, you may dodge a ball.”

On Aug. eight, ESPN as soon as once more will make the most of the not-quite-a-real-brand that “DodgeBall” made well-known when ESPN2 will broadcast 24 hours of off-the-wall sports activities.

Kyrie Irving and Dwayne Johnson are however two athletes with forays into Hollywood performing, a listing that additionally consists of Tom Brady and Derek Jeter.

ESPN sat down with Thurber, in New York to advertise “Skyscraper,” to debate his lifelong love of sports activities, of sports activities motion pictures and 2018 hopes for his beloved San Francisco 49ers.

ESPN: Your affection for sports activities was evident going again to your first movie, “DodgeBall.” How a lot did you could have actual sporting occasions in your thoughts once you wrote the screenplay?

Thurber: I used to be 26 or 27 after I wrote it, and it was simply primarily based on 20 years of watching sports activities and loving sports activities. They have been an enormous a part of how my father and I linked and nonetheless hook up with at the present time, calling one another after [San Francisco] Giants video games and both celebrating or complaining. It got here from watching sports activities and sports activities movies. I am a sports activities nerd and a comedy geek and I form of melded each of them collectively. “Hoosiers,” “Wildcats,” “Dangerous Information Bears,” “Main League,” “Karate Child,” and so forth. all fed into “DodgeBall,” and I hope that is why folks appreciated it.

ESPN: There’s form of a good-natured joke made at ESPN’s expense in that movie, and that is the existence of the faux ESPN broadcast community “The Ocho.” What is the origin story of “The Ocho?”

Thurber: On the time I used to be writing “DodgeBall,” ESPN2 had lately began and so they have been calling it “The Deuce” and I discovered that notably humorous. After which with any comedy, you simply form of take the knob and switch all of it the best way to 11. The place would ESPN broadcast one thing as ridiculous as dodgeball? It could not be on ESPN three, four, 5, 6 or 7 … it needed to be ESPN eight. After which it needed to be “The Ocho” — it simply form of writes itself in that regard. I am actually happy that that a part of the film has caught round, [the fictional “The Ocho” broadcast team of] Cotton McKnight and Pepper Brooks, and that form of broadcast-y stuff. In reality, that half was probably the most enjoyable for me to write down, and the best to write down, as a result of it is what I would listened to my entire life — play-by-play and coloration commentary.

ESPN: Did you could have an concept on the time of whether or not ESPN would allow you to use our logos and current it as an ESPN broadcast?

Thurber: Completely not. I used to be so naive when it comes to the way you make motion pictures. I used to be simply writing what I needed to see and I did not know sufficient to not write that. I do not know who at ESPN agreed to allow us to use it. With the final three motion pictures I’ve made, it simply turns into extremely boring, and cowardly arguments with legal professionals — there is no upside in a lawyer saying “sure you may” — the default is “no” and it’s important to battle for each little factor. It is nearly untenable.

20TH CENTURY FOX/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

ESPN: Cotton (Gary Cole) and Pepper (Jason Bateman) type one in all ESPN’s most iconic announce groups regardless of being fictional and having by no means labored for us. Did you could have sure announcers who these characters have been primarily based on?

Thurber: Not particularly, however in 20-plus years of watching and listening to sports activities, it was form of the straight-man, play-by-play man and the form of ex-jock coloration commentator. Gary Cole and Jason Bateman simply completely hit it out of the park — it helps once you forged implausible actors. Initially Cotton and Pepper have been purported to be in blue shirts and ties and Jason was like, “I used to be considering I may do like a motocross shirt with a dodgeball [logo], like an X Video games announcer. And then you definitely simply write probably the most inane dialogue you may presumably give you. My private favourite line in the entire film is “a double-fault final-play elimination hasn’t occurred because the Helsinki episode of 1919, and I believe all of us keep in mind how that turned out.” Gary Cole delivered it so fantastically. It is so ridiculous, and he simply leaves it there.

ESPN: The game of dodgeball went by an enormous resurgence due to the film, it grew to become an enormous grownup league factor. There are in all probability some marriages and youngsters that owe their existence to you reviving the game. Is that one thing you concentrate on?

Thurber: That was fairly wild to me, that these leagues began sprouting up after the film. It was very nice. I get requested to play in these leagues not occasionally. It is form of ironic as a result of I liked dodgeball as a child, it is a part of why I wrote the film is as a result of once you say “dodgeball” to someone, they both break right into a smile or break right into a sweat. However both approach, they know. It is a lose-lose for me, as a result of I can throw the ball fairly properly and if I win, it is like “Oh, it is the man who wrote the film — after all he is good” and if I lose and get smoked, “I beat the man who made the film.” A lot strain, a lot strain.

ESPN: The movie additionally parodies sports activities motion pictures. In the identical approach you could’t make a music biopic with out making an attempt to keep away from the issues which can be accused of the style in “Stroll Exhausting,” you will have saved the world from a whole lot of unhealthy sports activities motion pictures.

Thurber: Effectively, you are welcome. I do not know if it is that true, however it’s a pleasant sentiment.

“No person makes me bleed my very own blood!” — Ben Stiller as White Goodman 20TH CENTURY FOX/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

ESPN: Why are there so many unhealthy sports activities movies?

Thurber: I believe there are a whole lot of unhealthy sports activities movies as a result of there are only a lot of unhealthy movies. I do not assume it is endemic to that exact style. The perfect sports activities movies aren’t about sports activities usually. You have a look at “Main League,” which is implausible — I keep in mind I noticed that film half a dozen occasions within the theater — and also you get chills on the finish when he drops the bunt and is making an attempt to beat out the one to first. That staff is an island of misfit toys — that is “they assume we won’t do it — properly, watch this.”

And that is what “Dodgeball” is, it is the island of misfit toys. That film is about these guys saying that is our clubhouse and it is over except we are able to reserve it. It is not about whether or not they win or lose. And that is what I believe is form of enjoyable about that film, and what I got down to attempt to do. Regardless of how ridiculous it’s, despite the truth that it is adults taking part in dodgeball, despite the truth that there is a man who’s a pirate, is that within the climax when the Common Joes are taking part in the Globo Health club Purple Cobras that if we did our job proper, the viewers — despite how foolish the film is — would catch themselves rooting for a dodgeball movie.

ESPN: However you are down on “Dodgeball 2?”

Thurber: I get requested that greater than you would possibly assume. I believe I stated all the pieces I wanted to say about dodgeball in a single movie. I obtained all of it. However I might say “by no means say by no means.”

“Right here at Globo Health club, we’re higher than you. And we all know it.” 20TH CENTURY FOX/COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION

ESPN: Congratulations, by the best way, in your look in “Madden NFL 18.” How did that come about?

Thurber: I used to be going to deliver it up in case you did not. I am so blissful you probably did. What occurred was I knew [EA Sports’] Ben Haumiller, who was the lead producer on “NCAA Soccer.” I performed that recreation a lot that I form of obtained to know him. He was producing “Longshot” [mode] for “Madden 18” and he launched me to [creative director] Mike Younger. Mike despatched me the script and — I used to be simply going to be a advisor on the script, which was higher than a whole lot of the scripts I learn for motion pictures. I used to be taken by it, and I stated I might like to seek the advice of on this however I do not wish to be paid a dime. The one factor I would like is to be within the recreation. I would like the announcers to say my identify, that is it. They usually stated no downside. So in case you take me within the recreation, you may put me in at quarterback — I believe they wrote three separate intros for me. Nothing has made me extra blissful.

ESPN: What kinds of issues have you ever achieved with your self?

Thurber: Thanks for asking. I am in a Madden league, and we have been taking part in 10 years collectively. We began in NCAA and when that went out, we began taking part in Madden. I am clearly the quarterback for the Niners. I’ve received the MVP a pair occasions, offensive MVP, I believe, 3 times in a row. Signed myself to a really low cost long-term contract so I am team-friendly. After which I’ve made it to the Tremendous Bowl, I believe, the final three years, and I’ve misplaced each time to a gentleman that I hate. His identify is “New Brett” and he runs the Cleveland Browns, so it is insult to harm. I can not actually discuss it. It is humiliating.

“We are the Millers” and “Central Intelligence” are amongst Rawson Marshall Thurber’s directorial credit. David Bukach/Common

ESPN: So do you personal a Jimmy Garoppolo jersey?

Thurber: Not solely do I’ve a Jimmy Garoppolo jersey, I purchased one for my daughter, as properly. Her identify is Sutton and she or he’s 2 — the primary phrase I taught her to say was Garoppolo.

I can not inform you how excited I’m to have Jimmy Garoppolo on the staff. I believe the sky is the restrict for the Niners, with [Kyle] Shanahan there. His offense is extremely sophisticated and extremely verbal. To see what [Garoppolo] did in simply six-seven begins, probably not figuring out the complete offense, it’s important to be excited for a complete offseason within the system. To not point out signing Richard Sherman within the secondary, which is bittersweet for me as he was not my favourite Seahawk. I do not assume I had a favourite Seahawk, but when I did, he would not be my favourite Seahawk. However now that he is there, I am making an attempt to bury the hatchet. I can not look forward to the season to begin, and I have never been in a position to say that in an extended whereas.

ESPN: What’s the sports activities job you need? Would you wish to run the 49ers?

Thurber: I might commerce being a director in a heartbeat for working a baseball staff or a soccer staff. You would not have to complete your sentence. Rising up, I needed to play first base for the Giants. I used to be an enormous Will Clark fan. Being down in Los Angeles, I actually solely get to see the Giants after they come to city to play the Dodgers. I am going with Bateman each on occasion. He is an enormous Dodgers fan. He has season tickets, goes to 80 video games a yr, that form of man. You recognize they did not win the World Collection? I do not know in case you knew that. What a World Collection — it is a disgrace both of them needed to lose. But it surely seems a $250 million payroll cannot purchase coronary heart.

ESPN: That is a robust anti-Dodgers take. You recognize we simply had Yasiel Puig bare in The Physique Problem.

Thurber: Oh, congratulations … query mark?

ESPN: Is there a sports activities story you are amazed hasn’t been advised in a movie?

Thurber: Joe Namath. I believe his story is fairly wonderful coming from Pennsylvania to Alabama to New York to being form of the primary sports activities superstar and what that entailed, I believe is a extremely attention-grabbing story. That may be one. The NBA when it was a barnstorming league within the ’50s can also be attention-grabbing.

ESPN: Have you considered a Jim Harbaugh 49ers years biopic, and in that case, is there a risk of Harbaugh taking part in himself?

Thurber: [Laughs]. I believe he may solely play himself. I really like, love, love Harbaugh. Harbaugh will all the time have a particular place in my coronary heart and in all 49ers’ followers hearts.

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The Future In A Time When Cookies Don't Crumble

A man in his 50s admitted on Facebook he was depressed about the changes he saw barreling down on society like a runaway train. He doubted the alterations were for the better.  As he is a liberal thinker, I supposed he was suffering from Trump fatigue and wondering, as I do, when our defeated 45th President will get off the political stage.  The situation doesn’t depress me, however. I’m old enough to be my friend’s mother and have lived through many trying times; the rise of the John Birch Society, the  McCarthy era, the stirrings of the  Moral Majority, the Tea Party revolution, and now the Maga world. None of these vicissitudes do I blame for my grey hair, which makes me want to say to this young man, “Stiffen your spine.” Life IS change and already the current evolution is being consumed by the swell behind it like a wave retreating from the shore.    Being baffled by the kaleidoscope of events is exhausting, I’m willing to admit. But it shouldn’t be surprising. Open your email each morning and risk being smothered by announcements — changes in privacy policies or service policies, upgrades in services, demands for security code changes, or you find new instructions for how to access a favorite media site. The pandemic has foisted additional change upon us. Wear a mask. Keep your distance.  Wash your hands. Don’t imagine hugging friends and family. Zoom is the new point of contact. As for in-store shopping, that’s as quaint as traveling by horse and buggy.  “Browsing” today means scanning the internet. No more examining seams for loose stitching.  No more pinching the avocados. Browsing the internet brings a new set of worries, of course.  Cookies, for example. I don’t mean confectionary.  I’m referring to advertisements that stick to our screens and obscure the message. I’ve grown crow’s feet as I attempt to squint past them. Frankly, I miss the good old days of a department store, when I could try on new jeans in front of a three-way mirror and with a half-turn gain an honest critique of my derriere.  Any garment I carried home was certain to fit and needn’t be returned. Best of all, I liked the convenience of a personal shopper.  A saleswoman at Macy’s, whom I once relied upon, could smell when a Gucci jacket was about to go on sale and would give me a call.  Her devotion was driven by her lust for a commission, I know. But, the system worked for both of us. She was as loyal to me as a kid to an ice cream cart.  I never sense anyone is on my side on the internet. Mostly I feel like a sheepdog running through a forest heavy with ticks. Besides, on the internet, a personal shopper costs as much as $12,000 a year. (“Is FARFETCH the New Barnes” by Kristen Bateman, Town&Country, March 2021, pg. 58.) No longer in the public eye, I needn’t make a fashion statement, but I pity those who must. Take Kamala Harris, for example. Fashionistas used to focus on the First Lady’s wardrobe. No more. Kamala gets the attention. And there’s the rub. She’s the second-highest politician in the country, so her wardrobe serves a duo purpose. Not only must it salute American designers but, like a suit of armor, it must project true grit to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. In weaker moments, I agree with my  50-year-old Facebook friend. Most of us can feel discouraged. The blur of change is dizzying.  Yet, Nature seems to thrive on it.  So what are we mortals to do? We can blow ourselves to smithereens. Beyond that, we haven’t much power as a species. A dog senses a predator before we do.  A cat sees better in the dark. I suggest we stick to the bright side of events. Without change, we’d have no progress. Besides, we’ve been warned, haven’t we?  “…there is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so?” (Hamlet, II, ii)