#feel like he deserves his own tag from the bumble adventures
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Redemption Was Just The Beginning
Chapter 10: January, 1900 (Continued)
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To the world, Arthur Morgan is dead. As he tries to face the idea, in a lush valley in Ambarino he comes face to face with a woman from his past, and they must reckon with an era long gone. Especially when she has secrets of her own.
(Rated explicit simply because eventually there’s smut in this.)
Tag: @photo1030
2,304 Words (AO3 Link)
Arthur was left stewing in it, his conflicting feelings. Tidying up the house, working in the stables, even taking a damn nap. He couldn’t get it out of his head, the way the Sheriff spoke about Ana, and how it reared a possessiveness of her he wasn’t proud of. All because she told him she still loved him. In hindsight he saw it in the things she did for him in the past. She had patched up his wounds, worried about his safety and if he would even come back from his dangerous adventures. She had been the one who washed and mended his clothes, who kept him company at night. He was just blind and too much of a coward to let himself keep it in the moment.
Mary was the one Arthur had intended to marry, but Ana was the closest thing he had came to a wife. It felt odd to realize, but it was completely true. That led Arthur to wonder something. How much did he mix Mary and Ana Maria in his memories? Who did he really miss the most? He still did love Mary as well, but it started to seem different than it used to. He did fail her, like every time before, and she was right to want to move on from him. He said a silent prayer, a very rare action, that wherever Mary went after the last letter she sent to him that she was happy. He hoped she would find someone who is honest and good to her as she deserved. It didn’t hurt anymore that it wasn’t going to be him who provided it. A lot of weight of was lifted off his shoulders.
And then there was still Ana. Arthur wanted to love, to be loved, but part of himself wanted to convince her he wasn’t worth it no matter how badly he needed or desired it. He was incapable of seeing what she saw in him. He wished so desperately he could see the good in himself everyone else seemed to think was there. He couldn’t get over the thought he was never worthy of it. After everything he’d done, surely there had to be some punishment. That all went away when he looked at her, when he thought about her. He couldn’t bring himself to break her heart again. That was an even worse sin to him than every murder and robbery he ever committed.
Self doubt and hatred aside, Arthur got what he wanted. He was a father, bumbling and lost about it like every man probably was. He had a woman who loved him. The question was how to hold onto it instead of running away.
“For now I am a prisoner… in Still-water Jail I lie…” Arthur sang quietly to himself riding on Delfina, humming the parts he had forgotten, “For which I will be sorry… Til my dyin’ day…”
By the time he got to the school the children had already been let out. He knew something was wrong when the sounds of the children weren’t the usual ones they tended to have as he he drew nearer. Some were scared, some excited, but all crowded around the commotion in the front yard. Surrounded by their peers was Arthur Francisco and an older boy circling each other before taking swings like they were grown men. The older boy was taller and looked like he did a lot of farm work. Arthur Francisco, impressively, was able to hold his own against him.
Perhaps he should have let them fight it out, but he couldn’t stand the sight of poor Miss Svensson doing everything she could to separate them. She had taken hard tumble when the older boy got Arthur Francisco on the ground, striking him in the stomach. He didn’t get very many in, Arthur Francisco got the upper hand and grabbed him tightly around the neck and using his knees to roll on top of him. He kept one hand there, pummeling the boy with his other fist. He just kept punching him in the face over and over.
Everything happened so fast Arthur hadn’t fully registered what was happening when he jumped off Delfina and ran to them. He snatched Arthur Francisco from behind, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist and yanking him away as the child flailed against him.
“DON’T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT AGAIN, MILLER!” Arthur Francisco hissed at his enemy, “IF YOU DO I SWEAR I’LL KILL YOU!”
He could feel the rage emanating from him, his blue eyes burned like hellfire glaring at the older boy lying before him. Arthur finally and fully saw what Ana had repeatedly told him about their boy: himself. It was in that unmerciful and righteous anger.
“Like hell you will boy!” Arthur objected, putting Arthur Francisco firmly on his feet and grasping him hard on the shoulders, “You don’t talk to no one like that! You hear me?!”
The emotion hearing Arthur Francisco utter those words matched the boy’s own. The audience grew quiet and quickly dispersed, leaving only them, Miss Svensson who was standing and dusting herself off, and the Miller boy sitting defeated on bloody snow.
Arthur spun around, focusing some of his ire to him, “And you, what’s your excuse?! Ain’t you a little too old for this bullshit?!”
Miss Svensson shook her head and helped the Miller boy to his feet, “This happens frequently with Zachariah, I am afraid. Another letter for me to write now.”
“Well, don’t worry about this one.” Arthur huffed, gesturing to Arthur Francisco, “I’ll tell his mama and deal with what I can in the meantime.”
Miss Svensson took the Miller boy inside the school to tend to just injuries.
“What the hell happened anyway?” Arthur asked Arthur Francisco. It had to happen on his watch. As if the day hadn’t dragged on enough. He took a bandana out of his pocket, softly wiping Arthur Francisco’s face to see the damage. His lip was split and bleeding, bruises were already appearing around his left eye and jaw. Arthur had him open his mouth. No teeth where chipped, broken, or missing. He carefully prodded his stomach, checking for any signs of internal injury. The boy only told him it was sore and not painful. That too would be bruised for a while.
Arthur Francisco sighed, “Well… Jane was talking to some of the girls about the new baby. He went up to her and started asking her… not very nice things.”
Arthur nodded, “I can understand wantin’ to defend a girl, but don’t go around threatenin’. Because there comes a time where somebody takes you up on it, and you either become a coward or a killer. Or… you’re the one that gets killed. Me and your mama seen too many men go to an early grave for it. We want better for you. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir. I just… Don’t understand why people are so hateful just because someone exists.”
Arthur put his hand on the boy’s shoulder, “There’s a lot of them out there, I fear. You just got to be better than they are.”
Arthur gathered their horses. He put Arthur Francisco onto Josefina and tied her reins to the horn of Delfina’s saddle. He led them through town, stopping at the butcher’s to buy some steaks for dinner before setting off home. He kept a close eye on the boy, but besides the darkening contusions on his face he didn’t show any signs of anything else.
“This isn’t the first time this has happened to me…” Arthur Francisco calmly protested, holding the steaks while Arthur put the horses in the stable by himself.
“Yeah, I know, but I want to make sure.” Arthur replied, “If something happened, your mama wouldn’t be afraid to beat me senseless. Now, go inside and put those in the ice box. I’m going to go beck of Mrs. O’Hogan.”
Approaching it, on the outside the O’Hogan’s gingerbread styled home was silent. Once he was at the front door, Arthur could hear the chaos that 5 children in one place could bring. He took off one of his gloves and knocked loudly so it could be heard over the commotion. Mr. O’Hogan stepped out, disheveled and with a big smile on his face.
“I hope we got some good news there!” Arthur greeted.
Mr. O’Hogan clasped him tightly on the shoulder, “We sure fuckin’ do! Little girl, 6 pounds! Both o’ ‘em as healthy as can be! Sent a cable ta the archdiocese in Saint Denis, see if we can get a priest ta come up an’ baptize her.”
O’Hogan let Arthur go, pulling a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and lighting it with a match, “So, how about that row Little Arthur had? Heard he put a hell o’ a hurt on that Miller boy.”
“He’s pretty banged up his damn self. I have no idea how I’m going to tell Anie.” Arthur replied, “I just wanted to make sure everything went well with your wife and check how your daughter is doin’. That boy said some nasty things to her I was told.”
“Nothin’ about them Millers ain’t nasty!” O’Hogan replied, “Getting’ tired o’ it. I’m gonna start goin’ with ‘em ta school an’ back.”
“As long as you let our ladies come back.” Arthur said with a hint of humor, “Anyway, you have a good night, Owen. Glad you finally got your third girl! Let our ladies come home soon!”
Making dinner was a lot easier. Arthur knew how to cook a slab of meat, not in a pan but all it did was take slightly longer than holding it over a fire. The boy had enough experience in the kitchen to heat up a can of carrots. They kept a plate in the warming box for Ana. After cleaning up they spent time on the living room floor, drawing animals with the watercolors Arthur Francisco was given for Christmas. Arthur would sketch them out with a pencil, and the boy would paint them. Arthur shared the least traumatic stories about the things he saw over the years. They spent a lot of time talking.
Arthur got him ready for bed on time. He patted the boy lightly on the head, “Your mama should be home soon. She’ll probably check up on you because… Well, you know.”
“Yeah, she usually does.” Arthur Francisco said, “Good night, Arthur.”
Arthur got up and went to the door, “Good night, son.”
[*]-----[*]-----[*]-----[*]-----[*]
Ana closed the door quietly. She took off her jacket and shoes. Her hands went to her head as she tip toed into the kitchen, pulling out every pin until her hair was free. She was glad everything went well, and that it was over for another two or three years. The O’Hogans made it seem like this would be their last. With a couple like that, she wasn’t sure how long that vow would last.
Maybe if she had something like that, Ana might feel the same about it.
The counter was a note on a piece of torn paper. In Arthur’s fine handwriting was a line about leaving a plate from dinner for her. She hovered her hand over the stove. It was still quite hot. She opened the warming box to find it nearly as fresh as it was from the evening. He was always good when cooking a piece of meat.
She put it on the table, poured a glass of gin, and sat down to enjoy it. Arthur’s door creaked open. He stepped out and sat next to her.
“I hope I didn’t wake you.” Ana said.
Arthur shook his head, “No. I was actually up waitin’ for you. How’d everythin’ go?”
“Good! Of course, there’s always that time when things can be a little risky, but I think Rosaline and the baby will be just fine. How did it go with you and Arthur Francisco?”
“It went well… For the most part…” Arthur went quiet for a moment, “The boy got into a fight when school let out.”
Ana rolled her eyes, “I heard Stephen and Jane tell their father about it. How bad are his wounds this time?”
“He’s pretty banged up. He did worse to that Miller boy.”
“I’m not surprised.” Ana sighed, “Something has to be done about them, before things get worse. I have an idea. Maybe the father will consider it, if you’ll accompany me tomorrow.”
“I sure will. I’d like to see this hated man.”
After Ana ate she went up the stairs with Arthur following behind. She entered Arthur Francisco’s bedroom. The boy was sleeping soundly when she sat down at the edge of his bed, stroking his hair and scanning the bruises on his face. She sighed again and tucked his covers around him, kissing him on the temple before leaving.
Arthur waited for her in the hall. She patted him on the back, “Thank you for everything you did today. I imagine it wasn’t easy for you.”
He saw his chance. Before he his doubts got the better of him, he wrapped his arm around Ana’s waist and drew her to him. She let out a quiet yelp in surprise, but she didn’t pull away. He held her close to his body, her head coming to rest on his chest. He forgot how small she was compared to him, how wonderful it felt to have her pressed against him protectively in his arms. Her warmth filled a hole deep within his heart, one that had grown so accustomed to pain it almost burned. He never thought he’d feel like that again, where his heart raced, his face burned, his hands shook.
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Kind Stranger|GBD|Part 12
Parts 1-11
Word Count: 4k
Tag List: @styles-dolan @evergreendolan @someonetogray @vintagedolan @prettyboydolan @dolansficsandpics @graysavant @baby-turtles
Summary: Grayson and Kate try to be friends, but can you really be friends with your ex?
Ethan Dolan lived in the middle. In ways he both did and did not recognize; Ethan Dolan was always firmly in the middle. He was the middle child: being born 2 years after Cameron and 20 minutes before Grayson. He was in the middle of being famous and normal: a heart throb to the younger generation but an anonymous face to their parents. Since the age of 15, he was in the middle of having a New Jersey heart but a California life: despite his desire to stay in Australia and kiss his girlfriend for the first time in months. On one Tuesday night, Ethan Dolan sat in the middle of his twin brother and Grayson’s ex-girlfriend.
Why is it a three-person sofa feels so small when there are exactly three people sitting on it? A layman might answer that it was because the twins, especially Grayson, were large and bulky for their age. A wiseman would say that Ethan’s couch felt claustrophobic because that couch was housing four entities: Ethan Dolan, his beefy twin brother Grayson, Kate with her post-op foot propped up on their coffee table, and the deeply complex relationship between Grayson and Kate.
Grayson felt his heart launch itself onto an emotional teeter totter when Kate entered the room: he constantly oscillated between needing to pull her into his chest and breathe her in and wanting to break up in a sloppily worded soliloquy about his own independence and ability to find someone better than her. But Grayson really did wonder if there was anyone better for him. Being just friends with Kate was a fatal tease to Grayson’s emotions. As his friend, she still made him laugh, amazed him with her intelligence, and dizzied him with her effortless good lucks and bright smiles.
In truth, Kate dizzied Grayson so much that he specified looked for activities that would minimize her effect on him. Anyone else would slowly retract their involvement in their ex-girlfriend’s life, but Grayson subconsciously shelved that idea: secretly hoping that something would change if he held on long enough. This meant finding activities that did not require Kate to speak, look at him, or be alone with him, which is how Grayson, Kate, and Ethan ended up on the boys’ couch watching American Psycho on a Tuesday afternoon in August.
Ethan had suggested the movie to Grayson, originally as a joke. He knew Grayson did not have the mental fortitude to watch scary movies. Ethan almost intended to turn Grayson off from the idea so that he wouldn’t continue to be a third wheel on the adventure that was Gray and Kate’s friendship. Grayson had asked Ethan to accompany him to Kate’s apartment to drop off a few groceries for her in her current state. Grayson had blabbed to Ethan in the car that they were doing a nice gesture for a friend, that this is something they would do for Deon, Ryan, or Nolan if given the chance: Ethan silently wondered if Grayson was trying to convince himself.
After that episode, Kate had asked Ethan if he would be there when she and Grayson met for lunch for at their place. She went so far as to ask Ethan if he would drive her home in advance, trying to avoid being caught in a small space with Grayson. That lunch was the one of the most awkward burritos Ethan had ever eaten. Kate and Gray became caricatures of themselves, with Gray decided the only part of his life he could talk about was his successes in working out and Kate spitting out fun facts about science and math as if she had been paid to do so. Ethan Dolan was a good brother.
Ethan Dolan was so much of a good brother, that his eyes stayed firmly on the TV when Christian Bale’s character began having a threesome with two prostitutes. Kate instinctively closed her eyes tight, not that she was physically opposed to sexual content, she was just opposed to viewing it when in the company of her ex-boyfriend and his twin brother. Grayson’s jaw clenched and his eyes wide, his head stayed firmly planted on his neck: not daring to see the reactions of Ethan or Kate.
Silently, Grayson’s body exploded in a series of reactions. He utterly despised the part of him that became aroused at the scene. Since breaking up with Kate, he had been nothing but frustrated. He had tried to meaninglessly rump out that desire, but his plans had backfired when Kate woke up on his couch to find his nighttime partner escaping in the morning. Needless to say, Grayson was no where near physically satisfied.
He made a mental note to kill his brother for suggesting this movie. Did Ethan know this was in here? Is this why Ethan suggested it? Was this his idea of a joke? When one hooker became to mouth at Christian Bale’s undercarriage, Grayson nearly used the house key in his pocket to gauge out his twin brother’s eyes. Grayson’s mental soup of inhibiting arousal and seething anger was made all the more complicated by his treacherous nervous laughter.
Although incredibly sophisticated and mature for his age, Grayson Dolan was nothing if not an overgrown goofball. He had the bad habit of laughing in awkward situations, armed with a sense of humor that typically let him cut the tension in any room. However, no jokes came to his lips in this moment, only the nervous giggles of a schoolgirl bursted from his lips.
The trio stayed in that position: Kate’s eyes shut, Ethan facing straight ahead, and Grayson awkwardly chuckling at the end of the couch. After the longest three minutes any of them had ever experienced, Christian Bale escaped his threesome and began filming his companies with a 90s-esque camcorder.
“AHA-HA-HA,” Grayson laughed loudly but his eyes held the spirit of pain.
Kate decided she was going to mentally count to one thousand.
Ethan felt responsible to fix this moment. Afterall, he was the one who chose the movie. He was the one who caught Kate and Gray in this awkward situation. Although, he only felt bad for Kate: he felt a bit accomplished watching his brother squirm like this.
Ethan stuck his hand out from where he sat. Kate was on 202 when she felt Ethan’s shoulder move, she opened one eye. “Why the fuck would ya film that?” he exclaimed, “If I was there, I sure as hell wouldn’t be filming my own video unless I was in it.”
It was an okay thing to say for not knowing what he wanted to say. Even Ethan Dolan’s jokes fell flat at times. The air hung heavy and awkward, making Ethan nearly regret saying anything.
Kate decided that Ethan’s attempt to make this better deserved some positive reinforcement. “I know! But at the same time, the fact he had to pay them means that he doesn’t know how to get it himself!” Kate knew her comment made little to no sense in relation to Ethan’s words, but it was the most sensical thing she could come up with. The only way she could make words happen was by pretending Grayson was not in the room.
Ethan scoffed and nodded with wide eyes. He nodded again, looking at different points on the ground in his search for words, “Yeah!!”. He faces palmed internally, as the air in the room washed from tense and awkward to bumbling in awkward.
Kate took in a breath, she continued to pretend that Grayson was not in the room. “I lowkey feel like most people who have threesomes probably have to pay at least one other person,” she shrugged to Ethan, “or get the third person from the internet.” Sure, talking to your ex-boyfriend’s twin brother about threesomes was a normal part of friendship…right?
Ethan sucked in his lips; his teeth immediately sank into the lips. He looked away from Kate and to Grayson. In the dark of their living room, he could notice the shade of red on Grayson’s face. The twins exchanged a wayward glance. Ethan surrendered and returned his focus squarely on the television.
Grayson stuttered slightly before he even decided to speak. But when he saw Ethan and Kate’s gazes look his way, he realized he had committed to speaking by making indiscernible sounds. “Not always,” his voice wavered in tone and frequency at each syllable, “When—you know—when I did it, it was just, two people who—” he wanted to curl up, melt into the sofa, and never return, “—really wanted to try with me.” With me? With me? How pretentious was he? Also what was he doing admitting that to Kate, on his couch, with Ethan sitting between them?
“It was a long time ago,” Grayson amended his statement, “Like over a year ago.” He should really shut up right now.
Kate’s mouth gaped open slightly. If it wasn’t for the cast on her leg, she would have wanted to run out of the Dolan rental house as fast as she could. She peered at Ethan, looking for some sort of reaction. Ethan gave her a meek nod, as if to say that yes, Grayson was telling the truth. Kate swallowed hard. Kate looked back at Grayson and her lips went dry. “Must be a celebrity thing,” her words were quiet and hesitant before she turned to watch the movie. She realized that watching Christian Bale perform horrendous murders and romp with ladies of the night was better than discussing Grayson’s past sexual escapades.
None of them spoke for the rest of the movie. The three of them lasered in on the gritty, gory, graphic movie as if they would be tested on its contents afterward. They sat still, like three statues of themselves. They sat posed until the last name rolled on the credits of the movie.
Ethan moved first, standing from the couch and announcing that he had to use the bathroom before he drove Kate home.
Kate shifted next, looking for her crutches. She reached out but her petite arm could not grab them from where Ethan had set them down. Grayson stood without a sound to hand them to her, his eyes betrayed his heart by staring at her every chance he had.
“Thanks,” she said before propped herself from the couch and coffee table. She balanced herself on her crutches and looked up at him with a weak, meager smile.
“I have something for you,” Grayson told her, trying to keep a nonchalant tone with his hands shoved in the pockets of his sweatpants.
“For me?” Kate’s eyes were painted in strokes of genuine surprise.
Grayson nodded, “One second,” he quickly hurried off into the kitchen before coming back to show her.
In truth, the concept of being ‘just friends’ confused Grayson to no end. He constantly wondered if he was dressing correctly, joking correctly, and acting correctly to be ‘just friends’ with Kate. Ethan tried to give him advice, saying to treat Kate like he would his other friends. But Grayson knew that his other friends didn’t make him weak at the knees.
“Oh Grayson,” Kate cooed, “You’re—That’s so sweet.”
Grayson held out one of his brand new, signature Wakeheart candles in scent Healing. He smiled while he placed it on top of the coffee table, in front of her.
“It’s my favorite of the bunch,” he shrugged, “I feel bad that you’re still crutching around, and you have to spend so much time in bed waiting to get better. I thought maybe it would help your energy until you’re up again.”
The edges of Kate’s eyes pointed downward, “Thank you, really, I can’t wait to tell you what I think.” She gave him a bright smile. Grayson valiantly fought the internal urge to pull her into a kiss and tell her that he loved her.
Kate lit that candle later that night. She smiled while she breathed in the scents of evergreen, mountain air, and citrus. She closed her eyes and wondered if that’s what it smelled like when she and Grayson were tangled up in each other. Her sweet, citrus scents mixed in with his fresh, clean ones.
She pulled out her phone to text Grayson. She had her post-op leg elevated on a mountain of pillow while Planet Earth played on her laptop at the edge of the bed. She laid with a fluffy throw blanket draped over his normal leg and the rest of her body. She thought for a moment before typing out, “I love it! I can feel my scars burning by minute. Thanks for thinking of me Gray” she considered putting an emoji but decided it would make her look too enthusiastic.
As she typed out her note to Grayson, her phone pinged with a text from her grandmother. Kate was particularly close with her grandmother. Her father had left her life at a very young age, leaving her mother, Louise, to parent Kate. Her grandfather had passed from the Earth long before Kate was born, so her grandmother had moved in to help Louise raise Kate. Louise had even petitioned the court to remove Kate’s father’s name from her birth certificate when she was 9, to forever symbolize that Kate was not a Norris, she was a Walker. There were three Walker women in Philadelphia, all tough as nails, clever as a fox, and beautiful as the morning sky: Bethel, Louise, and Kathleen.
Kate smiled at the message from her grandmother, “How are you holding up cookie?”
Kate thought for a moment before she texted her grandmother back. The last time she called her family had been before the surgery. She described LA to her mom and grandma, trying to capture both the serene beach and the fast cars. She had strategically forgotten to leave out Grayson.
Laying on that bed, covered in a blanket, with a bandaged foot, and a broken heart Kate desperately wanted to be back in the brownstone she grew up in downtown Philly. She was so lost in her thoughts, that she did not hear her phone ping when Grayson replied to her. She wanted her mother to hold her while her grandmother made pumpkin soup downstairs: when Kate thought really hard, she could remember the way the warm, cinnamon smells would permeate up the stairs, through her bedroom, and into her nostrils.
She looked down and typed out, “I’m holding in. I’m used to post-op life by now. If anything, I miss being home and wish I could see you more. Where I am now just isn’t the same. But I’ll make it, I’m your tough cookie. Could use your soup though.”
She sighed and wondered if there was a restaurant in LA that delivered pumpkin soup. She shook her head, trying not to get lost in nostalgic thoughts. She tapped on her phone to see what Grayson had texted her but did not see it.
It took a few seconds to realize that she had sent that message to Grayson, not her grandmother.
Kate’s eyes went wide as she threw her phone between her hands that were suddenly coated in sweat. She sat up and read what Grayson had responded to her.
He had written out, “Glad you like it! I hope it helps with everything ☺️”
Kate read her message again, trying to figure out if there was anything in it that she would hate Grayson having to read.
“I’m holding in. I’m used to post-op life by now.” Okay, that was fine. That was cool. She had probably said something similar to Grayson earlier that day.
“If anything, I miss being home and wish I could see you more. Where I am now just isn’t the same.” Kate sucked in a breath between her teeth. That was confusing, she struggled to figure out if Grayson would be confused or read that as he disdain for the emotional place she was in.
“But I’ll make it, I’m your tough cookie.” Not as bad as the last part, but saying she was “his” tough cookie—that was the definition of problematic.
“Could use your soup though” What the hell would that even mean to Grayson? Was that sexual? Is that what the kids were calling it these days?
Kate’s heart dropped when three little dots showed that Grayson was typically. In near hysterics, she slammed her fingers on her phone furiously trying to create sense with words.
She settled on the brief, “Sorry that last text was for someone else. The candle is awesome though, so glad you gave it to me.”
Grayson’s little dots disappeared from her phone screen.
Kate read it again, finding it curt and cold. She threw her phone down on her bed and groaned. Internally, she decided that would just call her grandma next time.
The next day, Grayson surprised Ethan by asking to tag along when Ethan drove Kate to her doctor’s appointment. Ethan had the silent impression that Grayson and Kate were avoiding car rides together. He said yes to Grayson’s request, but felt weird giving his twin permission to accompany his ex-girlfriend to the doctor. Once again, Ethan Dolan was in the middle of whatever was happening between Grayson and Kate.
The car ride to the doctor’s office was filled with a semi-pleasant silence. Ethan had gotten used to chatting with Kate while he drove her to physical therapy, x-rays, and different appointments since her surgery. Sure, he could have asked her to take ubers but, in truth, he had started to both really like her and really care about her. Ethan was impressed by how quick she was, and he found himself thinking about things differently after her commentary. A part of Ethan missed that small talk on this ride.
Sometimes, Ethan would help Kate crutch to the door of the doctor’s office from the parking lot. Today, he stayed inside for fear that Grayson might try to walk in with her. Kate silently thanked Ethan for this, having the same thought herself.
Kate excitedly crutched out of doctor’s office after about 45 minutes. She had ditched her bulky cast, for a thick wrap of bandages and cotton: a small, but welcome upgrade. She nearly bounced into the Tesla, feeling a whole 5 pounds lighter from the lack of her cast. “I graduated,” she said in a high, bubbly voice as she settled into the car.
“Congrats,” Ethan smiled at her through the rear-view mirror.
“Any word on when you’ll back on your feet?” Grayson turned around in his seat to face her. His heart danced at the sight of her glittering smile and full cheeks.
Kate nodded softly, “Maybe 4 weeks, three if I’m lucky.”
“If you’re lucky?” Grayson cocked his head to the side from where he was turned around.
“Yeah, if I heal fast. So I should go home right now and light that candle again,” she joked.
Grayson smiled; his eyes perked up. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Ethan, “Can we sit down and put on seat belts?”
The first half of the Tesla ride back to Kate’s apartment was spent reviewing her diagnosis with the twins. Grayson was impressed when Kate correctly named all of the bones and major tendons involved with the ankle. She went into detail about how her talus had shattered, putting pressure on the cuneiform bones in the front of her foot. The three of them chatted on happily up until Kate shared her plans for the rest of the week.
“I’m going to be moving around a lot tomorrow, so I’m probably going to want to take Thursday and Friday to rest in bed.” She shared in a perky tone.
A tense ball formed in Grayson’s stomach, with the memory of the text that Kate accidentally sent the night before. He picked at the callouses on his hand for a minute, his tongue resting in the corner of his mouth. His curiosity got the best of him, “Who are you going out with tomorrow?”
Ethan furrowed his brow, wondering if he had heard his brother correctly. Kate stammered softly, thinking back to what she just said. She looked at the back of Grayson’s head with dubious eyes, “Who?”
Grayson nodded, swiping his tongue against his bottom teeth. He rested his hands from where he had been picking at them. His shoulders squared off with the car seat. “Yeah, the person you were texting yesterday. Is that who you’re hanging out with?”
Ethan was lost, completely and totally lost—figuratively at least, he thanked the Tesla’s self-driving capabilities for stopping him from getting physically lost.
Kate shook her head from where she said, “I was texting my grandma.” The word made Grayson’s eyes open wide as a pang of guild hit him in the stomach. Kate continued, “What did you think I meant?”
“I don’t know, that maybe you were going on a date or something?” Grayson knew how stupid he sounded the minute he finished the sentence. He could have said anything, literally anything else and it would have sounded better.
A silence hung in the air for a moment, the only sound coming from the Tesla’s turning signal.
Grayson tried to amend his statement by saying, “I thought you were getting back out there?” He wanted to shove his entire first in his mouth and never speak again.
“Oh, no,” Kate said, “I just have orientation for my new school.” She admitted shyly, not wanting to talk about whether or not she had tried to move on from Grayson.
Grayson’s heart sunk, “Oh, that should be fun.” He wanted to offer her something in return for embarrassing her. “I haven’t been out with anyone,” he admitted. He was disappointed he didn’t feel a sting of embarrassment.
“But you have?” Kate’s tone was puzzled.
“No, not since you.”
“But you did? That girl? That blonde girl that morning?”
Grayson swore internally a million times. He wanted to bury his head in sand and never see the light of day again. He wanted to bathe in as much holy water as LA county could fit. He ran his hands through his hair, hoping to stimulate his brain into saying something intelligent. He couldn’t find anything worth saying. The trio were silent until they dropped Kate off at her apartment.
Grayson went to bed that night still upset with himself. He wondered why it was so hard to be just friends with someone was wonderful as Kate. But a part of him knew he could never be friends with Kate. She was too much and not enough all at the same time: too much of everything he so desperately wanted in his heart of hearts, but not enough of tender life partner his heart panged for. He felt an internal pressure to make a decision: choose to silently exit Kate’s life or try to win her back. He didn’t sleep a wink that night.
#grayson dolan#dolan twins#youtuber#fanfiction#grayson dolan x oc#romance#fiction#writing#story#ethan dolan#grayson
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TOP 10 FAVORITE SUPERHEROES
THANKS FOR TAGGING ME: @superkingofpriderock
01. OGON BATTO (ALSO KNOWN AS: OGON BAT, GOLDEN BAT, FANTASMAGÓRICO, FANTOMAS AND FANTAMAN)
Originated in the medium of kamishibai (japanese street paper theater) in 1931, and later having expanded to the mediums of three live actions movies and one anime series in the 50s and 60s, Ogon Batto is a supersheroe created by Suzuki Ishiro and Takeo Nagamatsu. A being from ancient Atlantis who was sent forward in time 10,000 years to battle evil forces threatening the present day, he lives in a fortress in the Japanese Alps. His superpowers include superhuman strength, invulnerability, and the ability to fly, and his weak spot is dehidration. Ogon Batto has an evil counterpart known as Kurayami Bat (暗闇バット "Dark Bat") and his main enemy is Dr. Erich Nazō (ナゾー), the leader of a crime syndicate bent on world domination, who wears a black costume and mask with bat-like ears, a red eye and a blue eye. To some of the brazilian audiences, he is kown with the name Fantomas, trough the 1960s dubbed anime series.
02. THE WONDER TWINS
Characters created for the cartoon Super Friends by the creative team of Hannah-Barbera, the twin brothers Zan and Jayna’s dinamic worked like this: They would punch each other’s hands, fusing the rings they used, and say “Wonder Twins: Activate”! So, Zan would take the form of anything water related (vapours, ice, etc.) while Jayna would take the form of an animal. The reason they are on the list? If you say “Super Gêmeos: Ativar” (portuguese for Wonder Twins: Activate) to anyone who was a child in Brazil during the late 1990 and early 2000s, we will know what are you talking about, and sweet childhood nostalgia will manifest.
03. EL CHAPULIN COLORADO
Remember the mexican actor dressed up as a bee in The Simpsons? Yup, he is a parody of this little fella. Writen and acted by the comedian Roberto Gómez Bolaños in the 1970s to be a superheroe that represented the latin american audiences, El Chapulin Colorado is a guy who, despite being very bumbling and frightfull, always appear offering the services of his shrinking pills, his vinyll little antennas, his bionical hammer, a book containing a story that he feels has a relevant moral and his friendship to anyone who is in need and says the phrase: “Oh! Quién Podrá Defenderme” (Oh! Who Can Defend Me).
04. STATIC SHOCK
Virgil Hawkins is a fourteen-year-old honors student at Dakota Union High School who gains his powers by a mutagenic gas explosion, dubbed "the Big Bang" by the media, which grants numerous residents of Dakota superpowers; those affected are likewise dubbed "Bang Babies". Virgil lives with his widowed father Robert Hawkins, a social worker and the head of the Freeman Community Center, and his sister Sharon Hawkins, a university student and hospital volunteer. His mother Jean Hawkins died a few years prior, the victim of a stray bullet while she worked as a paramedic during a riot; her death causes Virgil to develop an intense fear/hatred of guns. This guy deserves his movie, Hollywood!
05. ASTÉRIX AND OBÉLIX
Created by the team of french comic artists René Goscinny and Alberto Uderzo, Astérix and Obélix are the two greatest warriors from a undomitable village of celtic gauls, who resist the invasion of the romans led by Julius Caesar with the help of a powerfull magic potion made by the druid Getafix. Astérix is the little man, whose greatest strenght is on his inteligence, cunning and witty. Obélix is the big man, gentle and innocent, who wants nothing in life but to eat delicious wild boars, find the love of a good lady and punch some romans in the face. The dwo has been around not only in comics, but also in animated and live action movies, and show no sign of slowing down and stopping to have adventures. They even have their own theme park in Paris!
06. JUSPION (ALSO KNOWN AS JASPION)
Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion ("Megabeast Investigator Juspion") is the fourth in the Metal Heroes series of Tokusatsu shows. The series revolves around space orphan Juspion and his eccentric android assistant Anri, who are sent by old wizard/scientist Ejin to destroy Satangorth and his army of Megabeasts (kyojuu), as prophesied in The Galaxy Bible. He has a giant robot at his disposal and is followed around by Team Pet Miya. While it was a success in it’s native Japan, when it was broadcast here in Brazil in the 1980s, it got extremely popular, being a mark in the surgence of geeks for japanese pop culture in the country.
07. JIRAIYA
Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya ("World Ninja War Jiraiya"), also known as Ninja Olympiad, is the seventh Metal Heroes series. Jiraiya (real name:Tōha Yamaji) is an elite ninja warrior from the Togakure style of Ninpō. His mentor and foster father Tetsuzan Yamaji, the 34th Grandmaster of the Togakure School, has trained him for the day the ancient Yōma Clan will return. Sure enough, the clan, led by Oninin Dokusai, arise with their army of evildoers in order to seize Pako, a mysterious treasure which came from outer space over 2000 years ago which is said to have power equiparable to the Sun. With the help of his family, and an army of international ninja heroes, Jiraiya must stand tall against the evil ones. If Juspion started the phenomenon of interest in japanese Tokusatsu heroes on brazilian audiences, Jiraiya consolidated it. To the point that “Virado no Jiraiya” (Turned into Jiraiya) has become a popular brazilian, meaning that someone is mad at something. The fact that his actor Takumi Tsutsui constantly comes to visit Brazil also helps a lot in the popularity of the character.
08. THE CHANGEMAN
Dengeki Sentai Changeman (Blitzkrieg Squadron Changeman) is the ninth Super Sentai series, running from 1985 to 1986. In order to save the world from threat of invasion by the Great Star League Gozma, a special force called the Earth Defense Force is set up. One day, the Gozma launch an attack on them and have them on the ropes. That is, until the Earth itself grants five officers the power of the Earth Force, which lets them become the Changemen. Before the Power Rangers came to dominate the world’s pop culture, there four five Super Sentai that received a brazilian-portuguese dub and broadcast: Changeman, Flashman, Google-V and Maskman. Changeman was the first, and is my number one favorite.
09. THE BLACK PANTHER
Guys, is The Black Panther. Do i need to say more? Ok, i will a little something: If you didn’t watched this film, go do it. Righ now!
Wakanda Forever, king T’Challa.
10. ZORRO
Really, that mark says everything. Is freaking Zorro! He is one of the reasons the superheroe genre is what it is and is what we know. Without him, probably a lot of those guys wouldn’t have existed.
I TAG: @lioness--hart @ardenrosegarden @princesssarisa @mademoiselle-princesse @detective-jasminesa @johnnyclash87 @visibilityofcolor @diversetolkien @anghraine @lady-sci-fi @butterflyslinky @margflower @amalthea9
#superheroes#film geek#what i grew up watching#ask game#tag game#answered asks#send me questions#get to know me#being a child in latin america
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Fantastic Beasts 2: Review
So, I just watched Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
And oh boy do I have something(S) to say...
Warning spoilers
The movie started off well: the orchestrated Grindelwald escape included the classic switcheroo vis a vis with Polyjuice, mid-air thestral-pulled-carriage fiasco and the pointless extermination of a weird lizard-like creature. (which I don’t understand why it was included at all, as its specimen wasn’t explained, and it served no purpose to the story)
And it went downhill very fast from there.
I can’t even begin to explain the plot, as this movie had a billion subplots, unnecessary twists and too many infant murders for it to be comprehensible.
Unlike the first installation, this movie had barely anything to do with actual beasts or the OG squad (Newt, Tina, Queenie and Jacob).
But, it does includes Jacob under the influence of a love potion, France (need I say more), a wizard freakshow, Credence sad, human Nagini tagging along with said sad boy, Grindelwald killing French people ( babies too) and a giant Chinese lion-like creature (Zouwu: freaky eyes, quite cute, can run really fast)
I didn’t necessarily hate the movie though.
Some scenes were rather enjoyable I.e. the introduction of the aforementioned, Zouwu and a giant seaweed thing that Newt rides underwater.
And I must admit, I did freak out in my chair when they showed FREAKING HOGWARTS with James Newton Howards’ ‘Hedwigs Theme’ playing alongside (I must admit, I did have goosebumps)
And yes, it was visually beautiful: Daniel Yates did a phenomenal job at directing it and piecing it together.
Despite all this...
the plot was lost, unstructured and confusing which probably led it to be boring.
And these are my reasons why:
the embodiment of good, kindness and acceptance, goes haywire, barely gets any attention, becomes insecure in her relationship that is more than great and goes towards the dark side after a few minutes of talking to Grindelwald. Queenie Goldstein did not deserve that.
Dumbledore served no purpose, was barely on screen and again gave full responsibility in taking down a powerful, evil wizard, to a student. C'mon bro.
Leta Lestrange served no purpose to the story other than to reveal right at the end that she killed her half-brother baby, that her other half-brother is trying to kill, whom he thinks is Credence. (Confused? Me too)
Unnecessary baby killings.
Queerbaiting. Regarding each other as ‘more than brothers’ and then capturing Dumbledore seeing Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised, thinking there’s more to it than that but it’s just so Rowling could mention their blood pact, nothing more.
Too many obscure side characters that served zero purposes to the story and were mentioned once and never showed up for the rest of the film. I.e the American minister of magic, every one of Grindelwald’s right- hand men and women, Newts co-worker, the entire ministry workers, the half-elf woman and red-haired woman that got avada-kedavared.
Main characters got lost as their characters weren’t well explained due to very little screen time and poor execution by writers I.e Theseus Scamander, Nagini, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Grindelwald, Leta, Yusuf (and family) etc.
Grindelwald was an ‘okay’ villain but he wasn’t really a standout villain: he kind of had no real authoritative demeanour or stature to him. He was just... meh.
The DAMN Timelines: McGonagall was born in 1935 and the movie was set in 1927 ( unless she was a relative)
Dumbledore was a Transfiguration teacher before he was headmaster, not a DADA professor.
Credence, again, served no purpose and was super annoying in the film, if I'm being honest. I do feel for his character, as people are constantly manipulating him for him to side with them and are toying with his mental and physical health. All he wants is to find out who he is. I want to give him a hug, but he got boring and whiny real fast. Possibly due to bad script writing, sorry buddy.
But him being a relative if Dumbledore?!!!? Unforgivable.There were only three siblings: Aberforth, Ariana and Albus: who the fuck is Aurelius? (Which leads me to believe that Grindelwald was lying to him so he conspires against Dumbledore and gets Credence to kill him).
I think the movies real crime was getting Rowling to write the screenplay. Because, as much as I love her, she set it out as a novel, which is not a bad thing, but in cinematic format, it doesn’t work as well.
The reason why the OG Potter films were such a hit was that they managed to condense it into bitesize chunks. Sure, they cut stuff out, but they made references towards it and in turn, made it well suited for cinema, which is why so many people liked them (you didn’t have to be a die-hard Potter fan to like and follow the story) They’re a pale reflection of the books, not an exact copy. (which I find best, in my opinion, as it saves that little extra magic preserved in its original source: the books)
I feel like Rowling forgot what she originally wrote about and so tried to piece it together from scratch but it just didn’t work (as it didn’t go by unnoticed)
She can’t pick and choose different plots without first fully explaining the original; it leads to confusion and annoyance.
I feel like she’s trying to combine two completely different stories into one, which isn’t great, for me anyway.
I would just have enjoyed a series (or one movie) solely based on the bumbling, lovable zoologist that showcased his vibrant and brilliant view of the weird and wonderful creatures around him and join the adventures he embarks with his friends (and maybe a few small nods to the OG Harry Potter realm) but remain separate from it and stand on its own.
Or create just a prequel to the Harry Potter series and focus only on the origin story of Dumbledore and his battle and complicated relationship with Grindelwald and family. Trying to mix both? It’s a no from me, unfortunately.
The one thing that bugged me, was when I left the cinema...
I didn’t have that FEELING.
You know, feeling infinite, as though you can take on the world (after watching a great movie).
However, I was just left feeling disappointed and confused.
I really enjoyed the first film but this movie missed the mark for me. I hope the final instalments are better and slightly less confusing but unlike Professor Trewlawney, I do not possess the noble art of divination, so I do not know for certain.
#Harry Potter#fantastic beats and where to find them#newt scamander#sirius black#remus lupin#the marauders#james potter#harry potter#lily evans#remus x sirius#marauders#remus x reader#wolfstar#tina goldstein#tina x newt#queenie#queenie x jacob#jacob kowalski#queenie goldstein
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Film Diary 2017: May, June, and July AKA "The Combined Post Because I Got Lazy"
For the first time this year, I unfortunately missed my window in terms of keeping up with these monthly entries. A huge handful of birthdays, stress and even an ankle injury all seem to be the contributing factors that ultimately led to me combining both the May, June and July posts. So now, you’re getting three for the price of one! The summer movie season is coming to a close soon and with it has come some clear winners and disappointments. Additionally, the summer season has led to many movie marathons popping up in deep cable as the holidays come and go. Which have I seen, and what did I think? Read on to find out…
As always, the following reflects MY OWN OPINION. If you’d like to see these entries in full as the year progresses, each installment is given the tag “Film Diary 2017” so feel free to follow along!
Each entry includes how every feature was primarily seen and an asterisk which denotes that viewing was the first time I’ve seen that movie in its entirety, despite possibly having seen pieces of the film previously or having a general knowledge of it. Numbering reflects the year’s overall total, not the monthly total.
55) May 5th: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2* - Theater; Kicking off the blockbuster season, I have to admit there was a piece of myself deep down that was worried about the Guardians sequel. The trailers presented plenty of music, chemistry and wit that I loved from the first film while a lack of a clear antagonist left much to be desired. And this concerned me because while the original is one of my top three features of the entire MCU thus far, it did have some problems with Ronan & it’s closing climax that I still take I stride due to everything else it does damn well. Without getting into spoilers, Guardians 2 thankfully doesn’t go the route of Iron Man 2 or Thor: The Dark World and recaptures the magic by expanding upon the elements of the first. That’s not to say it’s perfect; the first act while fun feels a bit lost in its direction. There’s certainly a tug & pull between the one-liners and the emotion it tries to dish out, sometimes struggling to keep that balance, but finds a solid grip for sure. It was to my delight that a decent-sized bulk of previously released scenes arrive in the first half hour, allowing you to really enter into the true meat of the film. The main villain that is presented is perhaps the most memorable in years for the MCU; the emotional beats that are hit, especially in the second half, may be the most heartstring pulling of the entire cinematic universe in recent memory. Director James Gunn very much goes for a more personal story in regards to Star-Lord and in doing so seeks a similar story for the entire team, playing on the theme of family between Gamora/Nebula, briefly tackling Drax’s underlying origins once more, and even the dynamic within the team itself most notably between Rocket/Quill. And it’s there I feel the sequel reaches the same placement of its predecessor. It takes the elements I loved from the first and explores certain aspects as well to beautifully compliment it and present a memorable outing I can still think back to weeks after leaving the theater.
56) May 12th: The Powerpuff Girls Movie - TV (On Demand); Released circa 2002 and commentary regarding the recent reboot aside, this animated feature has interesting placement in my book. The original series holds a special nostalgic place for myself as it was easily a cartoon that took its bubbly exterior and appealed to everyone through its action, comedy, characters and exceptional visual direction. The film is a bit of a different story, as I really only remember seeing it once after renting it from the video store. Now on its 15th anniversary, bumbling through on demand I came across its availability and decided to dive head first into the mystery of why it never left a lasting impression. In many respects, there are ways the movie works well. The amped up visuals and entire final third act battle with Mojo Jojo are among the highlights, including the girls’ fish out of water story that is absolutely a different side to the main trio given their overwhelming acceptance by the people of Townsville in the series. But the film in many ways I think serves better as an expansion of the series rather than a standalone outing. This is very much an origins tale of The Girls’ unique creation and integration into Townsville; but there are certain pieces of the film, especially Mojo Jojo’s own origin story, that resonate more if you’ve seen the show’s expansion of these elements. Furthermore, the movie somewhat struggles with some identity: the first act is the perspective of The Professor to the entire creation of the title characters, before changing to The Girls’ POV as Professor is thrown into jail for the second act and taking a sharp left turn alongside it. With the origins skeleton in mind, its acceptable that The Girls aren’t the hero team viewers knew and loved just yet either; though to see them unknowingly destroy the city they’ve protected so many times before can be a bit jarring. They don’t quite accept their role of heroes until well into the third act and that’s when things start to click into familiar territory. Finally, the film is a lot darker than I remembered compared to the balance the series conveyed. It sets aside the status quo of the small screen for something uncharted and there are times it does feel like a mixed bag of trying to tell a more serious side of The Girls’ history with the fun elements they’ve presented before. And that’s exactly how I walked away from this: mixed. I think if you’re a fan of the original series you can tackle this no problem with the mindset of it simply growing on what you already know. But this format may not leave the best first impression for those too young or too old to experience the wonder that is this franchise.
57) May 17th: The Founder* - DVD (Rental - Library); After it had gained some awards season buzz only to seemingly be snubbed out of the year’s annual ceremonies, I sincerely wondered if The Founder failed to live up to the hype it built in its early marketing. And though it does have problems, the biopic about McDonald’s transformation to a small California eatery to the global dominator it is today surprised me by how strong of an immensely intriguing tale it is. Michael Keaton’s Ray Croc plays a central protagonist that is flawed yet engrossing in his ruthless business spirit. Though this is very much Croc’s tale on how he went from a struggling salesman to the man responsible for expanding the golden arches into a worldwide phenom, his story doesn’t come without some chapters that drag. His life at home, what little we see of it, is introduced with a clear road of what’s to come and in turn says not to get too invested. Because of this, it becomes a bit of a hassle when the minor subplot is dragged out for a decent portion of the movie. But the intrigue of the plot and where the film really shines is the focus on the McDonald brothers and their relationship with Croc as time goes on. The brothers had me hooked the second they laid out their small business origins story to Ray and from there it just becomes a clash of morals, standards, quality and money all at the same time as we see two different types of men fight over their ideals. And it’s that piece of the film that really drives it from beginning to end, even throughout various meetings with potential new employees and lawyers. If you’re interested in seeing a different side to the largest fast food company in the world prior to the common status of the restaurants in modern times, this is definitely one to give a watch to.
58) May 18th: Hidden Figures* - DVD (Rental - Library); Moving on to another highly buzzed about awards contender, Hidden Figures hit a very similar sweet spot for me. It tells a very unrecognized and important story regarding three highly influential woman to NASA in the midst of the space race. Taraji P. Henson’s central role of Katherine Goble Johnson is easily the one that shines the brightest and I can now see why many were upset over her snub at the Academy Awards. Likewise, Octavia Spencer’s Dorothy Vaughan and Janelle Monáe’s Mary Jackson showcase their incredible individual stories of intelligence as well, while driving home a strong tale about both race and gender equality that transcends its setting. It absolutely lives up to the hype and deserves to be seen if you haven’t already.
59) May 20th: Ghostbusters: Answer The Call* - DVD (Rental - Library); There are a handful of reasons why I decided to check out this reboot months after it’s release. For one, the original wasn’t quite the icon of my childhood that everyone else tended to hold up on a pedestal, though I do still regard the film as an incredibly well done and fun classic. For another note, I’m not as won over on director Paul Feig as others have been. Following the highly hyped Bridesmaids, I’d finally seen it on Blu-Ray and thought it was only okay but went on to enjoy follow-up efforts such as The Heat and Spy. Combining these two elements and the atmosphere surrounding the perception of Ghostbusters ultimately led myself towards a timid response. But now that I’ve finally seen it, I can say my reaction is still dishesrtening. The first act, in my eyes, is where the film holds most of its problems. It’s very much a Feig film in its dialogue and therein lies an issue in not deciding what kind of film it wants to be - the script in the beginning paints a more joke-filled affair that is a stark contrast to the paranormal adventure elements it’s attempting to set up. So for the first act, it’s a movie that through its comedy almost doesn’t want to take itself seriously with extremely forced comedic dialogue despite the fact that it needs you to consider it serious for the premise to really work. As the film goes on, the more over the top comedic elements settle down to embrace the growing action and at times finally find a decent balance between the two. It’s there that the film can actually be fun and leave a better impression. But it’s the fact that it takes so long to get to that balance that can be the troubling part. The villain doesn’t quite live up to measure either, trading in mythology of a single supernatural heavy hitter for a wave of various CGI beings that create chaos. That chaos does lead to an entertaining climax, but perhaps could have been more impactful with a stronger antagonist at the center of the action. In the end, I didn’t necessarily hate the reboot as it decides it wants to warm up the longer it continues. However, it’s far from the optimistic fresh start I was hoping it could’ve been. I now understand the divided response and why any plans of a direct sequel have been incredibly quiet.
60) Interstellar* - On Demand (Epix); Another one I put off for personal reasons. Five years ago, The Dark Knight Rises arrived and my best friends can tell you how frustrated I was toward the third act in which a number of extremely questionable choices are made. When I had seen in 2014 that Interstellar seemed to also divide opinions, I decided to put it off until now. However, this one ends on a more positive note for me as I enjoyed it for the most part. Granted it didn’t reach a transcendent level in its plot nor approach to the ideas it outs forth, but there were still a handful of concepts I found intriguing. Cooper’s devotion to his family is certainly a driving force throughout the film and the introduction of a massive difference in how time passes by in the other galaxy developed a type of running clock in my head. I was hopeful for a reunion because it was in many ways Cooper’s singular ideal beneath his responsibility to the expedition that helped flesh him out and give the sci-fi adventure some personal stakes. It doesn’t necessarily excuse some of the more heavy handed stuff nor the nearly three hour runtime that does feel quite a bit taxing and gives no excuse for an ending that feels rushed. And perhaps I benefited from various details being out there online for myself so that I wasn’t so taken aback by their presentation. Still, the film remained on good standing for myself. For all the homages to Kubrick’s 2001 and the various interesting concepts presented that the film’s sci-fi premise hinge on, Interstellar was a solid watch though one that I’m not exactly clamoring to run out and add to my Blu-Ray shelf.
61) May 25th: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them* - DVD (Rental - Library); Upon the release of the first expanded story for The Wizarding World, many Harry Potter fans were able to experience a film set in the universe that was not a direct adaptation of its source material. However for myself, I managed to fall onto the traditional route and read the book before the movie as I received the official scripted book release for Christmas. So suffice to say this reaction to the film won’t be too detailed because I don’t have much of a response - there were no major surprises as I knew what was exactly in store. All that was really left was to see how it translated into a performance setting and it went well. Everyone served their roles well; I really think the audience vehicle that is Jacob, a non-magical human introduced to everything, is the scene stealer and it becomes apparent towards a truly emotional conclusion for him. It’s a solid foundation to build upon to really delve into some of the mythology from the other books, especially Grindelwald, Dumbledore and earlier years of Hogwarts, along with this new unexplored section of the universe. I can’t help but wonder if I would have been more enthusiastic towards the film if I had experienced it prior to the book. Still, I’m still very interested in how the rest of this expansion unfolds as future installments arrive.
62) May 27th: Bleed For This* - DVD (Rental - Library); Last month, after giving a sour response to Hands of Stone, I was very hesitant to dive into another boxing biopic despite this outing being centered in an area I originated from. Bleed for This is yet another film of the genre that failed to make waves last year and seemed to disappear without a trace despite yet again having some notable names attached to it, such as Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart and Katey Segal. Thankfully, though, this outing worked out much better than the aforementioned as it turns out Bleed For This is a solid entry. The ego and eccentric personality displayed by Teller here keeps things always entertaining, while the central story never falls into an overwhelming pit of cliché. Teller and Eckhart have great chemistry, both giving impressive performances, while the addition of Vinny’s family into his career adds some intrigue as profession and blood clash. Definitely a movie worth checking out.
63) Brooklyn* - DVD (Rental - Library); A sweet, endearing love story that at times is as comical as it is dramatic. Exploring not just immigration but the universal feelings of coming of age, friendship, love, torn between family & your own individual life and so very much more, I found myself falling deeper into the film’s undeniable charm the longer it went on. Saoirse Ronan’s performance is a strong one, while Emory Cohen shines as one of her two love interests. I’m not typically one to embrace stories that are more romantic in nature, yet director John Crowley and writer Nick Hornby find ways in order to balance that out by focusing on Eilis’ struggles that her move to America brings both socially and emotionally. One of the more fondly remembered entries of the year for me.
64) May 29th: Rise of The Planet of the Apes - Blu-Ray; In preparation for the upcoming sequel War For The Planet Of The Apes, I figured it was time to rewatch the two previous Cesar entries in the franchise which I hadn’t seen in a good while. First up is 2011’s surprise Summer smash Rise and boy oh boy did I forget how much I love this prequel. I always tend to hold its successor Dawn to a higher stander for various reasons (see below), but somewhere along the way I forgot what Dawn does so damn right. The core relationship between Will & Caesar, Will’s motivation behind the central drug, the nods to the original story that this entry is building towards, the visual storytelling that director Rupert Wyatt conveys for most of the apes’ storyline, the third act that sucks you in the second Caesar’s intelligence reaches a new level from the perspective of the human characters; I could go on and on. Though there is more of an emphasis on the human element in this film, it’s both necessary and understandable in a handful of ways. The humans are the dominant ones at this point and time so its natural they play a larger role, especially in the creation of the Apes’ advanced evolution. At the same time, it allows Caesar to shine that much brighter as a scene stealer with Andy Serkis just knocking it out of the park while the story portrays this wonderful balance of origin story and establishing Caesar as a complex protagonist, very much a subject of both sides of the primary man vs. ape conflict. Again, I feel since Matt Reeves has done a beautiful job in taking over the franchise from Wyatt, the first installment tends to be remembered more as a pleasant surprise with the promise of more to come. Rewatching it though, it is a damn good foundation that allowed Reeves to certainly elevate the material in the sequel and yet still stands strong on its own right as the film to revive the series in a spectacular fashion.
65) Dawn of The Planet of the Apes - Blu-Ray; To continue the conversation, Dawn from Reeves successfully elevates the predecessor by not only going bigger in terms of the central conflict with Apes and humans but also more personal by delving into the differences of the characters as well. Koba, introduced in the last movie, comes from a different side of the humans than Caesar did and both operate separately in terms of their empathy for the humans who are slowly dwindling out. So while the humans are very much in survival mode and not ready to face the apes, whom they blame for the massive outbreak that led to the deaths of many, we see the unified Apes having a civil war of sorts as loyalties are torn between the two leaders. And it’s that three sided conflict that finds a handful of ways to be complex, introspective & thrilling. I’m willing to admit that upon rewatching, Dawn did not hit me as strong as it did the first time; perhaps because most of the shock or unpredictability I found in that first viewing was more cemented now. However, it still does not rob the awe and power from the film as both an incredible sequel and one of the best of the entire franchise.
66) June 3rd: She’s All That - TV (Freeform - DVR); Listen, I was in the mood for a nostalgic teen movie flashback. A classic for many, admittedly She’s All That was never my favorite. And now I still see why. For all the clichés it still has, it’s not to say it isn’t enjoyable. But perhaps I’ve just seen its parody Not Another Teen Movie far too many times to take this seriously. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachel Leigh Cook still standout portraying strong characters. I couldn’t help but feel that the climax of the entire film was extremely rushed and quickly resolved. There are some teen genre films I turn to in fleeting moments of comfort seeking and again this has never been one of them. After rewatching, let’s just say it didn’t win a spot.
67) June 4th: Die Hard With A Vengeance* - TV (IFC - DVR); The ONLY installment in the Die Hard franchise I had not seen in full. Though I feel as if Die Hard 2 helped recapture the “confined to one place” mentality of the original, Vengeance took the series in an entirely different direction by expanding that scope. And while I don’t necessarily admire the change up, it does lead to a more compelling villain than the second installment. Furthermore, Zeus is a perfect partner to McClane and both characters play off each other well. The third act climax is just okay and I do in fact prefer the darker yet more personal alternate ending, which you can find with just a quick Youtube search. Vengeance, though, is a solid entry in a series that holds strong when compared to the latest release a few years ago.
68) June 7th: Wonder Woman* - Theater; Gosh. What can I say about Wonder Woman that hasn’t been said already? Among the three high profiles entries in the genre this season, easily my favorite superhero film of the summer. It’s a weird comparison, but I walked out of the latest DCEU entry feeling as if Diana is now the Superman of this cinematic universe. What I mean by that is at the conclusion of her first ever solo feature, the title hero comes off as such a wonderful beacon of strength, power, hope and resilience that firmly cements her as a major force moving forward in this cinematic universe. From the intriguing origin story packed with badass characters, to the climactic final battle, Wonder Woman not only presents a superhero film that is entertaining, funny when it needs to be, heartbreaking when it calls for it and so many other things, but it takes the time to both explore and enforce what it means to be a hero. Not only do we get to connect with nearly every supporting character along the way of Diana’s journey, we see what they mean to her and her heroic philosophy the more the story goes on. And it’s that infectious passion & care about all of the elements around Diana that easily leaps off the screen and in turn makes you care about them; Ares’ downfall is important to her, so you care about her quest to stop him; protecting humans at various turns, especially including No Man’s Land, means something to her and in turn we care about the missions at hand. Take this tale, put it in the hands of director Patty Jenkins who infuses the film with a wonderful eye even down to a differential in color treatment in key scenes to distinguish the mood, and you get easily the best entry in the DCEU by a long shot. One of my favorites of the year thus far for sure.
69) June 14th: The Simpsons Movie - Blu-Ray; Up until about a year ago, I had never owned the theatrical adventure of the long-running iconic television family. I saw the film upon its theatrical release and really remember loving it for multiple reasons. As someone who fell in love with The Simpsons through a Season 2 box set and the wide variety of reruns that would air every weeknight after homework but before dinner, the movie struck a chord as I saw a slight elevation of the classic formula with better animation, a few less censorship restrictions and even some momentous payoff (looking at you, Springfield Gorge jump). My little step-sister has finally reached Simpsons-mania age and I finally bought the film on Blu-Ray so that she could watch it. Rewatching it nearly a decade later from my aforementioned first viewing, it’s still entertaining and even easier to see the raunchier jokes that easily went over my sister’s head. Filled with wit, heart and enough deviation from the typical formula to keep it a memorable stand-out adventure for the franchise, it definitely tends to hold up in my eyes.
70) June 18th: The Magnificent Seven (2016)* - TV (On Demand - Epix); I am by no means your average fan of the western genre, but that’s not to say I don’t like westerns. Having never seen the original outing, I thought that perhaps this remake may fare better with me without a template to expect anything from. Furthermore, the star-studded cast that included Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'onofrio and more intrigued as to how exactly they would come across. The movie starts off strong enough with a gripping introduction to our villain that really sets up the main conflict ahead. However, it’s the long process of assembling the team, giving them all their own introduction and seeing how they gel within the growing number of men that led to a dragging period that I simply could not recover from. Furthermore, the main villain who is responsible for the issue at hand simply disappears during this stretch, never to be seen until the third act climax. That climactic battle is certainly something to behold, but it’s the journey to get to it that just takes too damn long as loses momentum. And it’s there that the film ultimately lost me, leaving me with a sour taste. If there was one silver lining, though, it’s that had the remake been a larger hit I would’ve loved to see a spinoff starring the scene stealing duo of Ethan Hawke and Byung-hun Lee.
71) June 19th: The Edge of Seventeen* - DVD (Rental - Library); This new spin on the classic teen movie format has been on my radar since the first trailer was released last summer. Then, it seemingly arrived, received its buzz, and then vanished. Now months later I’ve finally watched the latest member of the genre and I have to say I found it entertaining. That’s not to say there isn’t some major predictability to it, especially concerning the main love interest, but elements introduced are used to ground the entire story in a comical way that ultimately works. The key feat is making sure this is pulled off is through casting and Hailee Steinfeld absolutely shines in the lead role of Nadine. She’s able to pull off the complex mix of awkward, funny, self-loathing, analytical, heartbroken and more at various points throughout that it makes for a wildly unpredictable ride as she volleys between opening up & emotionally deflecting. The supporting cast works around her as they all click well with Steinfeld, especially Woody Harrelson’s eccentric teacher, but perhaps the breakout is the endearing, dorky, hopelessly romantic performance by Hayden Szeto as Erwin. Time will tell if this stands next to other teen classics, but thankfully it stands strong as writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig presents a quirky, grounded and relatable coming-of-age tale.
72) June 23rd: The Purge* - TV (DVR - FX); A franchise that’s been around for a little bit now, I’ve never experienced an entry in its entirety. Some shots from cable here, a commercial there, youtube videos showcasing the series’ place at Universal Studios during Halloween over here. So, I finally decided to give the premiere chapter a try. And it was just okay. The setting and rules regarding it are the most interesting part. The rest is a somewhat bland thriller filled with jump scares, most of which includes a small vendetta elevated that you can see coming from awhile away thanks to the set up. Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey and Adelaide Kane do their best with what their given, but really the only one who steals the show is Rhys Wakefield as the Purge Leader who doesn’t get nearly enough screentime in all his creepy glory. But, yeah. It was fine enough. I’ve heard the sequels are better as it doesn’t confine us to one location, and they do in fact feature continuing characters unconnected to this one. I’m not exactly rushing out to see them after this, though.
73) June 27th: The Quick And The Dead (1995)* - TV (DVR - Sundance); Talk about hitting me out of nowhere. Just days after a sour modern western experience, I managed to come across this film in my cable guide, which I’d never heard of. My jaw dropped when I saw the cast included Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, Gene Hackman, Leonardo Dicaprio and more, all directed under one of my favorites Sam Raimi. What resulted is an exciting film filled with plenty of build up, payoff and execution that is a hell of a lot of fun. The set-up of a shootout tournament among these participants, most of whom either have a gimmick to showcase or a past to be revealed, certainly tends to suck you in with how exactly it will ultimately pan out. In addition to this, the idea of these various characters and well known actors pitted against each other is as equally intriguing. In the end, this felt like a unique entry in the genre that though may not be as fleshed out as some would like, is still quite the entertaining hidden gem with fantastic performances from the aforementioned quartet. Seek it out if you have the chance.
74) June 28th: Okja* - Streaming (Netflix); From director Bong Joon-ho, the highly talked about Snowpierecer has been a film I have yet to see despite being on my list for the longest time. This means the newly released Okja is my first impression of Joon-ho and ultimately I walked away liking this unique adventure. It’s perhaps best that the less you know about Okja the better, though I had seen the previously released trailers and still found a story filled with unpredictability. The backdrop of the plot is certainly satirical against a corporate machine and towards the end melts away to emphasize a message which paints the film with an interestingly sharp edge as it contains a rather whimsical and heartfelt tale of friendship. The first act of Okja at times reminded me of a Studio Ghibli film brought to live action through its scope of wonder, while the central bond between Mija & the title creature does feel at times slightly reminiscent of Totoro, Hiccup & Toothless, Lilo & Stitch and others. But it’s that sharp lining that gives it a final punctuation mark that may not only divide some but certainly gives you something to think about long after it’s over.
75) July 5th: Spider-Man - Blu-Ray; In the days leading up to Spider-Man: Homecoming, I found it only fitting that I revisit the web slinger’s past to prepare for his future. First up was his original 2002 debut and the start of the Sam Raimi saga that would unfold for another five years. I’ve found myself firmly in the placement of adoring not only this film but the sequel to follow and rewatching the original resulted in an interesting perspective. I’ve always thought that Spider-Man was incredibly good and usually I’ve managed to find something different in it depending on the mood I’m in. This rewatch, I found myself not drawn to the action (which, through the head bobbing behind masks, kind of struck me with a Power Rangers vibe) but to the well developed characters. Mary Jane is treated far better in this outing than the sequel as a rough home life and headspace of following her dreams blossoms into an arc that continues its logical journey in the next installment. So while she may not be treated well in the sequel, it’s the establishment of her accomplishments that give her an additional silver lining due to the set up here. Harry is both a rich kid and outcast, thus he bonds with Peter over their social status while at the same time leaving you to not believe 100% in the relationship as there is in fact a harder edged lining to it all that does inevitably unfold. Uncle Ben, who is given a bit less screen time than I remember, still packs a punch in the scenes he’s in due to his emotional impact; origin story be damned, Uncle Ben’s death is still at a core of Spider-Man and important. And then there’s Tobey Maguire’s Peter. Memes aside, you have to take into consideration WHY his scenes look that way in context; Tobey plays a Peter that IS believably awkward, nerdy, down on his luck but still with an endearing heart of gold that inspires that heroic nature in a generation of moviegoers. I’m not saying nor excusing all of his scenes over the three films (lord knows there are plenty I can’t defend - Emo Peter dancing, some blank stares, etc.) but its that awkwardness that works to drive home his nerdier qualities, only for his Spider-Man to offer a kind of confidence that comes with a few quips and plenty of excitement-yelling while web slinging. And though the action and special effects may not hold up as well today as they did back then, what made them great still does: the dynamic between our hero & villain, Willem Dafoe’s performance, Danny Elfman’s incredible score, and Sam Raimi’s direction. The relationship between Peter and Norman has always been a highlight of the saga, with Dafoe’s Jekyll/Hyde turn driving home the more despicable aspects that not only work but the complex circumstances surrounding them escalating the entire feud. Elfman’s score equally elevates various moments throughout, creating a memorable musical outing for a superhero film that for the last 15 years has only ever truly been challenged by Hans Zimmer’s The Dark Knight score. When you wrap it all up, Spider-Man struck me much better than I usually tend to think about it. It has its good share of faults; however, for most it should still hold a special place not just because it convinced Hollywood to invest in the comics-to-film boom but because it’s a great template of how to balance the fun, the dramatic and the emotional while exploring the characters on a three dimensional level.
76) July 6th: Spider-Man 2 - Blu-Ray; Now, we move on to the sequel. There’s no question about it, I still love this movie. It’s been one of my favorites since its release and it remains that way to this day. But, it is in no way infallible. Let’s start with the good, and for there I’ll begin with how the film looks. Now I’m not sure if it was the change over of cinematographers from Don Burgess to Bill Pope but on a visual level this has always been important to me. Where Spider-Man at times feels like it’s stylized to seem like a comic come to life, it can clearly feel like actors on a stage or set because of it. Spider-Man 2, though, drastically dials that back and nearly everything feels blended into a more realistic looking New York, especially including the action. The action is much more CGI in nature compared to the first, but ditches that “Power Ranger” problem I had mentioned because of it. Storywise, Spider-Man 2 hits so many high notes in my opinion. We get to see Peter truly struggle with his responsibility and what he desires. It’s a well crafted balancing act that not only makes our main character sympathetic but drives most of Peter’s plot in the film to an incredible degree. Nearly every relationship he shares with a character benefits from this focus and it really strengthens even the smallest interaction between our hero and supporting players. You feel for him; you hurt for him; and when it comes down to it, you understand and connect with him. Further adding to the character count that transcends the screen, Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius aka Doc Ock. On some level, there is no possible way that Doc Ock was going to top the personal heights set by Green Goblin in the last film but damn does it find a way to bring it close. They follow a similar template for sure; both men who connect with Peter and are seen as mentors before a freak accident causes them to become villains but shown they’re more so being controlled by their creations. But dammit if it doesn’t work. And with Ock, Raimi crafts some of the most memorable scenes of his saga (besides the upside down kiss, of course): the horror-like hospital scene and the train rescue, the latter of which still stands strong as perhaps the best action scene in any Spider-Man movie. As I said though, the film is not perfect. It’s biggest fault has to be Mary Jane. While an argument could be made that watching the Raimi films back to back brings her to a logical next step, Mary Jane is nothing more than simply a goal to get in this sequel. Most of the romantic back and forth between Peter, Mary Jane and her new fiancée comes across as unnecessary, though Raimi admirably never portrays her fiancée as an antagonist as he really is not a cliché. And while this may light a fire under Peter’s ass, motivating him and some decisions going forward, it doesn’t help flesh out Mary Jane other than making her mostly dependent on Peter. It runs its course, and the emotion between the two does reach a high point, but it’s still a blemish. Besides that, though, Spider-Man 2 is still one of the most fun, action packed, entertaining, emotional and complex films Marvel has made and still stands tall against the MCU-era.
77) July 7th: Spider-Man: Homecoming* - Theater; So now that I tackled two of my favorite superhero films of all time, what about the most recent installment in the franchise? This one is a bit trickier. Homecoming, in many ways, had a variety of expectations set about it. Not only is it the title character’s first true adventure in the MCU in a non-supporting capacity, but it’s also Sony’s admission that after 10 years of trying they needed help to get the hero on the right path again. Headed into the movie, my expectations were actually a little low. Despite the glowing consensus that manifested via reviews, I’ve felt like the MCU has reached somewhat of a tonal formula lately and hasn’t knocked me on my ass in amazement since Guardians of the Galaxy. Furthermore, the over reliance on Iron Man in marketing materials soured my hype as I felt it was less Spidey’s movie and more aggressively a team up that would not allow him to stand strong enough on his own. Plus the hinting of an artificial intelligence in his suit only made me a tad bit bitter out of concern they were taking an Iron Man like approach to Spidey as well. However, after seeing the film I can say that it does wind up in the upper-half of my MCU ranking thus far. Homecoming was a fun, largely entertaining coming of age superhero movie that works on a variety of different levels but also has its fair share of problems. Homecoming feels, more or less, like an adaptation similar in line to the television series’ of the past 15 years or so but never brought fully to life on the big screen. Both prior sagas attempted to explore this path but were wildly cut short with graduations occurring and school setting ultimately ditched. With the highs, Tom Holland does come off very likable as Peter Parker attempting to make sense of what his inclusion and path of a superhero ultimately means. With the younger Peter, I do feel there was a lack of emotional maturity and complexity that the Raimi films pulled off so well, opting more for the comedic approach than a tortured one. But at the same time, it’s completely understandable as maturity is definitely lacking in early teenage development. A part of me feels for that emotional edge there should have been an emphasis on Uncle Ben, in any capacity. I know many feel retreading the origins story is tiresome, and I agree - but neglecting the repercussions of Uncle Ben’s death is not. As at least three men call out Aunt May’s attractive looks and even her obliviousness to one of them, it would’ve worked to add some depth to her by showing she’s still not over the death of her husband and how Peter reacts to that. Similarly, Peter and Tony come to odds late in the film where Tony makes a remark about trying to be a father figure, where it could have been absolutely opportune for Peter to outburst how he had one and it didn’t end well. There is an infusion of “great power/great responsibility”, though, as we do openly get to see Peter struggle between what he wants & what he must do on a few different occasions, and it’s absolutely a nice touch. On the opposite to Peter, Michael Keaton is strong as The Vulture and when the two finally share some extended screentime together it’s absolutely electric. The rest of the cast falls into roles of exactly what the comedy calls for. Laura Harrier is certainly your female lead, despite the promotional push making you think that it’s Zendaya. And her Liz is fine; connecting with Peter in certain ways but never amounting to one of Peter’s greatest love interests by any means. Zendaya’s Michelle is one of two puzzle pieces (the other being the post credits scene) that definitely felt like “classic Sony” to me; she shows up what felt like in one minute intervals to quip out a line and then disappear. Admittedly, one of her moments early in the Washington Monument scene is one of the more memorable; but I simply felt she was nothing more than sequel-set-up fodder for now. The action failed to wow me, mostly because literally every major sequence was more-or-less detailed in trailers & tv spots. That’s not to say there weren’t some surprises in tow; just not in the action department. In fact, what I wanted more of is best exampled in a simple moment in the later half that may be my favorite of the entire film: a quieter yet still edge-of-your-seat scene shared between Peter and Adrian that shows brilliantly through visual acting/storytelling a key piece falling into place. It was absolutely incredible to watch. Overall, this was a good foundation to reestablish the Spider-Man universe and gain some new wind in the sails after six solo outings. There needs to be a little bit of tinkering moving forward, but the future looks promising if they can build upon this new take.
78) July 12th: Loving* - DVD (Rental - Library); Another important real-life story brought to the big screen, Loving tells the struggle for the titular couple whose lives are upheaved when law enforcement in their hometown disapproves of their interracial marriage. Though an incredibly slow burn movie, it’s the matter at the center of the film, the couple’s strength despite massive targeting and personal loss that drives the story. I didn’t find it nearly as attention grabbing as various other true-story entries in my journal this year; Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton are solid as the leads; it’s certainly one to discover, though don’t expect this artistic film to strike every note.
79) July 13th: Assassin’s Creed* - DVD (Rental - Library); “You were the chosen one! It was said you would destroy the bad videogame movies, not join them! Bring balance to the genre, not leave it in darkness!” That paraphrased Star Wars quote is pretty much how I felt in 2016. Warcraft and Assassin’s Creed looked to be films that may have finally been what the videogame adaptation genre needed to kickstart a new wave of movies to be adapted. Projects such as Uncharted, The Last Of Us, Bioshock, Halo and countless others could have been finally taken out of film development hell upon a successful streak. Alas, the two tentpoles eyed by hopefuls such as myself failed. And though I haven’t seen nor played the fantasy entry of the duo, I have played & now seen Assassin’s Creed. Despite a promising first act, which attempts not only to intrigue in both the Animus storyline and our main character’s past, everything seems to slam to a halt directly afterwards. The Animus storyline is the only source of action, used as a break from the dull, utilized thrice and does not amount to very much screentime. The film does an admirable job of setting up the key components of the universe so that those unfamiliar with the franchise get the necessary information, but fails to really translate what makes it so popular through a script that’s just alright. In one of the more embarrassing fan service moments mid-Animus action sequence, one of our leads name drops a move from the games with a delivery of awe and I ultimately wound up bursting out with laughter. An attempted good vs. evil conflict brews, all led by a macguffin used previously in the games, though the assisted supporting characters under our lead Cal barely get anything more than a quick introduction and sly line. This all amounts to a climax that not only bleeds into an incredibly quick final scene but a laughably abrupt ending that feels just insulting as a simple set up for a potential sequel. It’s with these feelings of frustration another feature is added to the growing pile of video game movie flops, and now rest our hopes on the Tomb Raider reboot with Alicia Vikander.
80) Power Rangers* - Streaming (Rental - Amazon); This one I owe to Twitter, as one afternoon I decided to crowdsource what movie I was going to rent that evening in an online poll. The winner wound up being Power Rangers, a reboot I initially had no interest in seeing until it gained positive word of mouth from friends when it was in theaters. Having seen it myself, I can definitely say I enjoyed it with some reservations. Easily the strongest aspect of the film is the script’s exploration of the five main characters, making sure they have at least some depth and chemistry with one another. It can be argued that Jason, Kimberly and Billy get more development than Trini or Zack, but certainly each of the five at least get their own moments to shine. If this exploration had been absent, the necessary team aspect wouldn’t have held up nearly as strong as the later half of the movie demands it to be. That being said, there are some impressive moments in deleted scenes that could have also worked wonders in strengthening various bonds and character elements that I’m sad to have seen on the cutting room floor. Beyond the team is where some of the more drastic changes happen that I didn’t quite mind. Elizabeth Banks actually pulls off a solid Rita, with a backstory trait that definitely adds intrigue to her. Zordon definitely comes across as much more than an omnipotent head on a wall; I just wish that there was more detail into what exactly caused the rift in the old Ranger guard, which is established but kept pretty vague in dialogue. As for the action, which is mostly contained into the third act of the film…it was ok but I felt that the computer effects could have used some more time. The best example of my special effects problem is a scene very late in the movie in which there is a tight close up of a traveling Rita that is a mix of practical and green screen but comes off laughably bad. And though this is the worst of the worst, there are other sequences where I simply felt the CGI was floating as opposed to blending into the world - especially the suits, which I felt easily could have been more practical effect than the CGI ones we receive. Then again, I didn’t walk away from this movie thinking about the final zord fight; I walked away thinking about the characters. Power Rangers, though far from perfect, is a movie at its best when establishing characters to care about. While this origins story is a solid foundation that needs a little bit more construction, it’s the hopeful thought of seeing these characters again, their bonds tested not only by something new but by an addition of Tommy, that excites me.
81) July 14th: War For The Planet Of The Apes* - Theater; Continuing my takes on the new Planet of the Apes saga, War arrived as perhaps my most anticipated film of the Summer. With Matt Reeves now slated to step into the directorial chair for the first solo Batman entry in the DCEU, it felt as if there was a growing focus on how exactly this installment of the Caesar story would go. After glowing reviews, I still managed to temper my expectations and go in cold. What I found was a wildly satisfying, exceptional and yet different change of pace adventure in the leader’s story so far. By change, I’m more so referring to a decent portion of the film that sees Caesar and our two most established supporting roles Rocket & Maurice accompanying him on a quest that not only opens up a new side to Caesar but also focuses more on his motivations rather than that of the larger group. It’s here we get to see Caesar struggle not only with his compassion for the humans that has stayed with him for most of his life, but if the absence of that aligns him more with Koba’s mentality. Furthermore, this is ultimately Caesar’s biggest test as a leader of his group not just emotionally but mentally. Woody Harrelson is terrifying as The Colonel, more so than any other primary antagonist opposite of Caesar thus far and easily the greatest of the trio. It’s the extended time together, mostly in the second half, that gives the film it’s true power, heart, and signature moments. On top of all these dynamics, we even receive an interesting subplot that continues to connect these prequel entries to the original films. The special effects this time around are stunning, perhaps the most realistic of the trilogy. The ending wasn’t completely unexpected but fitting. Much like Dawn, I think placement in this entry will ultimately depend on rewatches and after the surprises have ultimately settled in. My gut is that Dawn edges this one out due to the solo diversion of this one being a drastic change; but there’s so much that feels right as a boiling point for Caesar, between being pushed to his limits and facing off with his most menacing villain yet. Reeves delivers another well crafted epic that cements one of the more surprising successes in recent blockbuster history.
82) July 15th: Tomorrowland* - DVD (Rental - Library); Tomorrowland is a film that for the better part of a couple years now I’ve avoided. Gearing up towards the release, I was extremely on board for the Brad Bird directed sci-fi adventure. So much so that I even purchased the official prequel novel that partially detailed the origins of the background organization Plus Ultra. Why I avoided the film, however, was due not only to its mixed reviews & my fear that it would disappoint, but because the road to the theatrical release mostly felt like an empty mystery box approach that left me rather sour on the entire ordeal. Now, I can say that I have seen it and yes I do in fact have some mixed reactions. The first act of Tomorrowland may be the piece I enjoyed quite the most. It’s easily the most focused act of the entire journey, blending the overwhelming theme of optimism in a world of harsh reality with some entertaining introductions to our core cast. The concepts presented offer plenty of mystery to explore as things start to build. The second act, though, is where I felt the film was dragged down. There is a lot of explanation to be had about exactly what is going on, what happened to Frank (which is made more clear but definitely not crystal clear the more that exposition is piled on), and the path to the title location all feel like a very forced prickly road trip with more questions than answers. The third act, pretty much set solely in Tomorrowland, finally weaves our central antagonist back into the fold after an hour and twenty minutes off screen…even though when we were last introduced to him, exactly who he was, where his morality lied, and his exact purpose all remained fuzzy. Still, it at least punctuates the story with an active force instead of ever changing robotic minions. But it’s just not enough. Especially when David Nix’s reasoning behind his motives aren’t truly your traditional evil, as he gives an impassioned and actually quite impressive speech about why he’s simply given up. This all culminates in a final thematic underlining that may feel a bit too much like The Lorax to some to be forgiven. At the same time, it is that message that kind of shined through for me. Sitting through the first act, I was almost convinced this could have been a cheer up movie to watch on the downer days because it has such an infectious spirit. The nods to classic Disney Parks material is equally admirable and certainly adds to the overall atmosphere. It’s just the structure problems that weaken the entire experience despite me coming away from the movie more favorably. I just wish it could have stepped over the pitfalls on the way there.
83) July 18th: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping* - Streaming (HBO Go); In the mood for something funny, I decided to turn towards last year’s The Lonely Island feature film. A heavy satire towards celebrity pop culture and the current method in which musical artists have to market themselves for popularity, I found it entertaining with a few pleasant surprises throughout the mockumentary. It doesn’t quite measure up to the cult heights of the team’s prior outing Hot Rod as the narrative isn’t quite as strong; it nails its core trio well but at the same time you get an idea exactly where the arc of the movie is heading extremely early on. Still, it’s worth a watch when the time is right and if you’re a fan of the group’s previous work.
84) July 21st: Dunkirk* - Theater; As previously stated in this post, it’s been some time since director Christopher Nolan is won me over completely. And if I’m being honest, I had very little enthusiasm towards actively going to see Dunkirk, despite the glowing reviews in the days prior. Alas, the decision to go see the war movie was made on a whim combined with the overwhelming temperatures. However, I’m extremely happy to say that Dunkirk was an amazing film in my eyes that quickly catapulted towards the top of my yearly ranking. What I say fro here on out will be rather bare bones because I truly believe the less you know going in, the better. Nolan presents a real life story but done in a unique narrative style that easily separates Dunkirk from the rest of the genre. A decent deal of the film is presented through visual storytelling as opposed to dialogue spelling things completely out and it’s truly a sight to see as you still connect with these various characters through their quest to survive by whatever means necessary. Furthermore, the inner Hitchcock suspense fan in me is absolutely giddy as Dunkirk has a great amount of edge-of-your-seat tense moments that are elevated even more so by Hans Zimmer’s score that works so complimentary to what you’re witnessing. It’s this tension that really sucked me in and would not let go until the final scene. It’s this blend that makes the film more so an experience than anything else that is perhaps best seen first in theaters right now rather than when it hits home video.
85) July 25th: Jumanji - Streaming (Starz); Prior to the sequel-reboot’s release later this Winter, I figured it was time to rewatch this fondly remembered childhood classic to many. It has been plenty of years since I’ve seen the adventure feature and it was never an overwhelming favorite of mine when I was younger. Seeing it again after all these years, however, it’s clear why it’s a staple for many. It isn’t overly cutesy as some family adventure films tend to come off; the drama & emotions are high, the premise can get dark rather quickly and it’s all very intriguing to watch unfold. Robin Williams is easily the highlight in terms of acting, playing one of his more complex characters that appeals to all-ages. The computer effects, though astounding at the time, don’t hold up overly well as you have to remember upon release this was the age when even Pixar was just starting out. That being said, if they could find a way to remaster the special effects much in a similar way Star Wars has done with its home video re-releases, Jumanji could be mistaken for a recent release. The blend between practical and CGI certainly helps, while at the foundation is still a strong story that young adults and older will probably appreciate more. And with the set-up for next installment allowing us to see inside of the game for a change, I’m interested in how exactly it holds up - especially with what seems to be a far more comedic approach than this original go.
86) July 27th: The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-Wrestlemania!* - DVD (Rental - Library); For three years now, WWE and WB animation have partnered up for a variety of direct-to-video films featuring WWE’s current roster of wrestling talent. Two Scooby Doo films are certainly one thing, as the franchise of spooktacular mysteries have not stopped since their resurgence in the late 90s. The more…let’s go with “interesting”, entries in this planned partnership are members from classic animation that have not seen a modern day take in an extended period. The Flintstones arrived first in 2015 with their first new film in 14 years that, in my opinion, just felt kind of lazy and rushed. The voices seemed off, the shoehorned WWE angle just led to more puns than anything else and to think that this could be a generation’s first exposure to the franchise disheartened me as well. It’s been many years since Cartoon Network or even Boomerang (yes, there is at least the paid service app now) aired the Hanna Barbera classics regularly on television and I often wonder whether or not the current generation growing up are even aware of their existence. Now this year, WWE and WB attempted the same with The Jetsons, a franchise with an even longer streak of nearly 30 years since it’s last piece of media. When the trailers first arrived, I was kind of angry because I saw this long dormant series was only being exhumed as a cash grab. Not to mention I didn’t know exactly who this was for - kids who are fans of WWE wouldn’t necessarily know who The Jetsons are, and those old enough to care might dodge it because they saw it simply as a quick buck. But, funny enough, after actually having seen the film I can say that oddly this is the best of the WWE/WB partnership thus far. I do have to give it credit where credit is due. Despite yet another heavy handed focus on the wrestling side of the story, there is a genuinely good Jetsons movie buried inside here. The first act, which mostly deals with Big Show waking up in the future and ultimately serves as a light reintroduction for the franchise, is actually a fun albeit kind of cliché plot that works as a concept and I would have loved to seen explored more before taking a sharp left turn. The comedic dialogue dealt actually got me to laugh out loud in some parts; the voice actors really sound like a close portrayal of the original show; the animation is solidly well done (better than The Flintstones partnership’s style anyways). Furthermore, it actually has a storyline that tries to infuse a moral within and creates a sturdy-enough arc to separate it from the pack of previous entries. That’s not to say there aren’t problems though. That same moral infusement of technology-driven laziness isn’t brought to its full potential what so ever, which I believe is due more to the wrestling focus; Big Show’s characterization is all over the place; the time travel subplot feels more like a cheap knockoff of the story device used in their 80s crossover with The Flintstones; at 81 minutes it still finds time to drag, especially in the second act which is full of wrestling glorification, a montage, nabbing stars and then making their way back. And yet despite those moments that left me bored and rolling my eyes, I still walked away feeling they did something truly right here. It can be incredibly entertaining, the joke writing stands strong enough, and there’s just something that really nails the family at the heart of this all that manages to rise above everything else. Dare I say it, I actually would look forward to a follow-up…without the wrestling. For now if this is the best we get then it could’ve been far far FAR worse off. For the best example of that just look at Tom & Jerry’s recent adventure with a certain chocolate factory and confectionary maker.
87) July 30th: Miss Sloane* - DVD (Rental - Library); We live in a year heavily focused on politics. Due to this, sometimes the entertainment we want to escape from it all may also be politically focused and it can add up to an exhausted feeling (one of the reasons I couldn’t quite pick up House Of Cards again earlier this summer). In this whirlwind, there seems to have been a political thriller overlooked in the middle of Oscar season that certainly deserves that attention now: Miss Sloane. Once you get settled into the world past a crash course introduction in the first twenty minutes and the film’s primary conflict is set up, the D.C.-set feature focusing on lobbying can both impress and shock you. Jessica Chastain is incredible as the strong, cutthroat, sharp yet not invulnerable title character. Elevating it even more is a script from Jonathan Perera that at times feels reminiscent to that of an Aaron Sorkin execution with how focused and sly the dialogue hits. Sam Waterston and John Lithgow are quite notable as antagonists to Chastain’s role, but Michael Stuhlbarg tends to knock it out of the park as his character’s relationship with Sloane drives his performance. Admittedly the story’s flow seems to take a sharp halt in the second half, though it’s intentional and even spelled out by Sloane herself. But for me it hits that spot that similar politicially-driven media, such as Scandal, has in the past in which my interest is driven by the fact this fiction I’m watching could easily be happening in real life. Filled with twists and if you enjoy the aforementioned Netflix series, Miss Sloane is one to check out.
88) The Girl On The Train* - DVD (Rental - Library); Ending on a low note shall be an adaptation that I can’t even attempt to accurately voice my substantial disappointment towards. Having read and enjoyed the original novel prior to any announcement of a film version, when ill-fated reviews emerged last Fall I ultimately avoided this movie. But as curiosity finally got the better of me, I decided to sit down and watch The Girl On The Train. And ouch. Despite a voiceover plot element utilized, most of the internal dialogue of the core three characters is left to the page causing some moments to come off almost creepy (to a laugh out loud degree in spots) and reasoning behind others aren’t really delivered upon. Additionally, this adds to an unlikeability problem as Rachel’s novel turn as unreliable narrator coping with personal life setbacks & struggling to venture beyond that traumatic past comes across as raging alcoholic with weird stalker tendencies. Likewise, Anna and Tom seems to suffer from development as they seem to share a lack of a spotlight beyond what’s shown, as does Riley who seems to be popping in more as someone who states the logically obvious as opposed to deconstructing the tangled web. Furthermore, most of the reveals that on paper drive the mystery by adding intrigue somewhat lost their impact here, as twists seems stated so matter-of-fact - especially the largest one at play. Now that could in fact be more of a problem on my end, much like Fantastic Beasts, because I knew all of the material. But when out of six main characters a majority is ruled out in a single line of dialogue, it doesn’t take much of an imagination to come to a revelation as an audience goer even if the lead has yet to realize it herself. It’s all of these elements that ultimately come across as trying too hard to chase the Gone Girl hype and falling like a knockoff, with less than two hours coming across as a slow one to get through.
WHEW! Well that took a long time. Three months away can really add up, eh? Now as the summer dies down, weirdly my journal is starting to heat up with some widely notable films from the past year. But, more on that after Labor Day…
What movies did you see this Summer? Are there any movies you’d highly recommend that I should add to my watchlist? Feel free to drop me an ask or a reply!
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