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tommydarlings · 3 years

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Jarley Quinn ↬ t.h

A/N: Wow, one of the longest things i ever wrote! got this idea after i watched the joker and Harley Quinn birds of prey and i thought it would be nice to write it... I hope this doesn´t flop, sorry if it´s crap. anyway, enjoy! :) ily,liz <3

pairing: Tom Holland x reader

warnings: violent actions, mentions of nearly blowjob?, swearing

w/c: 1.8k

Requests: OPEN

Summary: Your win an Oscar for your amazing role as Harley Quinn´s and Joker´s daughter, but you didn´t knew that Tom Holland aka your role model would be there too.

this handwriting = actions and dialogues in the movie

masterlist || taglist || requests || blurb event

„Guys, i think that i´m gonna pass out“ Tom said as they all took their seats in the huge hall.

„Calm down Tom, it´s okay, your gonna win this“ Harry told his brother.

Today was the day. Today were the oscars. And Tom got nominated for the best leading role in an action / psycho / R rated movie. Cherry.

And the best thing is, when he should win the oscar, then their gonna show cherry on a huge screen in the hall. That´s sick.

Leonarde Dicaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and a lot of other amazing and unbelievable good actors are gonna see his movie then. Sounds like a dream to him.

„Thomas, son, it´s fine, we all believe in you! Your performance in Cherry was amazing and even the Russo Brothers said that it was an oscar worthy performance! Find someone to beat that!“ His mother, Nikki, said to her son with a small laugh.

Just when Tom wanted to answer, the Russo brothers came and both sat down next to Tom.

„Hello, guys!“ Anthony said.

„Hello, how are you?“ Dominic asked them.

„Were good, and excited“ Joe told Dom.

„And i´m fucking nervous“ Tom whisperd.

„Hey, hey, it´s okay to be nervous. Your gonna win this, your gonna rock your speech and in the end everyone will clap for your performance after they all saw the movie!“ Anthony told tom.

Tom could only nod before a man came on the stage and started to talk,

„Hello Ladies and Gentleman! I hope you all feel well and excited!“

The man went on with his speech and after about 15 minutes talking about some random stuff, he finally said the words that the entire hall craved for.

„And now i´m gonna announce the winner for the oscar in the category action / psycho / R rated movie…“

Tom was shaking, Nikki and dominic prayed for their son and Tom´s brothers tried to calm him down a little bit.

„Calm down“ Joe whisperd to Tom.

„I c-can´t“ he stuttered quietly.

The whole hall was so silent, it was creepy.

„Y/N Y/L/N!“ the man on the stage said into the micro.

Tom had his head hung low after his name wasn´t said.

Everyone started to clap, but when they saw who came on the stage, everyone looked very confused.

„What the-„ Tom said.

A young women, maybe about 21 – 22 years came on the stage with a beautiful suit on her body.

„Hold on, is this the wrong catergory?“ Tom said.

„No, it´s the action / psycho / R rated movie category“ Anthony answerd.

„How can she-„ before Tom could finish his sentence, you started to speak,

„Hello Ladies and Gentleman, omg i can´t belive this, sorry, I won´t steal your time, i just want to thank the cast of this amazing movie and my family and friends who support me since we started filming this masterpiece. Thank you so much and enjoy the rest of the night, love you“ you finished.

„And now, let´s watch the amazing movie of the oscar winner! Jarley Quinn!“ the man said with a huge grin into the mic.

„Jarley Quinn? Isn´t it Joker?“ Harry said.

„Or Harley Quinn?“ Sam said.

„Boys, let´s just watch it“ Nikki told her son´s.

They said a quick and quiet ´okay, sorry´ before the movie began.

Jarley Quinn was written in thick and big letters on the screen, then you appeared onto the huge screen.

You stood infront of a mirror and looked at your reflection in the mirror infront of you. You took each side of your mouth with your fingers and spread them into a big smile before you let me fall and started to cry, tears were running down your cheeks as you still looked into the mirror where you could saw your painted face and green dyed hair. You always painted yourself just like your father and mother did. And the hair were another thing you got from your father. It was funny and interesting.

After this little opening, you went to two graves with the names Joker and Harley Quinn written on them.

„So that are her parents“ Tom whisperd to himself.

„Obviosly“ Harry huffed.

„I´m so sorry mamma and daddy, i´m gonna make you proud and i´m gonna make the entire world remember your name, and my name i swear“ you said.

And then, then the scenes came where everyone understood why you got the oscar in the first place. Even the Russo brothers were impressed.

„Fuck“ you whisperd to yourself as you saw that you need money for the pills you were fucking addicted to. You don´t even need all these pills, but you basically craved them with passion.

„Not again, please not fucking again“ you yelled through your apartment as you tried to find some money anywhere in the living room or kitchen. You even looked in the bathroom.

„Well, i don´t have another option, so“ you said to yourself in a slightly bitchy way.

You grapped your weapon and put it into your weapon holder that was covered up by your red suit jacked from your father.

Just a few minutes later you stood with a bag full of money, a weapon in your other Hand and huge smile on your face that is covered in the iconic Joker makeup in the middle of the bank while every single person around was on their knees and begged for their lifes.

„I won´t hurt anyone, i swear okay? I just wanted the money, but before i leave, i would like to say something, of course if i´m allowed to“ you said.

The bank women nodded quickly with her head before you said your last sentence,

„You look so good on your knees, just like i did yesterday“ you said with an amused laugh before you shot the person that was kneeling infront of you right between their eyes.

You laughed hysterically while you ran out of the bank with the bag and your beautiful weapon.

„Oh m-my g-good“ Nikki whisperd to herself with an shooked expression on her face.

„I mean, that was sick, but it was good“ Anthony said.

„That´s right“ Joe agreed.

„How has she done that with so much ease?!“ Tom whisper – screamed at himself.

After you swallowed your pills, you decieded to go into the club and have a good time, well at least you wanted to have a good time.

The second you stepped into the club, people went silent and didn´t dared to move. But you didn´t liked it.

„What? C´mon, go ahead with your talking about whatever you were talking about! I won´t stop you!“ you laughed.

You really weren´t here to stop anyone, so you just orderd a drink and looked through the club. You stopped your gaze at one specific couch in the corner of the club, a man, trying to rape a poor little young girl.

„Let´s have some fun“ you whisperd to yourself before you took a huge sip from your martini and walked to the scene.

„Can i help you?“ The man asked as he saw you standing infront of him while he held the poor girl in a tight grip on his lap.

„No, but can i help you, little girl?“

„N-no“ she stuttered.

„Okay“ you shrugged before you walked away.

Hold on, let me correct, about to walk away.

You punched him with your fist right on his nose.

„Ow! What the f-„ before he could finish his sentence, you grapped your weapon and hit his temple with it.

He fell unconscious onto the floor and you laughed again in a quiet creppy way before the girl ran into your arms.

„Woah, woah,woah, i only saved you from getting raped, not more“ you said.

„You saved my life, thank you“ the girl said.

„No, i saved your virginity“ you said before you removed yourself from her grip and went to the exit. Before you could exit the loud and sweaty club, a young but confidence looking men grapped your wrist.

„Hello beauty“ he growled.

„Hello, with what can i help you mister?“ you said with a smile on your face that was still full of the iconic makeup of your father.

„How about you help me with the little problem down there“ he said as he looked down to his own…crotch.

„Of course! Your house?“ you answerd with a little smirk.

„Mine“ he said before he dragged you into a car.

Just a few moments later, you were on your knees right infront of his naked figure while he sat comfortably on the couch.

„You gonna be daddy´s good girl?“ the man growled quietly.

You nodded with your head before you opened your mouth and stuck your tongue.

„Good“ he whisperd before he put his hand on the back of your head and directed your mouth to his dick.

But before he could get what he wanted, you pulled your dagger out from your dress pants and stabbed him in his… dick.

„Ohhhhh shit“ Tom hissed while he lightly held his crotch with his hands.

„Fuuuuuck, i know this isn´t real, but that fucking hurt“ Harry said.

„Okay, wow“ Anthony whisperd.

„OW FUCK, YOU LITTLE SLUT!“ the man yelled in pain.

You just started to laugh hysterically again and grapped your lighter, plus a tiny Matchstick from the pocket of your suit jacket.

„Hold on, wha- what the fuck a-are y-you doing, NO AHHH-!“ the man yelled before you lit the matchstick with fire and threw it on his naked body.

You still didn´t stopped laughing in this creppy and loud way as you walked out of the house with a cigarette between your red painted lips.

The next few scenes were violent, brutal, sexual and absolutely disgusting, but at the same time… definitely oscar worthy.

„Okay, that was unbelievable“ Harry said as the credits started to roll.

„You right, that was a true masterpiece“ Sam said with a tiny laugh.

„It w-was really g-good, yeah“ Tom said quietly.

After the movie ended, you got a lot of praises for your performance. Finally, The hollands and the russo brother´s found you and walked to you.

„That was amazing Miss Y/n!“ Anthony said.

„Oh please call me y/n, and thank you“

„Yeah, it was great“ Tom said quietly.

„Thank you so much- hold on, you are Nico walker from cherry right?“ you asked Tom.

„Yeah, you saw it?“ he asked.

„Of course! It was one of the best movies i ever saw!“

The two of you didn´t even noticed that Nikki, Dom, the twins, paddy and the russo brother´s already went as you went on with talking and praises.

„Would y-you maybe l-like to g-go out with me?“ Tom asked with an nervous voice.

„Of course!“ you asnwerd quickly.

„Really?!“

„Yeah, of course, i would actually love to Tommy“

The nickname melted his heart immerdiately.

„Okay, c-cool, uhm, can i have your number?“ Tom asked.

„Yes, here“

After they exchanged numbers, Tom went to his Family and the Russo brothers.

„And? How did it went?“ Harry asked with a little smirk.

„Got her number“ tom said proudly.

„No way! That´s amazing!“ Sam said.

„She is amazing“ tom said with smile.

He can´t wait to see you again.

-`ღ´- ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ -`ღ´-

Taglist:

@goodgirlgonetom @majo240820 @misshale21 @itstaskeen @pure-ghost @justafangirlduh @elizabeth-brown @justafangirlduh @roseke

#tom holland fanfiction #tom holland x reader #tom holland #tomholland x reader #joker 2019 #harley quinn #movie #cherry

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shesasurvivor · 3 years

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Hi, I saw you reblogged a Katniss Everdeen edit with JLaw with a tag saying she'll never be Katniss to you, may I ask why? (have similar feelings about her but mine are more rooted in her, idk, physicality?)

Hello, Anon! It's a lot of reasons, to be honest, and yes, her physicality is one of those reasons. She looks absolutely nothing like Katniss is described. Just about the only trait they have in common is that they're both female. The casting call for only white woman was certainly a problem as well. I personally subscribe to the belief that Katniss and the Seam were probably some futuristic version of Melungeon.

I also disagree with her performance. A friend of mine once described it brilliantly, so I'm going to paraphrase how she put it: Katniss is someone who is quiet on the outside, but has a LOT of emotions boiling up inside of her because she doesn't express them for her and her family's own safety. Jennifer "No Censor" Lawrence, on the other hand, is someone who always seems to say exactly what comes to her mind without considering if it's a good idea or not, and gets it all out there. So when she plays Katniss, it feels too much to me like she's playing someone dead on the inside, and someone really wooden and unemotional. Katniss in the books is a lot more animated than her performance in the movies. She's quiet when she's around people she doesn't know, and therefore doesn't trust (for GOOD REASON), but when she feels comfortable with someone, she has no problem opening up around them. I just don't feel like Jennifer Lawrence ever truly understood Katniss's psychology (something important to me).

To be frank, I also just don't like Jennifer Lawrence very much. A lot of that distaste is definitely because of the fact that I was around during the days when this website and the rest of the world thought she could do no wrong, and people were literally bullied in her name if someone dared express an opinion about her that was less than flattering. That kind of behavior is incredibly dehumanizing, and has a tendency to create resentment, and guess what? That's what it did for me.

She also always seemed really impressed with herself for the most basic, mediocre reasons, and I couldn't help feeling like the emperor had no clothes. The whole "the only normal girl in Hollywood!" thing had me rolling my eyes, because you just don't get to that level of star power, or work with Harvey fucking Weinstein, if you're not seeking that level of fame. People who are totes not in it for the fame and just want to be creative act like Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, who turned down a third season of Flight of the Conchords at the height of their fame, and opted instead to return to New Zealand for a quiet life. That's what not caring about the Hollywood game looks like. And honestly, if you're someone who does want that level of fame, I don't even care. Just don't lie about it. I have more respect for actors who don't pretend they're more authentic than everyone else, than I do for her for basically lying about that. I distinctly remember her claiming at the 2013 Golden Globes that she "just found out" about the rumor she and Bradley Cooper were dating. Meanwhile, in an article that came out around that same time, she flat out admitted her PR team approached her and told her they were planting a rumor she was dating one of her co-stars, and asked which one she wanted it to be. I'm practical enough to not even care about that part, because I know what a load of shit most of the Hollywood PR machine is, but again, don't actively try to claim you're not doing it.

She's also said and done some incredibly insensitive, and even offensive stuff (like wiping her butt on sacred rocks in Hawaii), but I'm guessing you probably know about those? I didn't want it to come across like I don't care about those incidents. I just think others have gone over them in better detail than I will.

Anyways, whew, that got long and I'm sorry! I know people around here still like her, and they're welcome to do so. I'm just grateful that the insufferable levels of worship over her have died off. She's just as full of shit as the rest of us.

Tl;dr: she's not Katniss and Katniss deserved better. I hate that my favorite fictional character of all time was played by someone I can't stand, and that she wasn't portrayed accurately in the films. I'm just holding onto that hope that one day we might see someone who is actually Katniss on our screens.

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dustedmagazine · 3 years

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Slept Ons: The Best Records of 2020 That We Never Got Around To

Tattoos and shorts! How did we miss the Oily Boys?

It happens pretty much every year. After much fussing and second-guessing, the year-end list gets finalized, set in stone really, encapsulating 12 months of enthusiastic listening, and surely these are the best ten records anyone could find, right? Right? And then, a day or a week later, someone else puts up their list or records their year-end radio show, and there it is, the record you could have loved and pushed and written about…if only you’d known about it. My self-kick in the shins came during Joe Belock’s 2020 round-up on WFMU when he played the Chats. Others on our staff knew, earlier on, that they weren’t writing about records they loved for whatever reason — work, family, mp3 overload, etc. Except now they are. Here. Now. Enjoy.

Contributors include me (Jennifer Kelly), Eric McDowell, Jonathan Shaw, Justin Cober-Lake, Bill Meyer, Bryon Hayes, Ian Mathers, Andrew Forell, Michael Rosenstein and Patrick Masterson.

The Chats — High Risk Behavior (Bargain Bin)

High Risk Behaviour by The Chats

Cartoonishly primitive and gleefully out of luck, The Chats hurl Molotov cocktails of punk, bright and exploding even as they come. They’re from Australia, which totally makes sense; there’s a sunny, health-care-subsidized, devil-may-care vibe to their down-on-their luck stories. Musically, the songs are stripped down like Billy Childish, sped up like the Ramones, brute simple like Eddy Current Suppression Ring. Most of them are about alcohol: drinking, being drunk, getting arrested for being drunk, eating while drunk…etc. etc. But there’s an art to singing about getting hammered, and few manage the butt-headed conviction of “Drunk & Disorderly.” Its jungle rhythms, vicious, saw-toothed bass, quick knife jabs of guitar frame an all-hands drum-shocked chant: “Relaxation, mood alteration, boredom leads to intoxication.” Later singer Eamon Sandwith cuts right to the point about romance with the couplet, “I was cautious, double wrapped, but still I got the clap.” The album’s highlights include the most belligerently glorious song ever about cyber-fraud in “Identity Theft,” whose shout along chorus buoys you up, even as the dark web drains your savings account dry. The album strings together a laundry list of dead-end, unfortunate situations, one after another truly hopeless developments, but nonetheless it explodes with joy. Bandcamp says the guitar player has already left—so you’re too late to see the Chats live—but it must have been fun while it lasted.

Jennifer Kelly

Oliver Coates — skins n slime (RVNG Intl)

skins n slime by Oliver Coates

2020 was a year of loss, of losing, of feeling lost. Whether weathering the despair of illness and death, the discomfort of displacement or the drift of temporal reverie, English cellist Oliver Coates creates music to reflect all this and more on skins n slime. Using modulators, loops and effects, Coates employs elements from drone, shoegaze and industrial to extend the range of the cello and conjure otherworldly sounds of crushing intensity and great beauty. Beneath the layering, distortion and dissonance, the human element remains strong. The tactility of fingers and bow on strings and the expressive essence of tone form the core of Coates composition and performance. If his experiments seem a willful swipe at the restrictions of the classical world from whence he came, the visceral power of a track like “Reunification 2018”, which hunkers in the same netherworld as anything by Deathprod or Lawrence English, the liminal, static bedecked ache of “Honey” and the unadorned minimalism of “Caretaker Part 1 (Breathing)” are works of a serious talent. skins n slime is an album to sit with and soak in; allow it to percolate and permeate and you’ll find yourself forgetting the outside world, if only for a while.

Andrew Forell

Bertrand Denzler / Antonin Gerbal — Sbatax (Umlaut Records)

Sbatax by Denzler - Gerbal

Tenor sax player Bertrand Denzler and drummer Antonin Gerbal released this duo recording last summer which slipped under the radar of many listeners. Denzler is as likely to be heard these days composing and performing pieces by others in the French ensemble ONCEIM, playing solo, or in settings for quiet improvisation. But he’s been burning it up as a free jazz player for years now as well. Gerbal also casts a broad net, as a member of ONCEIM, deconstructing free bop in the group Peeping Tom, or recontextualizing the music of Ahmed Abdul-Malik along with Pat Thomas, Joel Grip and Seymour Wright in the group Ahmed amongst many other projects. The two have worked together in a variety of contexts for a decade now, recording a fantastic duo back in 2014. Sbatax, recorded five years later at a live performance in Berlin is a worthy follow-up.

Gerbal attacks his kit with ferocity out of the gate, with slashing cymbals and thundering kit, cascading along with drubbing momentum. Denzler charges in with a husky, jagged, repeated motif which he loops and teases apart, matching the caterwauling vigor of his partner straightaway. Over the course of this 40-minute outing, one can hear the two lock in, coursing forward with mounting intensity. Denzler increasingly peppers his playing with trenchant blasts and rasping salvos, riding along on Gerbal’s torrential fusillades. Throughout, one can hear the two dive deep in to free jazz traditions while shaping the arc of the improvisation with an acute ear toward the overall form of the piece. Midway through, Denzler steps back for a torrid drum solo, then jumps back in with renewed dynamism as the two ride waves of commanding potency and focus to a rousing conclusion, goaded on by the cheering audience. Anyone wondering whether there is still life in the tenor/drum duo format should dig this one up.

Michael Rosenstein

Kaelin Ellis — After Thoughts (self-released)

After Thoughts by KAELIN ELLIS

To be sure, “slept on” hardly characterizes Kaelin Ellis in 2020. After a trickle of lone tracks in the first months of the year, a Twitter video posted by the 23-year-old producer and multi-instrumentalist caught the attention of Lupe Fiasco, quickly precipitating the joint EP House. It’s a catchy story from any number of angles — the star-powered “discovery” of a young talent, the interconnectedness of the digital age, the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic — but it risks overshadowing Ellis’s two 2020 solo records: Moments, released in the lead-up to House, and After Thoughts, released in October. It doesn’t help that each album’s dozen tracks scarcely add up to as many minutes, or that the producer’s titles deliberately downplay the results. And some, of course, will judge these jazzy, deeply soulful beats only against their potential as platforms for some other, more extroverted artist. “I’d like to think I’m a jack of all trades,” Ellis told one interviewer, “but in all honesty my specialty is creating a space for others to stand out.”

Yet as with all small, good things, there’s reward in savoring these miniatures on their own terms, and After Thoughts in particular proved an unexpected retreat from last fall’s anxieties. Ellis has a poet’s gift for distillation and juxtaposition, a director’s knack for pathos and dramatic sequencing — powers that combine to somehow render a fully realized world. As fleeting as it is, Ellis’s work communicates a generosity of care and concentration, opening a space for others not just to stand out but also to settle in.

Eric McDowell

Lloyd Miller with Ian Camp and Adam Michael Terry — At the Ends of the World

At the Ends of the World by Lloyd Miller with Ian Camp and Adam Michael Terry

Miller and company fuse the feel of a contemporary classical concert with eastern modalities and instrumentation. The recordings sound live off the floor, and give a welcome sense of space and detail to the sensitive playing. Miller has explored the intersection between Persian and other cultural traditions and jazz through the lens of academic scholarship and recorded output since the 1960s. With this release, the performances linger in a space where vibe is as important as compositional structure. The results revel in the beauty when seemingly unrelated musical ideas emerge together in the same moment, with startling results.

Arthur Krumins

Oily Boys — Cro Memory Grin (Cool Death)

Cro Memory Grin by Oily Boys

The title of this 2020 LP by Australian punks Oily Boys sounds like a pun on “Cro-Magnon,” an outmoded scientific name for early humans. It’s apt: the music is smarter than knuckle-dragger beatdown or run-of-the-mill powerviolence, but still driven by a rancorous, id-bound savagery. The smarts are just perceptible enough to keep things pretty interesting. Some of the noisier, droning and semi-melodic stretches of Cro Memory Grin recall the records made by the Men (especially Leave Home) before they decided to try to make like Uncle Tupelo, or some lesser version of the Hold Steady. Oily Boys inhabit a darker sensibility, and their music is more profoundly bonkers than anything those other bands got up to. Aggro, discordant punk; flagellating hardcore burners; psych-rock-adjacent sonic exorcisms — you get it all, sometimes in a single five-minute passage of Cro Memory Grin (check out the sequence from “Lizard Scheme” to “Heat Harmony” to “Stick Him.” Yikes). A bunch of the tunes spill over into one another, feedback and sustain jumping the gap from one track to the next, which gives the record a live vibe. It feels volatile and sweaty. The ill intent and unmitigated nastiness accumulate into a palpable force, tainting the air and leaving stains on your tee shirt. Oily Boys have been kicking around Sydney’s punk scene since at least 2014, but this is their first full-length record. One hopes they can continue to play with this degree of possessed abandon without completing burning themselves to down to smoldering cinders. At least long enough to record some more music.

Jonathan Shaw

Dougie Poole — The Freelancer's Blues (Wharf Cat)

The Freelancer's Blues by Dougie Poole

A cursory listen might misconstrue the heart of Dougie Poole's second album, The Freelancer's Blues. When he mixes his wobbly country sound with lyrics like those in “Vaping on the Job,” it sounds like genre play, a smirking look at millennial life through an urban cowboy's vintage sound. Poole does target a particular set of issues, but mapping them with his own slightly psychedelic country comes with very little of the postmodern itch. His characters feel just as troubled as anyone coming out of 1970s Nashville, and as Poole explores these lives with wit and empathy, the songs quickly find their resonance.

The album, though it wouldn't reach for pretentious terms, carries an existential problem at its center. Poole circles around the fundamental void: work deadens, relocation doesn't help, spiritual pursuits falter, intelligence burdens, and even the drugs don't help. When Poole finally gets the title track, the preceding album gives his confession extra weight, a mix of life's strictures and personal limitation combining for a crisis best avoided but wonderfully shared. The Freelancer's Blues comes rich in Nashville tradition but finds an ideal fit in its contemporary place, likely providing a soundtrack for a variety of times and spaces yet to come.

Justin Cober-Lake

Schlippenbach Quartett — Three Nails Left (Corbett Vs. Dempsey)

You might say that this record has been slept on twice. The second recording to be released by the Alexander von Schlippenbach, Evan Parker and Paul Lovens (augmented this time by Peter Kowald) was released in 1975, and didn’t get a second pressing — on vinyl — until 2019. So, Corbett Vs. Dempsey stepped up last summer, it had never been on CD. But this writer was so stumped on how to relate how intense, startling, and unlike any other free improvisation it was and is, that he just… slept on it. Until now. Even if you know this band, if you don’t know this album, well, it’s time you got acquainted.

Bill Meyer

Stonegrass — Stonegrass (Cosmic Range)

STONEGRASS by Stonegrass

Released on the cusp of a tentative re-opening for the city of Toronto after two months of lock-down, this slab of psychedelic funk-rock was the perfect antidote to the COVID blues when it arrived at the tail end of a Spring spent in near-isolation. The jam sessions that became Stonegrass were also a new beginning for multi-instrumentalist Matthew “Doc” Dunn and drummer Jay Anderson, who reignited a spirit of collaboration after a decade of sonic estrangement following the demise of their Spiritual Sky Blues Band project. Listening to these songs, you’d never know they spent any time apart. The tight, bottom-wagging jams on offer are evidence that these two are joined together at the third eye. Anderson’s grooves run deep, and Dunn — whether he’s traipsing along on guitar, keys or flutes — is right there with him. There’s enough fuzz here to satiate the heads, but the real treat here is the rhythmic interplay. Strap in and prepare to get down.

Bryon Hayes

Bob Vylan — We Live Here EP (Venn Records)

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Bob Vylan flew under the radar in 2020 successfully enough that when someone nominated them for the best of 2020 poll in Tom Ewing’s Peoples’ Pop Polls project on Twitter (each month a different year or category gets voted on in World Cup-style brackets, it’s great fun and only occasionally maddening), most of the reaction was “is that one a typo?” Nobody had that response after listening to “We Live Here” — my wife also participates in the poll, so we just play all the candidates in our apartment, and Bob Vylan was the first time both of our jaws dropped in amazement; the song got played about ten times in a row at that point. Bobby (vocals/guitar/production) and Bobbie (drums/“spiritual inspiration”) Vylan’s 18-minute EP lives up to that title track, fireball after fireball aimed directly at the corrupt, crumbling, racist state that seems utterly indifferent to human suffering unless there’s profit in it. Whether it’s the raging catharsis of the title track or the cool, precise hostility of “Lynch Your Leaders,” Bob Vylan have made something vital and essential here, that very much speaks to 2020 but sadly will stay relevant long past it.

Ian Mathers

Working Men’s Club — Working Men’s Club (Heavenly Recordings)

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It’s been evident these past few years that I’ve retreated from music and committed myself to the slower world of books as a way of giving my mind a break from the accelerating madness outside, but I could never really leave my radio family the same way I could never really leave Dusted. Another great example why: A fellow CHIRP volunteer played “John Cooper Clarke” in a December Zoom social I actually managed to catch, and I’ve been addicted to Working Men’s Club’s debut LP from October ever since. The quartet hails from Todmodren, a market town you won’t be surprised upon listening to discover is roughly equidistant between Leeds and Manchester; the album screams Hacienda vibes in its seamless integration of post-punk signifiers and dancefloor style. It’s easy to bandy about names from Rip It Up and Start Again or even The Velvet Underground in 12-minute closer “Angel,” certainly one of the most arresting tracks of the year, but the thing that struck me immediately is that this was the record I’d always anticipated but never got from Factory Floor — smart, aloof and occasionally calculated, yet still fun enough to play for any crowd itching to move. Until the community of a dance party or Working Men’s Club live set is once again possible, patience and a fully formed first album will have to suffice. You’ll have to imagine the part where I corner you at the party to rave about it, I’m afraid.

Patrick Masterson

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brandi-the-fine-girl · 5 years

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76th Golden Globe Awards Predictions

Let’s be real here. The Golden Globes are the biggest joke of Hollywood (right after the Emmy’s that is). Remember when they nominated The Tourist in the Comedy/Musical category? Or when they gave the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress to Jennifer Lawrence instead of Lupita Nyong’o? Or when Get Out was nominated in Comedy/Musical (even though, yes, it was a dark comedy at times)?

So it comes as no surprise that this year’s list of nominees follows the same path. The Golden Globes are the biggest wild card of all award shows and the Hollywood Foreign Press loves to throw curveballs. With that said, here are my predictions for the 76th Golden Globe Awards.

Best Motion Picture - Drama

Will win: A Star Is Born

Should win: A Star Is Born

Dark Horse: Black Panther

Look, I loved Black Panther. And the fact that it has gained this much momentum during award season is a victory for Marvel Studios. But I’m expecting a sweep for A Star Is Born. Now, that doesn’t mean ASIB will maintain this momentum for the rest of award season. The HFPA likes to play favorites and I’m sure ASIB will be this year’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (which won four Golden Globes last year). But a win for Black Panther would be huge and make it a bigger contender for the Oscars.

Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical

Will win: Green Book

Should win: Crazy Rich Asians

Dark Horse: Mary Poppins Returns

The Comedy/Musical category is always the oddball category (see above about The Tourist and Get Out). And it’s typically the category where anyone can win. I’m going to go with Green Book since it won the People’s Choice at TIFF this year but with a diverse voting roster (it is the Hollywood FOREIGN Press after all), I wouldn’t count out Crazy Rich Asians.

Best Director

Will win: Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Should win: Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Dark Horse: Adam McKay, Vice

For me, I believe this is the only category A Star Is Born will not win. Cuaron’s beautifully stunning and heartbreaking semi-autobiographical film was featured on Obama’s list of films he saw in 2018. Bradley Cooper’s first directorial feature is a stunning accomplishment but it doesn’t match Cuaron’s ability to paint the anguish and loss in Roma.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Will win: Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Should win: Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Dark Horse: John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman

With a possible loss in the Directing category, Bradley will most like scoop up the Actor in a Drama award. Sure, his character was doomed from the start and it makes for a great challenge for an actor like Bradley. But Rami’s complete transformation into Freddie Mercury has me convinced he should win. Don’t count out John David Washington in BlacKkKlansman though. He’s new to the scene as an actor (he is Denzel Washington’s son) but his performance is definitely one to look out for.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

Will win: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Should win: Glenn Close, The Wife

Dark Horse: Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Once again, I’m predicting a sweep for A Star Is Born but I don’t think Lady Gaga will snag two Oscars come Oscar night (that is, if she is nominated for songwriting and Best Actress). Glenn Close is well overdue for some awards love and it seems like her time might come.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical

Will win: Christian Bale, Vice

Should win: Christian Bale, Vice

Dark Horse: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins Returns

It’s hard for me to choose anyone else when Christian Bale is in a category. This is the man that got rail thin for his roles in The Machinist and The Fighter (the latter of which he did win Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars) and bulked up for Batman Begins (gaining 100 pounds) almost six months after filming The Machinist. His transformation into the notorious Dick Cheney seems like typical awards bait to me. But let’s not count out the lovable Lin-Manuel Miranda. The man works hard on stage and screen. I’d love to see a win for him

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical

Will win: Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Should win: Constance Wu, Crazy Rich Asians

Dark Horse: Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns

The category is such a wild card for me. I’m sure by the end of 2019, everyone will know who Olivia Colman is. From the little bit I’ve seen of The Favourite, she’s amazing. However, I do think Constance Wu is more deserving of the accolades. This category could really go to anyone and with the lovable Emily Blunt also nominated, it could possibly go to the legendary Mary Poppins herself.

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Will win: Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Should win: Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy

Dark Horse: Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

Look, before you rip me to shreds, here me out. I have loved Mahershala Ali since he was on House of Cards and he was painfully robbed in 2017 when the HFPA gave Best Supporting Actor to Aaron Taylor-Johnson instead of Mahershala. It feels like Mahershala deserves the accolades as a “sorry we gave it to someone else and then you ended up winning the Oscar anyways.” However, I just watched Beautiful Boy last night and Timothée kills it. I’m not some crazy fangirl. I just know a good performance when I see one. Let’s not count out Adam Driver, though, who knocks it out of the park in BlacKkKlansman.

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Will win: Amy Adams, Vice

Should win: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Dark Horse: Claire Foy, First Man

Since Amy Adams most likely won’t win for Best Actress in Mini Series (more on that later), I’m hoping this is where she gets her due. The woman is long overdue for the awards love (a lot like Glenn Close). She’s basically the female Leonardo DiCaprio, if you must. The fact that Regina King did not nab a SAG Award nomination for If Beale Street Could Talk is a little ominous (side note: the acting branch is the largest branch of the Academy and a lack of SAG nomination is very telling). I like to hope that she can pick up a Globe as recognition for her stunning work. To me, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone split the vote so my Dark Horse goes to Claire Foy. I wouldn’t be surprised if HFPA voters’ obsession with her throws us a curveball in this category.

Best Screenplay

Will win: Adam McKay, Vice

Should win: Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Dark Horse: Bryan Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga, Green Book

This is usually a difficult category considering the Oscars split the Screenplay category into Adapted and Original. The HFPA likes to play it safe by awarding previous winners and nominees so I’m going with Adam McKay who won the Oscar for The Big Short. Alfonso Cuaron is equally deserving if Best Director doesn’t go his way. But come Oscar time, I’m expecting a win for Green Book.

Best Original Score

Will win: Alexandre Desplat, Isle of Dogs

Should win: Ludwig Goransson, Black Panther

Dark Horse: Marco Beltrami, A Quiet Place

Alexandre Desplat won last year for The Shape of Water (a well-deserved win if I do say so myself) but I feel Ludwig Goransson may have a chance here.

Best Original Song

Will win: “Shallow”

Should win: “Shallow” or “All The Stars”

Dark Horse: “Girl in the Movies”

Probably the easiest category of the evening. You can’t turn on any radio station without hearing “Shallow.” And rightfully so. The dynamic between Bradley and Gaga is mesmerizing and Gaga’s high note is the most memorable part of it. However, I wouldn’t mind some recognition to “All The Stars.” Personally, I feel like “Pray For Me” is the better song but let’s give some love to Kendrick and SZA if we can.

Best Animated Feature Film

Will win: The Incredibles 2

Should win: The Incredibles 2

Dark Horse: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

I mean, no contest, this one goes to The Incredibles 2. Very rarely does Pixar lose an award (exceptions go to Cars 2 and Monsters University) but if it does, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse might take it.

Best Foreign Language Film

Will win: Roma

Should win: Roma

Dark Horse: Girl

Again, no contest, Roma. But Girl could take it since it won the Caméra d’Or and the Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. Unfortunately, the film did not make the short list for the Best Foreign Language Film category for this year’s Oscars so maybe it may get its due here.

Best Television Series - Drama

Will win: The Americans

Should win: The Americans

Dark Horse: Pose

After six seasons, The Americans ended on a high note. It felt painfully under-appreciated at the Emmys this year, so maybe this is where it will get its due. However, don’t overlook Pose since everything Ryan Murphy touches turns to awards gold.

Best Television Series - Comedy/Musical

Will win: Barry

Should win: Barry

Dark Horse: Kidding

After winning big at the Emmys, I’m predicting some major love for Barry. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is last year’s winner which may hinder Barry’s chances but the HFPA does tend to choose different winners every year.

Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama

Will win: Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Should win: Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Dark Horse: Richard Madden, Bodyguard

After scooping up an Emmy, Matthew Rhys will probably continue his awards sweep with a Golden Globe. Billy Porter may give him a run for his money in Pose (he was also wonderful in American Horror Story: Apocalypse). If we want a shocker, the HFPA could go with Richard Madden in Bodyguard. Good looks aside, Madden portrays a former British Army sergeant with PTSD fantastically. It is unclear if Bodyguard has been greenlit for a second season but a Globes win might cement that status.

Best Actress in a Television Series - Drama

Will win: Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Should win: Keri Russell, The Americans

Dark Horse: Julia Roberts, Homecoming

One half of our emcees for the evening, expect Sandra Oh to pick up a Globe as well. Keri Russell was horribly robbed at the Emmys so she is more deserving for her final season of The Americans. America’s Sweetheart Julia Roberts is a threat to these two with the inaugural season of her Amazon Prime series Homecoming. Here’s where you can possibly expect a big shocker but I’m still sticking with Ms. Christina Yang herself.

Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical

Will win: Bill Hader, Barry

Should win: Bill Hader, Barry

Dark Horse: Jim Carrey, Kidding

I’ve always had a soft spot for Bill Hader since he was on Saturday Night Live. Starring as a former Marine-turned hitman-turned aspiring actor is the most Bill Hader thing that Bill Hader could possibly do. Jim Carrey has been placing himself more in the comedy/drama (aka “dramedy”) category as of recent years so don’t count him out in this race.

Best Actress in a Television Series - Comedy/Musical

Will win: Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Should win: Alison Brie, GLOW

Dark Horse: Kristen Bell, The Good Place

Rachel Brosnahan could possibly be a repeat winner here. Season two of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is getting just as great reviews as season one did (if not as great, then better). Personally, I feel Alison Brie deserves it but Candice Bergen may come through with the win as well. However, this Kristen Bell’s first-ever Golden Globe nomination so she could very well take it.

Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film

Will win: Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Should win: Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Dark Horse: Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

We’ve come a long way since A Very Potter Musical, haven’t we? Darren Criss’s portrayal as Versace’s murderer Andrew Cunanan is one of the best performances I’ve seen in recent years. The creepy smile underneath his hand as he sees the news that Versace has been killed makes him a lock for this category.

Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film

Will win: Laura Dern, The Tale

Should win: Amy Adams, Sharp Objects

Dark Horse: Regina King, Seven Seconds

Like I said above, I’m hoping Amy Adams will get her due in the Best Supporting Actress category because it seems like she won’t get it here. Laura Dern is a favorite of the HFPA so she most likely will win. Amy Adams is the more deserving here but if things don’t work out for Best Supporting Actress, I’m hoping the HFPA does a flip-flop gives it to her here. Regina King won the Emmy for Seven Seconds but she seems like a long shot here.

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film

Will win: Henry Winkler, Barry

Should win: Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Dark Horse: Kieran Culkin, Succession

It’s always been odd to me that the Golden Globes don’t split their supporting television categories. Sure, it makes for great competition but it’s also incredibly unfair. I’m going with Henry Winkler in Barry (who was well overdue for that Emmy) but Edgar Ramirez definitely should be the winner in my eyes. Kieran Culkin (the only nominee for HBO’s Succession) could pull a surprise win here.

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film

Will win: Penélope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Should win: Penélope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story OR Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects OR Thandie Newton, Westworld

Dark Horse: Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale

This is, quite possibly, the most competitive category of the entire award show. And, yet again, another reason why it’s absurd that the Golden Globes don’t split their supporting television categories. Alex Borstein and Thandie Newton both have the upper hand in this category since they both won Emmys in the supporting actress categories in comedy and drama, respectively. But their recent Emmy wins could cancel them out, making way for either Penélope Cruz or Patricia Clarkson to nab the award. I’m going with Penélope though since she was robbed of the Emmy. I am hoping for an Emmy win for Patricia Clarkson come September.

Best Miniseries or Television Film

Will win: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Should win: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Dark Horse: A Very English Scandal

Riveting from start to finish with stunning performances from the cast, Versace is a lock. In any other year, I’d give it to Sharp Objects but the show also lagged a bit. If I hadn’t read the book, I might have been bored. The series was more of a performance piece for the actors instead of being a masterpiece as a whole. Versace has it all. And, of course, it’s another Ryan Murphy masterpiece.

Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh host the 76th Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 6 at 8 pm EST/5:00 pm PST.

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chicagoindiecritics · 4 years

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New from Kevin Wozniak on Kevflix: Best of the 2010s – Best Performances

I saw a lot of movies over the last decade and with that, I saw a lot of performances too. The amount of great performances I saw over the last ten years was ridiculous, so making this list was incredibly tough and took a number of rewatches and some deep thinking. What makes a great performance? The key factor for me when making this list was which performance had the biggest impact on me. Which performances do I think about constantly? Which performances come back to me every now and then and I think about how great they are? Which performances to I look up on YouTube just to get a glimpse of greatness?

For this list, I broke it down like the Oscars, where there is Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, and Best Actor. For each category, I ranked my ten favorite performances, with my favorite performance of each category taking the number one spot. I will then give a brief description as to why I picked the number one choice.

One rule for each category: if an actor had multiple excellent performances, the actor can only be on the list once and I can only choose one of their great performances. An example would be say, Jennifer Lawrence, who gave great performances in Winter’s Bone and Silver Linings Playbook, yet I can only choose one of the two. Now, an actor can appear in two different categories (be prepared for a couple of those) but not multiple times in the same category. Get it? Great.

Here are my picks for the best performances of the 2010s.

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Alicia Vikander, Ex-Machina

Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year

Leslie Manville, Phantom Thread

Tilda Swinton, The Souvenir

What I noticed when making my top ten Best Supporting Actress list was that the list was filled with actors who had put in work for years and finally got a performance that they could sink their teeth in to. Performances like Regina King in If Beale Street Could Talk, Leslie Manville in Phantom Thread, and Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids proved just how great of actors they were. But the best supporting actress performance of the decade came from a debut performance from an actress who became a star. Lupita Nyong’o gives one of the truly great debut performances in recent cinematic history in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave. Nyong’o plays Patsey, the best cotton picker on the Epps plantation, yet also one who is subject to endless abuse. This is a heartbreaking, remarkable performance filled with as much love and honesty as heartbreak and pain. Nyong’o’s strongest scene comes when Patsey gets scolded by Epps for going to a different plantation only to find out that it was for a bar of soap so she could clean herself. You see the desperation in Nyong’o’s eyes as she pleads to Epps to not whip her, only to see all hope vanish when Epps sets up to give whip her. It’s an extraordinary performance and one that launched a star.

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BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

JK Simmons, Whiplash

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Joe Pesci, The Irishman

James Franco, Spring Breakers

Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Christian Bale, The Fighter

Nick Nolte, Warrior

Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained

Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther

Alden Ehrenreich, Hail, Caesar!

When looking at the Best Supporting Actor performances of the decade, both the ones listed and the ones, this was where the strongest performances of the decade came from. The quantity of great supporting actor performances is endless and the quality goes unmatched. Though I made a list of ten, the top spot was a four horse race between James Franco, Joe Pesci, Mahershala Ali, and the winner, JK Simmons. Most people will look at Simmons performance as the tyrannical music teacher Fletcher and focus on the his loud, vulgar insults and coaching methods throughout the film. But the scene that solidified his performance for the top spot was a quiet conversation between Fletcher and one of his former students, Andrew (Miles Teller). This is where we learn that Fletcher is more than just a deranged, obsessive music teacher and see him as an actual human, speaking from the heart and even cracking a joke or two. But we also learn his perspective on his tactics and Simmons delivers it, making us actually understand this man and delivering the scene with an earnestness and passion of a man who believes his methods. Simmons was a character actor for years and his performance in Whiplash was the performance Simmons had worked his whole career for.

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BEST ACTRESS

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Toni Collette, Hereditary

Lupita Nyong’o, Us

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Shailene Woodley, The Fault in Our Stars

What I noticed when looking at the performances for Best Actress was that a lot of actresses had multiple lead performances that could have made this list. Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, and Jennifer Lawrence (who didn’t make the list) all had multiple great lead performances this decade. Natalie Portman had the two strongest lead performances of any actress this decade with her work in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan and in Pablo Larraín’s Jackie. These performances would have landed number one and two on the list, but because of the rule of one per category, I had to pick between the two and it was Portman’s performance in Black Swan that blew me away when I first saw it and still blows me away to this day. This is a performance that is as physically impressive as it is emotionally, as Portman plays a ballerina obsessed with becoming the best. Portman did all her dancing and watching her go from a shy, quiet dancer to the darker, meaner one is an emotional rollercoaster that Portman nails. Rightfully winning an Oscar for her performance, Portman has never been better and there was no better lead actress performance this decade.

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BEST ACTOR

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems

Michael B. Jordan, Creed

Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network

Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher

Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out

Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

If there were an actor of the decade, there’s a good argument to be made that the decade belonged to Leonardo DiCaprio. Starring in eight films over the decade and being genuinely great in seven of them (sorry, J. Edgar), DiCaprio proved he is one of the all-time greats. I already put DiCaprio’s performance in Django Unchained on the Best Supporting Actor list, but his best performance of the decade was in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. This is a balls-to-the-wall performance full of non-stop energy. DiCaprio flexed his superstar muscle as Jordan Belfort, a one time penny-stock broker who rose fast in the stock market, only to have his life crumble in a whirlwind of a corruption, greed, and drugs. DiCaprio carries this three-hour epic, taking us on this wild and crazy journey, flashing his comedic chops, yet making a despicable human being so compelling and captivating, showing us a man obsessed with his money and his power. DiCaprio commands the screen in the best performance of his career.

Follow Kevflix on Twitter and Instagram, @kevflix, and on Facebook by searching Kevflix.

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tallulah-for-a-dream-blog · 7 years

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‘mother!’ (2017) REVIEW

Woah. What a strange experience that was...

Tonight I saw the film ‘mother!’, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, directed by the fabulous Darren Aronofsky. I have to say, it is unlike any other film I’ve experienced - it has left me feeling quite unnerved, and just down-right weirded out. However, first I MUST comment on how utterly I N C R E D I B L E Jennifer Lawrence was in this film. I’m not usually a huge fan of hers (I don't dislike her, but I don't love her either), but I was blown away by her performance tonight. She almost single-handedly created an unbearable amount of suspense throughout the film with her calm and collected manner in such a chaotic, terrifying environment. Watching such a gentle character become neurotic and paranoid (and for good reason) gives the film such high intensity that it becomes increasingly harder to watch. Aronofsky places his audience in Lawrence’s shoes throughout the entire film - we only know and see as much as she does; no more, no less. As Lawrence is kept in the dark from the very first scene, so are we. We rely on her for some kind of explanation as to what the heck is going on. The use of fast, spinning camera shots disorietnates the audience, leaving us feeling just as dizzy and confused as Lawrence through the duration of the film. Her relationship with Javier Bardem’s character of her husband is immediately portrayed as strange and dysfunctional from the get-go; he barely shows her any affection (despite the loyalty and pure love she so obviously shows him), she seems to do everything around the house (literally building it from a pile of ash) which, just as everything else she does, goes unnoticed, and unappreciated. Their on-screen chemistry was nearly just as odd as the film itself - there didn't seem to be much between them which I suppose worked for the film overall, but they didn't really bounce off each other in the slightest, making it seem that bit less realistic. Bardem was surprisingly the weaker performer of the two and actually seemed to drag the film down a little (which is something I never thought I’d say!) with his almost wooden portrayal of a supposedly crazed husband.

Despite Lawrence’s performance, the film was a let-down for me. I had high hopes which were unfortunately not met. The first half was pretty great, but like many films, the second half just didn’t live up. The plot seemed to slip into something ridiculous after a while which was a stark contrast to the beginning’s intense and mysterious atmosphere, which kept me and the rest of the theatre on the edge of their seats. The unknown is what was best about this film. And when we see what was going on (and struggle to actually understand it), it was completely anti-climactic, feeling like a rip-off of Rosemary’s Baby. The eerily quiet scenes from the beginning of the film became loud and annoying in the second half. There was too much going on, which is the complete opposite of what was good about the film in the first place! The small cast of characters, the silent house, this all became obselete and just ended up being one noisy mess. The last half an hour become unnecessarily disturbing to the point where it becomes uncomfortable to look at the screen and the panic of Lawrence’s character rubs off on the audience to the point it makes you wince in your seat.

Mother! is a very intense thriller/horror which will most definitely have a huge effect on anyone who watches it, be it a positive or negative effect. It was extremely difficult for me to enjoy the second half of the film, especially after being so immersed in the first part, and thus left me disappointedly walking out of the cinema. It’s brilliantly shot and has a stand-out performance from Jennifer Lawrence, but this was not enough to save the film for me...

Let me know what you thought of it, and whether you agree or disagree with me!

Tallulah xox

#jennifer lawrence #mother!#mother #javier bardem #film review #film #review #darren aronofsky

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theseventhhex · 7 years

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The Big Moon Interview

The Big Moon

London four-piece The Big Moon are pleased to announce details of their forthcoming debut album. Recorded in London throughout last summer, ‘Love In The 4th Dimension’ is a 11 track LP showcasing what this young band brimming with confidence is capable of. The band spent twelve joyous summer days in the studio experimenting, shredding and hitting things until all the right noises happened at once. The thrilling debut release showcases a wide-ranging dynamic that delivers a high energy, combining elements of punk-pop and grunge, alongside soaring guitar leads, alluring vocal harmonies and infectious melodies… We talk to Juliette Jackson and Celia Archer about working with Catherine Marks, performing for BBC Radio 1 and Pret a Manger…

TSH: During the forming of your debut record nothing felt stressful, rushed, or difficult…

Juliette: It was so satisfying to finally commit all our songs to record, knowing that the way we made them then would be the way they were forever.

TSH: From your point of view, how would you personally characterise the mood and intent of ‘Love In the 4th Dimension’?

Juliette: I'd say the mood of the album is energetic and passionate with occasional slow jams, plenty of mucking around and a lot of epic feelings. It's a box of Fox's family favourites. There's something delicious for all the family.

TSH: Talk us through the valuable nature of having Catherine Marks on board to nurture the sound…

Juliette: Catherine is just a fucking boss. Without her there'd be no album. Well, we'd do one but it'd be 17 times more rubbish.

Celia: Precisely 17 times.

TSH: What lead to the decision to playing with more dry and distorted sounds?

Juliette: Choosing sounds isn't really a decision making process, it's an instinctive thing, you just knob twiddle until it sounds good to you.

TSH: In what way was the track ‘Formidable’ an articulation of a feeling you felt you got right?

Juliette: I wrote that song in about 2 hours very late at night and it all just splurted out, those moments are so special and sort of divine, it's like you're not even there and all this stuff is just kind of travelling through you.

Celia: Getting that song from Jules was very exciting. We learnt it very quickly and it came together super naturally. The first time we played the whole thing all the way through and made all the right noises at the right time felt incredibly special.

TSH: With regards to ‘The Road’ – did you draw from certain time spent at parties and not feeling too good?

Juliette: Yeah, the end of the night and that moment when you have that realisation, like a revelation, you're drunk enough to feel bold and make a big decision, like, I'm done with this and I can see that clearly now.

TSH: What resonates with you most about a track like ‘Sucker’?

Juliette: The shredding.

Celia: Apart from our second gig, we've always closed our set with ‘Sucker’ and jumping around on stage with the others and playing the outro of that song live at the end of a show is one of my favourite things to do in the whole world and I feel so lucky that I get to do it all the time. I also love the way that even in songs where Jules is coming from a more vulnerable position, like this one and ‘Nothing Without You’, there's still this strength that comes out and she's still in control.

TSH: Did the tropical theme in the studio give out positive vibes?

Juliette: It was quite nice to cuddle the inflatable banana during times of anguish.

TSH: What kind of contrast do you gravitate towards with your songwriting?

Juliette: I think songs are all about contrast. A beautiful bit of harmony sounds ten times better if it's surrounded by a cacophony. And likewise, a beautiful quiet bit feels quieter next to a loud bit. Those kind of jarring moments make everything more potent.

TSH: What are the main incentives that you bear in mind with The Big Moon’s live offerings?

Juliette: We offer free dessert and BYOB with every show. Subject to terms and conditions.

TSH: Speaking of playing live, how was the experience of doing a BBC Radio 1 live session with Huw Stephens?

Juliette: So cool! It as a dream to go to Maida Vale and do that.

Celia: That was one of the coolest things I've ever done.

TSH: Moreover, what did you enjoy mostly in touring with Blaenavon?

Juliette: Ben's eyebrows.

Celia: Frank's bass face.

TSH: What kind of vibe did Kit Harrington give off after he walked past you in a bar after a gig?

Juliette: Brooding.

TSH: What was your reaction to hearing The Big Moon in Pret?

Juliette: I got so over excited the man at the counter gave me a free cup of tea and told me to sit down.

Celia: I haven't been lucky enough to experience it yet. I'll probably lose my shit though. Hopefully I'll be with a pal. Oh wait! A friend literally just texted me to say she's in Pret and they're playing us! We should totally get a discount. Do Pret have the equivalent of a Nando’s black card? If so, I would like that please.

TSH: Is unwinding via watching Bob’s Burgers satisfying during your downtime?

Juliette: Yes!

Celia: Very. Also, I'm also eagerly awaiting season 3 of Rick and Morty. That always helps.

TSH: What’s been getting played mostly on your YouTube binges?

Celia: I get into holes watching interviews on late night American chat shows - mainly with Emma Stone, Anna Kendrick and Jennifer Lawrence. I find myself laughing along as if we're actually friends or on a date. This is sounding much lamer now I'm typing it out in an interview. I probably should reassess this behaviour. But honestly there's this one segment from a Jenny Slate interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers that I've watched about a hundred times and every time I find it hilarious and am convinced that if we met in real life we'd really hit it off!

TSH: Finally, what’s the band ethos as you look ahead?

Juliette: I'm ready to grow out my fringe.

Celia: I'm hoping that this interview will circulate the internet in a way that enables me to get a Pret black card for free sandwiches and mac and cheese and also become best friends with Jenny Slate!

The Big Moon - “Formidable”

Love In the 4th Dimension

#Interview #The Big Moon

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