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malaismere · 2 years

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thinking about 4-sided dive and Taliesin talking about Bells Hells being npcs and like...

Reality itself works so different for PCs and NPCs. There’s the obvious class level things but also like. Death saves are a PC thing - it’s an optional rule for NPCs and honestly not widely used. Unless they’re the big bad, or it’s specified nonlethal, basically anyone the main characters knock to 0 is instantly dead, whereas you usually have to work to kill a PC permanently.

There are a lot of fallacies that dnd parties tend to fall into as they get higher levels and less attached to the world. Getting super rich and just giving away gold like it’s nothing when it’s a full days labor. Expecting to find high level magic items for sale in backwater towns or get someone to cast spells for them. Being surprised that the random townie they hit has <5 hp.

Main Characters get to live in the cartoon logic world where they can get stabbed in the gut and be better with a good nights rest, versus everyone else living in this grimdark world where all of these attacks cause serious, permanent injuries, and even if they do get brought up from 0 they’ve got months of recovery.

Every other member of the Bells Hells has either always been close enough to Adventurers that they got caught in the bubble (Orym, FCG) or have been weird long enough they forgot it’s not normal (Chetney, Laudna, Imogen) if they ever knew (Fearne). But Ashton? Ashton feels like they still view the world the way they did as an npc thug.

Of course you run and leave people behind. The only healing you have is potions, and once someone’s down chances are even that won’t bring them up. What’re you gonna do with a corpse, bury it? That’s not worth a life, you leave them behind, no second thoughts...

And going from cartoon world to grimdark world is scary af, suddenly realizing what you do leaves scars - but it’s nothing compared to the reverse. Going from violence having consequences to it all being fixed in the morning. Learning that this could all have been fixed so easily but instead you were watching people be hurt - learning that it’s relatively cheap to bring people back from the dead. That’s horrifying.

#critical role #Ashton greymoore #bells hells #cr meta #this is very ramble but is like 2am I’m justified #something about the hells saying you never leave someone behind to the cut purse who tried to run #while they had everyone else dead on the ground and outnumbered 8 to 1 #and the expectation from the group Ashton was gonna kill the wizard #and instead they just rifled through their pockets and stole their shit like a cutscene reset #def projecting some of my favorite tropes here but #it’s the way adventuring parties don’t internalize the fact that what they do is just murder #vs the POV of someone deeply aware of the fact #and like he’s fine with it but he’s kind of worried that they don’t get it

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eclectic-aussie · 4 years

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Going into Season 7: Question #1

It’s apparently a day my brain has decided to wonder about random stuff for some reason and something I can’t help but wonder is: How much does Bellamy know about what happened in his absence while saving Clarke? We saw that Clarke knows about Madi’s bone marrow being used to make the Nightblood solution, but does Bellamy?

I mean Echo stated she’d look after them all while he was trying to save Clarke from Josephine, with the hope of bringing back her chip to reach a peaceful solution with the Primes. Instead she kind of did the opposite. Echo blackmailed Ryker, their only real hope of an ally among the Primes, into telling the parents of his and his mothers Host’s that their children were gone (and self-righteously mocked him with stuff about now “being on the right side” when he was ostensibly betraying his family) which led to Rykers’ Host’s father killing Simone in retaliation and Russell deciding to kill ALL of the prisoners, not just one, so…yeah good work there Echo. And then when she was taken into custody and Ryker was tasked with making her Simone to make up for the things he did while being blackmailed by Echo, she stalled with telling him about her past and then when Gaia and Miller turned up and Ryker was unarmed and outnumbered, Echo killed him while stating Queen Nia’s philosophy of ‘Hesitation is Death’ which is the exact opposite of Monty’s ‘Do Better, Be the Good Guys’ which she is only seen agreeing with when with Bellamy, hmm...

With their lives on the line Murphy told Russell about the Nightblood solution using bone-marrow with Raven both backing up his claims and then convincing Abby to help when Russell demanded it be taken from Madi; the 12-year-old child soldier who was already battling Sheidheda in her head, while also trying to keep up hope that Bellamy would be able to save her mother before it was too late and later thought he had failed because Clarke went undercover as Josephine to save everyone she can, not just Spacekru. They even would have had to take a lethal amount if Abby hadn’t made herself a Nightblood for the last doses to protect Madi like she promised Clarke.

So to recap: Echo ignores Bellamy’s plan of a possible peaceful resolution in order to sow decent which ends up almost getting them all killed. Murphy and Raven completely spit in Marcus Kane’s face and completely undid his sacrifice in order to make sure no-one else would become Hosts and be erased like his Host did. Murphy and Emori become ‘Primes’ and Raven tries to isolate Sheidheda while watching Madi get sicker and weaker as she struggled with Sheidheda and losing the majority of her bone marrow.

Back to my question though, how much of this does Bellamy actually know about? I mean, last he heard they’d used Josephine!Clarke to convince Abby to make Nightblood solution the non-dangerous way (comparatively speaking) and Madi was in some trouble, but had about…8-9 adults supposedly looking out for her? Then he comes back, how much do the others actually tell him and what do they kind of gloss over? Why does this remind me of ‘Season 5: Spacekru’s version of events edition’?

I kind of wish we had a scene while Clarke was with the Primes and Bellamy was on the ground where Echo & Murphy are trying to tell him their version of what happened while he was gone with Miller having none of it, and filled in on stuff he didn’t see himself by Gaia, and butting in when they try to minimise what happened. Example:

John Murphy: “...so we were all tied up about to be burned alive-“

Nathan Miller: “Yeah, thanks for that Echo.”

Echo: “How was that my fault?”

NM: “Ahh, because you were the one that blackmailed Ryker into telling his Host’s dad that his kid was dead which led to him killing Simone and Russell trying to kill us all instead of just Murphy?”

JM: “Hey, who’s telling the story here?!”

E: “How was I supposed to know he’d react that way?”

NM: “What reaction did you think he was going to have when he just found out his ‘Gods’ murdered his kid? What kind of spy can’t figure out basic cause and effect?”

JM: “Anyway, as I was saying, we were all tied up and about to burn when I thought about Becca and how there was a second way to make Nightblood solution, which interested Russell enough to let us go while Abby and Jackson made some-“

Bellamy: “Wait, didn’t Abby already help them make Nightblood solution on the ship? What happened to that?”

JM: *cough* “Well…Abby made Kane a Prime using some random guard as a Host so he floated himself taking the Nightblood solution they made with him so no-one else could become a Host.”

B: “Wait Kane’s DEAD?! He felt strongly enough about the Host’s and Primes to kill himself and take what remained of the Nightblood solution with him and you just hand over the solution of how to make more?!”

JM: “Hey, it was that or burn, man!”

B: “And is that how Ryker died? Did Russell force him to ‘donate’ his bone-marrow so the rest of the Primes could be brought back?”

JM: “Yeeeeah, about that…see Russell didn’t trust us enough to risk us using it as an excuse to kill one of his own, and Clarke was with you, which left us with…”

*After a moment*

B: “MADI?! You took the bone marrow from a 12-year-old kid? Are you out of you damn minds?! Didn’t she have enough to go through with almost losing Clarke and having Sheidheda trying to take her over, you have to make her a science experiment too? You call that protecting her?!”

NM: “Oh, we’re not done yet.”

B: “God damn it, I need a drink.”

#the 100 #Bellamy Blake #John Murphy #Nathan Miller #season 7 spec #E/cho #Madi Griffin #The Primes #Unanswered Questions

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loveisalwayswise · 5 years

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The 100 Ask Game

I was tagged by @foreverandalwayscrysis! Thank you ;)

1. What Station on the Ark would you be from? Probably Factory station because my parents both work in insurance and there’s nothing like it on the ark, but since I’m training to be a chemical engineer, I’d probably transfer to Mecha or Hydra.

2. What would you get arrested for on the Ark? Stealing medecine/supplies to help someone.

3. Would you take off your wristband when you landed on the ground? No, I’d keep it because I’d probably follow Clarke everywhere haha.

4. What would the necklace Finn would make for you look like? (Clarke: deer/Raven: a raven duh..) A lynx

5. If you could resurrect any MINOR character who would it be? Wells, without hesitation. Or Roan. My boys.

6. Create a squad of 5 characters to go on missions with. Who are they? Clarke, Bellamy, Murphy, Wells and Roan

7. What Grounder Clan would you belong to? Floukru

8. What would your name be in Trigedasleng? I have no idea how my name would be changed (it’s Ariane so? maybe add an h? or an apostrophe somewhere?)

9. Thoughts on Finn? Some people hate him, and others love him, so I’m curious. I never liked him. I disliked him from the moment he got the kids killed in the pilot. It was obviously a bad idea to go floating around in a falling space shuttle.

10. Be honest. How willing would you have been to take the chip without knowing all the horrible things it does? I would’ve been completely unwilling. I don’t even drink alcohol, the chip would horrify me.

11. What character do you relate to most? 100% Clarke and it always will be. I’m the kind of person who looks at the pragmatic solution first and foremost.

12. What character do you like the least? Is this even a question? E/cho. Always E/cho. The best moment of my life was when Roan banished her, and the worst was when they decided to bring her to space so that she could survive. Fuck that.

13. Describe your delinquent outfit. (Would you wear something like Murphy’s jacket with the spikey red shoulder patch or have a trademark like Jasper’s goggles? Be creative, yet practical) Jeans, sneakers, a warm shirt and a blue pastel rain coat (with many hidden pockets)

14. Favorite type of mutant animal? I loved the underwater animal they encountered in the pilot even if we never really saw it, and I would love to see more, even if I wouldn’t want to see it in real life.

15. What would your job be on the Ark? Chemical engineer

16. Would you have willingly pumped Ontari’s heart if Abby asked? Yes, and I probably would’ve volunteered before she asked.

17. If Lexa wasn’t Heda, but she was still alive, then who would have made the best commander? I really love Roan, but maybe Indra or Luna (before she went “let everyone die”)

18. How would you act if you ate the hallucinogenic nuts like Jasper and Monty? I’d probably go hide in a corner until it was over

19. How would you have dealt with Charlotte’s crime? A more John Murphy approach or Bellamy Blake approach? More like Bellamy.

20. Who should have been the Chancellor, if anyone? The political system on the ark seems a little bit broken (which political system isn’t?), but if I had to choose, I’d prefer either s1 Abby or s2 Kane.

21. Would you have been on Pike’s side like Bellamy or on Kane’s side? Or Clarke in Polis? Kane. I wouldn’t have been on Pike’s side at all, but even after all this time, I still dislike the Grounder society, so I wouldn’t want abide by their rules in Polis.

22. Mount Weather had a lot of modern commodities. (example: Maya’s iPod) What is the one thing you would snatch while there? Anything that could be used to play music and/or play games and/or read a lot of books.

23. What would your Grounder tattoos look like? Hairstyle? War paint? I wouldn’t have any war paint, but I would probably get tattoos on both my arms, I’d want them to be really intricate, and abstract. I’d probably wear my hair loose or in a French braid.

24. Favorite quote? I have so many! It’s either "You may be the chancellor, but I'm in charge” (Clarke), "Maybe life should be about more than just surviving." (Clarke) or "Who we are and who we need to be to survive are very different things" (Bellamy)

25. If all of the characters were in the Hunger Games, who would have the best shot at winning? It depends on the season of the show. In s1, I’d said probably a grounder (Roan, Indra, Luna and Lexa would definitely be in the finals). By the end of s2, I’d say Clarke or Bellamy might have a chance. By s3, Clarke would be the clear winner for me.

26. Least favorite ship? Favorite canon ship? Favorite non-canon ship?

Least favorite: B/echo

Favorite canon ship: Marper

Favorite non-canon: Bellarke. Always.

27. A song that should be included in the next season? If there had to be another guest star like Shawn Mendes on the show, who would you want to make a cameo? My swiftie side is showing, but anything involving Taylor Swift would make me very happy.

28. What would you do if you were stuck in the bunker with Murphy for all that time? I’d probably spend all my time trying to figure out how to get out of there? Because since we’d be two in the bunker, the food supply would go out twice as fast and we’d probably starve if we stayed as long as Murphy did.

29. You’re an extra that gets killed off. How do you die? In an epic duel (that I almost won, if only my opponent hadn’t cheated) with the villain of the season, a sword through the heart. It makes the delinquents want revenge for my death. ;) ;) ;)

30. A character you’d like to learn more about and get flashbacks of? I know he’s dead, but Roan. I really wanted to learn more about his past.

31. A character you’d bang? Bellamy or Roan or Wells.

32. Would you stay in the Bunker? Go up to Space? Or live on your own in Eden? Before s5 I would’ve said space, but now I want to stay with Clarke and Madi on the ground, and never have to worry about other people ever again (or at least until 6 years later)

33. In the Bunker, would you follow Octavia? What would you do to pass the time underground? Yes, but after the cannibal thing, I probably would’ve made myself as small as possible so that she wouldn’t notice me. Ever. I’d go in complete stealth mode.

34. What crime would you commit in the Bunker that lands you in the fighting pits? Trying to cover for someone who spoke up against Bloreina or did something that would get them in the pits (like stealing).

35. Up in Space, who would you bond with first? Who would be the most difficult for you to get along with? I’d bond with Monty for sure, and I wouldn’t get along with E/cho at all.

36. How long do you think you would last on Earth by yourself? I’d die within 3 days. Because water. And not being able to find it.

37. When the Eligius ship lands what do you do? I’d probably watch from a distance, hidden, to see who they are and what they’re doing. I’d probably realize that they outnumber me, so I’d show myself because there is nowhere else to go on the planet.

38. Favorite Eligius character? Least favorite? DIYOZA!!! SHE’S THE BEST!!! And my least favourite is McCreary (obviously).

39. Would you Spacewalk? Not if it used up vital oxygen, but if I could, I would. I love space.

40. Would you prefer to eat Windshield Bugs, Space Algae, or Bunker Meat? Algea

41. Would you start a war for the last spot of green on earth? What would your solution be to avoid it? No, which is why I would show myself to Eligius in the first place. I don’t want to go to war, and I since I’d be alone against them, I prefer following their rules than trying to take them out.

42. Would you rather dig out flesh-eating worms or stick thumb drives into bullet holes? Neither? Neither? Neither? Please can I do neither?

43. Are you willing to poison your sister for the Traitor Who You Love? What would you do to stop Octavia? I have a brother, and if my brother tried to do what Octavia did to Bellamy, I would poison him. And hope it wouldn’t kill him. But even if I needed to stop him, I would never intentionally be able to kill him. I’d probably even try to stop attempts on his life. So really... don’t count me in to try and stop Octavia if she’s my sister.

44. Would you go to sleep in cryo or stay awake like Marper? Cryo.

45. Who are you waking up first to explore the new planet? Clarke, Bellamy, Murphy and Diyoza. The rest can stay asleep, but I would try to eject E/cho into space at some point.

tagging @hopewolves, @anne-shirley-blythe, @talistheintrovert, @goddess-clarke, @aainiouu, @goosexdanvers, @clarkgriffon, @chants-de-lune, @chase-the-windandtouch-the-sky and @prophecy-gurl

#tag game

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randomrichards · 5 years

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THE BEST MOVIE MOMENTS OF 2018:

HONORABLE MENTION:

The Opening/Closing Credits from BUDDIES

I’m putting this as honorable mention because this is an older movie recently rereleased.

The first film about the AIDS Crisis, Buddies strikes at the heart with its opening credits with a typed list of AIDS victim up to 1985. Set to a mournful score by Jeffrey Olmstead, the never ending list of lives cut short puts you in tears.

Alex Honnold faces Boulder Problem in FREE SOLO

Most thrillers can only wish they could be as gripping as in the moment when Alex Honnold maneuver’s his way through the most challenging section of El Capitan Wall without rope in this Documentary.

Ray Offers Wisdom from Mid90s

“If you looked in anybody else’s closet, you wouldn’t trade your shit for their shit.”

Ray (Na-kel Smith) and his friends may not be the best role models for the impressionable Stevie (Sunny Suljic), but in this moment, Ray teaches him a lesson in perspective.

Glenn Close’s performance in THE WIFE

I’m not referring to any moment. Just Glenn Close’s acting. She speaks more volumes with her face than most actresses could with dialogue.

10) The Beach Scene from ROMA

Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) is an extraordinary woman. Sure, her life hanging towels and cleaning dog poo doesn’t seem like anything special. But like many lower working-class people, she endures. Boy does she endure a lot of shit in this movie. Not only does her deadbeat boyfriend ditch her to practice martial arts, but her baby is born dead. Despite all this, she not only continues her work, but she shares a close bond with the family. She showcases this bond and her strength when a fun day at the beach goes horribly wrong.

When Paco (Carlos Peralta) and Sofi (Daniela Demesa) swim too far out, Cleo walks into the ocean to save them despite not knowing how to swim. We watch in dread as she faces severe waves to find the kids, the camera always close to her.

This scene also contains a beautiful scene of the family hugging Cleo when she tears up over losing her baby. Seeing them all huddled together in front of a bright white sun captures the heart.

9) “A Place Called Slaughter Race” from RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

Admit it, it’s fun to take pot shots at Disney Tropes. Hell, even Disney gets in on the fun. And boy do they seize on every moment to mock Princess tropes when Vanellope Von Shweetz (voiced by Sarah Silverman) encounters the Disney Princesses. Of course, it helps that Director Rich Moore and Head of Story Jim Reardon creates some of the best episodes of the Simpsons. Though there are many hilarious moments[1], none can hold the candle to Vanellope’s “I Want” song.

As she reflects over a puddle, Vanellope sings about her longing to be in the gritty game “Slaughter Race.” Seeing this little girl perform this lighthearted musical number over a background of riots and dumpster fires is comedy gold. Nearly every element of this number elevates the comedy, from singing shark (with cats and dogs in its mouth) to the creative lyrics (“Am I a baby pigeon spreading wings to soar?/ Is that a metaphor?/Hey, there’s a dollar store”). And the number still finds time to emphasize Vanellope’s fear of hurting Ralph (John. C Reilly).

Kudos to Alan Menken for mocking the trope he (and the late Howard Ashman) introduced to Disney. Just as deserving of Kudos is Silverman, who faced to task of singing in Vanellope’s high pitched voice.

8) Charlie Loses Her Head from HEREDITARY

With her unusual hobbies, connection to her late grandmother and that clicking sound, you’d assume Annie’s (Toni Collette) daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) would be the centre of the whole film.[2] Boy, were we in for a surprise.

Spoilers!

When Charlie suffers a peanut allergy reaction, Peter (Alex Wolfe) races her home. On his drive, he sees a mysterious figure in the middle of the dark road. In his attempt to dodge it, he doesn’t see Charlie hanging out the window. Seeing her head slam right into a pole leaves us as traumatized as Peter is. To see them kill off a main character so early in the film is downright shocking. With this death, predictability goes right out the window and we are left uncertain of what direction this film will go.

7) Neil Armstrong Soars in the X-15 Rocket Plane in FIRST MAN

It’s funny how the most exciting scene in this film isn’t the moon landing. Don’t get me wrong, the scene’s still breathtaking in its realism, but it’s surprising how thrilling the opening scene.

Damien Chazelle hits the ground running with Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) soaring the atmosphere in an X-15 Rocket Plane. He soars higher and higher into the skies until he flies out of earth’s surface and gets stuck in space

Albeit, you know he will be back on earth in time for the moon landing. And yet, I found myself on the edge of my seat, wondering how he’s going to get back to earth. Most of it is thanks to the visual effects, which contains some of the most believable since 2001: A Space Odyssey. The effects leave CGI in the dust with practical effects that look so real, you’d think Gosling was actually flying into space.

6) The Ferris Wheel Scene from LOVE, SIMON

High School Movies are home to many unforgettable romantic scenes. There’s Samantha (Molly Ringwald) and Jake (Michael Schoeffling) standing over a birthday cake in Sixteen Candles. There’s Patrick (Heath Ledger) singing to Katarina (Julia Stiles) on the bleachers in 10 Things I hate About You. And who can forget Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) blaring Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” outside Diane Court’s (Ione Skye) in Say Anything. Be ready to include the closing scene of Simon (Nick Robinson) waiting on the Ferris wheel for online pen pal Blue from Love, Simon.

After being outed by a student, infuriating his friends for deceiving them in his attempt to stay closeted and abandoned by Blue, Simon makes a plea to meet with Blue face to face on the Ferris Wheel at a carnival. As he rides on the Ferris Wheel, he, fellow classmates and the audience wait in anticipation for Simon’s happy ending.

5) The Book Heist from AMERICAN ANIMALS

When Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan) and Warren Lipka (Evan Peters) plotted to steal extremely valuable books from the Transylvania University library in Kentucky, they thought they had the perfect heist. With the help of their friends Erick Borsuk (Jared Abrahamson) and Chas Allen (Blake Jenner), they thought they pull off a heist as smooth as Oceans 11.[3]

But reality hits them like a sledge hammer when they try to pull off the heist. Unlike their dreams, Librarian Betty Jean Gooch (Ann Dowd) doesn’t get knocked out with one taser jolt. It also isn’t easy to lug a six-foot book down a flight of stairs. Then there’s the fact the basement has no exit. That’s just a few of many problems they never consider. From then on, we witness them pay a huge price for their hubris and lack of real-world understanding.

Only youths as smart as they are to come up with such a stupid plan.

4) The Mutant Bear from ANNIHILATION

Biologist Lena (Natalie Portman) and her team find themselves in a quite a bind. After entering the Shimmer, physicist Josie Radek (Tessa Thompson) has barely survived an attack from a mutant alligator and Anthropologist Cassie Sheppard (Tuva Novotny) has been attacked by a bear. Now paramedic Anya Thorensen (Gina Rodriguez) has gone mad and has tied up Lena, Radek and Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh). But when they hear Sheppard’s cries for help, they will soon find Anya is the least of their worries.

Their journey delivers many grotesque, nightmare inducing visuals (especially the slithering intestines.) But the most memorable moment in this film was the image of the helpless crew trapped in a cabin with a mutant bear. Bears are scary enough on their own, but a faceless one is pants spitting meeting. And then you hear it imitate Sheppard’s screams and suddenly you need a new pair of pants.

3) The Great Snap from AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

The whole Marvel Cinematic Universe had been leading up to this moment. The fact that nearly every character had a moment to shine in this one movie demonstrates the astounding direction of the Russo Brothers. But despite all the epic fight scenes, everyone agrees that this film’s greatest scene is the heroes moment of defeat.

Despite every effort made to stop in, despite outnumbering Thanos and despite Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) sacrificing Vision (Paul Bettany) to destroy the mind stone, Thanos still got all the infinity stones. And with a single snap, Thanos succeeds in wiping out half the universe’s population. One by one, we watch many of our heroes vanish into dust while others watch in helpless horror. But none are more heartbreaking that the moment when Spider-Man (Tom Holland) falls into Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) arms, crying “I don’t want to go.” All because some characters couldn’t make the sacrifice needed

Yes, we knew he was going to succeed in the end.[4] And yes, you know most of the heroes won’t stay gone.[5] And yes, their return will likely involve the surviving heroes sacrificing themselves.[6] But the ending still feels powerful despite this knowledge.

It all concludes with Thanos sitting near a cottage, content in his triumph. If the MCU ended here, it would have been a perfect ending. But I’m still curious to see how this will go.

2) The Closing Close-Up in CAPERNAUM

The closing image of Zain’s (Zain Al Rafeea) face will haunt you beyond the closing credits. Throughout the film, we’ve seen this kid struggle through hell on the streets of Lebanon, trying to protect his sister from their resentful parents and helping an Ethiopian Migrant Worker take care of her son. But when he’s sent to prison for assaulting a pimp who bought his sister, he decides to sue his parents for the crime of bringing him into this miserable world. Writer/director Nadine Labaki never looks away for a second to the brutality of Zain’s world and how it brings out the worst in Zain.

When the film freezes to the image of Zain smiling for a Passport photo, your heart breaks for him as Khaled Mouzanar’s haunting score plays out.

1) Tish and Fonny’s Walk Through the Park in IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

No other opening scene has done a better job of putting its audience under its spell than when loving couple Tish (Kiki Layne) and Alfonzo “Fonny” Hunt (Stephan James) stroll through a park holding hands.

There’s beauty in every element of this scene, from Nicholas Britell’s romantic score to the warm looks in the character’s eyes. But what really sells it is James Laxton’s lush cinematography. The colours pop through the yellows and blues on the couple’s clothes and the green of the grass. You are as in love with this couple as they are for each other.

Then the film cuts to Tish visiting Fonny in prison, this time the yellow is the prison, the blue is Fonny’s jumpsuit and the green is on Tish’ outfit. From then one, we know why their love is worth fighting for.

[1] Mostly at the expense of Ariel (Jodi Benson)

[2] Especially when she appears so prominently in the advertisements.

[3] As indicated by a fantasy sequence.

[4] Since we know this was going to be a two parter.

[5] Especially when there are already planned sequels to Black Panther, Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy. After all the money Marvel’s got from Black Panther? They’re not going to give up that meal ticket.

[6] What with Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans retiring their characters.

#random richards #Random Richards Reviews #If Beale Street Could Talk #ralph breaks the internet #Capernaum #Avengers #infinity war #annihilation #American Animals #Love Simon #Buddies #Free Solo #Mid90s #Roma #The Wife #First Man #Hereditary #a place called slaughter race

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johnbattlesca · 7 years

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Enter the Mind of Master Ken, the Martial Artist Behind Enter the Dojo, Part 2

Caution: You’re about to read comments from a real martial artist (Matt Page) interspersed with comments from a fictional character (Master Ken). To make it easier to distinguish the two, we’ve italicized the words of Master Ken.

Go here to read Part 1.

BLACK BELT: WHEN A PERSON TEACHES AN ART AS DEADLY AS AMERI-DO-TE, IS IT ESSENTIAL TO COUNSEL STUDENTS ON HOW NOT TO WIND UP IN JAIL?

Master Ken: Absolutely. Some of the moves I’ve invented simply cannot be taught for liability reasons. For example, recently I created an inescapable hold where you trap your opponent’s arms and legs, then you sit on their head and release a lethal barrage of flatulence to suffocate them. It’s called the “gas chamber.” I can’t send civilians out in public with that kind of knowledge. It’s just too dangerous.

Years ago I took an invaluable class called Introduction to Business Law at the Central New Mexico Community College, and my instructor, a one-legged veteran named Jim Hooker, gave me the most important piece of legal advice I’ve ever heard: “Dead men don’t sue.” And he was right. Because a year later, he died in a freak accident at a meat-processing plant and ended up being served as ground beef at three Albuquerque public schools. Nobody even noticed until some cheerleader bit into a sloppy Joe and broke her tooth on what turned out to be a piece of his catheter. But the point is he never pressed charges because he was deceased at the time of the accidental ingestion.

BLACK BELT: WHERE DID THE CONCEPT FOR MASTER KEN AND ENTER THE DOJO COME FROM?

Matt Page: In creating Master Ken, I was influenced by something I noticed: Some instructors, no matter how skilled or intelligent, tend to bad-mouth other styles. They see a move from some other martial art and say, “That’s not bad, but in our style, it’s better because we do it like this.”

Each time something weird happened in any dojo, I would take a mental note and say, “Someday I’m gonna do something creative with all this.” Eventually, I found my way to New Mexico and went to College of Santa Fe, now Santa Fe University. Once I received my bachelor’s degree in moving-image arts, I saw that everyone was making their own Web series. At the time, I’d become obsessed with Ricky Gervais’ original version of The Office on the BBC, and I decided I wanted to try that but in a world I understood. So I chose martial arts.

The newest release from combatives authority Kelly McCann and Black Belt is titled Kelly McCann Combatives 2: Stick & Ground Combat. It’s a streaming-video course you can watch on your digital device. Click here to watch the trailer and then sign up.

BLACK BELT: WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH ENTER THE DOJO? IS IT PURE ENTERTAINMENT?

Matt Page: The goal now is really the same as when we created the first episode: I want to entertain people while making a commentary on things that are important to me. It’s not just about the jokes; it’s about pointing out the contradictions in various teachings and the commercialization and the issue of theory vs. practice in the martial arts world. But I want to address it all with humor. I’ve gotten emails from soldiers with PTSD, martial artists who struggle with depression and people from all walks of life who thank me for making them laugh and helping them forget their troubles for the moment. That’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever gotten out of what I do.

BLACK BELT: YOU’VE APPEARED AT THE MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW IN LAS VEGAS TWO YEARS IN A ROW. HOW DID THAT GROUP OF EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL MARTIAL ARTISTS FEEL ABOUT THE MESSAGE YOU PROPAGATE?

Master Ken: The first year, I was like a tsunami of truth that forced many so-called “masters” to re-evaluate their training and, quite frankly, their lives. I think that’s why they wouldn’t allow me to perform at the opening ceremony this year. They lost too much business on people closing their schools so they could take up Ameri-Do-Te. I’ve made a lot of enemies, but then again, so did Napoleon. And he was able to conquer most of South America despite the fact that he was shorter than a Shetland pony.

BLACK BELT: DO YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING IN ACTING?

Matt Page: I’ve been taking acting classes and performing in plays since I was a kid. My influences range from old episodes of Saturday Night Live to mockumentaries by Christopher Guest to more serious cinematic works like the films of Robert Zemeckis, David Fincher, etc. But I’ve loved comedic movies and television shows for as long as I can remember.

Wang Bo, formerly of Shaolin Temple, is the featured instructor in an online kung fu course from Black Belt. Titled Tree of Shaolin, it streams video lessons to your preferred digital device. Sign up here and start your journey along the 1,500-year-old Shaolin path!

BLACK BELT: DO PEOPLE EVER RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE STREET? WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF THEY DID?

Matt Page: I rarely get recognized mainly because Master Ken looks and speaks and moves so differently. I’ve been told I look 10 years older when I get into costume and makeup and put on the voice, and that’s flattering. I have great respect for character actors who can disappear into a role. I’ve had conversations with people as Ken, then gone up to my hotel room and changed out of costume, and 15 minutes later, that same person will have the exact same conversation with me all over again.

As far as anonymity goes, at first I was really concerned, especially since I make a show where I [insult] trained fighters. But most people know I’m kidding, and the recognition I’ve gotten from Enter the Dojo has been wonderful.

BLACK BELT: WHAT’S THE MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR DOJO? EXPANSION ACROSS THE USA? EVENTUAL WORLD CONQUEST?

Master Ken: For starters. But why stop there? My ultimate goal is to be the first person to open a dojo on the moon. Imagine how devastating my techniques would be without the restriction of gravity. You could kick an opponent and send him hurtling through space forever. I’d have to hire someone to clean the bathrooms, though.

BLACK BELT: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR ENTER THE DOJO? ANY TV ASPIRATIONS?

Matt Page: After Season One, I got to pitch the show to a few cable networks, but nothing happened. That was back when we had about 1 million channel views. Now we have 11 million and counting, and I get inquiries at least once a week, but nobody seems to know what to do with us. I’ve gotten several offers to take the show off our hands for free. But if someone is serious and wants to step up and fund the show, I’d be all for it as long as we can keep making it the way we want. Luckily, with the way distribution is now, we can continue to get the show out to the masses through YouTube, through Master Ken Live and through our merchandise, and it’s on our own terms.

BLACK BELT: MASTER KEN, BEFORE WE FINISH THIS INTERVIEW, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO OUR READERS?

Master Ken: My message is that martial arts is about staying alive in the street. It’s not a sport, and it’s not a hobby. If that’s what you want, take up pingpong or collect figurines. And when I say “the street,” I don’t mean an actual street. I wish all the rapists and murderers lived on the same street. If they did, I could tell my students, “Hey … don’t go down that street.” But life doesn’t work that way. So whether you’re in bar, in the office of your proctologist or in an actual street, you’re in “the street.”

It has been a pleasure to use this interview to spread the word about the power of Ameri-Do-Te. I look forward to the next issue of White Belt magazine.

For more information about Master Ken, ameri-do-te and Enter the Dojo, visit enterthedojoshow.com.

BONUS TIME! Master Ken on Bullying

“The issue of bullying requires that we teach kids self-defense. Where most programs get it wrong is with ‘anti-bullying.’ There’s a saying in judo: When pushed, pull. You’re supposed to use your opponent’s strengths against him, so why not take the positive aspects of bullying and use them in self-defense?”

Are you ready to start your education in combatives self-defense for both empty-hand attacks and weapons attacks? Check out Kelly McCann’s introductory course! Go here to sign up.

“That’s why I’ve developed a program called Better Bullying. Bullying isn’t inherently bad. It’s just that the wrong kids are getting bullied. So we work on teaching kids how to identify the bad kids and use the three principles of Better Bullying: One, always attack someone smaller than you. Two, outnumber your opponent whenever possible. Three, scatter before authorities arrive.”

Master Ken on Breaking

“I’ve never been attacked by a pile of lumber. Styles that focus on the number of boards broken are an embarrassment to real street fighters. You don’t need to focus on kicking someone’s femur in half. But there is something other than trees that grows out of the ground that we can use for training: fresh fruits and vegetables. It only takes 8 pounds of pressure per square inch to break a collarbone — or a cucumber. If you can use your hand to open a cantaloupe, you can crack a human skull. And if you can squash a grape, you can burst a testicle. The best part about this particular training method is that you end up with the ingredients for a healthy salad.”

Master Ken on Weapons

“I don’t need weapons because my tiger claws are always with me. Even when I’m naked, I’m still fully armed. Learning Ameri-Do-Te is like swallowing weapons-grade plutonium — except in this case, you don’t die from radiation sickness. You become a walking weapon of martial destruction. Especially if you train right after eating some New Mexican food.”

Master Ken on Tournaments

“The few tournaments I’ve attended with my students have been a confirmation that Ameri-Do-Te cannot be contained by regulated competition. There are no rules in a street fight, and that’s the way we train. Which explains why we have been disqualified from every tournament we’ve ever attended for excessive contact or illegal moves. There are more sports-regulation violations in one minute of Ameri-Do-Te training than in an entire pint of Lance Armstrong’s blood.”

Read Part 1 of this interview here.

Photos by Cory Sorensen

from Black Belt» Daily » Black Belt http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-entertainment/enter-the-mind-of-master-ken-the-martial-artist-behind-enter-the-dojo-part-2/ Enter the Mind of Master Ken, the Martial Artist Behind Enter the Dojo, Part 2 published first on http://thrandythefabulous.tumblr.com

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thrandythefabulous · 7 years

Text

Enter the Mind of Master Ken, the Martial Artist Behind Enter the Dojo, Part 2

Go here to read Part 1.

BLACK BELT: WHEN A PERSON TEACHES AN ART AS DEADLY AS AMERI-DO-TE, IS IT ESSENTIAL TO COUNSEL STUDENTS ON HOW NOT TO WIND UP IN JAIL?

BLACK BELT: WHERE DID THE CONCEPT FOR MASTER KEN AND ENTER THE DOJO COME FROM?

BLACK BELT: WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH ENTER THE DOJO? IS IT PURE ENTERTAINMENT?

BLACK BELT: YOU’VE APPEARED AT THE MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW IN LAS VEGAS TWO YEARS IN A ROW. HOW DID THAT GROUP OF EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL MARTIAL ARTISTS FEEL ABOUT THE MESSAGE YOU PROPAGATE?

BLACK BELT: DO YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING IN ACTING?

BLACK BELT: DO PEOPLE EVER RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE STREET? WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF THEY DID?

BLACK BELT: WHAT’S THE MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR DOJO? EXPANSION ACROSS THE USA? EVENTUAL WORLD CONQUEST?

BLACK BELT: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR ENTER THE DOJO? ANY TV ASPIRATIONS?

BLACK BELT: MASTER KEN, BEFORE WE FINISH THIS INTERVIEW, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO OUR READERS?

It has been a pleasure to use this interview to spread the word about the power of Ameri-Do-Te. I look forward to the next issue of White Belt magazine.

For more information about Master Ken, ameri-do-te and Enter the Dojo, visit enterthedojoshow.com.

BONUS TIME! Master Ken on Bullying

Are you ready to start your education in combatives self-defense for both empty-hand attacks and weapons attacks? Check out Kelly McCann’s introductory course! Go here to sign up.

Master Ken on Breaking

Master Ken on Weapons

Master Ken on Tournaments

Read Part 1 of this interview here.

Photos by Cory Sorensen

from Black Belt» Daily » Black Belt http://www.blackbeltmag.com/daily/martial-arts-entertainment/enter-the-mind-of-master-ken-the-martial-artist-behind-enter-the-dojo-part-2/

#Martial Arts #Black Belt» Daily » Black Belt #Self-Defense #best martial arts #martial arts clas

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michaelchinworcester · 7 years

Text

Enter the Mind of Master Ken, the Martial Artist Behind Enter the Dojo, Part 2

Go here to read Part 1.

BLACK BELT: WHEN A PERSON TEACHES AN ART AS DEADLY AS AMERI-DO-TE, IS IT ESSENTIAL TO COUNSEL STUDENTS ON HOW NOT TO WIND UP IN JAIL?

BLACK BELT: WHERE DID THE CONCEPT FOR MASTER KEN AND ENTER THE DOJO COME FROM?

BLACK BELT: WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH ENTER THE DOJO? IS IT PURE ENTERTAINMENT?

BLACK BELT: YOU’VE APPEARED AT THE MARTIAL ARTS SUPERSHOW IN LAS VEGAS TWO YEARS IN A ROW. HOW DID THAT GROUP OF EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL MARTIAL ARTISTS FEEL ABOUT THE MESSAGE YOU PROPAGATE?

BLACK BELT: DO YOU HAVE FORMAL TRAINING IN ACTING?

BLACK BELT: DO PEOPLE EVER RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE STREET? WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF THEY DID?

BLACK BELT: WHAT’S THE MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR DOJO? EXPANSION ACROSS THE USA? EVENTUAL WORLD CONQUEST?

BLACK BELT: WHAT’S IN STORE FOR ENTER THE DOJO? ANY TV ASPIRATIONS?

BLACK BELT: MASTER KEN, BEFORE WE FINISH THIS INTERVIEW, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY TO OUR READERS?

It has been a pleasure to use this interview to spread the word about the power of Ameri-Do-Te. I look forward to the next issue of White Belt magazine.

For more information about Master Ken, ameri-do-te and Enter the Dojo, visit enterthedojoshow.com.

BONUS TIME! Master Ken on Bullying

Are you ready to start your education in combatives self-defense for both empty-hand attacks and weapons attacks? Check out Kelly McCann’s introductory course! Go here to sign up.

Master Ken on Breaking

Master Ken on Weapons

Master Ken on Tournaments

Read Part 1 of this interview here.

Photos by Cory Sorensen

from Black Belt» Daily » Black Belt http://ift.tt/2m1csn9 via Michael Chin Worcester Systema

#Michael Chin Worcester #Mass Bay Systema #Systema #Russian Martial Art #martial arts #kung fu #black

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