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queenofangrymoths · 4 years

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Book Log of 2019

I kept a record of how many books I read in 2019. I liked most of them so I would recommend you give any of them or read.

So on with the list! If it has an X next to it then it means I didn’t finish reading it.

#1: Warcross by Marie Lu.

#2: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.

#3: Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao.

#4: Bruja Born by Zoraida Córdova.

#5: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Roshani Chokshi, Alyssa Wong, Lori M. Lee, Sona Charaipotra, Aliette De Bodard, E. C. Myres, Aisha Saeed, Preeti Chhibber, Renée Ahdieh, Rahul Kanakia, Melissa De La Cruz, Elsie Chapman, Shveta Thakrar, Cindy Pon, and Julie Kagawa.

#6: The 57 Bus by Daska Slater

#7: The Dark Descent Of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kristen White.

#8: Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

9#: Broken Things by Lauren Oliver.

10# The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

11# A Study In Charlotte by Arthur Doyle

12# Simon Vs The Homo sapiens agenda by Becky Albertalli

13# The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

14# Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

15# The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

16# Carry On by Rainbow Rowel

17# Teen Trailblazers, 30 fearless girls who changed the world before they were 20 by Jennifer Calvert

18# Evermore by Sara Holland

19# The White Stag by Kara Barbieri

20# One Dark Throne by Kendra’s Blake

21# Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

22# A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

23# King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo X

24# Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

25# The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

26# Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

27# Mythology by Edith Hamilton

28# Percy Jackson Greek Gods by Rick Riordan

29# Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen M McManus

30# The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

31# Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

32# Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt De La Peña

33# The Phantom of The Opera by Gaston Leroux

34# Roseblood by A.G Howard X

35# Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J Maas

36# Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

37# Velvet Undercover by Teri Brown

38# Through The Woods by Emily Caroll

39# The Wicked Deep by Shes Ernshaw

40# Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

41# Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

42# Where She Fell by Kaitlin Ward

43# Modern Herstory: Stories Of Women and non binary people rewriting history by Blair Imani

44# White Rabbits by Caleb Roehrig

45# To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Adapted by Fred Fordham

46# Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

47# Ever The Hunted by Erin Summeril

48# Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

49# Lost Souls, Be At Peace by Maggie Thrash

50# Honor Girl by Maggie Thrash

51# The Giver by Lois Lowry adapted by P.Craig Russell

52# My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand. Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

53# What If It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera X

54# An Assassin’s Guide to Love & Treason by Virginia Boecker

55# The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas adapted by Nokman Poon and Crystal S. Chan

56# The Fellowship Of The Ring by J.R.R Tolkien

57# What is someone I know is gay? By Eric Marcus X

58# Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig

59# The Two Towers by J.R.R Tolkien

60# The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien X

61# The Return of The King by J.R.R Tolkien

62# Lafayette by Nathan Hale

63# Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

64# We should all be feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

65# The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson

66# Frankenstein by Mary Shelly

67# Norton Volume Of English Literature

68# Beowulf by Unknown

69# The General Prologue by Chaucer

70# 20/20 by Linda Brewer

71# Always in Spanish by Agosim

72# The First Day by Edward P. Jones

73# Bullet in the Brain by Tobias Wolff

74# Writing Fiction by Burroway

75# Murderers by Leonard Michaels

76# Greatness Strikes Where It Pleases by Lars Gustaffson

77# Cathedral by Raymond Carver

78# A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

79# Gooseberries by Anton Chekhov

80# The Lives of the Dead by Tim O’Brien

81# Head, Heart by Lydia Davis

82# Richard Cody by Edwin Arlington Robinson

83# “Out- Out-“ by Robert Frost

84# The Ruined Maid by Thomas Hardy

85# I wandered lonely as a cloud by William Wordsworth

86# Poem by Frank O’Hara

87# On being brought from Africa to America by Phillis Wheatley

88# On her loving two equally by Aphra Behn

89# Because you asked about the line between Prose and Poetry by Howard Nemerov

90# Ars Poetica by Archibald MacLeish

91# Ars Poetica? By Czeslaw Milosz

92# Ars Poetica #100: I believe by Elizabeth Alexander

93# Poetry by Marianne Moode

94# “Poetry makes nothing happen”? By Julia Alvarez

95# Introduction to Poetry by Billy Collins

96# In Memory Of W.B. Yates by W. H. Auden

97# The kind of man I am at the DMV by Stacey Waite

98# The Changeling by Judith Oritez Carer

99# Going to war by Richard Lovelace

100# To the Ladies by Mary, Lady Chudleigh

101# Exchanging Hats by Elizabeth Bishop

102# History Of Ireland Volume 1 by Lecky X

103# A Modern History of Ireland by E. Norman X

104# The Tempest by William Shakespeare

105# Gender by Lisa Wade & Myra Marx Ferree

106# Trifles by Susan Glaspell

107# The Shroud by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

108# King of the Bingo Game by Ralph Ellison

109# Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin

110# Fences by August Wilson

111# Where are you going, where have you been? By Joyce Carol Oates

112# Daddy by Sylvia Plath

113# What is our life? By Walter Raleigh

114# May I compare thee to a midsummer day? By William Shakespeare

115# The love song of J. Alfred Prufruock by T. S. Eliot

116# À unr passante by Charles Baudelaire

117# In a station of the metro by Ezra Pound

118# The Fog by Carl Sandburg

119# The Yellow Fog by T.S. Eliot

120# On first looking into Chapman’s Homer by John Keats

121# the Road Not Taken by Robert Frisr

122# Paradise Lost Book 1 & 10 by John Milton X

123# The Victory Lap by George Saunders

124# The Tempest by William Shakespeare

125# The Vanity Of Human Wishes by Samuel Johnson

126# Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

127# When to Her Lute Corinna Sings by Thomas Campion

128# Sir Patrick Spens by Anonymous

129# Ballad of Birmingham by Dudley Randall

130# A Prayer, Living and Dying by Augustus Montague Toplady

131# Homage to the Empress of the Blues by Robert Hayden

132# The Times They Are A-Changin’ *

133# Listening to Bob Dylan, 2005!by Linda Pastan

134# Hip Hop by Mos Deff

135# Elvis in the Inner City by Jose B. Gonzalez

136# Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost*

137# Terza Roma by Richard Wilbur

138# Stanza from The Eve of St. Agnes by John Keats

139# Stanza from His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell

140# Stanza from Sound and Sense by Alexander’s Pope

141# Stanza from The Word Plum by Helen Chasin

142# Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

143# Myth by Natasha Trethewey

144# Sestina by Elizabeth Bishop

145# Sestina: Like by A.E. Stallings

146# l)a by E.E Cummings

147# Buffalo Bill by E.E Cummings

148# Easter Wings by George Herbert

149# Women by May Swenson

150# Upon the breeze she spread her golden hair by Franceso Petrarch

151# My lady’s presence makes the roses red by Henry Constance

152# My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun by William Shakespeare

153# Not marble, nor the gilded monuments by William Shakespeare

154# Let me no to the marriage of true minds by William Shakespeare

155# When I consider how my light is spent by John Milton

156# Nuns Fret Not by William Wordsworth

157# The world is too much with us by William Wordsworth

158# Do I love thee? By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

159# In an Artist’s Studio by Christina Rossetti

160# What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why by Edna St. Vincent Millay

161# Women have loved before as I love now by Edna St. Vincent Millay

162# I, being born a woman and distressed by Edna St. Vincent Millay

163# I will put Chaos in fourteen lines by Edna St. Vincent Millay

164# First Fight. Then Fiddle by Gwendolyn Brooks

165# In the Park by Gwen Harwood

166# Something Like a Sonnet for Phillis Miracle Wheatley by June Jordan

167# Sonnet by Billy Collins

168# Dim Lights by Harryette Mullen

169# Redefininy Realmess by Janet Mock

170# Lusus Naturae by Margaret Atwood

171# The House Of Asterion by Jorge Luis Borges

172# Death Fuge by Michael Hamburger

173# Clifford’s Place by Jamel Bickerly

174# We are seven by William Wordsworth

175# Lines written in early spring by William Wordsworth

176# Expostulation and Reply by William Wordsworth

177# The Tables Turned by William Wordsworth

178# Lines by William Wordsworth

179# Recitatif by Toni Morrison

180# Volar by Judith Ortiz Cofer

181# The Management Of Grief by Bharati Mukherjee

182# Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

183# Jesus Saves by David Sedaris

184# Disabled by Wilfred Owen

185# My Father’s Garden by David Wagoner

186# Practicing by Marie Howe

187# O my pa-pa by Bob Hicok

189# Mr. T- by Terrance Hayes

190# Late Aubade by James Richardson

191# Carp Poem by Terrance Hayes

192# Pilgrimage by Natasha Trethewey

193# Tu Do Street by Yuaef Lomunyakaa

194# Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich

195# Elena by Pat Mora

196# Gentle Communion by Pat Mora

197# Mothers & Daughters by Pat Mora

198# La Migra by Pat Mora

199# Ode to Adobe by Pat Mora

200# Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy

201# The Silken Tent by Robert Frost

202# Metaphors by Sylvia Plath

203# The Vine by James Thomsen

204# Questions by May Swenson

205# A Just Man by Attila József

206# the norton anthology of world literature

207# Pan’s Labyrinth by Gullernio de Toro and Cornelia Funke Xw

208# The prince and the dressmaker by Jen Wang

209# Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics by Jason Porath

210# The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

#BOOKS #I READ A LOT #210 #THAT'S MY AVERAGE APPARENTLY #HAPPY NEW YEAR #NEXT LIST WILL BE OUT ON JAN 1 2021 #me #reading log #2019

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threecolorblack · 4 years

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MY FILM CHECKLIST

(Where I add in films that I want to watch and cross out films that I had seen)

A Brighter Summer Day (Edward Yang, 1991)

A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)

A Tale of Two Sisters (Kim Jee-woon, 2003)

Akira (Katsuhiro Otomo, 1994)

American Psyche (Marry Harron, 2000)

Antichrist (Lars von Trier, 2009)

Arrival (Denis Villeneuve, 2016)

Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, 2013)

Before Sunrise (Richard Linklater, 1995)

Before Sunset (Richard Linklater, 2004)

Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, 2010)

Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)

Call Me By Your Name (Luca Guadagdino, 2018)

Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg, 2002)

Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)

Cold War (Paweł Pălikowski, 2018)

Columbus (Kogonada, 2017)

Chungking Express (Wong Kar-wai, 1994)

Dancer in thr Dark (Lars von Trier, 2000)

Dunkirk (Christopher Nolen, 2017)

Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino, 2013)

Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)

Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson, 2009)

Florida Project (Sean Baker, 2017)

Frances Ha (Noah Baumbach, 2012)

GoodFellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)

Good Time (Josh Safdie and Bennie Safdie, 2017)

Gone Girl (David Fincher, 2014)

Happy Together (Wong Kar-wai, 1997)

Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018)

Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 2013)

In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-wai, 2000)

Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

Inglorious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)

If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins, 2018)

Interstellar (Christopher Nolan, 2014)

Isle of Dogs (Wes Anderson, 2018)

Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003)

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2004)

La Haine (Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995)

La La Land (Damien Chazelle, 2016)

Laurence Anyway (Xavier Dolan, 2012)

Like Father, Like Son (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2013)

Manchester by the Sea (Kenneth Lonergan, 2016)

Marriage Story (Noah Baumbach, 2019)

Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1975)

Melancholia (Lars von Trier, 2011)

Memories of Murder (Bong Joon-ho, 2003)

Midsommar (Ari Aster, 2019)

Mommy (Xavier Dolan, 2014)

Moonlight (Barry Jenkins, 2016)

Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson, 2012)

Mother (Bong Joon-ho, 2009)

Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)

No Country for Old Men (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, 2007)

Nobody Knows (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2004)

On the Beach at Night Alone (Hong Sang-soo, 2017)

Old Boy (Park Chan-wook, 2003)

Our Little Sister (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2015)

Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo de Toro, 2006)

Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017)

Poetry (Lee Chang-dong, 2010)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Céline Sciamma, 2019)

Prisoners (Denis Villeneuve, 2013)

Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)

Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)

Punch-Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002)

Raw (Julia Ducournau, 2016)

Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)

Right Now, Wrong Then (Hong Sang-soo, 2015)

Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, 2018)

Rosemary’s Baby (Roman Polanski, 1968)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the Word (Edgar Wright, 2010)

Se7en (David Fincher, 1995)

Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018)

Short Term 12 (Destin Daniel Cretton, 2013)

Shutter Island (Martin Scrosese, 2010)

Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)

Stoker (Park Chan-wook, 2013)

Suspiria (Luca Guadagnino, 2018)

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (Park Can-wook, 2002)

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (Park Can-wook, 2005)

Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979)

Still Walking (Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2008)

Stop Making Sense (Joanathan Demme, 1984)

Taxi Driver (Martin Scrosese, 1976)

Titanic (James Cameron, 1997)

The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)

The Day After (Hong Sang-soo, 2017)

The Departed (Martin Scrosese, 2016)

The Elephant Man (David Lynch, 1980)

The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

The Godfather: Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)

The Godfather: Part III (Francis Ford Coppola, 1990)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher, 2011)

The Great Gatsby (Baz Luhrmann, 2013)

The Handmaiden (Park Chan-wook, 2016)

The Hunt (Thomas Vinterberg, 2012)

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Joe Talbot, 2019)

The Lighthouse (Robbert Eggers, 2019)

The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015)

The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)

The Pianist (Roman Polanski, 2002)

The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)

The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)

The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)

The Social Network (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

The VVitch (Robbert Eggers, 2015)

The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scrosese, 2013)

There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)

Three Colors: Blue (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1993)

Three Colors: Red (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1994)

Three Colors: White (Krzysztof Kieślowski, 1994)

Uncut Gems (Josh Safdie and Bennie Safdie, 2019)

Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)

Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014)

Women in the Dunes (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964)

Yi Yi (Edward Yang, 2000)

Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)

2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)

8½ (Federico Fellini, 1963)

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barcarole · 6 years

Note

what are your favorite movies? I love your blog

Zerkalo, Stalker, Andrei Rublev, Nostalgia, Solaris, Sansho the Bailiff, Osaka Elegy, The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums, When A Woman Ascends The Stairs, Le Notti di Cabiria, Sans Soleil, The Red Shoes, The Third Man, 8½, Late Spring, Floating Weeds, High And Low, The Bad Sleep Well, Le Plaisir, Autumn Sonata, Winter Light, The Virgin Spring, Cries and Whispers, Hour of the Wolf, Au Hasard Balthazar, Les cousins, Le feu follet, Vivre sa vie, Yi yi, A Time To Live/A Time to Die, The Last Year at Marienbad, Les statues meurent aussi, The Fallen Idol, L'Atalante, Woman in the Dunes, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, All About Eve, Dark Victory, Greed, Napoléon vu par Abel Gance, The Face of Another, Babette’s Feast, Journal d'un curé de campagne, Ordet, Vampyr, Gertrud, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, Werckmeister Harmonies, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Broken Blossoms, Diary of a Lost Girl, The Heiress, Ascenceur pour L'Echafaud, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The Promised Country, La Rayon Vert, Opening Night, Faces, Love Streams, Harakiri, Léon Morin, prêtre, Les Dames du Bois de Boulogne, Orphée, Le testament d'Orphée, La Belle Noiseuse, Dr. Mabuse, der spieler, The Human Condition (I, II, III), 24 Frames, Letter from an Unknown Woman, Till We Meet Again (Borzage), Rebecca, La Notte, Jules et Jim, Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks, Ikiru, Akahige, Ivan Grozny (I, II), Un condamné a mort s'est échappé, The Trial, F for Fake, Trois couleurs: Bleu, Trois couleurs: Rouge, The Wind, Bob Le Flambeur, La peau douce, L'Histoire d'Adele H., La Grande Illusion, La maman et la putain, I Know Where I’m Going!, Faust (Murnau), Medea, Mamma Roma, The House is Black, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Sonatine, The Ballad of Narayama, Roma città aperta, Voyage to Italy, The Roaring Twenties, Baby Face, Design for Living, Vivre sa Vie, Brief Encounter, The Circus, City Lights, The Night of the Hunter, Monsieur Verdoux, Terje Vigen, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, From Morn to Midnight, The Lady Vanishes, Kuroneko, Play Time, Le Quai des Brumes, Apur Sansar, The Music Room, In the Mood for Love, Taste of Cherry, Through the Olive Trees, Viridiana, Tale of Tales, To Be Or Not To Be, Sherlock Jr., Our Hospitality, The General, The Apartment, Pandora’s Box, Veronika Voss, Morocco, L'Age d'Or, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Laura, Where The Sidewalk Ends, Notorious, The 39 Steps, The Big Sleep, In A Lonely Place, Easy Living, The Thin Man, The Shop Around The Corner, Knight Without Armour, As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty, Steamboat Bill Jr., Floating Clouds, Umberto D., Throne of Blood, Yojimbo, The Big Heat, Chronicle of a Summer, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Lost Weekend, La Ronde, Der amerikanische Freund, The Smiling Lieutenant, The Uninvited, Wings (Shepitko), The Ascent, Come and See, Liebelei, Ran, Le Fantôme de la liberté, The Color of Pomegranates, Les Vampires, Dr. Strangelove, Certified Copy, The Nibelung: Siegfried, Shadows of our Forgotten Ancestors, Devi, The Phantom Carriage, Russian Ark, and many, many others.

#cinema #ask #personal

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adamgoestothemovies · 5 years

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Best of 2018

I watch a lot of films.

For close to five years now, I’ve been watching somewhere in the region of 100-150 new releases per year. At some point along the line, I started to keep lists of those films, then started to rank the movies on those lists, and eventually got into the habit of compiling end of year lists.

I shared these lists (and discussed them at great length in podcast form) in 2016 and 2017, and I wanted to do the same for 2018. With the Leftover Popcorn Podcast currently on an extended hiatus, that brought me to the post you’re reading right now.

Due to the quirks of global release schedules, the timing of these posts is always a little tricky. I’ve made a habit of finalising my lists just before the Oscars on an annual basis, as that generally affords the extra time required for many of the year’s most interesting films to make their way to me in Ireland.

As such, this list is comprised of my 20 favourite films that received either (a) a U.S. release in the Academy’s eligibility window for the 91st Academy Awards or (b) extremely belated releases in the UK and Ireland following late 2017 releases stateside.

Only time will reveal if 2018 was a particularly strong or interesting year for film, but I know it at least offered plenty of films that have stuck with me long after the end credits finished rolling. The year was filled with ideas, moments, shots, set-pieces and technical achievements that amazed and resonated with me in a wide variety of ways. Many of those highlights can be found in the 20 films below.

Before getting to the list, I have some honourable mentions. In no particular order, they include: Wildlife, The Favourite, Crazy Rich Asians, Hereditary, A Quiet Place, Three Identical Strangers, Beast, Shirkers, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, The Old Man and the Gun, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, BlacKkKlansman.

20. A Star is Born - (Bradley Cooper)

The first hour of A Star is Born is as good as anything released this year and, as such, it’s by no means a criticism to say it falls off somewhat beyond that point. Still, Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut contains multiple moments that induce goosebumps. It’s not subtle by any means, but there have been very few films over the past decade that have managed to capture emotional extremes in such a truly cinematic fashion. Lady Gaga is sensational, Sam Elliott is a scene-stealer, and in the form of Cooper’s dog, Charlie*, a star is well and truly born

*In a year of fantastic canine performances, I think Charlie pips out Borras (Roma), Boris (Leave No Trace), Olivia (Widows) and Joy (Dogman) to be the best of the many good dogs.

19. Lean On Pete - (Andrew Haigh)

Andrew Haigh’s third feature sees the British filmmaker’s focus shift to the sumptuous expanse of rural middle America. In this touching story of a teenage boy and his attempts to save the eponymous also-ran racehorse, a delicate handle on the narrative complements stunning visuals to produce what should be the contradictory notion of an intimate epic.

It’s impossible not to fall for Charlie Plummer’s protagonist in the same fashion he has grown to love Lean On Pete, as the film’s central relationship reveals both boy and horse have equally been dealt a raw deal by their circumstances.

18. Happy New Year, Colin Burstead - (Ben Wheatley)

Ben Wheatley has emerged as an incredibly interesting and distinctive filmmaker over the past ten years, and that sense is only further heightened with the contained terror of the family gathering he portrays in Happy New Year, Colin Burstead. As an ensemble piece which takes place on the smallest of scales compared to High Rise and Free Fire, Wheatley’s latest was always going to live and die by its writing and acting.

Unsurprisingly, both are fantastic in a film that provides equal measures of comedy and unbearable discomfort for the audience. As an added bonus, it also includes easily the best end credits sequence of the year.

17. The Rider - (Chloe Zhao)

Chloe Zhao’s poetic, contemporary Western packs an abundance of heart-wrenching moments into a film that would stand as an extraordinary achievement even if it wasn’t for its real-life roots. As it is, this is more than just a film.

Although a slightly altered re-telling, the story of the Jandreau family and those who make up their social circle is brought to the screen by the real life figures in question. Zhao uses South Dakota’s largely untouched natural beauty as the canvas for this tale of struggle, and the search for purpose that unfolds from there isn’t easily forgotten.

16. You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay)

I’d be lying if I said that I liked You Were Never Really Here, which makes it something of a black sheep on a list of films that I otherwise loved across the course of the last 12 months. Some films aren’t supposed to be loved, though, and as Lynne Ramsay’s Taxi Driver-esque fable continues to rattle around my brain all these months later, I’ve come to appreciate it immensely.

This is a deeply unsettling film, but considering the subject matter, that’s exactly what it should be. Ramsay has delivered a film that showcases her masterful control of a very specific mood, and boosted by a stellar performance from Joaquin Phoenix, and Jonny Greenwood’s jolting score, it equated to one of the most memorable movies of the year.

15. Columbus - (Kogonada)

Swathes of cinephiles worldwide were already familiar with Kogonada’s cinematic tastes and sensibilities, thanks to his phenomenal video essays, but that didn’t make his feature directorial debut any less intriguing. In Columbus, Kogonada produced a film as considered as the architecture its characters swoon over.

There’s a stillness and a quiet to the film’s style and story structure, yet that doesn’t equate to a lack of heart or character depth. Haley Lu Richardson and John Cho’s sensational performances anchor the stunning visuals, ensuring their director’s own visual architecture never becomes something prosaic enough to overlook or simply pass by. This is close to as confident and assured as debut films can be.

14. Isle of Dogs - (Wes Anderson)

There’s no getting away from Wes Anderson’s particular tastes, tendencies and flourishes at this point in his career, and as a result, his work remains divisive. Having said that, as Anderson demonstrated in Fantastic Mr. Fox, animation offers an ideal medium for his ever exacting frame and the detail that populates his films. The result in this case is a visually stunning film with a wide range of charms, and something that’s undeniably its own thing in spite of the overt references to Akira Kurosawa and other Asian masters.

Beyond all of its artifice, Isle of Dogs possesses the kind of heart that critics often mourn the absence of in Anderson’s cinema. Anderson’s usual troupe of contributors also provide a fantastic voice cast, with the performances of Brian Cranston, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray and Jeff Goldblum particularly lively as the film’s leading canines.

13. The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling - (Judd Apatow)

Documentary portraits of famous figures don’t get much more complete or, indeed, interesting as Judd Apatow’s four-and-a-half hour love letter to the late Garry Shandling. Make no mistake, Apatow’s admiration for and closeness to his subject’s work is clearly evident throughout the film.

In spite of that, the film also manages to offer a look behind the curtain into Shandling’s personal life, and offer up an account of the toll that comedy and television can ultimately take on an individual. The film aligns itself with Shandling’s own clearly reflective instincts, and offers up a measured tribute which gives way to both laughs and tears.

12. The Miseducation of Cameron Post - (Desiree Akhavan)

Desiree Akhavan’s second feature offers up a beautifully efficient and affecting exploration of burgeoning sexuality, and the struggles of wider society in coming to terms with that journey of sexual identity. In a year when multiple films took on a similar shape in exploring the archaic notion of gay conversion therapy centres (and on a very different subject but with a frequently similar shape, the restrictive setting of rehab facilities for addicted youth), Akhavan’s film is directed with a grace and subtlety that elevates it far beyond its contemporaries.

Chloe Grace Moretz and Sasha Lane enhance their deserved reputations as young, emerging superstars in a film that’s incredibly well-written, yet avoids the urge to rely solely on lengthy, overacted soliloquies. Instead, this is cinema as it should be. Trusting in the visual nature of the medium, Akhavan’s film is filled with lingering glances and shots, all of which reveal something about the characters and provoke further contemplation on the movie’s ever-important subject matter.

11. Widows - (Steve McQueen)

Steve McQueen’s background as a Turner Prize winning artist translated to a great sense of precision in his first three films. All three of those features, in some form or another, explored what happens when physicality is pushed to its limits, yet in Widows that same theme took on an even grittier quality when married with the conventions of heist films. A move into genre was undeniably a bold step for a filmmaker of McQueen’s style and growing reputation, but then again when he’s capable of playing with generic norms as impressively as he does in this case, it would have been a waste not to explore those possibilities.

Widows stands as a rich text layered with thoughtful assertions on class, race and gender roles, but that doesn’t detract from this story’s potential as pure entertainment either. With one of the casts of the year, the performances are exceptional across the board -- although Daniel Kaluuya’s work still stands out as one of the very best supporting turns of 2018 -- while McQueen’s inherent creativity is on display for all to see as he transforms a brief and simple car journey into one of the year’s most impressive, insightful and memorable shots.

10. Shoplifters - (Hirokazu Kore-eda)

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s tale of unconventional family on the social margins of Tokyo contains all of the trappings and warmth of Ozu’s best work, yet accompanies it with a distinctly modern and sharp edge that increases both its relevance and resonance. Deeply affecting throughout, Shoplifters highlights the often absurd nature of self-placed social constructs and norms, as just one element of a story that’s already wildly compelling, touching and urgent on its surface.

The question of nature versus nurture is very much alive and at work in Kore-eda’s film, but in a nuanced fashion that is perhaps even more interested in how society and class serve, and fail to serve, certain demographics as a whole. What’s best for us, and what can ultimately be most damaging, may be impossible to pinpoint until it’s often too late, and Kore-eda’s film is only too happy to conclude with that unknown sweeping over the audience.

9. First Man - (Damien Chazelle)

The very same elements that have led to much of the criticism of Damien Chazelle’s La La Land follow-up, will almost certainly prove to be the same reasons it will be afforded much deserved respect and acclaim in time. A very literal nuts and bolts re-telling of mankind’s greatest achievement, First Man is not all that interested in back-slapping or myth-building. It might be easier for many to imagine Neil Armstrong as an exuberant and deeply satisfied man, but his life was more complicated than that, and as such Ryan Gosling’s much-discussed, muted portrayal likely hit on the appropriate tone. Likewise, it would be nice to preserve a fairy tale image of NASA’s untouchable geniuses, but the film and the real life story is all the more interesting for wallowing in the toil, and incredible sacrifices of life, that were a part of man’s journey to the moon.

Having persevered through the quiet, rooted inner-workings and heartbreak that built up to the moon landing, Chazelle treats the audience to arguably the most spectacular moon sequence ever captured on film. The film ends having gifted a sense of wonder for Armstrong and his colleagues’ achievements, but understands the endless failures were just as central to that singular moment. Unlike much of Chazelle’s previous work, this film is not prepared to merely bow down to a narrative of genius.

8. Private Life - (Tamara Jenkins)

A masterclass in performance and writing from start to finish, Tamara Jenkins’ long overdue return to directing balances divergent tones throughout in a film that is jam-packed with humanity. Telling the story of a couple desperately trying everything within their power to have a child, Jenkins’ film runs through the full gamut of emotions, although it’s more than comfortable in spending prolonged spells on the extremes of uproariously hilarious and heartbreakingly crushing.

Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti anchor the drama with great warmth and a genuinely believable love, while the supporting performances on the margins jump off the screen to provide no doubt as to the authenticity of this world. Private Life is the kind of intelligent and instantly relatable every day drama that rarely makes its way to the big screen any more. It’s also perhaps the strongest evidence in a long time for why cinema should be eager for these stories not to be consigned to the realm of TV drama.

7. Burning - (Lee Chang-dong)

Burning is a mystery in every sense of the word. As a result, it arguably offers the purest dose of suspense that’s been seen on the big screen in quite some time. A sense of unease arises early in the film and only becomes more and more smothering as the action progresses. The lines are entirely blurred between the innocuous and ominous, and even by the film’s dramatic conclusion, for many they’ll remain equally unresolved.

In part, that’s the magic of Burning. It’s a film that not only drags the audience along with it on its journey, but displays a remarkable sense of confidence and control in doing so. The three leading performances in the film are spectacular, but Steven Yeun, in particular, is a revelation. Yeun’s Ben may be an incredibly sinister and manipulative villain, but it’s not a stretch to imagine his Gatsby-like figure being exactly who he presents himself as too. The film must be considered through the prism of the literary aspirations of its protagonist, Jong-su, and that creates valid suspicion. Regardless, Burning is an exquisitely crafted psychological drama and examination of social status along the Korean border, with equally stunning visuals to match.

6. Cold War - (Pawel Pawlikowski)

Inspired by his own parents’ love story, Pawel Pawlikowski took the intimate framing and crisp black and white of his Academy Award winning Ida, and applied it beautifully to a sweeping, European romance. Such is the power of cinema that Cold War feels truly epic. That’s all the more impressive considering it’s a deeply personal story captured in close quarters, which also zips in at a notably punchy 85-minute run time.

Combined with Lukasz Zal’s phenomenal cinematography, it’s clear that Pawlikowski has crafted a winning style. Still, the story is essential in providing the substance and, in this case, it’s thoroughly engrossing. Joanna Kulig is truly magnetic as the single-minded and enigmatic Zula, while Tomasz Kot carries himself with the effortless charisma and dignity of the archetypal, classic leading man as he embodies Wiktor. Every frame in the film would look at home in an art gallery, and yet Cold War carries memorable moments of substance beyond its aesthetic pleasures. Just as important to mention is the fact I never knew I needed Eastern European folk music in my life, and then this film’s enchanting songs took up permanent residence in my head.

5. Roma - (Alfonso Cuaron)

A true cinematic master, Alfonso Cuaron combined the bracing humanity of Y Tu Mamá También with the technical mastery of Children of Men to produce the most personal film of his career. In that regard, Roma may well live on to be viewed as Cuaron’s truly definitive work. This film captures the spirit that infuses his wider filmography with so much exuberance and life, while telling a story that has so much resonance in its own right.

A tribute to the childhood maid that raised him, Roma shines a light on the struggles of indigenous Mexican people, and the class and cultural divides that have long existed in Mexico City. Driven by an outstanding, naturalistic performance from first-time actress Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo, the film’s deliberate pacing provides the audience with the truest sense of the world in which its set, and the routines of its protagonist. Of course, it does this in a fashion which few other living filmmakers could dream of replicating. Cuaron’s camerawork is out of this world, particularly in the film’s two main set pieces, but just as relevant to the discussion that surrounded its Netflix release was the remarkably immersive sound design. I was lucky enough to catch Roma on the big screen, and there’s no doubt that it made the film an even greater cinematic spectacle. Having said that, the emotion at the heart of the film is deeply affecting, and it will therefore connect on screens of all shapes and sizes for decades to come.

4. If Beale Street Could Talk - (Barry Jenkins)

If Beale Street Could Talk is not only Barry Jenkins’ first film since his Oscar win for Moonlight, but it’s also the first English-language adaptation of a James Baldwin work. Combined, those elements make for an enormous weight of pressure and expectation, and yet Jenkins was more than up to the challenge of delivering beyond even the loftiest of expectations. Much like Moonlight, this is a perfect match of filmmaker and subject matter. Jenkins is undeniably ascending toward the status of being the premier cinematic chronicler of the African American experience. It’s particularly vital for that specific lens to his work to never be overlooked, either, as it gets right to the heart of the essential truths of his films.

Still, it all derives from a deeper understanding of emotion, society and relationships that ensure Jenkins’ cinema is also imbued with a layer of universality. Jenkins is a filmmaker of great empathy, and his collaborations with cinematographer James Laxton have seen him develop into the modern master of the close-up. Faces have rarely looked as rich and expressive as they do under Jenkins’ gaze, and it’s likely no coincidence that actors seem to find another gear for their performances under his watch. For this film, those elements all combine for a story rich with romance and tragedy, and one that’s sadly as relevant today as it was when Baldwin published the novel in 1974. To cap things off, Nicholas Britell’s score finds the most extraordinary balance between soaring romance and Herrmann-esque dread to emerge as cinema’s best soundtrack of the year.

3. Leave No Trace - (Debra Granik)

Debra Granik returns with her first feature since Winter’s Bone effectively launched Jennifer Lawrence’s career, and it was undoubtedly worth the wait. A quiet film with an ultimately pointed and heartbreaking message, Leave No Trace affords the leafy green environs of the Pacific Northwest the kind of breathing space society seems so unwilling to offer the film’s father and daughter duo.

Played by Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie respectively, there’s an arresting resilience and tenderness to the central relationship of Will and Tom. Living in public parks and deserted woodlands, Will and Tom don’t conform to the cut and dry definitions of family and home that the authorities around them are intent on enforcing upon them. Part of the magic of Granik’s film comes in the way it gradually channels the viewer to see things from their perspective. Why can’t contented people, doing no harm to others, be allowed to live in a manner of their choosing? Of course, the conversation is much more complex of that, and so, as Granik’s film ultimately reveals, is the telling of it in this case. On the whole, Leave No Trace is a truly mesmeric meditation on the impact of trauma, familial love and societal norms. Buoyed by McKenzie, who delivers one of the most astonishing performances of the year, it’s not a film that can be easily forgotten.

2. Minding the Gap - (Bing Liu)

It’s become unsurprisingly fashionable for American cinema to attempt to explain the ascendance of Trump, and the country’s wider social challenges, with on the nose films that offer minimal real depth or insight. Minding the Gap doesn’t fall into those same traps, though, largely because it seems like it never originally had aspirations to be as profound as it ultimately proved to be. As it turns out, simply charting the lives of a group of skateboarding friends over an extended period of time provides a fascinating look into the struggles of youth, and the baggage of history and circumstance, in small, forgotten towns.

Directed by Bing Liu, one of the aforementioned skateboarders, Minding the Gap’s subject matter ultimately proves to be remarkably complex and far-reaching for a 93-minute documentary set on the streets and in the homes of Rockford, Illinois. The young men’s interconnected lives ultimately give way to a shared history of previously undiscussed struggles. Among the young men’s commonalities are exposure to domestic abuse, experiences shaped by race, immense financial struggle, the confusion of modern masculinity, and, of course, a passion for skateboarding. There’s certainly some optimism to be found here, but there’s also an overwhelming sense of sadness for how these young men have been shaped by past acts and histories that were always beyond their control. If you wanted to even try to explain America in 2019, understanding those challenges would be essential. In truth, though, the same difficulties could be applied, and used as explainers for social issues, across the wider Western world. This is a deeply human story and, I’d argue, the year’s most touching film.

1. First Reformed - (Paul Schrader)

I’m not sure how many people were expecting it, but at 72-years-old, Paul Schrader remains one of cinema’s most vital and striking voices. With a deep well of cinematic knowledge to draw from, First Reformed sees Schrader borrow liberally from many of the form’s great masters, while still crafting an incredible story that is undeniably spoken in his own abrasive tone. Bergman’s Winter Light, Dreyer’s Ordet and Bresson’s Diary of a Country Priest are blatantly obvious inspirations, but the voice of Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle, Schrader’s own most famous creation, is equally present in the character of Reverend Ernst Toller.

Toller is played masterfully by Ethan Hawke in the best performance of what’s already been a rich and fascinating career. A clearly measured and reasonable man, Toller’s journey ultimately brings him to breaking point as those around him ignore his message in the same way that he attempts to turn a blind eye to his ailing health. Schrader’s writing tackles global warming, and the prospect of impending doom that accompanies it, in the kind of blunt and unflinching terms that should now be unavoidable but tragically remains all too rare. By the same token, as Toller begs for consideration of whether God can forgive for the damage done to the earth, his preachings fall on the deaf ears of an immensely selfish world. In Schrader’s mind, there’s no question that drastic times call for drastic measures.

Even with such an urgent message, a fantastic script, and a generational lead performance, First Reformed wouldn’t be as great as it is without its stunning array of visuals. The film’s visual treats range from extreme close-ups that make a map out of Hawke’s wrinkled forehead, to the electric and lustrous pink of Toller’s heartburn medicine as it mixes with his whiskey, and to the vivid anger of the early morning sky. Quite simply, it’s a feast for the eyes, a jolt for the mind, and an assault on the soul.

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thelozzaview · 3 years

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Another Tuesday another week

I woke up watched some McClain related and then had my shower and morning routine and as I type I am having my breakfast and getting mentally and physically ready for the day the time now is 8:07 and about to get dressed at 8:10 I have until 8:30 to be ready for fitness/bootcamp which I will be just called my parents just to here their voices and that really starts my day officially is by calling my family so by then I went to fitness/bootcamp that was fun Anette came to pickle up from there and now we are hanging out until 11:30 so I can have fun from there and keep busy as I can.

The time now is 11:39 and now we are applying for volunteering with Telethon and now I have to do an online Hygiene 4 module course which I’m loving celebrating my nerdy side again because I love learning about everything in life and to do that you have to study I am hanging out with mum soon she texted me saying that she is on her way so all I have to do now is wait which I am good at doing and keeping busy until then so I got to hang out with mum wrapping Christmas presents and Hamish’s birthday presents I have to get mine ready for Monday next week going out for breakfast which I am looking forward to and watching him open all his presents.

While mum did her nails we chatted about anything and everything and by 5:25 dad took me home now.taking Tammy for a walk almost banana dinner time before I have dance for Alice to take me which I am always looking forward to I love my family they’re writhing to me Bill, Beth, Hugh and Hamish they are blossoming in their own way and when I look at them living their own lives when I’m around always puts me in a good mood they are my everything to me but because I’m the only girl in the family theres apart of me that wants a female sibling in my family

So when I come home or feel alone with my own emotions and thoughts have no-one to unload that too I know I have Roma and I Loe her but its good to have one of your own your own you know someone who knows you and how you have a best friend to talk to all hours of the night and you never get sick of each other and when your together you know that you would be lost with her and I feel that way only somedays only when I’m busy when I am completely alone raw and with emotions thats when I need a sister the most when I feel lost and when I have no idea what to do without them it only comes in moments for me though its always when I come home from being out myself

It always sets in from 5pm through until 7 but then my fun is always planned out after I feel that way so now me and Zoe discussed it that because I never had a really biological sister that we will be and we will be those sisters is make all my friends who I call sisters into best friends and Z as my sister so now I have her I had a conversation with her about that only last Friday because I felt that way and she put me to ease and said we can take our relationship to sister mode she is the sister I have always wanted you don't have to live together to be sisters but thats my idea of having a sister I am so over the moon to have her on my side.

so Dance was fun we perfected everything for the concert like the end poses for the concert for both dances my personal favourite out of all them is Trey Mix but I like both of them and earlier I found out one other class which is acro they are doing their routine to Ways To Be Wicked and I asked for the next year for us to do a Descendant one for our class next year basically I told her I am a Descendant fan so when it came to home time we smashed it for the final time for filming then went home just drank my coconut water and I am ready to see weight results tomorrow first thing in the morning after I pee then I can go back to eating YAY.

I’ts only 9:29 so I will be ready for bed at 10:00 because thats when Roma will massage me into the bed again been a while though because sometimes she's not in the mood for it but she does have her period so that put a damper o. things but I know she will in time and that time has come tonight so I am looking forward until it happen thats another blog off tonight I have talked about a lot of things so can't wait to have another day to talk about lets see if its tomorrow if not I will try when I have a day free lets see what tomorrow has in store for me.

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gadgetsrevv · 5 years

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Italy and Mancini are set to cruise to Euro 2020. Just don’t ask about the green shirts

Italy look rested and rather comfortable in Euro 2020 qualifying right now. It’s a refreshing change after failing to reach the 2018 World Cup.

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to hear Roberto Mancini say “I prefer the blue.”

His opinion on Italy’s new green shirt, which the team will wear for Saturday’s qualifier with Greece — stream live: 2.45 p.m. ET, ESPN+ (U.S. only) — isn’t necessarily that of a traditionalist. Mancio won league titles as a player in the blue of Sampdoria and Lazio and his greatest successes as a coach came in the same hue at Inter and Man City. Superstition is the way.

“We’ll see what it looks like on the pitch,” he smiled. “It’s a bit strange.”

Returning to the Stadio Olimpico for the first time in four years, greying fans of a certain vintage will maybe remember the time Italy last played in green here. It happened just once in 1954: a friendly against Argentina. PUMA are calling it the “Renaissance Kit” and whatever you might think of it, the launch it certainly captures the zeitgeist around Mancini’s Nazionale.

– Rodri: Man City’s new star talks exclusively to ESPN – Ogden: What’s the problem with England’s traveling fans? – O’Hanlon: Who’s the best finisher in soccer?

Designed to appeal to a new generation, this is very much the Italy team of that generation. Eleven of the players in the squad are 25 or younger and Mancini will call up one or two from the Under-21s once Thursday’s qualifier with the Republic of Ireland is done and dusted. Dialling up the “linea verde” (“the green line”) is one idiom Italians use when youth is being invested in and Mancini hasn’t put the phone down in his year in charge.

This weekend, Italy will book their place at Euro 2020 nice and early with three games to spare, as long as they beat Greece and Armenia fail to win in Liechtenstein. The choice of venue is significant. In the event of qualification, Italy will play their first two group games next summer in Rome; Mancini wants the players to get used to the atmosphere. After vanquishing Finland 2-1 in Tampere last month, he said: “The hope is that the Stadio Olimpico is as full as it was during the 1990 World Cup, a time when we were all a little younger.”

Currently on a seven-game winning run, matching the streaks of former coaches Ferruccio Valcareggi and Giovanni Trapattoni, this new-look Italian side has completely changed the mood around the national team, regenerating enthusiasm after the massive disappointment of 2018. Sure, as Mancini’s predecessor Giampiero Ventura (now coaching in Serie B at Salernitana) has pointed out, their qualification group is an easy one. But Italy laboured and rarely entertained against similar opposition not just under him, but also legendary managers who could call on hall-of-famers in contrast to promising youngsters.

“I wanted a group with Germany, Holland, France and Spain but they didn’t give it to me,” Mancini cheekily hit back.

His latest squad includes only one debutante: Napoli right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo, whose story is the stuff of fairytales. The 26-year-old has gone from playing in the third division with Matera to the Champions League and now, his country in just two seasons. He is the Moreno Torricelli of 2019.

Nicolo Zaniolo is back after his punishment for showing up late for a training session at the U21 Euros in the summer. Moise Kean, his partner in that tardy crime, is not, however, after a slow start to life at Everton. Currently training with the Azzurrini, it wouldn’t come as too big a surprise if he were promoted to the senior squad after the weekend. That said, Mancini has given the impression that the more likely graduate will be Brescia’s Sandro Tonali who has yet to debut for the Azzurri but was on the bench last month in Armenia.

Florentines were disappointed that Gaetano Castrovilli did not make the cut after a breakout start to the campaign but his chance will come soon enough. That said, Mancini believes “the squad is more or less set,” adding “there are maybe two or three spots up for grabs. If someone all of sudden gets ruled out [through injury] then we’ll see but the players going to the Euros are here or have already been called up. If anything, we’re a little short on the left-side of our defence. Emerson Palmieri [Italy’s main creative thrust in Yerevan] is out. [Roma’s] Leonardo Spinazzola has played the last two. [Inter’s] Cristiano Biraghi is back [fit] but he isn’t playing a lot.”

Italy coach Mancini, left, presents the new green Italy shirt to Vincenzo Spadafora, Italy’s Minister for Sport and Youth Policies.

Questions about Italy’s problem position, the No. 9 role, ended up getting convincing answers in September. Andrea Belotti scored in Armenia and Ciro Immobile found the back of the net in Finland, the pair of them putting to rest long droughts for an international goal. Friendly rivals for one place in the team, the competition seems to be bringing out the best in the former club teammates. Belotti boasts 12 goals in 17 games for club and country this season, Immobile nine in 10.

It means the striker-less lineup that sparked Mancini’s Italy into life this time last year has been shelved as has the Kean-Fabio Quagliarella combo that lit up the Azzurri over the spring. It’s up to them and the likes of Mario Balotelli and Patrick Cutrone to persuade Mancini otherwise over the next eight months ahead of Euro 2020.

Out wide, the only guaranteed starter at the moment is Federico Chiesa, who is learning more tricks of the trade alongside Franck Ribery at Fiorentina. On the opposite side, Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne needs to shape up after a poor and bad-tempered start to the season. He’s failed to score or assist in five of his last seven appearances and Carlo Ancelotti left him in the stands for the trip to Club Brugge in the Champions League, unimpressed with what he’d seen from his captain in training.

As for Federico Bernardeschi, he has barely played for Juventus this season. He only made his first league start at the weekend and did not match what he’d shown previously in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen. One of the novelties of the Greece game could be the repurposing of Bernardeschi in midfield. It would highlight how much Mancini rates the player and underline his efforts to skill up the team as much as possible.

Ciro Immobile, right, is in superb form for club and country and will be leaned upon as Italy’s attack looks better and sharper than it has for years.

Last time out he used Lorenzo Pellegrini as a nominal left-winger knowing that when Italy had the ball and Emerson or Leonardo Spinazzola pushed up, the Roma playmaker could come inside and occupy something akin to a No. 10 role. Pellegrini ended up getting the go-ahead goal in Armenia and has made it rain assists at club level throughout September. Unfortunately, his foot is now in plaster and he’ll be watching from home.

The midfield that seemed written in stone, with Nicolo Barella, Marco Verratti and Jorginho complementing each other brilliantly in last season’s internationals, was remarkably being challenged not only by the form of Pellegrini, but also Stefano Sensi, the player everyone’s been talking about, who, lamentably, will also be missing this round of games after straining his adductor in the Derby d’Italia.

Injuries aside — don’t forget captain Giorgio Chiellini is rehabbing from knee surgery as well — Mancini must be encouraged by the range and age profile of the players coming through. He has lifted the gloom around the national team and is imposing his own winning mentality. Ending this qualification campaign with a perfect record will see Italy back among the top seeds and heading into the Euros full of self-esteem and optimism.

As for this weekend, it’s hoped the team will play better than they did in September when you could tell they had not worked together for four months and that the Serie A season was only two games old. It was no coincidence that the Premier League-based players and the Torino contingent — back early for the Europa League qualifiers — were the ones who stood out.

Saturday’s game has been billed as a “mock exam” by Mancini. Italy should pass it in flying colours. Just not the ones we’re used to seeing them in.

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#Uncategorized #2020 #Belotti #Chiesa #cruise #dont #Euro #Euro 2020 #Green #italy #Mancini #set #shi

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floralbeast · 3 years

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#roma's mood bill #love #aesthetic #like #rb

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torentialtribute · 5 years

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Miralem Pjanic mocks Cristiano Ronaldo’s bare thighs as Juventus stars train in a happy mood

Miralem Pjanic mocks Cristiano Ronaldo's bare thighs while Juventus looks back in a happy mood after sealing the eighth straight Series A title

The Juventus players were in a happy their last title sealed

| Issued: 10:10 BST, April 25, 2019 | Cristiano Ronaldo while he hitched Juventus Juventus were players in a playful mood during training

Miralem Pjanic even got away with a gentle mockery of the stermann's pants up to expose his thigh muscles

Ronaldo has of course long been in the habit of using his muscular thigh muscles. bending when he goes over a free kick as a kind of weird psychological trick. ]

<img id = "i-8e69720eb28bfbc" src = "https://dailym.ai/2L1QMnN a-32_1556182971072.jpg "height =" 450 "width =" 634 "alt =" Miralem Pjanic mocked Cristiano Ronaldo by showing off his thighs as happy Juventus players posed for a group photo in training after obtaining their eighth right-hand division title]

<img id = "i-8e69720eb28bfbc" src = "https://dailym.ai/2VnWWlX" height = "450" width = "634" alt = "Miralem Pjanic mocked Cristiano Ronaldo by showing off his thighs as happy Juventus players posed for a group in training that had secured their eighth consecutive title"

Miralem Pjanic Cristiano Ronaldo mocked by showing off his thighs as happy Juventus players posed in front of a training group that had their eighth right out of an Eredivisie

Cristiano Ronaldo went to Instagram to show off his personalized new Nike shoes "class =" blkBorder img-share "/>

<img id =" i-ef66fe65bf3e87fe "src =" https: // i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/04/25/10/12698608-6958529-image-m-35_1556183018545.jpg "height =" 486 "width =" 634 "alt =" "blkBor

Cristiano Ronaldo took to Instagram to show off his personalized new Nike shoes

put on his shorts to show off his muscular thighs while take your free kicks "

<img id =" i-7f36f082c58efde "src =" https://dailym.ai/2L2laOS -a-36_1556183135417.jpg "height =" 434 "width =" 634 "alt =" Ronaldo likes to light his shorts to show off his muscular thighs while taking free kicks "

Ronaldo likes to put his shorts aa n to show off his muscular thighs while taking free kicks Of course, the Portuguese were also there with his thighs seen as a group of Juve players who posed for a photo in training, and then circulated on their social media bills.

Ronaldo, who was the first player to win the league title in Italy, Spain and England last weekend, also posted a photo of his new Nike Mercurial boots that are emblazon

Juventus sealed their

Mattia De Sciglio, Leonardo Bonucci, Moise Kean, Wojciech Szczesny, Blaise Matuidi, Matheidi Pereira and Alex Sandro Latest Scudetto and their 35th overall title with a 2-1 win over Fiorentina.

Ronaldo is bubbling champagne while celebrating Juve & # 39; s last Scudetto success last weekend "

Juventus devices

Juan Cuadrado sprays form on Ronaldo's hair while the players celebrate another league title

All Serie A Inter Milan (A)

Atalanta (H)

It left them 20 points away from the nearest Challengers Napoli with only five games to go and they travel to the San Siro to play Inter Milan this Saturday, knowing that the hard work has been done.

Of course, the Serie A will be their only piece of silverware this season. They left the Coppa Italia in the quarterfinals to Atalanta and crushed the Champions League to Ajax.

It was a successful first season in Italy on a personal level for Ronaldo, 34, who scored 26 points. goals and 13 contributions contributed in all competitions.

<img id = "i-72adf50d7599536a" src = "https://dailym.ai/2VjUFZf image-a-41_1556183300308.jpg "height =" 369 "width =" 634 "alt =" But there was unbearable pain for Ronaldo and Juventus if she lost to Ajax in the Champions League "for Ronaldo and Juventus if she lost to Ajax in the Champions League "

But there was unbearable pain for Ronaldo and Juventus if she lost to Ajax in the Champions League. Ronaldo had won three Champions League titles in a row with Real Madrid, but was short of it"

] <img id = "i-3bd7f760eac7861e" src = "https://dailym.ai/2KYfC7N -6958529-image-a-42_1556183319283.jpg "height =" 406 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-3bd7f760eac7861e" src = "https://dailym.ai/2CYdfvj 2019/04/25/10 / 12698954-6958529-image-a-42_1556183319283.jpg "height =" 406 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-3bd7f760eac7861e" s rc = "https://dailym.ai/2Lbr3cm" height = "406" width = "634" alt = " Ronaldo had won three Champions League titles in a row with Real Madrid, but fell short with Real Madrid but failed.

But his failure to win a fourth consecutive title in the Champions League, had so enjoyed with Sixty success with Real Madrid, will falter

There are indeed reports that Ronaldo has assigned a six-man list with transfer goals in Europe to Juventus in the coming season

The list would be Real Madrid & # 39; s Raphael Varane and Isco, Benfica & Joao Felix, Federico Chiesa of Fiorentina, Lyon Tanguy Ndombele and Costas Manolas of Roma.

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#Miralem Pjanic mocks Cristiano Ronaldo’s bare thighs as Juventus stars train in a happy mood"

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robertdaviis · 6 years

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Best Art Hotels Around the World You Need to See

If you’re an art enthusiast traveling and exploring the world, you don’t need to drag yourself through long queues and tons of people. Many hoteliers are now bringing fine art collections inside their lobbies. This means you can set your eyes on really awesome artworks with less stress.

Here are nine of the best art hotels you need to include in your list:

XVA Art Hotel, Dubai

Via xvahotel

The XVA Art Hotel in Dubai has 14 unique bedrooms and each one is a masterpiece. It has recently been ranked by travel experts Expedia as one of the most picturesque and best art hotels in the world.

The hotel has contemporary and traditional works of art hanging on its walls. There’s also a beautiful on-site store you can buy great souvenirs from.

Dubai has a lot to offer art fans. The Meem Gallery displays work by emerging artists and the Cuadro Gallery houses modern art, peculiar portraits, and thought-provoking installations.

Kimpton Hotel Eventi, New York

Via booking.com

Neither Lady Liberty in her gown of green nor the honking yellow taxis of Times Square could possibly fail to get you excited for the kaleidoscope of fun this insomniac city is known for.

A mecca for culture lovers, New York has produced some of the coolest artists we know. Great examples include Koons, Pollock, and Warhol.

At the Hotel Kimpton Eventi, enjoy a beautiful blend of quirky creativity and downright opulence. It’s where the balance between the typical and the unexpected hits the spot.

The Merrion, Dublin

Via merrionhotel

Ireland’s charming capital is not only home to magnificent spaces like The Irish National Gallery and the IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art). It also has buzzing nightlife and gorgeous green countryside.

The five-star Merrion Hotel is an obvious choice for accommodation, with opulent decor and topnotch facilities. The Merrion serves an Art Afternoon Tea with pastries inspired by paintings from the hotel’s vast collection.

Art nourishment with a side of Earl Grey? Yes, please.

art’otel, Amsterdam

Via booking.com

The Dutch capital is so laid back. With cozy beds and artsy inspiration all under one roof, Amsterdam’s art’otel ticks all the must-see boxes of any art fan.

The hotel’s reception gets you in the spirit with huge red sculptural heads, swinging light bulbs, and a shiny black human-esque sculpture that happens to double as a lamp.

The First Roma, Rome

Via kayak.com

The First Roma Hotel features Italian art and it can take you several days to explore all of Rome’s artistic offerings. At the First Roma, you can leap straight from your hot tub into a watercolor workshop or a talk on Dadaism. Those can sound like holiday gold to any art enthusiast.

Sankara, Nairobi

Via sankara.com

Based in a posh neighborhood of Kenya’s lively capital, the Sankara’s tasteful decor and art collection sets it way ahead of other art hotels.

Guests can see beautiful works of art by emerging and established local creatives. After checking them out, they can indulge in a hearty feast with the hotel’s barbecue or an expertly-blended cocktail.

If art isn’t enough, Nairobi is also home to incredible wildlife. You can book yourself for a short tour and get your binoculars ready.

The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas

Via cosmopolitanlasvegas

Las Vegas’ The Cosmopolitan offers a varied collection of paintings and sculpture as well as whole walls that serve as giant video screens showcasing hypnotic digital art.

Alt-J and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds are among the long guest list of indie musicians on the bill at the Cosmo. Art-o-Mat machines (which once dispensed cigarettes) are now filled with original art so you can pick up the perfect souvenir as you stroll the corridors.

Hotel Eclat, Beijing

Via booking.com

This art hotel brings the best of China’s quirky cool. Every bedroom is uniquely designed, with some budget-friendly options (or a plunge pool and fish tank if you’re feeling frivolous.) A hundred rooms are packed into this multi-story space in a fancy indoor shopping mall, giving the place an intense vitality. With an eco-friendly promise to keep the luxury sustainable, you can enjoy the Hotel Eclat’s triumphant array of artworks without a trace of guilt for the environment.

Bohem Art Hotel, Budapest

Via booking.com

For any art lover, Budapest has plenty to share. It has some brilliant galleries that you simply need to visit.

Bold modern portraits hang around the Bohem Art Hotel. Pick your room according to your mood. From whimsical and dreamy, loud and proud to a psychedelic rainbow, The Bohem Art Hotel caters to your every creative whim.

The post Best Art Hotels Around the World You Need to See appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

Best Art Hotels Around the World You Need to See syndicated from https://aspiringgentlemanblog.wordpress.com/

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bi-fandom-trash · 6 years

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More PF

So, a little bit of this may be repeating for some of you, but I’m trying to put together the story in some coherent manner. I will definitely have some Jackson and Roma silliness between the first and second scenes here. But this does give some idea as to the context and flow of the story. It’s a bit rushed in places, and still very rough. Still, I hope you enjoy it.

“TMZ? You’re going to write for that trashy mag?” Farraway asked. “No. Absolutely not.”

“I didn’t ask your permission.” Roma replied. “I don’t have an exclusive contract with The Phoenix Files. I can write for whomever I choose.”

“I don’t want anyone associated with me to be associated with them.”

“But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” Roma said, and there was something different about her. “I NEED this, Justin.”

“You NEED to contribute to the literary equivalent of a plecostomus?”

“Look.” She threw a copy of the tabloid to him.

“$1500 to the first person to successfully submit an interview with Judas Iscariot.” Farraway read aloud.

“Say WHAAAAAAAT?!” Jackson popped his head up, suddenly interested.

“Judas Iscariot. The musician.” Farraway clarified.

“I know who he is!” Jackson popped up from his desk and grabbed the paper out of his boss’s hands. “I know EVERYTHING about him. His ancient betrayal, his entire album collection, his preferred brand of eyeliner--Roma, you need to take me with you. Please. If there’s a chance of meeting him—“

“Oh, god, you two are seriously going to bother this guy? Maybe there’s a reason he doesn’t grant interviews.”

“Justin, this is absolutely amazing. Fifteen bennys, plus a chance to meet THE Judas Iscariot?” Roma grinned from ear to ear. “Yes, Jackson, you can come. We need to come up with a plan, and two heads are better than one.”

“So just to clarify,” Farraway put his hands on his hips, “You’re going to take time off from your job to pursue a guy who clearly doesn’t want to be pursued, to get an interview he doesn’t want to give, in some ill-conceived, hormonally-induced quest for an article that will end up lining a birdcage.”

“Yes.” The other two answered in unison.

____________________________________________________

“A bottle of Bombay.” Farraway asked the bartender as he sat down. It takes a dead person a LOT of liquor to get drunk, and he was determined. The Helios deal falling through, the earthquake, Jackson’s stint in limbo. Plus, seeing his daughter again...Farraway shook his head, failing to shake away the memories. He just wanted to wipe the week from his mind.

The bartender placed the bottle of gin in front of him and he took a large swig.

“You know, vodka works better for that.” A voice said from down the bar. Farraway knew this, but preferred the hint of Juniper from the gin. It reminded him of the Phoenix desert, which he loved and hated with equal passion.

“Thanks.” He said. “I’ll keep that in mind.” The other man wobbled a bit as he took a seat closer to Farraway. The spotty lighting made it difficult to see his face, but his voice was oddly soothing for someone in Hell. He was clearly not a demon. Likely a human soul.

“Not many people know about this place,” the stranger said. “It’s a great little escape.”

“Indeed.” Farraway wasn’t really in the mood to talk, but the stranger had an odd pull about him. The stranger lit a cigarette and offered Farraway one. Farraway declined.

“Rough day?” the stranger asked.

“Rough week.” Farraway replied. “More like a rough existence. Life, death. All of it.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place.” The stranger said. “Nothing like some hard liquor for some hard times.”

Farraway mumbled in agreement as he took another drink.

“Sometimes, I wonder how I got here.” Farraway mused. “I mean, obviously I KNOW how I got here, but I still can’t help but think about it.”

“I definitely understand that,” the stranger replied. “Not a day goes by I don’t remember when and why I sold my soul.”

“But if I had it to do over again…” Farraway paused as he took another drink. “I’d do exactly the same.” The gin was going to his head, his words flowing more freely. “You see, there really were no other options. Or there didn’t seem to be…”

Phoenix, AZ, twelve years ago

A scream was heard through the small house. Justin Farraway woke, his heart pounding, and bolted down the hall to the nursery. His wife held their infant son in her arms, sobbing.

“Something’s wrong!” She shouted.

Justin immediately took the child from his hysterical wife. The baby was rigid, but breathing ragged, gagging breaths. Eyes were glazed over, not blinking. The occasional twitch came from his tiny limbs.

He carried the child down to their bedroom, and was on the phone with 911 in a matter of seconds. The dispatcher instructed him to remain calm in a smooth, measured voice that did nothing to calm him. But on the surface, he looked collected. He needed to appear in control. He answered the dispatcher’s questions in his steady tenor. He held his son’s head the way the dispatcher instructed as the infant’s seizures continued, his normally brown skin pale and covered in sweat. He continued to do as instructed, pushing aside his panic for the sake of his wife, who was slowly dissolving into a pile of madness next to him.

She left for a moment, possibly to answer the pounding at the door. There were unfamiliar voices, clicks and rattles of equipment. Hands took his son from him. The crackle of a radio. He numbly followed the EMTs outside, his mouth and brain on autopilot as he answered their questions. He then saw his three-year-old daughter standing in the doorway, curly dark hair in her eyes, clutching her toy cat.

“Come here, sweetheart.” He said as he walked over and picked her up. Was that his voice? How was that his voice? How was he not screaming?

“Daddy, what’s wrong?”

“Your brother’s sick, but it’s okay.” No, no. It’s not okay. Why is my voice saying that?

“Is mommy okay?”

Justin looked toward his wife, who was sobbing over the infant’s body as they wheeled him into the ambulance.

“She’s just worried about your brother.” He kissed her cheek. “Let’s get your clothes on so we can go to the hospital.”

The loss of a loved one affects everyone differently. When that loved one is a child, the grief is magnified beyond mere pain and into a type of darkness not even Hell can duplicate…as Justin would soon learn.

Coming home from the hospital after a death is like returning to a house that isn’t yours. It’s returning to a life that isn’t yours. It’s some bad novelization of your life, like a biographer is writing your story but completely missed important points.

Some people throw themselves into work. Some obsessively focus on a hobby. Others…others just fall apart. And Maria Rodriguez-Farraway fell apart beyond repair. It began slowly. She forgot to turn off the stove. She didn’t wake their daughter or take her to school one day. Justin picked up the slack. He cooked. He cared for Gabby, who slowly began to mimic her mother. Teachers said she didn’t do anything in school. She just stared blankly. The counselor recommended a local child psychiatrist.

And when Justin wasn’t caring for “his girls,” he was at work, editing the society columns of the local paper with a similar sort of monotony as that displayed by his wife and child. He began to slip up here and there. Then the mistakes grew with his concern for his family. It wasn’t long before he was let go.

Doctor’s bills. Therapy bills. The mortgage. It all came crashing down. Justin looked frantically for work, but with an economic recession, there was little to be found. He was ready to do anything to keep what was left of his family afloat.

Anything.

And that’s the kind of desperation Hell lives for.

It was nearly a year since his son’s passing. A mysterious text message: “I may have some work for you. Meet me at the Starbucks on the corner of McDowell and 7th ave. 10:30. Come alone.”

Justin wasn’t sure what to do. Everything in him screamed that this was a scam of some sort. Or worse. “Come alone” sounded ominous, to say the least. He looked at his daughter across the dinner table, staring blankly, food untouched. Maria was upstairs, still in bed. She had good days and bad days. Today was a bad day. Neither had seen their therapist in over a month due to non-payment. Notices regarding the possible foreclosure of the house sat on the kitchen counter.

His desperation won out. After his wife and child went to bed, he got in his beat up Oldsmobille and headed out to the unknown.

The Starbucks was deserted, except for a large, disgruntled-looking barista wiping down the equipment behind the counter. “We’re closed,” she said, clearly annoyed. “I thought I locked that door.”

“I-I’m sorry…I’ll just be goi—“

“Two soy lattes, extra foam.” Another woman’s voice cracked through the air. It was short, barking, and powerful. The barista immediately straightened her back, a glazed-over look in her eyes.

“Of course.” The barista replied, unsmiling and robotic. The turned on her heel and began preparing the beverages.

“Mr. Farraway, I presume?” Justin just stared at the woman speaking, mouth open, heart racing. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She looked like she had walked right off a runway, with a form-fitting black belted dress, strappy high heels, and a feminine briefcase that cost more than a month’s salary.

“Lily.” She extended her hand. Farraway shook it. Her skin was smooth and fashionably tanned. Justin dared a look at her eyes, and immediately looked away. There was something eerie about her eyes. They looked normal enough, a pretty hazel color. But there was a quality about them, the way they pierced through him, that set him on edge.

“Sit.” Justin immediately obeyed, almost against his will, and sat at the nearest small table. Lily pulled some paperwork from her briefcase, her demeanor all business. “I have come to offer you a position at the company I work for, Mr. Farraway.”

“Yes, I—I read your text.” Justin could feel the nervous sweat rolling down his back. The barista placed their drinks between them.

“Will there be anything else?” She asked in a dazed monotone.

“That will be all.” Lily replied, clearly dismissing her. She then turned back to Justin. “Mr. Farraway, you have a skill set that is most interesting to us.”

“I—I do?”

“Indeed. You have a unique mixture of talent in both writing and editing, coupled with personality traits we find most appealing.”

“Well, I brought a sample of my work—“ he began to pull out an envelope.

“That isn’t necessary.” Lily interrupted. “We have seen all your work. We have been watching you for quite some time.”

“Oh, you mean, you’ve been following my career?”

“That, too.”

Justin got a chill up his spine. All those times he felt he was being watched. He immediately began to fear for his family.

“Relax. Your family is safe.” Lily seemed to read his thoughts. “It is you we are after.”

“What…What is it that you want from me?”

“My employer wants the only thing that is really yours to give.” Lily’s eyes suddenly flashed a bright yellow. Farraway somehow wasn’t surprised, but his heart was hammering in his chest with realization. From the moment he saw her, somehow he knew. He knew there was something unnatural about her.

“…my soul.” He deduced, just above a whisper.

“Very good, Mr. Farraway. It takes many people much longer to figure it out.” Her smile was nothing short of predatory. “You will do all of the legwork of editing. You will act as an intermediary between this world and the world below. You will fetch manuscripts, edit for grammar and content, and do whatever other bidding your supervisor wishes. In return, you and your family will reap great financial reward, as well as other benefits.”

“Will they come to no harm?” Farraway asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Can you promise they will come to no harm, as long as I am in your employ?”

“Well, now, we are talking about forever, Mr. Farraway. I can’t guarantee they will never be harmed for all eternity.” Lily was almost giggling. “However, I can promise good health and minimal injury for the next…shall we say fifteen years?”

“Until she is eighteen, then.” Mr. Farraway stated. “Until my daughter is an adult.”

“Aren’t you a smart one?” Lily laughed. There was no mirth in it. “Yes, once she is of age, she will have to make her own way, as we all do.”

Justin thought about his wife and child. Their bodies simply going through the motion of life like empty husks. Was it worth it? Was there some catch that could put his family in danger?

He looked up at those unforgiving eyes. He knew undoubtedly that it was a trick. But he also knew his family was not going to get better on their own. He didn’t have the power himself to fix this. If he took this deal, they would be healed for a while, and that bought him time to figure something else out. Fifteen years to figure it out.

“Ma’am,” he squared his shoulders, his voice strong and steady. “You have a deal.”

Present Day

“So, that was the beginning of my contract,” Farraway concluded, finishing his second bottle of Bombay. “I went to work as a tweener for the old Hartford Heretics agency, until I died. Then I became one of their editors down here. What’s your story?”

“Well, I definitely understand yours,” the stranger replied. “See, I was also desperate to feed my family. Of course, times were different back then. I sold my soul for a mere 30 pieces of silver.”

Farraway gasped as the stranger tilted his head into the light. He took in the stranger’s dark, rugged looks and signature markings around his neck.

“You—you’re—“

“Judas Iscariot.” The stranger extended his hand. Farraway, dazed, took it.

“My story doesn’t begin where everyone thinks it does,” Judas began.

“Wait,” Farraway got out his pen and paper. “Do you mind if I write this down?”

Judas chuckled, “Not at all. Us human souls need to stick together.”

_______________________________________________________

Jackson and Roma laid their heads upon their desks, looking utterly defeated. They had tried camping out in front of Iscariot’s house, disguising themselves as maintenance workers, and even delivering a pizza. Nothing had worked in their quests for an interview.

Farraway walked in to the office, a slight swagger in his step.

“Where have you been?” Roma asked, not really caring.

“Collecting my winnings.” Farraway replied smugly, slapping his article down on the desk next to her.

“What?!” Roma looked over it. “This can’t be real! How?”

“What is it?” Jackson peeked over her shoulder. “YOU?! You got an interview with Judas Iscariot? But—but how?”

Farraway’s only answer was a sly grin.

“Get back to work.”

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