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Need book recs? Here are 10 books by women!

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Whether you're looking for some last-minute recs to wrap up the year, or you want to plan ahead for 2019, here are 10 books by women writers that should be added to your shelves. These ten books include the genres of middle-grade and young adult; sci-fi & fantasy; historical fiction; and horror.

How to Steal a Dog
by Barbara O'Connor
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Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation.

When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is “borrow” the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.


Dealing with Dragons
(Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1)

by Patricia C. Wrede
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Cimorene is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart - and bored. So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon - and finds the family and excitement she's been looking for.


Elizabeth and Zenobia
by Jessica Miller
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Abandoned by her mother and neglected by her scientist father, timid Elizabeth Murmur has only her fearless friend, Zenobia, for company. And Zenobia’s company can be very trying! When Elizabeth’s father takes them to live in his family home, Witheringe House, Zenobia becomes obsessed with finding a ghost in the creepy old mansion and forces Elizabeth to hold séances and wander the rooms at night. With Zenobia’s constant pushing, Elizabeth investigates the history of the house and learns that it does hold a terrible secret: Her father’s younger sister disappeared from the grounds without a trace years ago.


When the Sea Turned to Silver
by Grace Lin
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Pinmei's gentle, loving grandmother always has the most exciting tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller.

Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei's grandmother--before it's too late.


The Bone Witch
(The Bone Witch #1)

by Rin Chupeco
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When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she's a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.

In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha-one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles...and make a powerful choice.


The Best of All Possible Worlds
by Karen Lord
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A proud and reserved alien society finds its homeland destroyed in an unprovoked act of aggression, and the survivors have no choice but to reach out to the indigenous humanoids of their adopted world, to whom they are distantly related. They wish to preserve their cherished way of life but come to discover that in order to preserve their culture, they may have to change it forever.

Now a man and a woman from these two clashing societies must work together to save this vanishing race—and end up uncovering ancient mysteries with far-reaching ramifications. As their mission hangs in the balance, this unlikely team—one cool and cerebral, the other fiery and impulsive—just may find in each other their own destinies . . . and a force that transcends all.


Song of Blood & Stone
(Earthsinger Chronicles #1)

by L. Penelope
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Orphaned and alone, Jasminda lives in a land where cold whispers of invasion and war linger on the wind. Jasminda herself is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her gift of Earthsong is feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive--an injured spy who threatens to steal her heart.

Jack's mission behind enemy lines to prove that the Mantle between Elsira and Lagamiri is about to fall nearly cost him his life, but he is saved by the healing Song of a mysterious young woman. Now he must do whatever it takes to save Elsira and it's people from the True Father and he needs Jasminda's Earthsong to do it. They escape their ruthless captors and together they embark on a perilous journey to save Elsira and to uncover the secrets of The Queen Who Sleeps.

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation.

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.


Nine Coaches Waiting
by Mary Stewart

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When lovely Linda Martin first arrives at Château Valmy as an English governess to the nine-year-old Count Philippe de Valmy, the opulence and history surrounding her seems like a wondrous, ecstatic dream. But a palpable terror is crouching in the shadows. Philippe's uncle, Leon de Valmy, is the epitome of charm, yet dynamic and arrogant, his paralysis little hindrance as he moves noiselessly in his wheelchair from room to room. Only his son Raoul, a handsome, sardonic man who drives himself and his car with equally reckless abandon, seems able to stand up to him. To Linda, Raoul is an enigma, though irresistibly attracted to him, she senses some dark twist in his nature. When an accident deep in the woods nearly kills Linda's innocent charge, she begins to wonder if someone has deadly plans for the young count.


The Collector of Dying Breaths
(Reincarnationist #6)

by M.J. Rose
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Florence, Italy1533: An orphan named René le Florentin is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. Traveling with the young duchessina from Italy to France, René brings with him a cache of secret documents from the monastery where he was trained: recipes for exotic fragrances and potent medicines—and a formula for an alchemic process said to have the potential to reanimate the dead. In France, René becomes not only the greatest perfumer in the country but the most dangerous, creating deadly poisons for his Queen to use against her rivals. But while mixing herbs and essences under the light of flickering candles, Rene doesn’t begin to imagine the tragic and personal consequences for which his lethal potions will be responsible.

Paris, FranceThe Present: A renowned mythologist, Jac L’Etoile, is trying to recover from personal heartache by throwing herself into her work, learns of the 16th century perfumer who may have been working on an elixir that would unlock the secret to immortality. She becomes obsessed with René le Florentin’s work—particularly when she discovers the dying breathes he had collected during his lifetime. Jac’s efforts put her in the path of her estranged lover, Griffin North, a linguist who has already begun translating René le Florentin’s mysterious formula. Together they confront an eccentric heiress in possession of a world-class art collection. A woman who has her own dark purpose for the elixir… a purpose for which she believes the ends will justify her deadly means.


The Grip of It
by Jac Jemc
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Julie and James settle into a house in a small town outside the city where they met. The move—prompted by James’s penchant for gambling, his inability to keep his impulses in check—is quick and seamless; both Julie and James are happy to leave behind their usual haunts and start afresh. But this house, which sits between ocean and forest, has plans for the unsuspecting couple. As Julie and James try to settle into their home and their relationship, the house and its surrounding terrain become the locus of increasingly strange happenings. The architecture—claustrophobic, riddled with hidden rooms within rooms—becomes unrecognizable, decaying before their eyes. Stains are animated on the wall—contracting, expanding—and map themselves onto Julie’s body in the form of bruises; mold spores taint the water that James pours from the sink. Together the couple embark on a panicked search for the source of their mutual torment, a journey that mires them in the history of their peculiar neighbors and the mysterious residents who lived in the house before Julia and James.


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An ONTD Original: Guessing the First 5 DLC Characters in Smash Ultimate

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Hello, ONTD gamers! As many know, we are less than 5 days away from the release of potential game of the year that will still end up losing to some trite mobile game. Yes, I’m still bitter about Breath of the Wild , Super Smash Brothers Ultimate! While the game currently has an astronomical amount of characters, Nintendo has already announced 5 characters coming to the game in 2019 as Downloadable Content characters. Note that this does not count Piranha Plant, since Piranha Plant is free, provided you meet the criteria Nintendo stated upon announcement.

Of course, the gaming community is always pondering who will come to Smash Brothers in the future… so why should I be any different?

When I think of characters that need to come to Smash Brothers, I tend to focus on two important aspects:
1) Are they a first party character? I don’t like to play the 3rd party game… although one character on this list is 3rd party, but IDGAF, because that character is a GOAT candidate.
2) Are they female? I want more female characters in Smash. Fan-canoning the genders of the Pokemon and Yoshi isn’t enough for me.

So, let’s start the completely uninformed but hopeful guesses!

#1 Waluigi
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Why Waluigi Will Be In Smash: At this point, the crowd support for Waluigi being a playable character in Smash is almost too strong to ignore. Granted, I’m of the belief that most people want that to happen because they want to be trolls, but the noise is there. I do think that, if Waluigi does end up becoming playable, Sakurai’s going to troll the masses back and make him a Dan Hibiki-esque character who is not going to be effective, but he’ll probably still be there.

Why Waluigi Won’t Be In Smash: There’s not really any precedence for a character being an Assist Trophy, which is what Waluigi is currently confirmed to be, and then becoming a playable character in the same iteration of a Smash game, so that’s a minor hurdle that they would need to deal with. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Waluigi has never been in any game other than Mario Sports titles and other such spin off games. Waluigi does not have gameplay quirks that are strongly identified and iconic, like a Fireball, etc. Smash isn’t above clones… though we often wish they were… so it’s possible he could just be a Luigi-clone, or even a Wario-clone, but having a clone behind the DLC paywall is kind of bad precedence.

Odds of Waluigi Actually Being In Smash?: Honestly, pretty damned good. That’s why I put him at Number 1. I’d say like 75%, minimum.



#2 Toad (specifically Captain Toad)
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Why Captain Toad Will Be In Smash: Of all the upper tier first party Nintendo characters that haven’t yet had a chance to shine under the Smash spotlight, Toad is almost undoubtedly the largest omission. Yes, Toad is used as part of Peach’s, and possibly Daisy’s as well, moveset… as what is basically a human, errr, fungal, shield. That’s not really a position that Toad should have in Smash, at least not in my opinion. By making the Toad that enters the Smash Arena Captain Toad, the development team can avoid the conundrum of what to do if Captain Toad is fighting one of the aforementioned princesses.

Why Captain Toad Won’t Be In Smash: At this point, if Toad hasn’t made it and yet characters like the Ice Climbers, R.O.B and Mr. Game and Watch have made it, I don’t know if Sakurai and company have any ambitions to put the character in the game, despite the character’s pedigree. Captain Toad also has the Waluigi issue, insomuch that a move set would probably be kind of hard to distinguish. Although the final smash is pretty easy, since it can involve the entire Toad Brigade and possibly the Space Ship.

Odds of Captain Toad Actually Being in Smash?: Not great. 25% might even be too generous.

#3 Dixie Kong
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Why Dixie Kong Will Be In Smash: Mario and company are considered the first family of Nintendo, and rightfully so… but it’s actually the Kong Crew that really holds that distinction. And, given their status as the ones who started it all, the simians are woefully underrepresented within the game’s expansive roster. When adding to the Kong family, Dixie immediately comes to mind. I think it would be extremely, extremely tone deaf for the development team to completely exclude females from the DLC pack altogether, and Dixie’s pretty much the highest profile female not already an option. Plus, she starred in the 3rd Donkey Kong Country game, which could be mined for inspiration.

Why Dixie Kong Won’t Be In Smash: King K. Rool’s announcement may have greatly dimished Dixie’s chances. Plus, I’m not sure where Dixie falls in the ownership department, since Rare made her. Still, Diddy and the King popped up starting with DKC series, so that shouldn’t be an issue. Honestly, I can’t think of a really, concrete reason for excluding her… but she hasn’t been in the series yet, so…

Odds of Dixie Kong Actually Being in Smash?: Even split.

#4 Springman
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Why Springman Will Be In Smash: Who? I’m sure a lot of people reading this list are wondering that, even with the image that I provided. Springman is arguably the main character in ARMS, a fighting game that Nintendo came out with last year. And that’s why he’s probably going to be in the game… or someone from the series will be. If it isn’t Springman, my money’s on Ninjara. Anyway, ARMS is an actual fighting game. The character has long arms, which would help with some pretty unique moves, especially the recovery moves. It would sort of be like the whip mechanics that the Castlevania boys will enjoy. More than that, however, is the fact that Smash is one of Nintendo’s top tier franchises. Smash is exposure. Smash is why the western gaming community has Fire Emblem in any official capacity, for which I am eternally grateful. If the Big N wants to try and give ARMs a jolt of interest again, Smash is the best place for it.

Why Springman Won’t Be In Smash: Maybe Nintendo just wants to brush ARMS under the rug. I don’t see that being the case, but that’s honestly the best reason I can think of for keeping Springman away. If I had my way, the character would be Ribbon Girl, but they’ve already announced that she’ll be represented via a costume that the Mii characters can use.

Odds of Springman Actually Being in Smash?: On the lower end of likely. 65%, possibly.

#5 Chun-Li
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Why Chun-Li Will Be In Smash: Look, Ryu’s the Street Fighter series protagonist. I get that. I understand that. I respect that. And Ken has always been a Ryu clone, with minor modifications, so getting him in Ultimate makes sense because it’s minimal effort. Plus, I like Ken more anyway… but if you’re going to have Street Fighter, which is almost undoubtedly the most influential fighting game series in history, represented in Smash, you best damn well make sure you include Chun-Li. Chun-Li has an entire arsenal of moves to use for the move set, and she would bring the female playable character count up. And, again, Chun-Li is the Queen. She deserves to be there.

Why Chun-Li Won’t Be In Smash: Because I can’t have all the nice things I want, even if the nice things make sense. No, seriously. I doubt it will happen, but aside from wanting to give Capcom some more money, I can’t see why not. Doesn’t make it likely.

Odds of Chun-Li Actually Being In Smash?: 5% seems generous. Still, let me dream.



So, ONTD, are you excited for Smash Ultimate? Is ONTD going to have Smash tourneys? Who do you want to see as the DLC characters? Discuss!

Source: My brain, my photobucket and google.

Indie Film Release Guide: December 7th [An ONTD Original]

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There may not be any big studio releases this week, but there are several award-contending hopefuls coming to theaters, all with decidedly different vibes. Want a period piece? Go for Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie’s Mary, Queen of Scots. In the mood for a drug drama? Check out the Julia Roberts starring Ben is Back. If you want something a little different, watch Natalie Portman transform into a pop star in Vox Lux. If none of these films are opening near you, The Favourite is continuing a slow rollout, while The Wife is being re-released to give Glenn Close some renewed best actress buzz.

The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia and Disney. Note that some of the movies listed are in their first week or two of limited release in the USA, so it may take them a few more weeks (or months) to show up in your local arthouse theater or on VOD. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have just opened near you: November 30th, November 21st, and November 16th.

Mary, Queen of Scots



Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, David Tennant, Gemma Chan
Writer: Beau Willimon, based on the book by John Guy
Director: Josie Rourke
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Plot: Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary Stuart defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I. Each young Queen beholds her sister in fear and fascination. Rivals in power and in love, and female regents in a masculine world, the two must decide how to play the game of marriage versus independence.
What you should know: They filmed on location throughout Scotland and England.
Opens in: NY & LA, expands everywhere by December 21st



Vox Lux



Stars: Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Raffey Cassidy, Jennifer Ehle
Written and directed by: Brady Corbet
Genre: Drama, Music
Plot: An unusual set of circumstances brings unexpected success to a pop star.
What you should know: No spoilers, but the first ten minutes or so are intense. So be prepared for that.
Opens in: NY, LA & SF, everywhere December 14th.


The Party’s Just Beginning



Stars: Karen Gillan, Lee Pace, Paul Higgins, Matthew Beard
Written and directed by: Karen Gillan
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: When her best friend takes his own life, Liusaidh has to deal with stresses of such a situation.
What you should know: The film had its US premiere at Tribeca Film Festival, receiving overall positive reviews.
Opens in: Select cities


Ben is Back



Stars: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton
Written and directed by: Peter Hedges
Genre: Drama
Plot: A drug addicted teenage boy shows up unexpectedly at his family's home on Christmas Eve.
What you should know: This is Lucas and Kathryn’s third movie together, having previously starred in 2017’s Three Billboards and Lady Bird.
Opens in: NY & LA


Back Roads



Stars: Alex Pettyfer, Juliette Lewis, Jennifer Morrison, Robert Patrick
Writer: Tawni O’Dell, Adrian Lyne
Director: Alex Pettyfer
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Plot: A young man's life spirals out of control when he has a dangerous affair with an older married woman in rural Pennsylvania.
What you should know: Based on the novel by Tawni O’Dell, this is Alex Pettyfer’s directorial debut.
Opens in: Select cities, and available on demand


Drug$: The Price We Pay



Director: Jonathan Marshall Thompson
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: A story that unpacks the mystery of modern medicine's skyrocketing price tag and how it affects the people struggling to stay alive.
What you should know: The documentary is narrated by J.K. Simmons.
Opens in: New York; on Amazon and digital December 15th


Swimming With Men



Stars: Rupert Graves, Rob Brydon, Thomas Turgoose, Adeel Akhtar
Writer: Aschlin Ditta
Director: Oliver Parker
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Plot: A man who is suffering a mid-life crisis finds new meaning in his life as part of an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronised swimming team.
What you should know: It’s based on a true story.
Opens in: Select cities


Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes



Director: Alexis Bloom
Genre: Documentary
Plot: A documentary that explores the rise and fall of the late Roger Ailes from his early media influence on the Nixon presidency to his controversial leadership at Fox News.
What you should know: Another good documentary about Fox News is 2004’s Outfoxed.
Opens in: Select cities, and available on demand.


Clara’s Ghost



Stars: Paula Niedert Elliott, Chris Elliott, Abby Elliott, Bridey Elliott
Written and directed by: Bridey Elliott
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: Clara Reynolds who, fed up with constant ribbing from her self-absorbed showbiz family, finds solace in and guidance from the supernatural force she believes is haunting her.
What you should know: The film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Opens in: Select cities, and available on demand.


Bernie the Dolphin



Stars: Lola Sultan, Logan Allen, Kevin Sorbo, Stelio Savante
Writer: Terri Emerson, Marty Poole
Director: Kirk Harris
Genre: Action, Comedy, Family
Plot: A brother and sister befriend a badly sunburned dolphin that has been separated from its family, uncovering a secret plan that could destroy the beach and their new friend's home.
What you should know: Looking at his IMDB credits, Kevin Sorbo works waaaaay more than you’d think/hope.
Opens in: Select cities, and available on demand.


Also opening: Nona (Trailer), Elephants (Trailer), Dumplin’ (Trailer), Amazing Grace (Trailer), Asher (Trailer), The Charmer (Trailer)



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What have you seen lately? What are you looking forward to seeing soon?

ONTD Original: Songs you used to like but now hate

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I don’t actually hate these songs on my list but I do have a real strong dislike for them. When I hear a few notes and lyrics from these songs (and many others) I get so irritated. Some of these songs might be your all-time favorite songs but to me I probably won’t feel sad if I never hear them again.


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I had a lot of songs on my list for laziness I shorten that to just six, so here’s the list:


Yeah!Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil’ Jon



Loved this song (along with the whole Confession album) but just hearing that first 5 seconds of this songs makes me change the channel/station so fast.


Baby BoyBeyonce featuring Sean Paul



There are many good songs on Beyonce’s Dangerously in Love album but it seems radio stations and streaming sites tend to only play Baby Boy(and Me, Myself & I) too much.


SexybackJustin Timberlake



FutureSex/Lovesounds was a fantastic album but Sexyback is by far the worst song on the album and before Justin’s latest album (have no idea the title) was probably his worst song of any of his albums.


Hey YaOutkast



Of the whole list, this probably the song/artist I feel really bad about putting it on the list but….I really can’t stand to listen to Hey Ya anymore, I prefer I Like the Way You Move, their other hit song that came out the exact same time as Hey Ya.


I’m RealJa Rule & Jennifer Lopez



I loved this song so much in the early 2000s with its Rick James sample but now along with their other hit song (I think most know that song) I’m just so tired of hearing it.

Gold DiggerKanye West featuring Jamie Foxx



Just sticking to his old music from the mess that is Kanye West, I love the Late Registration but I think Gold Digger is the weakest song on the album and when the album was out I would always (and still do) skip it.


Source | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

ONTD, what songs would make you list?

Here's the spoiler box if you have a lot songs to post

ONTD Original: 5 that should host the oscars while we wait THE NEW "AVENGERS: ENDGAME" TRAILER POST

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THE NEW AVENGERS TRAILER IS OUT....



while we wait for that post, check out 5 people that could be great Oscar hosts.

5. Maya Rudolph

She's hilarious, guaranteed to make people laugh and last year her scene with Tiffany Haddish was one of the best part of the Oscars. She also has experience hosting, she had a short-lived but amazing variety show with Martin Short. Also Maya Rudolph is amazing and deserves everything.

4. Trevor Noah

A tradition as old as time. Late night talk show hosts are the go-to guys to host the Oscars. The academy just want them cause they're reliable and will do the job. No risks. Well, to keep up tradition Trevor could do the job perfectly considering he's the best one of all the american hosts today.

3. Patton Oswalt

Unproblematic fave. He's hilarious and could be a great host but mainly...because Stephen King said so!


2. No One

*crickets noises* Do we really need a host? The awards are presented by the actors anyway. And the actors can be introduced by that lady's voice that introduces people too. It could also mean we can cut the beginning speech time which producers would be thankful for.

1. Graham Norton

I bet you didn't thought about this. Wouldn't he be great? He's the best host ever. Period. ONTD loves him. He can throw the losers on the red chair, he can look at live tweets of people talking about the Oscars and he can tell the losers to EAT SHIT AND DIE, JESSICA. Academy, make this happen.

Source: Me, Myself and I... and Stephen King's twitter.

18 Positive, Feel Good, Touching News Stories of 2018

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I know this year hasn't been easy for most (or even all) of us. We're swamped with bad news all the time and it's easy to overlook or miss the good things. So here are 18 touching, feel good &/or positive news stories of 2018 that you may have missed in the news cycle or forgotten about because this year has felt long as hell. Maybe, and I hope, reading about these stories will put a smile on your face. Obviously not an exhaustive list, so please add other stories in the comments!

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Stormzy Launches His Stormzy Scholarship

In August, London rapper Stormzy announced via instagram that he launched "Stormzy Scholarship" in partnership with Cambridge University.

In his instagram post, he writes "With this scholarship we will be funding and covering the full tuition and maintenance for 2 black students this year and 2 black students in 2019 to study at Cambridge University. We as a minority are still heavily under represented at the top universities and I pray this scholarship serves as a reminder that we are more than capable of studying at places of this caliber." See the full post (screencapped) below:
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You may also remember that in July, there was an ONTD post about Stormzy's collaboration with Penguin Random House to create Merky Books to help young authors get published.


Chadwick Boseman Honors James Shaw, Jr., at the MTV Movie Awards
At the MTV Movie Awards this year, Chadwick won the Best Hero award for his performance in "Black Panther." He used the moment to honor James Shaw, Jr, a real-life hero: "Receiving an award for playing a superhero is amazing, but it's even greater to acknowledge the heroes that we have in real life. So I just want to acknowledge somebody that's here today. James Shaw, Jr., where are you? Stand. If you don't know James Shaw, Jr., he fought off a gunman in Antioch, Tennessee at a Waffle House. He saved lives. Come on up here." Watch the moment here:



Taylor Swift Meets 8 Year Old Fan Who She Helped Get a Service Dog
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Taylor had donated $10,000 to help her young fan, 8 year old Jacob Hill, a service dog. She also gave the family front row seats and backstage passes. Jacob's mom posted about the experience on the Facebook page Autism Speaks, screencapped below (sorry, but I couldnt figure out how to embed a facebook post)
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One more pic of Taylor with Jacob and his service dog, Reid:
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Taylor Swift photos via the Autism Speaks facebook page, linked in the sources.


John Boyega visits his old primary school to give Jedi training
In late June, Star Wars star John Boyega visited a PE class at Oliver Goldsmith Primary School as part of a fitness program to help inspire kids to stay fit. The reactions are adorable!



Metallica Donates to Food Banks at Every Tour Stop
Metallica is on their WorldWired tour and has been donating thousands of dollars to food banks at every stop via their All Within My Hands Foundation.




Recently, the band donated 50k to the North Valley Community Foundation and the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.


Ken Jeong Stopped Comedy Show to Help a Woman
Ken Jeong - who is a trained physician - was performing at the Stand Up Live Comedy Club in Phoenix when in mid-show, he stopped to help a woman in the audience who appeared to be having a seizure.



Marvel Actors Respond to Fan Fighting Cancer
A young man named Josh battling stage IV brain cancer wanted to meet or receive a message from Marvel actors, specifically Ryan Reynolds. icekofi made a super cute post sharing Reynolds' video message, along with some of the Marvel guys like Tom Holland and Chris Evans.



Daisy Fuentes Marx Helps Animals
Daisy Fuentes Marx tirelessly uses her social media accounts to help animals, and I love her for it! In October she helped the ASPCA promote animal adoption with their Find Your Fido program.






Travis Scott Gives Out $100,000 to Fans
In August, Travis Scott surprised his fans when he announced on Twitter that he will give out 100k via Cash App to fans who tweet his lyrics to his new album, Astroworld. He gave out amounts ranging from 5$ to the hundreds.



Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Reaches New Milestone
Since 1995, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program has been giving away free books to children from birth until 5 years of age. This year, the program reached a milestone of over 100 million books. The 100 millionth book was donated to the Library of Congress.


Pearl Jam Helps the Homeless
sundaymourninshared the news that in just two concerts, Pearl Jam raised $11 million dollars to fight homelessness in Seattle.



90% of the money raised went to different charities; one of them, Mary's Place, "was finally able to actually purchase property to use as the shelter with the funds given to them." Most recently, Pearl Jam is raising money for kids and teens in foster care through The Vitalogy Foundation​, which is a nonprofit founded in 2006 by the band.


Jermaine Gresham Helps American Airlines Passenger


Twitter user Delilah Cassidy shared a story of a kind stranger on her American Airlines flight. After being told by the airline that carry-on items would be charged 50$, she found herself unable to pay as her credit cards were declined. Delilah was told she couldn't board the flight and to go to the ticket counter to settle the matter. A man offered to pay the fee. That man was Jermaine Gersham, who plays for the Arizona Cardinals!


Jon Stewart Helps Save NYC Subway Goats
Even if you weren't living in NYC at the time, you may have heard about the goats on the subway tracks:





A team of people from Farm Sanctuary, which is a farm animal rescue and protection organization with sanctuaries in New York and California, came to take the goats. Oh, and Jon Stewart was there helping, too! Stewart is a long-time supporter of Farm Sanctuary, and even has rescued farm animals at his home in New Jersey.


With Stewart's help, the goats were able to get to their forever home upstate.


Kylian Mbappe donates World Cup earnings to charity
After winning the world cup at age 19, Kylian Mbappe decided to donate his earnings to a humanitarian cause. He chose Premiers de Cordee, which is a charity that gives free sports instruction to hospitalized and disabled children; he has been a supporter of the organization since 2017.



John Oliver Gets A Koala Chlamydia Ward Named After Him
This sounds very silly but it's actually going to help the threatened koala population. The animals are dying off because of the STD.



As zyuranger breaks it down in this ONTD post, John Oliver purchased items from Russell Crowe's "The Art of Divorce" auction. Crowe found out that Oliver has wanted a koala chlamydia ward, and so he donated Oliver's money from the auction items to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. The hospital then created a ward in Oliver's name.


Lady Gaga Visits Red Cross Shelter
“This is not easy. I know this is not easy. And I know that a lot of you are feeling a lot of pain right now, and a lot of shock, and this might feel very surreal. I know that I feel kinda in a daze and I'm not really sure exactly when or how this is gonna hit me when it does. What I can tell you is that I will pray for each and every one of you. You will be in my thoughts. I extend my love to each and every one of you. I know we do not know each other, but I love you. This is an emergency. But you are not alone. And we have each other.”



Lady Gaga visited a Red Cross shelter to help victims of the California wildfires. She brought food and gifts and talked to every one there.




Lin-Manuel Miranda Creates Arts Fund For Puerto Rico
In July there was an announcement that Lin-Manuel Miranda created the Flamboyan Arts Fund in collaboration with the Flamboyan Foundation to help the arts survive and thrive in Puerto Rico following the devastation of 2017's Hurricane Maria. “As someone whose life has been transformed by the power of the arts, and who has witnessed the incredible healing, growth, stability and wellbeing that cultural institutions can bring to local communities, I cannot stand idly by and watch Puerto Rico’s arts and culture scene suffer,” said Miranda in a statement.




...and finally, Bradley Cooper's Dog
Bradley Cooper's beloved pup, Charlie, made his film debut as adult Charlie in Cooper's A Star is Born. Charlie instantly won over the hearts of audiences everywhere, despite his small role in the movie.





(I don't think this dog in the still is actually Charlie but w/e.)
A gosh darn cute doggo who will put a smile on anyone's face!


SOURCES
Twitter1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25
Instagram1
Facebook1




Please feel free to spread positivity and love in the comments, ONTD!

ONTD Original: Ranking every season of Doctor Who... since the revival.

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Another season is over, so let's take a look at Doctor Who's history since the 2005 revival.

#11. Season 9 (2015)
Standout episodes:Face the Raven, Heaven Sent, Hell Bent.
Bad episodes: Last Christmas, The Zygon Invasion, The Zygon Inversion.

While Heaven Sent/Hell Bent and Clara's good bye were great episode, this was a pretty forgettable season, two parters about the Zygons and three parter about some lame mummy monsters. Peter deserved better.


#10. Season 6 (2011)
Standout episodes:Day of the Moon, A Good Man Goes to War, Let's Kill Hitler, The Girl Who Waited.
Bad episodes:Closing Time, The Wedding of River Song, Night Terrors, The Rebel Flesh..

They tried to do something great but it ended up being the most convoluted mystery Doctor Who has ever had. From Amy being kidnapped and miraculously pregnant with a time lord, River being Amy and Rory's stolen daughter, the silence, time stopping and mixing. It was just too much.

#9. Season 2 (2006)
Standout episodes:School Reunion, The Girl in the Fireplace, Doomsday.
Bad episodes:Rise of the Cybermen, The Idiot's Lantern, Love & Monsters, Fear Her..

Tennant's first series proved what Doctor Who could really be and his chemistry with Billie Piper was amazing enough to emotionally gut punch me during the final scenes of Doomsday.

#8. Season 3 (2007)
Standout episodes:Smith & Jones, The Family of Blood, Blink, The Sound of Drums.
Bad episodes:The Lazarus Experiment, 42, Daleks in Manhattan, Evolution of the Daleks..

This season was saved by Martha and the return of Jack. The Master was a nice reveal but the ending was some basic wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff. Although this season had DW's best episode ever: Blink.

#7. Season 10 (2017)
Standout episodes:The Pilot, World Enough and Time, Twice Upon a Time
Bad episodes:The Return of Doctor Mysterio, The Pyramid at the End of the World, The Lie of the Land.

Capaldi's final season picked up the pace a lot with the inclusion of Bill. AMAZING POC LESBIAN HBIC THAT DESERVED TO HAVE STAYED ON THE SHOW. Oh yeah, and Nardole, whatever. Capaldi's run with the First doctor makes 'Twice Upon a Time' a must see episode.

#6. Season 8 (2014)
Standout episodes:Deep Breath, Listen, The Caretaker, Dark Water, Death in Heaven
Bad episodes:Kill the Moon, Robots of Shewood, Into the Dalek.

Capaldi's entrance was a great one, tho. Listen was incredibly terrifying and Clara's story with Danny Pink was heartwrenching. Missy's reveal was incredible as well, paving the way for the time lords changing genders.

#5. Season 11 (2018)
Standout episodes:The Woman who Fell to Earth, Rosa, Demons of the Punjab, Kerblam!
Bad episodes:The Tsuranga Conundrum, Arachnids in the UK, The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos..

Jodie has been amazing and season 11 took a turn into smaller stakes episodes, yet incredibly powerful ones. the Doctor meeting Rosa Parks has been a standout and also the one during Partition.

#4. Season 1 (2005)
Standout episodes:Rose, Dalek, The Empty Child, The Doctor Dances, Bad Wolf.
Bad episodes:Aliens of London, World War Three, Boom Town..

The first one that set everything up for a new generation had to have some great moments like the Doctor on Big Brother The Empty Child (are you my mummy?) and The Doctor Dances ('TODAY EVERYBODY LIVES!!!!'). But No to anything with the Slitheens tho.

#3. Season 5 (2010)
Standout episodes:The Eleventh Hour, Amy's Choice, Vincent and the Doctor, The Pandorica Opens, The Big Bang.
Bad episodes:Victory of the Daleks, Flesh and Stone, Vampires of Venice..

The soft reboot they did for season 5 did wonders for the show, and the big concept episodes were great at first (Moffat would tire us down years later tho.). Also... Van Gogh crying at his paintings always makes me cry.

#2. Season 7 (2012-2013)
Standout episodes:Asylum of the Daleks, The Bells of Saint John, Journey to the center of the TARDIS, The Name of the Doctor, The Day of the Doctor, The Time of the Doctor.
Bad episodes:Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, The Power of Three, Cold War, Hide..

Season 7 had to notorious parts, the final episodes of Amy and Rory, which were a bit meh. And the first episodes of Clara as the impossible girl, a mystery that had been built since Asylum of the Daleks and paved the way for the 50 anniversary special. The trilogy of 'The Name of the Doctor'-'The Day of the Doctor'-'The Time of the Doctor' make this a must watch.

#1. Season 4 (2008-2010)
Standout episodes:Partners in Crime, The Doctor's Daughter, Silence in the Library, Forest of the Dead, Midnight, Turn Left, The Stolen Earth, Journey's End, The Waters of Mars, End of Time, Pt. 1 & 2.
Bad episodes: The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky, Planet of the Ood.

DONNA NOBLE. BEST TEMP IN CHISWICK.
Donna was by far the best companion. Willing to defy the doctor but also humanizing him. Add to that the return of Rose Tyler, some stories with Martha, a crossover with Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, the introduction of River Song, a slow building mystery about the stars going out, Midnight!, the return of Davros and Tennant's final regeneration. Season 4 was by far the best moment of Doctor Who.

Source: Me and all the time i've wasted watching this show.

ONTD, which was your favorite season of Doctor Who?

Indie Film Release Guide: December 14th [An ONTD Original]

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ONTD Indie Release Guide Graphic.png
After a few weeks with no major studio releases, Sony gives us Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, Universal coughs up Mortal Engines, Warner Brothers lets The Mule loose, and Deadpool 2 gets a slightly tweaked rerelease. But if you are feeling like you're not the target audience for any of these films, you have a lot of other options! Check the theaters near you to see if you've gotten any of the recently released & expanding films like The Favourite, Vox Lux, and Mary, Queen of Scots. If you're all caught up, read on for more options.

The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia and Disney. Note that some of the movies listed are in their first week or two of limited release in the USA, so it may take them a few more weeks (or months) to show up in your local arthouse theater or on VOD. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have just opened near you: December 7th, November 30th, November 21st.

If Beale Street Could Talk



Stars: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Colman Domingo
Written and directed by: Barry Jenkins, based on the book by James Baldwin
Genre: Drama, Romance
Plot: A woman in Harlem desperately scrambles to prove her fiancé innocent of a crime while carrying their first child.
What you should know: This is director Barry Jenkins’ first film since 2016’s Academy Award winning Moonlight.
Q&A: In NYC, at AMC Lincoln Square and the Angelika. In LA, at Arclight and Landmark. Check https://twitter.com/BealeStreet for more info.
Opens in: NYC and LA, and more cities on Christmas.



Capernaum



Stars: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Kawsar Al Haddad
Writer: Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Michelle Keserwany, Georges Khabbaz, Khaled Mouzanar
Director: Nadine Labaki
Genre: Drama
Plot: While serving a five-year sentence for a violent crime, a 12-year-old boy sues his parents for neglect.
What you should know: It’s in Arabic.
Opens in: New York & LA, with a Q&A in NYC


The House That Jack Built



Stars: Matt Dillon, Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman, Siobhan Fallon Hogan
Writer: Lars von Trier, Jenle Hollund
Director: Lars von Trier
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Horror
Plot: The story follows Jack, a highly intelligent serial killer, over the course of twelve years, and depicts the murders that really develop his inner madman.
What you should know: IFC got in trouble with the MPAA for showing an unrated “director’s cut” of the film a few weeks before the official release date.
Opens in: Select cities and available VOD


Bird Box



Stars: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Sarah Paulson
Writer: Eric Heisserer, based on the novel by Josh Malerman
Director: Susanne Bier
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-fi
Plot: A woman and a pair of children are blindfolded and make their way through a dystopian setting along a river.
What you should know: This is Sandra Bullock’s first horror film.
Opens in: Select cities; available on Netflix 12/21


The Second Time Around



Stars: Linda Thorson, Stuart Margolin, Laura de Carteret, Louis Del Grande
Writer: Leon Marr, Sherry Soules
Director: Leon Marr
Genre: Romance
Plot: In this heart-warming story full of hope, dreams and second chances, two seniors meet and discover that it's never too late to fall in love again.
What you should know: It was released in the UK in 2016, but is just getting a release in the US now.
Opens in: Select cities


Tyrel



Stars: Jason Mitchell, Christopher Abbott, Michael Cera, Caleb Landry Jones
Written and directed by: Sebastián Silva
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: Tyrel, a sole black man, attends an otherwise all-white weekend of drunken bro debauchery on a birthday trip to a cabin in the Catskills.
What you should know: Missed this in last week's post.
Opens in: Select cities and available on demand


Unknown Distance



Director: Gordon Clark
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: After five tours and serving ten years as a Marine Sniper, Sgt. Douglas Brown, takes us on an emotional eight month journey across America, engaging with fellow servicemen who were once a part of a highly trained military team with a specific skill set now rendered useless.
What you should know: Liev Schreiber is one of the executive producers.
Opens in: LA this week, and NYC next week


That Way Madness Lies...



Director: Sandra Luckow
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: One woman and her family trek the broken mental health system in an effort to save her brother as he descends into madness. Beginning as a testimony of his sanity, his iPhone video diary ultimately becomes an unfiltered look at the mind of a man with untreated schizophrenia.
What you should know: Luckow has made several documentaries since the 1980’s, but in this one, she turns the camera on her family.
Opens in: NYC & LA


Antidote



Stars: Randy Couture, Natali Yura, Chuck Zito, Wil Traval
Writer: Jason Cominetto, Scott Windhauser
Director: Ken Barbet
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Plot: A selfless doctor and a cocky treasure hunter must join forces to uncover the truth behind the Mayan legend of the White Witch.
What you should know: The lead is a UFC champion, so adjust your acting expectations accordingly.
Opens in: Select cities


Maine



Stars: Matthew Brown, Pete Buriss, Laia Costa, Thomas Mann
Written and directed by: Matthew Brown
Genre: Drama
Plot: While solo thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, a married woman from Spain's journey to reclaim her identity becomes sidetracked when a lone American hiker pursues her.
What you should know: Thought this was a stalker/horror movie til I watched the trailer, and it turns out that is not the vibe!
Opens in: Select cities


Also opening: Backtrace (Trailer), Martyr (Trailer), The Wedding (Trailer), The Quake (Trailer), Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel (Trailer), Beyond White Space (Trailer)

Source 123456789101112131415161718192021

What have you been watching, ONTD? Gonna see anything this weekend?

ONTD Original: I listened to Zayn’s 27-track album “Icarus Falls” so you wouldn’t have to

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Tired, long, confused, dehydrated but somewhat enjoyable. Just some of the words to describe my long journey. I literally was in the comfort of my own home while listening and reviewing Zayn’s latest album yet it felt like I walked through one long mumbling desert. I contemplated giving up about 11-12 tracks in, but I slapped myself out of it and pressed forward. Certain I’d find the bops. Something.

1. Let Me - Let me skip this one, I’ve heard it and while it’s not terrible I’m sure there were better songs to open the album with. The song does make me want to go and get vanilla ice cream tho.🍦

2. Natural - Decent mid-tempo track, lots of falsetto in the chorus.

3. Back to Life - Starts off slow but builds and picks up. Dare I say, I found my first bop™.





4. Common - Slow but instantly catchy, an ear worm. Not everything has to be a bop™. I know. Easily a highlight for this OP.



5. Imprint - Chill, cute, but forgettable.

6. Stand Still - An eerie but catchy track that’ll put you right to sleep. In a good way. A highlight.

7. Tonight - It’s alright, nothing worth while noting here.

8. Flight of the Stars - Chill mid-tempo track to keep you deep into your Zzz’s and nap.



9. If I Got You - Feels like I’ve already heard this. A common theme listening to this album. At least the album is cohesive?

10. Talk to Me - Am I dreaming? I can understand what Zayn is singing? This Caribbean inspired production is nothing new, but a welcome change. I’ve found my second bop™. I’m feeling hopeful I won’t be stuck in this coma.





11. There You Are - One Direction feat. Zayn and I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it.

12. I Don’t Mind - I don’t mind this track. Polished Pop&B production, catchy, clear and crisp Zen vocals. Please tell me the mumbling is over!



At this point I’m tired, fatigued even. Zayn’s mumbling and vocal effects on nearly all the tracks thus far have me whelmed. I’m not even sure what track number I’m on, or if I’m even half way there. I’m a bit thirsty, so I reach over to my nightstand for a bottle of water. As I sip, earphones still on, music paused, I ask myself: What exactly am I trying to prove here? Onward I tell myself, I’m in too deep to stop now.



13. Icarus Interlude - 2 minutes too long.

14. Good Guy - Western meets a lullaby. Meh, next.

15. You Wish You Knew - Starts off promising and then hits familiar over production territory. Shame.



16. Sour Diesel - Faux RocknB Zen. It’s alright, one of the more experimental tracks that we’ve already heard.

17. Satisfaction - No, Zen didn’t pull a Britney covering the Rolling Stones iconic “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” A beautiful ballad type of song with crisp and clear vocals from Zen. Boring but still enjoyable.



18. Scripted - One of the stronger slow tracks.



19. Entertainer - I initially didn’t care for this song but it’s grown on me. It’s a mumbling mess but the production is dream like and the song is catchy after a few listens.

20. All That - Dark upbeat track. Kind of forgettable.

21. Good Years - What kind of bland American Idol winners single? No thanks. I’d rather be anywhere but listening to this Phillip Phillips-esque song. Harsh and slightly dramatic? Maybe so.



22. Fresh Air - Sounds like an interlude.

And that’s exactly what I do after this song, go outside to get some fresh air. I need a short break.



As I step outside and feel the cold air touch my cheeks I think about my Christmas shopping or lack there of. Should I start this weekend? Or should I wait until the following weekend right before Christmas? I never learn and seem to thrive on last minute shopping pressure and parking wars with others.

Last year’s Target shopping flashback hits me: I honk and tell another vehicle coming from the opposite side of traffic, “That’s my parking spot! Didn’t you see my blinker? I was waiting for them to pull out. Don’t act like you didn’t see me.” You think I’d learn by now.

I head back inside, with no clear answer. But I know one thing, I’m almost there, this is almost over. And nobody steals my parking spot.

23. Rainberry - Good, solid track. Still hating the vocal effects and his lack of enunciation in most songs. But Zen and his producers insist.



24. Insomnia - Tell me about it Zen. It starts off promising, especially when it picks up but then it really doesn’t go anywhere. That’s a shame.

25. No Candle No Light (feat. Nicki Garbaj) - This would have been fine 2 years ago? At this point the track is so dated, and it shows. Easily could have been replaced with “Dusk Till Dawn.” Several of these tracks could have been, let’s be real.



26. Fingers - I don’t hate it, but Zzz.

27. Too Much - My thoughts exactly.

It’s clear as day this album needed some serious editing. But hey, more music from anybody’s fave isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can just be a bit daunting. As with any review on anything, take everything you read with a grain of salt. Listen for yourself and come to your own conclusion, most of these are simply first impressions and could completely change over more listens and time.

Overall album rating:

4 out of 5 Z’s


*breathes a sign of relief*

I’m done. I’m free.






ONTD, favorite songs off the album?

Sources: Me and 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

ONTD Original: 8 More Albums That Turned 10 in 2018

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I'm not in the mood to write an intro... so let's get right to it, shall we?

Janet Jackson - Discipline

Discipline was a significant album in many ways for Jackson. Her tenth in 22 years, it saw her breaking from longtime producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to work with the likes of Darkchild, Stargate, and The-Dream, and was the first album on which she received no songwriting credit since 1984's Dream Street. Though it would become her sixth album to debut at the top of the Billboard 200, Discipline was lukewarmly received by critics and the general public, and would prove her sole release under Island Records—artist and label would part ways in September, after a mere 14 month partnership.

Danity Kane - Welcome to the Dollhouse

Recorded in less than five weeks and released five months after Britney Spears' game-changing Blackout, Danity Kane's sophomore album boasts peak-contributions from the former's main magicians Danja and The Clutch (a producer/writer collective that notably included "Pretty Girl Rock"er Keri Hilson) that remain fresh a decade later. Lead single "Damaged," determined by a fan poll, would become the quintet's second Top 10 hit, but by year's end the dollhouse was effectively razed. Members Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods were dismissed by manager Sean "Diddy" Combs on the live finale of Making the Band 4's third season, and the remaining three would officially call it quits at the top of 2009.

Kylie Minogue - X

For X, Minogue's post-cancer comeback album, label Parlophone enlisted "every songwriter in London" and then some to take a swing at contributing (submissions by Goldfrapp, Hot Chip, and Pet Shop Boys would not make the final tracklist). The result was a 13-track amalgamation of pop, rock and R&B that's more style than substance, but damn it if it doesn't make you move.

Ashlee Simpson - Bittersweet World

One can't be blamed for forgetting the younger Simpson sister's third album. Debuting at #4 and moving only 47,000 units in its first week of release, Bittersweet World's two singles failed to connect with audiences, and plans for a summer tour were subsequently scrapped. This is all particularly unfortunate given the overwhelmingly positive response to the album from critics. By enlisting the talents of Timbaland, Chad Hugo and Kenna of The Neptunes, and Jim Beanz to create a more "beat-oriented" record than its predecessors, Simpson was praised for "skillfully shift[ing] her crunchy, guitar-driven pop to eighties-influenced electro-rock."

Jesse McCartney - Departure

Former teen idol Jesse McCartney had a lot to prove with the release of Departure, his third studio album. His previous effort, released two years prior, was a commercial misfire further derailed by poor promotion by then-label Hollywood Records, and for his comeback McCartney promised "the bigness of Madonna—fun '80s stuff." While Departure may not have become this generation's Like a Prayer, it certainly exceeded expectations and supplied plenty of grooves. Lead single "Leavin'", produced by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, reestablished McCartney as a force to be reckoned with in pop, peaking at #10 on the Hot 100.

Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded

Though this reissue of 2007's Good Girl Gone Bad only included three new songs, it did much to further solidify Rihanna's status as pop's new reigning queen. Upon its release, Good Girl Gone Bad saw a record-shattering 930% sales increase; singles "Disturbia" and "Take a Bow" became Rihanna's fourth and fifth #1s.

Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak

West's self-proclaimed "pop art" album was borne of the one-two punch of losing mother Donda and breaking his engagement to longtime girlfriend Alexis Phifer. And while it took a mere three weeks to record, its icy, sparse production continues to be influential a decade on. Named "one of the 40 most groundbreaking albums of all time" by Rolling Stone, the fingerprints of 808s & Heartbreak are detectable on the music of everyone from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon to James Blake—that includes you, Aubrey.

Brandy - Human

Following its underwhelming commercial performance, Brandy would distance herself from her fifth studio album. This is a shame, because despite a few dud tracks Human is a solid pop-R&B collection. Lead single "Right Here (Departed)," saw the singer-songwriter reuniting with key collaborator Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins; he'd executive produce and write a majority of the album, with Hit-Boy, RedOne, and Toby Gad making additional contributions.

Chart data via the Billboard 200 and Hot 100
Followup to this post

What's your favorite album from 2008?

ONTD Original: 10 Cases of White Boy Rock Thievery

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OP is not yet mentally prepared to study for the MCAT, so she is churning some more clownery. With the announcement of the recent class of inductees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I think it’s important to note how some of these revered bands have met some shaky ground. OP will include the song that is shrouded in as much critical acclaim as controversy. Now, OP loves some of these acts but it’s important to note that ummmmmm white men are really the OGs of thievery. Here OP will include the song and that what was the ahemmm… song of inspiration. Is it theivery? Originality? Should the Hall of Fame accolade be stripped?

10. Radiohead – “Creep” ripped from The Hollies “The Air that I Breathe”



Yes, Radiohead’s biggest hit stole its chord progression from the 1970s pop rock band. The writers of the song sued and received co-writing credit with some royalties. No wonder they had to deliver on OK Computer. In a weird twist of fate: One of the writers of “The Air that I Breathe” is Albert Hammond, Sr., father of The Strokes guitarist. The Strokes hired and then fired longtime Radiohead Nigel Godrich who was to collaborate on the group’s second album, Room on Fire.


9. Nirvana – “Come as You Are” ripped from Killing Joke’s “Eighties”



Y’all this shit sound exactly the same just different speeds. Turns out the band was never able to sue Nirvana for the stolen riff for reasons unknown and let’s be real before Cobain’s passing Killing Joke would’ve gotten a shit ton of money from his estate.

Mr. Cobain from the grave:

8. Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused” ripped from Jake Holmes… “Dazed and Confused”



Shout out to the ONTD member who tried to tell OP that Led Zeppelin was full of original compositions. Well, stay tuned boo. The original was written by folk singer Jake Holmes in 1967. A little known group known as The Yardbirds saw Holmes perform this on tour, with the band “rearranging” the song for themselves. The Yardbirds’ guitarist Jimmy Page was then adapted for Led Zeppelin. For years Holmes tried to contact Page about the reworked song but was ignored until Holmes filed a lawsuit with the matter being settled out of court. Holmes now shares a credit that he inspired the song.

7. Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” ripped from Matt Cardle and collaborators’ “Amazing”



Are we really surprised that professional schlub, low key racist Ed Sheeran was also a thief? Basically the four songwriters of “Amazing” filed a 20-million-dollar lawsuit for copyright infringement citing the “striking similarities”. The lawsuit was privately settled with the bridge troll not having to admit any guilt.

6. Oasis’ “Whatever” ripped from Neil Inness’ “How Sweet to Be an Idiot”



Noel Gallagher claims he wrote this diddy, but old comedy geezer Neil Innes caught wind of that youth bullshit and sued the band for plagiarism. Oddly enough Innes creates parody, and Oasis is quite self-important so how Gallagher chose this tune from which to steal is quite humorous. Innes must now be listed as a co-writer on the song.

5. Nickelback's "Figured You Out" ripped from Econoline Crush's "All That You Are" (Who would even come out and admit this shit?)



So this band has filed a copyright infringement suit against Nickelback for ripping from their 1997 single. For the love of Gawd, please don't click on this.

4. Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" ripped Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down"



OP really doesn't know much about this dude except that y'all hate him. So have at it, Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne received 12.5% of songwriting credits. Petty was quite nice about the whole situation saying he didn't think that plagiarism was the intention but glad everyone came to nice agreement.

3. The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" ripped from Andrew Loog Oldham's "The Last Time" and Rolling Stones "The Last Time" (which was ripped from The Staple Sisters "This May Be the Last Time")



Everyone knows of this meta thievery considering The Rolling Stones made their career of ripping from black blues musicians and gospel singers. The Verve was only supposed to use a small snippet of the orchestral version "The Last Time" well alledgedly Ashcroft and co. used a bigger portion than the agreement so the Stones' manager, Allen Klein sued for 50% of the royalties then he wanted 100% and welp he got it. And Stalactites Jagger and Richards got writing credits.

2. Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Dani California” ripped from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers'"Mary Jane's Last Dance"



This was doesn't really have a lot of drama but Anthony Kiedis is OP's arch nemesis so he and his shitty band are at number two. The chord progression in both songs is quite similar but this was not a big deal to dad rock legend Tom Petty who noted that many rock songs sound the same.

1. Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” ripped from Spirit’s “Taurus”



This band is chock full of thievery. Often considered the greatest rock song in history and one of the most popular songs of all time, someone would try to hitch their wagon to get some of that classic rock coinT. Taurus is actually a 1968 instrumental so Robert Plant could throw Page under the Greyhound. Oddly, a copyright infringement lawsuit was only filed a few years ago due to Spirit’s estate not having enough financial resources to fund the lawsuit. A judge ruled that there were strong enough similarities in both songs to take the case to a jury. But the jury decided the similarities did not amount to infringement, however they were not allowed to hear “Taurus”. OP also thinks given the popularity of Zeppelin’s version clouds their judgment of being unbiased toward Spirit’s claims. This verdict was appealed and the band’s estate won their appeal for a new evidentiary hearing. Apparently if the lawsuit occurred decades earlier and the members of Spirit would’ve won, they’d apparently be about $500 million richer. (OP is currently wondering if she wrote a song that was potentially stolen.) This lawsuit is still ongoing.


Sources 123456789101112131415161718192021 and useless trivia I know

Announcing the 2019 ONTD Reading Challenge!

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Welcome to the 2019 ONTD Reading Challenge! (Can you believe we're starting our third year for the challenge?!) milfordacademy&hjalmartazar invite you to join the new and updated 2019 ONTD Reading Challenge: 12 books, 12 months, and ONTD-themed categories. Every month, we will make a post recommending books that fit each category.

The rules are simple:

  • Each month, read a book that corresponds to the category.
  • There’s no page limit.
  • It can be a book that you’ve already read.
  • Novellas, graphic novels, and anthologies can count toward a category.
  • Ebooks and audiobooks count as books!
  • If you missed a month, you can go back and read a previous month’s task.

Keep us updated on how your reading challenge is going in our book posts!

If you have a Goodreads account, join our ONTD Reading Challenge Group!

JANUARY
A book that is being adapted into a film or TV show this year.
It's always fun to read a book before it is made into a movie or TV show - you'll get to complain about all the things the adaptation didn't get right in the ONTD posts about it.

FEBRUARY
Love is Lit! / “fuck them both for thinking they could be happy”
This month, get in the Valentines mood and celebrate love by reading a romance.OR, get your schadenfreude on and read a book about a breakup.

MARCH
IJAF
If you don’t recognize this old-school ONTD reference, do yourself a favour and don’t google it. It’s just a fact that this month, our task is to read a nonfiction book.

APRIL
WHAT YEAR IS IT
This month, read a book that involves time-travel - and get lost in the pages like Robin Williams (or Nick Jonas in the remake) did in the game Jumanji.

MAY
"I've never even been to Luxembourg!"
Have you ever cheated on your wife with a Russian model you met at Luxembourg? Of course not! You’ve never even been to Luxembourg! (But you can read about it). This month, let’s read a book set in a country you’ve never been to.

JUNE
My Friend With a Bike
This month, let’s celebrate our friends with bikes who like to gossip with us. Read a book about a friendship (or where friendship is a main theme).

JULY
Posted!
We don’t like it when the same news gets posted twice on ONTD, but when it comes to books, the same story can be told in many different ways and still charm the reader. This month, let’s read a retelling!

AUGUST
U in Danger, Girl
Read a crime book/thriller with a female protagonist in danger.

SEPTEMBER
“I have to laugh”
This month, let’s have a bit of a laugh: our task is to read a comic novel.

OCTOBER
"I just wanna tell you that some people have war in their countries"
Sometimes we get upset about things such as not making it to our modelling jobs on time. But in the words of Natasha from ANTM, some people have war in their countries. This month, let’s read a book about war - it could be a memoir, a nonfiction book or a novel about a real war.

NOVEMBER
ONTD Doesn’t Read
This month, let’s live up to the ONTD stereotype and not read. Or at least, not a lot. This month’s task it to read a graphic novel, a book without any text or mostly consisting out of images.

DECEMBER
Read a Book That Won an Award This Year
Any award you want - you can go highbrow with the Man Booker Prize or the National Book Award, explore what’s best in speculative fiction with the Hugo and Nebula awards, get scared by the Shirley Jackson or Bram Stoker Awards, read women with the Women’s Prize for Fiction, fall in love with the Romance Writers of America (RITA Awards), etc!

Thank you to EVERYONE who helped us in coming up with this year’s tasks for the challenge!

Sources: Written by milfordacademy&hjalmartazar (but mostly milfordacademy!). Image is a modification of an original by Sven Kalkschmidt. Thanks icekofi for the html help!

ONTD Original: 10 Albums That Turn 10 in 2019

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Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You (February 10)

Three years after "Smile" put her on the map, Lily Allen seriously exceeded expectations for her sophomore album with It's Not Me, It's You. Moving away from the reggae and ska sounds of her debut, Allen enlisted Greg Kurstin of The Bird and the Bee to craft something "bigger... more ethereal"; the result arguably remains her best album to date.

Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted (March 10)

In the wake of all the darkness surrounding her previous album, My December, no one could blame Clarkson for wanting to have some fun with All I Ever Wanted. Originally entitled Masquerade, the OG American Idol's fourth album saw her returning to the big choruses and crunchy pop rock that made Breakaway (2004) a smash. It also brought Clarkson together with now-super-producer Ryan Tedder for the first time—the OneRepublic frontman would contribute four songs to the album, including controversial fourth single "Already Gone" and the Garbage-inspired gem "If I Can't Have You."

BoA - BoA (March 17)

While the South Korean superstar's first US album would fail to make much impact, productions by Bloodshy & Avant ("Did Ya,""Touched"), Henrik Jonbak ("Look Who's Talking,""Eat You Up") and Sean Garrett ("I Did It For Love,""Energetic") make it a glittering time capsule of late-2000s pop. Second single "Look Who's Talking" is also notable as a resurrected demo from Britney Spears'In the Zone sessions, co-written by the Princess of Pop herself.

Ciara - Fantasy Ride (May 5)

Ciara's Fantasy Ride is notable for introducing her alter ego Super C and earning her a fifth Top 10 hit with "Love Sex Magic" (featuring Justin Timberlake). Unfortunately, it is perhaps best remembered as the album that KFC allegedly gave away with the purchase of a large-sized Original Recipe Sandwich combo.

Mandy Moore - Amanda Leigh (May 26)

Following the critical success of her image-overhauling 2007 album Wild Hope, Moore leaned even further into folk pop for its oft-forgotten 2009 sequel. Keeping her collaborative circle small—Moore worked almost exclusively with Lori McKenna and Candy Butchers' Mike Viola—on Amanda Leigh Moore "succeeded in crafting a personal record that is entertaining, even compelling," without being "weighed down by heavy themes... or complex arrangements."

Ashley Tisdale - Guilty Pleasure (June 11)

Disney Channel star Tisdale was determined to show her "edgier" side on her sophomore album with Warner Bros. Records. Edgier in this case meant a rockier sound and darker hair and makeup, taken for a test drive on the April 2009 cover of Cosmo. Guilty Pleasure would sell a mere 37,000 copies in its first week of release, but as pop albums go it isn't half bad—just try and dislodge the title track from your brain after listening.

La Roux - La Roux (June 29)

With their eponymous debut album, London's Elly Jackson and Ben Langmaid delivered a tightly produced collection of '80s-inspired electropop. Singles "In for the Kill" and "Bulletproof" would storm the worldwide charts, with the latter going on to be further aca-immortalized in a key moment of 2012's Pitch Perfect.

Demi Lovato - Here We Go Again (July 21)

Lovato established herself as a singer-songwriter to keep both eyes on with Here We Go Again, the followup to her sassy debut Don't Forget. Enlisting the talents of John Mayer, Jon McLaughlin, and William Beckett of The Academy Is..., she strived for a "more relaxed and more mature" sound, writing with new vulnerability on songs like "Every Time You Like" and "For the Love of a Daughter" (the latter would end up on the cutting room floor, where it remained until it was included on 2011's Unbroken).

Mariah Carey - Memoirs of an imperfect Angel (September 29)

For her twelfth studio album, Carey primarily collaborated with the team of The-Dream and Tricky Stewart to create a 17-track collection of highly personal, predominantly slow jams. Lead single "Obsessed" became her highest debut on the Hot 100 in over a decade (#11), but its successors would fail to make much impact, and plans for a remix album were subsequently scrapped.

Rihanna - Rated R (November 23)

Born of her excruciatingly reported upon assault by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, Rated R signaled a seismic shift in focus for then-21 year old Robyn Rihanna Fenty. Gone were the carefree dancefloor bops that made Good Girl Gone Bad a runaway smash (well, except for "Rude Boy"), atmospheric and ominous ballads and mid-tempos in their place. Flirting with dubstep, hip hop and rock, Rated R sent any remaining doubt about Rihanna’s staying power running for cover.

Chart data via the Billboard 200 and Hot 100

What are your favorite 2009 albums?

Awful ~Art~ of 2018

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Image heavy post of some bad art. I was inspired by a recent Twitter moment of art fails of 2018, so I decided to do some more digging around to make it ONTD appropriate. A bit funny, a big disgusting, and a lot of WTF were they thinking?


ALBUM COVERS
This could honestly be its own ONTD Original. I picked a few that I thought were especially ugly as hell.
3FcrQP.jpg
Apparently Thirty Seconds to Mars released TEN album covers for this album, and they're all ugly AF. But this one is maybe the worst.

X27Wi2.jpg
Deadmau5's new album cover is so corny. Looks like a bad tshirt design.

cPTxbE.jpg
Muse has way too much going on. Screams tryhard.



MAKEUP/ BEAUTY
Some may say this isn't "art"...
but it's my post and I'm including these!
GARDEN BROWS
"Yes or no?"

PREGNANT KYLIE JENNER NAILS

This should never have happened.


STORMI NAILS
Nor this.
For some reason, nail studio Nail Sunny decided to celebrate Jenner's pregnancy with these creepy ass designs. They're both horrific, but this one I find a bit more disturbing.




CELEBRITY REPRESENTATIONS
Absolute fails at capturing the likeness of celebrities.
WAX FIGURES
Live wax figures is a horrifying idea. When wax figures are done right they can be pretty cool, but any flaw in the figure, no matter how small, can cause an unsettling effect. Live wax figures are even worse; the idea plays out exactly as well as one might think:

ubzD7o.jpg
This is from the summer, when Madame Tussauds had live wax figures of the Duke and Duchess stroll around London to entertain their fans.
But wait - if you thought that was bad, we had an ONTD post about the live wax figures on a more recent excursion...
His head!

In the beginning of the year a Beyonce wax figured was added to a museum in Niagara Falls.
Offensive. Should be removed.

DOLLS & STATUES

The person who made this Idris Elba doll must not have known what he looks like, because what the fuck?!The tweet says it all.

This is supposed to be footballer Mohamed Salah! For reference, this is him:
N9eOp9.jpg
And then we have this...

My question is... why would anyone make this monstrosity?

Sources 1234567 and google.

Indie Film Release Guide: December 21st [An ONTD Original]

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ONTD Indie Release Guide Graphic.png

The holidays are almost upon us, so smaller studios have slowed the pace of their rollouts, and the bigger studios have ramped them up. This weekend, you’ve got Aquaman, Bumblebee, Mary Poppins Returns, and Welcome to Marwen hitting theaters nationwide, while just a handful of indies open up.

The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia and Disney. Note that some of the movies listed are in their first week or two of limited release in the USA, so it may take them a few more weeks (or months) to show up in your local arthouse theater or on VOD. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have just opened near you: December 14th, December 7th, November 30th.

Cold War



Stars: Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza
Writer: Pawel Pawlikowski, Janusz Glowacki, Piotr Borkowski
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Plot: Set against the backdrop of the 1950s Cold War in Poland, two people of differing backgrounds and temperaments begin an almost impossible romance.
What you should know: The relationship between the main characters was inspired by the relationship of the director’s parents.
Opens in: Select cities



Second Act



Stars: Vanessa Hudgens, Milo Ventimiglia, Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini
Writer: Justin Zackham, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas
Director: Peter Segal
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Plot: A big box store worker reinvents her life and her life-story and shows Madison Avenue what street smarts can do.
What you should know: Julia Roberts was originally attached to the role played by Jennifer Lopez.
Opens in: Wide release


Delaware Shore



Stars: Gail Wagner, James Robinson, Jr., Emily McKinley Hill, Ed Aristone
Written and directed by: Raghav Peri
Genre: Drama
Plot: A Holocaust survivor who escapes the concentration camps finds refuge on a secluded Delaware Beach and raises her abandoned twin grandchildren.
What you should know: Based on the novel by Michaelangelo Rodriguez
Opens in: LA


American Renegades



Stars: J.K. Simmons, Sullivan Stapleton, Charlie Bewley, Sylvia Hoeks
Writer: Richard Wenk, Luc Besson
Director: Steven Quale
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Plot: A team of Navy SEALs discover an underwater treasure in a Bosnian lake.
What you should know: Only two of the actors, J.K. Simmons and Joshua Henry, are Americans.
Opens in: Select cities


All is True



Stars: Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Ian McKellan, Kathryn Wilder
Writer: Ben Elton
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Plot: A look at the final days in the life of renowned playwright William Shakespeare.
What you should know: Judi Dench is playing Anne Hathaway. Heh.
Opens in: LA, for an Oscar qualifying run, and then again in more cities next year.


The Last Resort



Director: Dennis Scholl, Kareem Tabsch
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: An uncannily revealing portrait of American photographers Andy Sweet and Gary Monroe and the vibrant community of Jewish retirees they obsessively focused their camera's lens on in the sunburned paradise of 1970s Miami Beach.
What you should know: The film is based in part on the work of photographer Andy Sweet.
Opens in: NYC


Swing Kids



Stars: Kyung-soo Do, Hye-soo Park, Jared Grimes, Oh Jung-Se
Written & directed by: Hyeong-Cheol Kang
Genre: Drama
Plot: Soldiers at a POW camp plan a tap show to distract themselves and the prisoners from the hardships of the Korean War.
What you should know: The film is based on the Korean musical Rho Ki-Soo by Woo-Sun Jang.
Opens in: Select cities


Source 123456789101112131415

What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Planning to see anything this weekend?

10 of the Best Horror Movies I Watched This Year

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Here are some of the best horror films I watched this year; they're not necessarily films that were released this year. My rules for narrowing them down were that: It had to be a horror movie new to me, I had to rate it 4 stars or higher on Letterboxd, and no big-name 2018 releases. (So no Suspiria, Annihilation, Hereditary, etc.) I loved those movies but I wanted to the list to be more interesting. So, here they are, in no particular order:

9Nk7EL.jpgP2 (2007)

Director:
Franck Khalfoun

Angela, a corporate climber, gets stuck working late on Christmas Eve and finds herself the target of an unhinged security guard. With no help in sight, the woman must overcome physical and psychological challenges to survive.

I feel like every other horror fan here has already seen this movie, but it was new to me. I don't know why I never watched it before, but I really enjoyed it! If you're in the mood to watch cat-and-mouse horror in a confined place (the movie takes place almost entirely in the parking garage) then this is for you! Also, the setting is Christmas Eve, so it's timely. (BTW I may make a Christmas horror movie post soon.)



Frankenfish (2004)

Director:
Mark A.Z. Dippé

When the body of a man is found completely destroyed in the swamps in Louisiana, the medical investigator Sam Rivers is assigned to investigate the murder. He travels with the biologist Mary Callahan to the location where the victim lived in a floating house and he meets his family and friends. They find that Chinese snake-heads genetically engineered that belong to a wealthy hunter are attacking and killing the locals. While the group fights to survive, the hunter Jeff arrives with his team to hunt the predators.

I know the synopsis for Frankenfish sounds dumb, and that poster is ridiculous, but it's actually a really fun creature feature with an outstanding cast.

rPSERd.jpgLate Phases (2014)

Director:
Adrián García Bogliano

When deadly attacks from the forests beset a secluded retirement community, it is up to a grizzled veteran to figure what the residents are hiding.

A fun werewolf movie that's also a character study. Given the budget I think the film did a great job at showing the werewolf transformation and use of practical effects instead of CGI.




Lake Nowhere (2014)

Director:
Christopher Phelps, Maxim Van Scoy

Inspired by the dusty days of VHS, LAKE NOWHERE is preceded by original trailers & commercials, replicating the experience of watching a long lost bootleg tape. When a group of friends arrive at a desolate lakeside cabin, they are stalked and murdered by a Masked Maniac, whose lust for blood transcends our world. This age-old tale of senseless slaughter quickly spirals into the realm of supernatural horror and classic monster movies, as we learn the true power that lies within LAKE NOWHERE.

Lake Nowhere is a gory slasher that clocks in under an hour long and actually pulls off its retro look! I loved that it had that old VHS tape feel to it. I previously posted it in my 13 Horror Movies to Watch This Summer so if you're looking for more recs there are a lot there.

The Haunting (1963)

Director:
Robert Wise

Dr. Markway, doing research to prove the existence of ghosts, investigates Hill House, a large, eerie mansion with a lurid history of violent death and insanity.

An adaptation of the The Haunting of Hill House that's gorgeously shot in black and white and well-acted. Fans of the novel will appreciate the film!



A Self-Induced Hallucination (2018)

Director:
Dan Schoenbrun

“All I’ll share about A SELF-INDUCED HALLUCINATION is this: it’s about the internet, and it’s quite strange.”

This archival documentary is made up entirely of YouTube clips about Slenderman. It's fascinating and utterly creepy. It's free to watch online, you can read more about it and see it here.



The Wailing (2016)

Director: Na Hong-jin

A stranger arrives in a little village and soon after a mysterious sickness starts spreading. A policeman is drawn into the incident and is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter.

I put this movie off for a while because of the runtime, but once I started watching it the time flew by and honestly I was ready to watch it again. This is a film that you'll want to immediately discuss afterwards and there are a lot of great discussion threads on Reddit if you're interested.



Cam (2018)

Director:
Daniel Goldhaber

A young camgirl discovers that she’s inexplicably been replaced on her site with an exact replica of herself.

Currently available to stream on Netflix. Madeline Brewer is so good in this! I know a lot of ONTDers have watched the film so feel free to discuss in comments (using spoiler cuts if necessary). Previously discussed in my ranking of Fantasia Fest films.


The Devil’s Doorway (2018)

Director:
Aislinn Clarke

In the autumn of 1960, Father Thomas Riley and Father John Thornton were sent by the Vatican to investigate a miraculous event in an Irish home for ‘fallen women’, only to uncover something much more horrific.

Excellent found footage; definitely succeeds at feeling like you're really watching something from 1960. There were plenty scenes that were genuinely creepy and frightening. Also, it was directed by a woman!

The Brood (1979)

Director:
David Cronenberg

A man tries to uncover an unconventional psychologist's therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of brutal murders.

I watched about a handful of Cronenberg films this year and I pretty much liked them all. I'm going with this one over something like The Fly as I think this one is less known. It's a classic in body horror; I'm mad at myself for not having seen it sooner! If you like horror movies with creepy kids then definitely watch this. The climax of the film is iconic, so don't get spoiled on what happens!


Other films that were close, but didn't make the cut:Scarecrows (1988); Summer of '84 (2018); Afflicted (2013); Southbound (2015); Crush the Skull (2015); Bad Ben (2016); Hell House LLC (2015); The Night Eats the World (2018); Black Death (2010).



SOURCES 12345678910
Graphic made using icons made by Roundicons from www.flaticon.com, under a Creative Commons license.

An excuse for a horror movie post! Let's talk about the ones we liked (or didn't like) this year. Doesn't have to be new releases.

ONTD ORIGINAL: 5 Songs in The Key of Corporate

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Sometimes, the best way to get your message across to the masses is to do it...in song.
Don’t Copy That Floppy
The Corp: Software Publishers Association (Before its Merger with the Information Industry Association)
Yes, floppy. While we wait for screeners to become avaliable to us armchair film critics, let’s take a walk back nearly 26 years ago when little pixelly games by developers like Maxis and Sierra were being stolen on floppy disks.
Enter M.E Hart, a lawyer, aka MC Double Def P, aka the dude in the video, who encourages students to not steal someone’s hard work. The nearly 10-minute long video is interspersed with interviews from software developers going “So, please don’t steal our craft?”

The entire video reeks so heavily of the 90s, I love it.
I was always more fond of the sequel, Don’t Copy That Floppy 2, that now had CDs (How quaint!) and still had MC Double Def P.
He made a couple of clicks,
he thought his game was on lock,
until a uniformed man,
came at his door with a knock,
now he’s got nothing to say,
he’s petrified and he’s shocked
he was the king of the town,
now he's the laugh of the block.
Here’s to a third ieteration where he pleads with us to not steal DLC, because you will be arrested, thrown and jail, and probably beaten up for stealing media.
Hot Drinks
The Corp: Wendy’s
While known for hashtag epic clapbacks on the Twitterverse and not supporting their farmworkers (tw: sexual abuse), Wendy’s was always ahead of the curve when it came to appealing to The Youth.
There are actually plenty of these, ranging in genre from odd-soul to chill, tunes that would make Paul Hardcastle proud, and bonafied short films.
But the most popular one by far was Hot Drinks;
“Hot drinks, really get you going,
warms up you, when you feel you’re slowing,
Wendy’s, where we always serve it right away,
add a smile and have a nice day~”
Featuring some poor kid who got roped into this, he sings in a smokey red room about the regulations for serving and handling hot drinks.
Stir in hot chocolate with a clean spoon! Fill hot water up to the line! Give the guest a juicy slice!
Watch The Stove
The Corp: General Mills for Hambuger Helper

Featuring a variety of people never heard from again, the Hamburger Helper Mixtape hit the scene in 2016 and was relatively forgotten after the initial “…What the fuck” from the world over.
“Feed The Streets” involves one …. I want ya’ll to know that I looked at the artists involved, took a deep sigh, and just copy and pasted these names - DEQUEXATRON X000, Bobby Raps, and DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip - it involves one of those people rapping about preparing the titular dish.
The line“It has too many flavors; You might have thought it was catered” is particularly hilarious to me.
This is my first time listening to it - Why does a mixtape by a food brand need to have a Parental Advisory Warning? I even checked the official Soundcloud and it has one there too! Who knew your favorite pot casserole mascot had such a dirty mouth.

I just realized it said "Delicious Content" #ONTDDoesntRead
Parody Tunes
The Corp: Ebay, circa 2003
I remember these from childhood, though it would be nearly 20 years after seeing them that I would use the auction site for the first time. Not so effective, huh.
Why would it take so long? After all, there’s shopping day and night! On Broadway eBay!

It involves this man breaking the time-space continum to walk out of an elevator, onto a soundstage, and back into said elevator instead of going to his destination.
But it is catchy! “I used it all to buy this jar, on eBAY.", meaning that he not only uses his travel time poorly, but his spending habits leave a lot to be desired.
There was another one featuring one Christian Borle paryodying "That's Amoré"

Who encourages a woman to go on eBay to buy signed baseballs, suits, records, and my personal favorite, ‘an organizer thing’ that was a PDA.
All I Really Want For Christmas - Lil Jon
The Corp: Kraft Foods for Kool-Aid

Originally posted here, but it was such an…event, I had to include it.
“Havin’ a party on CHRISTMAS EVE!
and I got a whole lot of CHRISTMAS GLEE!
Got a whole lot of gifts I’D LIKE TO RECEIVE!
and you know all year I’VE BEEN PLANTING THE SEEDS
The king of yelling “WHAT” and “YEAH!” returns to the airwaves with a big red fellow for the holiday - and Santa Claus.
Lil Jon and the Kool-Aid Man wander around a picture-perfect house, dropping and flinging wrapped boxes that are clearly empty.
And that’s before Jon pours out a pitches of eggnog, declaring “More Kool-Aid!”
And of course - “Oh, yeah!” as his presumed extended family of backup dancers bust a move behind him by the tree as Jon opens up a variety of gifts emblazoned with the Kool Aid Man's face

sources
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ONTD Original: If You Like That, Read This!

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Hopefully most of you have some relaxing days off ahead of you, so here's some reading suggestions if you're stumped on what to pick up.

Do you like STRANGER THINGS?



Read PAPER GIRLS!

papergirls.jpg

From Good Reads: In the early hours after Halloween of 1988, four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls uncover the most important story of all time. Suburban drama and otherworldly mysteries collide in this smash-hit series about nostalgia, first jobs, and the last days of childhood.

Time for OP's Opinion! This graphic novel is wild and half the time I don't know what's going on. But the art is gorgeous, and it's so much fun.



Do you like THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE?



Read WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE!

castle.jpg

From Good Reads: Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears. Only Merricat can see the danger, and she must act swiftly to keep Constance from his grasp.

Time for OP's Opinion! Ok, ok. This is an easy pull, with the Shirley Jackson connection and all. But if you like creepy houses and weirdo families, you might love this slim novel that packs a big punch. (OP note: this is my favorite book so I am biased.)

Do you like JENNIFER'S BODY?



Read GIRLS ON FIRE!

girls.jpg

From Good Reads: On Halloween, 1991, a popular high school basketball star ventures into the woods near Battle Creek, Pennsylvania, and disappears. Three days later, he’s found with a bullet in his head and a gun in his hand—a discovery that sends tremors through this conservative community, already unnerved by growing rumors of Satanic worship in the region.

In the wake of this incident, bright but lonely Hannah Dexter is befriended by Lacey Champlain, a dark-eyed, Cobain-worshiping bad influence in lip gloss and Doc Martens. The charismatic, seductive Lacey forges a fast, intimate bond with the impressionable Dex, making her over in her own image and unleashing a fierce defiance that neither girl expected. But as Lacey gradually lures Dex away from her safe life into a feverish spiral of obsession, rebellion, and ever greater risk, an unwelcome figure appears on the horizon—and Lacey’s secret history collides with Dex’s worst nightmare.

By turns a shocking story of love and violence and an addictive portrait of the intoxication of female friendship, set against the unsettled backdrop of a town gripped by moral panic, Girls on Fire is an unflinching and unforgettable snapshot of girlhood: girls lost and found, girls strong and weak, girls who burn bright and brighter—and some who flicker away


Time for OP's Opinion! Though Girls on Fire doesn't have the supernatural element that Jennifer's Body does, it does involve an intense female friendship that can bring both girls down with it. And some early 90s Satanic Panic thrown in for good measure.

Do you like TRUE BLOOD?



Read SLICE OF CHERRY!

cherry.jpg

From Good Reads: Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that's just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

It's no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire - the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren't killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities.


Time for OP's Opinion! Just like Bon Temps, Portero, TX is a town where some seriously weird shit happens. And everyone just kind of accepts it as a fact of life. But when the Cordelle sisters open a door to a separate dimension where they can kill without consequence, things get a lot weirder and darker.

Do you like GHOSTBUSTERS?



Read THE DIVINERS!

diviners.jpg

From Good Reads: Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.


Time for OP's Opinion! This may seem like an odd connection but it especially rings true for the third in the series where a telephone line is set up to take calls about ghost sightings. For real! A Jazz Age Ghostbusters? How can you resist?



SOURCES: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

ONTD, what are you reading over the holidays? Can you think of any other readalikes?

ONTD Original: Best/Worst LGBT moments in TV of 2018

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Yes, is that time of the year again!

BEST ❤️

9. Ian leaves Shameless.
After 9 seasons, Cameron Monaghan surprisingly left Shameless. Luckily, the move had been planned in advance so they gave him a sort of proper ending. After many years of shitty storylines, ending up with Mickey in prison was actually Shameless' version of a happy ending. Debbie's lesbian awakening is also appreciated.


8. Elite puts sexual diversity on the map.
Elite was the breakout show of the year and people truly loved how queer friendly it is. lesbian moms, gay muslims, bisexual guys and throuples.


7. Sense8's final orgy.
Sense8's final episode finally aired this year and while the show's swang song didn't make that much noise as it's cancellation, it definitely made an impact when everyone gets into a final orgy after Nomi and Amanita's wedding. Also, bonus points for Rajan/Kala/Wolfgang becoming a throuple.


6. Princess Bubblegum and Marceline kiss in the Adventure Time's Finale
LESBIAN CARTOONNSSSS!!! IN CARTOON NETWORK!!! AFTER 10 YEARS!!! FINALLY!!!


5. Will & Grace Gets Gayer
Will & Grace was funny already but the fact that they decided to keep up with the times and talk about what old gay men go through, conversion camps, gay marriage and a great episode with Miss Coco Peru, the show is getting truly better. Also, Jack is the king of physical comedy.


4. Marvel's Runaways introduces Teen lesbian superheroes!
Yes, Marvel actually took a big step. Two of the runaways are Nico and Karolina, two interracial lesbian superheroes. Nico can make magic using energy from the Dark Dimension and her mom used to serve Kaecilius (Doctor Strange), while Karolina is a Majesdanians, a glowy alien race with super powers.


3. The casting of Pose
Pose features the largest assembly of LGBTQ actors ever in a TV series...and in leading roles, no less. Pose is telling their stories and finally giving the dignity trans people deserve on TV.


2. Queer Eye makes us emotional
Seems like a lot more time has passed but QE premiered both seasons this year and it delivered one of the most emotional, funny and engaging shows of the year. The new Fab5 are all kinds of AH-MAH-ZING. Can you believe?


1. Schitt's Creek rendition of 'Simply the Best'
Schitt's Creek is by far THE comedy of the year, and David/Patrick's relationship has been a delight to watch. But the moment it became peak TV was when Patrick decided to set up and Open Mic night and sing to David and while he thought he was going to suck, his rendition of 'Simply The Best' made the world fall in love. Also, it became and itunes hit and the money was donated to canadian LGBT shelters.




WORST 💔

- The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story: I thought this was supposed to be a show about Gianni Versace and he's barely in it. Just a lame excuse to push Darren Criss down our throats.

- Miss Vanjie is eliminated: An elimination for the ages. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO ELIMINATE HA?! Although Miss Vanjie's legacy lives on through memes.

- She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: If you're gonna have lgbtq characters, don't make it vague. We've been through this already.

- DC's Elseworld - 'Batwoman': So hyped, such a letdown, mainly because of Ruby Rose, who has the emotional range of a 70's cartoon. Stephen Amell looks like an Oscar winner in comparison.

- IASIP, we were promised a boyfriend: Mac's now out and we were promised a boyfriend for this season, and it never happened.

- Grey's Gays are just ok: Grey's hyped us about the new gay doctors, but their story has been quite boring and formulaic, more of everything we've already seen before and nowhere near the development Callie or Arizona had.

- Bury your gays: Stop killing gay characters. From 'The Walking Dead' to 'Star Trek Discovery' and 'A Place to Call Home'. We've been through this. Stop. this. trope.


Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Songs from 2018 That Plagiarized Seem HEAVILY Inspired

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𝕆ℕ𝕋𝔻 𝕆ℝ𝕀𝔾𝕀ℕ𝔸𝕃

Songs from 2018 That Plagiarized Seem HEAVILY Inspired
Inspired by the eye opening post by beysactingcoach about the thievery that occurred even on the most popular hits in history, in the opposite direction, there are artists who maybe have been #accused of #inspiring lowkey artists by artistic style or the songs themselves. The underground girls are fighting! Not really.

💿

Here's 7 instances where we're not sure if people should be throwing lawsuits
1. "Mantra" by Lo


sounds like ➡️
"Dreamer" by Charli XCX (2017)


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I had to double check to see if these songs were produced by the same artist or if "Mantra" sampled the N1A opener but, nope. From the instrumental to the flow, they can almost be played at the same time over each other. #YouTriedIt!


2. "Know Where" by Dead Sea


sounds like ➡️
"Oblivion" by Grimes (2012)


I don't know if is this experimental pop sound with soft reverb-ed out vocals is actually a trend but this song "Know Where" generally sounds like Visions era Grimes (I just chose Oblivion). Where was the artistic integrity, intellectual property...?
3. "I Loved You First" by Joan


sounds like ➡️
"Someone Else" by LANY (2015)


I know the sound isn't all unique but LANY paved the way for a lot of the rising minimalistic pop sound w/ airy synths and semi-ironic juvenile lyrics (hi Lauv) seen especially with the duo joan. While these particular songs might not be as forward, artistic similarities are strong when comparing LANY's early EPs to joan's music released in the past year.
4. "The Way You Used to Love Me" by Diamond Cafe


sounds like ➡️
"It Is What It Is" by Blood Orange (2013)


Artist Diamond Cafe received a lot of valid comparisons to Blood Orange for obvious reasons - the retro r&b groove, synthy pop production, and breathy singing style.
5. "10,000 Hours" by PRETTYMUCH


sounds like ➡️
"Oui" by Jeremih (2015)


It just seems like "Oui" would have inspired "10,000 Hours" by underground pop phenomenon PRETTYMUCH, specifically considering the Shai "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" sample used (appearing at 2:48 in Jeremih's song; throughout PRETTYMUCH's song), as well as the "aw-yeah" ad-libs from the post-chorus in "Oui" almost imitated in "10,000 Hours" (@ 1:18). Some fans caught the similarities but who knows if it's enough to be a 'rip-off'.

However, #JusticeFor10000Hours and #OnMyWay
6. "Shoot" by White Room


sounds like ➡️
"Fashion" by David Bowie (1980)


Sonically "Shoot" reminded me of "Fashion" but it can also sound like a lot of other new wave songs from that time. Bowie is kinda a household name already so it's not that bad to take direct inspo?
7. "Flicker" by Rina Sawayama


sounds like ➡️
"Don't Think I'm Not" by Kandi (2000)


Indie pop queen Rina has been quite front with her sound being inspired by 90's and 2000's pop. With her single "Flicker", Rina took almost a direct format in the way "Don't Think I'm Not" has with the rhythm, tempo changes, and Miami bass sound. The choruses' melodies also ring similar to each other a little bit.
sources: 1234567891011121314


ONTD have you caught any songs this year that sound a little TOO familiar to something else?


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