Is Angelina Jolie a good actress? Does this matter? These are the most prominent questions that popped into my head as I sat down to evaluate the life and career of famous person, Angelina Jolie. Let us answer the first question. Angelina Jolie got her spot in the limelight by being Jon Voight’s daughter. However, her first real leading role was in the 1995 film, Hackers. Soon after in 1999, she got an Academy Award for her supporting role in Girl, Interrupted. Here is the point where she finally gains some clout and recognition for her talent. Early Jolie had a reputation for being a bit strange: choosing to marry Billy Bob Thornton and being oddly close with her brother. She was provocative. However after this period, we are subject to an onslaught of movies that just don’t hit critically. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider made plenty of money, sure, but it wasn’t known for being good. Mr. and Mrs. Smith is more famous for its real world repercussions and ensuing scandal than it is for her performance. Most reviewers claim the best part of the movie is the chemistry between Pitt and Jolie. That clearly was because of the real world feelings between one another, and arguably less to do with her acting ability. For many years, Jolie got roles as an action star and lead, and became one of the highest paid women in Hollywood. She was one half of one of the most famous couples. This is where the second question comes in...does it matter? Angelina Jolie’s stardom really rose during the late 90’s. This was right before the boom of Paris Hilton and later, the Kardashians - people famous for being famous, and not having a discernible artistic talent or cultural contribution. Jolie still had to produce content to remain relevant despite being relevant in the tabloids due to her personal life. Eventually the movies almost became besides the point. Most of them became blockbusters that allowed for her to make appearances at events and premieres. That is not to neglect the insane amount of money Jolie has donated to charity including a recent million dollar donation to help children affected by the coronavirus. This is just another way that her on-screen presence is merely a tool for the real work she is truly interested in, which is helping underprivileged children. In the beginning of her career, Jolie was characterized by being Jon Voight’s daughter, and acting creepy with her brother. She was attached to Billy Bob Thornton, and then she was involved in the Pitt-Aniston scandal. She started to be assigned a public persona of the Veronica to Jen’s Betty. She’s the seductress. That persona has made her more of a household name than any singular role. It makes a lot of sense that she would then take on the role of Maleficent in 2014’s Maleficent . Reinterpreting the classic Disney villain as misunderstood is almost a commentary on Angelina Jolie’s public persona. There are many actors who play thinly veiled versions of themselves: John Wayne, Will Smith, and Angelina Jolie, to name a few. The best version of Jolie in a movie role is her subverting her public persona. In recent years, she has moved more into producing and directing. Like Brad Pitt, she seems to already be choosing more artistic projects, like Unbroken . We will see what version of Jolie we get with Eternals and how she manages to fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe like so many of her fellow A-List actors. So is Angelina Jolie a good actress? Not usually. Her star power is more important than her actual acting ability. Plus, she is proving to be a better producer and director, so she has artistic talent. Does it matter? She’s rich enough to buy me and sell me, so I would say no. Her real work is as a director, a humanitarian , and a public figure. Marco Rummo Marco is a comedian, writer, and underemployed New Yorker trying to make it in this damn world. He enjoys fruitlessly pursuing love on dating apps and keeping track of all of the movies he’s seen on Letterboxd.

UPDATED 06/05/20 This post is meant to serve as a one stop shop for updates on the small businesses of Beacon, NY as they navigate these turbulent times, where every dollar made day to day can help the business, staff, and future of operations. Below you will find categories containing the small businesses of Beacon, their current operations, and any special deals they may be currently offering, as well as alternate ways you may show them support, from sharing on social media to buying digital gift cards. Please share this page with as many people as you can. If you find yourself in need of any of the services listed below, please show support in a responsible manner, avoiding large crowds and unnecessary travel when possible. This page will be updated every day throughout this restrictive process, updating operations announcements as state and federal regulations regarding COVID-19 change. Please check back often for any updates on current promotions and sales, as well as added business information and ways to support them digitally. If you own a Beacon business that is not currently on this list and wish to add your information to this roundup, please contact Mike Burdge ( Mike@storyscreenbeacon.com ) for assistance. This listing is completely free, no strings attached. All that we ask from businesses involved is to please share the link to this page on any newsletters and social media they have so that their audience can be EVERYONE'S audience. You can also reach out for assistance on generating digital gift cards for any POS or non-POS business, as Mike has schooled himself on how to create all of these, and can easily help any business get a digital shop of gift cards going within minutes. This is also completely free of charge. You can show your support for both this updated article and the efforts of Mike Burdge by supporting our business, Story Screen Beacon Theater, by buying a gift card . We are all in this together, as businesses and as customers. Please show support wherever and however you can, and let us know if you have any questions or additions. Take care of one another. - The Story Screen Family (NOTE: These postings are managed by the businesses themselves, who are responsible for alerting us when any changes occur in order to keep an up to date log of their operations.) FOOD AND DRINK All You Knead Bakery Phone: (845) 440-8530 308 Main Street The storefront is closed until April 15th. We are planning on attending the Cold Spring Farmers Market on Saturdays  9.30 am to 1.30 PM as long as they continue to hold it. For this week, we are taking orders for Thursday  morning ( orders should be in by 8am tomorrow morning.  Shoppers can just contact me at allyouknead63@ gmail.com . Saturday we are at the cold spring farmers market 9.30 M to 1.30pm. Or, if customers do not want to travel all the way to Cold Spring, they can preorder and pick up at store 8am to 9am. Sunday we are participating in the Beacon Farmers Market pick up .  Shoppers can either contact us via email or call common ground directly to place order. Cut off time for that is Saturday 8am. Here a list of items available: Bagels Bialys Pretzels Fruit cheese pockets Turnovers Muffins Baguettes Sourdough Wheat sourdough Olive Cranberry raisin walnut Croissants  Chocolate croissants Artisan Wine Shop 180 Main Street We're Open! shop.artisanwineshop.com or (845) 440-6923 We're happy to help you with your wine, spirits, cider & sake needs! We’ll update you on any service changes on Instagram @artisanwineshop and on this page. Phone Order Hours (no phone orders Sunday or Monday) Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-6:00pm Pickup Hours Tuesday-Saturday 11:30am-6:30pm (web orders placed after 6:00pm will be ready for pickup the following day) Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm (web orders placed after 4:30pm will be ready for pickup the following Tuesday) CLOSED Monday Local Delivery Beacon (three-bottle minimum) - Free Also delivering to Cold Spring, Fishkill, Garrison & Wappingers Falls Bank Square Bank Square will be open for to-go drinks, pounds of coffee, bottles of wine and canned beer from 8am-6pm every day. People can also order pounds of coffee on our website: BankSquareCoffeehouse.com . If you live within driving distance we will deliver and refund the shipping. Barb's Butchery (845) 831-8050 The Lobby is closed to the general public. We are accepting orders with 24 hours notice. Best to call us with orders between 12 PM and 6 PM. You can call in orders but please be aware the hours are going to change a lot in the next few days. You can also order online all the time We can deliver Wednesdays and Saturdays in Beacon for only people quarantined or sick. Beacon Bread Company (845) 838-2867 (currently closed) Beacon D'Lites 327 Main Street Website:  www.beacondlites.com The Beacon Daily Hours: 8am to 7pm (currently) Contact info :- Email: hello@thebeacondaily.com - Phone: (845) 831-5274 www.thebeacondaily.com 29 Teller AveBeacon, NY 12508 Currently offering : - Pick-up, Curbside, and Delivery. - Online Ordering via our website and Call In order. - Full Menu our website . - Daily/Weekly Specials - posted to Online ordering page and Instagram and Facebook. - Prepared Dinner meals - menu rotating - serves 4-6 people. Beacon Natural Market 348 Main St (845) 838-1288 Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates Family owned since 2005, we are here to serve the community by offering Food, Supplements and Household Items that are Local, Organic & Non GMO, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Eco-Friendly & more.  Mon-Sat  10:00 am - 6:00 pm Sun 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Beginning Friday May 15, we will open our doors to the public with these Safety Guidelines: -              Only Five customers allowed in the store at a time -              Mask must be worn to enter the store -              Hand sanitizer will be provided at the front of the store and must be applied upon entering -              Please observe the six foot distance tapes marked on the floor -              Additionally, only one customer at a time will be allowed in the bulk section               Gloves provided at the station must be used Curbside pickup and delivery orders will still be available with a processing fee of 5% (Min $5.00 charge) Ordering instructions Below: •             We are offering curbside pick up for your convenience. •             For seniors and immune compromised individuals who cannot leave their homes, we are offering delivery service. Since local community members have volunteered to do deliveries, let us know if you would like to add a tip with your payment. •             Email us at Beacon348@verizon.net •             Please include the following information in your email: 1.            Name & Phone Number 2.            Delivery or Pick Up 3.            Address if Delivery 4.            Your Items & Quantity desired in list form (one item per line). If you can include details like the brand, flavor & size as well, we'll be able to fill your order much faster. •             We will call you to get your Credit Card information for the payment. We do not start your order until we have your credit card info. •             Please note that we may need to limit quantities of certain items in the short-term Beacon Pantry For orders: (845) 440-8923 Cafe is closed. Market is open 10am-6pm daily and fully stocked. We offer phone ahead orders with curbside pickup and also offer delivery. Orders for delivery should be placed by 3pm for delivery around 5pm. We ask customers shopping in person to use the gloves provided at the front of the shop and to adhere to distance guidelines. Big Mouth Coffee We will remain open as we are considered an essential business. We are currently take-out only, with drinks and bags of whole bean coffee available. Our online store has merchandise and coffee and we will be shipping those orders out regularly, while we figure out a system for Beacon-wide delivery services. Hours as of now: Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm Sat - 8am - 6pm Sun - 8am - 5pm Website / Online Store: -  https://www.bigmouth.coffee/ -  https://www.bigmouth.coffee/shop eGift cards link: https://squareup.com/gift/CY6QA4ZSNXTF8/order Brothers Trattoria (845) 838-3300 You can still order food from the regular operations menu for pick-up and take-out here: https://brotherstrattoria.com/menu/ The Chocolate Studio (646) 981-7334 496 Main Street, Beacon, NY Our dessert shop is now ONLINE! Our Vegan & Gluten-free treats are available to order and for free delivery to Dutchess County, Westchester and New York City. Shipping is available to the continental USA. Please purchase a flat-rate box on our website and then order everything you want to go in the box. We will contact you after you check-out online to make sure we know exactly how you want to receive your purchase. The Vegan Stuff pints (don’t call it ice cream) are available for purchase online. But can only be picked up at our store or delivered locally around Beacon, NY. We will also have other chocolate bars, candy, CBD sublingual oil, tea and jelly in our online store soon. We are all in this together and we thank you for your patience as we update our website. Our storefront will remain closed until further notice. Feel free to email us at ChocStudio@optimum.net or call my cell (646) 981-7334 with any questions or feedback. Thank you for supporting a small business like us during these unprecedented times. Eat Church Food Truck Located @ Industrial Arts Brewing 511 Fishkill Ave, Beacon, NY 12508 IG:   https://www.instagram.com/eatchurch/ Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/eatchurch/ Website:   https://www.eatchurch.com/ We will be open Thursday-Sunday, 4pm-8pm. Visit our website to view current menu & place your orders for pickup or delivery!  * Gift Cards available for purchase.  We would greatly appreciate the support! *** Hudson Valley Food Hall (845) 288-3212 The Hudson Valley Food Hall is doing delivery and curbside takeout 11 – 7 Tuesday - Sunday In addition, all our bottles of wine will be selling for $20 and we are making craft cocktails to be put in glass flasks for $25 (order either with any chef). Orders can be placed with each respective chef: Miz Hattie’s BBQ - (914) 656-7325 Bombay Wraps – (845) 591-1690 MoMo Valley Dumplings – (845) 536-4934 Hudson Valley Marshmallow Company (845) 765-2703 Find our flavored marshmallows on Amazon (prime!) or head to hvmarshmallow.com for gift cards and even more treats. Free delivery in Beacon! Just use code BEACONLOVE at checkout for a porch drop-off. Kitchen and Coffee (845) 765-0778 We will be closed until further notice at this point. It is expected that we will open early May after our renovations are complete and hopefully most of this clears up. We are considering opening for take-out in May at first, but we will let you all know when we decide. You can still DM us for local delivery of frozen goods that we have in stock. Instagram: @kitchen.coffee.beacon Max's on Main (845) 838-6297 As of now Max's is open for curb side pick up and take out daily: Monday 11:30 am to 8:30 pm Tuesday 4 pm to 8:30 pm Wednesday 4 pm to 8:30 pm Thursday 4 pm to 8:30 pm Friday 11:30 am to 8:30 pm Saturday 11:30 am to 8:30 pm Sunday 11:30 am to 8:30 pm Delivery each day in Beacon til 7:30 pm Full menu available on our website at http://www.maxsonmain.com and on our Facebook page, with additional information and daily specials being updated semi regularly on social media.   We are offering beer, wine, and cocktails for take away as long as food is purchased.   We plan on being open as long as we are legally allowed to.   Melzingah Tap House (845) 765-2844 While we may not be "Beacon's Gathering Place" right now, we still want you to feel supported at home. We are open for business offering takeout and delivery (within 5 miles) daily from 2pm to 9pm. Both our lunch and dinner menu is available and can be viewed at melzingahtaphouse.com .  In addition to our food menus, we are offering craft cocktails, half-priced bottles of wine, and 16oz crowlers of any draft beer. Specials and promotions are announced on our Facebook and Instagram, as well as, through The Weekly Pour email. Meyer's Olde Dutch Now Open for Take-out Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11:30am - 8pm Friday/Saturday 11:30am - 9pm We are encouraging everyone to order and pay online via our website Meyersoldedutch.com Mr. V's Deli (845) 838-0008 Open for business. Business hours are: Monday-Friday 6:30am-3:00pm Saturday 7:00am-4:00pm Sunday 8:00am-2:00pm Call and order for pick-up only The Pandorica (845) 831-6287 The Pandorica is open for curbside pickup Thursday through Sunday from 3pm-8pm with a limited menu (below) but with added specials on the weekend. Beginning April 2nd we will be starting curbside pickup of our famous Afternoon Tea party. Newcomers may be unaware but our previous incarnation was a highly rated Tea Room (#2 in NYS top 100 nationwide) and have always continued the service through catering. Tea party must be pre-ordered, details to come. Info here: https://www.teamap.com/place/838/cup-saucer-tea-room.html Quinn's (845) 202-7447 What is Quinn’s offering during this isolation period? Our normal menu is all available as TAKE-OUT as well as some special Bento Boxes Discounted beer, wine, and sake are all available to go – all other drinks are for sale, just at regular price. Gift Cards are always available for purchase to use once this issue has passed Open between 5pm-9pm Red Pepper Diner Dear friends and family, During these trying times we would like to help our community and our guests. Red Pepper will be opening its doors for takeout from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily except Tuesdays. If you find yourself under budgetary restrictions please let us know and we will honor our commitment to this community. As you have helped us survive over the last six years it is our time to repay back the debt. Please stop by or give us a call ahead of time to prepare your takeout meal. Cell ( 646) 321-2421 or (845) 440-0020 Graciously, Chef Saman & Thanuja The Roundhouse The hotel and restaurant are closed for now, but we are still actively working with our customers to book future events and weddings. Email us at info@roundhousebeacon.com to schedule a virtual tour of the property with one of our event managers! Scarborough Fare (845) 831-7247 257 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 BEACON shines Wednesday May 27 and Thursday May 28, opening from Noon to 4pm. Call us at (845) 831-7247 to place an order for pick-up or knock on the door. Masks are required at this time. www.scarboroughfarenp.com scarboroughare@verizon.net Tito's Santana (845) 765-2350 (currently closed) Trax Trax will be open for to-go drinks, pounds of coffee, bottles of wine and canned beer from 8am-4pm every day. People can also o rder pounds of co ffee on our website, TraxCoffeeRoasters.com . If you live within driving distance we will deliver and refund the shipping. Two Way Brewery (845) 202-7334 We are currently closed but plan to open later this week for to go and delivery orders. We will post information about when we will be open and how we will operate on our social media platform. We have limited supplies available however as there is a national shortage of crowler cans which we just switched to. Yankee Clipper Diner (845) 440-0021 (Currently closed) Wonder Bar (845) 440-7706 Currently closed. We tried, but converting a cozy cocktail lounge into a takeout business was a bit of stretch! If you wish to support the Wonder Bar & Story Screen Beacon Theater, your best bet is to pick up a Story Screen Beacon Theater gift card for future use in our movie theater. Stay safe everyone! Ziatun (845) 765-8268 (currently closed) WARES & TRADE A Lucky Cut http://www.aluckycut.com/ Wishing everyone gentle times as we do our best to create space so this thing can pass by. the shop has been closed to everyone since March 14th and will not reevaluate taking appointments again until we can. Urging everyone to reschedule their appts if they have one. Due to not being able to be present at the shop I am only able to offer the purchase of a gift certificate on my website for now and the option to make a future appointment. Try not to cut your own hair in the meantime and we’ll all see each other real soon! Be well and stay safe out there! Accuprint Pack 'N' Ship (845) 765-2555 www.accuprintpns.com Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm Sat: 11am-4pm Sun: Closed Services: Shipping, Packing, Packing Materials, Notary Public, Faxing, Tax Preparation 'ANDYMAN From minor repairs to custom solutions for home, office, and garden. *During these extraordinary times, I'm offering my services on a "pay what you can afford" basis in Beacon and vicinity.* Call or text Andy Fairbanks:  (727) 599-8727 Antalek & Moore (845) 831-4300 We are are open everyday 9am to 5pm remotely! Fully functional from our homes to meet all your insurance needs The Beacon Barkery (845) 440-7652 The Beacon Barkery is a holistic pet store. We offer the option of digital gift cards. Our retail site is thebeaconbarkery.com . You can use promo code:welcome. This will give 10 % off of your web order. Our hours of operation are: Monday through Friday 10am-6pm Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday 11am-5:30pm Beacon Bee Beacon Bee, the makers of Everything Balm (great for frequently washed hands), all natural Tick Stick and hand rolled beeswax candles, is taking orders online and providing free delivery to the Beacon area. A few new additions to their product line include their Bee Print face mask with filter pocket and packages of comb honey.  Just in time for mother's day!  www.beaconbeebiz.com email: beaconbeebiz@gmail.com Beacon Mercantile 493 Main Street Making and shipping online orders Monday-Friday. Shop online at beacon mercantile.com . Ten percent of all online purchases are being donated to FeedingAmerica.org and Meals on Wheels. Free contactless store pickup available for local online orders Monday-Friday. Beacon Pilates www.beaconpilates.com I am Juliet Harvey owner of Beacon Pilates. I've been in business for  14 years in Beacon. I love this town, I love what I do, I love and  miss the personal connection I have each week with my clients. My business is closed but I'm trying to make it through this closure  by offering a service people need in stressful times which is movement  and connection. Myself and my other teachers are teaching live  Pilates mat classes online through zoom. Which means the teachers can  still see you and give you corrections and help you understand the  technique. These classes can be scheduled on my website. We can also  schedule private online classes. New clients are welcome. beBhakti Yoga Center  89 Dewindt Street Beacon, NY 12508 (845) 440-8855 info@bebhaktiyoga.com www.bebhaktiyoga.com We're offering live daily Zoom classes. People can check the schedule and they need to sign up in advance on MindBody to receive the login information. We also will be offering videos for classes "on demand" for purchase.  Special Offers: $49 for unlimited yoga for 30 days for those new to the studio $99 Unlimited (no contract or commitment necessary) for the month for those who have already visited  Beetle and Fred (845) 440-8867 Bored? Restless? You need a project!! Shop our website at www.beetleandfred.com and take advantage of FREE local delivery (15-mile radius). Just select "pick-up" at checkout and make sure to include your address and any other info we might need. Orders placed before 2pm will be at your door by 5! Don't see what you want? A lot of our older inventory isn't online yet, so we're doing plenty of personal shopping—send us an email about what you need, we'll make suggestions and take pictures, and we can go from there.  All classes through 4/15 have been cancelled or rescheduled. Please contact  Katy@beetleandfred.com with questions, suggestions, and random craft dilemmas.  By a Thin Thread A great way to support a business like mine right now while proms and weddings have been cancelled and people are quarantined at home is to leave a positive review on yelp or google if I've done work for you in the past. It will help new clients find me when we are on the other side of all this! This is also a great time for drop-offs and custom projects that don't require fittings. Mending - like jean patches, attaching buttons, replacing broken zippers, darning sweater holes - can be dropped off at the shop at an arranged time, or even dropped off on my porch. It's also a great time for certain custom projects, like curtains or cushion covers. Fabric and supplies can be ordered online, or even better, from Beetle and Fred here in Beacon - I'm pretty sure they're delivering. Call or text the shop at (845) 288-0178 , or email at allyson@byathinthread.com . I can also be reached through my website at byathinthread.com . Edofalltrades: Accounting | Tax | Insurance 178 Main Street (845) 765-2800 Our hours of operations during this time is Monday-Friday from 11AM-7PM our website edofalltrades.com  is a great resource for related CARES Act stimulus programs. Flora Good Times (845) 219-5434 We are currently closed to the public, but offering curbside pickup and pre-orders. The best methods of seeing what we have available are our Curbside Pickup Website floragoodtimes.square.site , or on our Instagram. Curbside pickups are currently available to be scheduled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12pm-4pm. You can also always call or send an email to talk to Corinne directly! hello@floragoodtimes.com Hudson Beach Glass 162 Main Street (845) 440-0068 www.HudsonBeachGlass.com Gallery Currently closed to the public. Free Shipping and Pick up by appointment. We are happy to email photographs of pieces while we work to update our website.  We will continue to post new work on social media.  We can be reached by email at Glass@HudsonBeachGlass.com or phone please contact us with any questions, requests or orders!  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! The Leaf (845) 765-1690 All Leaf products have been brought to Smoker's Mecca. Mecca is taking orders at the front door. No one allowed in. Also phone orders and express shipping. We will soon be doing deliveries.  Loopy Mango (845) 765-2476 While Loopy Mango’s brick and mortar store is closed until further notice, our online store ( www.loopymango.com ) remains fully operational and we are offering free shipping on all domestic orders over $100. We are actively developing more means of connection and outreach during this trying time; look forward to a Virtual Knit Night, expanded online offerings, and more exciting content to come. Luxe Optique  www.luxeoptique.com Text - (845) 838-2020   Email - info@luxeoptique.com Luxe Optique is coming up with new ways to accommodate patients during this difficult time:  + Store drop off & pickup services: 181-183 Main Street Beacon NY   We are continuing to take orders! You can drop off your glasses for repairs, Rx lens orders, etc. Reach out to coordinate your services and drop off time - our drop off box (under video surveillance) will be labeled with your name and drop off time. Once your order is ready, we will reach out to set up your pick up time.  + Discounted contact lens pricing and special shipping rates are available: $25 off all year supplies of contacts + free shipping  $10 off 6-month supplies + $3.95 shipping  All other contact lens orders ship for a special flat rate of $3.95 Your order may also be eligible for a manufacturer's rebate of up to $150! To order text - 845-838-2020 or email - info@luxeoptique.com + Completed order shipping Patients with completed orders can reach out to set up discounted shipping services.  Luxe Optique is encouraging patients to reach out during this time if there is anything that we can assist them with. MCKIBILLO Creative Services http://mckibillo.com josh@mckibillo.com Hi, I’m Josh McKible DBA MCKIBILLO Creative Services. During these unprecedented times of social distancing, business as usual has to adapt and change. Things that were once taken for granted are no longer possible. Including the art of making in person presentations, to either introduce a new offering or to more fully explain an existing service or product. A well crafted explainer video can close the gap, with easy to understand graphics and clear explanations. All while maintaining a safe distance. Why not check out http://mckibillo.com  to see some of the infographics and explainer videos I've made for other satisfied clients? I would love to discuss what your needs are. Thanks and stay safe. Pavonine Yoga Pavonine Yoga is open online in Zoom! View our schedule at pavonineyoga.com/schedule . All classes are $10 but included with monthly memberships. We also have a 2-week unlimited offer for $18 (new students only), and 5 classes for $45. Register at least 30 minutes before class and then check your email for a Zoom link. Looking forward to breathing with you soon! People's Bicycle (845) 765-2487 Peoples Bicycle is open! 430 Main Street. A bike shop is considered an essential service! http://www.peoplesbicycle.com/ Piano Adventures Beacon Gift card options on the website www.pianoadventuresbeacon.com 10 year Anniversary! Still here teaching full time online, with multi camera overhead views including hands and face, with enhanced external mic sound quality. *M-F  2-8 pm.  IG @pianoadventuresbeacon FB pianoadventuresbeacon Student performances 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ty9yOEs84c Now offering semi private ZOOM lessons with a friend! Reservoir Visit us online at www.reservoir.us Offering FREE delivery to zip codes 10516, 12524, 12508 & 12590 or email hello@reservoir.us to arrange curbside pick up. Follow us on IG ( www.instagram.com/shop.reservoir ) or sign up for our newsletter for the most up-to-date in details & discounts! S&S Cleaning Residential & Commercial  (845) 405-6768 www.ssclean.biz www.facebook.com/SSCleaning Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Sacred Space Healing Arts (845) 742-8494 Currently closed, offering online workshops and mentoring. Smoker's Mecca (845) 765-1690 Smoker's Mecca is taking orders at the front door. No one allowed in. Also phone orders and express shipping. We will soon be doing deliveries.  Society of Lash (845) 765-2899 (Closed until further notice) Solstad House (845) 440-7281 During this time, we have moved business to our online store: www.solstadhouse.com . We are offering free shipping on orders of $20 or more. Also, we are offering 20% off all humor and activity books. The Studio @ Beacon (845) 765-1144 Although the Studio @ Beacon is closed we are posting quick at-home fitness ideas to our instagram and Facebook and hosting $5 Zoom classes with our trainers, as well as FREE Zoom classes with Laura. Anyone can sign up through our website. The community can continue to support our business by purchasing gift cards via our website. Merch is also coming to the site soon! https://thestudioatbeacon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thestudio_beacon/ https://www.facebook.com/thestudioatbeacon/ TK Window Cleaning (845) 522-3286 Open 24 hrs. 7 days a week Utensil Currently offering: Local deliveries (Beacon) or curbside pick up. Customers can message me via Instagram or Facebook, or email emily@utensilkitchenware.com to arrange. Verplank Auto For appointments: (845) 831-9225 We are open and working hard! Temporary hours:  Monday-Friday 8 am to 4 pm Why not get your car serviced while you’re home? Is your New York State Inspection due this month? Oil change service due? Or something bigger? To keep everyone safe, we are: -meeting customers in the parking lot -taking payments over the phone -using the night drop box -not having customers wait while vehicle is worked on -wiping down areas of the car that are touched, keys, steering wheel, shifter, blinker,  door handle,  etc. -cleaning office/shop areas more frequently (constantly) Village Jerk (914) 299-7287 Currently closed. E-commerce coming soon. Please reach out via social if we can be of service in any way.  Zakka Joy (845) 632-3383 For the safety of our staff, customers, and all of humanity, we are closed for the foreseeable future. We miss you already, but you can still support us through these crazy times! Zakka Joy is offering FREE Beacon, NY no contact “ring and run” doorstep delivery! Shop our website at zakkajoy.com and use coupon code SHOPLOCAL at checkout to let us know to deliver directly to you. Don’t have a doorstep or want to send a gift to a friend? We are offering free shipping over $50 with coupon code EWGERMS . Prefer a curbside pickup directly from our retail location? Use coupon code PICKUP at checkout and we will contact you to schedule a time. Still have a job and lots of awesome gifts to give? We automatically throw in a free roll of TP with orders over $150 ;-) CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES Blackbird Attic Curated Consignment 442 Main Street Check our Instagram and Facebook for daily updates & sales!   www.BlackbirdAttic.com www.Instagram.com/BlackbirdAttic We are celebrating 10 years in business!  We are posting "stories" (videos) daily with new items for sale. Click our "BBA" pink circle icon and also view the circle icon highlights on our instagram for past videos. You can feel like you're virtually shopping our racks! Curbside pick up, free local delivery and affordable shipping is available. King + Curated Contact Info: www.KingAndCurated.com phone: (845) 440-3368 email: info@KingAndCurated.com We are encouraging gift cards for future purchases. Offering 20% off our custom stamped cuffs (comes off automatically at checkout). Free standard shipping on domestic orders (automatic at check out). And are still taking Custom Fine Jewelry Appointments through Facetime. Appointments can be made here: https://www.kingandcurated.com/apps/bookthatapp/booking/new If anyone has a hard time finding a day and time that works for them, we are encouraging them to reach out to us for more options. deals, specials/featured items and updates will be rolled out on Instagram @King_And_Curated La Mere Clothing and Goods (646) 236-3908 Store Closed , Online Shop Only www.lamereclothingandgoods.com Instagram/@lamereclothingandgoods 20% off Storewide-Code: StayHome20 Free Shipping-Code:FreeShip Free Local Delivery/Free Curbside Pickup ARTS Beacon Music Factory www.beaconmusicfactory.com play@beaconmusicfactory.com (845) 765-0472 Our teachers and students are very much forging ahead together throughout this time.  We are fortunate we live in a time where the technology at hand makes it possible for us to meet and interact — and keep the music going—together.  Making music is already so potent.  This we know.  But being able to have this kind of social meeting place between teacher and student is so fulfilling and essential. Our community means everything to us.  In addition to private online lessons on pretty much every instrument, BMF is also providing lots of free content in the form of regular facebook live tutorials from our teachers.  Like our Facebook page/join our email list to stay on top of that.   We're also going to be revolutionizing BMF Nite, our monthly student showcase—right here online.    Whether you are looking to continue, come back to, or start up lessons, we are here—and it's working. Binnacle Books (845) 838-6191 Binnacle Books is doing local delivery for any books in our stock including books you see on Instagram, and we can have new book orders shipped directly to anywhere in the country. Use our online order form - binnaclebooks.com/order-books and share widely! Also, now is a great time to become a Binnacle member by buying a $100 gift card to get 10% off all purchases. Compass Arts (917) 648-4454 www.compassarts.org www.facebook.com/CompassArtsOrg/ https://www.instagram.com/CompassArtsNY/ enrich@compassarts.org Compass Arts classes have moved online while our physical space sits quietly empty, waiting for everyone's return. While we miss being able to interact in person with all of our students we are very grateful to have tech options that are working to keep us engaged and making great theater, music, and art together from our separate homes. And since the community is our bedrock we are providing free Facebook live events like singalongs with Gina Samardge and Jessie Shaffer, theater games with Eric Saiet, and art and story sessions with Romina Robinson. To accommodate the quickly changing environment our online spring semester classes are running in five-week sessions instead of our usual 10-week sessions. We want to make it as easy as possible for folks to participate so most of our online classes are being offered in 30 minute long segments with even more affordable rates than usual. We truly feel everyone's bewilderment and concern right now and are thankful that we can continue to reach out, provide our classes and just connect through video conferencing. We believe those connections are worth their weight in gold right now and we thank you so very much for your continued participation. The magic is alive! DIA: Beacon You can show support for DIA by contributing to their regular funds found on their website, here: https://www.diaart.org/support/overview-10 Hudson Valley Vinyl We are currently in the process of moving our entire shops' inventory online until we can open up again.  Our store can be found at  https://www.discogs.com/seller/hvvinyl Also follow our Instagram @hvvinyl for news on re-opening and pictures of cool stuff! No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book works Like many other organizations that are cancelling or postponing events, No.3 Reading Room will be closed until further notice in order to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The current exhibit Reach, A Selection of Drawings and Artist’s Books  by Rosaire Appel, will remain installed and ongoing for a month once we re-open. You can read more about her work at photobookworks.com Please email photobookworks@gmail.com if you have any questions and check our website for updates. Thanks for your patience and stay well. South Avenue Music We offer Online music instructions on: piano, cello, trumpet, trombone and jazz composition.  Click this link:  online lessons  to get free 15 minutes introductory lesson.  ChoiFairbanks.com 845-777-5701 Rexhill Studio (503) 890-9100 info@rexhillstudio.com Our woodshop is closed for the time being, but we are available via email to work on current and future design projects. We have offered some free scrap wood for families and artists to use for creative projects, please reach out if you would like to know more. Follow us on instagram @rexhillstudio School of Rock Beacon, NY (845) 835-0001 We have been impacted maybe a bit differently than some others. We were scheduled to have our soft opening literally on Sunday March 15 and had to obviously cancel everything with no opening date in site at this point. We are formulating some remote/online content & curriculum which will be coming later this week/early next week. Find us on FB at beacon school of rock and our website beacon.schoolofrock.com Story Screen Beacon Theater (845) 765-8268 Our theater is currently closed for normal operations, but we have gift cards available at our store, as well as merchandise , as ways for our audience to support our business and staff. Our Digital Theater is also offering an expanding collection of new and old streamable films, which you can rent and directly support the theater. We also have a brand new Subscription Support Membership , where you can receive exclusive content from our site on a regular basis for only $5 a month! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@story_screen_beacon) and sign up for our Newsletter (located at the bottom of this page) to get updates on everything we have going on. The Underground Beacon (845) 440-8345 The Underground Beacon is open for local delivery and shipping during this time. We can deliver items that we have in store such as, books, toys, and games, and will be updating the website for orders (we can currently accept orders on the website for comics and all other orders through email/social media messages). There will be a pause on upcoming comic books, but we will notify everyone when new comics start coming in! Look out for pictures of products for sale on Instagram and Facebook l, and feel free to message us for delivery! (If you notice anything is incorrect on this page, please let us know so we can check and update accordingly. Once again, please share this link with anyone you think would benefit from the information. Be sure to check back for updates. Once you share the link, there will be no need to share again after updates, as the post itself will be updated, but the link will remain the same.)

Why is Fletch so damn good? I know it seems like a strange question. But it's actually sort of hard to put your finger on. The film is a beloved classic, and is regarded today as one of Chevy Chase's finest roles. But what makes it so memorable? There are a lot of great moments, for sure. There's some hilarious dialogue. Chase's usual brand of 80's as a deadpan wiseass is well-suited for this character. But he coasts through his performance with blithe indifference. The story is engaging, but Andrew Bergman's screenplay is loosely-plotted. The direction, by Michael Ritchie, gets it done, but it’s hardly exceptional. So why is this movie so good? How does it manage to add up to more than the sum of its parts? I think I know the answer. There's one more element that I haven't mentioned. It underlies, contextualizes, and anchors everything else. It creates a backbone that elevates Fletch to greatness. I'm referring to the film's dark edge of injustice, brutality, and danger. By the 1980’s, the golden age of postwar economic expansion was a distant memory. Growth was stagnant and inflation was high. Wages fell and unemployment rose. A decline in manufacturing, rising oil prices, and a stock market crash left Americans poorer at the end of the 1970’s than at the beginning -- the first time that had happened since the 1930’s. In this climate of dissatisfaction, Ronald Reagan swept into the White House in 1980 after stoking racial tensions and promising to "make America great again." In his first term, he weakened labor unions, deregulated industries, and reduced taxes for the wealthiest Americans. The idea was that the wealth would trickle down. Instead, economic and racial inequality rushed up. But what does this have to do with anything? Isn't this a movie about Chevy Chase wearing goofy disguises? Why bring up Reaganomics? Because economic inequality is a major subtext of Fletch . Money, or the lack thereof, is a constant presence, from the first moments of the movie, to its final words. Irwin M. Fletcher (“Fletch”) is an investigative journalist, posing undercover as a junkie on the beach. But his own financial position isn't really all that much better. When wealthy executive, Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), offers him a thousand dollars to hear a shady proposal, Fletch is suspicious. He plays along to get more information, but he also needs the money! No sooner does he take the thousand dollars, then he hands it over to his ex-wife’s lawyer for an alimony payment. Meanwhile, his investigation of Stanwyk takes him up and down the economic strata: from a mansion to a farmhouse, from a tennis club cabana to an airplane hangar. He encounters titans of industry, immigrant waiters, gun-toting rednecks, mechanics, and of course, the Underhills. Case in point: Fletch's visit to Stanwyk's parents in Provo, Utah. They're pig farmers who sit on the porch drinking lemonade and drawling things like: "Boy, what in the hell's a’matter with you?" They could have stumbled right out of 'American Gothic.' And they couldn't be more at odds with the Alan Stanwyk we've already met: haughty, preening with a tailored suit and a neutral accent. What changed? His economic status. The importance of money is reiterated even as the film’s end credits roll. Fletch and Stanwyk's wife, Gail (Dana Wheeler Nicholson), walk along a beach in Rio de Janeiro… all charged to the Underhills, of course! Racial injustice is also present in the film, although it's not a major theme. It's hard not to notice that the young black junkie, Gummy, is a regular victim of police brutality. When he shows up with a black eye, he explains that the cops are "always beating up on" him. Later, we see it first-hand. In 2020, it's easy to find relevance in these scenes. Aside from the attacks on Gummy though, race is not a big part of Fletch . But police brutality and corruption run rampant. Police Chief Karlin, played to despicable, scenery-chewing perfection by Joe Don Baker, is a monster. He blackmails ex-convicts, deals drugs, and longs for the good old days of extrajudicial killing. Police officers break and enter, assault the innocent, and plant bags of heroin. They're an example of the kind of establishment villainy that was common in 80’s movies. These police officers would be as happy to chase Rambo as Fletch. And much like the cops in First Blood , they are the product of a post-Vietnam sensibility. In Fletch , these establishment villains are especially potent. They are avatars of economic oppression. This is the world that Fletch inhabits: brutal, unequal, and unjust. His cool, wise-ass demeanor becomes a lot more compelling in this context. With the wrong material, Chevy Chase's vacant, laconic acting style can be deadening. But as Fletch navigates these dangers, his laid-back confidence seems downright heroic. Even Chase's infamous arrogance and mean streak seem to track within this context. If you sense angry resentment beneath the placid surface of Fletch's quick wit, all the better. Look at the people he's going up against. Fletch's victory isn't only about solving a mystery. It's subtle, but he also strikes a blow against brutality and economic injustice. He topples the establishment figurehead, Chief Karlin. And he prevents the wealthy Stanwyk from escaping with his drug-smuggling money. In their place, he elevates Gummy and Fat Sam when he brings them from the beach to the newspaper office. There's a nice symmetry to it, and a touch of Saturnalian role reversal. The slaves feast, and the masters serve... time, that is! It's not outrageous to read Fletch as a Trickster God for the modern world, enacting economic justice. So why is Fletch so damn good? Yes, it's an entertaining, funny movie with an engaging story and good performances. But there are plenty of entertaining, funny movies with engaging stories and good performances. What makes Fletch different? That dark edge. If you remove the elements of injustice, brutality, and danger, it simply wouldn't work as well. And I can prove it, because they tried doing just that. It's called Fletch Lives , and if you don't believe me, go give it a watch. Everything else is there: Chevy Chase, goofy disguises, funny dialogue, a mystery to solve. The only thing missing is the edge. Spoiler alert: it’s bad. Edward Gibbons-Brown (Sometimes) a theatrical director/actor/producer and writer, and (mostly) a bartender and New Beaconite, often found in semi-aimless wander. Edward is pleased and honored to contribute to the most excellent Story Screen.

Robby Anderson chats it up with Diana DiMuro about the ups and downs of the latest attempt by Christopher Hemsworth to operate successfully outside of the Marvel brand: Netflix's Extraction . The results? Welp, that really depends on what you're looking for.... Listen on....

Robby Anderson and Diana DiMuro skip school to talk that cool talk on one of the most beloved teen-comedies of a generation: Ferris Bueller's Day Off . Listen on....

I've always been reluctant to write about music. The reasoning for this has fallen into the schism between two different opinions about the topic: one, as Hans Christian Anderson said, “Where words fail, music speaks,” and the other reason is a fear of a word salad, Lester Bangs-esque attempts at creating a vocabulary to describe it. Trent Reznor has produced a lot of work, even outside of his Nine Inch Nails moniker. He is a collaborator with Marilyn Manson, Al Jorgensen from Ministry, El-P, Jane's Addiction, Queens of the Stone Age, in addition to his side project; How To Destroy Angels. But what Trent Reznor has done with his life is so much more than be a musician. In addition to his Oscar winning scoring for The Social Network , he is an audio engineer, producer, collaborator, along with other honorifics; he is a visionary and a revolutionary for what he has done for many industries, if not the entire world of art. Plus, my friend Lisa thinks he's hot. So, he's got that going for him too. Yet another honorific that can be thrown his way is polymath. For the demos he assembled under the Right Track collection, (which ended up as some songs on Pretty Hate Machine ) he played all of the instruments (with the exception of the drums). Also not included on those demos or the album, he played saxophone throughout high school as well. The pinnacle of his interests laid in the early Moog Synthesizers, like the Voyager And the Prodigy; it was part piano, part beat machine, part computer. He took this instrument and helped define the Industrial music genre. (Ministry tried to do this as well, but that's just not my thing… sorry). Trent has always been a staunch individualist when it comes to the release of his music. After Year Zero came out under the Universal label, he had multiple issues with how they marketed, as well as sold the album. He went ahead and released a version of his next album, The Slip , on his own website for free. Reznor’s next production offered only two distribution options: either download the album for free, or for five bucks, get the higher quality audio. This album was Saul Williams’ excellent work: The Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust. We all know Trent Reznor’s incredible music, but I wanted to take some time to honor some of the work he has done for the art of audio engineering. After he attained freedom to truly do whatever he wanted (after The Downward Spiral went quadruple platinum), he suffered with a torrent of unfortunate circumstances: drug addiction, deaths that severely affected him, and the same perfectionism that stultified Brian Wilson as he was making Smile . It was five years until Reznor’s next release: The Fragile. Trent had left an indelible imprint on the music industry overall; he is the Chief Creative Officer of Dr. Dre's Beats Music service, and continues to work in this role even as they were ultimately acquired by Apple. The quality of the audio master has also always been important to Trent, later on in his career he released separate mixes and master per album for Hesitation Marks. Additionally, he has been very vocal about what software/hardware he uses, and has developed a collection of Modular Synths as well. Reznor has a legendary IMDB page when it comes to the films he has worked on. He helped produce: Lost Highway, Quake, Natural Born Killers, The Crow, Se7en, The Social Network, Gone Girl, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It would be impossible to talk about this subject at length without drawing attention to the extremely impressive work that Trent and Atticus Ross did scoring the David Fincher movie: The Social Network. Although it is no secret, sound, diegetic and non-diegetic music, can all play a huge part in whether or not a film leaves a lasting impression. I have not heard a score done so adeptly, with the gentlest nudge of an intuition in the recording studio, have such an impact. By utilizing one technique, the opening score encapsulates the leitmotifs present in the movie. The score and technique in The Social Network is more subtle than even the masterclass scoring utilized in The Graduate or The Big Chill. The music takes on a caricature of sorts but it becomes an integral component of the film. In their song Hand Covers Bruise, they successfully mirrored the growing distance and dissonance between the film’s main characters (Mark and Eduardo) as it developed over time, by expanding the distance between the repeated notes on the piano during the recording session; and furthermore, they underscore the gradual dissolution of the entire world’s communication protocols. On paper, this is a simple call and response. However through ethernet and fiber optics, the response gets more distant, diminished and distorted. This is an infuriatingly simple approach to orchestrate a brilliant point. To me, this is the pinnacle of Sound Design for a film. Yes, I realize that’s a loaded statement, and I might be chastised by people who disagree, but I'll stand by it. To elaborate further on my earlier point of the old Hans Christian Anderson quote: music can make you feel exactly what an entire character arc is - assuming that music was written by a fucking brilliant wunderkind like Trent Reznor. Jordan Young Jordan graduated in 2009 from Susquehanna University with a degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies where he met his wife. In spite of God's will, he published his first book PESTS with Lloyd Kaufman; the CEO of the independent stalwart Troma Entertainment. You can see him being snarky and cynical on Twitter and Instagram @settlingstatic, and you can find him being deeply, deeply nerdy on Reddit @SkywardJordan.

Channing Tatum is a darling man. He’s a Good Dad, a talented actor, a great dancer, and he’s got excellent comedic timing that is criminally underestimated. Not to mention that he did an interview with New York Magazine a few years ago that talked about his newfound sculpting hobby, stating that Rodin was one of his greatest influences. Fellas, we stan a legend of adorable yet achievable Good Guy behavior. Channing also happens to be a bicon! That’s right, Channing Tatum’s sexuality is not a secret and we are just so pleased to see someone be where he is in Hollywood and be an out-and-proud actor. We love to see it. In honor of our unproblematic fave, here is a list of movies where he was given top, or near-top billing, ranked by how queer they are. White House Down Possibly the least gay move ever made, regardless of Channing’s role in it. Two men have to do patriotic things in the midst of an emergency? I guess? There are explosions? Something goes wrong at some point? This B-list film is early in Channing’s career and It Shows. The only reason this even makes it on the list is because Channing’s arms in this film are a personal attack. 0.5/10 Logan Lucky One of Channing’s more mature performances, however with no sexual tension building in between Channing and any of his other castmates, this film doesn’t rank very high on the list. It’s a fun film, and one of my personal favorites, but is it gay? No. Sebastian Stan tries to let the lez out with his yoga routine and strict diet, but he really doesn’t get there. He tries though, and we love him for it. Logan Lucky does get some credit because it’s about doing crime while watching NASCAR, which is absolutely what hillbilly queers do for a good time. 1/10 Step Up Another pretty straight film. There are some dance moves that Channing pulls off that definitely remind us that he used to be a go-go dancer, but not enough to really show us that he’s a total thirst trap. The straight romance ruins any gay build-up, which is fine as he does the Right Thing and marries Jenna Dewan a few years later. This entire movie is basically a real-life meet-cute so I guess we can deal with it. 2/10 Foxcatcher This film could be considered the best film that Channing has ever starred in. It came out to high critical acclaim, and his performance was praised alongside its other two leading actors. There are a few reasons why this ranks right in the middle of this list. The first is that the straight anguish here is unmistakable, and Channing’s character never quite achieves the je ne sais quoi that we really need to see in order for a film to be queer. There’s no style here, no panache. Yes, being paid to train at a rich man’s house in order to be an Olympic wrestler is...suspicious, but the intense depression and truth that overshadows this film means that there’s really no room for queer interpretation. 3/10 21 Jump Street Alright, we’re getting into the kind of gay movies. Kind of. As a remake of an old TV show, I won’t go into detail about the plot, but basically Channing works as an undercover cop in high school, and he realizes that he’s not as cool as he was ten years ago. Reliving your childhood in order to pursue your passions without judgment, or just finding new things you thought “weren’t for you” is a queer story! It’s reclaiming a childhood you never got to have. This isn’t a queer movie as in gay, but just kind of queer as in a way to find yourself again. 4/10 Jupiter Ascending This movie is an extravaganza of camp space opera. I know that it’s pretty straight because of the weird straight love story and the wild mother-as-goddess plot, but honestly, Eddie Redmayne’s outfit alone screams Gay! It’s CAMP, DARLING! This whole movie, made by trans women, is so fucking queer that it would take a whole essay to parse it out. The costumes, the generation of bodies as means of personal transformation, the opera of legitimacy via bureaucracy, the anti-capitalist end of the film, the emphasis on loving your family even if they’re trash? It’s a Queer film!! You can read the queer messaging for DAYS. Not to mention that everything about Channing Tatum’s character in this movie is absolute wish fulfillment. A few negative points for the straight romance, but we can’t have it all, can we? 6/10 Hail, Caesar! So, look. Channing’s part in Hail, Caesar! is small, but mighty gay. His claim to fame in this piece is when he’s dancing in the sailor’s bar, in a Very Campy sailor suit, tap dancing in between bottles and singing about ‘No Dames.’ He’s literally singing about how there won’t be any women on board a ship while kicking the foxtrot with other men and doing aerial steps where his head ends up in between another man’s legs. Lads, I don’t need to spell it out for you, but this...this is Gay. 7/10 , but only because Channing’s character only has a few speaking lines in the movie. Magic Mike Look we all know Magic Mike is meant to appeal to any person of any gender who is attracted to men. The entire movie is a thirst trap. We know that. We love it. We’re here for it. What makes it gay though, besides the absurdly sculpted bodies and the fact that it was co-written by a bisexual man (Channing Tatum!) about his life experiences after high school, is that this movie is about queerplatonic intimacy. It’s about being open with your friends in both absurdly sexualized theater experiences, and while separate from that experience. It’s about loving your friends, and being loved, betrayed, and hurt by them. It lures you in with mostly-naked men doing choreographed stripping routines, and then it HITS YOU WITH FEELINGS. It hits you hard, it makes you hurt and ache and wonder why on earth would anyone be that vulnerable during a performance? While being objectified? It hurts! There’s a longing and a strange desire between Mike and the Kid and I know, I Just Know, that Channing wrote it and played it as a love story On Purpose! It’s gay! It’s queer, this whole movie is just queer male intimacy and everyone needs to TAKE NOTES! However, sadly, there is a Straight Romance and we cannot fully lean into the queer. Still, a solidly gay movie. 8/10 The Eagle Here it is. The gayest Channing Tatum movie Channing Tatum has ever made. The straight-up kinkiest, sexiest, most gender-confused movie he’s ever done. For those who don’t know, The Eagle was a moderately well-received 2011 release where Channing plays a Roman centurion, Marcus, who goes north of Hadrian’s wall in order to find a lost Roman standard. He’s accompanied by his slave, Esca (played by Jamie Bell), who has his own history to deal with. Most of the movie is Marcus and Esca traveling around in the English highlands. A couple remarks to convince you - the relationship between Marcus and Esca is so homoerotic that it’s impossible to ignore, there is no straight romance whatsoever in the film for either character, and there is a shameless display of bodies at the very beginning of both character’s introductions. There are longing glances, moments of companionship, and points when they anticipate each other’s needs, moods, and even actions. They work together! They trust each other! They never betray each other! They give up parts of themselves to support the other! They wrestle around on the ground and it’s very! Sexually! Charged!! There’s also a moment in the film where Marcus looks up at Esca and says, in straight-up, a voice that is the epitome of queer longing and desperation, “I thought I’d lost you,” and that line is really everything. It’s everything. This is the queerest of Channing’s films, and I have to reiterate that the way that he says: “I thought I’d lost you,’ is an absolute choice, and everything about The Eagle is gay. It’s gay and any queer will agree with me. 10/10. Linda H. Codega Linda is a twenty-something millennial living and working in the Hudson Valley who loves fandom, pop culture, sailing, tarot cards, and crying in movie theaters. If you want to listen to them talk about pop culture, the repeating cycles of media, and those stories that we can’t get out of our heads, you can listen to their podcast, Retronym , on iTunes.

Join us as we dive into the Lorcan Finnegan directed supernatural-horror flick, Vivarium , and all the impressively whacky stuff this movie throws at you. Listen on....

The XXX9 gang, Linda Codega, Diana DiMuro and Bernadette Gorman-White, lend their thoughts to the 1999 big, blocker buster remake, The Mummy , as well as the small, your-cousin-you-don't-talk-to-too-much favorite, The Boondock Saints . Listen on....

If you’re dying for distraction, laughs, or just escapist bullshit, this is the list to get on. Here’s a bunch of films that I love, like, hate-to-love-but-love-anyway, and can’t stand. They’re all recent(ish) -- we’re not diving into the vault for this one. These bangers are just the pieces that I could watch a dozen times without getting tired of the plot, actors, or dumb one-liners. So stay in, watch a film or three, and come back next month. Jupiter Ascending (Netflix) If you think that I’m ever going to stop screaming about Jupiter Ascending you are sorely mistaken. The middling-to-bad dialogue! The intense space opera plot! The no-holds-barred panache of Eddie Redmayne’s performance! The absurd dedication they showed tarting up bicon Channing Tatum for no reason. We didn’t need him to be a part-wolf, pack-bound, tortured space marine with wings, but we are certainly, immensely grateful . If you haven’t seen Jupes yet, it’s worth it for the bonkers story (involving space reincarnation, family drama, and a fake marriage plot!) and the really, truly incredible design. That’s got to be the selling point here. It straight up looks amazing. It is an amazing visual world, a must-watch because of its extravagant and wild production. It’s the space future Fifth Element laid the groundwork for: bright and beautiful, huge and over-the-top, full of pop and politic. Watch it for everything you’re not supposed to notice in a space opera. The Death of Stalin (Netflix) If you missed this absolute gem in theaters now is your chance to tune in. After Stalin’s death, a group of his closest advisors must get together and choose the next leader of the un-free world. It’s a hilarious comedy of errors, full of old-school comedic actors and absurdist spy antics. This is a look into the most batshit, inane, asinine policy-makers ever to walk on earth, (save for the current sitting president) and a brutal evisceration of politics everywhere. Stalin will make you laugh, cry, screech, and go running for the history books. It’s Wes-Anderson-meets-Taika-Waititi-in-the-USSR, and it will take your mind out of America for at least an hour. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Netflix) I don’t think this one needs much explanation. Watching this feels like a warm sweater on a cold day. It’s a drink in the desert; it’s comfort food in animated, hi-action neon, with a soundtrack that fucking slaps. There is nothing wrong with this film. It’s perfect. And I could watch it every day for the next two months. I know what’s going to happen and it will just always hit me just so every single time. When Gwen gets her introduction; During Mary-Jane’s press conference; When Miles jumps off the building; all of it just gets me; it fucking wrecks me. I know everyone’s seen this film, but this is just one person’s reminder to go and rewatch one of the best films of the decade, as a treat. Over the Garden Wall (Hulu) Maybe you heard about this animated series when it came out in 2014. Maybe you watched a few episodes, (or all of them, twice,) but it’s very likely that you haven’t watched this miniseries in a while. It’s time to get lost in the woods, fall into a parched world full of creepy, weird, musical, bizarre Americana folktale horror. This is a series that slowly unravels, that takes its time with the reveal, that inch-by-inch and step-by-step explains itself, but only as much as needs explaining. There are mysteries and myths, strange tales, and metaphors for trauma, strength, and love. You can watch this show a dozen times and still never quite feel at ease or confident that you know what’s going on. It’s absolutely, unendingly rewatchable, and it’s exactly what you need to feel strangely welcome in the dark woods. Logan Lucky (Amazon Prime) Everyone loves a heist movie and this West Virginia hillbilly holdup does not disappoint. Unforgettable characters, bad ( amazing ) accents, and dark comedy make Logan Lucky the film to take your mind off of the world around you. It stars my unproblematic fave, Channing Tatum, alongside the absolute darling Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig with a buzzcut and more tattoos than your average hipster. Oh! And Sebastian Stan makes an appearance. Honestly, we just love to see it. Logan Lucky is clever and silly, it’s funny and immersive, it’s non-stop and it’s great. There’s everything right with this film, with grounded problems and absurd solutions, weird adventures and hilarious cock-ups, and seriously, I just love this film. It’s heartwarming! Watching Logan Lucky is like drinking sweet tea on the porch as a street race goes by. It’s good. Revolutionary Girl Utena (Funimation) I couldn’t let a list of rewatchable movies and shows pass by without mentioning an anime that left me in the dust. I didn’t watch Revolutionary Girl Utena in the nineties when it first came out in the US, but if I had, I might have realized a few things a bit sooner. Utena, the titular character, is a young woman (maybe?) who wants nothing more than to be a prince (gay!). To that end, she duels members of a secret society in order to protect another young woman, Anthy Himemeiya, who is known as ‘The Rose Bride.’ Utena and Anthy end up living together, falling in love, and exploring the dark hypocrisy of good intentions as they continue to fight duelists who use increasingly underhanded methods to hurt Anthy. Oh, and all of this happens at a Japanese high school. This show is wild, y’all. It falls right into the surreal, strange, girl-power animes of the nineties, with weird frameworks, strange sets, and absolutely unpredictable bullshit at every single turn. The lesbian romance is undeniable, as is the gender non-conformity of Utena, who refuses to be a bride, princess, or trophy, even as others at the school try to push her into those roles. I just have to explain all of this because the anime is absolute batshit in the best way. You can watch it ten times, and still find new symbols, metaphors, and meanings every time, and know, without a doubt, that Utena and Anthy are 100% lesbians in love. Also if you want an RGU playlist LMK - I have one that’s goddamn fire. Russian Doll (Netflix) When Russian Doll hit Netflix, it blew up. It was all anyone could talk about for months. Nowadays, the series has never been more pertinent as its two main characters live their day to day lives over and over and over. Around them the world rots, caving in on itself, erasing parts of itself from existence. The repetitive reality of the world - the unfairness of it - is a cathartic siren song for the hellscape that we find ourselves surviving in. We are all Natasha Lyonne, smoking in a dirty apartment, wondering when the fuck will this pity party be over. While Russian Doll was basically an extended Black Mirror episode for most of the series, its hopeful ending, with its two main characters walking through Central Park, celebrating, is the reminder we need to keep moving through it. It’s the ending we need, and if we play our cards right, it’ll be the ending we deserve. Linda H. Codega Linda is a twenty-something millennial living and working in the Hudson Valley who loves fandom, pop culture, sailing, tarot cards, and crying in movie theaters. If you want to listen to them talk about pop culture, the repeating cycles of media, and those stories that we can’t get out of our heads, you can listen to their podcast, Retronym , on iTunes.

Love & Basketball turns 20 years old this week. It defies many categories. It is a sports movie, but not quite. It is a romantic movie and a drama, but still not quite. It fits in its own category. It is a category of very personal pieces that creators hope and dream to make for years. I can’t quite speak to the basketball aspect of the movie, being an artiste and a nerd , but I can speak to the love part, being single. Gina Prince-Bythewood was an athlete, and Monica is very much her avatar. If that’s true, I hope Gina didn’t marry a man like Quincy, because...Monica, I’m talking to you; you can do better, honey. Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are next-door neighbors in this movie and best friends since childhood, always in and out of love with one another. For movies like this, for the two of them to end up together seems like what is “supposed” to happen. Destiny! Fate! But here’s the thing, Quincy is an interminably awful boyfriend. He broke up with Monica because she didn’t want to break curfew to talk about his problems. She never said she wouldn’t listen to his issues, she just couldn’t do it at the bleachers. He doesn’t care about her passion for the same sport that he cares about, because to him, her interest will always be secondary and less real. Monica seems to not be interested in exploring other options besides Quincy. When she goes to Spain, she doesn’t partake in dating the randy European men like her fellow players. She only wants Quincy. Not to sound like a therapist, but that is a very obvious case of low self-esteem. Quincy is her be all, end all, and she doesn’t have time for anyone else but him. However, it is defined on his terms. Quincy dates around a lot and even ends up engaged to Tyra Banks. Monica just quietly and sorrowfully waits for him. She does eventually take charge and challenges him to their love language, basketball, which is how she wins him in the end. But if I was Monica’s friend, I would say you need to move on to someone who values you and prioritizes you. I can’t say I foresee their relationship lasting forever, as Quincy is someone who has been continuously desired by many women his whole life, and I fear he might turn out like his father. The best love story in this movie is the mother-daughter relationship Monica and her mother, Camille (Alfre Woodard) have with one another. They are opposites, and often clash over Monica’s lack of femininity. Monica wants her mother to support her athletic aspirations, but Camille wants her daughter to act more traditionally female. I find this relationship much more fascinating, and their push and pull is a rarely seen dynamic in these kinds of movies. The relationship between Monica’s parents is one of her mother being subservient to her father. She is a passive participant in their marriage. Monica derides her mother for never standing up for herself, yet Monica is glaringly similar in how she approaches her relationship with Quincy. The cast of this film is a fantastic who’s who of Black Hollywood at the time. It almost seemed like Hollywood had 10-12 Black actors they would circulate from feature to feature, reassembling who was dating who and who was related to whom. This marks the second feature in less than five years that Omar Epps dates Tyra Banks. Okay, I will say something about basketball. Seeing Dennis Haysbert’s Zeke (Quincy’s dad) struggle with life post-basketball career, is a very fascinating and under portrayed lot in life. This can be translated to other professions too, like a former actor who was popular when they were young. These athletes retire in their 30’s, with their whole lives ahead of them. It was a refreshingly lesser seen story idea. It is hard to tell the creator’s intent in telling this love story, whether or not they’re aware of our protagonist’s unhealthy relationship with Quincy. However, love is all around in this movie, and there are many relationships portrayed outside of Monica and Quincy, namely, Quincy and his dad. His father breaks the pedestal Quincy puts him on by being an unfaithful husband. Monica and her mother learn to respect one another, despite their different ideas on how to be a woman. And of course, Monica’s love for basketball, which is who she truly ends up with in the end. So, Monica...if you’re done reading this, I hope you have seen the light. From a nerd to a jock, don’t settle! I have been in your position before, wanting the one guy who doesn’t give me the time of day. Maybe the second time around he’ll treat you right, and I sure do hope so, but you’re the star now. We all have passions that we’re committed to, and you and me are EXACTLY alike. We’re both stars in our field and careers. Also, we have both ended up a lot like our mothers. You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. I just came up with that, please use it. Marco Rummo Marco is a comedian, writer, and underemployed New Yorker trying to make it in this damn world. He enjoys fruitlessly pursuing love on dating apps and keeping track of all of the movies he’s seen on Letterboxd .

Bernadette Gorman-White discusses the emotional roller coaster ride that is, BoJack Horseman , with noted lover of the show, Robby Anderson. Listen on....