Category Archives: Hedonism

When I think of the phrase six seasons and a movie, I immediately think of Dan Harmons original plan for Community. Well, it turns out that was also the plan for the hit BBC series Peaky Blinders.

It was recently reported that Peaky Blinders would be coming to an end after Season 6, but it was said that the series would continue in another form. It turns out that the other form is a film and this has been creator Steven Knights plan from the beginning. While talking to Deadline, Knight said:

Covid changed our plans. But I can say that my plan from the beginning was to endPeakywith a movie. That is what is going to happen.

So, had the pandemic not messed everything up, we might have gotten seven seasons and a movie, but thats obviously changed, which is fine. As long as we get a solid conclusion to the story! When talking about the final season of the show, Executive producerCaryn Mandabachsaid:

This final season of our belovedPeaky Blindersis going to be the best one yet. Steves uncanny ability to be prescient about world events is only matched by his ability to make Tommy Shelby the most indelible character of our times.

Well, thats a great vote of confidence in the final season. Peaky Blinders follows the story of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his notorious familys rise to power against the backdrop of working class, post-WWI Birmingham. Heres the synopsis:

Britain is a mixture of despair and hedonism in 1919 in the aftermath of the Great War. Returning soldiers, newly minted revolutions and criminal gangs are fighting for survival in a nation rocked by economic upheaval. One of the most powerful gangs of the time is the Peaky Blinders, run by returning war hero Thomas Shelby and his family. But Thomas has bigger ambitions than just running the streets. When a crate of guns goes missing, he recognizes an opportunity to advance in the world because crime may pay but legitimate business pays better. Trying to rid Britain of its crime is Inspector Chester Campbell, who arrives from Belfast to try to achieve that goal.

Im ok with the series coming to an end. Its had a great run and it seems like it will be going out on the top of its game. Plus, the fact that well be getting a movie that will completely wrap up the story helps take the sting out of it.

Im excited to see how this series is going to come to an end.

Originally posted here:

PEAKY BLINDERS Creator Steven Knight Confirms a Movie is Going To a Happen GeekTyrant - GeekTyrant

New Year Lockdown

Home

England

BY NEAL MARTIN | JANUARY 15, 2021

The Food:

Sweet potato, aubergine and prawn tempura

Buckwheat noodles in tsuyu

Carrot, onion and bean sprout kakiage

24-month Comt with quince jelly

The Wines:

Unlike my parents, who are tucked up in bed with a hot water bottle by nine oclock, seeing in the New Year is important to this writer. Celebrations have evolved over the years. As a teenager, you would find me at The Grand, my local pub, packed liked sardines with fellow underage inebriates, perched on a wobbly table with my arm around a stranger, a beer in each hand, counting down to midnight. Things have calmed down since then. In recent years, my family has decamped to the wilder parts of England anywhere with snow-dusted mountains and lakes. Being surrounded by nature in the fresh open air is ideal for resetting ones mind, and a perfect full stop to the preceding year.

Lockdown nixed any plans to see in 2021 in any such shape or form. Options ranged from staying at home to staying at home. Surviving until the end of this wretched year felt like something worth celebrating, so we decided upon a Japanese-themed evening. New Year is the most important national holiday in Japan, a country where, sadly for Santa Claus, Christmas Day is only given lip service. For many Japanese, New Year or shgatsu is the only time they down tools and visit relatives. Unlike in Western culture, where the emphasis is more on joining friends for a night of hedonism, Japans New Year is more family-oriented and reflective. They will probably share dinner together and watch a music show with the most famous J-pop and enka singers of the day. Cards are exchanged and lucky children are given decorative envelopes or nengajo containing money. (Unsurprisingly, my daughters insisted that this part of Japanese tradition be upheld.) There may well be a trip to the local temple or shrine called a hatsumode. During this festive period, temple grounds are full of stalls doing a roaring trade selling takeaway food or lucky charms. At midnight, enormous bells ring continuously, and holy sites remain crowded for the following couple of days for visitors to pray, or draw omikuji, random slips of paper that tell their fortune.

A New Year's dinner featuring sweet potato, aubergine and prawn tempura; Buckwheat noodles in tsuyu; and carrot, onion and bean sprout kakiage.

Given that we were isolating in Guildford rather than Tokyo, we had to make some compromises on the food front. Thankfully, London is now much improved in terms of sourcing genuine Japanese ingredients instead of the faux-Japanese products one finds in supermarkets. We usually drive to Ealing and Acton, where a cluster of excellent local shops such as Atari-Ya and Natural Natural supply the Japanese community that clusters in West London. So our larder is permanently stocked with Japanese ingredients plus a mountain of rice. We try to buy a large bag imported directly from Japan, since it always has more flavor and the right amount of stickiness, though there are now excellent cost-effective European alternatives that make the grade. (We are currently using a brand called Minori from Tarragona in Spain.)

Traditionally, Japanese families will eat toshikoshi soba, which literally translates as year-crossing soba (buckwheat noodles). This dish symbolizes longevity: the longer the noodle strand, the longer will be your life. If you do follow this tradition, then finish your bowl, because its bad luck to leave any. The noodles are often served with mochi or rice cake. The traditional way to make mochi is to pound a large ball of dough with an enormous hammer and keep flipping it over until it has the right gooiness. Without an enormous hammer and several hours to spare, just buy a packet from a shop.

We boiled the noodles and served them in a clear, thin broth known as tsuyu, which is made from a dashi soup stock. Of course, with the pandemic raging around our postcode, I double-checked the length of the strand to confirm that I will get through to the end of 2021. You can serve the noodles hot or cold; I prefer them hot. This dish was accompanied by a plate of assorted tempura (sweet potato, aubergine and shrimp) and then a side dish of kakiage, essentially battered carrot, onion and bean sprouts. In a diversion from Japanese tradition, I unleashed a 24-month Comt from the Alan Hess fromagerie in Beaune that I had brought back from Burgundy. (This is one of the best lengths of aging for Comt in my opinion; 18 months is too bland and 36 months is too bitter.) Served with Wilkinsons quince jelly, it made a perfect combination.

I suppose in keeping with the theme we should have drunk some Japanese sake, but I had already put a few bottles aside for the occasion. Therefore, we commenced with my last bottle of 2002 Brut Millsime from Louis Roederer. This has been drinking supremely well in recent months. The vivacious, beautifully defined yeasty nose offers hints of brioche and grilled almonds, and hazelnut in the background. The palate is point, with a fine bead of acidity that complements the continuing yeasty theme. Quite saline in the mouth, it displays a lovely bitterness and nuttiness toward the finish that gets the saliva flowing. We become starry-eyed with prestigious cuves in their deluxe packaging, but I often obtain just as much satisfaction from more modest champagnes like this, which frequently age supremely well.

Given the year, a couple of special bottles were necessary. First up was my last bottle of 2009 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru from Domaine Armand Rousseau. I had not tasted this particular wine since I encountered it from barrel. Back then, I was not quite as enamored of it as I expected, partly because the nuances of the terroir are obscured by the warmth of the growing season. Now, with a few years on the clock, I still believe that it is a good rather than great Clos Saint-Jacques. Powerful scents of red cherries, licorice and allspice feature on the nose, which does not quite achieve the delineation of the best examples I have tasted. Likewise, the palate is delicious as a Pinot Noir but falls short of evincing Clos Saint-Jacques as a Grand Cru in all but name. Presenting soft red berry fruit, hints of sage and bay leaf, it comes across more sinewy than other vintages, with a touch of meat juices on the finish. It is certainly drinking now and should give another decade of pleasure at this level, but Eric Rousseau and now his daughter Cyrielle have made better Clos Saint-Jacques.

My picture of the bottle came out blurred, so I dug up a better image of the previous one I had.

Finally, one of my favorite vintages of Sauternes: the ethereal 1971 dYquem. Fingers crossed I will be reaching a significant milestone in February, so just in case something untoward happens between now and then, why not open this bottle? It was acquired many moons ago when it sold for a fraction of its present market price, principally because it lies in the shadow of the lauded, and in my contentious opinion inferior, 1967. This vintage has been cruising at a high altitude for a few years now. Gleaning the chteau records, it was picked over 10 days from October 6, yielding a small vintage of just 228 barrels. It has a dark straw hue with green tints on the rim. The bouquet is stunning and exudes the same energy that I have found on previous examples, with scents of dried honey, Seville orange marmalade and melted candle wax. The delineation is enthralling. The palate has retained that almost Tokaji Aszlike personality underpinned by wonderful acidity that renders this Yquem so tensile. Delivering orange peel and apricot, lemon curd and crushed stone, it has wonderful lip-smacking salinity and superb length. A brilliant Yquem still full of vim and vigor, one that should give another couple of decades drinking pleasure.

With stomachs full, the family settled down to watch a Japanese anime, Weathering With You, a great film even though I fell asleep halfway through. Fortunately, I woke up before midnight. We counted the chimes of Big Ben and watched the fireworks over the O2 Arena, which seemed intent on ramming home the awful year. I half-expected the final firework to recreate an image of the coronavirus. Twenty-twenty was over. As the song goes: Things Can Only Get Better.

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Table: New Year Lockdown (Jan 2021) | Vinous - Explore All Things Wine - Vinous

Chris Sullivan, who founded the Wag Club in Soho, considers the sad end of Londons Caf de Paris and the future of the UKs pub, bar and club industry

The 96-year-old Caf de Paris, one of the West Ends oldest nightspots, has closed for good.

We tried everything but the devastating effect of COVID-19 in the end was too much, said a spokesperson for the venues owner. Like so many other hospitality businesses, we have reached the end of the road.

According to the Office for National Statistics, the hospitality sector has been hit harder by the Coronavirus pandemic than any other. It accounted for a third of all national job losses (270,000) between February and November 2020 130,000 more than in retail, its nearest rival.

The new lockdown in England has been a crippling blow to businesses already on the verge of collapse. The Governments response has been a one-off cash grant of 1,000 from local councils, but this figure is negligible considering that the average rent for a London pub is 25,000 plus business rates, which usually amount to more than half as much again.

If you look at the number of people losing their jobs, the number of people on furlough and the vacancies available for people looking for jobs in the hospitality sector, all that adds up to a very difficult time for that industry, the ONSs director of economic statistics, Darren Morgan, told the BBCs Today programme.

Therefore, unsurprisingly, the public clamour for more Government support is palpable. After two public petitions obtained more than 250,000 signatures, a House of Commons debate was held on the future of the hospitality industry last week.

Labour MP Catherine McKinnell asked the Government to commit to examine urgently the inadequacies of their support measures as they relate to hospitality suppliers and to consider introducing some flexibility to the local restrictions support grants, to give local authorities the freedom to grant and target support towards the businesses that need it and can use it best.

There is little doubt that, without further Government assistance, the hospitality sector will take decades to recover. But this collapse will not just be suffered by those who have been financially devastated or left without a job it will also be felt in the membrane of our collective culture.

Pubs and clubs are social places for many a second home. Many young and old people, living alone and otherwise solitary, rely on these places to meet and be with friends. Without them, we risk dragging the effects of lockdown into the post-pandemic era. Indeed, there will be no opening up for many venues and for the people who previously relied on them.

Although various public sector and charitable organisations have set up initiatives to address the problem of loneliness, the country is facing a mental health epidemic.

The Office for National Statistics survey indicates that depression linked to isolation has risen from 7% before the pandemic to 18%. Among women, this figure has risen even more worryingly, from 11% to 27%. The London Ambulance Service has seen suicide attempts double over the same period, while anecdotal evidence suggests that alcohol and drug misuse has increased.

The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have substantially affected our use of legal and illegal drugs, said Dr Will Lawn and Martine Skumlien, of the Society for the Study of Addiction. In the UK, we have adapted to the closure of pubs and restaurants by purchasing considerably more alcohol in supermarkets and off-licences.

The Caf de Paris, for its part, was a cultural institution, frequented during its illustrious history by Marlene Dietrich, Frank Sinatra, David Bowie and Prince. It even survived a direct bombing in World War Two that killed Ken SnakehipsJohnson and members of his band.

It then weathered post-war austerity,the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s, and the banking crash of 2008. The pandemic, however, has proven too much.

The Caf de Paris is now an object of history, along with dozens of other venues across every city and town in the country. Soho alone, once the centre of the UKs 16 billion night club industry, has lost an estimated 90% of its night clubs.

Ironically, the Caf de Paris was created in 1924 during a boom in creativity, cultural revitalisation and hedonism that followed the end of World War One and the Spanish Flu pandemic.

If the Government seeks another Roaring Twenties an innovative, creative, cultural recovery then it must create the conditions for this to happen.

This is not just about money and jobs its about the fabric of our society and culture; the places we go and the people we meet there. We should not deny this to future generations.

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Cultural Demise: The Gutting of the Hospitality Sector is About More than Jobs - Byline Times

The latest episode of The Stand gives us a better look at the world Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgard) has build in the wake of Captain Trips, and if you dont take the show too seriously, its starting to get super fun.

The new episode starts off where we left off, with the survivors in Boulder sending out spies to Vegas or New Vegas, as Flagg calls it to see what the Dark Man is up to. Dayna Jurgens (Natalie Martinez) is deep undercover when she meets up with Julie Lawry (Katherine McNamara) andLloyd Henreid (Nat Wolff), who is part of Flaggs inner circle. Dayne is trying to find out information about Flagg, but doesnt realize that hes been watching her for days.

As Dayna explores New Vegas, we see just how absurd and exaggerated the place is. Theres a fighting ring where people are beaten to death, drug use seems to be legal, and people are openly having sex in every other corner. As theatrical as it is, it also kind of works, as it shows how chaotic life under Flaggs rule can be. While Im sure this place, especially in comparison to Boulder, is supposed to be intimidating, its really not for the viewer. However, that doesnt take away from how amusing it is to watch.

Dayna finally meets with Flagg towards the end of the episode, and stabs him with a pair of scissors to the neck. Then we confirm what we kind of all already suspected: Randall Flagg cannot be killed. Not by a normal person, anyway. Instead, he demands to know who the final spy from Boulder is, having discoveredJudge Harris (Gabrielle Rose) but unable to identify Tom Cullen (Brad William Henke). Dayna decides then that her only way out of this is to kill herself, which she does with a broken beer bottle.

Ive compared Skarsgards portrayal of Flagg to his work as Eric Northman on True Blood, and this weeks episodeonly underlines it. Although it might not be the freshest take on a villain, its definitely entertaining, and Flaggs New Vegas has taken us so far out of reality that we can just sit back and enjoy it.

Ep#105 Pictured: Alexander Skarsgrd as Randall Flagg of the CBS All Access series THE STAND. Photo Cr: Robert Falconoer/CBS 2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Elsewhere in the episode, Harold (Owen Teague) is struggling to trust Nadine (Amber Heard), while Nadine herself is struggling with her faith in Flagg. As all the craziness is happening in New Vegas, the stakes are higher back in Boulder, especially when Harold has dinner with Frannie (Odessa Young) and Stu (James Marsden).

Starting to get suspicious, Frannie asks Larry (Jovan Adepo) to search Harolds house while she and Stu host dinner. We get a pretty suspenseful scene where Harold is looking through Frans house while Larry is looking through Harolds. To be honest, this mightve been the first time I was actually on the edge of my seat while watching The Stand. Although theres murder and unchecked hedonism going on in New Vegas, Boulder is where the characters with complex conflicts are living.

As the episode comes to a close, we find out that Mother Abigail has decided to flee Boulder, leaving the leaders with questions and confusion over what will happen next. Now that Flagg knows they sent spies to watch over him in Vegas, theres certainly more danger ahead for our survivors.

Suspicious Minds is an enjoyable episode with some strong performances, and Im excited to see what Flaggs next move will be.

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The Stand gets super-theatrical in Suspicious Minds, and it works - Winter is Coming

In just a few short years, designer and recent Central Saint Martins graduate Harris Reed has established a place for themselves in the industry as a high priestess presiding over a world of fluid, flamboyant decadence.

Last May, Reed showed their CSM graduate collection, Thriving In Our Outrage, the culmination of five years of their ethereal, gender-defying, high camp designs. For the presentation, they worked closely with MACs director of make-up artistry Terry Barber on a beauty concept that reflected and paid tribute to the principles that guide Reeds work: opulence, performance, and nonconformity.

The collaboration was such a success that now Reed and MAC are once again teaming up, this time on a four-piece make-up collection. A natural extension of the gender-fluid, unapologetic style of their sartorial designs, Reeds range features a three-shade lip palette, a cream palette, a glittery eyeshadow palette, and a gold eyeliner pencil all packaged in gilded Renaissance-inspired packaging.

When creating the collection, Reed worked from the basis that it was for everyone and anyone, drawing on references ranging from Old World elegance to 70s and 80s glam rock romanticism for inspiration times when men in make-up was just as accepted and expected as women in make-up. This collection is all about breaking down barriers for everyone, they explain. I want everyone to feel comfortable using it. Its not just for women, its not just for men. Its for every single person.

Studio 54 proved to be a particularly rich source of inspiration, with Reed looking to archive imagery of figures like Dali, Bianca Jagger, and Mick Jagger with his masculine feminine sex appeal during the 70s heyday of the decadent New York nightclub. It was a time when performance, fluidity, and hedonism were at their height and Reed injected this spirit into the collection. One of my favourite mood board images was from a Studio 54 party. It was two people completely naked, covered in gold body paint. It looks like theyre having the best time and you cant even tell, are they male? Are they female? Theyre really intertwined, they say. Its this idea of zero fucks given, lets be who we are, lets radiate out to the world.

Reeds designs have always defied staid gender conventions, inviting everyone into their world with open arms. For the collection, they extended this ethos right down to the content and packaging of the products, not including brushes or lipstick tubes in the range in order to be more accessible to anyone who felt intimidated or nervous about make-up. Everything is in a palette. Its almost like youre an artist and youre putting your fingers in it and putting on your face, they explain.

The products themselves have no rules and are designed to be used for anything. Reed encourages you to just stick your finger in the lipstick and put it on your eyes as eyeshadow, stick your finger in the eyeshadow and put it on your lips as lipstick. Make-up is meant to be borderless. There are no boundaries, it is limitless what you can do with it.

It was this spirit of limitless potential for transformation that first drew Reed to make-up back as a young child playing with their mothers lipstick and they say that sense of the power of make-up has never left them. I came into fashion because I found it as a way to reclaim my identity and, you know, try every hat in the hat box until one felt right and felt like me, they say. Make-up quickly followed that journey because it really blew me away, the fact that one product you would buy at a drugstore could really transform a look so completely and entirely within seconds.

Make-up is that tool that you dig inside yourself and bring something up and are able to manifest it physically onto your body to radiate out and present to the world. Its the ultimate tool to show your own version of self-expression and who you truly are Harris Reed

I had such a deep fascination with that transformative power that make-up lends itself to. Make-up is that tool that you dig inside yourself and bring something up and are able to manifest it physically onto your body to radiate out and present to the world. Make-up is the ultimate tool to show your own version of self-expression and who you truly are.

With this make-up range, they are hoping to bring some of that transformative power, some of their fluid fantasy, into everyones lives in a very accessible and affordable way. Its very exciting to think that I can get my message and my ethos across to so many more people. Not everyone can have a Harris Reed gown, but people can have a fabulous Harris Reed lipstick.

MAC x Harris Reed will be available on February 18.

Read more:

Harris Reeds collaboration with MAC is fluid opulence at its finest - Dazed

Indulging in nostalgia has been a comfort since March 2020, when the masses of people who buzzed around in my world were swept away along with the exciting rollercoaster of work.

I found myself online ordering Heather Shimmer lipstick and writing to The Body Shop asking if they had any of the long-discontinued Dewsbury perfume, which was the scent of my university years. (They are yet to write back.)

My brother sent me a Nineties bomber jacket he found online, exactly like the one I used to live in when I was 23 and flying around London to gigs and parties. I once left it at the home of a one-night stand. (When I went to retrieve my beloved jacket the next day he had already carefully folded it and left it for me on his doorstep, god forbid I should ring the bell and have eye-contact with a man whose body Id seen every inch of the night before.)

Ive been wrapping myself up in the music I listened to obsessively back in the Nineties and early Noughties, The Divine Comedy, Ben Folds, The Cranberries... music Id put my make-up on to before yet another night out. I missed so much television from that time because I couldnt sit still for long enough to watch Fist of Fun or Black Books, Spaced or Father Ted, even though I had been obsessed with comedy before I became obsessed with going out and binge drinking. Ive caught up with all these shows only since march with my children which has been a joy beyond measure.

Ive found myself missing my twenties. Something Ive never done before. My head will suddenly find itself at Glastonbury 2000, my friends and I had to fold ourselves up to cram into the dance tent at Glastonbury for Fat Boy Slims set. A few moments and countless trodden toes later, we were happily jumping up and down, drenched in other peoples sweat, still partially folded up.

Dancing is an integral part of being human. In Iranian culture, we do it in the house, sober. Right then, shall we dance? is as normal as saying: Shall we play twister?

The popularity of Sophie Ellis-Bextors Kitchen Disco on Twitter says everything about all of our need to shake it for the sake of our mental health. She dresses up and sings and dances in her glittery kitchen with her children and millions watch. My cousin and my brother, aged 40 and almost 50, have regular hilarious online dance-offs.

God, we took dancing and fun and friends and friendly strangers for granted.

I know Im not the only one hankering after my youth right now. The need to crawl back there has been quite a common experience for my generation. During lockdown, so many people Id lost contact with got back in touch.

Ive had sweet, warm messages on Facebook and Instagram from people I used to be young with. Perhaps as Generation X have hit or are almost hitting 50 this would happen anyway, but it does seem to be a side effect of the pandemic to want to reconnect with who we were in our most carefree and responsibility-free days.

Young people of the 2020s are being robbed of that glorious hedonism we rightly took for granted. They are a group that is so often missed when we dole out our compassion. They have the resilience of youth after all. But that resilience was hugely dependent on being together in our tribes. How are they coping now poor things? They cant gather! They cant dance! They cant get drunk and giggle in a heap altogether. Its cruel. I wish this generations memories of youth will be of jumping up and down in sweaty pits, having friends on tap and the endless possibilities of making new ones. But I fear instead itll be of being huddled in freezing parks with passersby giving disapproving looks that say youre going to kill granny.

They need to be cut some slack. We have the memories, they are just making them. Parks have become busy communal gardens again and we seemed to have nailed unofficial time-sharing. As the winter afternoons begin to dim, parents gather small children and scoot them home to defrost their hands and feet before dinner, handing the parks to us dog walkers.

By the time my dogs have exhausted themselves, it is properly dark and we head home, passing the teenagers and early twenty-somethings who have started to enter the park two by two. Its like a Covid-19 Noahs Ark. A few times Ive miss-timed my dog walk and ended there later than I should be.

In the wooded part of our local park, my golden retriever retrieved something from the bushes which, although was revolting for me to wrench out of her mouth, did make me think at least theyre being careful.

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Young people are being robbed of the glorious hedonism we took for granted - The Independent

Pope Francis leads the recitation of the Angelus from the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican.CNS photo/Vatican Media

Pope Francis has warned against the temptations of hedonism as so many start the new year struggling with difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking after the Angelus at the Vatican yesterday, he acknowledged the temptation to take care only of one's own interests, to continue waging war, for example, to focus only on the economic profile, to live hedonistically, that is, trying only to satisfy one's own pleasure.

He particularly singled out people who have attempted to escape their local lockdowns by taking holidays abroad, not taking into account the economic and other problems of so many hit by the virus.

Just take a vacation and do your own pleasure.This pained me so much, he said.

He urged care for neighbours to help towards a better 2021.

We know that things will get better to the extent that, with God's help, we work together for the common good, putting the weakest and most disadvantaged at the centre.We don't know what 2021 has in store for us, but what each of us and all of us together can do is to commit ourselves a little more to taking care of each other and of creation, our common home.

On Friday, the World Day of Peace, he spoke after the Angelus of his pain and concern at the further escalation of violence in Yemen.

He also called for prayers for Bishop Monsignor Moses Chikwe and his driver, of Owerri in Nigeria, kidnapped a few days ago.

In the Angelus itself on new year's day, he said: The painful events that have marked humanity's journey in the past year, especially the pandemic, teach us how necessary it is to take an interest in the problems of others and share their concerns.

This attitude represents the road that leads to peace, because it favours the construction of a society founded on relationships of brotherhood.Each of us, men and women of this time, is called to bring about peace: each of us, we are not indifferent to this.

We are all called to realise peace and to realise it every day and in every environment of life, extending our hand to our brother who needs a word of comfort, a gesture of tenderness, solidarity help.And this for us is a task given by God.

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Pope decries hedonism at time of pandemic - The Tablet

HBO Sports Tiger Woods documentary, Tiger, is split into two parts. But thats not just because the film runs just over three hours in its entirety. Based on the 2018 biography by Armen Keteyian and Jeff Benedict (who are also executive producers here), the first and second parts of the documentary are really two different stories, even though they combine for the overall narrative of the golf superstar.

Part 1, which premieres Sunday night (Jan. 10) at 9 p.m. ET, chronicles Woods development as a golf prodigy, taking up the game under his fathers tutelage while he was still a toddler. The first 90 minutes follow his rise from amateur star to a professional who changed golf upon winning the 1997 Masters and became a cultural phenomenon.

Ultimately, this opening part of the documentary covers the relationship between Earl Woods and his son, how he practically engineered and conditioned Tiger into becoming a dominant golf machine. Yet being raised with the focus on becoming an all-time great in the sport and perhaps a transcendent global figure deprived him of formative experiences in childhood and adolescence.

Woodss first girlfriend, Dina Parr, is interviewed extensively and arguably the most powerful moments in Part 1 come from home videos she took while they were together, showing Tiger genuinely smiling and having fun with friends rather than pleased with his success on the golf course.

Part 2 veers into the far more salacious aspects of Woods story and what could be viewed as a downward spiral fueled by hedonism following his fathers death in 2006. Woods was a brand and corporate entity by then, with a very carefully crafted public image. That created a pressure which he often felt the need to escape.

Trips to Las Vegas with an entourage (including Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley) were a regular part of his routine. And as Woods became involved with several women, that drew the attention of tabloids looking for sleazy scoops. An interview with a former National Enquirer editor might compel you to put your hand over your face or at least squirm as you watch.

Those familiar with this part of the story know that Rachel Uchitel, Woodss mistress, inevitably becomes part of the narrative. How shes introduced in the documentary is very entertaining, showing that directors Matthew Heineman and Matthew Hamachek have a great sense of drama and how to effectively pace a story.

Uchitel is interviewed here, finally willing to share details of her affair, providing a personal insight that is sometimes lacking in the earlier chapters of the Tiger Woods tale. She conveys an impression of someone whose behavior indicates a deprived childhood, but who also needs attention unrelated to the athletic success that has defined his life.

However, Part 2 isnt all about sleaze and gossip. Theres still a strong sports aspect to the second half of the documentary, highlighted by Woods winning the 2008 U.S. Open.

Perhaps seeking to understand his father, who served with the Army Special Forces, Woods trains with Navy Seals in grueling sessions that eventually take a physical toll on a body already worn down by golf. That led to a knee injury which made it extremely painful and difficult to play at a high level. Yet Woods refuses to cede to his body breaking down, leading to one of the standout moments of his career.

Fans who prefer to look back at Woodss incredible career over the past 20-plus years will likely enjoy Part 1 more because its much more focused on golf. Those more intrigued by the downfall of a great athlete and public figure should find Part 2 more to their liking.

Related: Tiger Woods: Americas Son asks the right questions about golf, race, and Tiger himself

Yet watching one and not the other avoids the full story. His childhood, relationship with his father, training to achieve at the highest level, and struggles with fame are prevalent themes that inform the entire film. They along with insights from family friends, rivals, and media create a deeper portrayal of a fascinating figure in sports history and make Tiger worth watching.

Executive producers including filmmaker Alex Gibney, Stacey Offman, Sam Pollard, and Richard Perello have plenty of experience in creating a compelling documentary. Yet this isnt a perfect film. Nor might it be the definitive version of the Tiger Woods story.

What feels notably missingis input from the many competitors and colleagues Woods has faced over the years. (Wheres Phil Mickelson, whom Tiger once viewed with disdain? What about rivals like David Duval, who aspired to catch Woods but ultimately fell short? Maybe Jack Nicklaus could talk about Woodss pursuit of his 18 major victories.) And of course, we dont hear from the man himself.

But for now, Tiger is likely the best well get.

Tiger premieres Jan. 10 on HBO and HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET. Part 2 of the documentary airs the following week, Jan. 17, also at 9 p.m. ET.

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HBO's 'Tiger' needs two parts to tell Tiger Woods' complex story, making him a great but sad figure HBO's 'Tiger' needs two parts to tell Tiger Woods'...

If there was one thing that was bigger than the hair in the 1980s, it was the chart hits.

The decade is defined by big electronic anthems that have stood the test of time and changed the musical landscape forever.

Set during the 80s, Channel 4s new queer drama Its A Sin has a soundtrack that evokes the youth, vibrancy and queer sensibility of the era. With classics by Pet Shop Boys, Bronski Beat, Culture Club and Erasure, gay representation is very much at the forefront.

Add to that club staples from the Eurythmics, Belinda Carlisle and Blondie, the music featured in Its A Sin will transport you back to the hedonism of Heaven nightclub during its infancy, laser show and all.

GAY TIMES has teamed up with Channel 4 for a new content series to speak about the social, political and historical context around the themes that play out through Its A Sin.

As part of this content series, were starting with a playlist of 80s hits that prominently feature in the drama, to help draw you into the era ahead of the shows launch on 22 January.

We also asked each of the core five cast members Olly Alexander who plays Ritchie, Lydia West who plays Jill, Omari Douglas who plays Roscoe, Nathaniel Curtis who plays Ash, and Callum Scott Howells who plays Colin to pick an 80s hit they think best defines their character.

Im going to go with Hungry By The Wolf by Duran Duran, Olly said for his ambitious and complex character who leads the show.

Omari chose Respectable by Mel and Kim, saying: I just went through a phase of being completely obsessed with them.

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It's A Sin: Listen to the 80s hits that feature in the new queer drama - Gay Times Magazine

John Borling| Rockford Register Star

Welcome to the Third Degree: tough, brief, weekly interrogations that force thinking and response. With reliance upon and respect for your instincts, knowledge, exploration and determinations, this week, we target:Similarities.

What does the Roman God of transitions, Januarys namesake, offer this new year with the gift of looking backward and forward?What thoughts come to mind? What similarities?

With 2021 upon us, does the French plusachange(the more things change, the more its the same thing) ring true? Does a century summon similarities and provide perspective?

As the roaring '20s began, was America, with a damaged, but resilient economy, severely tested, even worn out, by hundreds of thousands of lives lost in a three-year pandemic and the lingering aftermath of World War I?Similarities?

Was Warren Harding, swept into office in 1920, according to many historians, the worst U.S. president ever?Did his motto, Return to Normalcy,and his front porch campaign present any present-day similarities?

With Prohibition in full swing, was hedonism more rampant then or now? Did relaxed moralism, heightened crime, transformative technology and transportation increase vulnerability?Similarities abound?

Were the '20s, however, a coming out time, a period of economic growth powered by manufacturing and energy until financialoverreachand devastating depression?

With Harding's death in 1923, not specifically attributable to his documented White House affairs and crony corruption, who was the vice president that took charge and was elected in his own right in 1924?

Did an "America First"messageresonate?Were constructive nationalism and fiscal prudence championed?Did Cal Coolidge, the man of few words, use the radio (social media) and press conferences more than any other president except one?

On this 3rdday of the New Year, with transition and similarity much upon us, is much provided in the ever relevant, must read, Coolidge speech Toleration and Liberalism? As a New Year gift then, and with a Janus perspective, Happy New Year?

Socrates reminds: The unexamined life is not worth living.Examinations will continue in The Third Degree.The answers and the actions are yours.

A final thought: Mark Baldwin, executive editor, Rockford Register Star and Freeport Journal-Standard, elected to retire endDecember2020.His considerable talent, demeanor, and leadership will be missed though,similar toWally Haas, he continues as a loyal, local and valuable citizen/friend to us all.Thank you, Mark.

Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. John Borling is a highly decorated fighter pilot who served worldwide in high-level command and staff positions. He was a POW in North Vietnam for over 6 years. Now an author, speaker, and civic and business leader, he is the founder of SOS America (Service Over Self). On the web atsosamerica.org.

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The Third Degree: What does Janus see? - Rockford Register Star