We've made it to another year and it's a big one! That's right, Ewan only had two projects in 1995, but that's because our boy was extremely busy in '96. He released FOUR movies that year! What's really wild is that isn't even his record number for movies released in one year. đ±
A quick fun fact before we get started: The producer of "Trainspotting", Andrew Macdonald, has a cameo in the movie as a prospective renter. He was also the producer for "Shallow Grave"!
Genre: Crime/Drama
Rating: R
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jamie Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Robert Carlyle, Kevin McKidd, Kelly McDonald
Movie Review: The movie "Trainspotting" reunited Danny Boyle as director, John Hodge as screenwriter, and Ewan McGregor as leading man. "It is about a group of friends/heroin addicts living day to day in Edinburgh, Scotland. Their only goal is to score their next hit of the drug by any means necessary. The story is told from the perspective of the main character, Mark Renton, who attempts and struggles at getting clean. The movie is essentially a day in the life of an addict. Like a train wreck, you can't look away, even as the characters speed towards death. It's unflinchingly honest, gritty and captivating. It was also a smash hit! Nowadays, people primarily know Ewan McGregor for his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi but may not know that his role in Trainspotting is what actually launched his career.
Ewan Review: Ewan McGregor plays the main character Mark Renton aka Renton. Renton is a junkie who loves being a junkie. For him, there is no greater pleasure than being high. Though he sometimes realizes that sobriety is the better choice, he can't help but to fall back into addiction. He's a selfish asshole (a recurring theme with Ewan characters) who is friends with selfish assholes. Renton also has a sexual relationship with a child. The movie doesn't frame this relationship negatively or explore any repercussions so do with that information as you will. Ewan gives a stellar performance and even lost around thirty pounds for the role!
Screentime Percentage (Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number): Ewan is on screen for a total of 52/94 minutes making his SP 55%. This is his highest score yet!
To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is the movie worth watching for Ewan McGregor content alone? Yes. Is it worth watching in general? Yes. Fair warning, the movie can be dry-heave inducing. There's nudity, graphic depictions of drug use, lots of blood, two feces scenes, and decaying bodies.
Where to Watch: "Trainspotting" is currently for rent on YouTube or you can watch it for free on soap2day. You can also stream it if you have a subscription to Paramount+, MGM+, or Amazon Prime Video.
Conclusion: "Trainspotting" is a movie deserving of its accolades. The writing is phenomenal, the actors gave it their all, the soundtrack is perfect, and the opening monologue is iconic. It's my belief that everyone should watch this movie at least once.
Oh hgghn I love these đ«
Favorite picture of your fave band member?
you cant make me pick between these g pics they r all special to me
This is Ewan's last movie of 1997 and oh boy, is it a good one! And yes, the plot is just as zany as his previous two movies lol. Here are some fun facts before we begin!
Ewan's wife, Eve Mavrakis, is credited as Art Department Associate.
Once again the terrific trio of Danny Boyle, John Hodge, and Andrew Macdonald are reunited with Ewan to create movie magic! Sadly, Ewan and Danny's friendship took a huge blow after this project. The grudge would last for nearly two DECADES before they worked together again.
Stanley Tucci plays a minor role in the movie and will work with Ewan again in the future.
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Rating: R
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Ewan McGregor
Synopsis: Robert Lewis is experiencing the worst day of his life. He gets fired, dumped, and evicted all within twenty-four hours! He decides his only option is to speak to the CEO and demand his job back. Instead, he ends up kidnapping the man's daughter, Celine! In the midst of this chaos, two angels are sent from Heaven to help Robert and Celine fall in love.
Ewan Review: Ewan plays the character Robert Lewis. Robert is a hopeless romantic and aspiring writer. He's a sweet guy who doesn't know how he ended up as a wanted criminal but thinks he's gone too far to turn back. Thankfully for him, there's one person who's willing to help him be a convincing kidnapper and get the ransom money he needs...his kidnappee, Celine! Ewan gives a great performance in this role. His chemistry with Cameron Diaz is even better than his with Nicole Kidman for "Moulin Rouge!" in my opinion. He has two kiss scenes and a shirtless scene. He performs a song and dance number which is really fun. He wears the kilt which to my knowledge is the only time he's done so on screen to date. Robert is more innocent compared to Celine so that brings about some cute moments of confusion. Best of all, he sobs like a baby in one scene and it was *chef's kiss đ€*. He needs to do more comedy roles because he's genuinely good at it! All the actors had great chemistry and gave stellar performances.
Screentime Percentage: Ewan is on screen for a grand total of 53/104 minutes making his SP 51%.
To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is the movie worth watching for Ewan alone? Yes! I'm a fan of his raspy screaming voice (and he does a lot of it), he sings, dances, and seeing him cry in fear is always appreciated. Is the movie worth watching in general? Also yes! It's funny and the actors play off each other so well. The story is unique and the soundtrack is great too!
Warning before Watching: There are some bloody scenes in the movie. Nothing super graphic but I still want to issue a warning for those who are uncomfortable by such depictions. Two characters get shot in the head and there's a close up of their wounds. There's a scene of a character intentionally cutting them self and drawing a large amount of blood. Lastly, a character is cut by someone else and there's a close up of the wound.
Where to Watch: "A Life Less Ordinary" is currently available for rent on Fandango at Home. You can also watch on Amazon Prime Video if you have a premium subscription or you can pirate it on soap2day.
Closing Thoughts: It truly sucks that this movie wasn't well-received and was commercially unsuccessful. We need more movies like this that a take chance on a wacky story! I call them "silly goofy movies" and they are sorely lacking in Hollywood today. I implore you to give this movie a watch. It's a great time!
Happy Pride Month!â€ïžđâ€ïžWe've made it to 1998 and can take a breather because Ewan only made two movies this year. How appropriate that on the first week of Pride Month the first review is the LGBTQ film "Velvet Goldmine"! I swear I didn't plan this. Maxwell Demon must have arranged it in the stars đ. Also, I came across three different runtimes for this movie. The version I watched had a runtime of 1 hour and 58 minutes so the Screentime Percentage is based off of that.
Fun Fact: Toni Collette co-stars in this movie. She was in "Emma" with Ewan!
Genre: Musical/Drama
Rating: R
Director: Todd Haynes
Starring: Christian Bale, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Toni Collette
Synopsis: If you're someone who doesn't like musicals because of the "unrealistic" factor then you'll be happy to know that's not the case here. The movie is a musical because the characters are singers/musicians and they perform throughout the movie. The film is about British glam rocker Brian Slade who fakes his own death and disappears from the public in the 70s. Ten years later, Arthur Stuart, a journalist, is given the task to unearth what really happened to the rockstar and where he is now. His search brings him in contact with former stars who knew Slade and causes him to reflect on his own tumultuous past.
Ewan Review: Ewan plays the character Curt Wild. Curt Wild is a gay American man who's the lead singer and guitarist of his band The Rats. Brian Slade is greatly inspired by Curt and convinces him to collaborate on some projects. Eventually, what starts as a professional relationship blossoms into something more. Ewan speaks with an American English accent for this role which sounds a little funny at times. He has long blond hair for some of the movie which I like. He has two male love interests and a kiss scene. There's also one sex scene and one implied sex scene. He pretty much never wears a shirt and in one scene even strips nude while performing! And yes, that means you get to see his penis. Speaking of performing, he sings thrice and two of those times are full performances. Fun fact: he sang all of his vocals live instead of lip syncing to a pre-recorded track while filming! As far as acting, I think he did well with the limited amount of screentime he had.
Screentime Percentage (numbers are rounded to the nearest whole number): Ewan is on screen for a grand total of 20/118 minutes making his SP 17%.
To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is the movie worth watching for Ewan content alone? Yes, even though he doesn't have much screen time, he makes the most of it. Is the movie worth watching in general? Yes, it's a great LGBTQ movie! Plus, the soundtrack is infectious.
Where to Watch: "Velvet Goldmine" is available for rent on YouTube, Google Play Movies and TV, Fandango at Home, and Amazon Prime Video. It's also currently uploaded for free on YouTube through the account SELVA BEATS. Just search "Velvet Goldmine 1998 filme raro leg". Heads up: the movie has Portuguese subtitles that can't be turned off. Lastly, you can pirate the movie on soap2day.
Closing Thoughts: This movie makes me go Wild (pun-intendedđ) with each watch. The music, costumes, performances, acting, EVERYTHING makes my heart pound. When I watched it for the first time I said the same thing Arthur did in the movie, "That's me! That's me!" It's been 26 years since it was released and in 2024 I was able to say, "That's me." I felt hope. I felt less alone. And I know I'm not the only one who saw themselves and felt the same. "Velvet Goldmine" is a beautiful movie in every way and well worth a watch.
Ooh sounds fun!
Tell me in the tags if there's something specific you want me to draw! đ
I loved this scene. I could smell the joke coming a mile away but it was still so cute đ
âł I Love You, Phillip Morris (2009)
Movie: The Island (2005)
Character: Lincoln Six Echo/Reader
Synopsis: You bring Lincoln Six Echo with you to the dog pound and he has a grave misunderstanding of what the purpose of a pound is.
A/N: I absolutely adore this character and see myself in him a bit. Itâs a shame that he doesnât receive more love in fandom. This story took longer than I expected and evolved way beyond its initial idea. Still, it was super fun to write! Hope you enjoy!
Your eyes snap open from peaceful slumber. You could have sworn you heard scratching at your door like a mole trying to dig its way into your room. You contemplate investigating the sound but the bed covers lull you back to its warm embrace. Obviously a mole isnât trying to get into your room. The sound was probably just the remnants of a dream. You settle back down to rest and begin drifting off to dreamland when-
Whineee bark bark!
Okay, you definitely arenât dreaming and that definitely isnât a mole. You begrudgingly exit your bed to see the critter that found its way into your home. As you make your way to the door, you hear your housemate and friend, Lincoln Six Echo, urgently shushing, "Please be quiet, little one! My friend does not like being woken up so early."
You open the door and ask, âLincoln, what on earth is going on out here?â You catch Lincoln crouched with his back towards you halfway from your door trying to make a sneaky exit.
âUh-oh, too lateâ Lincoln says sheepishly. He slowly turns around and smiles proudly while holding out a small puppy cradled in his hands. âI have a new friend!â The puppy barked as if to confirm what Lincoln said as true.
âUh, where did you find a puppy, Lincoln?â You question. You love puppies but at this moment youâre worried that it might belong to someone missing their furry friend.
âHe found me! I went outside to take out the trash and he was sitting in front of the door. He kept following me and wanted to come inside so now we are friends!â The puppy interrupted Lincoln with a whine and squirmed wildly to get out of his grasp. Upon setting the pup down he immediately went to squat and your eyes widened in horror as you realized why he was so fussy.
âNONONO!â You cried out and picked up the pup mid poop to run outside where he continued his âbusinessâ. You rubbed your temple in exasperation. You loved Lincoln. You really did. But he somehow had an uncanny ability to bring chaos to your mundane life. The pup began sniffing around the yard and you cooed at him to get his attention. He bounded over to you and you scratched his tiny head. Lincoln sat next to you and you showed him how to gently pet the pup. The puppy seemed to enjoy all the attention and rolled over on his back with his tail wagging energetically. You then noticed that âheâ is actually a âshe.â
âLooks like your new friend is a girl.â you chuckle.
âReally? how do you know?â Lincoln asked with a puzzled expression.
âWell, uhh, you know- look, Iâll explain later just trust me on this.â
âOh, Okay! So, can we keep her?â
You scratch under the puppyâs chin. She has a stubby tail and is white with a brown spot on her back, a white muzzle, and brown face and ears with a white stripe between her eyes. You recognize her breed as a Jack Russell Terrier.
âFirst, we have to see if she belongs to anybody. Someone might be looking for her. You donât want to steal someoneâs friend, right?
"You turned and looked at him.
âNo, I donât want to do thatâ he said slowly. âBut, if no one is looking for her, then can we keep her?â he looked at you optimistically.
You didnât want to ruin his enthusiasm. Sure, puppies are cute and fun to play with but they are also a huge responsibility. However, it was difficult to tell him no considering the hardships he has faced. Plus, your heart was warmed seeing Lincoln be showered with puppy kisses. Maybe it would be helpful for him to learn how to take of something else. But is a puppy the right thing for such a task? You were already taking care of Lincoln and helping him get acclimated to life outside the Institute. Adding a puppy to the mix might be too much mental strain for him and financial strain for you. There was so much to contemplate and you didnât yet know how to explain all this to Lincoln. So, you decided to let him down gently when the time was right. For now, you give him a simple âIâll think about it.â Surely by tomorrow he will have found another new friend. You and Lincoln play with the pup outside for a bit and feed her some bits of leftover chicken before walking around the neighborhood asking if anyone was missing their dog. To your dismay (and Lincolnâs relief), no one had lost a Jack Russell puppy.
âYay we can keep her we can keep her!â Lincoln chanted triumphantly.
âHold on Lincoln, I said Iâd think about it. Besides, thereâs one more place we need to go. If thereâs any information on this pup, then itâll be at the dog pound.â
âWhatâs a dog pound?â Lincoln queried.
âItâs where lost dogs go so their owners can find them.â
âHuh, ok.â You could see Lincoln mulling over what you just told him. You expected him to ask another question until it seemed he decided against it with a quick shake of his head. You both got into your car with the puppy sitting in Lincolnâs lap and drove to the local pound. When you got there, the two of you went inside and walked to the front desk to talk to the receptionist.
âGood morning, how may I help you?â the receptionist greeted you both with a warm smile. She was wearing scrubs with puppies and kittens on them which seemed to put Lincoln a bit at ease.
âHelloâ you began, âmy friend here found this puppy in our yard earlier today. Weâve asked our neighbors if she belongs to them but weâve had no luck so far. I was wondering if anyone has called or come up here looking for a lost puppy?â
âIâm sorry, I havenât received any calls or heard anything about a lost puppy thus far. But, if youâd like, I can take her to the back and see if sheâs been chipped. If she has then we can pull up her ownerâs information and contact them right away.â
The receptionist finished explaining and held her hands out to Lincoln to take the pup. Lincoln protectively wrapped his arms tighter around the puppy and looked at you with worry in his eyes.
âCanât I go with her? What if she gets scared?â he asked.
âItâs okay, Lincoln.â you reassure him. âYou need to let the nice lady do her job so she can help us. She wonât be gone long.â this time, you hold your hands out. Lincoln sighed and relinquished the pup into your hands then you turned and passed her to the patient receptionist.
âDonât worry, sir. Iâll take good care of her and be back before you know it.â She flashed another smile then walked through the door behind her desk.
You patted Lincolnâs shoulder and gave him a soft smile. âHow about we take a look at the other dogs here while we wait?â you hoped that this would provide a nice distraction for Lincoln.
âThere are other dogs here?â Lincoln looked at you quizzically.
âYeah, remember, I told you that this is where lost dogs go. According to that sign up ahead theyâre just down the hallway.â You motion to Lincoln to follow you and begin walking down the hallway. The sound of dogs barking grew louder and you soon see the first of several metal gates that line the corridor on both sides. You walk up to an elderly golden retriever who lazily wags its tail and ambles toward the gate. You kneel down to let it sniff your hand. You were so focused on the dog that you didnât notice Lincoln frozen in place with a look of fear plastered on his face.
âWhy are they locked up? Who did this to them?â Lincolnâs voice is soft and quivering. Looking at these sweet animals, he was reminded of his life at the Institute and being locked away from the world. Even the metal bars preventing the clamoring dogs from being pet reminded him of the ever watchful guards telling him to âwatch his proximity.â
You look up at him with confusion written on your face. âTheyâre not locked up, Link. This is just for their and our safety. Trust me, the staff take very good care of them. You stand up to walk toward Lincoln and he takes a step back. âLincoln, whatâs wrong? What are you thinking about?â You were concerned for your friend. He doesnât talk much about his life at the Institute but sometimes when he has a nightmare or a panic attack over something that seems normal to you, he opens up a bit. You feel that this is one of those moments that he is being reminded of his past life. You just hope that he will confide in you so that you can put his fears to rest. Before he can answer, the receptionist peeks her head down the hall and calls to you both. You make a mental note to continue this conversation later and head back down the hall into the main entrance. You cross your fingers that the puppy has a home somewhere.
âSo I scanned this sweet girl and it doesnât look like sheâs registered to a home. Sounds to me like she was meant to be with you.â She looked at Lincoln and gave him a playful wink. She continued, âWould you like to be her forever home or would you rather leave her with us?â
âYes, weâll take her!â Lincoln thrust his arms out to take the puppy back when you step in front of him.
âActually, could you give us a minute to think it over, please?â you ask.
The lady nods and says, âIâll give you two some privacy. Iâll be back here whenever youâre ready.â and walked back through the door.
âHey! you said-â Lincoln starts but you interrupt him.
âI said Iâll THINK about it, Lincoln. That doesnât mean yes!â Lincoln lowers his head and you mentally kick yourself for your words coming out hasher than you wanted but you know itâs time to rip off the band-aid.
âListen, Lincolnâ you say with a softer tone, âI know you want this puppy very badly, but you donât understand how big of a responsibility they are. If you want a pet, Iâll get you one, but we need to start smaller than a dog.â you tenderly place your hand on his shoulder and hope he understands where youâre coming from. Instead, he catches you off guard with a question.
âWhat does chipped mean?â Lincoln slowly meets your eyes. âThe lady said that if puppy was chipped then they can contact her owner. What is a chip?â
Youâre a bit surprised at his question and why heâs thinking about that right now but answer slowly, âa chip is a very tiny tracker that is inserted under the skin of an animal. It contains their information like where they live and who to call if theyâre lost. Itâs for their safety.â
âJust like my tracker was for my safety?â Lincoln looked at you with a new resolve and wrapped his fingers around his wrist mimicking a bracelet. The one he and all the other clones were forced to wear so that their movements would always be under surveillance. The one that ensured no one ever escaped. The one that you removed when, just like this lost puppy, he wound up on your doorstep searching for a friend. Just as it dawns on you why he was so tense earlier and the significance of what you just explained to him, Lincoln exclaimed, âThis is just the Institute all over again! We canât leave her here! We have to help them before itâs too late!â and with that Lincoln burst through the receptionistâs door, ran to her, and snatched the puppy out of her hands. The poor woman could do nothing but shriek in surprise. Lincoln turned toward the entrance door to escape but something caught his eye: a big red lever on the wall beside the receptionistâs door that read âPull for Emergency.â Unfortunately for everyone, Lincoln couldât read, but he was hoping that this big red lever hidden behind the door was just what he needed to free his doggy friends. With one hand he cradled the puppy and with the other he pulled the lever.
You were taken aback by how quickly Lincoln moved to rescue his puppy friend. âLincoln, STOP! What are you doing?â you shouted! But it was like he couldnât hear you. As he ran back toward you, you saw him briefly hesitate while staring at the wall in front of him and then pull something. Immediately, alarms started blaring, lights flashing and the overhead sprinklers drenching you in water. Pandemonium ensued with the all dogs barking, jumping, and howling. The cold water seemed to snap the receptionist to her senses and she yelled âGET OUT OF MY BUILDING NOOOWWW!â
You and Lincoln bolt out of the building and jump into your car. You were so shocked at this turn of events that you couldnât even say anything until the puppy stood up on Lincolnâs lap and shook water everywhere. You slammed the brakes and yelled, âWhat on earth was that?! Are you crazy?!â
âI was j-just trying to f-f-free them!â He stuttered. The cold water soaking both of your clothes was taking its toll.
You took a deep breath to calm down and tried to see things from his perspective. âLincoln, they donât need to be freed. I know you see similarities between them and you but this is different. I would never bring this puppy or any animal to a place that is going to harm them. Besides, even if you were successful, now there would be hundreds of dogs running loose with nowhere to go, no food or water and most importantly, no way for their families to find them.â
âI g-g-guess I didnât think about that...Iâm s-sorry.â he apologized through chattering teeth.
You drove the rest of the way home in silence. When you parked the car in the driveway you paused before getting out and let out a chuckle, âI canât believe you pulled the fire alarm trying to break those dogs out.â
Lincoln timidly chuckled as well and within seconds you were both laughing uproariously till tears came out of your eyes. Or was that just water dripping from your hair onto your face? Either way, you wiped your face and turned to exit the car when Lincoln meekly asked, âSo, have you thought about it?â You turned to look at him and were met by four pairs of puppy dog eyes. You sighed.
How could you say no?
I've had some time to think about it and I'm feeling better!
I reminded myself that I'm the odd one out here. Of course people think I look weird! Just because I love Star Wars and Jedi doesn't mean everyone else feels the same and know what's going on. I'm in the real world not online. The unfortunate truth is that adults who dress up in costumes will always be seen as weirdos/immature/losers etc etc. I signed up for that when I decided to step outside wearing something unconventional. It sucks that I had some negative reactions. But you know what? I've started to have some positive ones too!
A little kid recognized my costume!
I got to take a picture with a coworker who dressed up today for her first time (up till now, I've been the only person in the whole store who's been dressing up) even though she's been scared to do it all week!
An elderly person exclaimed, "WOW, I love your outfit!" When I walked past them and said they wish more people were like me where they're from!
It's been a learning experience and I'm thankful for the reality check. I don't have to play by society's rules, but doing so is gonna make me an outsider. I gotta be okay with that đ€·
Thanks again for y'all's kind words! I love you guys đ«¶
I really appreciate you guys. I wore my Jedi costume to work... let's just say my coworkers weren't as supportive as y'all...
I'm genuinely bummed out. I know my costumes aren't good. I don't get them special made or anything. I just use what's in my closet or from the thrift store. This is my third costume this week and I'm starting to realize I was probably being made fun of the entire time.
I know I'm not attractive. I can't help it. I wish I looked good like everyone else. I just like dressing up cuz it's fun. It's silly and makes me happy.
I'll still do Stranger Things tomorrow since it's supposed to be a group costume (even though I'm thinking I'm gonna be left hanging) and after that, I'm not sure...
I'm glad I have y'all. When I start getting down, I think about how y'all were nice to me đ
Woke up early today well rested. Walked in the thick morning fog. Ate a healthy breakfast. Open the blinds and let the sunshine in. Pet some cats. Tidied up my room a little. It's not perfect and it's a start. Enough to make a difference in my mood. Watched cartoons then YouTube videos. Ordered my favorite pizza for lunch. Took a nap. Reunited with a long lost friend. Went skateboarding in the beautiful weather. Listened to children laugh and play. Watched the water ripple in the sunlight. Took several moments to just stop and absorb how beautiful the world is. The way the wind blows the leaves like a rushing wave, how cool it is to see the moon so big and prominent in the daylight, the roar of a plane taking off, or a dog contentedly chewing on a toy. I saw parents playing with their children and people grilling delicious smelling food. I laughed at how the skateboard tickled my feet on rough terrain. I marveled at a huge tree and how it has probably been alive through so many historical events and yet it never has to deal with them. It's only job is to continue growing. I listened to music and felt inspired hearing Ewan McGregor sing "Your Song." For a moment, my fears of the world melted away and I was just one of many humans enjoying the sunlight. I didn't feel like the world was ending. I wasn't afraid for my life. I just existed and I felt whole.
BEHOLD my Jedi costume!
At my job, we're allowed to wear Halloween costumes throughout the month of October!
It'd be a shame if I didn't dress up as at least ONE Ewan McGregor character.
Obi-Wan is probably the only genuine costumey character, but in the very likely event that I can't find the materials to do his outfit, I need a backup.
Can you guys help me brainstorm costumes to put together?