But wishing, like sipping a glass of punch, or pulling aside a bearskin rug in order to access a hidden trapdoor in the floor, is merely a quiet way to spend one’s time before the candles are extinguished on one’s birthday cake.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Slippery Slope – Lemony Snicket
(Note: This is a fictional creative thinking exercise, inspired by hours of contemplation of which animated performances have been most worthy of attention over the years. This feature imagines that a Best Voice Performance category was added to the Oscars following Beauty and the Beast’s nomination for Best Picture at the 64th Academy Awards. Each week I’ll cover the hypothetical nominees and winner from one year of animated performances.)
The Best Voice Performance category at the 77th Academy Awards was considered something of a letdown. All five nominees came from only two films, and the winner was neither unexpected nor particularly exciting. However, 2005 proved to be a much more diverse year for voice performances. Pixar wouldn’t be releasing a new film, but both Dreamworks and Disney both had new movies to contribute. One film in particular, Madagascar, seemed to be gunning for nominations by recruiting a high profile cast of comedians of who featured prominently in its advertising campaign even before the film was released. However, no one could have predicted the variety and quality of the performances that would eventually earn nominations.
Odo: Nerys – I realize that things may seem bleak at the moment; but there’s always hope.
Kira Nerys: When did you turn into an optimist?
Odo: Must have been that day in front of Quark’s when we kissed for the first time.
Kira Nerys: That was some kiss, wasn’t it?
Odo: Changed my life.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 7: Episode 1 – “Image in the Sand”
“No!” he said loudly, his voice ringing through the kitchen. “No way!”
“I told them you’d take it like this,” said Hermione with a hint of complacency.
“If you think I’m going to let six people risk their lives — !”
“— because it’s the first time for all of us,” said Ron.
“This is different, pretending to be me —”
“Well, none of us really fancy it, Harry,” said Fred earnestly. “Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky, scrawny gits forever.”
Harry did not smile.
“You can’t do it if I don’t cooperate, you need me to give you some hair.”
“Well, that’s that plan scuppered,” said George. “Obviously there’s no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate.”
“Yeah, thirteen of us against one bloke who’s not allowed to use magic; we’ve got no chance,” said Fred.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling
Joyce: You get the hell away from my daughter!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2: Episode 3 – “School Hard”
Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant, filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don’t always like.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Slippery Slope – Lemony Snicket
After last week’s tense, exciting episode, it would have been tough for Agents of SHIELD to try to match that level of intensity. The standoff between Raina and Coulson, with Simmons’ life hanging in the balance, combined with some new and emotional revelations about Skye’s father, would have been a tough act to follow. Wisely, SHIELD charted a different course this week, giving us one of those all-important connect-the-dots episodes, that helps position the pieces for bigger things to come. And while it might have been a slight but inevitable let down, it still packed in some great moments both fun and emotional, while setting up one big game changer that will affect how the rest of the season plays out. So let’s take a look at “A Fractured House,” written by Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc and directed by Ron Underwood.
Jadzia Dax: Just remember when you get back: we have a lot of work to do.
Worf: I don’t consider that ‘work’.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6: Episode 26 – “Tears of the Prophets”
The Love Pirate 