#a blast 2014 review

[kacic1]

A todos, boa noite!

Continuando a revisita ao cinema grego moderno, convido vocês a visitar Os Filmes do Kacic, para conferir minha nova crítica sobre este drama protagonizado pela ótima Angeliki Papoulia, protagonista de Dente Canino e Alpes.

Crítica: A FUGA (A BLAST) | 2014

🎬🎞🎥📽📺

#movies #cinema #filmes #geek #popculture #nerd #osfilmesdokacic #thriller #review #drama #cinema grego #greek cinema #angeliki papoulia #a fuga #a blast #critica #a fuga 2014 #a blast 2014 #critica a fuga 2014 #a blast 2014 review

[luckybyler]

Reply to @girlfictions:

1. I didn’t skirt it, that why the definition of Zionism was the very first thing in my post. Now, if you choose to reject that definition and want the word to mean whatever you want it to mean that’s on you. If you think the mere existence of Israel as a country is evil and a bad thing to support, then there’s no productive conversation to be had with you anyway.

2.

Hamas leader's son who became a spy explains what Hamas really wants

What is Gaza’s Ministry of Health and how does it calculate the war’s death toll?

Amnesty International Report, 2015

Tunnel shaft inside Shifa

Article from 2014

Hamas’ rules for social media activists, from 2014

Wounded man at Gaza hospital criticizes Hamas for hiding among civilians

Bodies of two hostages found near Al Shifa Hospital

Body of a third hostage, a Tanzanian agricultural intern, found, although not mentioned where

The second Israel declared independence, 5 Arab countries declared war against them and they won.

List of expulsions and exoduses of Jews

Iraq expelled Jews to Israel

Why there are so many Palestinian refugees

The point here is not "Israel is a saint country that never does wrong". The point is that Israel is not better or worse than any other country or territory. If a Palestinian or someone with connections to Palestine is allowed to love it in spite of what Hamas and other terrorist groups have done and are currently doing without being demonized, cancelled or called evil; then it's only natural to concede that someone from Israel or with connections to Israel is allowed to love it in spite of what its government has done or does currently without being demonized, cancelled or called evil. Especially after Israel suffered a terrorist attack and is receiving antisemitism all over the world.

PBS article from 2007 summarizing Hamas and/vs Fatah, including Hamas’ objectives

Hamas and PIJ use of suicide bombings

Hamas spokesperson says tunnels are to protect the fighters and civilians are the responsibility of the UN and Israel

UNRWA Education: Textbooks and Terror

Review of 2022 UNRWA-Produced Study Materials in the Palestinian Territories

Hamas Original Charter. Excerpt:

Student speaker at a UPenn rally, the university Noah attends

Pro-Palestine Rally in Sydney, Australia ("Death to Israel", "Intifada", "Gas the Jews")

Rash of international antisemitism carries chilling historical hallmarks

Antisemitic mob storms through Russian airport as flight from Tel Aviv lands

Suspect arrested in death of Jewish protester in Southern California

Pro-Palestine group gives out NYC map calling for 'direct action' on landmarks as city blasts 'hateful rhetoric' and alerts the NYPD

Are you implying that I'm a nonce? Because shipping two fictional characters is not being a nonce. You know what is noncey?

Threatening someone to release CP of them.

Reply right before yours:

made by someone whose first post was said reply, and only has posts reblogging other people's takes re: Noah, Israel, Palestine

They blasted me for saying we live in different realities, then proceeds to praise radicalism and call me a white supremacist.

Exploring hate: How antisemitism fuels white nationalism

The response that worried me (I don't know or care about the ethnicity or religion of this person).

Glorification of terrorism, dehumanization of the other, refusal to listen to other points of view, inappropriate anger. All of these are signs of radicalization.

Said person reblogged this:

A letter from Osama Bin Laden went viral on TikTok, with many users of every ethnicity and religion praising it. The letter contains several antisemitic tropes, condems homosexuality and of course, idealizes Sharia Law.

Rolling Stone article on it

#noah schnapp #antisemitism #jumblr #radicalization #extremism #i couldn't care less about noah schnapp knowing i exist #but one day someone will get ideas from this wretched hellsite and try to decolonize a bus full of people or something #and at least i will be able to sleep at night #because with my insignificant voice from my tiny dustspeck of a corner of the internet #i tried to warn y'all #Youtube

[eretzyisrael]

by William A. Jacobson 

Since 2014 it has been known that Hamas pretty much ran Shifa Hospital in Gaza city. We reported on it back in 2014, Hamas hides in, under and around Gaza’s main hospital, and the media covers it up (Video).

Israel has been claiming Shifa was a Hamas center since the October 7 massacre:

IDF: Hamas Uses Al-Shifa Hospital as Main Terror Base (October 27, 2023)

Captured Hamas Terrorists Admit Hoarding Weapons and Explosives in Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, Other Medical Facilities (November 9, 2023)

Yet when Israel finally took over the hospital, critics claimed Israel exaggerated, because initially all the IDF showed was personal weaponry stored in an unused MRI room (the MRI machine apparently has not worked for years) and other places in the hospital.

Yet Israel methodically was exploring a tunnel discovered, and gathering other evidence. The NY Times reported on November 18 what video of the inside of the tunnel showed, incuding a blast-proof door with a shooting hole (emphasis added).

The hospital has become a particular flashpoint. The military has yet to present public evidence of an extensive tunnel network and command center under Al-Shifa, and Israel is coming under growing international pressure to show that the hospital was a critical military objective. On Friday, Israeli military officials said the search of the hospital would take time because of the risk of encountering Hamas members and booby traps, and that they would have to use dogs and combat engineers. The Israeli forces are advancing slowly and currently control only part of the hospital site, according to three Israeli officers. They also have avoided entering a shaft that was discovered there. But the military claims it already has proof of at least part of an underground tunnel complex under the hospital. A video, which an Israeli official said was filmed by a camera that was lowered into the shaft by troops on Friday, and which was reviewed by The New York Times, indicates that it is a man-made tunnel, with at least one lane wide enough for the passage of people. The tunnel appears to be 50 feet or more in length, and at the end of it is a door that the official said is fortified to withstand explosives. The video shows that the door has a small porthole that, according to the Israeli official, allows one-way shooting from the other side of the door into the tunnel.

#al shifa hospital #shifa hospital #hamas command center #war crime

[heybythepixies]

My Personal Favorite Rocket-Centered Media

—

Rocket Raccoon (2014) — 11 Issues

The one that began the Rocket Renaissance. I don’t recommend reading this one first right off the bat, if only because I think it has a cooler effect if you read the comic after Rocket’s more somber stories, but it is totally a must-read. Rocket has been many different people in many different ways, but it’s important to remember his roots. (He’s so 2014 in this, and the art-style will totally take you out if that’s your type of thing. I know it’s mine.)

—

Rocket Raccoon (2016) — 5 Issues

Rocket’s been through a whole lot of shit up until this point, but being stranded on Earth is the cherry on top. His first solo-story, where his grand Rocket-esque, State-of-Liberty-destroying journey is narrated through absolutely gorgeous illustrations that get him so well. The story is fantastic as well, and maybe not-so-subtlety + amazingly takes a dump on America, sending an important message in general.

If you need further convincing, Rocket runs around in his underwear for about two issues. It’s hilarious. Check it out.

—

Rocket (2017) — 6 Issues

His second solo-story.

One of my absolute personal favorites that left me completely shaken by the time I was done with it. I can’t even really begin to describe it without getting too deep into how fucking insane it made me feel.

If you’re into gritty heist/crime sci-fi plots with a healthy amount of crisp, absurdist humor, you’re in luck. If you totally hate that, you’d probably still like it.

Rocket just has that effect on people.

But seriously, go in completely blind and read this. You won’t regret it.

If you need further convincing, yes, this is the one where he dons the infamous Stinger Suit you might’ve seen before on that one puzzle. He does fill out that suit nicely (not a reference).

If you need context, Rocket takes hiatus from the Guardians and gets tangled up in a whole bunch of shit he didn’t sign up for. He’s a bit of a pathetic meow meow. Totally worth. Also, one of the best styles for Rocket, ever.

—

Guardians of Infinity (2016) — 8 Issues

A really, really cool comic that starts off with Rocket being Rocket, “saving the galaxy” through… materialistic means. His team then runs into another team, who runs into another team. After an obligatory fight, they all find out they’re Guardians of the Galaxy groups from different time-frames.

Then the Collectors swoops in and plans to do something unsavory to our favorite raccoon! Oh no! :D

Really though, the writing for this story is phenomenal, and Rocket’s character is done so well. I love the way he’s portrayed in this one. So badass. So smug.

The comic also features one-shot stories that are a blast as well. He’s so silly. Go check it out.

—

GotG: Rocket and Groot Steal The Galaxy! (Prose Novel) by Dan Abnett

Guardians of The Galaxy: Collect Them All (Prose Novel) by Corinne Duyvis

Onto the novels that ripped my heart out.

Holy shit. If you’re. Well. Genuinely, right away, these two books are a work of art.

I don’t even know where to begin, but I just have to say that Rocket Man by David Bowie started playing over the radio as I finished Rocket and Groot: Steal the Galaxy and I felt something, like, stirring within my soul. I felt devastatingly. Something.

These two:

1. Are so, so criminally underrated and deserve fame. The amount of fucking heart put into these works are tangible with every word.

2. Deserve their own reviews, but I can’t even really begin to express how important they are to me.

So I’m just going to write their synopsis’s.

Steal the Galaxy!

A raccoon and a tree walk into a bar. The universe almost collapses into a Capitalist Armageddon. C-3PO stars as our narrator and MC. Rocket may or may not need a therapist. Groot is badass as fuck.

…Disguise sequence.

Gamora is also there. Hi, Gamora :3

Collect Them All!

How found and family can a found family get? Do people ask that question? If you have ever found yourself asking that question, and if you’ve ever breathed, read this novel.

A book about Acceptance and Love and all of that stuff. Which is honestly such a challenge to fathom sometimes, much less write about, but I suppose the Guardians always get it right.

Both of these books also certifiably and perfectly capture each character. If Vol. 3 left a big, gaping hole in your heart, this might help you or possibly make it worse. In a good way, of course.

If you don’t read anything else, if you haven’t even picked up a book in years, if you call yourself a GotG fan: read these novels. You don’t even have to know one thing about these characters to feel attachment by the time the journey is over. It’s a threat and a promise.

—

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Game, 2021)

I asked, how can found family can a found family get???

Some-fucking-how, GotG just. Defies all odds every single time . !

Please for the love of god, if you haven’t played this game, play it.

The tragedy that is the fact it was criminally overshadowed at the time of its release is just terrible. It’s genuinely, outside of my obsession, one of the best times I’ve ever had playing a video game in a long while. And it’s on sale often. Just experience it for yourself. It’s something so incredibly special.

—

Guardians of the Galaxy (2013), specifically #20-23

Venom attaches himself to Rocket and it’s fucking awesome. Also, I love the art-style he had under Valerio Schiti. He always got him right.

———

Get your hands on the comics however you desire, but the method to reading the novels for free is on Archive.org (where you can borrow books). Just be cautious, as only one person can borrow a book at a given time.

#rocket raccoon #gotg #rocket gotg #gotg3 #might add to this later #this is the result of me going through every single instance he's had an appearance ever #Sanely

[ahaura]

Hamas rockets caused the hospital explosion

I looked at the article that you screenshotted from Al Jazeera, published on Oct. 19, stated the following:

Based on a detailed review of all videos, Sanad’s analysts conclude that the flash Israel attributed to a misfire was in fact consistent with Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system intercepting a missile fired from the Gaza Strip and destroying it in mid-air.

However, that is not the only or most recent information that has come out since then.

Today, Oct. 20: Forensic Architecture, has posted the following:

Preliminary analysis by FA, @alhaq_org & @earshot_ngo into the #AlAhli hospital blast in Gaza casts significant doubt on IOF claims that the source of the deadly explosion was a Palestinian-fired rocket travelling west to east.

In their thread, they state that "the fragmentation patterns may indicate the projectile came from the northeast—the direction of the Israeli-controlled side of the Gaza perimeter—and not from the west, as claimed by the IOF." They provide further evidence to support this claim.

I will echo what others have said: even *if* the IOF is not responsible for this particular missile, it does not change the situation on the ground. The genocide is still ongoing.

reliefweb has reported that as of Oct. 19, at least 4,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 15,000 have been wounded. Over 1,000 of those killed were children.

The Israeli State has still cut off water, food, electricity, fuel, and aid from Gaza, leaving them to starve and dehydrate to death. "Without electricity and fuel, clean water cannot be pumped into Gaza."

The IOF has a long history of targeting and murdering civilians, and lying about it. (See the assassination of Shireen Abu Akleh, the bombing of the Al-Katibah building, the March for Return, to name a few).

Other times the IOF has lied about bombing hospitals: - Israel Bombs Gaza’s Only Rehab Hospital: Staff Forced to Evacuate Paralyzed Patients After Shelling (2014) - Attacks on medical facilities and civilians add to war crime allegations (2014) - Israel used fabricated images to justify bombing al-Wafa hospital (2014)

WHO reported on Oct. 12 "documented 34 attacks on health care in Gaza since last Saturday that have resulted in the death of 11 health workers on duty, 16 injuries, and damages to 19 health facilities and 20 ambulances."

Oct. 13: Israeli air raids murdered at least 70 Palestinians attempting to flee North Gaza.

Oct. 19: UN experts call for the prevention of genocide. They go on to say that an UNRWA school located in Al Maghazi refugee camp that sheltered some 4000 displaced people was also targeted on the same day.

Oct. 16: Raz Segal, Israeli historian and genocide scholar, said "this is a textbook case of genocide."

As of Oct. 14, in the West Bank over 50 Palestinians have been murdered and 1,100 wounded by settlers and the Israeli army. Today, Oct. 20, the Times of Israel reports published 'IDF, settlers allegedly bind, strip, beat, burn, urinate on 3 Palestinians in W. Bank ' Today, Oct. 20, the number of Palestinians murdered in the West Bank is reported to have gone up to at least 81. (+ NYT also reports that more than 70 Palestinians have been killed)

Oct. 20 report: "the Church of Saint Porphyrius was hit in the late hours of Thursday by an Israeli air strike, leaving at least 16 dead and dozens injured at the compound of the Greek Orthodox church. Many Gaza residents had taken refuge in the compound as the war raged in the enclave."

#palestine #geopol #📁.zip

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (June 11-17, 2023)

Tsuburaya Productions released a five-minute trailer for Ultraman Blazar, focused on the human cast. Between this and the unveiling of a bunch of the monsters (a combination of originals and some deep cuts), it continues to look extremely promising.

Toho launched a Twitter account for their next Godzilla film on June 12. It's been counting down all the "core" (live-action and Toho-produced) entries in the series at the rate of one per day, starting with Shin Godzilla. Presumably, they'll reveal the poster, title, and maybe more for the new one at the end (so July 11). The way they're doing this also lends credibility to the rumored Godzilla Zero title.

Hoshi 35, Megumi Odaka's triumphant return to movies, released a trailer, poster, and a bunch of stills (gathered on Wikizilla). Alas, no shots of the daikaiju in the trailer, just the baby.

Bandai's finally going to be producing Ultraman toys for the U.S., with the first wave focused on the animated Netflix movie due next year.

For those of you headed to G-Fest next month, the full schedule is out, and they finally announced the Friday and Saturday movies at the Pickwick: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla and Godzilla (2014), respectively. King Kong Escapes will also replace Shin Ultraman on Thursday. Dunno if I'll go to GXMG (I just rewatched it before the Tokyo SOS Fathom Event), but I'm lunging at the chance to see G14 properly-lit and with booming sound. They showed it in 2017 too and it was a blast. For the hotel's film festival, the big title of interest is Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo, a Yoshikazu Ishii joint set during the pandemic. And if you haven't caught Iké Boys yet, that's playing twice (very much before the audience it was intended for).

Also, go to my friend Alana's panel about designing kaiju gijinkas for cosplay (Saturday at 1). If you've been to either of the past two cons, you probably remember her Mothra costumes, and we're both working on a bunch more for this year.

Oh yeah, and there's a third North American kaiju con, Super G, starting up in the fall... well, sort of. It might be better termed a convention within a convention (Northern National Collectors’ Convention). September 29-October 1 in Windsor, Canada, right on the Michigan border. Not many specifics yet, but the press release says, "Super G will offer fans a variety of guest celebrities and artists, direct from Japan and around the world, who worked on Kaiju franchises making either their first-ever or first-Canadian convention appearances. Inclusion opportunities feature program panels, contests, experiences, theatrical showings, collectables, cosplay, and more."

I haven't been keeping up with Godziban's multi-episode collaboration with Televi-Kun—seems like pretty routine stuff—but then they had to pay homage to Sharknado in the newest installment. I knew, of course, that this day would eventually come. Now which one of you said sharknadoes weren't kaiju back when I was unhealthily obsessed with that series?

#kaiju week in review #godziban #hoshi 35 #ultraman #gfest #blockbuster monster movie #kaiju #godzilla

[slpytired]

Watching the whole Gundam series in 2023 #14: Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Review

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn was directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi and released as a 7-episode OVA series from March 12, 2010 to June 6, 2014. Set in the Universal Century year 0096, the plot follows Banagher Links as he pilots the titular Unicorn Gundam in the Third Neo Zeon War, alongside Zeon princess Minerva Lao Zabi, racing against the Sleeves to find the secret of Laplace's Box.

Sorry this took so long! I was busy for awhile, but now I'm back and I hope to churn out the rest of these reviews soon. At the time of writing this, I've just finished watching G-Reco and will soon be starting on Gundam 00. I didn't accomplish my goal of finishing the whole series in a year, but I'd say it was a pretty good attempt.

The first thing I noticed about this series was how good the animation looked. For a series animated in the 2010s, that utilises CGI for many, if not all, of its mecha action scenes, it holds up very well to modern day visuals. Every detail is visually fleshed out to perfection, from the effects of the Unicorn's psychoframe, to the beam sabers and blasts used by the various combatants, to the fine details such as missile hatches opening, ejecting spent ammo, and thruster exhaust. The character animations were exceptional as well, and again, they really hold up well 10 years later.

One of the major themes of Unicorn is Newtypes and the role in the Earth Sphere. By the in-universe time where this series takes place, the existence of Newtypes is well-known, most particularly by the Earth Federation, who view them as a threat. As evidenced by the event that ended the Second Neo Zeon war in UC 0093, Newtypes possess significant power that, if not kept in check, could pose a serious threat to humanity. Apart from being highly effective pilots who dominate every battlefield they appear on, they also represent the supposed evolution of humanity as a result of its expansion into space. This threatens the Earth Federation government as the unchecked power of enemy Newtypes could spell the end of their seat of power in the Earth Sphere, with the evolved Newtypes taking over as the new governors of humanity. As such, the UC Project was initiated to combat Newtypes and their accompanying weaponry. How ironic it is that the one who ended up in the cockpit of the Unicorn Gundam, the UC Project's flagship, was a Newtype himself.

However, the thematic role of Newtypes and their analogues in the Gundam series goes far beyond superior piloting, and it is in fact their deep empathy for others and ability to understand other living beings that sets them apart from the other characters in Gundam, and their central role in many of the UC timeline's major turning points shows just how empathy and understanding is what is needed to change the world, not colony drops, asteroid attacks, or any other form of violence and oppression. The message of the Laplace's Box points to this: calling for Newtypes to be given stewardship of humanity in the future of the Universal Century. Banagher embodies many of the quintessential Newtype qualities the series is known for, caring deeply for the lives of both his allies and enemies, trying to avoid conflict as much as possible, and acting to save lives as much as he can. Marida Cruz, one of Elpeo Ple's clones from the ZZ Gundam era, is also a (Cyber-)Newtype and acts as a mentor to Banagher throughout the series. Though she is killed at the end, her words and emotions are able to reach many people, not just Banagher, but also Riddhe Marcenas, her killer.

Speaking of Riddhe, he's an interesting character because he takes a roundabout path as a Newtype, though he does eventually get there. Initially an optimistic young soldier, when confronted by the twisted truth of the world that he lives in, he chooses to defend the status quo of the Earth Federation in order to keep the peace. During his battle with Marida, he is once again confronted by a hard truth as his Newtypism surfaces, and he experiences the various emotions of the people around him. He realises that he is exactly what the Earth Federation was trying to destroy, and was trying to use him to destroy his fellow Newtypes in order to keep their status quo. Think of the tragedy if he had succeeded in defeating Banagher, allowing the truth of the Universal Century Charter to be destroyed and covered up, allowing Spacenoids and Newtypes to remain oppressed. (I would like to believe that he would have realised his error and made up for it later, but I digress.)

In the end, the truth of Laplace's Box is released to the whole Earth Sphere, revealing the truth of the Earth Federation's deceit and giving hope to Spacenoids and Newtypes for a better future, for an overturning of the status quo that the Federation has upheld for almost a hundred years. Of course, the Federation tries to cover it up with a really big laser cannon, but with the power of the Unicorn and Banshee Gundams, Laplace's Box is preserved.

Overall, this series is an 8.5/10.

#slpytalk #gundam unicorn

[cleolinda]

So I tried Black Opium Extreme again

A relatively simple installment this week: remember how I tried this one and got nothing but jasmine? Well, I remembered two things:

I tried this on my wrist, not the back of my hand.

I tried it only a couple days after the sample arrived in the mail, rather than letting it settle for a couple of weeks.

I cannot tell you why either of these things make a difference. All I can tell you is that I wore Black Opium Extreme again, and suddenly it was an intense mocha (more a chocolate supported by coffee than the other way around, on me) with an undertone of licorice. In fact, through the lifespan of the perfume, the white floral blend (jasmine and orange blossom) was the least noticeable. I mean, it was there, but you could smell it as part of all the other notes, not standing unto itself. And if you look up there in the original post, jasmine was all I got. Even after the coffee-chocolate-licorice fades, it's not really the jasmine that comes out; it's more of the pear-heavy gourmand I remember from getting vaguely sprayed with the original Black Opium at an Ulta.

And I have also been able to (re)try the original. Let's compare the notes for a moment:

Black Opium (2014): Pear, pink pepper, orange blossom, coffee, jasmine, bitter almond, licorice, vanilla, patchouli, cashmere wood (Cashmeran), cedar.

Black Opium Extreme (2021): Black coffee, cacao, mandarin orange, lemon, pear, jasmine (grandiflorum? sambac?), orange blossom, bourbon vanilla, patchouli.

(For the record: the creators are Nathalie Lorson, Marie Salamagne, Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc.)

The newer variant is advertised as being very heavy on the "dark" gourmand notes, especially the coffee, and when I finally got Extreme to cooperate, that's what I got. Licorice isn't listed, but I feel like that's a big ol' lie, because I smell it more clearly here than in the original. Who knows? Not me.

As for the original, we gotta put an asterisk by this, because what I have is a very old Sephora sample (but less than ten years old). I think it aged really nicely, but I can't tell you for sure if the balance of the fragrance has changed—have the basenotes gotten stronger, has something else faded, what have you.

The original opens with the fruity pear-citrus blast that nearly choked me out while shopping; gradually the gourmand notes come out as a sort of pear cupcake foundation. I mostly read the (remember: aged) sample as a vanilla cupcake rather than a coffee or chocolate one, with those notes and the patchouli (which has probably aged very smoothly) subconsciously giving the base more weight. It doesn't come off like a mocha latte; it smells very Vanilla, and very Cake, and eventually, that's the scent left behind once the fruits have gone home. The white floral is still wound up in there, but again, you wouldn't really think of this as "floral" or "blooming," as opposed to the way that the Samsara EdT smelled oddly fresh and airy for a heavily sandalwood fragrance. So: A fresh batch of Black Opium might smell very different, but with this sample, that's what I get. The Extreme version is meant to bring the coffee and chocolate out and put it on top, so that checks out.

What any of this has to do with opium, or even Opium (1977), I do not know.

The thing that intrigues me is that I keep seeing jasmine/licorice combinations in perfume; I've been having a little trouble distinguishing licorice-anise notes, so I've been researching that. By researching, I mean "eating actual licorice candy even though I don't like it." The short version is that licorice, anise, star anise, fennel, and even magnolia blossoms all have a very characteristic smell/taste (granted, I have never eaten a magnolia blossom), and that common denominator is the compound anethole. That's what I'm looking into.

Jasmine sambac (aka night-blooming jasmine, mogra, sampaguita, melati putih, "Arabian jasmine") doesn't seem to have any anethole, but I'm convinced that it blends particularly well with licorice (etc.). As it turns out, I have a sample of Nemat's "Mogra," just because I like jasmine, and will you look at that: mogra is jasmine sambac. It's exactly what's in Black Opium(s). I don't care what anyone says, that's what it is. And jasmine sambac apparently has a scent that, if not containing anethole, is damn compatible with it; either I haven't learned to distinguish licorice very well yet, or they just blend together that well.

And I noticed that the jasmine/licorice combination is in two other fragrance samples I have: the original, eponymous Lolita Lempicka (1997), and the (for some reason completely different) eau de parfum concentration of HYPNOTIC POISON. So I'll be reporting back on those soon.

Perfume discussion masterpost

#perfume #perfume discussion #perfume: ysl #note: jasmine #note: licorice #long post #updates

[anonymousfoz]

HS Journalism: Good Luck Charlie: It's Christmas Review (Feature)

★★★★☆ (4 out of 5)

Good Luck Charlie is an American sitcom that ran on the Disney Channel from April 4, 2010, to February 16, 2014. The show had four seasons and one movie. The movie, “Good Luck Charlie: It's Christmas!” is not as well known as other holiday movies to watch with family and friends.

The movie follows the Duncan family of six as they plan to spend a Christmas with grandparents in Palm Springs, Ca. It is the family's first Christmas away from their home in Denver. Things go awry when daughter Teddy Duncan (Bridgit Mendler), and mother Amy Duncan (Leigh-Allyn Baker), get separated from their family after Teddy gives up her seat on the plane in exchange for a free plane ticket.

The movie is a delight to watch, however it comes with minor issues. The movie doesn’t truly feel like cinema as it tries to feel like an episode of the show instead of a separate entity. It does take certain elements away from the sitcom formula such as the laugh track and natural lighting. The movie is clearly made for fans of the show as it jumps straight into the movie without introducing the cast to those who haven’t seen the show. The movie is supposed to take place between seasons 2 and 3, which might be why writers or the director chose to tell the narrative that way. It doesn’t truly take away from the experience and provides a unique style of movies that isn’t quite modern anymore.

The biggest issue that stands out is the acting. For example, Baker doesn’t truly have good acting in her role as the mother compared to the rest of the cast. It seems to exaggerate her personality from her show. In the show, Amy is loving and caring about her family while being very overworked. However, at times she is self-centered and does try to be the star of the family most of the time. Yet in the movie she is very aggressive, and her side of being self-centered is over exaggerated at certain points in the movie. Out of all the characters, she feels out of character until half way through the movie.

Teddy’s character seems flat for a movie character up until the end of the second act. While her character is the same as in the show, she doesn’t really progress over the course of the movie other than a few instances of her responsibility, but she’s already a responsible character in the main show. For the main character, you would expect to see her growth throughout the second act, yet that development only really occurs at the end of the second act.

The other characters are the same from their show counterparts, and their characters shine through the side plot to the main story. Their side plot was the enjoyable part of the movie including the climax up to the resolution of the movie. For instance PJ Duncan (Jason Dolley) is the dumb member of the family, yet throughout the seasons, he gets noticeably smarter and ambitious. This does appear in the movie towards the climax.

While the acting is the major negative part of the movie, the positives outweigh the negatives. Certain jokes and minor plot points pay off towards the climax in clever ways. The movie is very unoriginal in certain plot points, yet makes up for it in the creativity and exaggeration in some of the scenes and especially the climax with the male members of the family. Numerous jokes were surprisingly funny considering that the movie is a decade old.

Despite all the jokes, the movie does know how to transition from silly to serious in a way that doesn’t give the viewer whiplash. The movie is great at evoking emotions as the serious moments give impact, though they aren’t as frequent in the movie as the silly moments; they stick out and carry throughout the rest of the movie.

Overall this movie is worth watching as it captures the craziness of the holidays with family. While the movie does have issues and is heavily dated, it is still a blast to watch even as the movie is over a decade old. This movie is still fun to watch with family and friends, especially around the festive time of Christmas.

#high school newspaper #journalism #writing #my writing #movie review #good luck charlie #good luck charlie it's christmas

[archivist-crow]

Review—mild spoilers ahead.

This is an excellent movie.

Heavily influenced by the 1954 original, this is the first Godzilla movie I’ve seen that successfully translates the horror of the original for a modern audience. Godzilla movies can be exciting, silly, often kitschy, maybe even thrilling, but they are rarely scary. Opening in 1945 but with most of the action taking place in 1947, this film is frightening because it makes a point of illustrating the destruction Allied bombings had on the Japanese, and, while the film opens after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the fact of nuclear devastation is always there in the back of your mind.

One of the updates to Godzilla the film makers have made for Minus One is that when the creature uses its atomic fire breath, it very much resembles a nuclear blast, complete with shockwave and mushroom cloud. So, the horror is created by the realization that the fear, destruction, and death is happening all over again.

Anchored by the emotionally wrenching story of failed kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima—a haunted, guilt-ridden soul not entirely dissimilar to Bryan Cranston’s character in Gareth Edwards’ 2014 version—Godzilla Minus One is a triumph. Reportedly produced for less than $15 million, the film is further proof that great sci-fi/fantasy films need not be CGI laden extravaganzas. They can still be made with practical effects, some miniatures, great music, and an involving personal drama.

In Godzilla Minus One the drama is this: just because the bombs have stopped falling does not mean the war is over. For some, the horror lingers, continues, and reawakens, lumbering out of the sea.

#godzilla minus one #movies #film review #review

[luna-rainbow]

a blast from the past?

As much as there are flaws to blogging, I'm so glad it exists because I don't have the patience for handwritten diaries. Electronic blogging lets me revisit my posts years down the track like a time capsule.

So back before the first Avengers movies came out, the characters I found the most interesting were Tony and Loki. I enjoyed the Avengers, because these two guys were the focus of the show. It's interesting that I said this in my review:

If anything, I thought the most slighted hero of the lot was Captain America. Played with blue-eyed sincerity (daheck?) by Chris Evans, he's just so unbending that in a pool of quirky characters he gets overlooked. But it's nice to see him take command in the end, the way he should.

So if I, a non-Steve fan whose impression of Steve at the time was bland, complained about Steve being even more overlooked and bland in the movie...I can only imagine what it felt like to be a Steve fan going in.

(Snip for length - comments about Cap movies under cut)

I didn't even write a review for the first Cap movie, presumably because I watched it pirated and couldn't see enough in the blurry pixelation to leave an impression XDDD I'm not even sure I watched it before the Avengers, although I did watch it before Cap 2 because I said this for the CATWS review:

Personally I thought Captain America was a weaker outing for Marvel. Something about him just didn't quite connect with me, and while the underlying message echos with anyone who had ever been bullied, the rushed and perfunctory 3rd act left behind a generally sour taste. Added to that, while all of the characters were cheerfully likeable, none of them were all that memorable.

(Huh so I guess I didn't like Peggy as much as I thought I once did.)

I did love Captain America 2 though, although according to my own review I said "I actually garbled a lot about this after watching it yesterday, so I'm in a bit of a word-drought regarding it."

My only disappointment is that I feel I still don't have a grip on Steve's character. He's selfless, yes, but he also has very personal attachments. It won't be the first or second time he's run after Bucky into danger. But at the same time he's also the person who can detachedly tell his comrades that he was going to 1) crash his ship, 2) shut off the space portal with Iron Man still stuck outside or 3) bomb the ship he's still on. I feel there's some sort of conflict in this, that in crisis he can make these noble, difficult and somewhat emotionless decisions - and yet he seems very much driven by compassion and emotion.

I'm sure my 2014 me will be delighted to know that I've figured it out by 2021 that 1) Steve loves Bucky and 2) Whedon doesn't get Steve and 3) Steve still loves Bucky XDDDD

I ended with this, which I will include because it's hilarious how the wheel turns:

I think the Winter Soldier could have been more, yet at the same time I don't think they could have fit any more without slowing the pace down too much. I hope this is addressed in the next movie because it would make up for what's lacking in this movie - the dynamic between Cap and Winter Soldier, the tragedy and disbelief and the see-sawing between trust and mistrust that made the Thor-Loki dynamic so magnetic. The Winter Soldier was a terrifying menace, and Sebastian Stan did bring a hint of vulnerability in the rare moments that his character was exposed, but there was not much more. That said, the Steve-Bucky bromance is probably the least convincing of all I've seen. Oddly, the Steve/Sam dynamic is the most natural brothers-in-arms of the lot.

The irony of fate aside, to a degree I still agree with it. For a relationship that defined a large chunk of Steve's character, and almost the entirety of Bucky's existence, their onscreen interactions were very, very limited in CATWS (and now with the view of hindsight, in the entirety of the series). Sebastian Stan was given such a short length of time (compared to Loki) to work through the shock and betrayal and grief and horror of Bucky waking up to the reality what he had been turned into. While Bucky was effective as a narrative foil for Steve, the actual buildup of their relationship was patchy at best, and a lot of what we do have now is by filling in the large blanks in between brief moments of tenderness we do see.

I do wonder about the comment about "bromance" though. In reflection, I wonder if the Steve-Bucky bromance was least convincing because it was so...exceedingly devoted and magical (breaking spells of brainwashing and all that). As someone who gets squicked by watching sappy romcoms, the end of the line scene(s) tripped all sorts of wires and I think I was reacting to that. It felt more than a bromance, and that was why it was less convincing. Sam/Steve felt like good bros, Steve/Bucky...something else entirely.

And wow yeah did I have hopes for a better Cap 3 movie, even though I wasn't a Cap fan.

#movie reviews #catws #also i notice i complained about marvel's writing a lot even in those early days #legit catws was the only time i was so happy i gushed about it #i whinged about im3 and thor2 #avengers i gave some leeway cos it's an ensemble movie #now i feel like i put up with 10 years of terrible movies for like maybe 3-4 gems #inconsistent characterisations and poor care for the material #i honestly blame im/thor for setting the bar and catws/bp for being the rare hope that strings you along

[stuff-diary]

Matilda the Musical

Movies watched in 2022

Matilda the Musical (2022, UK/USA)

Director: Matthew Warchus

Writer: Dennis Kelly (and songs by Tim Minchin)

Mini-review:

I'm not gonna lie, there are few musical movies I haven't enjoyed, so I knew I was going to like this from the beginning, more so considering I used to love the first Matilda movie as a child. This one is well made and it really captures everything that makes this story special. It also changes up just the right amount of things, so it still holds some surprises for people who are familiar with the older movie or the book. It's clear that Matthew Warchus knows how to make a crowd-pleasing movie (if you haven't watched Pride (2014), then you should do so now) and his skills are on show here from the very first scene. The entire cast clearly had a blast making it, too, and it's overall a very fun watch.

#matilda #matilda the musical #roald dahl's matilda #roald dahl's matilda the musical #alisha weir #lashana lynch #emma thompson #stephen graham #andrea riseborough #sindhu vee #lauren alexandra #carl spencer #katherine kingsley #charlie hodson-prior #rei yamauchi fulker #meesha garbett #winter jarrett-glasspool #matt henry #netflix #movie #musical #musicals #tim minchin

[ts1989fanatic]

Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” Is a Triumph of Spectacle and Stamina: Review

Las Vegas hosted a greatest hits tour unlike anything ever staged before

As Taylor Swift ascended to the stage during the opening moments of “The Eras Tour” she emerged from billowing clouds of soft-hued tapestry in a glittering rhinestone bodysuit. She presented herself as the sergeant-at-arms ready to take her infantry of Swifties into the great pop battle through the 10 eras of her 17-year career with 44 tracks over more than three hours.

The second weekend of “The Eras Tour” at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on March 24th and 25th drew locals, Swifties who flooded the roads driving in from neighboring states, and international diehards from destinations far and wide. It had been a long time since Swift played Las Vegas and she broke the dry spell in a big way. As she took the stage for night three and four of “Eras”—a sold-out doubleheader in the desert — Swift rolled in a winner.

The orientation for this grand presentation was 2019’s Lover era, which included six songs: “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” “Cruel Summer,” “The Man,” “You Need to Calm Down,” Lover,” and “The Archer.”

“We are about to go on a grand adventure,” Swift announced prior to performing “The Man.” “I’ll be your host this evening. My name is Taylor.” This was followed by a return to the familiar “Lover”-video dollhouse set, its rooms symbolizing each one of her albums. In “The Archer,” that house became engulfed in a rain of pyrotechnics—washing away in a blast of fire instead of water.

“Eras” was quite the adventure, as Swift promised. The show was loaded with heavy artillery from albums for which she has not yet toured, including 2019’s Lover, 2020’s Evermore and Folklore and 2022’s Midnights. Overall, the career highlight reel featured 12 live debuts. Those fresh moments were backed up by a smattering from Swift’s previous albums, tours and videos from eras including Taylor Swift (2006), Fearless (2008), Speak Now (2010), Red (2012), 1989 (2014), and Reputation (2017). The motifs, arrangements, costumes, dance moves and visuals drawn from those works were sometimes presented literally and at other times more nuanced and interpretive.

Despite the callback, for Swift, there is no time like the present and this era belongs to her. “The Eras Tour” aimed to engage all human senses, offering an extraordinary 4-D cognitive experience through its innovative stage design, cutting-edge visual mapping, and top-of-the-line production values that far surpassed most of today’s touring show standards.

The stage itself featured three separate platforms made of LED displays connected by a ramp — each equipped with mobile hydraulic blocks that form different shapes, creating those picture-perfect angles that Swift thrives on. It was a massive production with pyrotechnics, indoor fireworks, and image projection technology.

Whether alone or with her dozens of supporting talents, Swift dominated the football-field-long stage. In a true test of her stamina, she never broke during the three-plus hours for anything longer than a quick change.

The second era of the night was 2008’s Fearless, where she performed its title song as well as “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story,” a toe dip back into her transition from country to pop, represented by the soft golden glow of the iconic fringe dress and the lighting treatments. This was an homage to the pin-curled beauty queen with the guitar we first got to know way back when.

Era three, evermore, featured standouts “Willow” and “Champagne Problems.” The staging consisted of massive oak-like trees while Swift sat at a moss-covered piano. She went thoroughly witchy during the cloaked “Willow” as her cadre danced around with orange-hued orbs. “I’ve been fantasizing about what [this will be like] to sing it with you,” she said during an introspective interlude before heading into “Champagne Problems” where she noted the moment, “I’m so in love with this crowd, I’m petting the moss.”

Throughout, Swift deftly balanced her goddess and huntress personas, showcasing both sides of her artistry. During her performance of “Willow” from evermore, she channeled “little Taylor riding hood,” while in era four’s Reputation, she embodied a captivating “snake charmer.” Her setlist included memorable performances of “…Ready for It?,” “Delicate,” “Don’t Blame Me,” and “Look What You Made Me Do,” a reminder of the time when she had to defend and establish herself among her peers. The unforgettable snake-wrapped microphone from 2017 reappeared, slithering up her one-legged bodysuit.

The fifth era, Speak Now, received only one nod with “Enchanted” before moving on to Red and folklore.

The crowd fell into a frenzy with Red’s coming-of-age anthems “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “I Knew You Were Trouble” and the 10-minute version of “All Too Well,” a sharp contrast to the seventh more ethereal and cottage-dwelling era of folklore, which packed seven songs and was one of the most prominently featured chapters of the night. The performers’ period attire during “The Last Great American Dynasty,” the funeral procession of “My Tears Ricochet,” and the woodsy isolation of “Cardigan” transported the audience back to the strange and isolating reality of the pandemic, which may have been too soon for some.

The biggest, baddest, boldest era was number eight, 1989, as dancers rode neon-lit bicycles for “Blank Space”, and used blue-lit golf clubs to smash an animated car, then “Shake It Off,” erupted into a dance party followed by the intense and hot pyro display of “Bad Blood.”

While the ability to change up a tour like “Eras” city by city is virtually impossible because of its scale — Swift played to the Vegas crowd in a few ways they could really own. Built into each setlist is space for two surprise songs, which Swift has promised will be wholly unique for each show.

During her first night in Las Vegas, Taylor Swift approached the front of the stage with her guitar for an intimate moment and addressed the crowd, saying, “This is what I feel like playing, and I will decide based on what I hope you might want to hear. I aim to please, but I also get ideas from things.” Swift then referenced an interview she saw with beabadoobee, the Filipino-British singer-songwriter who opened the evening.

“For beabadoobee’s first show, I will play this specific song that she wants to hear. I wrote this for my 9th grade talent show,” Swift shared before launching into the rousing anthem “Our Song” from her debut album.

Swift then took a seat at a hand-painted floral upright piano for the night’s biggest surprise. “Lana Del Rey put out a new album today,” Swift remarked. “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd … it is so good — you probably already know that… It is just extraordinary. I think she is the best that we have and so make it a priority to stream, buy, support this album and this artist. She knows I am obsessed with her and she was kind enough to make a song with me on Midnights called ‘Snow on the Beach,’” Swift said.

“She is a generous king, she did that for me and I will never forget how nice she has been… I want to do some promo for her and in honor of this brilliant album she just put out, I’m going to play ‘Snow on the Beach.’”

The second night featured the first surprise guest of the tour as Marcus Mumford of Mumford & Sons popped up to do the live debut of “Cowboy Like Me” from 2020’s evermore. She also dusted off “White Horse” from Fearless.

For the closing spectacle, Swift plunged into a virtual body of water that surrounded the stage, then swam underwater back to the main platform — thanks to the next-level production — before returning to perform more songs from her Midnights era. The crowd’s excitement remained high as she introduced new tracks such as “Anti-Hero,” “Midnight Rain,” “Vigilante Shit,” and “Karma,” which received the same level of enthusiastic reception as her previously played greatest hits.

Regardless of whether you are a fan of Taylor Swift, it’s impossible to deny the sheer magnitude, artistry, and technical prowess of this production. This greatest hits tour, undertaken during her commercial prime, is an unprecedented feat and could potentially earn over a billion dollars, making it the highest-grossing tour in world history.

The three-plus”Eras” hours became a marathon and at the end, the audience was in a state of utter exhausted euphoria. But a spectacle of this size does beg the question — once you go this big, where do you go from here?

Taylor Swift’s massive 2023 tour continues through August.

[lastweeksshirttonight]

It was 95 degrees with 35% humidity today, my house feels like the inside of a blast furnace, and somehow I decided this was prime "watch and write about John" hours. So greetings from the surface of the sun, we've got more LWT to see!

Last Lee Tonight (wherein there is, theoretically, a universe where John Oliver is writing Tumblr reviews of Lee's topical news comedy) Season One, Episode Seven

(original air date: 6/15/2014) Major topics covered: US immigration reform, Washington Football Team Interview: Stephen Hawking

Trigger warning: racist iconography

"If you don't learn the recorder, you're fucked." "Seriously though, playing the recorder sets you up for life."

So uh, fun story. Remember how last week I said that the YouTube channel was finally starting to get the hang of things by episode six, aside from the occasional oddity of a one-minute clipped joke here and there?

The YouTube team didn't upload the main story from this episode to the LWT channel. At all.

We're still in prime "figuring this shit out" mode! Strap in!

That's consistent across the entire episode. After the last episode, which saw the show starting to coalesce into its modern form, this episode seems to go back to the drawing board and toss all kinds of shit at the wall to see what sticks - it's honestly most reminiscent of episode one. The opening segments are lightning-fast and don't transition into each other well, the central topic doesn't go nearly as deep as you'd expect it, and there's a random (but amazing) interview at the end of the show. I wonder if the next episode will swing the pendulum in the opposite direction again.

John starts our episode banging and then punching the desk, going in the opposite direction from our last episode. He seems to be taking out his rage on the glass countertop, which he looks very silly doing.

We begin by revisiting net neutrality, from Episode Five. (I'm linking it because I wrote this months ago, and if your executive dysfunction is anything like mine, you totally forgot everything about the episode.) In that episode, John described Tom Wheeler as a dingo, and somehow Tom Wheeler was asked about the LWT episode in a FCC meeting. He speaks like a literal robot and refutes, in the weirdest way possible, the idea that he's a dingo. How is that the thing you focus on from that whole segment. How. What? Christ.

The unsaid caption "Satire is not C-SPAN, however." goes without comment, which is unbelievable to me. That phrase cracked me up so hard I had to pause the episode. I know there was a rich vein of missing the point entirely and subsequent dingo humour to mine here, but come on John, that caption is a gift.

We then move to Iraq, where ISIS forces crossed nearly the entire country in five days and stole $400 million dollars. This bit only goes for about a minute before we move to another topic, Obama visiting the Standing Rock Sioux reservation and pledging aid. We finally then transition into a discussion of the Washington Football Team, who, at the time, were still refusing to change their goddamn racist name and iconography, which I will not be using here. (I did learn from writing this that apparently they have rebranded - FINALLY - as the Washington Commanders in 2022, after two seasons of being Washington Football Team.)

I appreciate how John lets an extremely sincere and powerful commercial made by Native Americans regarding the offensive name largely speak for itself, aside from one dark joke at the end, before discussing what an abject shitwhistle former Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder is and how pathetic his protestations are.

It did take a while, but Snyder was ousted from his ownership post of the team in 2021 after a massive expose of sexual harassment under his watch was released in 2020. He's been mired in investigations over financial conduct, fraud, and deceptive business practices as well, to which I can only say "good".

The night's main topic, which has no YouTube video anywhere (I'm sorry), is immigration. John says he has a vested interest in the topic and the audience laughs, which is funny-weird because it doesn't seem like John is trying to humorously highlight his insider nature here. The real focus here is the debate over immigration reforms, as the system is (and remains) very broken and anti-immigrant sentiment is high all over the world.

I do wish this clip was on YouTube. It's not the most informative piece on immigration, but is a nice window into how much John loved this country prior to the beginning of its full collapse. This definitely takes much more from The Daily Show mold, being a comedic monologue interspersed with news clips that allow John to riff on the state of immigration, as opposed to later LWT immigration segments, which tend to be exceptionally sobering. This one is comparatively light-hearted and surface-level, and John delivers the material with a very comfortable confidence. I don't think the segment itself is a standout, but I really like John's attitude here.

We technically get our first animal-fucking joke during this segment, which is about bears only fucking face to face and stops John cold as he helplessly giggles over it. One step closer to getting all the running jokes in order!

Somehow, the end of this with the animated Actual American Tale video is on YouTube, so please enjoy one of the most depressing things LWT has ever put together. It's genuinely far more distressing than the actual main topic segment.

The episode ends with the only appearance of "recurring segment" Great Minds: People Who Think Good, where John interviews Stephen Hawking. Interestingly, I was listening to a podcast today (gonna likely make a separate post on it) where John talked about how much he loved interviewing Hawking and how he wanted to showcase the man's wit and humour more than his intelligence. I think that the interview is incredibly successful in that regard.

I adore this interview so much. Never have I had so much fun watching John get totally roasted.

Random notes:

Lee is a very predictable man corner: today we get a black suit jacket with lavender shirt and dark purple tie, which is a great look, 9/10. The only thing keeping it from being a 10 is that it's missing an element of boldness. Maybe a deep purple jacket or a shinier tie?

Lee continues being predictable in a second bullet point: the interview outfit is a black suit jacket with a light-blue and white checkered shirt and black tie. Definitely a pedestrian but still solid look and I still love the baby blue on John, so I give this 7/10.

Please stop making me talk about American football in these, John, I beg you.

"I lost my virginity to the sound of a man ranting about Bulgarians." This is so far the best line of early LWT, I will bear no other arguments.

There are no random 1 minute YouTube clips of isolated jokes this episode! 🎊

Once an episode, someone from the past 20 years of American political culture pops up that I've completely forgotten about and am upset to be reminded of. This week, it's Michele Bachmann, who I refuse to look up to see what she's doing now. You cannot make me think more about Michele fucking Bachmann.

There is an extended interview with Stephen Hawking that adds a few nice bits, like John asking Stephen a meandering hypothetical about him being a drug lord with inconsistent staff.

#john oliver #last week tonight #last week tonight with john oliver #stephen hawking #last lee tonight #Youtube

[thisaintascenereviews]

Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies - We Wish You The Merriest

Note: This review was meant to go up before Christmas, but I kind of forgot about it, and I still want to post it, so oh well.

I’m going to be frank for a second — I’ve only truly gotten into Christmas music within the last couple of years. I just never got into it growing up, whether it was the same handful of songs that are popular, and that get replayed each year, or how most Christmas music sounds the same, or has the same message. It gets tired, and even after getting into some Christmas music, I still feel that way. I’ve been real picky with the Christmas music I’ve been listening to, and I’ve found that I really enjoy the jazzier side of Christmas. Albums from Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, as well as Dean “The King Of Cool” Martin, and Ella Fitzgerald are all ones that I’ve come to really get into, but one artist that I’ve talked about before is Seth MacFarlane, and his jazz career. Known as the creator and the main voucf actor (he hasn’t written for the show since 2010, give or take), of a little show called Family Guy, as well as American Dad, and the Ted movies (and the upcoming show), along with lesser known projects, he also has a music career. Inspired by mainly Frank Sinatra, he has released a bunch of albums in this retro jazz and big band style, covering a lot of standards from that era.

He just put out an album last year called Blue Skies, and it was one of my top albums of 2022. I had it at number three, but in retrospect, I should have put it at number one. I absolutely loved that album; it was so fun, upbeat, energetic, and catchy. MacFarlane really nails that style, and he sort of did it again with his newest album, We Wish You The Merriest. This time, though, he doesn’t do it alone — he teams up with Victorious actress, Liz Gillies. He did put out an EP with her a few years ago, during the pandemic, entitled Songs From Home, and it, too, is really fun. Their chemistry is great, Gillies can sing insanely well, and I never realized that until now. They had a couple of Christmas songs on that EP, but they’re different versions than what we got, which I like, because they could have slapped those on and called it a day, but they sound different and better.

I hate to say this, although I really don’t, but I love this album so much, it’s one of my favorites of the year, because it combines a few things — jazz, Seth MacFarlane, and Christmas music. The Christmas aspect could be a novelty for some people, and in a sense, it is, but here’s the thing that elevates this album — the song selection. I recently listened to an interview that both Seth and Liz did on the Zach Sang show, and they talked about how they wanted to put every Christmas song that doesn’t mention “Christ” on the album, and all of these songs are timeless and secular songs that anyone can enjoy. There are a lot of very well known song, such as “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty The Snowman,” and “Winter Wonderland,” but a few lesser known songs are here, including the title track, “Christmastime All Over The World,” and “That Holiday Feeling.”

Another thing I love here is that Seth MacFarlane dropped a Christmas album back in 2014, entitled Holiday For Swing, and it’s another solid record, but the cool thing is that no songs from that album show up here — except for one. That song is, understandably, “The Christmas Song,” and instead of a solo cut, it’s a duet, which makes it stand out. That album features a few other duets, as well as some more classic Christmas tunes (and some obscure ones), but this one is a bit different, as I think it has more energy. Holiday For Swing has a lot of energy, too, but We Wish You The Merriest is such a blast to listen to. I always have a smile on my face when listening to this record. It always breezes by, too.

I could go into a bit more about how both Gillies and MacFarlane sound, and how their chemistry is great, too, or how the arrangements are done well, but these are mostly songs that people know well. You’ve heard these songs before from various artists of various genres, but maybe not always in a duet form. This album, whether it’s the overall sound, the album art, or their voices (and their playful banter they have on a few tracks) reminds me a lot of albums from the 1950s and 1960s, but in a really good way. Honestly, this is the Christmas album I’ve been playing more than anythjng else, and it’ll surely be on the rotation every year from now on.

#christmas #seth macfarlane #liz gillies #christmas music #holidays #we wish you the merriest #pop #jazz #jazz music

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2023-04-03

Quilt's done, let's watch some movies.

Listening: Finished catching up to 99 percent invisible, which only took me like five years of cooking, cleaning, commuting, sewing, video gaming and soldering. Admittedly it's only about half of all of those things, but hey.

There's a lot of good 99pi episodes although a lot of them are actually guest episodes, for example Finding Julia Morgan is actually from New Angle: Voice, about an early and prolific skyscraper designer.

For originals, there's the story of the Nikolai Vavilov and the Seed Potatoes of Leningrad although frankly The Anthropocene Reviewed did it better, and there's Miss Manhattan, which is the story of a prolific model who is as a result featured in a ton of architectural work, Audrey Munson.

Reading: Started qntm's Ra, spec fic hard science fantasy where magic is a precise scientific process which is primarily best understood through careful measurement and differential equations. Appealing to me as an electrical engineer, where most things are also best understood through careful measurement and differential equations.

I read the first couple chapters ages ago but didn't stick with it, it's hard to read on a computer, I ended up buying the ebook and I'm devouring it. qntm has a way with words and worlds, and an appreciation for the power of institutional knowledge and formal theory that makes his stories feel very real and grounded. Even if they open with a drunk mage blasting some muggers with a microwave thermal lance.

Watching: Triple feature, big show today. First, episode two of Dynamo Dreams is out, only a year after the first one, not bad for what is mostly a solo VFX project. Beautiful, grungy, greebled sci-fi.

My brother called me up at six in the evening like hey do you want to go see a movie, and I almost never turn that offer down despite his incredibly terrible taste in movies and TV. We saw Shazam 2, which was mediocre in uninteresting ways. If you want to enjoy it, walk out about 15 minutes before it ends and it'll at least do something bold and thoughtful. The most I can say is that it keeps track of all it's plot points and ties them all off neatly.

Finally The Edge of Tomorrow, the time loop movie from like 2014. I like time loops, they give you a lot of room to play with. Manages to handle its stakes really well and convey the exhaustion and investment of a time loop without actually playing out every loop, which is hard. Makes me want to play Elsinore.

Playing: Nothing much, I got a couple games of Valorant in with The Buds. Now that I don't have sewing to podcast through I might go back to Forza a few hours a week. It's a reliable option. That or Warframe maybe. Needs to be a game with minimal text and little strategy.

Making: The Penrose quilt is finally done, took a few months there huh.

I'm really glad it's done, I'm looking forward to actually using it once I move out. Soon hopefully.

My sewing skill has really gone up over the course of this project, sometimes I'd read or watch someone's dressmaking project and I'd think there's no way you can do consistently tight backstitch by hand for that long of a seam but no, you totally can, it's not even that hard.

Tools and Equipment: If you're going to be working with Perle cotton you really want embroidery specific needles, they've got longer eyes that are better suited to the thicker floss than conventional needles.

#Youtube #last monday of the week