#josie radek

[resetme]

JOSIE RADEK 🌺 Annihilation (2018) dir. Alex Garland

"It was so strange hearing Sheppard's voice in the mouth of that creature last night. I think as she was dying part of her mind became part of the creature that was killing her. Imagine dying frightened and in pain, and having that as the only part of you which survives. I wouldn't like that at all."

#annihilationedit #annihilation #moviegifs #filmtv #cinemapix #cinematv #filmedit #josie radek #tessa thompson #*

[wocscifi]

ANNIHILATION (2018) dir. Alex Garland

#filmedit #scifiedit #annihilation #userbbelcher #userstream #filmtv #chewieblog #useroptional #filmgifs #usertelevision #dailyflicks #tvandfilm #tessa thompson #josie radek #edit #*riah

[swdefcult]

#jennifer jason leigh #dr ventress #natalie portman #lena double #tuva novotny #cass sheppard #tessa thompson #josie radek #gina rodriguez #anya thorensen #annihilation #cyberpunk #scifi

[tallysgreatestfan]

Disabled4Disabled head(canons) for Disability Pride Month 1/6 ➤  Anya Thorensen/Josie Radek (Annihilation)

Their bond is in quite, almost background moments where they help or comfort each other, and their respective mental illnessses and how the Shimmer uses these against them are not in the forefront either most of the time, but there is something that still makes me think about them from time to time about them.

Anya is canonically an addict and Josie canonically suicidally depressed with self harm, that they are a couple is a headcanon however (Anya is canonically a wlw though)

#Annihilation #Southern Reach Trilogy #Josie Radek #Anya Thorensen #Josie Radek/Anya Thorensen #Josie Radek x Anya Thorensen #Disability Pride Month #tw eyestrain #tw unreality #not sure if that aplies but just to be sure #also for the love of god do NOT watch this movie if you are in a bad mental place #its basically a huge alegory for mental illness #it is super disturbing #it haunted me #even if in the long run it helped me heal #Pride Art #fanwork #fanart #my fanwork #my fanart

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

"ventress wants to face it, you want to fight it... i dont think i want either of those things" << scenes that changed my LIFE

#JOSIE RADEK I LOVE YOU SO MUCH #godddddddd i love this movie #i shouldnt be allowed to watch annihilation it makes me too insane #ok but like #the fuckingggg #hox genes.... its so cool i love when horror uses science to explain it and does it WELL #'imagine dying scared and in pain and having that be the only part of you which survives... i wouldnt like that at all' #<< like. god. the impkications of that. #like. she knew it was happening and instead of being scared she chose to accept it #and went peacefully by choice instead of being forcefully taken. ....... #which is why her death was more beautiful and less violent than the others ....... #and its not like the shimmer is evil. its not evil. it judt changes things #and sometimes some of those changes are scarier than others #but that foesnt make it evil or malicious or anything its literally just like. nature #its like a prism!!!!!!! it takes the things that are already there and warps them ever so slightly with the things around them #like. ough7ghghg #god this movie is so good #also im getting to the part w my favorite song in any movie ever so like. prepare for me to be insane about that #its SO fucking hard to describe instrumentals with words tho so manybe not.

[ajibooks]

Recent fics by h_d (me)

Our Flag Means Death

Time to Play B-Sides: Ed/Stede, 26k, rating: explicit, modern AU (set in 2008). Online gaming AU, friends-to-lovers romance, found family feels, physical disability. "It's 2008, and life isn't going well for Ed Teach. On a whim, he starts playing World of Warcraft, where he makes new friends and meets the love of his life." Playlist: here.

Leggy Blond, You Got It Goin' On: Ed/Stede, 2.7k, rating: teen, modern AU. Humor, fluff, first meetings. One day at the beach, Ed encounters Stede and his legs.

What She Wants: Mary/Evelyn, 1k, rating: mature, modern AU (set in 2008). A version of Mary and Evelyn's date in Pina Coladas (but it stands alone, independent of that fic).

Honesty: Ed/Stede, 1.4k, rating: mature, canon AU, reunion fic. Humor, light angst. "Ed tries to lie to Stede, but it doesn't go very well."

Lucky 'verse (all fics stand alone):

If You're Lucky: Ed/Stede, 8k, rating: teen, modern AU (set in the 80s and 90s). Teen romance, nerds in love, trans Ed, autistic Stede. "Stede and Ed become best friends in middle school in 1989, and over the years, they fall in love." Playlist: here.

Sweet Promise: Ed/Stede, 12.9k, rating: explicit, modern AU (set in the 90s). Teen romance, found family feels, first times, family drama. "It's 1994, and Ed and Stede are in love and about to graduate from high school. Ed's mother approves of their relationship, but Stede's father doesn't at all. Will Ed and Stede be able to start their lives together?" Playlist: here.

Arthur's New Family: Ed/Stede, 1.9k, rating: gen, modern AU (set in 1999). Fluff, family feels. Standalone sequel to If You're Lucky, in which Ed and Stede adopt a dog, told from the dog's perspective. I've also recorded this as a podfic: here.

------

Twin Peaks

Treasures: Andy/Dick/Lucy, 3.9k, rating: teen, canon divergence. Fluff, humor, romance. "Andy and Dick are both in love with Lucy. To everyone's surprise, they have feelings for each other, too. Lucy doesn't want to say goodbye to either of them, but there could be another option."

Annihilation

An Unexpected Future: Josie Radek/Lena, 290, rating: gen, canon divergence. Romance. "Lena kisses Josie in the field of flowers."

#my fic #our flag means death #ofmd #ofmd fic #twin peaks

[12thbiologist]

hands down my favorite part of annihilation (2018) is the supporting cast. like, josie, sheppard, anya- theyre soo fucking delightful and add such a great comradery to the group. "is the mystery unraveling?" "somethings unraveling..." and "theres radeks' vegetable crackers heh" and "we're all damaged goods here." and just all the genuine care they have for eachother. its great!

#i understand why they had to change the group to be a lot more friendly and nice to eachother. a book is much better at #handling antisocial characters than a film

[fpere2023]

Critical Project: Empowerment in Horror

Introduction

“…the majority audience, perhaps even more than the audience for horror in general, was largely young and largely male-conspicuously groups of boys who cheer the killer on as he assaults his victims, then reverse their sympathies to cheer the survivor on as she assaults the killer. Young males are also, I shall suggest, the slasher film's implied audience, the object of its address.” (Corrigan 514)

“Between 1974 and 1986, however, the formula evolved and flourished in ways of some interest to observers of popular cul-ture, above all those concerned with the representation of women in film.” (Corrigan 516)

Due to an increased awareness/acknowledgment of female horror fans, the portrayal of female characters has developed into one that is more respectful and empowering. 

How Annihilation Subverts the tropes of the Final Girl:

“…the victim is eternally and prototypically the damsel.” (Corrigan 516)

In Annihilation the crew that embarks on the journey is made up of specialist and veteran women who desire to learn more about the phenomena. They are not damsels in distress but scientists who hunger for answers. (Garland, Annihilation, 21:05-24:08)

Dr. Ventress - psychologist (team leader)

Cassie Shepard - Geomorphologist

Josie Radek - Physicist

Anya Thorensen - paramedic

Lena Double - Biologist

“…a blatantly phallic murderer, even gurgling orgasmically as she dies.” (Corrigan 516)

The deaths in Annihilation (focusing on the female team) occur both on and off screen. The first death occurs off screen. Cass Sheppard is found in the forest by Lena Double where her body is mutilated but not in a sexual manner. Her throat is bit open exposing gore that makes the viewer turn away in disgust. However, Sheppard is left closed with eyes staring wide at the sky above. The second death is brutal and quick as Anya Thorensen is mauled by the bear-human hybrid. Her face is torn in half leaving gore and the character once again staring wide eyed at the ceiling. The third death occurs off screen but is not as violent or as shocking as the others. Josie Radek accepts the metamorphosis she is undergoing within the shimmer and becomes one of the humanoid plants sprawled across the village. The fourth and final death of the female scientist occurs within the center part of the creature controlling the shimmer. The lead scientist, Dr. Ventress accepts her death and is evaporated by the light being expelled from her body. Non- of the deaths should arouse desire or satisfaction form viewers. They can either be brutal or beautiful but they are not sexual. 

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:02:03-1:02:3) [Shepard]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:16:20-1:16:50) [Thorensen]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:18:40-1:21:39) [Radek]

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:30:26 - 1:33:30) [Ventress]

“As E. Ann Kaplan sums it up, "within the film text itself, men gaze at women, who become objects of the gaze; the spectator, in turn, is made to identify with this male gaze, and to objectify the woman on the screen; and the camera's original 'gaze' comes into play in the very act of filming." (Corrigan 517)

Because the main character is female the story is told from her perspective allowing the gaze to be her own. During one of the flashbacks (affair scene) Portman's character is shot from behind around eye level. Her back and face are shown in two separate shots showing her dominance in the bedroom and within the affair. She is in control. Her character is not sexualized as other female leads are in other horror movies (full body shots, breast exposed, loud orgasmic screaming) she is quietly pleasing herself while also dealing with the inner turmoil her actions have caused her. (Garland, Annihilation, 29:05 - 29:25)

“She is introduced at the beginning and is the only character to be developed in any psychological detail. We understand immediately from the attention paid it that hers is the main story line.” (Corrigan 518)

The other characters (Kane, other female leads) receive development as the story progresses allowing the audience to empathize and mourn each. 

“When De Palma says that female frailty is a predicate of the suspense genre, he proposes, in effect, that the lack of the phallus, for Lacan the privileged signifier of the symbolic order, is itself simply horrifying, at least in the mind of the male observer.” (Corrigan 521)

Although it is brought to attention the limited strength of the female characters (gun pickup scene). The characters are proven to be capable of protecting themselves when the situation calls for it. (Portman scenes shooting the alligator at eye level). (35:40) (Garland, Annihilation, 36:08-36:38)

“The cinematic gaze, we are told, is male, and just as that gaze "knows" how to fetishize the female form in pornography (in a way that it does not "know" how to fetishize the male form) so it "knows," in horror, how to track a woman ascending a staircase in a scary house and how to study her face from an angle above as she first hears the killer's footfall.” (Corrigan 521)

The characters are not hypersexualized in the film. They are allowed to have messy buns and wear baggy clothes because they are meant to survive. (Garland, Annihilation, 27:38 - 28:57)

“…boyish: because they are transformed males.” (Corrigan 522)

Although they do take the place of the ale team they are not reflections of them. The women have their own reasons for entering the shimmer and are able to progress to the end (two of them)

“…victim-hero…” (Corrigan 526)

None of the women are victims because they chose to enter the shimmer and continued forward knowing the danger. 

“Abject terror, in short, is gendered feminine…” (Corrigan 522)

Most of the women are stoic throughout the film or show some moments of weakness but they are not screaming and sobbing throughout the film. They work to survive. (Garland, Annihilation, 44:35-47:08)

(Garland, Annihilation, 1:10:56 - 1:14:30) Madness scene

How annihilation fulfills the trope of the final girl described by Clover:

“Brian De Palma elaborates:…you fear more for her than you would for a husky man."(Corrigan 516)

Hitchcock…'Torture the women!' The trouble today is that we don't torture women enough.” (Corrigan 516)

The team of women in Annihilation suffer both grotesque physical and psychological changes due to their time in the shimmer. The audience is disturbed by their suffering and sympathizes with their struggles. However, the horror is not solely experienced by them. As the film progresses the viewer learns about the fate of the Male team which acts as a catalyst to the true horror of the shimmer. 

“The killer is often unseen or barely glimpsed, during the first part of the film, and what we do see, when we finally get a good look, hardly invites immediate or conscious empathy.” (Corrigan 518)

Because it is not humanoid, the entity controlling the shimmer creates no connection with the viewer. Only confusion and fear. 

“No male character of any stature lives to tell the tale.” (Corrigan 518)

None of the male team survives to explain their experience in the shimmer. All that remains is the footage they recorded. (Garland, Annihilation, 47:28-48:55)

“-we see through his eyes and (on the soundtrack) hear his breathing and heartbeat.” (Corrigan 518)

Beginning shot of Kane's clone returning home. But it is brief and Pormans characters perspective is the one we focus on. (Garland, Annihilation, 6:27-7:30)

“The last point is the crucial one: the same female body does for both. The Final Girl (1) undergoes agonizing trials, and (2) virtually or actually destroys the antagonist and saves herself.” (Corrigan 524)

The body shifts due to shimmer, the psychological torment Portman's character faces due to her guilt and experience in the shimmer as well as her battle against her clone in the heart of shimmer qualifies her for 1. The destruction of the shimmer through the clone is 2.

“At the moment that the Final Girl becomes her own savior, she becomes a hero; and the moment that she becomes a hero is the moment that the male viewer gives up the last pretense of male identification.” (Corrigan 524)

By burning the shimmer, Portmans character is able to do the thing her husband, Kane, could do, essentially making her the final girl. However she is ultimately changed forever. 

Sources

“Annihilation.” Box Office Mojo, https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1057129985/.

Clover, Carol J. Her Body, Himself Men, Women, and Chain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film. 1992.  Princeton University Press.  In Critical Vision in Film Theory (2011).  Corrigan, et al.  Bedford/St.Martins, p. 511-530 

“The Most Surprising Horror Movie Statistics and Trends in 2023 • Gitnux.” GITNUX, 13 Mar. 2023, https://blog.gitnux.com/horror-movie-statistics/.

Published by Statista Research Department, and Jan 5. “U.S.: Horror Films' Popularity by Gender 2022.” Statista, 5 Jan. 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1342707/horror-movies-theater-viewing-gender-united-states/#:~:text=As%20of%20October%202022%2C%20approximately,added%20up%20to%2021%20percent.

Annihilation. Directed by Alex Garland. Performance by Natalie Portman Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. Paramount Pictures. 2018. Film

#Youtube #annihilation #Carol J. Clover #Horror #final girl

[ccrv-7]

on one hand i hate what they did with expedition 12 in the movie. but on the OTHER hand. josie radek <3

#thetalogs #shes the light of my life shes my everything

[throwbackmovie]

Tessa Thompson as Josie Radek in ANNIHILATION – 2018

@TessaThompson_x

#Tessa Thompson #Annihilation #Josie Radek #scientist #soldier #alien invasion #sci fi #afrofuturism

[pedroam-bang]

Annihilation (2018)

#2018 #gif #film #movie #science fiction #Annihilation #Alex Garland #Natalie Portman #Lena #Oscar Isaac #Kane #Jennifer Jason Leigh #Dr. Ventress #Tuva Novotny #Cass Sheppard #Gina Rodriguez #Anya Thorensen #Tessa Thompson #Josie Radek #Southern Reach #The Shimmer #M4A1

[swdefcult]

#tessa thompson #josie radek #annihilation #cyberpunk #scifi

[tallysgreatestfan]

This movie still haunts me

#Annihilation #Southern Reach Trilogy #Josie Radek #tw unreality #horror #fanwork #fanart #my fanwork #my fanart

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

josie radek i love you so dearly

#<3333 #she is everything to me

[ajibooks]

Recent fics by h_d (me)

Our Flag Means Death:

Time to Play B-Sides: Ed/Stede, 26k, rating: explicit, modern AU (set in 2008). Online Gaming AU, friends-to-lovers romance, found family feels, physical disability. "It's 2008, and life isn't going well for Ed Teach. On a whim, he starts playing World of Warcraft, where he makes new friends and meets the love of his life." Playlist: here.

Leggy Blond, You Got It Goin' On: Ed/Stede, 2.7k, rating: teen, modern AU. Humor, fluff, first meetings. One day at the beach, Ed encounters Stede and his legs.

If You're Lucky: Ed/Stede, 8k, rating: teen, modern AU (set in the 80s and 90s). Teen romance, nerds in love, trans character. "Stede and Ed become best friends in middle school in 1989, and over the years, they fall in love." Playlist: here.

Arthur's New Family: Ed/Stede, 1.9k, rating: gen, modern AU (set in 1999). Fluff, family feels. Standalone sequel to If You're Lucky, in which Ed and Stede adopt a dog, told from the dog's perspective. I've also recorded this as a podfic: here.

What She Wants: Mary/Evelyn, 1k, rating: mature, modern AU (set in 2008). A version of Mary and Evelyn's date in Pina Coladas (but it stands alone, independent of that fic).

------

Other fandoms:

Twin Peaks:

Treasures: Andy/Dick/Lucy, 3.9k, rating: teen, canon divergence. Fluff, humor, romance. "Andy and Dick are both in love with Lucy. To everyone's surprise, they have feelings for each other, too. Lucy doesn't want to say goodbye to either of them, but there could be another option."

Annihilation:

An Unexpected Future: Josie Radek/Lena, 290, rating: gen, canon divergence. Romance. "Lena kisses Josie in the field of flowers."

#my fic #ofmd #twin peaks

[pigeonbutch]

can we hear the tessa thompson's death in annihilation rant please

thank you for giving me an excuse to rewatch annihilation 

okay so i dont have enough actual coherent thoughts or essay writing skill to write a proper Thing about it but the short answer is i love it so so so much (assume the rest of this post is accompanied by wild hand flapping)

slightly longer answer (cw for self harm mention) basically the main reason i love her character so much is i dont think ive ever seen a character portrayed before that has an explicit history of self harm but its not presented as this awful thing that carries so much shame with it and as someone with that also in my history thats just really really important to me. and then her ‘death’ (she didn’t die, she just changed into something new (tying into the overall theme of change =/= destruction which again is something i LOVE)) and how she’s the only one of the group who actually accepts whats happening to them and so she actually seems to get a choice about her change so she gets the most peaceful outcome of all of them

dont you just want to Give In to it all and become a tree

#ask #annihilation #josie radek #self harm mention / #anonymous #asks