#*those two kids from that one animated short film heartbeat or in a heartbeat i believe ahsdjsf

[blouisparadise]

We recently received a request for enemies and lovers recs. We already have an enemies to lovers fic rec list here, but after looking at that list, we realized we had much more to add to it and therefore decided to make a part two.

Happy reading!

1) I Couldn’t Get Away From You | Mature | 5185 words

Suddenly in the heat of the moment, Harry’s eyes turned darker as he pushed Louis’ back more and more towards the wall. “Fine.” He plants his lips on Louis’ and begins to roughly kiss him, soon enough turning it into a make-out session.

“Fuck you, Styles,” Louis moans and grips onto Harry’s shoulders, hands trailing up to the taller’s hair and gripping that as well.

“We’ll see about that.”

2) There's More Than One Place To Call Home | Explicit | 8416 words

Harry never asked for much from his neighbors - he didn't care about barking animals during the day or loud talking during the night.

The only thing he needed was silence when he was writing. And that was the only thing his new neighbor wouldn't give him.

Deciding to confront the loud guy who lived next door, Harry found himself ringing his doorbell one night. And that decision just may be the best thing that's ever happened to Harry.

3) Make A Run, Cause Some Rebellion | Explicit | 8824 words

As a general rule, kitten hybrids are small and disinterested in what other people want them to do, slightly evil and at least a little manipulative. Louis prides himself on being all of those things to varying degrees, but especially on being uninterested in what other people tell him to do. He’s still human goddammit, despite his pointy ears and penchant for curling up in the sun and taking naps.

He’s going about his daily business, knocking things over where he sees fit and leaving a trail of mess in his wake. As exasperated as it makes Liam he’s used to it by now, having shared a flat with Louis for almost three years now, and if Louis whines enough he’ll even clean up after him. It’s a great life, really.

With the exception of Liam’s stupid, broad shouldered, entirely too big mate, the one who always comes over to watch sports with him. Louis hates that guy. His hair is always greasy and he brings weird hipster beer with him when he comes that tastes like shit. And he won’t even let Louis have any of it, either. The only reason Louis even knows what it tastes like is because one time he stole a bottle from the fridge and fled to his room before Harry could catch him.

4) Something To Prove | Explicit | 9425 words

Louis is the first and only omega to work at Red Valley Medical Center. Despite being more than qualified, he still faces prejudice for his career choice everyday. From patients refusing his treatment to condescending alpha doctors intervening with his work, practicing medicine in Boston is more challenging than Louis had ever thought it would be.

5) Where Do We Go Now | Explicit | 10617 words

Louis goes off to college ready to start a fresh life away from the oppressive alphas of his pack.  The odds aren't in his favour when his new dorm mate turns out to be an alpha.  Louis hates alphas.

6) Enjoy The Ride | Not Rated | 11103 words

The one where Louis, an omega more than tired of being treated as lesser than alphas, is forced on a road trip by his beta besties only to meet Harry who might just be the alpha he never knew he wanted.

7) I Didn’t Fall For You (You Fucking Tripped Me) | Explicit | 20681 words

These days Louis tends to steer clear of dating alphas. He’s dated too many knotheads in his time, and he’s ready to just focus on school and his friends and his pet monitor lizard, of course.

Too bad the alpha next door won’t take a hint and stop using the worst pick up lines of all time on him. He’s really got to stop laughing with him--and talking to him and walking to class with him and letting him bring him coffee and tea and gifts for his lizard and watching Netflix together and...

8) Written In The Stars (That’s You And Me) | Explicit | 22632 words

Louis pushes himself up on one elbow and stretches enough to just barely trace his fingertips over Harry’s jawline. Harry’s eyes drop to track his movements as he does it again. “D’you feel that?” he whispers.

To him, it feels like all of the universe’s magic lives just beneath his skin when he touches Harry with intent. It feels like something special. Louis watches Harry’s lips part and wants to touch that too. He almost does, but then Harry shakes his head. “Feel what?”

6) Middle Ground | Explicit | 23516 words

Note: This fic has been locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Harry moves to a new town for work where he meets the enigma that is Louis Tomlinson.

10) When It’s Late At Night | Mature | 25597 words

The Late Late prompt that we all need to get through this excruciatingly hard time.

11) Supposed To Be | Explicit | 26100 words

The Geek Charming AU where Harry's a film geek, Louis' a popular jock, and they both need each other to get what they want.

12) Magical Soup | Explicit | 28850 words

Slytherin prefect Louis Tomlinson's seventh year at Hogwarts takes an immediate turn for the worse when he's made to be potions partners with Harry Styles, Hufflepuff's resident heartthrob and class clown.  Louis has always considered Styles to be a terrible show-off who coasts by on his charm and good looks, but the more they work together, the more he questions that idea.  As term goes on, will Louis be able to admit to himself that he might actually like Harry Styles after all... and maybe, just maybe, as more than a friend?

13) Building Me Up (But Buttercup, You Lied) | Explicit | 31007 words

Harry’s mouth felt dry just saying those words. What he had with Louis was so much more than a simple ‘fuck buddies’ situation. It was slow kisses in the morning between soft sheets and shy smiles, it was holding hands in the afternoon while walking and eating ice cream. It was breakfast for dinner, laughing and licking honey from each other’s lips as they shared goals and even some secrets, it was happiness, it was glow.

To Harry, what he had with Louis meant everything. Until Louis decided it meant nothing.

14) You’ve Set On Me | Explicit | 31100 words

Louis' in an obscure band. Harry's an international popstar. Their paths aren't meant to cross, not like this, but when Louis' band signs on as Harry's opening act, both Harry and Louis are forced to confront the open wounds of their shared past.

15) Nicotine | Explicit | 32245 words | Sequel

"We're two different types of people, Liam. He likes sex and drugs, I like theater and tea. Trust me, we'd never date." Except they would, they do, and neither of them plans on letting go anytime soon.

16) Let Me Feel Your Heartbeat | Explicit | 34572 words

Harry is 98% sure Louis hates him. So he feels like his bewilderment is justified when the omega offers to help him through his rut.

17) Close To Nowhere | Explicit | 34589 words

Louis and Harry are psychics who kind of hate each other. They go to Tennessee to investigate a haunting.

18) Make This Feel Like Home | Explicit | 42032 words

The house on West 28th Street in London is twice the size of Louis', more expensive than the price of all of his house and car payments combined, and is falling apart at the seams.

19) Strangers in Love | Explicit | 42207 words

Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.

10) Why Can’t It Be Like That | Explicit | 63567 words

A fashion AU with a royal twist, where Louis doesn't need a stylist, Harry's thrilled to have a real life Barbie doll, and they're both very wrong about each other.

21) I Want You So Much (But I Hate Your Guts) | Mature | 83648 words

AU in which Louis gets accepted to play for the Manchester University Alpha-Beta Football Team. The only problem: Louis is actually an Omega. He is determined to make it big in the football world, though, and he can't do that bound to an Omega team. With the help of a faked doctor's certificate and some pretty strong suppressants he is ready to fight for his dream.

That Harry Styles (Alpha, second year and youngest football captain of the A-B team in ages) doesn't seem to like him complicates matters, though.

22) For Reasons Wretched and Divine | Explicit | 94655 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

Ten years ago, Harry Styles was just a nerdy kid with one friend and a debilitating crush on the captain of his school’s football team. He thought the stars were smiling down on him the day he and Louis Tomlinson were paired for their end-of-term Literature project. But because Harry’s life is decidedly not a fairytale, the budding friendship quickly leads to the least happy ending of all time.

Now, Harry Styles is a household name. Barely twenty-seven with two Grammy nominations to his name, the singer-songwriter is poised to take the music industry by storm with his highly anticipated third album. So, what happens when the best producer in the business is also the only person Harry’s vowed never to speak to again?

23) You Drive Me Crazy (But It Feels Alright) | Explicit | 102306 words

Note: This fic has mentions of BH.

“Harry is not short for Harold,” he corrects, his voice as thick as molasses. He lowers his eyes to Louis’ sequined lapels, rubbing one between two fingers. “Is this small or extra small? It looks lovely.”

Louis breaks away from his grip with a petulant huff and pushes him back with two fingers.

“You’re mocking me. Again.”

Harry smiles and it's a real honest swoop of his lips this time. Louis’ stomach swoops with them.

24) Tainted Saints And Velvet Vices | Mature | 126056 words

A self-fulfilling Hogwarts AU in which Louis is new to seventh year and Harry is the resident devil-may-care Slytherin set to make his entire experience a living misery. Due to less than favourable circumstances they're forced to forge an unwilling, tentative relationship for their own survival. Repressed emotions, decidedly unromantic ballroom dancing, Triwizard Tournament tasks, creative jinxes and twilight flying above the Forbidden Forest ensue.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#bottom louis #top harry #larry #enemies to lovers #hate to love #fic recs #blp #blp fic recs

[popculturebuffet]

Jake Reviews Amphibia: Handy Anne and Fort in the Road

It’s finally here... the second time i’ve said that in three days but hey, Amphibia is back! After a years hiatus due to the show being shoved out in a month to get it on disney plus faster (Yet they STILL don’t have wonder over yonder so I can finally watch season 2. God damn. ), one of the best new shows of a year stuffed with them is back! I was excited about this one from the start. A great premise, a gravity falls pedegriee, and the wonderful Brenda Song, who I had a crush on when I was younger despite not really watching the first suite life that much, though I will admit what I saw was pretty decent and had a wonderful cast especially song and Phil Morris as Mr.Mosby.. it was just overshadowed by i’ts two leads being really sterotypical (the cool but dumb hustler and the stick in the mud nerd) and I was more of a nick middle schooler anyway so I barely touched it. Granted if I could go back in time and trade which shows I watched i’d trade it for Zoey 101 in a heartbeat, another show with awful leads but the rest of the main cast was really good concidentally. 

Anyways I did watch more of on deck to  kill time and absolutley hated it. Seroiulsy the show really sucks: Zack and Cody were turned into basically worse versions of Zack Morris and Ross Gellar, worse because while their just as douchey as those two, Mark  Paul Gossler and David Schiwmer can actually act and Cole Sprouse could not yet. I do say yet since Cole Sprouse has grown because he wasn’t half bad in the one season of riverdale I watched. Riverdale, what happens when you have the entire writers room snort a line of coke and then tell them to write the most insane archie fanfiction they can and stitch the results together. Just with Archie alone from what i’ve seen in read he’s started a vigilante posse ala homer simpson, nearly joined hte mafia, been framed form murder, had the local cheerleaders do a number for him while he played prison football, escaped prison to hide in canda from both his former mafia boss whose also his girlfriend’s dad and the cult based on a  DnD knockoff, got mauled by a bear and LIVED, and now is a superhero apparently. WHy I haven’t gone back to at the very least review this clusterfuck is a mystery.  But the point is the twins were really terrible at the time, and if the fact Dylan’s only major role recently is in the sequel to After, that film based on self insert one direction fanfiction, which somehow got a sequel while Birds of Prey probably won’t because god really does hate me. So it was bad and she deserved better, got better with the social network but hadn’t done much i’d seen, so a new cartoon starting her in her elment and in a great show for once had me pumped.  And.. my faith paid off. The show is beautifully animated, ahs a wonderfully morbid and fully fleshed out world, top notch voice acting (including BIll Farmer who is so unreconizable as hop pop I thought he was voiced by charlie addler), great jokes, action and storytelling. Just a slam dunk that left be jonesning for me. And now in one of the best weeks for animation in a while, more is here. I do mean that: 3/4 of disney’s major animated shows returning and close enough finally airing it’s a good time.  When we last left our heroes: Hop Pop buired the box that brought anne there and lied to her about it which even a year later I think is a terrible decision.. one made for understandable reasons as he clearly knows something more about it than she does, but one that’s bound ot backfire whens he finds out her new grandpa lied to her and betrayed her. The plantars also spent the season preparing to leave wartwood. Soon after, Anne was forced to finally stand up to her manipulative, if to my utter shock still caring about her and possibly being into her? I mean it’s not like I haven’t seen the “villian whose overcompensating for a terrible past and likes manipualting people redeemed and ending up smooching the somewhat reckless but good hearted heroine” before. 

Anyways Sasha ends up nearly falling off a giant tower, Anne tries to save her, with the rest of her new family pitching in, and Sasha, realizing just how terrible she’s been just.. let’s her self fall, only saved because Grime caught her. And just remembering that sequence god dman.. the fact they actually got the rights to lean on me for it really dosen’t help. But the day was saved and while Anne had a huge bundle of trauma, the family was ready to finally set out soon. And now a year later i’ts time. Now i’ve gotten all the personal stuff out of the way, let’s hop to it and see what the new season has to offer. Full review with spoilers under the cut!

Handy Anne

So the Plantars are finally setting off. We don’t touch on the Sasha thing much, just a quick bit at the begining to show that while Anne is insiting she’s fine it really traumatized her. I do like kids shows starting to show more that sometimes heroes just DON’T bounce back after something like this, especially young ones. While it’ isn’t nearly to the extent of Steven Universe spending an entire season having his lack of thearpy and unresolved issues slowly destroy him, it’s still nice to see. But the main thrust of the episode is it’s vacation time brother!

Yup after a few episodes of build up last season with the valley clear, Hop Pop has bought a suprisingly nice and affordable wagon (As Polly excitedly explains someone died in it) so they can finally set out to hopefully find Anne a way home. Their going to Oregon! I mean To newtopia, the beating heart of Amphibia: a bustling metroplis built on knowledge where they can hopefully find a way to get Anne and friends back home, while Anne hopes to find Marcy. The rest of the kids are also excited just to get out of the valley for the first time.  Everyone’s pumped.. but Anne starts to worry when she finds out Hop Pop has asked his friend Chuck, the “I grow tulips” guy from the bug ball episode last season who I forgot about but was reminded why I love him and am glad to have him back, to watch the house as given Amphibia is hard enough to surivive on a good day, let alone if your a stationary building. And Chuck dosen’t insprie confidence so Anne decides to fortify the house. And her reasoning.. is actually really sweet and shows how much she’s grown: Instead of like most times where her impulsivness is the reason shenanigans and life thretaning situations happen here.. she’s hit with the hard relization her new family is basically risking everything, their home, their farm, their chuck, to help her get home. 

So Anne decides to armor up the house, getting a fuck ton of shovels and a ton of suplies from the blacksmith guy who suprisngly for once DOES have what she needs for her veggies, to the point his not backtracking weirds anne out, and gives her a tub of goo. This can only end well! Meanwile the rest of the family pack. Polly having maybe 3 possesions gets done quick, Hop Pop is being anal reteitive as always with his ascots (hilariously done and Bill Farmer really is the MVP of this series), while Sprig’s gone half insane just picking out which slingshot to take as he never left, which polly of course exploits.  But things natrually go wrong as the goo creates veggie monsters the family fights (with sprig even calling fight time because this is normal to them at this point) the next mornign and then one colosus that destroys the house... and Anne’s anger and heartbreak over it .. awakens something. See something I hadn’t heard about and didn’t notice at the ebgining of the series was anne’s eyes flashing blue while fighting the mantis in the first episode. Many couldn’t tell if it was leading somewhere or just an animation error. Here though her eyes go bright blue in close up with it being clear this is part of her.. the question what is it and why? Just what power does she have now? And will it save the world or destroy it? Questions for later Anne saves the day, an admits she screwed up but Hop Pop is understanding: He’s touched by her actions but also explains their not just doing this for her: their with her all the way and any sacrifice is worth it. And I like that part of hop pop: while he can be overbearing, just see next episode.. he does genuinely mean well and has genuine wisdom, something they sometimes forget with grandparent characters in animation. He’s crotchety and a stick in the mud, but he’s still throughly nice and understanding and it shows here: He’s going to get his daughter back whatever it takes.. almost.  Hop Pop calls on chuck who in a whilrwind of tools and tulips fixes the place.. and proves to be every bit the legend I thought him. He sells tulips and he’s great. We’ll miss you chuck. But as they get ready to leave Anne brings up the box and Hop Pop, remembering what he did, hastily says it’s better with their contacts. WHich again just seems short sided: while he is trying to protect her, especially since next episode confirms there was some sort of apocalypse once so odds are her being connected to it might not be the best, he can’t dance around her connection to it forever, and hiding the fact some apolcaypse was caused by it is only going to backfire when some vilian reveals it or anne finds it out for herself. Taking her to a place full of infomration where he’ll now have to work to hide the truth is just asking for this to backfire. Not bringing it is one thing, dangerous people could still get the box and use it for their own ends.. we’ve seen female newt sabertooth in the promos and we’ve met Grime. But not telling her is just setitng himself up for a big and deeserved fall soon. But with that settled our heroes set out! 

Final Thoughts I:  Overall this was a good start to the season: my one real complaint is the town didn’t really see them off or anything, so the large and loveable supporting cast is just.. absent unless the series returns to wartwood at some point and it would’ve been nice to see them once last time. Even star vs, as bad as season 3 was, knew we wouldn’t be seeing most of the earth cast for a whie and had marco have a meaningful sendoff before he left. But.. given how tight the phacing seems to be this season judging by episode titles alone, and they only had 11 minutes here. I do think it could’ve been in hte next episode, but it dosen’t ruin a decent, fun start to the season really rooted in character stuff. Not the series finest 11 minutes, but still really good and a good way to start us off. 

Fort in the Road: 

First off your welcome for that episode screencap. Now this one’s also simple, but ends up having a rather sizeable revelation nestled inside. The Plantars are going down the road and while the kids want to you know explore, see places, actually enjoy the trip especailly since Sprig and Polly have never been anywhere else before, Hop Pop, being hop pop, instead just wants them to sit and be quite and follow his rules. I mean it is hte grind but you can at least make it FUN for htem; Just look at this guy. 

It took an episode longer than I thought to refrence the trail to oregon given this season is about a wagon trip, but I’m glad to do it .. and do it again. I will fit pays to be an animal in here somewhere I swear it. WE’ve got time left in the road trip.  Anyways this goes down terribly, though some rules like not posing dramatically as it smacks of hubris and never ends well. But understandably the kids are annoyed about it: Anne can’t even compallin because i’ts not in the rules.  So naturally as Hop Pop should’ve seen coming at the first opprotuunity Anne fakes being cart sick and they run off to see a weird looking ruin with Hop Pop chasing them and leaving the cart to polly because that can’t end well but he’s on a short time.  And this is where the season drops a 10 ton atomic bombshell. Anne being kinda magic in the last episode and it being fully part of things now is intresting and shocking.. but this is miles ahead of it and casts Hop Pop’s actions: Turns out whatever the clamamity box did set techniology in amphibia back to a little above the dark ages. I mean they have full light thanks to lightning bugs, but their still leagues behind.. but were once up to at least mid 2000′s levels of technology. The machine seen requires a disk to stop, but it’s still far beyond what I expcted from this world. Naturally Hop Pop shows up furious, then gets stuck on the assembly line with the kids deseprate to save him, with spirg ending up doing sow ith the rule book. Also we get Anne’s wonderful repsonse to Sprig asking what a disk is:  “I don’t know! i’m from another dimension not the 90s!”  They surivive, the factory blows up and the kids apologize and agree to go back to the boring way things have been going.. but Hop Pop thankfully realizes he’s been a bit overbearing and actually gives a good reason why: He’s never taken then out of the valley before and simply got overprotective. This is his family after all, all he has left of his kid and all he really has left beside Sylvia and the farm. It’s understandble he’d go a bit overboard. But Hop Pop decides to compromise a bit in a nice moment: while the impalment fields are obviously a non starter, he does get the kids ice cream (Anne even admits at this point she dosen’t pick the bugs out anymore), and they genuinely enjoy the trip while Sprig (in a hilarious bit of lampshadng as he does it repeadtly) wonders jsut what they were making.. and as I spoiled it was robots.. one of whom is now following them. Wether this means new doom or the plantars getting a new robot family member I don’t know i’m hoping for the latter. Everyone needs a vision in their life.   Final thoughts II: While having a bit of an obvious conflict with an obvious resolution the character work combined with the MASSIVE plot bombshell really make this enjoyable and I hope to find out more about just what the hell happened and what these robots are for. Just another good solid episode and an excellent duo to start the season.  Next week: Things take a turn for the western and Anne learns to hunt and more about the glow. And with the glow you need to grow to glow... until then i’ll likely have mor ereviews on this channel, I recently reveiwed all of season 1 of close enough if your curious, and until next time.. play us out Willie!

I love what i’ve seen of this throughly stupid movie. Bye ya’ll! 

#amphibia #handy anne #fort in the road #season 2 #brenda song #bill farmer #the suite life on deck #disney channel #disney xd #disney plus #anne boonchuy #hopidiah planter #sprig planter #polly planter #sasha #lord grime

[yespolkadotkitty]

Breathless, pt 11

Part 10 here

The moon hung, heavy, waxy in the sky, as you watched Conrad check and load two weapons.

“Where did you get those?”

He smiled over at you, his gaze enigmatic. “If you know where to look, who to ask, it’s not so hard.”

The man was a master of understatement.

He offered you what looked, to your untrained eye, like the sort of handgun they used in spy films.

“This is a Glock. Do you know how to shoot?”

You took it carefully, looking at it like it might bite you. “Uh… point and pull the trigger?”

His lips curved, a little. “Aim, too.”

You chuckled; he was lifting the mood again, curling the fear out of you a little, bending it so it didn’t bite so much. “Yes, Sir.”

His gaze darkened ever so slightly, and you thought, pulse kicking up, I’ll dig a bit deeper into that if we survive whatever happens now.

You both dressed quickly, leaving surplus belongings in the room. You’d come back for them, if you were able.

Conrad pulled you in for a quick, hard kiss by the door, and you drank him in, your fingers tangling in his short, thick hair, your tongue dancing with his. You spread your arms over his back, hugging him tightly, trying to compress the feel of his lean, solid warmth into your muscle  memory.

When he let you go, you saw sadness in his gaze.

“Whatever we find, we’ll still have each other?” he asked, cupping your chin.

“Always.” You had no idea how he would fit into your life, but you would make any sacrifice for it to happen. To have him would be to need little else.

You left the little hotel. All was quiet; the ferry didn’t run this time of night. Animals chattered in the darkness as you passed a fast food outlet with a few tourists milling around outside, drinking beer. The moon shone down as you crossed the bridge together, the temple illuminated by small floodlights by the pillars, likely places for tourists who came by in the evenings or early in the morning.

The steps to the temple were wide, not too steep. Conrad held up a hand, and you recognised him put on what you thought of as his game face. Eyes like a hawk, all senses alert. He crept up the steps to where the huge, heavy wooden doors, ornately painted, stood open. The darkness yawning between them like a tomb.

Your own heartbeat sounded loud in your ears as you followed Conrad up the steps. The courtyard through the huge, ornate doors waited, empty. At the right side a little gate had been left ajar. Conrad jerked his head towards it, silent. You nodded agreement. The night here was so still, like a heavy cloak, you were almost afraid to breathe out.

You both slipped through the gate. The Glock felt heavy, tucked into the waistband of the back of your jeans. You hadn’t been sure where else to put it, where it wouldn’t be completely obvious. Maybe it was, anyway, as you weren’t used to firearms.

Neither was your kid brother. Or was he?

Beyond the gate, more steps led to a smaller temple. You looked up. Conrad held up hand up, fist clenched. 

“I see movement,” he whispered.

Your stomach freewheeled for a moment.

“Ready?” he asked.

You nodded, although you had no idea what would greet you.

In the end, your worst fears both were and were not realised. In the smaller temple, Ben and Trish sat on one of three low wooden benches. Ben stood when you entered the doorway, his hair tousled. A few days’ worth of stubble hugged his jaw, and he looked so much like your dear, departed father that a sob escaped your lips.

Conrad glanced at you, concerned.

A few days ago, you’d have run into Ben’s arms, held him tight, cried for his safety. Now you stood stock still. 

He looked…. Fine. Not trapped or co-erced.

Wearing a Malay tie-dye dress, Trish smiled coldly.

“Hey, sis,” Ben said, his tone flat. “You can call off your attack dog.”

Anger rose inside you at his words. “I don’t think I will, yet. Why all this cloak and dagger stuff?” you demanded. 

You let your gaze trail over him in the darkness. He was still your brother, and yet… not. A stranger clothed in your brother’s body, speaking with Ben’s voice.

“Why do you think?” he asked, lazily.

You had the feeling that the rug was about to be pulled from under your feet. “I really don’t know, Ben,” you hissed, struggling for calm. “I’ve wasted a lot of money, trying-”

“Money! It’s always about money with you, isn’t it?” He exploded, eyes shooting daggers. “And control of it.”

Trish glared silently.

You opened your mouth and shut it again, speechless. Finally you asked, “What? If you needed money, I’d have given it to you.”

“Would you? I get an allowance. Like a child. You control it, and me. I’m a grown man, I don’t need to be kept like a dog on a leash by my sister,” he seethed.

What? It was late, you were tired. “I don’t..”

“Of course you don’t, you stupid bitch. Mom and Dad doted on you. The super smart, pretty first child. Left everything to you, left you in control of what I did. I had to go to Harvard to get the allowance, had to do everything by the book, while you got to run free.”

You listened, aghast. “But Dad’s will… that wasn’t anything to do with me, Ben.”

“The hell it wasn’t! You all wanted me to be the perfect image of a well mannered, polite little rich boy, without my own free will. I want to be truly free.”

You glanced at Trish. Had she orchestrated this? It was hard to say. 

“Why lure me here?”

“I had to get you away from all of it.” He gestured to Trish and she slid a small laptop out of a canvas bag. “Make you see sense. I just want freedom, sis. To be myself, with Trish. Money would help.”

Trish opened the laptop and tapped a few buttons.

“Just transfer some of the Trust fund to me.”

You gaped, then shut your mouth, hearing the click of your teeth. “I…. I can’t.”

Ben glanced across at Trish.

“Of course you can,” she snapped. 

“No, I really can’t.” Your hands itched to reach for the gun, but what good would it do? “What’s this about, Ben?”

He sighed dramatically. “You think it’s easy? To live in your fucking shadow? Dad’s shadow? To be told at Harvard - oh, your father would’ve known how to behave. Your father would have done it like this. I’m not my father!”

He roared the last bit, and tears burned the back of your eyes. “I miss him too, Ben. But you can’t just escape-”

“Yes, I can. Trish and I are going to have big adventures where no one cares who my father was or what my last name is. I can be free of his judgement.”

Your heart pounded. “You can’t know-”

“I know that you took over after they died. Did everything. Poor Ben, Ben is so sad, he needs help-”

“You did need help!” you shout back. “Anyone would have!” Any reservations you might have had about Conrad seeing your family drama play out had disappeared with your fears for Ben’s mental health. “Just take a step back, Ben. Please. I can help.”

“I’ve had enough of your help,” he quavered, pulling a gun from the back of his own cargo pants. Your heart just stopped. “Just do it.”

“I can’t. You can have all my money-”

“I want mine!” he snapped, the gun wavering. 

“Ben,” Conrad began. “Losing loved ones is very hard on anyone, let alone losing a parent.”

“Shut up!” His hair and eyes wild, Ben shook the gun. “What do you know? You’re just a rottweiler for hire.”

Conrad stood perfectly still, not rising to the bait.

Trish took the laptop down to you, holding it out. “It’ll take seconds.”

Your heart jumped. Sweat trickled down the back of your neck. “I really can’t. I want to help you, Ben, but-”

“You’re just like Dad!” he shouted. “He wanted to help. But what happened? He left you in charge.”

“What are you not telling me?” you asked, your voice low, but carrying across the near-silent temple floor.

“I told Dad I wanted to be free. Didn’t want to go to Harvard. Wanted to explore for a few years. He said I should be more like you. Responsible. Make something of myself. But I was sick of living in your shadow.”

Your stomach sank like a stone. “Did you….”

He laughed, a hollow sound. “Did I kill them? Fuck, no. I loved them. But they didn’t understand me. I’m not a lawyer, or a congressman. I just want to be free. And then their deaths sealed my fate. I wouldn’t get any money unless I graduated.”

“I don’t understand…”

“I’m failing, okay? I can’t make the grade. And Dad’s lawyer came to tell me there’d be no trust fund money in three years’ time unless I graduate.”

Oh. You hadn’t known that. “You can have my money.”

Ben’s gun hand stopped shaking for a moment. “Another handout from you? Wouldn’t that make you happy?”

“No, Ben, it wouldn’t,” you sob. “I don’t have access to the funds. I really don’t.”

He lifted the gun, and you realised that he was probably having a fully fledged nervous breakdown. Did Trish know? Was she using it? Had she known all along?

“Please, don’t make me do this. If I die, you don’t get anything.”

He smiled grimly. “Surely if you die, I’m the sole heir.”

Oh, God.

You held a hand out.

“If you pull that trigger, I will put a bullet in you,” Conrad told Ben, voice eerily calm.

“It’ll be over, either way,” Ben said softly, his eyes wet.

Everything happened at once. Two shots, Ben’s body on the ground, Trish’s, too. The laptop screen shattering into a thousand shards. And Conrad shouting.

****

You came to in a stark white hospital bed, your vision blurry. When you blinked, clearing it, you saw Conrad sitting next to you. You jerked fully awake.

“Ben! Ben?”

“He’s alive,” Conrad told you softly.

The hospital room smelled of antiseptic and fresh, sea air.

“We’re in Kuala Lumpur,” he added.

“What happened?”

“Easy. You’ve got a concussion from where you fell. You’ll hardly believe this, but it seems that Bill grew a conscience from when I saved his life. He’d had us followed. When Ben pulled the trigger, I jumped at him, pushing him in time for the shot to go wide and hit Trish. It only grazed her arm. She’s in another room. You fell back on to the stone floor. A second later, Bill and two of his…. Associates arrived in the temple, and thank Christ they did, as three of us needed medical attention.”

You breathed in deeply. “He’s not well, Conrad.”

“I quite agree. I’ve had a long chat with Trish.”

You winced on Trish’s behalf, angry with her, but knowing that a chat with Conrad would have been fairly terrifying. “And?”

“She’ s harmless. Along for the ride, and the wealth. A groupie,” he said sadly. 

Your heart ached. “I think a long visit with a doctor is on the cards for Ben. Does he hate me?”

“If he does, you’ve done nothing to deserve it,” Conrad reassured

“How was Bill involved?”

“Ben promised him a big cut of whatever you transferred,” Conrad growled. “I guess in a way, following us was, in his mind, protecting an investment.”

Tears burned your eyes. “Oh, Ben. I should have paid more attention.”

Conrad soothed you, kissing your forehead. “You only loved him. What he did with that was his business.”

You lay back on the pillows. “All that’s left now is to go back and pick up the pieces of my life. I guess.”

Conrad stroked your hair back. “Our life, I rather hope?”

Love bloomed in your chest. “I don’t know how we’ll fit together, Conrad. Do you?”

He stood up from the chair and pulled something from his pocket. A little piece of card. He unfolded it to reveal a single pressed flower from the Botanical Gardens, the stem long. As you watched, confused, he took your hand and tied the long, soft stem around your ring finger. His blue eyes lit with mischief. “I don’t have all the details yet, love. But I hope you’ll let me spend a lifetime figuring them out with you.”

THE END.

Thanks to @hopelessromanticspoonie​ for the beta!!

And thanks to EVERYONE for coming on this journey with me. I hope the ending was OK.

Tagging: @just-the-hiddles​ @lotus-eyedindiangoddess​ @peacope​ @lady-loki-ren​ @vodka-and-some-sass​ @nonsensicalobsessions​ @amarisyousei​ @jessiejunebug​ @villainousshakespeare​ @arch-venus25​ @myoxisbroken​ @xxloki81xx​ @wiczer​

#james conrad fic #imagine james conrad

[dweemeister]

2017 Movie Odyssey

So ends the 2017 Movie Odyssey. Last year, I wrote that I did not foresee ever surpassing the 200+ movie mark for a long, long time. But look what happened here (outside of May because that was a hectic time in the Master’s program for sure). The 2017 Movie Odyssey consisted of 232 films - 180 feature-length films and fifty-two shorts. A century of filmmaking was covered this year, from 1917 to 2017. If I do have one regret this year... it’s that African films were not featured this year (due to availability issues and me not having enough money; I tend to watch things legally if possible). I hope to assuage that next year for a more representative Movie Odyssey.

For all of you out there who supported the Movie Odyssey in your own ways – whether reading, liking, commenting, or reblogging a write-up or sitting down with me to a new movie or talking to me about any movie... my thanks to all of you. None of this possible without you, and I hope you find that, through this blog, classic movies seem more approachable and welcoming and you are inspired to see some and learn about them yourself. A Happy New Year to all, and I’ll see you for the 2018 leg of the Movie Odyssey very soon (oh boy the Winter Olympics and World Cup are gonna chip away at the final count next year)!

As many know, all ratings are based on my imdb rating and half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found here. A 6/10 is considered the borderline between “passing” and “failing”. Feature-length narrative films, short films, and documentaries are rated within their respective spectrums.

JANUARY

1. Marnie (1964) – 6/10 2. The Moon Is Down (1943) – 7/10 3. Sense and Sensibility (1995) – 8.5/10 4. The Big House (1930) – 7.5/10 5. Manchester by the Sea (2016) – 7/10 6. The Far Country (1954) – 7/10 7. Kung Fu Hustle (2004, Hong Kong/China) – 7/10 8. Road to Singapore (1940) – 6/10 9. A Clever Dummy (1917 short) – 5/10 10. Hidden Figures (2016) – 7.5/10 11. Teddy at the Throttle (1917 short) – 7.5/10 12. The Last of the Mohicans (1920) – 7/10 13. Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – 10/10 14. The Red Turtle (2016, France/Belgium/Japan) – 9/10 15. Life, Animated (2016) – 7.5/10 16. In the Mood for Love (2000, Hong Kong) – 10/10

FEBRUARY

17. Lion (2016) – 7/10 18. It’s Always Fair Weather (1955) – 7.5/10 19. Fences (2016) – 8.5/10 20. Shenandoah (1965) – 7/10 21. Caged (1950) – 8/10 22. Pearl (2016 short) – 7.5/10 23. Blind Vaysha (2016 short) – 8/10 24. Asteria (2016 short) – 6/10 25. The Head Vanishes (2016 short) – 6/10 26. Once Upon a Line (2016 short) – 7/10 27. Pear Cider and Cigarettes (2016 short) – 8/10 28. Sing (2016 short, Hungary) – 7.5/10 29. Silent Nights (2016 short, Denmark) – 6/10 30. Timecode (2016 short, Spain) – 7/10 31. Ennemis intérieurs (2016 short, France) – 8.5/10 32. La femme et le TGV (2016 short, Switzerland) – 8/10 33. Joe’s Violin (2016 short) – 7/10 34. Extremis (2016 short) – 8/10 35. 4.1 Miles (2016 short, Greece) – 9/10 36. Nashville (1975) – 7.5/10 37. The Romance of Transportation in Canada (1952 short) – 7/10

MARCH

38. My Life as a Zucchini (2016, Switzerland) – 8/10 39. Lili (1953) – 7/10 40. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) – 6/10 41. Captain Blood (1935) – 9.5/10 42. Logan (2017) – 7/10 43. Friendly Persuasion (1956) – 9/10 44. Ducks and Drakes (1921) – 7/10 45. What Dreams May Come (1998) – 6/10 46. Bright Road (1953) – 6/10 47. Snow Gets in Your Eyes (1938 short) – 5/10 48. Jungle Cat (1959) – 6.5/10 49. The Salesman (2016, Iran) – 8.5/10 50. Good Scouts (1938 short) – 7.5/10 51. All in a Nutshell (1949 short) – 8/10 52. The Hound That Thought He Was a Raccoon (1960) – 7/10 53. Winter Storage (1949 short) – 7/10 54. Out of Scale (1951 short) – 8/10 55. The Incredible Journey (1963) – 7/10 56. Follow Me, Boys! (1966) – 7/10 57. Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar (1967) – 5.5/10 58. Belladonna of Sadness (1973, Japan) – 6/10 59. Ponyo (2008, Japan) – 7/10 60. My Cousin Rachel (1952) – 7.5/10 61. Road to Perdition (2002) – 9/10

APRIL

62. The X from Outer Space (1967, Japan) – 3/10 63. The Blue Gardenia (1953) – 6.5/10 64. Get Out (2017) – 7.5/10 65. Fantastic Planet (1973, France/Czechoslovakia) – 8/10 66. 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007, Japan) – 6/10 67. Your Name (2016, Japan) – 7.5/10 68. The Outlaw and His Wife (1918, Sweden) – 7/10 69. Mail Early (1941 short) – experimental film, score withheld 70. Boogie-Doodle (1948 short) – experimental film, score withheld 71. A Chairy Tale (1957 short) – 9/10 72. Very Nice, Very Nice (1961 short) – experimental film, score withheld 73. Fine Feathers (1968) – 7/10 74. What on Earth! (1967 short) – 8/10 75. Walking (1968 short) – 7/10 76. Notes on a Triangle (1966 short) – experimental film, score withheld 77. The Three Faces of Eve (1957) – 7.5/10 78. Peeping Tom (1960) – 7.5/10 79. Porco Rosso (1992, Japan) – 8/10 80. MacArthur (1977) – 6/10

MAY

81. Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965) – 4/10 82. Scarlet Street (1945) – 8.5/10 83. Tremors (1990) – 7/10 84. The Crucified Lovers (1954, Japan) – 7.5/10 85. Akeelah and the Bee (2006) – 8/10

JUNE

86. Wonder Woman (2017) – 7/10 87. Pollyanna (1960) – 7.5/10 88. Mickey’s Polo Team (1936 short) – 8/10 89. Tales of Manhattan (1942) – 7/10 90. The Horse with the Flying Tale (1960) – 7/10 91. Sound of the Mountain (1954, Japan) – 9/10 92. Return of the Fly (1959) – 4/10 93. Friday the 13th (1980) – 4/10 94. The Tattooed Police Horse (1964) – 6/10 95. Dr. Jack (1922) – 7/10 96. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) – 7/10 97. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) – 5/10 98. The Great Man (1956) – 8/10 99. Sparrows (1926) – 7.5/10 100. Seven Days to Noon (1950) – 9/10 101. My Neighbor Totoro (1988, Japan) – 8.5/10 102. The Pocket Man (2016 short, France) – 7/10 103. Snack Attack (2012 short) – 7/10 104. You Were Never Lovelier (1942) – 7/10 105. San Francisco (1936) – 7.5/10 106. Eraserhead (1977) – 6.5/10

JULY

107. The Beguiled (2017) – 7/10 108. Summer Magic (1963) – 6/10 109. The Southerner (1945) – 9/10 110. The Statue of Liberty (1985) – 6/10 111. They Live by Night (1948) – 8/10 112. A Little Romance (1979) – 6/10 113. Conflagration (1958, Japan) – 6.5/10 114. The Naughty Twenties (1951 short) – 5/10 115. The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) – 7/10 116. For Your Eyes Only (1981) – 6/10 117. A Man There Was (1917, Sweden) – 9.5/10 118. His Royal Slyness (1920 short) – 6/10 119. Now or Never (1921 short) – 6.5/10 120. Among Those Present (1921 short) – 6/10 121. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) – 7.5/10 122. Independence Day (1996) – 5/10 123. Yoyo (1965, France) – 8/10 124. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) -  6.5/10 125. War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) – 7.5/10 126. The Lady Vanishes (1938) – 10/10 127. Funny Face (1957) – 9/10 128. A Brighter Summer Day (1991, Taiwan) – 9.5/10 129. A Sailor-Made Man (1921) – 6/10 130. Much Ado About Nothing (1993) – 8/10 131. Dunkirk (2017) – 8.5/10 132. Lost Horizon (1937) – 8/10 133. The Man from Snowy River (1982) – 7.5/10 134. A Touch of Zen (1971, Taiwan) – 10/10

AUGUST

135. A Double Life (1947) – 6/10 136. Tokyo Chorus (1931, Japan) – 7/10 137. In a Heartbeat (2017 short) – 7.5/10 138. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) – 4.5/10 139. Twelve O’Clock High (1949) – 9/10 140. The Big Clock (1948) – 7/10 141. Pink Floyd – The Wall (1982) – 8/10 142. Record of a Tenement Gentleman (1947, Japan) – 9/10 143. Octopussy (1983) – 6/10 144. West of Zanzibar (1928) – 6/10 145. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) – 7/10 146. Detroit (2017) – 5.5/10 147. That Funny Feeling (1965) – 6/10 148. Kid Galahad (1962) – 6/10 149. Tokyo Twilight (1957, Japan) – 10/10 150. In This Corner of the World (2016, Japan) – 7/10 151. The Bedford Incident (1965) – 7.5/10 152. Johnny Express (2014 short) – 6/10 153. Carpark (2013 short) – 6/10 154. Castle in the Sky (1986, Japan) – 8/10 155. The Goonies (1985) – 7.5/10 156. State of the Union (1948) – 6/10

SEPTEMBER

157. Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979) – 3/10 158. Muscle Beach Party (1964) – 4/10 159. The Nutty Professor (1963) – 7/10 160. Camille (1921) – 6.5/10 161. Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972, West Germany) – 8/10 162. Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) – 2/10 163. It (2017) – 7/10 164. Ocean Waves (1993, Japan) – 6/10 165. Monterey Pop (1968) – 8/10 166. Don’t Look Back (1967) – 9/10 167. Tyrus (2015) – 8.5/10

OCTOBER

168. A Star Is Born (1937) – 8/10 169. Swiss Family Robinson (1960) – 6/10 170. Revenge of the Nerds (1984) – 5/10 171. Horton Hears a Who! (2008) – 6/10 172. Freaky Friday (1976) – 6/10 173. The Great Muppet Caper (1981) – 7.5/10 174. Mr. & Mrs. ’55 (1955, India) – 8/10 175. Island of Lost Souls (1932) – 9.5/10 176. The Little Broadcast (1943 short) – 6.5/10 177. Hoola Boola (1941 short) – 6/10 178. The Sleeping Beauty (1935 short) – 7/10 179. Tulips Shall Grow (1942 short) – 8.5/10 180. Charulata (1964, India) – 8/10 181. Together in the Weather (1946 short) – 6/10 182. John Henry and the Inky-Poo (1946 short) – 7.5/10 183. Philips Cavalcade (1934 short) – 7/10 184. Jasper in a Jam (1946 short) – 8/10 185. Tubby the Tuba (1947 short) – 9/10 186. The Puppetoon Movie (1987) – 7/10 187. Brides of Dracula (1960) – 7/10 188. Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968) – 7/10 189. Candleshoe (1977) – 6/10 190. Jigoku (1960, Japan) – 5.5/10 191. Blacula (1972) – 6/10 192. Willard (1971) – 4/10 193. Ben (1972) – 4.5/10

NOVEMBER

194. The Coward (1965, India) – 7/10 195. The Happening (2008) – 2/10 196. Tom Thumb (1958) – 6.5/10 197. Strike (1925, Soviet Union) – 7.5/10 198. Loving Vincent (2017) – 7/10 199. Destry Rides Again (1939) – 7.5/10 200. The Master Race (1944) – 6/10 201. Justice League (2017) – 6/10 202. Sissi (1955, Austria) – 7.5/10 203. Sissi: The Young Empress (1956, Austria) – 7/10 204. The Sandlot (1993) – 7/10 205. Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017 short) – 4/10 206. Coco (2017) – 8/10 207. Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress (1957, Austria) – 7/10 208. The Florida Project (2017) – 8.5/10 209. The Mortal Storm (1940) – 7/10 210. The Breadwinner (2017) – 8/10 211. Spencer’s Mountain (1963) – 6/10 212. Lady Bird (2017) – 9/10

DECEMBER

213. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) – 8.5/10 214. The Secret Life of Bees (2008) – 7/10 215. Murder on the Orient Express (2017) – 5.5/10 216. So You Think You’re Allergic (1945 short) – 5/10 217. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) – 7.5/10 218. The Shape of Water (2017) – 8.5/10 219. Lonely Are the Brave (1962) – 9.5/10 220. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) – 7/10 221. They Won’t Forget (1937) – 8/10 222. It Came from Outer Space (1953) – 6.5/10 223. Brave Little Tailor (1938 short) – 8/10 224. The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1952) – 6/10 225. The Sign of Zorro (1958) – 5/10 226. Kong: Skull Island (2017) – 6.5/10 227. Flipped (2010) – 6/10 228. Bardelys the Magnificent (1926) – 7.5/10 229. There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954) – 7/10 230. Swim Team (2016) – 7/10 231. Toby Tyler (1960) – 5/10 232. The Liberator (2013, Venezuela) – 6/10

All scores are subject to change (upgrades and downgrades) upon a rewatch.

#My Movie Odyssey

[esqreverblog]

A short film about a middle schooler whose heart literally leaps from his chest over a crush on another boy captivated the world last week, racking up more than 10 million views on YouTube in less than 72 hours. It’s been a wild few days for filmmakers Beth David and Esteban Bravo, who brought the idea from pitch to viral sensation over a span of 18 months. Both believe this sudden success stems from the personal significance of the story to each of the out creators’ lives.

In a Heartbeat resulted from the collaboration of two Catholic school graduates, one a lesbian from Ohio and the other a gay man from Mexico City, who ended up studying at the same Florida digital animation program. “It’s the kind of story we wish we had seen growing up,” says David. “A lot of the underlying feelings of fear and guilt that our main character goes through, it’s a very personal story.”

It’s also a significant amount of ground to cover over four minutes of cartoon video, but rave reviews from around the globe show David and Bravo managed to convey the complex sentiments into a condensed number of frames. Since being posted, as of this writing, the video has had more than 21 million plays. The filmmakers talked to The Advocate about the process of making the micro-masterpiece.

The seed of an idea came in 2015 as the filmmakers prepared thesis pitches while studying digital animation at the Ringling College of Art & Design. The two at that point were still working with another student, Hannah Lee, who came up with idea of a young boy with a crush whose heart literally leaps out of his chest. The filmmaking team presented a pitch, initially involving the boy chasing after a girl he liked, but advisers rejected the concept. Lee set out on her own with a different concept (which turned out fine, by the way) but David and Bravo still saw potential in the uncontrollable heart.

The two suddenly found a new direction to the story with a simple tweak. What if the main character pined for the most popular kid in school — another boy. Suddenly, protagonist Sherwin would feel a yearning he didn’t understand for handsome Jonathan, a boy who offered no promise of reciprocation. This time, the pitch got a green light from advisers.

This angle made the story much more personal to the filmmakers, who mined their own feelings and personal experiences to flesh out Sherwin’s character. “We would open up to each other and talk about what it was like to be LGBT,” Bravo recalls. “There wasn’t any situation for me, thank God, where I would be exposed before I was able to accept being gay even to myself, which is what the main character faces, but I know the terror I would have felt.”

The filmmakers sketched the characters, establishing ages of 13 and 14 for Sherwin and Jonathan, a time in life when crushes grow the most intense, David says. The two would wear uniforms reminiscent of those that filled the classrooms at the Catholic schools Bravo and David attended in their youth. The filmmakers traveled to Mother of Mercy High School in Cincinnati, which David attended, taking pictures to reference while developing the setting. “The front entryway in the film is more or less the front entryway of my high school,” David says.

Bravo says for the school building, the Gothic structure needed to appear especially classic and daunting. “We wanted to school to feel like it came from an older era, to represent a past thinking,” he says. This wouldn’t be a welcoming environment for a gay kid. Bravo didn’t want the film to read like a condemnation of private Catholic schools and never recalled outright homophobia taught in the classroom when he grew up. Rather, he recalls homosexuality being so taboo no one discussed it at all. In a film with no dialogue, the regressive atmosphere would inform Sherwin’s confusion.

With characters and a setting in place, the pair storyboarded the project, earning periodic approval from faculty advisers. They developed beat boards to show the major emotional points of the film. The two completed a rough animatic in May 2016 that first brought the characters into motion.

By the time the film needed a score, David and Bravo knew they had something special on their hands. While Ringling undergrads often work with a group of available composers used to collaborating with student filmmakers, Bravo and David elected to hire a veteran with experience on much larger projects. The two became enamored of the music of Arturo Cardelús, who scored the Netflix series Call Me Francis. David says she contacted the composer in Los Angeles and sent the animatic. “We didn’t think we’d get a hold of him,” David recalls. “No one at Ringling had approached him before, but we got in touch with him and he was excited about the film.” He agreed to take the job.

David and Bravo set up a Kickstarter page to raise the money to hire the composer and a sound designer. If they met a $3,000 goal, they could cover the $2,200 fee for Cardelús with another $800 to pay for a sound designer. In a video for the crowdsourcing effort, they announced a lofty stretch goal of $5,000, which would cover the cost of a live studio ensemble. In less than 30 days, the campaign raised $14,191.

With Cardelús officially hired around December, the two students devoted virtually every waking hour to completing In a Heartbeat, now conscious that at least 104 Kickstarter backers anticipated the final product. The filmmakers and composer sent notes and video back and forth. Bravo says the short doubled in length as it evolved from animatic to fully formed film. “We needed more character moments to humanize the characters,” he says. “We need to give as much time as the film needed to breathe in the right moments.”

Bravo won’t even guess the number of manhours that went into the film, which clocks in at four minutes and five seconds with credits. Ultimately, the students submitted the final film for approval in April. Faculty accepted the thesis, and the film was included in a Best of Ringling showcase for 2017.

David and Bravo graduated from the school in May and now live on opposite coasts. David took a job in Los Angeles at JibJab Bros. Studios, where she works on the children’s show Ask the Storybots. Bravo isn’t sure what his own future holds. As an international worker, he still needs to figure out his visa situation before plotting his future in the United States.

But both filmmakers say In a Heartbeat won’t be their last collaboration. “We enjoyed working on this project and would like to take things further,” David says. And Bravo jokes that surviving the intense filmmaking processes validates their creative synergy. “We lived in the same apartment, went to eat at the same places, worked together on something for a year and a half,” he says, “and we didn’t want to kill each other.”

For a moment right now, they relish the attention heaped on In a Heartbeat. “The two of us do think one of the reasons why a lot of people in the LGBT community are responding and connecting to it is because of our perspective, and that we really draw from a personal place and portray it in a genuine way,” David says.

Bravo relishes that the film has found an audience among gay and straight viewers alike. “For those LGBT people who see it, we just want them to know they are not alone,” Bravo says, “and that other people feel the same way, and we just want people to love themselves for who they are. For people who are not LGBT, hopefully it will help them understand a little better that just as you don’t have control over who you have a crush on, that’s exactly the way somebody else who is LGBT would feel.”

#in a heartbeat #lgbt #animation

[sodaretired-2]

I was tagged by the lovely @mystery-snail​ ~~

1. Are you named after someone?      nope. through all the legal names and nicknames, i’m surprisingly not named after anyone or anything. the first character of my chinese name, tho, is one character from a short poem. I’m the second to last character, so the next generation in our family will have the last character.

2. When is the last time you cried?      oh boy. is that the oven screaming? i bet it is.

3. Do you like your handwriting?      it’s almost illegible and i love it. altho, i do have a variety of styles to write in, my normal script is quite pretty if you squint really hard.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?       turkey??? turkey avocado sandwiches are bae.

5. Do you have kids?       only the kind with four legs, a tail, too much hair, and that go bork bork.

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you?       no. I think one of me would often try to overtake the other. I’m a shitty, high maintenance person who is petty and nitpicky af. tbh i don’t even know how my friends tolerate me.

7. Do you use sarcasm?       what’s that?

8. Do you still have your tonsils?       yep. altho i really wanted them out as a kid after watching that one episode of rugrats where Suzie gets hers out??? idk??

9. Would you bungee jump?       sure why not. i’m gonna die eventually.

10. What is your favorite kind of cereal?       uh… cinnamon toast crunch? pops? there were these little chocolate cereals that were shaped like half-coconuts i had back in ‘04 when I went to Malaysia for the first time and that cereal was the best fucking thing ever and I’ll never have it ever again.

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?       do i look like the kind of person who is not lazy enough to do that instead of spending two minutes squeezing my feet into my shoes every time i leave the house? i think not. fuck tying shoes.

12. Do you think you’re a strong person?        i think i have a really strong character.

13. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?        baskin robins mint chocolate chip. rite aid cherry jubilee and rite aid butter pecan. all other icecreams can go home. i’m also lactose intolerant so i can only eat a little bit ;u;

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?        clothes, gait, face, eyes.

15. Red or pink?        red.

16. What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself?        despite loving all my (excessive) jiggly bits, i really wish i could do more physical things without completely dying. other than that, my nails because they’re shitty and i hate them and i get really self conscious about them if they’re brought to attention. I often got my fingers caught in doors as a kid and that caused my nails to grow weird and bent.

17. What color pants and shoes are you wearing now?         i’m wearing black pants and squirtle socks.

18. What was the last thing you ate?         a bagel.

19. What are you listening to right now?         the whir of my computer, the laundry machine, the clack of my keyboard, and my brain telling me that i need to get back to work and earn the $$$.

20. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?         uh. this is hard because i hate crayola crayons with a passion. probably black or white, the most useful colors.

21. Favorite smell?        hot, fresh laundry and baby animal smell.

22. Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone?        lee (my little sister)

23. Favorite sport to watch?        basketball or curling.

24. Hair color?        black like the tar in your heart bb

25. Eye color?        dark brown like when your hallway lights are off at dusk and you trip on your way to the bathroom.

26. Do you wear contacts?        i just picked up a new prescription today!

27. Favorite food to eat?        the list goes on. food that has a story/history. food from your neighborhood growing up. food that has been handed down for generations. food with good company. atm i’m really craving butter curry and roti canai.  

28. Scary movies or comedy?        scary movies i guess. but it depends on if the comedy is tasteful or not. 

29. Last movie you watched?        the last movie i watched was a 7/10 star, Uncontrollable Love (1&2). like... it was almost there. almost. but it’s hard to find LGBT movies from China/Taiwan that aren’t almost trash, so this one was comparatively good! the main couple was kind of a train wreck, but there was also a girl who played a beard for the main dude who turned out to be lesbian in the credits so that was cool since there are RARELY any lesbian characters in LGBT media for east asia. I would say there are actually more gay and trans stories than there are bi or lesbian. and women in gay films often are antagonizing and one dimensional so it was nice to see a female character who wasn’t the worst. also the bts for it was hilarious and full of fuzzy feelings and the actors really had good chemistry off screen.

30. What color shirt are you wearing?       red/maroon shirt from my alma matter

31. Summer or winter?       winter forever because fuck sweating. 

32. Hugs or kisses?       i’ve been team hugs for the better part of the last 22 years. i want to hug you. let me nestle your ear between my boobs and give you a strong squeeze. i like hearing/feeling peoples’ heartbeats? is that weird?

33. What book are you currently reading?       I’m currently reading two books! The Handmade Marketplace and Color and Light for the Realist Painter. both are boring as heck, but i like learning things.

34. Who do you miss right now?       i miss my snakes. and i miss my grandma. and i miss my dog, tansy.

35. What is on your mouse pad?       it’s a black Corsair mouse pad with a little minimalist boat on it (the logo) and a yellow line at the bottom.

36. What is the last TV program you watched?       Weekly Idol with Pentagon and if that doesn’t count, then Criminal Minds and iZombie on Netflix.

37. What is the best sound?       lee and i have a collection of good sounds, but one that stands out right now is dropping coins into a glass dish. also the sound from that vine of the guy trying to flip an egg, but the pan snaps off the handle. also the sound of ice cubes clacking together, and the sound of the ocean, and also the iPhone wha-tting message sound. those are some good sounds.

38. Rolling Stones or The Beatles?       i’ve never listened to either and i likely never will, but beetles are way cooler than some rolling rocks. 

39. What is the furthest you have ever traveled?       malaysia, hong kong, china. i’m really bad at geography, but it was a 14.5 hour plane ride.

40. Do you have a special talent?       my talent is faking it until i make it, bullshitting on the fly, and knowing a little about a lot of things, but never anything important.

41. Where were you born?       california. but the lesser known part of it that tourists never visit. i’ve never moved either. 

42. People you expect would like to participate in this survey?        @starwiind @datothebiscuit and @carry-on-my-wayward-butt tell me about yourselves~

#personal

[iyarpage]

20 Best New Portfolio Sites, October 2017

Hey WDD readers, it’s October, so you know what that means: it’s time for Christmas-themed websites! No, I wouldn’t actually do that to you. But I don’t have any Halloween-themed websites either. It’s probably for the best.

What I do have is yet another almost-even mix of design trends and aesthetics. Could this be the end of bandwagon-hopping? Could we possibly be that lucky? I doubt it, but the last few months have been pure pleasure in terms of variety, and I hope this continues.

Heartbeat

Today, we start off with Heartbeat, a web and app agency. Their site, while hearkening back to the days of pure minimalism, is loaded with personality, and some pretty ingenious animation. This is the first time in a while that animated inter-page transitions haven’t just annoyed me.

I’d also note how their contact form is dead simple and short. And if even that’s too much for a given client, they put their phone number, Skype ID, and email right where potential customers can find them. I’m sold, and I don’t even need them to make me anything.

Anakin

Believe is or not, Anakin has nothing to do with a certain notable whiny villain who only stops whining when they cut his limbs off, which is presumably one of the better times to whine. It’s a design studio. It’s got that post-minimalist style, lots of white space, and elegant (if somewhat small at times) typography. Some aspects of their site (especially the labels on their contact form) could use a lot more contrast, but otherwise, this site is darned pretty.

Jony Guedj

Jony Guedj is a filmmaker, and his site makes that very, very clear. I mean, the portfolio itself is basically a minimalist “film reel”, with a timeline at the bottom that is reminiscent of video editing apps. The site might be minimalist, but it’s creative, and gets the point across fairly quickly. Plus, I’d say it’s a fantastic example of how to use a horizontally scrolling layout.

George Hastings

George Hastings’ portfolio is a simple, but finely crafted affair. The colors are striking, the type is solid, and the little animations are downright superb. It feels like minimalism had a brief fling with brutalism, and the result is a site that manages to feel utilitarian in a way, but still quite pretty. Also, you should absolutely have a look at this guy’s code and design experiments.

Elsa Muse

Elsa Muse’s work is about as artsy as you can get, and so is her site. It’s got some textbook post-minimalism [I should be writing that textbook] blended rather harshly with the boldest colors out there. The header of the home page is one of those designs that’s a bit of an eyesore on purpose. It’s supposed to stand out, rather than sooth. In a way, it’s genius. With this kind of site, you’ll only ever attract the sort of clients who love your style.

Dries Van Broeck

Dries Van Broeck is a motion designer. While the rest of his site is definitely well-crafted, you’ll be coming here for the animation most of all. So obviously, all of his work and many random site elements are animated, bouncing around, and generally pretty lively. Is it a bit distracting? Yes, but that is literally his job. I’d say this site sells his skills pretty well.

Alex Hunting Studio

Alex Hunting Studio has gone for the white-with-black-lines style of minimalism that used to be everywhere. It’s clean, it fits the textbook modern aesthetic, and presents their projects in slideshow format. They went for that “like a magazine, but online” look, and I’d say they nailed it.

Simon Ammann

Simon Ammann doesn’t take minimalism to a whole new level, but he comes pretty close. Until you actually click through to a project, it’s all about that very small amount of text. Basically, he gets to the point. And he uses white space pretty much perfectly.

Timothy Achumba

Timothy Achumba is a product designer at Facebook, and the experience shows in his work. It’s dark, it’s sleek, it’s pretty. While the UI is simple and unassuming (as portfolios go, anyway), I couldn’t find a single flaw to criticize. Okay, maybe I would have made the contact info more prominent; but this guy’s working for Facebook. He doesn’t need regular clients to hire him often. He just needs to show off his near-flawless work until he moves on to the next billion-dollar corporation.

Matthew Vernon

Matthew Vernon’s portfolio took a fairly normal business site layout and gave it a semi-retro feel with magazine-like typography, and that classic “Internet Blue”. It’s a simple change to a simple site; but it gives the whole thing a bit of a nostalgic feel, while still looking professional.

Malte Gruhl

Malte Gruhl’s website is as psychedelic as his name. That’s really the only way I can properly describe it. Oh sure, “artsy”, “post-minimalist”, “etc.”… these are all fairly accurate descriptors. But really, it’s a bit more like a chaotic art project than a website. I don’t know if it will sell his services, but it’s definitely hard to forget. I’d almost hire the guy just to see what would happen.

Tyler Hancock

After that last visual feast, Tyler Hancock’s light, minimalist, and type-driven portfolio is soothing to the eyes, even while bordering on brutalism. With big text and bigger images, this site is a delight for anyone who prefers simplicity and order in a site design.

Matt Lee

Matt Lee bills himself as a “creative developer”, and judging by his site, I’d say he earned the title. What looks to be—at first glance—a typical dark layout turns out to be quite stylish. From the typography, to the “pixel” theme (you’ll see what I mean if you look hard at the backgrounds), to the way he uses photographs to reinforce the site’s visual themes, everything is put together beautifully.

Laboratorium

Laboratorium isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it’s a pretty, and well-made site. I do particularly like the way they handle large resolutions, though.

Ben Bate

Ben Bate’s portfolio only looks like it was made with Bootstrap. it’s actually custom made to look like Bootstrap! Okay, all jokes aside, this is an interesting one due to the sales strategy, rather than the aesthetics. Instead of depending on images or the usual copy to sell services, there’s a whole lot of social proof. You get to see the brands Ben has worked for before you even get to see examples of his work. There’s even a few classic testimonials at the bottom of the page.

Even more interesting is his sales pitch: you tell him what you want, and he’ll prepare a PDF of relevant work samples. And hey, at that point, you’re already in email contact with him, right? It’s clever, and requires no more work on the part of the client than usual.

Booreiland

Booreiland is a Dutch digital agency that combines a fairly familiar layout with basically all of my favorite little twists: The effective use of yellow. Drop shadows that don’t suck. Animation that, while obvious, feels understated, and wouldn’t totally break the site were it to go missing. Fantastic type. It’s all good.

LatinMedios

I live in Mexico, and I can tell you that design sensibilities south of the border trend toward the extremely colorful. LatinMedios doesn’t go full double rainbow, but they have kept some of that color in their branding. To be fair, it’s in some of their work, too. It depends on the client.

The rest of the site is a classic nearly-monochromatic business portfolio, with background animations and all the trimmings. It’s a blend of design thinking that could only come from the collision between two or more cultures. LatinMedios is in the U.S., Mexico, and several places in South America, so that just fits.

Upperquad

Upperquad brings us a site that’s just plain pretty. It embraces that post-minimalist style, with soft colors, big type, and some subtle (and sometimes not-subtle) animation to spice things up. The use of seemingly randomized geometric shapes adds to the feeling of asymmetry and artful chaos; but the site itself is still simple and usable.

Xigen

Xigen is another one that is just plain pretty and well-done, while not going too experimental. Give it a look!

Untold

Untold is last, but not least, with a lovely dark, elegant website that gets right to the point. Mind you, it comes with the usual drawbacks of a site that’s meant to be elegant: namely the small body text size. I don’t know when small text got classified as “modern and elegant”, but I’m going to blame the print industry, as usual. (Just kidding, I love you guys.)

120+ Unique, Premium Typefaces – 31 Font Families – only $9!

Source p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;} .alignleft {float:left;} p.showcase {clear:both;} body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;} 20 Best New Portfolio Sites, October 2017 published first on http://ift.tt/2fA8nUr

[webbygraphic001]

20 Best New Portfolio Sites, October 2017

Hey WDD readers, it’s October, so you know what that means: it’s time for Christmas-themed websites! No, I wouldn’t actually do that to you. But I don’t have any Halloween-themed websites either. It’s probably for the best.

What I do have is yet another almost-even mix of design trends and aesthetics. Could this be the end of bandwagon-hopping? Could we possibly be that lucky? I doubt it, but the last few months have been pure pleasure in terms of variety, and I hope this continues.

Heartbeat

Today, we start off with Heartbeat, a web and app agency. Their site, while hearkening back to the days of pure minimalism, is loaded with personality, and some pretty ingenious animation. This is the first time in a while that animated inter-page transitions haven’t just annoyed me.

I’d also note how their contact form is dead simple and short. And if even that’s too much for a given client, they put their phone number, Skype ID, and email right where potential customers can find them. I’m sold, and I don’t even need them to make me anything.

Anakin

Believe is or not, Anakin has nothing to do with a certain notable whiny villain who only stops whining when they cut his limbs off, which is presumably one of the better times to whine. It’s a design studio. It’s got that post-minimalist style, lots of white space, and elegant (if somewhat small at times) typography. Some aspects of their site (especially the labels on their contact form) could use a lot more contrast, but otherwise, this site is darned pretty.

Jony Guedj

Jony Guedj is a filmmaker, and his site makes that very, very clear. I mean, the portfolio itself is basically a minimalist “film reel”, with a timeline at the bottom that is reminiscent of video editing apps. The site might be minimalist, but it’s creative, and gets the point across fairly quickly. Plus, I’d say it’s a fantastic example of how to use a horizontally scrolling layout.

George Hastings

George Hastings’ portfolio is a simple, but finely crafted affair. The colors are striking, the type is solid, and the little animations are downright superb. It feels like minimalism had a brief fling with brutalism, and the result is a site that manages to feel utilitarian in a way, but still quite pretty. Also, you should absolutely have a look at this guy’s code and design experiments.

Elsa Muse

Elsa Muse’s work is about as artsy as you can get, and so is her site. It’s got some textbook post-minimalism [I should be writing that textbook] blended rather harshly with the boldest colors out there. The header of the home page is one of those designs that’s a bit of an eyesore on purpose. It’s supposed to stand out, rather than sooth. In a way, it’s genius. With this kind of site, you’ll only ever attract the sort of clients who love your style.

Dries Van Broeck

Dries Van Broeck is a motion designer. While the rest of his site is definitely well-crafted, you’ll be coming here for the animation most of all. So obviously, all of his work and many random site elements are animated, bouncing around, and generally pretty lively. Is it a bit distracting? Yes, but that is literally his job. I’d say this site sells his skills pretty well.

Alex Hunting Studio

Alex Hunting Studio has gone for the white-with-black-lines style of minimalism that used to be everywhere. It’s clean, it fits the textbook modern aesthetic, and presents their projects in slideshow format. They went for that “like a magazine, but online” look, and I’d say they nailed it.

Simon Ammann

Simon Ammann doesn’t take minimalism to a whole new level, but he comes pretty close. Until you actually click through to a project, it’s all about that very small amount of text. Basically, he gets to the point. And he uses white space pretty much perfectly.

Timothy Achumba

Timothy Achumba is a product designer at Facebook, and the experience shows in his work. It’s dark, it’s sleek, it’s pretty. While the UI is simple and unassuming (as portfolios go, anyway), I couldn’t find a single flaw to criticize. Okay, maybe I would have made the contact info more prominent; but this guy’s working for Facebook. He doesn’t need regular clients to hire him often. He just needs to show off his near-flawless work until he moves on to the next billion-dollar corporation.

Matthew Vernon

Matthew Vernon’s portfolio took a fairly normal business site layout and gave it a semi-retro feel with magazine-like typography, and that classic “Internet Blue”. It’s a simple change to a simple site; but it gives the whole thing a bit of a nostalgic feel, while still looking professional.

Malte Gruhl

Malte Gruhl’s website is as psychedelic as his name. That’s really the only way I can properly describe it. Oh sure, “artsy”, “post-minimalist”, “etc.”… these are all fairly accurate descriptors. But really, it’s a bit more like a chaotic art project than a website. I don’t know if it will sell his services, but it’s definitely hard to forget. I’d almost hire the guy just to see what would happen.

Tyler Hancock

After that last visual feast, Tyler Hancock’s light, minimalist, and type-driven portfolio is soothing to the eyes, even while bordering on brutalism. With big text and bigger images, this site is a delight for anyone who prefers simplicity and order in a site design.

Matt Lee

Matt Lee bills himself as a “creative developer”, and judging by his site, I’d say he earned the title. What looks to be—at first glance—a typical dark layout turns out to be quite stylish. From the typography, to the “pixel” theme (you’ll see what I mean if you look hard at the backgrounds), to the way he uses photographs to reinforce the site’s visual themes, everything is put together beautifully.

Laboratorium

Laboratorium isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it’s a pretty, and well-made site. I do particularly like the way they handle large resolutions, though.

Ben Bate

Ben Bate’s portfolio only looks like it was made with Bootstrap. it’s actually custom made to look like Bootstrap! Okay, all jokes aside, this is an interesting one due to the sales strategy, rather than the aesthetics. Instead of depending on images or the usual copy to sell services, there’s a whole lot of social proof. You get to see the brands Ben has worked for before you even get to see examples of his work. There’s even a few classic testimonials at the bottom of the page.

Even more interesting is his sales pitch: you tell him what you want, and he’ll prepare a PDF of relevant work samples. And hey, at that point, you’re already in email contact with him, right? It’s clever, and requires no more work on the part of the client than usual.

Booreiland

Booreiland is a Dutch digital agency that combines a fairly familiar layout with basically all of my favorite little twists: The effective use of yellow. Drop shadows that don’t suck. Animation that, while obvious, feels understated, and wouldn’t totally break the site were it to go missing. Fantastic type. It’s all good.

LatinMedios

I live in Mexico, and I can tell you that design sensibilities south of the border trend toward the extremely colorful. LatinMedios doesn’t go full double rainbow, but they have kept some of that color in their branding. To be fair, it’s in some of their work, too. It depends on the client.

The rest of the site is a classic nearly-monochromatic business portfolio, with background animations and all the trimmings. It’s a blend of design thinking that could only come from the collision between two or more cultures. LatinMedios is in the U.S., Mexico, and several places in South America, so that just fits.

Upperquad

Upperquad brings us a site that’s just plain pretty. It embraces that post-minimalist style, with soft colors, big type, and some subtle (and sometimes not-subtle) animation to spice things up. The use of seemingly randomized geometric shapes adds to the feeling of asymmetry and artful chaos; but the site itself is still simple and usable.

Xigen

Xigen is another one that is just plain pretty and well-done, while not going too experimental. Give it a look!

Untold

Untold is last, but not least, with a lovely dark, elegant website that gets right to the point. Mind you, it comes with the usual drawbacks of a site that’s meant to be elegant: namely the small body text size. I don’t know when small text got classified as “modern and elegant”, but I’m going to blame the print industry, as usual. (Just kidding, I love you guys.)

120+ Unique, Premium Typefaces – 31 Font Families – only $9!

Source from Webdesigner Depot http://ift.tt/2z7BAvn from Blogger http://ift.tt/2xrcWIV

#Blogger

[tragicbooks]

An awkward boy falls for another guy in this short film, and people are loving it.

<br>

It's just 25 seconds long, and no one says a word in it. But the trailer for "In a Heartbeat" has the internet talking.

Even the two creators behind the project can't believe the response.

Beth David and Esteban Bravo, students at Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida, were "floored" when their Kickstarter page for the short film reached its initial fundraising goal a mere three hours after launching.

The film — the duo's senior thesis project — looks downright adorable, sure. But it's the subject matter that really makes the short stand out among the rest.

Watch the trailer for "In a Heartbeat" (article continues below):

"In a Heartbeat" is about a middle-school boy who "runs the risk of being outed by his own heart after it pops out of his chest to chase down the boy of his dreams."

It's a story that most audiences have not had a chance to see before.

“Being gay is a subject that hasn't been widely explored in computer animation," Bravo explained in a video promoting the film, noting that rates of bullying for LGBTQ teens are much higher than their straight and cisgender (non-transgender) peers.  

The film is a heartstring-tugging reminder that those kids — and LGBTQ adults — deserve their stories be told on-screen, too.

“We want to put out a message of love and self acceptance to all the kids and young people who struggle to identify as LGBT+, just like [the main character] Sherwin does,” David said.

David and Bravo have had fun promoting the film using parodies of iconic movie posters, like "The Fault in Our Stars."

Image courtesy of "In a Heartbeat."

And 2005's "Brokeback Mountain."

Image courtesy of "In a Heartbeat."

But the film's rapidly growing online fandom is even cooler, reflecting audiences' hunger for a delightful, important queer love story like this one.

The hashtag #InAHeartbeat has been filled with creative works from devoted fans on Tumblr and Instagram. And they definitely give you a sense of just how important this film is shaping up to be for many young people.

A little fan art for the upcoming short film In a Heartbeat! Really excited for this and already love the story and characters~ sorry it's kinda sloppy and bad ;n; the film is by @bbethdavidd and @estebravo and let me just say I'm genuinely happy to see LGBT representation, especially when it's shown at a young age, with something that's as sweet and simple as a crush and how happy I am that it's coming from students at Ringling college which has always been my dream art school. Sadly I won't be able to attend but I'm so in love with this film I'd like to thank the creators and the crew for making this happen~ can't wait! #inaheartbeat #shortfilm #lgbt #supercute #fanart #digitalart #iahb

A post shared by Josey Perez (*´꒳`*) (@josey.p_321) on May 7, 2017 at 1:11am PDT

"I'm genuinely happy to see LGBT representation, especially when it's shown at a young age, with something that's as sweet and simple as a crush," one fan wrote on Instagram.

#inaheartbeat #heart #love #art #myart #fanart #scketch #scketchbook #cute

A post shared by Maria Isupova (@maridiamsy) on May 13, 2017 at 1:11pm PDT

"Okay if you don't know what in a heartbeat is don't talk to me," joked another.

okay if you don't know what in a heartbeat is don't talk to me - [ credit to brocsox on tumblr/ @brocsox on insta ] [ #inaheartbeat #inaheartbeatshortfilm ] - -

A post shared by stay happy, dude. (@kanomae) on May 17, 2017 at 4:45pm PDT

Some fans are even pulling out the all-caps to express their excitement.

THERES COMING AN ANIMATED SHORT FILM ABOUT A BOY AND HIS HEART CHASING DOWN THE BOY OF HIS DREAMS THIS SUMMER!! ITS SO CUTE!! http://pic.twitter.com/OK1KKP73xI

— marce (@tobshamilton) April 30, 2017

"We're very touched by the response we've gotten so far and we're happy to know that our project has already had a positive impact on so many people," the creators say of the overwhelming fandom.  

"It proves to us that there is a need and a want for media that addresses LGBT+ themes in a positive and lighthearted way," they note, "and gives us hope that films like this could be more widely accepted and produced in the future!"

To learn more about the short film, visit its Kickstarter page.

<br>

[socialviralnews]

An awkward boy falls for another guy in this short film, and people are loving it.

<br>

It's just 25 seconds long, and no one says a word in it. But the trailer for "In a Heartbeat" has the internet talking.

Even the two creators behind the project can't believe the response.

Beth David and Esteban Bravo, students at Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida, were "floored" when their Kickstarter page for the short film reached its initial fundraising goal a mere three hours after launching.

The film — the duo's senior thesis project — looks downright adorable, sure. But it's the subject matter that really makes the short stand out among the rest.

Watch the trailer for "In a Heartbeat" (article continues below):

"In a Heartbeat" is about a middle-school boy who "runs the risk of being outed by his own heart after it pops out of his chest to chase down the boy of his dreams."

It's a story that most audiences have not had a chance to see before.

“Being gay is a subject that hasn't been widely explored in computer animation," Bravo explained in a video promoting the film, noting that rates of bullying for LGBTQ teens are much higher than their straight and cisgender (non-transgender) peers.  

The film is a heartstring-tugging reminder that those kids — and LGBTQ adults — deserve their stories be told on-screen, too.

“We want to put out a message of love and self acceptance to all the kids and young people who struggle to identify as LGBT+, just like [the main character] Sherwin does,” David said.

David and Bravo have had fun promoting the film using parodies of iconic movie posters, like "The Fault in Our Stars."

Image courtesy of "In a Heartbeat."

And 2005's "Brokeback Mountain."

Image courtesy of "In a Heartbeat."

But the film's rapidly growing online fandom is even cooler, reflecting audiences' hunger for a delightful, important queer love story like this one.

The hashtag #InAHeartbeat has been filled with creative works from devoted fans on Tumblr and Instagram. And they definitely give you a sense of just how important this film is shaping up to be for many young people.

A little fan art for the upcoming short film In a Heartbeat! Really excited for this and already love the story and characters~ sorry it's kinda sloppy and bad ;n; the film is by @bbethdavidd and @estebravo and let me just say I'm genuinely happy to see LGBT representation, especially when it's shown at a young age, with something that's as sweet and simple as a crush and how happy I am that it's coming from students at Ringling college which has always been my dream art school. Sadly I won't be able to attend but I'm so in love with this film I'd like to thank the creators and the crew for making this happen~ can't wait! #inaheartbeat #shortfilm #lgbt #supercute #fanart #digitalart #iahb

A post shared by Josey Perez (*´꒳`*) (@josey.p_321) on May 7, 2017 at 1:11am PDT

"I'm genuinely happy to see LGBT representation, especially when it's shown at a young age, with something that's as sweet and simple as a crush," one fan wrote on Instagram.

#inaheartbeat #heart #love #art #myart #fanart #scketch #scketchbook #cute

A post shared by Maria Isupova (@maridiamsy) on May 13, 2017 at 1:11pm PDT

"Okay if you don't know what in a heartbeat is don't talk to me," joked another.

okay if you don't know what in a heartbeat is don't talk to me - [ credit to brocsox on tumblr/ @brocsox on insta ] [ #inaheartbeat #inaheartbeatshortfilm ] - -

A post shared by stay happy, dude. (@kanomae) on May 17, 2017 at 4:45pm PDT

Some fans are even pulling out the all-caps to express their excitement.

THERES COMING AN ANIMATED SHORT FILM ABOUT A BOY AND HIS HEART CHASING DOWN THE BOY OF HIS DREAMS THIS SUMMER!! ITS SO CUTE!! http://pic.twitter.com/OK1KKP73xI

— marce (@tobshamilton) April 30, 2017

"We're very touched by the response we've gotten so far and we're happy to know that our project has already had a positive impact on so many people," the creators say of the overwhelming fandom.  

"It proves to us that there is a need and a want for media that addresses LGBT+ themes in a positive and lighthearted way," they note, "and gives us hope that films like this could be more widely accepted and produced in the future!"

To learn more about the short film, visit its Kickstarter page.

<br> from Upworthy http://ift.tt/2qCrh0s via cheap web hosting

#Upworthy

[deangotpieblocked-blog1]

Ponyo - Anime Full Movie - Anime of the year?

Hayao Miyazakiis Ponyo is, if nothing otherwise, evidence in my experience the guy is really as much a cinematic artist like a movie director. Below, he generally eschews the ever present conservationist tone and remarkable dream of his additional works, using the traveling sequences of Nausicaa and Laputa: Fortress within the Atmosphere and also the dim secret of Spirited Away providing method to what's, mainly, a calm tone poetry. Certainly, Ponyo is just a sluggish and easy movie that thrives in its winding tone and relaxing storytelling and, actually, just drops monitoring of itself throughout the uncommon sequences that strive for extraordinary pressure. It's a film about youth pleasure and also the beauty of the planet observed through the eyes of curious kids: a sluggish trip that's, for that most element, similar to a ship ride-on a relaxed ocean similar to the one observed below.

Although Ponyo comes with a good tale, its greatest impact comes through its vibrant shows of creativity, which is within the vein of numerous a piece-of-existence anime whose figures, environment, and visible places outweigh the significance of the ongoing plot. The movie, created like a free contemporary meaning of Hans Christian Andersonis The Small Mermaid, is basically a video in regards to a small bass who drops in deep love with a individual kid in the discomfort of her wizard dad, a grouchy and sour being who makes his discomfort for people as well as their decline as obvious as his defensive emotions on her. Although pleasant, it seems a little slim at factors, its comparative unimportance towards the film-making Miyazakiis conservationist concept appear a bit more preachy than typical. Though Ponyois wish to be individual is proven to somehow be associated with the total amount of the planet, a place leading with a remarkable natural phenomena and becomes very important to the movieis orgasm, its power doesn't lie-in its story. Areas of it, specially the ultimate moments, experience a little melodramatic, even though the piece is unquestionably sufficient, it's not why is the movie as unique as it's. No, this film is created as unique because it is from the expansiveness and level of the check out the stunning, inventive world it attracts and right into a couple of days within the live of the totally nice, humorous, and adorable individuals who reside in that globe. The ebullient shows of skating ocean creatures, the roaring dunes that become colleges of barracuda after which back to water because they freeze and heartbeat, slowly swaying bushes and clear heavens, and short oceans full of wonderfully attracted primitive bass (an individual favorite of the paleontology geek like myself) are what create Ponyo as fantastic because it is, and also the creative ability of Miyazaki, his storyboard artists, and his animators provide such interest to these masterpieces this 1 starts to experience nearly as though they've walked right into a actual location, a brand new and veritable world of its. The vibrant but natural scheme of shades fits the movie excessively well, and also the mixture of the magnificent cartoon and Joe Hisaishiis rating of pulsing horns and glistening line orchestras allow it to be a particularly amazing encounter to see in a theatre (though I suppose several a personal display is going to do if designed with great speakers). It's the unusual movie by which I experienced that each minute, whether peaceful or tight, was somehow important, as well as if one operates out-of sea-creatures to place or Devonian era seafood to recognize, the intelligent figure styles, a mixture of the traditional Ghibli for many of the city's occupants, the nearly-punk for that wizard, and also the easy youngsters' guide for Ponyo himself, is likely to be certain to maintain oneis eyes about the display.

A movie with beautiful artwork and fantastic personality styles wont provide if its environment fails and figures neglect to interact the audience, but Ponyo excels because respect: it lives and breathes via the life span in its environment and its own beautiful throw, the knowledge just starting to experience nearly just like a bodily walk-through a and stunning globe in the place of simply viewing a display. Certainly, the folks within this movie, from its spunky aged girls (another wonderful Miyazaki brand), to the curious and fun youthful character Sosuke, to his snarky and firm but kind-hearted mom, and also to the over-lively and actually-grinning Ponyo himself, are of the type who create oneis existence even more enjoyable and useful, the type whom one discovers within the many improbable locations and whose fresh associate bands of "you realize, I believe I might you need to be in great organization". It's in Lisais half-kidding, half-real approval of Sosukeis crazy tales, the wandering activities of the kids, the occasions where the aged girls end up overtaken by childish joy in the website of the marine animals, and, overall, the feeling of love between almost everyone the movie becomes genuinely stunning, and while I can't very state whether there is any particular concept that especially afflicted me, I got away experience a reasonable bit calmer and a good deal happier than after I joined. It isn't a film that aims for philosophical or rational level, even though it's disappointed several of those used-to the large tone of Miyazaki's previous couple of movies, I actually donot believe that it affects the movie whatsoever. If this have been launched after I was a young child as Our Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Supply Support were, it'd have grown to be just as much of the timeless childhood favorite as these two have since, also it drops easily alongside these plotless favorites as Yokohama Shopping Journey. Certainly, this is not a really video designed for these in desperate need of the great tale, and these anticipating one will likely be disappointed, for Ponyo is definitely an experiential movie, one made to be as responsive like a film may possibly get and, for that most element, to circulation in the speed of actual life. Although Ponyo might not possess the style of a number of Miyazakiis different works, it's a unique pleasure to its that's better experienced than place easily written down. I acknowledge the environment might not attract everyone, and since it is really necessary to the videois achievement, whether you discover it to become for your flavor or not will most likely decide your supreme viewpoint of the video. It is very informing the movie is, truly, best-in the occasions wherever it discusses nothing & most tenuous within the uncommon series where it tries to truly have a stage, even though Miyazaki might be too much established to entirely have a split in the conservationist and developing-up styles of his last chain of films, he may have created a somewhat more natural movie had he accepted his fresh strategy completely. Nevertheless, Ponyo is just a pleasure to look at: an amazing, heating, and lively jewel of the film that certainly does create one desire they might jump in to the display and swimming with Placoderms in a short ocean.

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