#2021 Enjoyment Mix

[racinggirl]

you always will be

a/n: As a dedication to our boy's FIRST FORMULA ONE WIN, here a story that hopefully will be appreciated and loved. It's very different from my usual stories, and it may need some sort of trigger warning or just a warning in general. We don't always get what we want, and life can really be a bitch. Everybody struggles, it might not always be seen. I'm here for you <3

Warnings: mentions of car accident, hospital, breakup, swearing, death, cemetery, and some fluff bc I'm not THAT cruel

Also, please leave a comment/reblog, anything that makes me feel like you absolutely loved this story. It can also be a tip, anything to make my writing better and more enjoyable for you, thank you

Enjoy 🧡

Winning a race was something he dreamt of. Winning a race meant all his worries disappeared like snow in the sun.

‘You can’t win, you always fuck up’

‘Russia 2021 was the closest you’d been to a win, you’ll never get that chance again’

‘You should have switched teams when you had the chance’

No more. He won, and he’d be damned if he would ever let any hate comment, any judging advice or any disrespectful tone push you further away from him than you already were. He won, but somehow it felt like he lost.

‘’Mate, I don’t get it. Help me understand, okay? You won your first Formula One race. You gave all of them haters a big fuck you. You proved them wrong. The team’s proud of you, everyone’s cheering you on.’’

It was true, everyone was proud of him, everyone cheered for him, chanting his name after the podium ceremony. Everyone. But one person.

‘’Hello? Lando?’’ Max seemed worried, he knew something was bothering his best friend, he knew him through and through. ‘’You’re confusing me, mate. What’s the matter? Aren’t you happy? You can’t be too hard on yourself now, mate, you wo-…’’

‘’It’s her!’’ He finally snapped, all the emotions he had bottled up and put in that jar, stashed away somewhere on the back shelf of his heart AND brain sneaked its way through and made a reappearance.

‘’I won! Yes, I fucking won! But at what cost?! I lost her mate! I won and she wasn’t here. That doesn’t mean I fucking won. I lost, I lost it all, I lost her…’’

Max let out a heavy sigh. He knew something was bothering his friend, and he had a slight feeling it would have had something to do with the girl that stole his heart. See, you and Lando go way back, and you’d always thought you’d end up together, whether it was in England, in Monaco, it didn’t matter, what mattered was that it’d always been the two of you together, till it wasn’t.

‘’Lando…’’ Here it was again, the 'I feel sorry for you, but you need to move on' speech, which sometimes Lando could appreciate, but not now, not at a moment like this. However, he remained silent.

‘’Look, mate, I know it’s hard, okay? You.. You’ve dreamt of this moment for years, and I’m sure she’d have been by your side in all those dreams, but…’’

‘’But reality is, she isn’t. I know Max, I know.’’ Lando ran his face through his hair, then over his face. ‘’I’m going to get a shower.’’

‘’Lando..’’

‘’I’m gonna shower, Max, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave and let me fucking shower!’’ Lando snapped, he never did, but today was full of too many emotions he couldn’t handle, too many mixed emotions that made the bucket spill over.

Raising his arms in defence, Max stepped back and nodded, slowly. He knew Lando needed time, but tonight was the after party, Zak had scheduled the flight for this evening back by a day, which meant they were planning on partying all night long.

‘’No, Lando, it’s not okay!’’ Your hands rose up in the air, toward your hair as you tugged on it, gently, but enough to let your frustrations out. ‘’It’s not okay, how is this okay?’’

‘’I… We’ll make it work, I promise you we’ll mak-‘’

‘’Stop trying to fix everything! Some things just can’t get fixed, okay?!’’

Lando and you were like two puzzle pieces that fit, perfectly fine. But what happens when one day, the piece that made those two pieces of the puzzle once a whole, disappeared. Broke off. Got thrown away which made it almost impossible for those two pieces to ever become whole again.

You loved him, more than anything in this whole entire world. You were determined to give up everything you ever had to be with him, to support him through thick and thin and you would never. Ever. Give up on each other...

‘’It’s been 4 months, give him some time.’’ Pietra’s reassuring hand made its way to Max’ shoulder.

It’d been 4 months since you and Lando broke up. You’d said your goodbyes at the airport after the two of you decided it was best to part ways. Lando tried almost everything to keep you at his side, but he knew that loving also meant letting go. That was the hardest part of a breakup, though, but he’d manage. Or so he thought.

You were lying when you said the breakup hadn’t torn your heart apart. It felt like it went through a shredder and every time you’d tried to pick up a piece and place it back, it didn’t fit. There were pieces missing, some things were upside down, backwards, or not even in the right place. It was heart-breaking.

Your breakup was something that nobody had seen coming, the fans, your friends, heck, not even the two of you saw it coming. You had always been different, but that didn’t stop you. Where you loved to stay at home and read a book, Lando loved to go out with his friends, plan his schedule full of events and parties. You’d join him, every now and then, but you preferred staying home.

Until you didn’t. But then it was too late.

‘’My parent’s need me back home.’’ You explained, the warm cup of tea in your hand preventing you from shivering. You and Lando were outside, watching the snow fall down the sky and onto the grass of his back yard in London.

‘’Alright, I can come if you want me to, I’m free till-..’’

‘’No, Lando, they need me back home, permanently.’’ You let out a shaky sigh, tears prickling behind your eyeballs as you kept your gaze focussed on your tea.

You had lived with Lando for almost 3 years now, the two of you dating for more than 5 years by the time you moved in together. Your parents knew his parents, and so the ball went rolling till it came to a stop in front of the two of you.

‘’What? But…’’

‘’I know.’’ Your voice was barely a whisper, the tears that you were desperately trying to hold back now made its appearance. Your parents were sick, both of them. You loved them more than anything, so leaving them and going to London, then to Monaco with the love of your life made you both happy and sad.

‘’No, Y/N, baby listen please, we can make it work. Okay? I’ll come over every month, we’ll do it together, I can…’’ But he knew everything he was saying was a lost cause. Your parents needed you, and as much as he wanted you to be with him, he knew you loved your parents. He’d never forgive himself if you staying with him meant you’d barely see your parents again.

‘’You know we can’t. We’ve been over this before.’’ Your voice was breaking more and more every word. ‘’It’s okay.’’ You whispered, the tea in your hands not being enough to keep you warm anymore. ‘’It’ll be okay…’’

‘’… on your win. And let’s make this party one to remember!’’ Cheers were hearable in the entire club, Lando being one of them. He laughed, partied, and celebrated. He won, he couldn’t ignore that, but that didn’t mean he didn’t think of how it could have been.

His job was hectic, of course. Being a Formula One driver – a race winning Formula One driver – meant events, races, meetings, and mostly, fame. You knew that if Lando would have stayed with you, if you would have done what he wanted – which was coming over once every month, it would bring attention to you and indirectly, to your parents, who could not use the attention at all.

After you and your parents got in a horrific car accident a few years after you and Lando started dating, the media was all over it. You barely had a chance to recover before the media would send you emails; press would be in front of your house and Lando’s interviews were all about how you and your parents were doing. It wasn’t healthy, at all. The press that did those things soon got boycotted by his fans, but that wasn’t the point here. They were there, they took away that bit of privacy you’d loved and cherished even more when Lando got more well known in the racing industry. When he joined Formula One.

You recovered completely – thankfully – but your parents, that was a whole other story. Both in a coma, one worse than the other, and the survival chances were low. Miraculously though, they woke up. The first 6 months, they had to stay at the hospital. Their wishes were to go home, so after 6 months, the hospital arranged things here and there so they could recover at home.

However, 2 years after the accident, you got the worst news possible. The car accident you and your parents were in caused your parents to both have brain damage, severely. They would need 24/7 care, and they would not get better. It was the worst possible scenario, but Lando was always there for you.

You just couldn’t do it, not with his fame, his busy schedule, your work. You worked from home, something you rearranged the moment you recovered from the car accident. It was the best option; you’d be able to work whenever you wanted, you could join Lando for his races. You could work from Monaco, England, it didn’t matter. You could work at home whenever Lando had a triple header, so you could take care of your parents whilst working from your laptop.

‘’You know they need me, and I love you so much, I…’’ The tears were streaming down your face after you had finished packing everything from Lando’s apartment – you were leaving.

‘’Shh..’’ Lando’s tears had dried on his cheeks, the sight of seeing you pack all your clothes in suitcases was the worst thing he’d ever seen. ‘’I know, sunshine, I know, but it’s okay. We’ll be okay.’’ He mumbled with the sorest throat from crying. He knew there was no more ‘we’ after you stepped out of that door. It was a commitment you made to each other.

‘If I need to go back and take care of them, move on. I don’t want you to spend the rest of your life waiting for me because I don’t know how long that’s going to take. I can’t expect you to put a hold on your life and come with me. You have a career, and I need you to put that on number one, be selfish, please.’

He always responded with the same thing. ‘’It doesn’t matter, you are my number one, you always will be.’’

‘’Lando Norris, your number one!’’ The music was pounding in his ears, the smile he had put on for this evening was fading slightly. When there was no camera around him, he’d let it drop, what was there to smile about?

Three months later

Moving on from a breakup was one thing, moving on from a breakup in which both individuals still loved each other but had to let go was another. Moving on from a breakup after finding out your parents had 2 more months to live, was impossible.

Your parents passed away 4 months ago, 3 months after you and Lando broke up. It was the hardest period of your life, and at some point, you weren’t even sure if you wanted to live the life you’d known for so long.

You’ve thought to yourself multiple times, why not go back to Lando? Tell him your parents passed away and everything would be okay. But that’s not the first thing that crosses your mind after your parents pass away. Especially not within the first four months of them being gone.

The number of times you’ve gotten close to pressing call on your ex-boyfriend’s number had been too many to count, but you couldn’t get yourself to do it. What were you going to say?

‘Hey Lando, yeah, my parents passed away, so I don’t have another thing to do, let’s get back together?’

Yeah, no. Not a chance.

You’ve watched his race win so many times it almost felt like you were there. You could imagine what it would have been like to be there, knowing the crew and drivers.

Why hadn’t you called him yet? Or why hadn’t you tried to congratulate him, reach out to his friends? No idea, you were still in that grieving state and you weren’t sure if you were going to break out of it.

That was until, one day, you saw this quote. It’s stupid to think one quote can change one’s perspective on things, but this one did.

‘If you don’t do it now, don’t regret it later.’

It was hard, doing the things you did, but not impossible. Impossible was getting over the death of your parents AND not having the one person you’ve loved more than anything not be there to help you through it.

So, you did it. You got in that car, which was something you’ve been avoiding after the accident, till Lando helped you get back into it. Your fingers dug into the leather of your father’s car, the one they left to you. Just like they left everything to you, the house, the money, the company.

A weak smile appeared on your face, so many memories in just one movement, one moment. The road was long, far, you had to stop at a hotel for a night of sleep before continuing your lonely road trip to London. Back to him. Because if you didn’t do it now, you would regret it later, and that’s something you couldn’t live with.

Another long day at the factory, more meetings, more shaking hands, interviews, you name it. His feet dragged him through the entire factory, not once, but three times already – and it was just lunch time. Things were better, he still missed you, but he was starting to accept it, just that, though, because moving on was impossible for him.

It wasn’t when one of the mechanics he always had lunch with called your name, that he turned his head so fast it would have almost gotten him a whiplash from the force and the speed. Your name, you were there, here.

A weak smile appeared on your lips. It wasn’t an easy choice, contacting Max, ignoring all his questions because you needed to see where he was, where the man you loved – and never stopped loving – was. It was bold, he might have moved on, gotten a new girlfriend, but you dug around the internet and didn’t see any signs of that being the case.

‘’Hey..’’

He was a race car driver, so he was fast, – very – fast. But the speed of which he got up and ran to you was another level. Your arms didn’t hesitate once. They found their way back around his neck, his positioned at your waist as always, and he looked into your eyes for a brief second, just to check, just to make sure that what he was about to do was okay. It was more than okay.

Your lips melted together instantly, his soft, warm lips immediately welcomed your slightly colder – due to the air-conditioning in the car – and even softer ones in a heartbeat. It felt good, it felt so good, you lost track of time, place and it was just the two of you in this moment. You did not regret it.

‘’Congratulations on your win, champ.’’ Your breath was a bit more rapid, your voice a lot hoarser than you would have liked it to be, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was that you had found your way back to him, like you always would have.

4 years later

It was no longer impossible. It was hard, for sure, but the moment you stood in front of their gravestones, your hand intertwined with his and a weak smile on your lips, you were exactly where you were meant to be.

‘’Mom, dad..’’ You whispered, head resting against Lando’s chest as he pressed a delicate kiss to your temple. Your hand rested on top of Lando’s, who had a protected arm around you, his hand rubbing small circles on your stomach. You played with his ring for a few seconds before you swallowed the lump in your throat. You looked up at your husband, who gave you a reassuring smile as you placed the tiny shoes on top of their gravestones.

‘’You’re gonna be grandparents…’’

#f1 #formula 1 #formula one #lando norris #f1 imagines #f1 fic #f1 imagine #f1 x reader #f1 fanfic #f1 fan #formula 1 fanfic #formula1 #formula 1 fanfiction #formula one fanfic #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 fic #f1 fanfiction #lando norris mclaren #lando imagine #lando x reader #miami gp 2024 #miami grand prix #lando x you #lando x y/n #ln4 #ln4 x reader #ln4 imagine #ln4 fic #ln4 fluff #f1 x y/n

[buddhamethods]

10 BL Characters I Want Carnally

AKA I'm just a person with two keen eyes and dubious morals when it comes to enjoying media so don't take it seriously, I'm here for a good time.

Thank you @sndrys for tagging me! This was an eye opening experience putting this together. As it turns out I might have a type (ew).

1) Guy from Bake Me Please (2023)

The sole reason for me creating this list! Look, I dropped Bake Me Please almost immediately because it just wasn't for me BUT I've been lowkey watching through my dash. And let me tell you, my fingers gain consciousness and hit reblog everytime this baby's face pops up because...well...LOOK AT HIM. He is beautiful and he should get the guy (hehe get it) in the end idc.

2) Yok from Not Me (2021)

Yok is such a beloved character and for good reason! He is sexy, he is gay, he sets buildings on fire and steals cops' wallets on accident because HOW WAS HE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT GUY HE WAS STALKING WAS A COP??? I love you Yok, never change.

3) Palm from Never Let Me Go/ OurSkyy2 (2022-23)

The anger I felt for all the injustice and mistreatment our beautiful Palm had to face in this show took literal years off my life. It's rare for me to get this passionately protective over a character and yet here we are, in the Palm Protection Squad headquarters. Even Nueng is on the watchlist!

4) Tonhon from Tonhon Chonlatee (2020)

Not to out myself as an enjoyer of silly goofy times , but I did have fun watching Fish Upon The Sky and Secret Crush On You, so OFCOURSE I thought I would like this one too but GOD was it rough. Did I still finish it? Yes. Did I fawn over PoddKhao pairing and have been quietly praying for some kind of reunion ever since? Also yes. Was I foaming at the mouth barking everytime Tonhon AKA Podd was on my screen? I'm not gonna comment without lawyer present.

5) Tew from My Dear Gangster Oppa (2023)

Speaking of Tonhon Chonlatee...AH! Ai Long Nhai (TC's spiritual prequel of sorts) was sure...something. And by something I mean I saw Meen and decided I will never speak ill of men ever again, feminism quite literally left my body. And then a year later My Dear Gangster Oppa came out and guess what??! MEEN IS THE GANGSTER OPPA! Dreams really do come true, kids.

6) Wen from Moonlight Chicken (2023)

(or Tian from ATOATS or Mueang Nan fron FUTS). Mix...I will eat you. Always so dewy and healthy and sparkly-eyed. But Wen from Moonlight Chicken is something out of the realm of my imagination. The sex appeal? The maturity?? The gentleness??!! Somebody sedate me before I say something I will not be able to justify in court.

7) Vee from Love Mechanics (2022)

He is a pretty bisexual who makes the most abhorrent stupid decisions known to men and then weeps and suffers for them WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED? Once again, is the show flawless or even remotely coherent? Absolutely not. That being said Vee brought me so much joy by being stupid I'm forever grateful.

(also YinWar are so back GO WATCH JACK AND JOKER TRAILER)

8) Prapai from Love In The Air (2022)

To a certain extent I've enjoyed every MAME show I've watched. To do that you need to possess the rare ability called "I abandoned every shred of moral integrity to gawk at hot men". And Prapai? MAN is this bitch hot. Tall dark handsome? Check! Bisexual on a bike? Check! Stubborn and annoying? CHECK!

9) Xiang Hao Ting from HIStory3: Make Our Days Count (2019)

*incoherent wailing and sobbing* IM NOT EXPLAINING SHIT ABOUT HIM LEAVE ME ALONE

10) AlanJeff from Pit Babe (2023)

My newest obsession! I refuse to separate our local senior citizen and his favorite prophetic mechanic. Both of them are hot as shit in their own way. Alan is a sexy dilf with so much weight and responsibility on his shoulders it's a miracle he retained his optimism and youthful awkwardness. And Jeff is a prickly baby-cow-baby-deer eyed baby that is so touch starved it's actually a little funny. SO I GUESS ALANJEFF SANDWICH IT IS.

(don't be shy tag yourselves besties <3)

#tag game #bake me please #bake me please the series #not me #not me the series #never let me go #never let me go the series #my dear gangster oppa #my dear gangster oppa the series #moonlight chicken #history 3: make our days count #pit babe #pit babe the series #love mechanics #tonhon chonlatee #love in the air #love in the air the series #blacked out and tagged every show oops

[main-serendipity-sky]

Jimin for GQ Interview

His words are beautiful too. Compared to previous interviews, Jimin said much more. I would attribute that to the confidence and maturity that he has acquired.

It's comforting to see and read that writing FACE has allowed Jimin to be freer. That prettier glow and the way he is carrying himself are a give a way. Even he says that writing his lyrics was an enjoyable process although we also know it was difficult for him to get the words out on paper.

It's like the little wheels in his mind don't stop churning and he's constantly working mentally but then also physically. He's thinking his emotions for his next dances and concepts. He thinks of great things. He's always working, he said.

And beyond all of this, he remains humble and gracious and eager to be with his members on that stage again.

Jimin is warmth and victory personified.

GQ: During this year’s V Live, you introduced the album <Face> and said, “I wanted to boldly declare that I will overcome this period of wandering and the emotions that stemmed from it.” During the BTS Festa in 2021, you also said that what you “believe in” is something you can “create,” and what you “don’t believe in” is the idea that “destiny is fixed.” Moving forward on your own terms through your own efforts seems to hold significant meaning for you.

Jimin: I believe no one can set their own limits. While limits do exist, you won’t know where they are until you get there. That’s why I fully understand the courage and effort it takes to believe in yourself and keep going. The act of setting your course and moving forward through your own efforts is truly remarkable.

GQ: In the January 2022 interview with <GQ>, RM said that “confessions can sometimes make people stronger.” talking about the cathartic power of music. He admitted that while it’s important to be honest with fans, he also feels a mix of fear and freedom. Now that some time has passed since the release of your first solo album earlier this year, what do you think Face has given you? After all, some emotions only become clear in hindsight.

Jimin: The album helped me gain a clear understanding of the complex emotions I’d been feeling but couldn’t quite grasp at the time. Thanks to those experiences, I’m no longer afraid of the thought of picking myself up during difficult moments when it feels like I can’t get up.

GQ: The idea of filling in the gaps that can’t be expressed through music with choreography is brilliant. It seems you’ve gone beyond dance to also being interested in conceptualizing and planning.

Jimin: That’s right. During the planning when we discuss the overall direction or choreography, I actively contribute to the conversation, sharing thoughts and concepts that emerged while writing the song. I find that part of the process really enjoyable.

GQ: Though it wasn’t included in the published January 2022 interview with <GQ>, you mentioned that you often think about the meaning of abstract things, like relationships, loyalty, and love. Do you feel you’re finding answers to these concepts? What occupies your mind these days?

Jimin: They’re still challenging terms for me, since I’m in the process of maturing and becoming an adult. Perhaps because of that, my thoughts change every day. At times, words like relationships, loyalty, and love, feel empty, but there are also moments when they resonate with a deep warmth, even if I don’t fully understand them. I want to continue to experience a wide spectrum of emotions.

GQ: Is that perhaps why your music and dance seem to capture the dualities and complexities of emotion? This quality keeps each listening experience fresh, leaving a lasting impression. What do you personally require to translate these emotions into music, and then into dance?

Jimin: The first time I hear a song, it’s important for me to truly feel it. I strive to remember those initial thoughts and emotions and then express them fully when I’m on stage.

GQ: BTS has managed to make the concept of a “language barrier” seem irrelevant. After BTS entered the Billboard charts for the first time, I was really touched when you said, “BTS’s language is reaching different corners of the world. Instead of setting grandiose goals, I hope our language continues to connect with people in diverse places.” In your opinion, what is the key to overcoming language barriers?

Jimin: To get to where we are now, our team has faced considerable struggles, occasionally losing our way and experiencing conflict, but always supporting each other. The joy, sorrow, pain, delight, and love we’ve felt along the way—we’ve been candid about it all. I think these emotions struck a chord with people. So, in the end, it’s not really about language, but the heart that bridges the gap.

GQ If all the languages in the world were to disappear and only one form of expression could remain, what would you choose?

Jimin: I’d choose to keep the act of bowing, the gesture of lowering one’s head in greeting. This simple act carries a multitude of meanings: it can mean a warm “hello,” “thank you,” or “goodbye,” or it can embody a sense of consideration for the other person. If just one form of language or expression could remain, I’d want it to be this act that conveys greeting, gratitude, and respect.

GQ: You once answered the question “When do you feel most loved?” with “When all of our members are together.” Do you still feel that way?

Jimin: That remains unchanged. I believe a team is at its best and receives the most love when its members function as a team.

GQ: You’ve always cited ‘Young Forever’ as your most special song. In 2021, you posted on Weverse that whenever you listen to it, you think about the fans singing along. What scenes come to mind these days when you listen to ‘Young Forever’?

Jimin: I remember the scenes I saw from the stage. They were incredibly warm moments. They’re happy memories that stay with me.

https://www.gqkorea.co.kr/2023/10/18/jimin-you-wont-know-where-your-limits-are-until-you-get-there/?ddw=144996&ds_ch=twitter&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=SNS

#jimin #idk and idc i just love him

[bloody-wonder]

2023 reading wrap up

sort sort sort i love to arbitrarily sort😌📚

*i decided to get even more creative this time and named the tiers after different things from the books featured on this list. see explanation below🙃 **the following series i read in full are represented only by the first book: the aurelian cycle, the radiant emperor, the winnowing flame, sorcery of thorns, monk & robot, lilywhite boys

so in 2023 my reading was heavily curated: i challenged myself to finish at least 5 series i started a long time ago, to start at least 5 new ones, to read at least 10 classics, at least 5 dark academia books, at least 10 books not in english and to re-read at least 5 books i've been meaning to re-read for some time - and i did well at all of these challenges except for the last two (missed the goal by one book in each case). it's still difficult for me to find books in languages i can read other than english which i actually want to read as well as prioritizing re-reads over new exciting books😒🤷‍♀️

but overall i would say this was a good way to organize my reading year. i like planning, i like structure, i like crossing things off different lists so completing these challenges gave me a great sense of accomplishment. but more importantly, i feel like they achieved their respective purpose: i returned to stories i fell in love with years ago and finally followed some of those journeys to their end. i discovered new fun journeys - some of them so exciting i had to finish the series immediately and some that will last me for a few more years to come. i finally feel like i trained my classics brain muscle back to its glory days and i can't express how pleasantly surprised i am to see one of those dusty tomes i read by the dozen as a teen on my top 5 again. i rediscovered my love for dark academia. i did read books in different languages and some of them ended up quite high on my tier list as well.

at the same time i had plenty of opportunities left to mood-read. boy parts, my favorite book of the year, for example wasn't a part of any challenge. the same goes for semantic error which i picked up at random during the bl manhwa revival i experienced at the end of 2023. so my top tiers ended up being a mix of different genres, the new and the old series and books, the expected and the unexpected faves.

i wasn't trying to read a certain amount of books this year but surprisingly i managed to read even more than last year (when it comes to the page count). and as for the quality, i do have a better feeling than i had in 2022 too. while i didn't manage to regain the heights of literary enjoyment from the golden era of 2019-2021, i think i'm on my way there :)

here's another curious wrap up thingy @magpiefngrl tagged me in! very representative of my reading tastes, though i must say i have only 6 unread kj charles books left and i'm starting to get concerned about what i'm going to do when i inevitably gobble them up in 2024😬

what about you guys? please tell me about your reading year! you can do a tier list (if you're a virgo) or the my year in books overview (if you regularly update your goodreads) or just write a post, if you want to. or you can also ignore me and go have a fantastic year😉🍾🎉🎆🎄

@figuringthengsout @fugitoidkry @pinkasrenzo @fandomreferencepending @counterwiddershins @magpiefngrl @sugarbabywenkexing @weirdsociology @theodoradove @doh-rae-me @venndaai @sixappleseeds @oliviermiraarmstrongs @bookish-moony

goodreads │ old yearly wrap ups 2020 2021 2022

explanation of the tier titles under the cut (if you even care)

spermaceti is a precious substance derived from the head of the sperm whale that may or may not be the whale's sperm. these are the books i absolutely loved. the vibe is that scene from moby dick where they are all on deck slicking each other with spermaceti and chanting "sperm!🙌" (that's how i remember it anyways)

toy excavator is the source of his strongest positive feelings for the main character of semantic error chu sangwoo. these are the books that i loved too but not on the spermaceti level, you know. the vibe is that scene where sangwoo realizes he's in love with jaeyoung and is like,, damn. this feels exactly like that time they gifted me a toy excavator🤔😒 (he's autistic)

skyfish is the least cool type of dragon in the aurelian cycle. the hufflepuff dragon, if you will. but it's still a dragon so these were some good books i still enjoyed😌

defekta are sentient furniture in nino cipri's sci fi novella defekt. now, in this book the concept of defekta very much serves the purpose of questioning what things we see as defective and the ethics of of how we treat them. for the purposes of this tier list however defekta are the books which range from good to great but which at the same time have some big issue that made me want to throw them at a wall. that's why the radiant emperor is ranked twice lol it has to be on my top 5 bc i'm obsessed but also ragsghhjdsgjhjbbdsd

kerinne is a made up drink the characters of mca hogarth's cozy sci fi series the dreamhealers like to drink. in 2023 i found out that i am not immune to cozy sff but one genre-specific thing i will forever remain indifferent towards is foods & beverages - i don't care about them too much irl so when they're fictional i care even less. these are the books that were just whatever🤷‍♀️

holism is art's annoying coworker we're introduced to in system collapse. a totally overrated guy, just like these books🙄

green varnish is a resin-like substance a certain type of creature in the winnowing flame excretes after consuming everything it finds in its path so that entire towns together with their residents get entombed under it forever. it's also transparent so the areas attacked by these creatures basically turn into see-through graveyards brrrr. these were The Worst books i read in 2023😬

#book tag #putting boy parts into the spermaceti tier over moby dick & cackling maniacally #ugh both goodreads and tiermaker kept crashing on me but i persevered #also if you're one of my reader followers and you want to tell me about your reading year please consider yourself tagged!

[withoutyouimsaskia]

The Placebo Effect

When it comes to music, for me, there is no other band that compares to Placebo.

Placebo came into my life when I was around 9 or 10 and they changed my life. I didn't understand the gravity of the lyrics in many of the songs but I loved the sound of them. It was unlike anything I had ever heard before (or since for that matter).

Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal inspire me every day. They are two of my favourite people on the planet. The influence they have on me is profound. I find solace and joy in their art and their aesthetic informs a lot of the choices I make with clothing and makeup.

Their music is a safe space.

They are the reason I created a Tumblr profile; I wanted photos and GIFs of them on tap. My username and bio description are Placebo related and my profile picture was taken with a special filter they released when the Surrounded by Spies single was released in 2021.

I was fortunate enough to see them live for the first time last night (13/06/23) in my favourite venue. Second row. Right in front of Brian. So close that I could see the blue-green of their eyes.

Right from the opening chords of Forever Chemicals, I went to another plane and still haven't come back.

This was the one. The perfect concert.

They are masters of their craft. The mix of older and newer songs. The relevance of the lyrics. Every note was poignant and visceral. The power in Brian's voice was stunning.

Seeing the enjoyment on Brian and Stefan's faces as they smiled and gave knowing looks to each other, it warmed my heart. I made eye contact with both of them several times and being able to connect with them like that was unbelievably special.

I sang to every song, and danced and jumped. I threw my hands up and shook my hair around. I cried when they played Song to Say Goodbye and Happy Birthday in the Sky. I kept putting my hand on my chest, right over my heart, so I could feel the vibrations of the music. I let go of my inhibitions. I love that they encouraged a no phone/camera policy; it was a room full of people living in a unique moment. For 23 songs, they had us in the palm of their hands.

It was a gift to share that time with them. To watch them do what they love and to hear songs that I connect to on such a deep emotional level.

When they left, the cheers and clapping went on for ages and I started to process what had just happened.

Outside, I reunited with the friends I had made while queuing and inside the venue, and we had a very excitable de-brief together, took group photos and exchanged contact details.

It was a perfect evening. I was euphoric. Floating far above the metaphoric clouds.

And then I met Stefan. Actual Stefan Olsdal. One of my absolute favourite people. I had written a letter to him and Brian and decided to ask the security people outside the tour bus if they could get it to them. I got an even better and totally unexpected offer: "would you like to meet Stefan?"

The next thing I know, he's coming out the bus to specifically speak to me.

It was so easy to talk to him. He's very softly spoken and sweet. He asked me how long I had been following them and was surprised at how young I had been. He also seemed excited that it was my first time seeing them.

I did gush a bit incoherently but he was lovely and and comforting. His replies to my praise were humble and precious. I loved seeing his smile up close. He also gives very satisfying and long hugs. I adore the photo we took together and I will treasure it forever.

I mean, look at Stefan's beautiful face.

Thank you Placebo for your art, and for last night. It was like being in a dream. I will never be the same again ❤️

#placebo #placebo band #stefan olsdal #brian molko #favourite band #music #gush post #never let me go

[froggyrights]

Hi everyone! Since a couple people were interested I made a small blog recommendations list 🌟

These are all people I personally love to see on my dash! Specifically those i know well enough to comment on or people I like that I haven't seen on many other follow lists floating around.

If you enjoy following me you'll probably like these people's blogs as well.

-

Mostly Dream SMP content:

@carpedzem my c!dnf partner in crime!! also an amaazing artist and good lore posts!

@elliotl beloved dreblr member, general Good & Nice presence and good c!dream posts!

@cdiskduoisms I would trust his opinions on discduo with my LIFE. Writes so many incredible dsmp fics you neeed to check them out

@dorito-with-no-weakness both based c!dream & dsmp stuff and fun other mcyt posts!

@call-me-apple also dreblr! every apple Post I see I go woah. thats based. Recommend.

@kiuda her c!dream headcanons make me So sad. Posts analysis and cc content too!

@rutadales there's no one whose c!foolish analysis i trust more! Also a lot of c!dream, cool art and general mcyt content.

@simplepotatofarmer such a cool blogger! posts awesome c!Techno & c!rivals stuff and posts about their chickens (!!) There's no negatives here

@bigbaras recently started posting their c!dream and dsmp art on here and wow. Woooooww. Wow.

@foolsocracy posts dsmp stuff! Makes aweesome art like their c!Sam design is everything 2 me

@cgogs one of the like 6 other cdnfers on this site woo 🥳 I'd mention him just for that but she also has awesome analysis abt cclingy and cawesamponk

@yumgrapejuice I'm a huge fan of grapes endersmile fics!! Also blogs about c & cc dream :)

@kenjo-arts posts so much cool c!dream and dsmp art!!

@theminecraftbox can't rec dsmp blogs without mentioning their blog ! Has the best c!prisontrio analysis on the website for suure

-

Mostly CC content:

@dteamtogether pandasblr! Posts mainly sapnap & dtqk+!! Blaze is awesome follow him neoooww

@dtqkplus the url says enough right? Also reblogs tommy and wilbur stuff, if there's a good post I'll probably see it on their blog

@catboydweam all sorts of c & cc dream stuff! Also talented fic writer!!

@dnferisms posts general dtqk+ content, definitely a fun addition to your dash!

@alien-girl-21 mix of mcyt and general fun posts. My go to for updates on what Quackity has been up to on Karmaland!

@gnfghibli dteamblr and some other mcyt comtent, really fun to follow

@respiteresponse posts suuuch wonderful mcyt/dsmp art!! Mainly dteam and tina from what I've seen, it's awesome

@calamitydaze posts general dtqk content and also makes the most heartwrenching dsmp webweaves ever. Such good c!Quackity & c!fiance opinions too

@f4c3 literally a dteamblr staple. Where would we all be without f4c3. Has been here for ages & will outlast us all

@tinogie posts mainly abt dtqk+, always has something fun/interesting/cursed going on in their askbox. Also very talented dnf fic writer!

@foolishgamersbf my favorite foolish gamers enjoyer!! Posts abt foosh and tina mostly, runs @tooshdaily as well!

@sappymix1 dteam main, posts tons of mcyt stuff, very fun to follow!!!

@georgelore one of the first dteamblr blogs I followed in like 2021 and never regretted my decision, just posts good mcyt content

Also honorable mention to Leo @hoshogie who doesn't post mcyt content but you should follow xem anyway thank you👍

#dsmp #mcyt #dream smp #i spend way too much time on this pls appreciate it /reblog if you found it useful :) #you dont know how hard it was for me not to tag every single dreblr member the self restraint was crazg #i most definitely missed some people i wanted to add but im too tired to add more #new twitter people dont say i never do anything for u guys #yrsa rambles #also i used they/them for people who's pronouns i didnt know i hope thats okay i will change it if anyone wants me to

[sad-vampire-wh0r3]

Vampire Suggestions: Movies and TV

For my babes who want to get into vampires but don't know where to start. Here are some of my personal recommendations.

Vampires are a very fun genre to get into especially in films imo, you get ranges from romance, to comedy, to drama, to sinister. I really recommend looking into vampire folklore as well, I love the many interpretations of vampires across the country, but in my experience, having background knowledge of the folklore/history makes these films more enjoyable. (this is just my personal preference, you ofc don't have to do this)

What We Do in the Shadows (2014 film) and (2019) show. They are both mockumentary comedies, but I think they're really good and very humorous. The characters are more fitting to classic vampire stereotypes but I think that's what makes it more enjoyable

Interview with a Vampire (1994), I also strongly recommend the book written by Anne Rice. Although I am not the biggest Tom Cruise fan, he is how I pictured Lestat

Van Helsing (2004) Focuses more on Hugh Jackman and hunting vampires, I loved how the vampires were portrayed in this film

Castlevania (2017) people are usually hesitant when I recommend this one because it is an anime, but Castlevania is one of the franchises that really sucked me into vampires. Gothic Horror/Literature is such a perfect mix with vampires, especially when religious elements are tied in as well.

If you want something more in the 'teen romance' part, I suggest *The Vampire Diaries (*TVD), it is a bit dated, and it is one of those 'love it or hate it' series. But I think if given the chance you could potentially really like it. It obviously has a little more than romance, but the main love triangle was what I was there for. (you could also watch the spin-off series called The Originals, I preferred this one a little bit more especially if you wish to know more about the originals )

I also really recommend looking at the suggestions on this article, if you are looking for vampire romance films that AREN'T Twilight (no judgement on those who enjoy the series, I enjoyed it when I was younger, I just don't really have the same feelings towards it now)

If you want more recent films:

Midnight Mass (2021) This series was a little bit scarier than the other ones I have recommended (I didn't know if you had any limits so I thought I would lay this one out here). But it also falls under a Gothic horror in a way, like I said before when I suggested Castlevania, Religion, gothic horror, and vampires are such a good mix, and you can really see it shine in this series

Dracula (2020) I love retellings or Bram Stokers Dracula (if you have not read the book or know much of Vlad the Impaler, I strongly recommend doing a little deep dive on him). This retelling was a lot more modern and I really loved Claes Bang's acting, I am such a stickler for Dracula's because imo Christopher Lee will always be number 1.

**Note: I did not recommend Christopher Lee's Dracula Films because they are a little older, and I know that some people do not have the patience for older films. However I will be happy to Link them here**

The Invitation (2022) Although I didn't really enjoy this film as much as I hoped I would, I still am going to put it down because I know some people really did like it. It is a bit of a build up, but I don't want to spoil it for you

I hope that some of these recommendations you enjoy, I saw some of the other recommendations on here and they are all so good. Personally I think a big plus in the Vampire community/genre is that there are so many interpretations of vampires and there are so many forms in media that you can really dip your toes into all of it and pick and choose what you like from the batch. I hope you look into a bunch and Happy hunting !

#vampire esque #vampire movies #vampire suggestions #movie recommendation #castlevania #what we do in the shadows #movie rec list #movie recc #watchlist #to watch #films #gothic horror #horror movies #horror films #vampires #monsters #werewolf #vampire media

[asdear]

So, I would like to introduce a new GTA Online OC I made... 👀

Meet Jordan Fletcher, y'all!

This is a description I made based on all of the info I came up with for them. I'm not the best at descriptions, so I apologize. 😵‍💫

(TW: mentions of relationship abuse, SA, date r* drugs)

Jordan Olivia Fletcher, better known to others as Jo or J, is a 27-year-old genderflux - switching between male, female, neutrois, and agender - person with Scottish ancestry. Formerly a cisgender woman, they came out in 2019, as well as suspecting to be pansexual in 2012 but discovering they were bisexual instead in 2021.

They stand at 5'8” (172.72 cm) with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. They also have an average weight of 140 pounds (63.5 kg).

They are completely fluent in English and have some knowledge of Russian and Spanish, as they wanted to learn both of these languages for fun. Especially around the time they began robbing the world's most notorious drug lord, El Rubio, being around their Russian accomplice and guards who spoke Spanish inspired them to learn some basic words.

Despite being a good leader, and due to having symptoms of both antisocial and borderline personality disorder, their personality is a complex mix of being honest, manipulative, pacifist, and violent. They are very ambitious, though their ambition sometimes leads to impulsivity and a tendency to lie to others, whether in exchange for power or simply just for the fun of it. They are classified as chaotic neutral, and they will not hesitate to act on horrible activities or resort to violence, but they will refuse to do anything that would hurt their loved ones.

Due to their past life, they are also insecure and struggle with fears of abandonment and failure. They can especially be possessive of loved ones but are quick to back off if confronted. From their insecurity, they often seek validation from others to feel respected.

Even though they feel romantic and sexual attraction, Jordan has no romantic and/or sexual interest in anyone after what they have gone through, even when they find themselves seducing other people they meet for fun and out of boredom. When hanging out at a bar or some other place, they typically participate in impulsive sexual behaviors to cope with their past.

Regarding their past life events, they dated a boy in high school who was very abusive toward them. He had threatened them to not tell anyone about their abusive intentions to anyone, and they gave in, making them adapt to the abuse. Even when he physically and sexually assaulted them, they never bothered to find help, due to being “brainwashed" into thinking the abuse was something normal.

After graduating high school, they escaped from their hometown, Alderney, to Los Santos, seeking a fresh start after dealing with their toxic parents and meeting their online friend, Lamar, through LifeInvader. However, similarly to their other former friends they worked with in Los Santos over the years, they grew bored of Lamar and stopped talking to him.

In late 2017, what was originally a crush on 38-year-old billionaire Avon Hertz turned into rejection. They confessed their feelings for Avon, but he had zero interest in them, due to them being a “creepy, unpredictable mute.” This hurt them, and in revenge and impulsion, they kept harassing him to have sex with him, at least for one time only, until he gave in.

Instead of doing anything with him, though, they stole valuable items from his house after slipping a pill into his drink. Before he could react after the incident, it wasn't until he betrayed the crew that he realized what Jordan had done to him. However, he didn't want to reveal where he was hiding if he'd go after them, and thus, stayed in his nuclear missile silo.

When not committing crimes or other horrible acts, they like to do hobbies such as drawing, playing guitar, and reading non-fiction books. Despite also struggling with dyslexia, they still find enjoyment in reading, even if it's hard for them.

Their favorite food is sushi, and their favorite colors are beige, black, gray, purple, and red. They also enjoy alternative, EDM, hip-hop, and rock music, as well as horror and thriller films. They try to take advantage of doing normal activities when they find themselves needing a break from more illegal things.

Overall, they like acquiring valuable items and money, being praised for their accomplishments, learning new skills, and taking on challenges. On the other hand, they also hate being rejected or disrespected, boredom, overwhelming situations, and having a plan gone wrong.

It took me a long ass time to make them. I wanted to make my OC as realistic and non-one-dimensional as I could.

And I had an AI help me at times. I struggled with creating a somewhat believable OC, so I had this app (Pi.ai) help me out sometimes. 🙃

#gta #grand theft auto #gta online #grand theft auto online #gta oc #gta online oc #oc #original character #oc description #oc bio

[seerofmike]

Mike's Media Medley--April 2024

henlo and welcome to my monthly diary review thing where i talk about movies/shows/games i experienced for the first time this month. there are a lot of things i watch/play throughout the year that i really like but don't ever get the opportunity to talk about due to the restrictions of my 7 game/7 movie restrictions on my end of year list + the fact i limit movies to 2024 releases. this list encompasses movies and games from any time period that i watched or played for the first time ever this month.

feel free to reply to this post with things you think i should watch or play!

here are some things i watched and played for the very first time this april:

2024 movie/show releases: Monkey Man, Civil War, Abigail, Fallout

non-2024 movie/show releases: Alien (1979), My Octopus Teacher (2020), The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

games: fallout 3 (2008), the battle of polytopia (2016), let's build a zoo (2021), mineko's night market (2022)

my thoughts on all of them below, in alphabetical order--movies/shows first, then games:

Abigail (2024)

this movie was honestly pretty fun. enjoyed it more than i was expecting tbh, i used my membership tuesday price on this cuz i did not feel like paying full price for a ticket to see this. kind of thought it would be just dumb "ooh evil kid" shock horror

and like. don't get me wrong it is definitely ooh evil kid horror but the twist is given relatively early with only minor padding for a bigger twist later. thought it was decently funny and it works well enough as a singular movie but i don't see it warranting a sequel which the ending might be building up to. and though it was fun everything was like. Fine. directing was fine. acting was fine. music was fine. probably would not see it again but did not hate my decision watch it

60/100

Alien (1979)

YES this is really my first time seeing Alien, i am pretty unfamiliar with basically everything about Alien, nothing i say will probably be new

first off the sound was like. really quiet? and idk if it's because my theater had the volume too low or if that's the way it was mixed--it is an old movie after all--but i couldn't hear a lot of the dialogue and i feel like it would've boosted my enjoyment of the movie a lil more but i did really like it

specifically the art direction and set design. the alien planet and the ship, the fossilized skeleton on that big chair all with this really distinct weird black mechanical look that is also like. weirdly alive. and how that extends to the nostromo having parts of it as the movie progresses that looks like the alien. biomechanical is i think the word for it? its awesome. epic, even. makes u paranoid

big fan of the directing as well. very claustrophobic at some scenes. the refusal to show you the alien in full for a while. reaction shots instead of direct sight of the gore and horror (the cat when the janitor dies, ripley hearing parker and lambert die as she runs)

the thing that detracts from the movie for me is the sexual violence undertones. just simply not a fan

p good, might need to rewatch with subtitles to appreciate a bit more once i understand the actual plot lmfao. also this movie is very sweaty just like love lies bleeding. maybe i like sweaty movies. 80/100

(more under the cut)

Civil War (2024)

this movie was not very good

i was not going to see it and then i heard that it was less a typical war movie from the perspective and soldiers and shit that it was more about war correspondence and that piqued my interest as someone who used to want to be a journalist. turns out it's not even that much about war correspondence either. the main characters are war photographers but it all feels like. pretty surface level?

not to mention i understand the intent of keeping the politics of a theoretical civil war part 2 vague so as to not actually incite any specific kind of rage or controversy from either side but like. its a civil war movie. about war correspondence and photography.

the emotional hook of the movie just does nawt work for me. the young photographer lady is incredibly dumb. why does she do the things she does. why does she jump between the cars like that when she's so obsessed with the main lady. i had other gripes with her but i dont even remember all of them because this movie is already a distant memory. the bonding between them does nothing for me and just feels really forced and corny.

that being said there are some nice shots in this movie. it's well-directed but the sound design is really fucking carrying. all of the gunshots are LOUD and impactful and i think that really helps with the conflict where the wishy washy centrist politics fail.

30/100. not the worst movie ive ever seen but i would not watch it again.

Fallout (2024)

yeah yeah the show is really good. acting is good all across the board. was fun seeing the fun references / easter eggs to fallout. i was particularly interested in norm's side of the plot and lucy was a really refreshing protagonist. i think maximus was the weakest of the main plotlines but i'm hoping they go somewhere with his darker side because while i think it was the weakest i think he has the most potential

like lucy and the ghoul are pretty squarely set on their own sides with their own clear morals (or karma, good and evil) but maximus is someone who wants to be a good person but is often just. not good at being a good person. he's naive and not very competent at his job tbh but is still being heralded as a new wave of the brotherhood of steel. very interested to see where all that goes.

enjoyed it a ton. 85/100

Monkey Man (2024)

dev patel really made a movie about the healing power of trans people and he's awesome for that

good action flick with some scathing political commentary that i wish i was more well-versed on indian politics to say something substantial about but i could Feel the contempt for modi/the bjp and hindu nationalism as a whole

it's shot & edited sooooooo frenetically and i think this works a lot of the time HOWEVER at some points it is like. an active detriment. i never really feel nauseous when movies use shaky cam but this movie's camera is not just shaking. that shit is rocking. vibrating. particularly when he's outrunning the police thats when it gets Bad

otherwise i really enjoyed it. the action hits. the aesthetics and cinematography are probably my favorite of everything i watched this month! that being said i probably wouldn't watch it again just because i'm not the type to rewatch action movies like these i think ive only ever seen john wick the one time

75/100

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

it was fine. it's a documentary idk i don't have much to say. doesn't really feel right rating it but i watched it and the visuals were breathtaking but like it doesnt rly have a plot or anything. its neat. nice background thing to put on while you do something else

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

yeah yeah. unique color palette and color grading. directed well to suit the framing device. everyone and everything is smartly positioned onscreen.pretty good performances from people who have to just dump like 60 lines of dialogue on you all at once. yall know this one is good its wes anderson go watch it its 40 minutes long

75/100

video games:

The Battle of Polytopia (2016)/Let's Build a Zoo (2021)

putting both of these games here because i really don't have a lot to say about them, i played them both very briefly. in let's build a zoo's case, literally for five minutes. the battle of polytopia was boring and after like two runs i was like ok welp that's it for me. i did play the mobile version so that might be part of the problem but idk i don't think the gameplay loop would've grabbed me even if expanded. let's build a zoo had atrocious UI and controls on console and i immediately got pissed off trying to build an enclosure and uninstalled

Fallout 3 (2008)

i am not immune to propaganda

is this game good? not really but my favorite elder scrolls game is oblivion so you should know i, for one, love bethesda jank. love walking around in a big ass world full of weird people and discovering places and just taking a look around. frankly i don't care if i died five times to the same pack of super mutants. i'm having a good time.

not super deep into the main story and have only completed about ten quests but i'm into it

Mineko's Night Market (2022)

man i like. really wanted to like this game. it has a really cute art style and a good sense of humor, and i like management and sim games. unfortunately it just failed to grab me. i had a chuckle or two for the first hour i played but after that i was just really bored running around looking for flowers and i quit before i even got to attend the actual night market. i played it through my dad's gamepass and i usually end up quitting games quickly due to buying them on steam and needing to decide if i like them or not under 2 hours. otherwise i try not to quit games that early unless they're super boring or glitchy/unplayable. unfortunately even without that time limit looming over my head it just wasn't really doing anything for me.

if u got this far into reading this i love u

#mike's media medley

[midorisudachi]

Is anybody into Minecraft Story Mode?

Here are the "semi-realistic" versions of the main characters, how they looked at the start of the series/episode 1. Drawn with Sakura Pigma Micron pens & coloured in with a mix of Copic Markers & Ohuhu Markers. Plain grey background was added in with Photoshop Elements.

I drew this for my son last month, because he has loved MCSM for the past 2.5 years now (he's 7). That was his first introduction to the world of Minecraft, when MSCM s1 chapters 1-4 had been available on Netflix. He got hooked. He's never played the game, but he has watched MCSM s1 episodes 5-8 and MSCM s2 on YouTube dozens of times since then. Eventually I got into the series. There's a lot of enjoyable characters & interactions with MCSM, and I like the storyline. I wish there was a season 3, but the ending of season 2 just leaves it up to one's imagination.

Also, my son and I had played Minecraft Dungeons last year & got to the final boss (but never defeated it). We last played in October of 2021 and many life events happened to where we haven't had the occasion to play it, & the XBox One I had is gone. However, we just moved into a new apartment & I finally got a hold of the elusive XBox Series X a couple of months ago. In the near future, we'll have to start Minecraft Dungeons all over again, but it'll be fun!

#minecraft #minecraft story mode #mcsm #mcsm jesse #mcsm lukas #mcsm petra #mcsm axel #mcsm olivia #mcsm ivor #mcsm fanart #minecraft fanart #mcsm reuben #mojang #minecraft story mode fanart #my artwork #my fanart #traditional art #traditional media #copic markers #ohuhu markers

[feuqueerfire]

April 2024 Movies/Shows Wrap-Up

A little monthly (spoilery!) wrap-up of all the shows, movies, and shorts I’ve watched or am watching in April 2024, general thoughts, and ranking of them all.

Recommendation of the month(s): idk, had a bunch of shows that I rated pretty well but they each have big caveats lol.

Ranking

The Good Bad Mother (2023) = Utsukushii Kare S2 (2023) = 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) = The Warp Effect (2023)

I Hear Your Voice (2013) = Rewatch: ? Utsukushii Kare S1 (2021) 

Jazz for Two (2024) =  Utsukushii Kare: Eternal (2023)

Some More (2018)

Watching: 23.5

I managed to watch some shows that I’d been really anticipating for quite a while and were released early last year: Utsukushii Kare S2 + movie and The Warp Effect

Average Rating: 6.5/10

MDL Updates - Added to Watchlist: 

A section because I’m curious about how many shows I decide to add to my Watch List a month and also the ratio of watching them:adding them.

Title MDL (year) - (date added to Considering or finalized to Watchlist): initial reaction

Jazz for Two - 240411: New kBL that seems fine

Love is Better the Second Time Around - 240417: i'm fond of the second chance/post-breakup romance trope, hopefully I’ll like this one

Blank - 240417: Only season 1 is out for now and apparently it ends on a cliffhanger, so idk if I should be adding it to the watchlist quite yet but I want age gap GL (w dubious morality? idk what the discourse is about tbh), so I’ll add it and hope S2 is released in May as expected and turns out well

My Beautiful Man: Eternal (2023)

Unknown: I’d been keeping an eye on it since it started releasing and it got pretty high praise all throughout. I think I can get into the we’re-not-biological-brothers-but-we-grew-up-together-as-brothers dynamic 

Deep Night: I’ve enjoyed First Piyangkul in shows before and am curious about the host club setting in this. This show is such an interesting case because on reddit and on Tumblr, everybody seems to love it and MDL has some mixed comments but mostly positive there too and yet the MDL rating is 7.5, I wonder why the discrepancy.

23.5: FINALLY

I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama - 240417: The Conversation podcast mentioned in their 2024 Winter Lagniappe and seems like it's a celeb-related show? they’re actors?

To Watch List At Start Of Month: 64

To Watch List At End Of Month: 64

Removed from To Watch List:

Title (Year) - (date removed): reason

Nothing this month

Completely Watched

The Good Bad Mother (2023)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Apr 26, 2023 - Jun 8, 2023

Watch Via: iQiyi (so, ;>) 

Watch Dates: Apr 1 - 3, 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall Impression: Lee Dohyun <3 My reason for watching but the show is bigger than just him. It was so addictive and entertaining, watched the whole show in like 2 days and 2 hours. Impressed by the acting of Lee Dohyun and the mother and Mijoo's actors. The show was mostly about the mother and son relationship, with the revenge plot + the Mijoo/Kangho romance arcs in the background. I deeply wish that Kangho hadn't apparently forever loved and understood his mother and did everything for her and sang her favourite song while studying for the Bar or whatever. He went low-contact with her in Seoul even before he discovered the stuff that made him break up with Mijoo, so I think the reasons behind that and the hurt and betrayal that caused him to take such an action should have been focused on more. We got fleeting moments of him being angry or her saying she's bad but it was all explained away or he understood or whatever. Anyway, idk, I think if that relationship was more clear + the ending of the revenge arc was more solid, I would've rated it higher because I did enjoy this but some things bothered me significantly.

Also Appears In: The Good Bad Mother Live Blogging

I Hear Your Voice (2013)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Jun 5, 2013 - Aug 1, 2013

Watch Via: Viki (paid, so ;>)

Watch Dates: Apr 3 - 11, 2024

Rating: 6.5/10 [May 12, 2024 Update: Decreased by 0.5 stars when rerating shows I've watched in 2024: 7 -> 6.5]

Overall: Noona romance + mystery + courtroom + sliiight supernatural with mind-reading, it has a bunch of things I liked. It's from over a decade ago but enjoyable nonetheless. I liked it, though Hyeseong and Sooha were quite cute but I wish 1) the episodes were a bit more condensed to be 14-16 episodes and 2) the fucking love triangle wasn't so prominent (though I get that they probably did it because Sooha was underage at first). Not life-changing and kind of overstayed its welcome for me, esp because I was barely watching 1 ep a day in the middle there.

Also Appears In: I Hear Your Voice Live Blogging

Jazz for Two (2024)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Mar 26, 2024 - Mar 29, 2024

Watch Via: iQiyi (paid, so ;>)

Watch Dates: Apr 11 - 12, 2024

Rating: 6/10

Overall: Nobody in this drama asks before kissing lol not Doyoon, not Seheon, not the little kiss that Seheon's brother gave to sleeping Taejoon, and the other two, Juha and Taeyi, are experts in being creeps and having internalized homophobia that they direct outwardly to the guys they like as well (Seheon's brother fits here too lol). Yet, I enjoyed it a fair amount, the story was coherent, the acting was fine, I was endeared by Doyoon (is he the Omega X kid?), and the dynamics were enjoyable, if iffy on certain counts. Not super attached though.

tags: jazz for two

Also Appears In: Jazz For Two Live Blogging

Some More (2018)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Nov 7, 2018

Watch Via: Gagaoolala (paid, so ;>)

Watch Dates: Apr 13, 2024

Rating: 5/10

Overall: It was fine ig but I did skim through the latter half. 

Ah, my exams are done (for this semester or forever? who knows), so I can finally start some new shows. Dunno whether I want yaoi with Utsukishii Kare rewatch + S2 and movie or to watch The Warp Effect. They’re both early 2023 shows that I’ve been meaning to watch but it’s been so long of me anticipating them before their release + wanting to watch while releasing + meaning to binge them after release that the expectations are a little high and I keep putting off watching them oof.

And then I got a bunch of Love for Love’s Sake tiktoks on my FYP and the edits for that show are really good, so I’m tempted a bit to rewatch that because it’s on my To Rewatch list anyway but I’ve decided no.

Rewatch: Utsukushii Kare (2021)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Nov 18, 2021 - Dec 23, 2021

Watch Via: Viki

Watch Dates: Mar 23, Apr 17 - 18, 2024

Rating: 7?/10

Overall: Ahh, idek why I wasn't Gripped by this rewatch, like I like the characters and dynamics but it wasn't keeping my attention as much, maybe because it's a rewatch? Maybe my original rating of 6.5 was correct and I shouldn't have bumped it up to 7 but who knows, maybe I'll be reintroduced to the brainworms after watching Season 2 because I found ep 6 really engaging and was into it and S2 + movie will have new, unfamiliar stories for me.

tags: utsukushii kare

Also Appears In: Utsukushii Kare, Utsukushii Kare (S1, S2, Movie) Live Blogging

Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (2023)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Feb 8, 2023 - Mar 1, 2023

Watch Via: Viki

Watch Dates: Apr 18 - 19, 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall: This season is about Hira and Kiyoi's relationship. They didn't become boring after getting together, they didn't magically end up being a perfect happy well-adjusted couple after getting together, nor were there random issues thrown just because; the struggles and hurdles are true to their characters and dynamics. I liked the themes and dynamics it explored and their character + relationship development and progression. I also smiled a lot and lost my mind a little at certain moments. Strong writing, strong characters, strong acting, what a relief.

tags: utsukushii kare

Also Appears In: Utsukushii Kare (S1, S2, Movie) Live Blogging

My Beautiful Man: Eternal (2023)

Country: South Korea

Release Dates: Apr 7, 2023

Watch Via: Viki

Watch Dates: Apr 19, 2024

Rating: 6/10

Overall: Great, fun, though not as emotionally invested as Season 2 because they're in a better place in their relationship in this movie (even if it's not necessarily Perfect). It was interesting to have new people in their lives like Anna and Noguchi and how their stories influenced them. I'm happy with where we're leaving off the characters after ~6h of show/movie but lowest rating so far because it felt like we spent too much time on stuff like Anna’s story or the random kidnapping.

tags: utsukushii kare

Also Appears In: Utsukushii Kare (S1, S2, Movie) Live Blogging

The Warp Effect (2023)

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Dec 12, 2022 - Feb 27, 2023

Watch Via: Youtube

Watch Dates: Apr 20 - 26, 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall: A unique and enjoyable show, it was so fun to see all these characters in their specific situations and how they deal with them. The characters were all compelling, it's wild how I was into all their storylines. how charming each character/their story was, and how the story juggled them. It also made me see a bunch of actors in new lights, New most of all, as they acted in a role outside of their usual wheelhouse. I think the most frustrating part for me was how it seemed like although they were getting at it, they never quite acknowledged that what Alex did to Jean that night was rape. It made me quite angry actually, especially how Alex's actions didn't feel like it actually took Jean's feelings and trauma and requests into account. I was at least glad that in that timeline, Jean doesn't get back with Alex. 

tags: the warp effect

Also Appears In: The Warp Effect Live Blogging

GMMTV 2024 Part 2 Showcase happened and it was very intriguing, I’m excited! 

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Country: USA

Release Dates: March 31, 1999

Watch Via: TV

Watch Dates: Apr 23 , 2024

Rating: 7/10

Overall: Watched it with my sister impulsively because apparently Heart Breakers is loosely inspired by Taming of the Shrew/10 Things I Hate About You and I wanted to understand all the stuff that referenced that movie. It’s a fun one, I thought Kat and whatever the guy’s name is were cute, even though I thought the resolution was much too easy. 

Change2561 Changing Project Lineup 2024 happened and oooh, it had some gems, I’m sooo excited for Goddess Bless You From Death now! 

Also last night I created a list on MDL for Upcoming shows without release dates (mostly BLs, some GLs, a non-QL here and there) and it now has 33 shows. I hope most of them are released by this year please

Currently Watching

23.5 

Country: Thailand

Release Dates: Mar 8, 2024 - May 24, 2024

Watch Via: Youtube

Watch Dates: Apr 27 - ONGOING, 2024

Rating: -/10

Overall: Started it when 8 episodes were released.

tags: 23.5 degrees

Also Appears In: 23.5 Degrees Live Blogging 

I think I'm just in more of a mood to watch intense/thriller stuff and would binge if I was watching that was more that route because I've been watching one ep of 23.5 a day and while it's fun, I'm not dying to watch the next part or next ep. The Warp Effect was kinda like that too, I was watching 1-2 eps a day for a while. Been a while since I binged stuff quickly (The Good Bad Mother in 3 days at the start of the month). Hopefully I can make sure I keep up with the rest of the episodes as they release and don’t get distracted with other shows.

Posts Created This Month:

GMMTV 2024 Part 2 Showcase

Change2561 Changing Project Lineup 2024

#general bl #tracking #jazz for two #the warp effect #utsukushii kare #gmmtv 2024 #change2561 2024 #23.5 degrees

[gothicbarbie]

MY TOP 15 BL SERIES OF 2021

I did one of these for 2022, so figured I should do one for 2021, 2020 and then one for the shows before that. I started watching Bls seriously at the start of 2021, and its been such a fun journey. These lists are probably more so for me than anything else but maybe someone will find them helpful when trying to decide which ones to check out... let me know what your favs are!

1. We Best Love [Taiwan] - To date, my favorite BL series thus far. IMO it really has everything. Great premise and storyline, great acting and dialogue, and amazing chemistry between the main two, plus decent enough intimate scenes and kisses. It really ticks all the boxes for me. Plus, I love a good rivals to lovers storyline and samyu are pretty darn sweet.

2. Utsukushii Kare [Japan] - This one is a bit messy and there are definitely some problematic elements, but gosh, it's so entertaining. From start to finish I was hooked into the storyline and the relationship betwene the main two. And I think it was a well-rounded story with a good ending, so it left me pretty satisfied. For a Japan series too, it had a nice kising scene in the finale.

3. Light on Me [Korea] - Adore this series, and finally we get a longer Korean BL. The main characters were adorable, and the show was light enough and funny but had some good drama as well. Not the best kissing scenes ever but the main two's chemistry made up for it imo. Very sweet series.

4. To My Star [Korea] - This one took a few watches to grow on me but in hindsight its one of the better BL's out there (lets not talk about season 2)... the storyline was fun and it was one of the first Korean BL's that I watched, so it was a good one to start on! Korea goes unmatched for me with their BL's.

5. Kieta Hatsukoi [Japan] - Not a lot to say about this one tbh, I would have to rewatch to really give some better insight but I remember really enjoying this one. Japan BL's can tend to be a bit dramatic and sometimes a bit dark, but this one was so light and fluffy. It was a nice change of pace.

6. Don't Say No [Thai] - Okay, storyline wise, this BL kind of dragged for me. I didn't find the premise overly interesting. HOWEVER, Jafirst and their chemistry really made up for it. It's obvious how comfortable they are and their kissing scenes were one of the best scenes from this year. (We won't bring up THAT scene with FIAT in episode 2 (or was it 1?) because I lost my brain there.) But yeah, we'll just say this series was very enjoyable haha.

7. HiStory 4 [Taiwan] - This was a solid season. Not the best the series has ever done but I love that each season is different. The brothers storyline was a hot frickin mess but the main pairing was cute. Overall, I just found it very enjoyable.

8. Peach of Time [Korean] - Is this Korean or Thai? Not really sure, but it was a cute season that felt like a bit of both worlds. Not the most amazing chemstry or storyline of all time but it was sweet and interesting to watch. It had a certain charm to it.

9. You Make Me Dance [Korean] - It's hard to find a korean bl I dislike. And while this one is not that memorable compared to some others, it was still a nice watch.

10. Tale of a Thousand Stars [Thai] - People go crazy for earth+mix... they aren't really my cup of tea. Nothing against them, they are sweet, I just dont go crazy for them. The setting wasn't really my thing either but I did like the energy between the characters and all their cute moments and scenes, so it kept me entertained. Wished they had a better last kiss though.

11. Lovely Writer [Thai] - Found parts of this boring and the storyline didn't really hold my interest all that much but I did enjoy the scenes between the couples. I wish the side "pairing" had gotten more focus cuz that kiss on the street was great! But it was nice.

12. I Promised You the Moon/I Told Sunset About You part 2 [Thai] - Part 2 was nothing compared to season 1 at all. Season 1 imo was masterpeice and season 2 was just like a typical bl series imo. I hate cheating storylines so this series made me pretty mad haha but it wasn't UNWATCHABLE and I still liked the chemistry between the main 2.

13. Nobleman Ryu's Wedding [Korean] - The time setting wasn't really for me, but it was a cute and fun series. Not much else to say!

14. Fish Upon the Sky [Thai] - TBH I don't remember a WHOLE lot from this series and am planning to rewatch for pondphuwin, but I do remember enjoying it.

15. The Tasty Florida [Korean] - Again, can't go wrong with SK for me. But, compared to the other Korean series, this one wasn't AS good. Still enjoyable.

Honorable mentions: (Won't go into detail on these, but overall I found all of them nice and pleasant to watch, but they didn't grab me in the same way as some other series.

BxJ Series - (still have yet to see it but I did enjoy season 1), Bad Buddy - (watched a reactor watch this so technically couldn't add it to my list, but will try to watch it eventually), Be Loved in House I Do, Tinted With You, My Sweet Dear, The Man Who Defies the World of BL, The Novelist, Behind Cut, Stuck on You

Also check out my lists from other years! https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705678223200174080/my-top-bls-of-2019-and-earlier https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705674738528354304/my-top-15-bls-of-2020 https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705139242020618240/my-top-20-bl-series-of-2022

#bl series #bl kiss #boys love series #we best love #light on me #utsukushii kare #kieta hatsukoi #don't say no #to my star #leo and fiat #jafirst #history 4 #peach of time #earthmix #tale of a thousand stars #you make me dance #lovely writer #pondphuwin #fish upon the sky #nobleman ryu's wedding #the tasty florida #bad buddy #Top Bl's #Bl's I'm watching

[spook-e-snail]

Yo dude

Opinion onnnnnnnnnn Ram3nN00dles Cass? The one who's really popular

*rubs my horrible little bug hands together* I have. So many thoughts.

There's obviously tons of hate for this mod and I'm just gonna start this off by saying that I'm not crazy about it, but admittedly I think a lot of the reasons most people hate it kinda suck lmao.

Breaking this down and also putting it under a read more because like I said. Many thoughts. A few positive. A lot negative

Now I hear a lot of folks rag on her design in this mod but tbh? It's like my favorite part.

Design:

Like c'mon. This specific image was my PFP on fucking everything for like 2 years. It adds a bit to the original design without changing too much. I will admit however I'm not crazy about the crop top. Some folks claim that the mod over sexualizes her design because God forbid she has hips, an ass and a crop top but again I don't really see it?? It's not my favorite thing but c'mon, it's a crop top it's not a fucking gimp suit lmao.

I will admit in this outfit she feels less goth and more?? Alt?? I guess you could say?? Like again it sticks to the og design but it doesn't really have the vibes if that makes sense??

Another thing I surprisingly enjoy is RN's take on the penilians. Like most folks interpret them as humanoid and tbh? I like the more buggy look better.

The whole abdomen, thorax and legs part is kinda iffy?? Like the phase one design kept her design recognizable with minimal changes but this just feels a bit too far off.

I'll start this part off by admitting I don't know jack fuck about music theory or much like that but like. I do not enjoy 90% of the main mod songs. Possession is one of the better ones of the mix but even then the entire time I felt like I was waiting for some kind of drop that just?? Never came??

Music:

I really hate being negative here but oh my god. Oh my god. Takeover is so fucking bad. It isn't pleasant. At all. Especially in the UTAU update, like bestie that echo is not helping.

I feel like all of the songs in that mod had that same problem where something just felt missing?? Like the voice thingy she has is pretty good and I like that they changed up BF's voice in it but tbh that can only carry a mod so far. Like again I don't know much about music theory but it doesn't really feel like there's much of a rhythm? Like yeah some parts of songs repeat but not really in a fun way.

I will admit though the Ugh cover had me in a chokehold for like a year so. Points there I guess. But again all the original music is boring at best and absolute diarrhea at worst.

Hooooooo boy.

Lore:

Look I could have forgiven the lore if the music was halfway tolerable but damn. This shit is not helping itself.

This mod was made before the April fools update and hot damn is it abundantly clear.

Ramen tried really hard to make Cassandra the good guy, and back in 2021 this was pretty unheard of. Like back then everyone blasted Cass enjoyers on fuckin sight lmao (some were fair, like yeah shooting up a school isn't good obviously. Some were pretty far off though. There was a time when pretty much half of the damn FNF fandom called her a nazi?? Like say what you want but she was pretty clearly anti-facist within the first few seconds of PS). But when he tried making Cass a good guy he kinda butchered the character.

Like the whole possession story arc isn't really easy to follow imo. Like okay the penilians are aliens in this mod. But they possess her like they're demons?? And when they possess her they make her shoot up a school.

In this mod her parents are Daddy Dearest and Mommy Mearest, it just doesn't really make sense that they'd make her shoot up a school and not literally anything else?? Like if they were wanting to just kill as many people as possible why did they possess some random teenager? Like why not possess some dude in the military or with some form of political power? The whole alien possesed thing just doesn't make sense. Plus after the events of Pico's school she just lives with the alien possessing her?? Like apparently PS takes places when she's like 17 and in the mod she's 23. Like holy fuck how has she not done anything else??

That and I'm not a fan of the whole family drama B plot. Like its a neat concept to make her GF's estranged sister but the whole reunion with Cass and DD just feels?? Clunky?? Awkward?? Like it's just not very elegant.

Simply not vibing with it

Creator:

Look I'm not gonna go crazy deep into the drama here but what I will say is it was very clear Ramen was 17 when he made this mod, for better or for worse. He did a lot of dumb shit because he was a kid.

Some folks shit on him because he's trans and obviously that's just not fucking cool, but obviously that's not why I don't fully vibe with him. Like fucks sake I'm like vaguely nonbinary, I get that sometimes people are gonna be nasty to folks like us for literally zero reason.

Misc:

The whole mod has huge PicoxCass connections and again I don't really vibe with it. It's definitely not my favorite ship ever. Like obviously people can ship whatever they want but hot damn I don't wanna see it.

Cass does end up a little woob-ified in an attempt to make her redeemable. Like by all means theres a way to redeem her without making her personality unrecognizable. I feel like this story might have worked with an OC or something but the whole penilian thing just. Did not work in my opinion.

I used to fucking LOVE this mod back in the day but as I've gotten older and understood Cassandra's character a bit more I've sorta fallen out of love with it. Don't get me wrong the designs go hard to this day but some decent art won't save a mod with shitty songs, confusing story and a controversial creator.

#asks #🖤🍎🕷️ #friday night funkin #adding this to the main tag because I don't fear god

[jetstarred]

what i listened to in march 2024!

total: 8 albums top 3 albums: preacher's daughter (ethel cain), call me if you get lost (tyler, the creator), the michigan left (queef jerky) click read more to see full reviews ^-^

preacher's daughter - ethel cain (2022) - fav song: gibson girl - this is a very beautiful and haunting concept album. i really love the story that's explored here of a girl with religious trauma running away from her family and falling in love with a man she meets, only to be murdered and cannibalized by him. the songs shift through the same group of emotions; longing, fear, regret, hope, and pensiveness. there's some moments that really pull deep at my bones and make me cry. this is more of a country/folk album than i'm typically used to but the rock elements that are included and the grand production are familiar enough for me to enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone. i'm very excited to see the next part in the supposed trilogy of this story. - rating: 9/10

deathmetal - panchiko (2000) - fav song: cut - this is a pretty good shoegaze-y album full of a lot of typical teenage angst. it benefits from the poor mixing and diy garage sound, which makes it feel like a group of friends just got together to make music about their problems. what really elevates this album is the story behind it. this album being so underground and essentially "lost media" that was eventually found and led to the band having a huge resurgence in the past few years is so cool. the rot versions of some of the songs also add a very unique found footage-esque vibe to the whole album that almost makes it feel as if it was part of an arg. overall i think while the content of the album is alright, the fact its so widespread now is a testament to the dedication of music lovers. - rating: 7/10

laisser vivre les squelettes - daïtro (2005) - fav song: laisser vivre les squelettes - i was surprised by this being french (for some reason) but honestly i really liked the sound of it. while i don't love music where the vocals are mainly screaming, this was still pleasant to listen to for me. the music was enjoyable, especially the guitar and the drums. the only complaint i really have was the long spans of just music, which became a little grating at times. the ending of the last song was nice though i liked how it faded out. while i probably won't reach for this album again, it was still very nice to listen to more skrams music and get a feel for what it is. - rating: 5/10

isn't it wonderful - sugar cherry (2023) - fav song: october sky - this a really nice shoegaze-y indie bedroom pop album. its very short and sweet, with the album carrying a lot of feelings of nostalgia and not quite angst. its more so like yearning. as the side project of rozey (someone who hasn't release a lot of music but i like a lot) it was really nice discovering this and the album going in the more lo-fi noisy direction that rozey's been going in with his newer songs. admittedly a lot of the songs sound very similar because of the lo-fi atmosphere but there's enough distinctive elements in each song that can make them stand out after repeated listens. overall i really enjoyed this album! - rating: 7/10

call me if you get lost - tyler, the creator (2021) - fav song: lemonhead - i really like the loose concept with this album. the visuals are very strong so i wish the concept was tighter, but i get that this is tyler's "i made it" album. which i can give him a pass for bragging so much in this album. i think he deserves it. the music in this album is very similar to what's in flower boy and igor, with it very clear this is the style tyler's adapted and evolved as his own. there's much more rapping in this album than in igor, which causes this to be a nice mix of the two previous albums and even cherry bomb. overall i think this album is a very solid follow up to the massive hit that was igor and i am excited to see what tyler does next and if he tries to pivot to doing something new and different. - rating: 8/10

the michigan left - queef jerky (2023) - fav song: farward - as every queef jerky project, this is full of bangers. nick and dev have perfected making good comedy rap that has experimental elements. some of the bars included were really clever while others just made me laugh really hard. the production choices are reminiscent of jpegmafia but in a direction that makes the music have a sort of "contained chaos" atmosphere to it. and some sections really reminded me of breakcore which is a genre i've been listening to more recently. i dig it a lot and i'm soooo excited to hear what they release next. (i'm also legally obligated to disclose i fuck with this album more than any of their other stuff bc of the inclusion of riley from hivemind on every song. sorry america) - rating: 8/10

scaring the hoes - jpegmafia & danny brown (2023) - fav song: shut yo bitchass up / muddy waters - i don't know that much about rap so take what i say with a grain of salt. this album sounds very much like a throwback to older rap but updated with new styles especially that of breakcore and the general experimental hip hop peggy and danny brown are known for. i really enjoyed the production on this and honestly i think the two rappers work really well together. i was already familiar with peggy's music prior to listening to this but i haven't listened to much danny brown. this album def convinced me to go give some of his stuff a listen. the production on this album is really good and i fuck with it a ton! - rating: 8/10

once, but never again - supercollider (2023) - fav song: anyday - this album is very much inspired by shoegaze, taking elements from that and other genres like garage rock, post-hardcore, and post-grunge. its very much a diy album, with not great mixing and vocals that are very poorly recorded. all of this adds to the noisy atmosphere that gives way to the angtsy vibe of the songs. while i didn't love every song on this album, i liked the overall vibe and what they were going for. i see real potential in this band and i'm very interested in listening to their newest album. (after looking at the playlist for the album inspo, i'm not surprised at the presence of mbv, slowdive, deftones, and have a nice life) - rating: 6/10

#its that time of the month bitch! #didnt listen to as much this month cause i was so busy recovering from my busy feb + getting ready for my busy april #but im excited to listen to a ton of new music in april :3 #wilt #jet reviews

[cadybear420]

Cadybear's Reviews Brief Thoughts- Wolf Bride

Welcome to the twenty-ninth official Cadybear's Reviews Brief Thoughts! Today I'll be talking about Wolf Bride, which I have ranked on the "Bronze Tier" at 5 stars out of a possible 10. My last and only playthrough of this was during October 2021-January 2022.

I actually have mixed feelings on this one. 

I did like the supernatural themes of the book, and even though “har har we must save the native peoples and the environment from the evil white businessmen” is such a done trope, it was mostly handled alright here. 

But I also just couldn’t get past the generic AF werewolf alpha romance themes here. I don’t even hate Bastien for his creepy possessiveness and “OMG we have le magical bond we must make babies” because… I swear you could pick up any werewolf themed YA romance novel and the werewolf LI would be practically identical to Bastien. Like, he’s less so infuriating, and moreso derivative in that regard. 

I also have very mixed feelings on how they handled the pack’s ableism. Like… I don’t know, there’s just something kind of wrong about the default name for Layla’s newborn blind baby being after a pack leader who enforced an ableist pack protocol that almost got Morgan killed. I know we can choose the baby’s name but still. 

It has some enjoyable qualities, and it’s not quite uniquely terrible. But it’s still painfully derivative and overall just below average.

#choices stories you play #choices #choices game #choices stories we play fandom #choices stories we play #wb #wolf bride #choices wolf bride #choices wb #cadybear's brief thoughts

[moorheadthanyoucanhandle]

GHOSTS AND DEMONS AND EVEN WILDER YET

Opening this weekend:

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire--This fifth feature in the franchise begins with a nice macabre episode set in 1904, like something from a creepier version of Disney's Haunted Mansion. This is followed by an extended chase through the streets of Manhattan, as the current Ghostbusters pursue, in the "Ectomobile," an eel-like flying dragon spirit up from the sewers.

It's a reasonably diverting start, and the movie goes on to deploy, in addition to Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon and the kids from 2021's Ghostbusters: Afterlife, most of the available stars from the 1984 original. Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Williams Atherton and Bill Murray show up--no Sigourney Weaver or Rick Moranis, alas--and not just in cameos but with fairly substantive screen time. I was disappointed that the all-woman crew from the much-maligned and underrated 2016 version wasn't invited to this party, but apparently fans are still traumatized.

Anyway, the old vets here are good company--Murray with his peerless sardonoic line readings, Akyroyd with his gee-whiz delivery of expository gibberish. A couple of new adds, like Patton Oswalt as an authority on the occult and Kumail Nanjiani as a clod who sells Aykroyd the spherical ancient artifact that serves as the McGuffin, also get into the proper, uhm, spirit of things.

On the whole the movie, directed by Gil Kenan from a script by Kenan and Jason Reitman, is an enjoyable lavish no-brainer. The closest it gets to any emotional weight is an intriguing plot strand in which the teenage heroine (Mckenna Grace) bonds, seemingly romantically, with a teen ghost (Emily Alyn Lind) after she's forbidden to go 'busting until she turns 18; the actors manage a touching rapport even through the special effects prism.

But if Frozen Empire--which concerns a horned demon with freezing superpowers imprisoned inside the McGuffin--doesn't feel like a home run, it may be the result of too much wholesomeness. The teen romance and bickering family dynamic didn't quite feel like Ghostbusters to me, somehow. What made the '84 film seem new was its mix of extravagant, big-budget special effects spectacle with the snarky, irreverent slacker sketch-comedy of Murray and the other stars. Only when Frozen Empire taps into this sensibility does it truly thaw out.

The movie is dedicated to Ivan Reitman, director of the original, and this film, like several of the others, includes a nod to Cannibal Girls, Rietman's 1973 shocker starring the impossibly young and adorable Andrea Martin and Eugene Levy. I hope it makes fans seek out that amusing low-budget creepshow; there's a movie that doesn't suffer from too much wholesomeness.

Late Night With the Devil--Here's another wry paranormal chiller set in New York, although it was conceived by the Australian brothers Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes and filmed in Melbourne. The premise is that we're watching the 1976 Halloween episode of a syndicated talk show, a perennial also-ran in the ratings to Johnny Carson. Desperate for a sweeps win, the recently widowed host (David Dastmalchian) stacks the guest list with a hokey stage psychic (Fayssal Bazzi), an Amazing Randi-type skeptic (Ian Bliss), and a psychiatrist (Laura Gordon) and her patient, an angelically smiling teenage girl (Ingrid Torelli). This girl was rescued from a cult and just might be possessed.

From the set to the music to the "More to Come" break cards, the Cairnes Brothers truly capture the look and feel of anything-goes '70s talk shows to a degree that will be nostalgic to those of us who remember them. The movie also evokes sources of the period from The Exorcist to Network (Michael Ironside provides stentorian narration in the manner of Network's Lee Richardson), and the soundtrack includes the likes of Flo & Eddie's "Keep It Warm."

The "found footage" conceit is quickly strained; the supposed "behind the scenes" sequences are pretty cinematic and helpfully narrative. But after a while you accept it, largely because the acting, especially the haunted yet game showmanship of the excellent Dastmalchian, keeps us involved.

It's a little scary, but mostly Late Night With the Devil is, like Network, a tongue-in-cheek satire of TV business culture, with ripe lines like "Ladies and gentlemen, a live television first, as we attempt to communicate with...the Devil. But not before a word from our sponsors." I also loved the implication that no amount of supernatural power could overtake Carson in the ratings in those days. Apparently even the Devil couldn't do that.

At Harkins Shea...

Remembering Gene Wilder--This documentary, directed by Ron Frank, does indeed fondly remember the late comedy great. Frank makes Wilder himself the narrator, using audiobook excerpts from his noirishly-titled 2005 memoir Kiss Me Like a Stranger.

Born Jerry Silberman in Milwaukee, he grew up trying to make his mother laugh, and later drew inspiration from the mental patients he worked with while serving in the U.S. Army. He wanted, he says, something a bit "wilder" for his stage name when he started acting in New York. Cast in Brecht's Mother Courage and her Children at the Martin Beck Theatre in the early '60s, he met leading lady Anne Bancroft's future husband Mel Brooks, who later cast him in The Producers.

From there, we get a chronicle of some of the highlights of Wilder's movie career--not all of them; Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx and Start the Revolution Without Me, for instance, are passed over. But there's terrific material on Bonnie and Clyde, The Producers, Willy Wonka, Young Frankenstein, his relationship with Richard Pryor, his scenes with the sheep in Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (he says that Allen told him that he wanted to do a version of Sister Carrie with a sheep instead of Jennifer Jones), and more. My own favorite of Wilder's characters, Jim aka The Waco Kid in Blazing Saddles, is very well represented here.

Talking heads include Brooks, Carol Kane, Mike Medavoy, Alan Alda, Ben Mankiewicz, Rain Pryor, Harry Connick, Jr., Eric McCormack, and Willy Wonka's Charlie Bucket himself, Peter Ostrum, as well as Wilder's widow Karen Wilder, all speaking with unmistakable love. They tell good stories, but the real joy is simply the big dose of Wilder's utterly sui generis blend of innocent sweetness and strangled volatility. If the clips in this movie don't make you smile, you may need to see a doctor.

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