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transtundras-fr-archive · 2 years

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Part 1 Here

Deep in the wodes,

Fleysch and bone.

The lilie flour,

Lust forgon

That hevene should falle,

That hevene should falle

Aiganz O Kulzphazur by Daniel Hart

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Theudofride stood in the great hall, idly twiddling her thumbs. She had been waiting for two hours which was not a surprise, this had happened before. In vain she checked her data pad, once again finding no reception. She knew better than this, the foliage here was so thick there was no hope of any signal transmitting. It was something to do at least, she had already approximated the number of tiles used in the mosaic behind her and estimated there would not be much variation in the five others lining the hall. If this were not her job, she would have left long before this.

Finally, the great oaken doors creaked, a familiar tundra stepping through. Her brown eyes regarded Theudofride with both amusement and slight pity. “Still beating that dead trunker, hm?”

“It’s not like I have much choice, Heron. What was taking you all so long anyways?”

“Hm,” Heron brushed back her thick green mane, once again adorning her face with her traditional skull headdress, concealing her face save for her piercing brown eyes. “You know well enough you are not privy to that information. In any case, they are waiting for you now. Best hurry up, lest they change their mind.”

Theudofride shook her head and muttered an insult under her breath, her finely manicured talons clicking on the tiled floor as she passed through the doors. Despite having done this before, entering the throne room always gave her a chill. She was used to machinery, the constant hum of electricity and gears clicking in a steady pattern. Here in the heart of the Gladerot though, it was all irregular. Roots twisted up from the ground in no specific pattern, winding around bones of both dragons and their kills alike. She much preferred to be back in her workshop.

She sat in the middle of the circular room, the late afternoon light illuminating through the gaps in the roots, down at the mosaic on the floor. It was faded, but any dragon who knew basic folklore would recognize it a scene from the War of the Eleven. Theudofride did not believe in those stories, but she still found them amusing to watch on late night TV. Her gaze traveled from the mosaic to the triad of thrones before her. Two were occupied, but as usual, the largest was obscured by the roots and leaves of the great tree the room was housed in. On either side sat a wildclaw, both varying in size. On the left was Hanten, who was more of a public figure. A wiry windborn dragon who could be dwarfed even by a tundra. On the right was Orion, a stoic and bone clad dragon who was always accompanied by their vulture companion. Some rumored that was their daemon, and that they sold their soul to use the vulture as a means of immortality. Once again, Theudofride did not buy into mystical folklore like that. Unless proven by science, she believed it all to be hearsay. Clearing her throat, she stood on her hind legs, bowing slightly out of respect.

“High Magistrate Hanten, Lord Orion, I come to extend the proposal of business once again between the Gladerot Pack and Immorton Energy Incorporated. As touched on last time, inviting in the future of energy to this region would be extremely beneficial to us both. As you can see here with these charts—”

“Put away your toys, Theudo.” Orion spoke with that cool but commanding voice, waving their hand to dissuade further discussion. “Our answer will remain the same as last time. While we appreciate your company’s… interest in the welfare of our dragons, we have no need for it.”

“But Lord Orion, let’s talk logistics here. Soon every region in Sornieth will have our updated powerplants and we will be seeing exponential growth in quality of life, except for the Gladerot. While I admire your adherence to tradition, let’s look at the facts—”

“Are you deaf, sparkrat?” Orion interrupted her once more. “Do you need the answer written out like you are a hatchling? Our answer is no. We have survived for Millenia without your gadgets, and we will gladly continue to do so for Millenia more. If Members of our pack wish to experience this so-called quality of life, they are free to leave whenever and do so themselves.”

Theudofride’s hackles spiked up, baring her fangs slightly. “Isn’t that just selfish?! Why would you deny your people progress?”

“Progress?”

All attention swiveled to the concealed throne. In the three times she had visited. Theudofride had never heard the head of the throne speak. Sometimes she doubted anyone was there at all, but now she was faced with two glowing green eyes. The snout of the fabled leader parted the thick vines of the throne, and heavy footsteps shook the very foundation of the room. Before the pearlcatcher stood the largest wildclaw she had ever seen, rivaling even imperials in size. It was Regina, Alpha of the Gladerot and ever ruling monarch of these lands. History did not remember a time when she was not leader, and knowing she was face to face with such a myth made real caused fear to creep into her heart.

“This is not progress. This is not selflessness.” Regina spoke and the whole tree seemed to respond in kind to her words, stepping closer to Theudofride. “This is the result of greed. You do not know how little you know.” She lowered her large snout down to the shaking pearlcatcher. “You will leave, you will not come back. If your… company is so invested in our progress, then you can tell your boss to come down himself. Otherwise, you no longer have protection here. You will be permitted to leave but attempts at return will not be met with the same hospitality as before. Understand?”

Theudofride nodded, words choked in her throat. She could only manage a strangled “yes” before scurrying out, not even bothering to bow. Once she left the building, she took to the skies, heart rushing. Keen would not be happy to hear this.

“This isn’t the last of that mess, Regina.” Orion spoke up, approaching their co-ruler’s side. “He will come, he’s nothing if not dedicated.”

“Hm.” Regina turned to Hanten, who had been keeping log of the meeting. “Dearest, I need a favor.” Her voice was softer but still authoritative as she spoke to her husband.

“Yes, my love?”

“Prepare dispatchers. I want messengers sent to Drydwen, Zeziri, Mystopher, Naomhan, and Glauce. Danny and Feneon too if we can find them. We need to meet.”

#flight rising #fr #my lore #theudofride #regina #orion #hanten #heron

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hellovivirose · 1 year

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Hello! Hope you are doing well. I was wondering if you know Regina from the Beyblade Rising manga? If you do, could you draw her? If not, then how about drawing Hilary? Thank you!

I haven’t read that far in the manga yet but I saw pictures of her on Aoki’s website and she looks pretty cool!

#Regina hase #Beyblade #beyblade rising #hellovividraws #doodle asks

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osaemu · 4 months

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GOJO SATORU: KISS & MAKE UP

✩ ‧ ˚. streamer!au: after the breakup, you two decide to make up in the traditional way—by having sex! NSFW

contents: fem!reader. oral (f. recieving), p –> v, teasing, praise, hair pulling (m. recieving), missionary, unprotected sex, creampie, squirting, use of pet names (too many to list here). not proofread bc you couldn't pay me to read all this again. 2.5k words. read this fic beforehand for better understanding of the context, but you don't have to.

author's note: tumblr hates me and that's why the banner quality's trash. if u wanna see the details, click here. anyways the streamer!gojo smut has finally arrived, tagging @satorena @screampied @cultrise, enjoyyy ;)

“did you tell them we’re back together?”

satoru nods in response to your question, plopping down on the couch next to you. he's spent the last hour chatting with his stream, and eventually he broke the news that you and him were back together after the breakup.

“yeah, i did,” he confirms, wrapping his arms around you and burying his face in your neck. your hands automatically move to his hair and you thread your fingers through the soft white strands, pausing after a couple seconds to give him a quick kiss on the forehead.

a week ago, you and satoru had an admittedly messy breakup—not messy in the sense that it got toxic or dramatic, but messy in the way that it could’ve easily been avoided. it wasn’t that big of a deal, but thankfully, you and satoru resolved your misunderstanding within a relatively short time.

since then, things have been a little different—satoru’s been taking a break from streaming, which gave him move time to spend with you and away from his thousands of fans. it was his suggestion, and not surprisingly, it worked. but all good things have to come to an end, and your “honeymoon” away from satoru’s stream seems to be coming to a close.

“something smells good,” satoru notes, lifting his head and glancing at the kitchen. “wait, is that ramen?” your boyfriend gasps, eyes rounding as he looks at you hopefully.

“yeah, you said you were craving it, so i made some,” you reply with a smile, untangling yourself from his arms and walking over to the kitchen. satoru blows you a flurry of kisses that you see out of the corner of your eye as you check on the ramen, which looks pretty much done.

“y’know, i still haven’t forgiven you for the shit you pulled last week,” you say dryly, turning off the stove and draining the water from the ramen into your sink. the steam rises up as the boiling water slips down into the drain, clouding your face for a moment before it dissipates into thin air.

“...does that mean i don’t get to eat that ramen?” satoru asks tentatively, a nervous smile on his lips as you empty a packet of flavored powder into the ramen. you shoot him a look and raise an eyebrow, turning back to the stove to hide your smile.

“maybe, maybe not,” you reply coyly, not wanting to give in too soon.

“boo, you whore.”

you roll your eyes and divide the ramen into two bowls, one for you and one for your boyfriend. “you’re lucky i’m too nice to let you starve, regina,” you say pointedly, walking back over to the couch and handing one of the bowls to him, which satoru takes with both hands—a habit from his childhood that never went away. “otherwise you’d be—”

satoru cuts you off by poking your lips with his chopsticks, steaming hot ramen wrapped around them. you reluctantly open your mouth and let him feed you, smiling when he seals the bite with a kiss.

“best girlfriend ever,” satoru proclaims when he pulls away, a lazy smile playing on his lips. his soft blue eyes study your own, observing your unusually guarded expression and frowning.

“how many times do i gotta apologize for my bullshit before you stop making that face at me?” he grumbles, twirling his chopsticks in his bowl and taking a bite of the ramen. it’s cute how satoru’s face lights up at the taste, and it’s even cuter how his eyes round at you in awe when he takes another bite. “i didn’t know instant ramen could be this good,” he muses, licking any lingering flavor off of his lips.

“very funny, satoru,” you laugh, swirling your chopsticks around the broth and watching the rest of the steam rise from your bowl. “and to answer your question, i don’t really know.”

satoru tilts his head and takes a sip of his water, ice clinking against the side of the glass. when you respond to his question, he pauses and tilts his head in confusion. “...wait, what does that mean?”

you think for a second, choosing your words carefully. “i’m not sure how long it’ll take until we’re back to… normal,” you say cautiously. in all honesty, you weren’t that pissed off at him—you never were. but the fact that satoru was so ready to throw your relationship away over something as small as that was upsetting, to say the least. and you weren’t entirely sure it wouldn’t happen again.

satoru looks at you thoughtfully, more serious than you’ve seen him in a while. you can almost see the gears turning in his head before he replies. “any idea how i can make it up to you?”

you shrug, swallowing another bite of ramen before you meet his eyes. “you tell me. actions speak louder than words.”

your boyfriend drops his chopsticks, letting them clatter around in the bowl before he stands up. he extends a hand to you, a determined glint in his eye. “then lemme prove it to you.”

“satoru, you can’t bribe me with sex.”

“that’s not all i’ll be doing, sweetheart. trust me.”

and that’s how you ended up in his room, hands tangled in satoru’s soft white hair as he eats you out. his tongue laps at your cunt with quick, kitten-like strokes, and he presses a gentle kiss to the inside of your thigh. “feels s’good, satoru,” you breathe, involuntarily tugging on his hair and dragging out a groan from his lips. “sorry—”

“don’t apologize,” satoru mumbles in reply, nose brushing against your dripping thighs as his tongue slips past your folds and goes in deeper. he looks up and locks eyes with you, unable to resist smiling at the way your legs tremble around him. “aw, you’re so fuckin’ cute,” he murmurs, flicking his tongue in and out of your cunt with a grin. “and i’m the one who should be—fuck, you’re gorgeous—apologizing.”

this isn’t the first time satoru’s eaten you out, but it feels like it every single time—somehow, his tongue has a talent of rendering you unable to focus on anything else but him. you grind your hips against satoru’s face, eyes squinted shut as your boyfriend flattens his tongue before lapping your slick up with cloudy eyes. “shit, i don’t know what i’d be without you,” he murmurs, voice low and steady—and something about his tone makes you certain he’s being completely honest with you.

“you’re so—fuck, satoru, i’m gonna cum,” you breathe, back automatically arching when satoru’s tongue reaches that spot inside you. he laughs, and the vibration of the soft sound against your puffy, sensitive cunt almost makes your legs give out—but thankfully, satoru’s hands are secured around your thighs, holding you in place. “‘toru, i can’t—”

“yeah, y’can, just relax that pretty pussy for me,” he cooes, licking up the slick dripping down his chin. “c’mon, you’re doing so good f’me, keep going, baby.” and just like that, his tongue slips out of your cunt and he lets you cum—the sheer force of your orgasm hits you like a truck, and your hips roll against satoru’s face in a choppy rhythm as you desperately ride it out, hands gripping and accidentally yanking his hair.

you stutter out his name a couple more times, unable to focus on anything but the feeling of satoru’s mouth on your sensitive, gushing pussy. your boyfriend praises you the whole way, gently murmuring soft words about how sweet you are for letting him taste you, even while your relationship was rocky. when your voice steadies enough for satoru to make out what you’re begging him to do, he’s not at all surprised to hear you plea for him to fuck you—so stands up and tugs you down onto his bed, hand intertwined with yours as he pulls the sheets over your bodies.

you squeeze satoru’s hand and lean in to kiss him, chest still heaving from your earlier orgasm. naturally, you miss his lips and end up kissing the side of his face, which is flushed bright red from the way his body reacts to the taste of your pussy. “don’t ever leave me like that again,” you whisper, tears pricking at your eyes for some reason—maybe it’s the lovesick way satoru looks at you, or maybe it’s the way he’s holding onto you like there’s no place he’d rather be.

“i won’t,” satoru promises, pressing an affectionate kiss to your forehead and pulling your head into his chest. his lips touch the top of your head as he murmurs, “and if i do, shoot me.” it sounds like a joke, but you both know that he’s dead serious.

“good thing i won’t have to do that,” you say with a soft giggle. your smile is heart-achingly familiar to satoru, and it feels like home—and that’s the realization that has him stripping off what little clothing the two of you still have on before he climbs on top of you.

satoru touches the tip of his dick to your pussy, waiting for your nod to allow him to go in all the way. after a second, you dip your chin and trail your fingers down satoru’s jaw, grabbing his chin and pulling him down into another kiss. his lips linger for a couple seconds, still-minty breath tickling your face, before he pulls away. satoru slowly lowers his hips and nudges his dick inside of your desperate cunt, hands resting on either side of you.

even though it’s only been a little over a week since you last had sex with satoru, it feels like it’s been forever—your boyfriend curses when he feels how tight you are, mumbling something about missing you “so fucking much” as he goes in deeper and deeper. it hurts a little at first, but you quickly get used to the feeling of him inside of you.

“fuckin’ hell, i’m never gonna get tired of this,” satoru breathes, dipping his head and kissing your collarbone. a single drop of sweat drips down the side of his face as he watches you squirm, eyes soft and endearing as you do so. he starts rolling his hips back and forth against you to loosen you up a little, dragging out soft moans from you as he does so.

“yeah, you better not,” you mutter, tilting your head back and drawing in a long breath of air. you can’t remember the last time you felt this good—maybe it was the last time satoru fucked you. “satoru, y’re going so slow—”

your boyfriend cuts you off with a particularly harsh thrust, making your body jolt against his mattress. satoru lifts his head and looks you in the eye, a breathy laugh slipping out of him when he sees the pout on your lips. “the fuck you mean, i’m going slow? you want me to tear you apart? silly girl,” he tuts, back to his usual cocky self. he shakes his head and goes deep enough in you to force you to arch your back, starting to grin at the way you paw at his chest. “always so selfish, aren’t you?” he cooes, dipping his head and giving you a sloppy kiss on the forehead. “but you’re always—so—fuckin’—sweet,” satoru whispers, punctuating each word with a thrust hard enough for you to moan out his name more times than you can count.

“you’re the selfish one,” you mumble, lips trembling enough to muffle your voice. satoru huffs out a sigh and kisses your mouth, teeth gently brushing against your bottom lip. “you broke up with me for no reason,” you continue, tears pricking at your eyes again. “you think i’m gonna forgive you this fast?”

satoru shakes his head again and caresses the side of your face. “will you?” he asks, slowing his pace enough for you to notice. you mutter something about him edging you on purpose, to which satoru shushes you and repeats his question.

“maybe.”

“you gotta stop giving me maybe’s, baby—y’re drivin’ me crazy here.”

in the past week, satoru’s done so much for you, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. on the day after your breakup, he picked you up from your house and took you for a picnic entirely curated by him. on the second day, he made you breakfast, lunch and dinner—it wasn’t the best food you ever had, but it was definitely the most memorable (in more ways than one). on the third day, he took you out to your favorite amusement park and did everything he could to make you smile—by then, you had pretty much forgiven him, and the giant teddy bear he dropped in your bedroom only made you love him more. the rest of the days were filled with longing glances and little gifts left around your house, which only helped him earn more and more of you back.

so, you figure that satoru deserves what comes next.

“okay,” you whisper.

satoru’s eyes widen and he hesitates before he tentatively asks, “does this mean—”

you don’t let him finish his question, instead grabbing his face and tugging him down into a full kiss. he lets out a soft hm? in surprise, but kisses you back more than gratefully. “c’mon, make me cum,” you breathe when he finally pulls away. satoru nods dazedly and mouths “i love you” before he goes back in you, pace faster than before.

one of his hands snakes down to your waist, holding it in pace while the other caresses your face. you gaze up at him with a soft smile, eyes fluttering open and closed every time his dick hits your sweet spot—which is more times than your body can handle, but you welcome the feeling of him deep inside of you. after barely a couple thrusts, a coil forms in your stomach, growing tighter and tighter with each movement of satoru’s hips.

satoru laughs, chest heaving as he grins down at you cheekily. “i knew you’d forgive me,” he murmurs, pinching your cheek affectionately. “m’ so sorry—”

“shut up and fuck me,” you interrupt, tongue starting to loll out of your mouth as you feel yourself getting closer and closer to cumming all over satoru’s dick.

“as you wish, princess.”

satoru’s breathing slowly changes, becoming more choppy and uneven the closer you watch him get to his high—it’s so, so close for both of you, and when it comes, it takes over both of your minds like a drug. satoru curses and groans out your name, thrusts growing sloppy as he desperately rides out his orgasm. cum shoots out from his dick and coats the inside of your cunt white, dripping out once you physically can’t take any more.

you run your hands all over satoru’s body, clawing and gripping at every inch of skin you can latch onto—satoru’s always been your anchor, and you hope that he always will be. one of his hands leaves the side of your face and tangles with your fingers, holding it down against the mattress as he promises to never screw you over like that again, and you’re only too welcoming to him and his words as you squirt all over his dick. “fuck, satoru—”

he lifts his eyes and meets your own, and unlike you, his vision is clearer than ever. “shoot me if i ever leave you again, baby. i’m serious.”

you raise a shaky hand and touch the side of his face, eyes fluttering shut as you murmur, “i know i won’t have to.”

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nekobakubey · 5 months

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I drew this back in January 2021 when the chapter came out, but I wasn’t able to draw something for her birthday, so here’s a Regina

#beyblade #beyblade fanart #bakuten shoot manga #bakuten shoot beyblade #bakutenshootbeybladerising #bakutenshootbeyblade #bakuten shoot beyblade rising #regina haze

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kinglorente85 · 7 months

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wow

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crowdvscritic · 2 years

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round up // JULY + AUGUST 22

Summer 2022: A summer of milestones! Some of these were personal, like my first trip to Hawaii and a little thing called turning 30. (I watched 13 Going on 30 to feel the most thirty, flirty, and thriving I could; I avoided tick, tick...BOOM! to avoid the what-am-I-doing-with-my-life anxiety that comes with this birthday.) Some of them were professional, like the first interview on SO IT’S A SHOW? with a Gilmore Girls cast member! In ep. 127, Kyla and I chatted with John Cabrera (aka Brian, our favorite Hep Alien bassist) about the music that influenced the show, his thoughts on the 2016 revival, and more.

You might have also noticed a new look to this blog. In the first site refresh I’ve made to Crowd vs. Critic in years, I’ve updated my About, Author, and Best Picture Project pages, and the new theme (fortuitously named “Oscar”) makes everything look a little cleaner. My favorite new feature is the Random button in the header, which pulls up a random post from the blog—perfect for a movie night selection tool.

I also made an exciting update to the Author page: I was accepted to the St. Louis Film Critics Association this summer. Along with easier access to new release screenings, I’ll vote in the group’s best of the year selections in December. Stay tuned for more updates!

In the meantime, I’m completing my third year of Round Ups with 10 crowd-pleasers and 10 critic picks I discovered in July and August. These include eight new movies releases (unsurprisingly for this time of year, most fall in the Crowd list), five summer vacay-ready titles, three TV series, and one Best Picture winner. And if you’re ready to say goodbye to Summer heat and start wearing those Autumn sweaters, I’ve got a Letterboxd list ready for you, too.

July + August Crowd-Pleasers

1. Stranger Things 4 (2022)

During the first few episodes, I wondered if this would be the first season of Stranger Things that would lose me. With so many characters and the scariest villain yet, I was afraid the Duffer Brothers’ show was succumbing to the flaws that made season three my least favorite. But like always, the Hawkins crew won me over. The many locales updated the typical season’s structure in a clever way. Separating characters made their reunions more poignant. Longer episodes allowed for more character development, including for secondary characters. The soundtrack ripped. I wanted to copy the costumes and hairstyles. Steve was still GOAT! Need I keep listing why I’m counting down till Stranger Things 5?

2. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)

Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig leave the Midwest for their dream vacation in Florida—hijinks and hilarity ensue! It’s difficult to explain the plot without giving away some of the fun surprises, but if you enjoy silliness involving celebrity cameos and banana boats, this is for you. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10

3. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Sue me—I had a lot of fun! There are many fun things about this sequel—like screaming goats, the Guardians of the Galaxy cameos, and all the weirdness of Russell Crowe—but probably the most fun is it's only 2 hours. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

4. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

Like every movie featuring Minions before, I can barely recall what I watched within three seconds of leaving the theater, but I can tell you I had a good time. Read why in my review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7/10

5. Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022)

A nice story about a nice woman who goes to a nice place to get a nice dress and is nice to pretty much everyone along the way. Needless to say, if you’re looking for a nice feel-good movie, this it. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8/10

6. Double Feature: Predator (1987) + Prey (2022)

In Predator (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 6.5/10) Arnold Schwarzenegger faces off with an alien in the jungle in an ‘80s macho shoot-‘em-up. 300 years earlier in Prey (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10), Amber Midthunder faces off with an alien ancestor in a prequel that is nobody’s tax write-off streaming movie. Read my full review of Prey for ZekeFilm.

7. The Gray Man (2022)

This passed the sad test that has become a barometer for at-home watching since the pandemic: Do the action scenes make me make it easy for me to tune out, or do they make me put away the laptop and get invested? (It’s harder to pass than you’d think.) Also of note: It's becoming a toss-up whether I prefer Chris Evans as smarmy villain or a sincere do-gooder. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7/10

8. Double Feature - Brad Pitt Action: Spy Game (2001) + Bullet Train (2022)

In Spy Game (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10), Robert Redford is finishing his last day at the CIA, but first he’s trying to rescue Brad Pitt from a Chinese prison. In Bullet Train (Crowd: 10/10 // Critic: 8/10), Brad Pitt is starting his first day back on the job as a contract killer, but first he needs face off with Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and more on a train to Kyoto. Try the former if you’re in the mood for action mixed with geopolitics and the latter if you want it with a dash of stylized comedy.

9. Beast (2022)

Must calling a movie “formulaic” always be an insult? This Idris Elba action thriller puts that assumption to the test because it knows what it is—a 90-minute adventure built around a charismatic movie star—and the formula it needs to follow. Ready how it excels at its formula in my review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10

10. Double Binge - Returning Comedy Series: iCarly + Only Murders in the Building (2021 - )

One is intelligent comedy and one is very silly comedy—I contain multitudes, so they are both for me. To its credit, the iCarly reboot is cleverly commenting on the inanity of the Internet’s pressure on content creators (and perhaps the gig-like profession itself), and it brings in just enough guest stars and storylines to bring back the nostalgia of the Nickelodeon series. Only Murders in the Building is similarly spoofing content creators like podcasters (oops, #ItMe), is laugh-out-loud funny, and still surprises with its plot twists. Third seasons, here we come!

July + August Critic Picks

1. Elvis (2022)

Probably my favorite thing about Baz Luhrmann movies is it feels like he has zero interest in being cool and every movie is exactly what he is wanted to make. If it’s not that, it could be the guy knows how to stage a musical performance, actors turn out some of their best work under his direction (see: Austin Butler), and the costumes and sets are deliciously avant-garde. Not everything about Elvis works, but what does work is electric. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

2. An American in Paris (1951)

This musical-loving, Gene Kelly-crushing Oscars enthusiast has had plenty of reasons to watch this 1951 Best Picture winner, but falling in love with Paris in May finally moved it to the top of my watchlist. My latest Best Picture Project reviews might as well be both for this film and for my trip to France: not overrated. Read my Crowd and Critic reviews. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 10/10

3. Notorious (1946)

Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant in an Alfred Hitchcock spy thriller—what else do I need to say? Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 10/10

4. Home, before and after by Regina Spektor (2022)

Her one-of-a-kind vocal acrobatics are back, and this is the first album to challenge Harry Styles for my soundtrack of summer 2022.

5. Mildred Pierce (1945)

Joan Crawford is caught in a domestic Film Noir trying to win the love of her materialistic daughter while avoiding a murder charge. Another entry on my Letterboxd list “’40s Gals Just Trying to Live Their Best Lives BUT SOCIETY”! Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 10/10

6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Romance meets wuxia kung fu! Ang Lee’s thrilling adventure scales trees, crosses the desert, and swings swords in one of the most beautifully shot and acted action films you’ll ever see. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 10/10

7. The Bedford Incident (1965)

Richard Widmark is a tyrannical submarine captain in a stare down with U-boats in the North Atlantic, and few have the courage to challenge his collision course with nuclear war. Journalist Sidney Poitier and doctor Martin Balsam are two of the few, but will they live to tell about their experiences on shore? The latest addition to my favorite journalism films! Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 9/10

8. TCM’s Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics by John Malahy

You know I love a Turner Classic Movies book! This summer I worked on finishing their vacay-ready recommendations when it was too hot to do anything outside. My favorites from July and August include Ingmar Bergman’s twist on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Smiles of a Summer Night (1955); Katharine Hepburn’s romance in Venice, Summertime (1955); the coming-of-age hidden gem that made me homesick for my college days in Indiana, Breaking Away (1979); and the romantic dream European vacation, Before Sunrise (1995). Previously reviewed films from this book include Key Largo (1948), Summer Stock (1950), Picnic (1955), The Endless Summer (1966), Caddyshack (1980), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), and Do the Right Thing (1989). Each film comes with inspiration for a vacation and a double feature!

9. The Big Chill (1983)

Before The Breakfast Club, school friends including Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, and Kevin Kline spent the weekend together after a friend’s funeral (Kevin Costner before his scenes were deleted) to reevaluate their post-grad choices and sort through their nearing-middle age malaise. Though the conclusions this group comes to by the end range from confusing to wild, the questions they ask are more important than the answers they find. Plus, my guy Goldblum’s charisma covers a multitude of flaws. This film also helped inspire my newest Letterboxd list of non-spooky season movies with Autumn Vibes. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

10. The Pianist (2002)

I’ve yet to sort through my mixed feelings about Roman Polanski, but there’s no denying The Pianist is incredible. The Holocaust drama is moving but not emotionally manipulative; it’s personal but illustrative of a generation; and like many of my favorite films, it muses on the meaning art can bring to our lives. I won’t be able to say it better than Roger Ebert or the San Francisco Gate, so I recommend checking out their reviews, too. Crowd: 6/10 // Critic: 10/10

Also this July + August…

For ZekeFilm, I reviewed the perfunctory bestseller adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing.

Also on SO IT’S A SHOW?, we dug into the 20+ references Gilmore Girls makes to The Wizard of Oz and into the Jayson Blair/Howell Raines scandal at The New York Times in the early ‘00s.

Photo credits: Regina Spektor. All others IMDb.com.

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