#The underrated and unknown adaptation (which is the best).

[lochiels]

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1980) ✧ Episode One

#The underrated and unknown adaptation (which is the best). #papedit #prideandprejudiceedit #perioddramaedit #austenedit #pride and prejudice 1980 #pride and prejudice #pride and prejudice (1980) #jane austen #our gifs #our creations #pp80episodes #anghraine #weloveperioddrama

[wehadfaces]

my 3am mini-review of Cry Wolf (1947)

per @warningsine's request! i had intended to start a sort of reviews blog at the start of the year to do something productive with my insomnia, but then life happened and all progress stopped ("Auntie Mame" was next!). so this does take that kind of tone.

Before we get into the thick of it, I need first to establish myself as part of the staunch opposition to remakes and retellings. Few and far between are good, even fewer do better than their source material (or, at least, their first filmic iteration). But the true disappointment of this film is that it was made in 1947.

I agree with NYT critic Bosley Crowther, that “The final explanation of the mystery is ridiculous and banal.” But how could Crowther know that his frustration felt at the time of the film’s release only compounds with the passage of time itself? That decades of political scandal since the film’s release have raised the bar for what shocking is to the American everyman. The reveal, a seemingly weak and Puritan attempt at shock value to the modern (and apparently even a 1947) viewer, might paradoxically accomplish its original intent if adapted to a 21st century setting because of how simple it is.

An unknown widow appears at the familial estate of her deceased husband to claim her fortune. We learn this was a marriage of convenience; so that she may help him gain access to his family money, Sandra Marshall agreed to marry James Demarest for $2,000 and the chance to finish her doctorate in Geology without financial worry. After six months, she was to divorce him on grounds of abandonment. Five months later, he is declared dead.

Any graduate student in the United States today would, at minimum, consider the arrangement without hesitation. (Is there a sign-up sheet?)

We learn, after all, James Demarest is still alive, being kept on the estate grounds by his a brother, a renowned scientist. And that is mentally, criminally, and familialy insane.

The right people making it with the right people could turn a retelling into a masterpiece. Again, I typically stand opposed to remakes and modernizations, but am not without compromise and suggestion.

Some ideas: Rosamund Pike in Stanwyck’s shoes. I cautiously compare the two and their shared honed ability to be enticingly off-putting. Neither performer has ever appeared to be in the business of persuading you to like the characters they play (and not because they tend to play unlikeable characters, either), only offering an honest sense of authentic personality. They both are able to exude equally powerful senses of false charm and true confidence without it coming across as overcompensation.

Joaquin Phoenix is my pick to echo Errol Flynn as the moody, flirtatiously conservative chemist keeping up the charade. We’ve seen his skill at carefully losing control, but this role requires a tightfistedness best suited to the depths of restraint into which Phoenix capable of burrowing. I dare to say Flynn doesn’t get to where he needs to be for this role, and I think that shortcoming again lends itself to the time and its conventions, but in a modern setting, Phoenix could get there.

Throw on a score by Abel Korzeniowski, an underrated master of thriller sound work. Something sparser, but in the same vein as his score that landed a BAFTA nomination for Nocturnal Animals in 2016. A less lush but still a symbolically string-dependent undercurrent pushing and pulling you room to room of the growingly suffocating singular setting.

I remain undecided for direction. My gut thinks David Cronenberg would be a good choice. The material isn't necessarily as horrific as his standard work, but maybe that guidance is what the material needs to really ascend. Godfrey baits with romance tropes, but doesn't lean into the horror of that choice. What could a master of disturbance like Cronenberg do, and how could he do it with such careful restraint? Much of what's good about the film is what isn't seen. I'd certainly be interested in finding out.

But another part of me wants a woman directing. The story is, in actuality, more Sandra's than any male character. The novel the film is based on was written by a woman. . Sandra is, in fact, a scientist too, which is mentioned once and never brought up again. Sandra's relationship with James's niece (who I think could be done justice today by Anya Taylor-Joy) becomes nearly central to the film and more attention to it could raise the stakes, a shortcoming of the original film.

Any suggestions?

(Note: After writing this months ago, I want to say that I haven't seen the entirety of "Anatomy of a Fall" yet, but from what I have seen, Justine Triet might be a good contender as well).

#i also wanted to start a blog because my confidence in nearly anything i write lately is zero and even taking on this tone felt almost wrong #so i need to get out of that too

[sarisinema]

An Underrated Gem: Jean Eustache's The Mother and the Whore (1973), A Review of the Film and A Rant About the ''Man-child'' Trope in French Cinema

Blog Post #7

Youtube is a great place to watch old and long foreign films with subtitles, even if they are of the worst quality. In 2020, when we all had to stay at home, I was watching all the films I could find from La Nouvelle Vague, when all the films by Godard, Truffaut and Rohmer were finished, I came across a relatively unknown director whose name is Jean Eustache, best known for his film ''La Maman et la Putain''. The title of the film sounded wild to me, so I went for it, ignoring the quality and length. The film begins with a young man, Alexandre, who wakes up in a woman's bed and decides to declare his love to another woman. Alex is a dreamer, he likes to talk about politics, art and philosophy; he thinks he is a hopeless romantic and a naive man, maybe a bit lost in the modern world. But outwardly, Alex is an unemployed young man who is a burden to everyone he meets because he is open about his needs and is not ashamed to get a little 'help' from the women in his life. He lives with an older woman with whom he sometimes sleeps, and he is fine with the fact that this woman sometimes brings another man to have sex with, to the bed where Alexandre sleeps. Alex spends his life looking at girls on the streets of Paris or sitting in cafés chatting with his "enlightened" friend because he has nothing else to do. On the day he learns that his ex-lover, whom he wants to marry, is engaged, he meets Verinoka, an open-minded nurse, in a café. Alex is unfamiliar with Veronika's unconventional honesty, and she will shake the young man's views on sexuality and relationships.

Veronika and Alexandre, La Maman et La Putain

The film is about disappointed youth after the events of '68, about bohemian life, about people who try to be nihilistic, but when confronted with real emotions they mess everything up and seem "reckless". The director wrote long monologues for Alexandre's character. The two women and we listen to Alexandre's ideas over and over again. Alex is an egoist, someone who, thanks to his devil's feather, is able to get out of situations in which he is helpless. He has a blunt attitude to relationships and women, thinking he knows everything. Because of his relaxed attitude, women had to play the "cool, uncaring" girl in their relationships with him. Whenever Marie, the character he lives with at home, gets frustrated, she shuts up and looks at her own life because of Alex's nonchalance, but underneath there is an undercurrent of ugliness and defiance. In fact, the film shows that people who appear to be very open do not express their true feelings and thoughts just to keep their image intact. While the character of Veronika at the beginning of the film presents the image of an uncaring woman who sleeps with everyone, who is not afraid to tell Alexandre that she desires him, who expresses her sexual desires, we see that she does not reveal a side of herself.

Her "putain" side is a defence mechanism against the men around her, it is the easiest way for her to communicate with them and live her sexuality, but she expects love, honesty (not indiscretion under this bohemian guise) and understanding from a relationship. She even expresses that she wants to be a "maman". Although the director has chosen Alex as the childish protagonist, the character he really wants to draw our attention to is Veronika. He shows the overwhelming difference between the emotional and social capacities of young men and women, and how the term "sexual freedom" affects women and men differently and what this term means to them. It also shows how most men don't know shit about a woman's psyche, which has been given so many rights in a society that is still not sure how to adapt to the new order. The confusion caused by this "excessive" freedom and the state of women in the modern world, torn between being a "woman of the house", a "mother of their children" and having a career and being able to live their sexuality freely, is portrayed through the character of Veronika. At a time when women are so confused and overwhelmed by this dilemma, men like Alex, who is literally a man-child (which can be seen in almost every film of Godard's early career and in Rohmer's Six Moral Tales and Tales of Seasons), become the most insufferable character of all. Eustache doesn't "punish" or "change" his character Alex because of the women in his presence, but Rohmer and Godard certainly do.

I think Rohmer's whole career is about human interactions and relationships, he's one of the most successful directors when it comes to portraying women in the modern world and male characters who don't understand a thing about the psyche of the women around them, but pretend to be the expert on relationships and how to deal with a woman. Rohmer's films become satires on this man-child who thinks he knows everything about women, sex and life, meets a woman or several women, tries to manipulate his way out of every situation he encounters, and Rohmer destroys this man's ego throughout the film. His most famous films, Love in the Afternoon (1972), My Night at Maud's (1967), Claire's Knee (1970), La Collectionneuse (1967), are about a man who has very strong opinions about how a woman should look and behave, who starts to lust after the woman he seems to hate and criticise. In La Collectionneuse, the main character, Adrien, was forced to live in a villa with a woman, Haidee, who was a friend of a friend of his. He had a very low opinion of her because she had many sexual partners and was very open about it. At the end of the film, he was desperate to sleep with her, to "show her" that he was the best in bed among all the other men, but later the girl was indifferent to him and he was humiliated.

Adrien and Haidee, La Collectionneuse

For Godard, the most important of his films to have a male child protagonist is Masculin-Feminin - the main character, Paul the, is so preoccupied with himself and his surveys that he doesn't notice his girlfriend is having a lesbian affair. At the end of the film, Godard punishes his ''ignorance'' by having the girls push him out of a window.

Paul, Masculin Feminin

Although these man-child characters are at times insufferable, they are such fun to watch, and their ego's are silenced in the New Wave movies. It is a great trope to deal with the issue of modernity and so-called sexual freedom, which is still not so free for women, and the clash between the social-emotional capacity of a male and the modern woman's.

#la maman et la putain #masculin feminin #la collectionneuse #eric rohmer #jean luc godard #francois truffaut

[momobani]

SEASONS CHANGE BUT PEOPLE DON’T

If Your Winter Is Hard - Chapter 1 - 6.6k

medium!minghao x exorcist!reader

SERIES MASTERLIST

Warnings: exorcism(duh!); discussion of ghosts + death, reference to death of family members, light violence/ fighting, mention of guns, mention of grief

Sum: You almost get someone killed on the job, which is new considering you work with the dead. 

title reference to The Takes Over, The Breaks Over by Fall Out Boy [mv link cuz can’t find audio]. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons complete performance by Janine Jansen [concert vid].

Point of reference for series: Sell Your Haunted House (and Hotel Del Luna but to a lesser extent, both amazing dramas, go watch).

Disclaimer: lot of creative licence here lol, influenced by and used a lot of ideas from Sell Your Haunted House (e.g the setting, certain plot points and prop ideas) with some adaptation, some general/ stereotypical things about exorcism you can learn from mainstream media, nothing too intricate. [seriously go watch SYHH cuz it’s incredible and underrated af and I just had to pay homage to it somehow, so here’s a whole ass fic inspired by it haha]

It’s quiet, almost too quiet tonight.

The razor chill falling over the evening has your hairs standing on edge, the cold air getting crisper and crisper as you walk toward the entrance of the gallery. It’s a grand building, giant columns and the whole wannabe Greek triangulate structure of the roof, slabs of stone place perfectly in an attempt to emulate ancient civilisation.

You hear your footsteps so loudly, the wet squelch of your boots against the cement underfoot as you lead Hoshi up the steps, and even he’s uncharacteristically quiet for the moment, diligently carrying a bag full of your equipment.

Tonight’s menu was an old ghost, one that had gone decades without detection, let alone exorcism. It had surprised you to identify it, since so many other exorcists before you could have been the ones to find it, yet had not. Suppose it wasn’t its time to go yet.

Everyone has to go eventually.

You walk around to one of the side doors instead of the main large mahogany entrance and steal through, holding the metal plated surface for Hoshi. You take a moment to dry your boots on a nearby mat, the overly cautious side of your brain taking initiative to slip in and out of this gallery undetected. Your police friends could only do so much control damage, better not cause any trouble in the first place.

You’d done the research, the scouting, the calculations, the meticulous planning that always goes into your exorcisms and the only way to get to where your ghost was, was to walk through the atrium on the first floor. You’d been on site just yesterday, making sure everything could go smoothly.

The gallery was already closed but it was the minuscule gap in time between the visitors leaving and the security guards sweeping through and taking away stragglers and guiding them out.

“C’mon.” You said to Hoshi as you lead the way to the correct spot. You almost tip toed as you kept your eyes open for any movement around you. You knew the guards weren’t doing their patrol of this wing of the gallery yet. You had ten minutes flat to get this done. No time to lose.

You stood in front of a painting by the ghost when he’d been alive; an unknown artist, who’d died a bitter death before completing what was posthumously considered his best work. It was no wonder that he’d been unable to move on. From your research it wasn’t uncommon for artists to be shunned for their work whilst alive and only recognised as genius after death.

“Play it, quick.” You told Hoshi as you started to set up the incense. It was risky to light anything in here despite it being an open space, but the incense was part of the ritual to lure the ghost to you in order to exorcise it. You’d also found a short biography of the painter where you’d learned that he liked to listen to classical music whilst painting. So naturally you told Hoshi to bring his little portable tiger speaker and play some.

“I got Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. This might be good to attract the ghost.” He says as he fiddles with the bluetooth.

“Hosh, you had one job.” You sigh as you check on the magazine of crystallised salt bullets in your gun, a modest but practical SIG Sauer P365 which gives you a generous eleven rounds to isolate a ghost. Your industry tended to take normal weapons and adapt them to your jobs hence it was full of special bullets. You usually liked to use the old fashioned salt cage method but you had no time to do all that now.

“What? Four Seasons never gets old.” Hoshi pouts as the speaker starts to play some of the piece quietly.  

“Violinists would beg to differ.” You muttered. “Whatever, let’s just get this over with.” You stand in position, alert for when the ghost might appear.

“I’ll put it on shuffle, the ghost might like Winter more than Spring.” Hoshi says.

“Just play the first movement and leave it.” You roll your eyes at his back and wait.

The incense is burning properly now, the light wisps of smoke floating up and you hope that by some miracle the fire alarms aren’t triggered by that tiny little bit of incense.

You feel it before you see it. The shift in energies surrounding you, a distinct dread settling in your chest, and the prickle of static in the air; the ghost is here. The cold breeze of its presence seizes the space around you.

You whip around and spot him nearing you and Hoshi slowly, the spectre of a middle aged man with sad, sad eyes and apron over his clothes, faint dried paint still visible even though he was incredibly transparent.

“Get ready.” You say. Hoshi nods and gets ready to remove the bracelet on his left wrist. It’s a simple bead design made of pitch black onyx crystals.  

Hoshi is your medium.

In order for a medium to not get randomly possessed, they must wear some kind of talisman, usually crystals, that warded off ghosts or even demons depending on which of them you were working on; demons were a harder (and much rarer) breed and only the super elite exorcists went after those. Your practice was focused on dispatching ghosts who hadn’t moved on and couldn’t find their way to the afterlife.

Hoshi’s energy is to say the least…intense. He’s kind of a perfect fit for a medium; aura strong enough to attract ghosts but also robust enough to withstand frequent possession. The regulations set by the Council of Exorcists stated that any practicing exorcist must have at least one permanent medium on their payroll at any time and employ an alternative if you perform more than 3 per week.

And so you’d found Hoshi through the network at Council of Exorcists a couple years back when your sister’s practice became yours.  

So here you were, waiting to guide the painter to the next world.

In one hand you had your gun, in the other you had the scroll of his name contained in the handle of a thin blade with which you were going to stab the ghost with. The blades were custom made and you had boxes filled with them from your supplier, since each one burned up with the ghost and their name each time you exorcised someone.

You watch as the ghost approaches, the music fading to the background of your awareness as you stared at him. He seemed calm for the moment but usually the process of possession riled ghosts up so you had to be ready.

“Now!” You instruct Hoshi. He dropped the bracelet, the crystals landing with a soft clink against the marble floor, and the ghost immediately lurched forward, zipping past you and straight into Hoshi’s body. He staggered for a moment, his head hung low as he got his bearings. Hoshi snapped his head up to look at you dead in the eye. You knew the possession was complete since Hoshi’s irises had lit up with a silvery light, a drastic change from their usual warm brown.

You stepped towards him but the ghost shook Hoshi’s body and attempted to swing his arm at you. The attempt failed since the ghost was not used to the new body. You didn’t bother waiting for him to adjust as you took it as the opportunity to storm Hoshi, blade raised. The ghost yelled out and you were thrown back unexpectedly, the supernatural energy of the yell sending you to land on your ass a few feet away. The fall knocked the gun out of your hand and you heard it skitter some distance away.

The ghost was agitated now, as expected. But what you didn’t expect was how strong the energy behind the scream was. You worried it might have been enough to alert any security nearby. You just needed to get this job done and fast. You got up and and rushed towards Hoshi’s body, who now had his back towards you as he looked at the painting, enticed by his own work. You had to stab at his heart otherwise it wouldn’t work so you grabbed Hoshi’s shoulder and yanked him to turn around.

You were about to stab the blade home before you felt a gut-wrenching cold over you. It made your stomach curl and your throat seize up, a terrible shiver wracking your body. You let go of Hoshi and staggered backwards. The ghost was attempting to break free of his confines; trying to fight the medium’s body. This hadn’t happened to you before but you knew that it was unpredictable what the ghost might do once it escaped.

Hoshi stood rigidly for a split second then levitated, his feet leaving the ground. You didn’t dare move, eyes wide, as you waited to see what the ghost’s next move. You gasped as Hoshi’s body flew towards the nearest wall and slammed into it, narrowly missing some other paintings.

“Hoshi!” You screamed, gunning towards him as he fell to the ground, the ghost leaving his body and floating away towards the atrium’s staircase. You slid next to him and checked over his head for any injuries as he spluttered away, coughing.

“I’m okay, go get him.” He managed between breaths. You didn’t want to leave him but you needed to locate the ghost. It wasn’t normal for a ghost to reject the medium’s body and if it did, then it could mean a lot of trouble.

“I’ll be back!” You said and sprinted after the ghost, blade in hand. You followed the cold trail of the energies the spirit left in the air as he moved around. You made it down the large stone staircase and heard a loud crash. You turned toward the source of the sound and noticed a movement.

The guard in the security’s office was sweeping through the tiny space, papers flying everywhere and you assumed the ghost was in there with him. You ran the few steps separating you and stood in the doorframe to assess the situation.

The guard snapped towards you sharply, his eyes zeroing in on you. He was a taller man, young and lean and if you had a second more you would notice that his shirt was stained with tea but what you did notice a second later was his eyes - it was the same silvery light marking a supernatural presence.

You knew two things in that moment: 1) the guard was possessed, and 2) you might get sued for negligence.

The only explanation that made sense to you right now was that the guard must have been a medium even if he had no idea and the ghost had decided that he wanted to try everything available to him like some kind of all-you-can-posses buffet.

Great, now you had an actual tangible problem on your hands.  

You had to exorcise the ghost, or at least trick it to leave this man’s body and return to Hoshi’s. For the sake of the guard’s safety you stepped back and beckoned the ghost to come towards you; fighting in that office was more likely to injure the civilian than out here in the atrium. After all, you had to make sure he doesn’t get hurt because of all of this.

“I’m going to need you to leave that man’s body alone. You kicked my medium’s ass and I won’t forgive that. I’m the only one that gets to kick his ass, got it?” You hoped that talking to the ghost might help it relax a little, maybe make it want to wander about again. It seemed to be working since he was focused on you, walking towards your voice.

You counted each heartbeat, waiting for a blast of cold air to hit you if the ghost left the security guard’s body. You waited in vain and instead gripped your tool. You needed to do this as quickly and as neatly as possible.  

When he was about a couple of feet away you lunged forward, blade towards the man’s heart, your sudden attack however, was greeted with a counter when the man grabbed your arm and flipped you, the world spinning around you unexpectedly. You were caught by surprise as you twisted in the air, your view of the world tipping upside down and almost moving in slow motion.

It was during your suspension in mid-air that you speculated that that was the skilled hand of someone who knows martial arts, presumably something the guard was trained in. You rolled away as you landed, blade still in hand.

You turned around and found the man was already next to you and grabbing you, his hard chest pressing against your back, your legs kicking in front of you. You were certain he’ll throw you but where and how, you weren’t sure. Before he could do anything, you kicked downwards, using gravity to aid you in bringing the two of you down so you could flip him over you this time. He landed on his back, groaning.  

“Ugh, why couldn’t you be some useless, donut loving-ahhh!” your grumbling was interrupted by a long leg swiping the floor underneath you. You landed, the air knocked out of you, adrenaline coursing through your veins. Now you were mad too. You just wanted to do your job, what were the odds of a random person being both a medium and highly skilled in martial arts?

“Right, enough.” You huffed and rushed towards the man’s body as he was getting up. You tackled him, using all the force you could muster but bringing your body to the ground first so you could bear the brunt of the landing, rolling the two of you so that you were straddling him. You drove the blade down into the man’s chest. “Go peacefully.” You breathed.

It was something that your family in particular had a tradition of saying to ghosts as you released them to the next world, the last words that they would hear on this plane. You waited as the blade burned up with the painter’s name, the tool turning to ash and dust in your hand then being carried away into the ether.

You waited for the ghost’s dying memory to wash over you as the last of the blade burned up and the soul left the man’s body.

You saw it in your mind’s eye; the painter was sitting at a kitchen table, eating a meal and admiring his work in the corner of his studio, the very same that was hung in the gallery, when you felt your (his) vision blur and the world went dark for a millionth of a second.

You exhaled the breath you were holding and found yourself still on top of the man that had been possessed earlier. His eyes were fluttering open, the colour of his irises revealed to be a dark brown, the kind of endlessness you can fall into and never get out. He gasped awake and screamed when he saw you, causing you to scream simultaneously and scramble off of him.

“Who the hell are you?” His eyes are wide and alarmed and it hits you just how bad this could get. You’re terrified you accidentally let the ghost possess him. What if it had hurt him? Or even killed him? Unlikely but what then? You’re stifling down your horror and anxiety as you drink him in. He looks okay.

Your brain is milling a million hours an hour and you try to rationalise each thought as it flits through your brain.

It wasn’t entirely your fault since you could never predict if there was another medium nearby but technically you could have tried to isolate the ghost while it was still in Hoshi’s body, yet you’d been so concerned with getting it done, that you’d been clumsy and allowed him to get away, although in your defence, you’d never had a ghost reject a medium before.

“Uh-” you tried dumbly.

“YN! Did you get him?” You hear Hoshi’s voice yelling out behind you. You glance back and he’s limping slightly but otherwise Hoshi’s enthusiastic and bubbly and still Hoshi so you turn your attention back to the security guard. He’s still frazzled but he’s definitely getting closer to fuming.

“Are you okay?” You ask him. First things first, injuries. “You’re not hurt?” You scan his face for injuries, then the rest of him.

“Should I be?” He asks. “I don’t know what that was but I feel weird. What’s going on?” He demands, looking down at himself, patting his arms and then legs, as if checking they’re still there.

You had to assume he had medium abilities, otherwise there was no other explanation for how he got possessed, which meant by protocol you were required to tell him the truth about what happened. You sighed.  

Something about his demeanour told you he wouldn’t believe you but you had to try anyway. But not here, it was only a matter of minutes before his fellow guards made their rounds to this end of the gallery.

“We’ll tell you everything, just come with us-”

“No, I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Please, we can’t be seen here, we might get questioned or worse they might call the police.” You pleaded with him. His face didn’t budge.

“Explain first, then we’ll see if I go.” He said, stubborn with conviction. You weighed it up for a split second that the only way to shift him was to tell him the truth right now.  

“Okay listen, it might seem really bizarre but-”

“You got possessed by a ghost and she exorcised it out of you.” Hoshi says quickly, standing next to you, arms crossed casually. You click your tongue, annoyed. You were going to ease the guy into it but there he goes and just throws him in the deep end.

“Huh?”

“Sometimes when people die, their souls-” you start.

“Hey, I know what a ghost is, I just didn’t think they actually existed.” The guard interjects.

“Well, they do exist and it seems that you’re able to host them, which is something that not a lot of people can do.” You explain.

“So, right then, I got possessed?” He asks. You nod. “By a ghost?” You nod and Hoshi nod in unison. “And you made it go away?” Each question he asked, his voice went up higher both in pitch and incredulity.

“That’s right. The ghost had originally possessed my colleague Hoshi here,” you gesture vaguely in his direction and he wriggles his fingers in a sheepish ‘hi’ to the guard. “But it must have sensed your presence and come to possess you instead.”

You give the guy a moment for it all to sink in. You really didn’t have time for this but it was obvious it was the only way to get him to cooperate. He purses his lips in thought, as if running the information through a database in his head and calculating what his next move should be. You didn’t blame him, here he was at work and some crazy people let a ghost take over his body. Not your typical night shift.

“I think I believe you but it still sounds too far fetched.” He replies, a due amount of scepticism coating his voice. “Are you sure you didn’t come to steal art and drug me so you could get away?”

You can’t help your shoulders slumping. He might take some convincing but you were running out of time. It was a miracle that no other guards had arrived on the scene yet. You had to leave now, one person was enough, but if more people saw you, they’d raise the alarm.

“Have you never had anything strange happen to you? Never walked through a cold breeze on a scalding hot day? Couldn’t remember how you got somewhere and how much time has passed?” You ask him, listing the common symptoms of being a medium as described by the books. You see the shift in his eyes as your words turn the cogs in his head. He finally had an explanation of oddities that had happened to him all his life.

“Tell me more.” He says finally.

“Come with us. We need to make sure you’re not experiencing any after effects.”

“But my shift just started. It’s my first day at work, I can’t go.” He protests as he starts to get up. Somewhere in the back of your mind you wonder what the odds of that are. Getting possessed by a ghost on your first day on the job. Probably less than minute. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

You don’t want to cost him his job but an unprecedented exorcism could potentially cost him his life so you decide to exaggerate.  

“Well we can’t stay here. And if something happens to you then we can’t save you from jail.” You insist. The guy stands up and he sways slightly, you instinctively reach out and catch his arm, a little taken aback of the hard muscle you feel underneath his grey uniform. He definitely could have kicked your ass if he’d been awake. He looks at you and you find yourself too close so you step back, letting his arm go quickly. He looks conflicted for a moment, but ultimately nods.

“Fine, let’s go, it’s not like I was getting paid anyway.” He says. “My name is Minghao, by the way.”

“Hoshi and YN, nice to meet you…” you trail off as you look at Minghao sway again slightly and clutch his head before his eyes flutter close and you yelp whilst trying to catch him mid-fall. He’s not heavy but then again when had anyone unconscious been that light? You almost crumble as you struggle to pull his arm around you so you can carry him.

“Hosh, a little help?” You puff through gritted teeth. Hoshi looks at you, the bag of your equipment in his hand.

“Boss, I’m injured and my hands are busy.” He smiles at you and you feel the urge to wack his arm. “I’ll get the doors, let’s go.”

*

You arrive at your headquarters, the car ride silent and tense. You’d been gripping the steering wheel, constantly glancing up at the rearview mirror to see Minghao sprawled out across your backseat and completely conked out by the looks of it. It was probably his body reacting to the sudden energy entering and escaping it; it was probably a shock to the system and he must be exhausted.

You knew it was normal for mediums to sometimes faint after an exorcism, especially if they were inexperienced, you still remembered the first time Hoshi had worked for you. It was a fairly routine exorcism, a family member unable to leave their loved ones, in this case a child hanging around their parents after death, but Hoshi had nonetheless collapsed after hosting the child’s ghost. Nothing a little medicine can’t fix.

You assessed Hoshi’s injuries in the car, asking him rapid questions, playing doctor for ten minutes as you drove. You’d need to see how badly he was injured and potentially send him for a check up, but he wasn’t complaining too badly, which led you to believe he was fine for the most part. At least you hoped, you had some work coming up that would require a healthy medium.  

You managed to rope him into helping you carry Minghao, each of you placing one of his arms around you. You went through the closest entrance, the one to your office, which was on the ground floor of the building. The underground or basement floor was your living space and your storage facility. You entered through the double front doors, which were a dark wooden panel with a rectangular glass pane at the top and silver door handles, strategically designed to keep certain types of demons out since the silver might burn them.

The familiar heavyset musk of stifled air and old paperwork filled your nose as you struggled through the office area, where you met with clients and also kept record of your exorcisms, the whole room outlined with wooden cupboards upon metal filing cabinets filled to the brim with decades worth of documents, or as you liked to occasionally remind yourself, your inheritance from your family. Most people got houses or maybe cars or businesses but you got the ability to see ghosts and a lifelong responsibility to society that you couldn’t back out of.

It was a trudge to the basement floor where you had a spare room to put Minghao to lie down. You manage to not bump into anything on the way down the stairs so you agree with Hoshi to call it a success. You instruct Hoshi to sit with Minghao while you go and source some medicine. You shuffle down the hallway, your black long coat swishing as you go, keeping your eyes open.

She might be waiting for you.  

The living room and kitchen are an open plan room that takes up most of the basement floor and are almost entirely in darkness since you only have a few windows to the side and even there, most light coming in is blocked by a staircase to the basement entrance.

You flip the light switch and the few tiny lamps lining the walls and the chandelier separating the rooms buzz to life but the room is still vastly dark. The lights hadn’t been changed for a long time, the bulbs, covered by frosted glass cup-shaped shades, weak and coated in a thin sheen of dust. Just as your grandparents had left them.

The couch too was ancient; a dull flower patterned upholstery that had never left the basement and you didn’t have the heart to replace. It was full of nostalgia and memories, as was the weathered dinning table and the coffee table and practically every piece of furniture, carpet and piece in the basement. You tried not to let your eyes wander too much whilst you prepared some tea and herbal paste for Minghao but it was always hard after a job.

Exorcisms reminded you of your family.

While it was brewing you couldn’t help but look across the room, checking for signs of movement while the soothing aroma of the tea filled your senses. Your eyes finally stopped to stare at the framed photograph of you and your sister, one of the freshest things in this room sitting amongst the older frames on a chest of drawers, added almost three years ago.

It’s subconscious when you touch the ring on your hand, a thin silver band and a bright carnelian crystal, the protective talisman she had worn since taking over the family duties. You had a matching set of earrings and your aunt the necklace from the set.

The ring was one of the only things of your sister’s you let see the light of day; the rest was hidden away in storage that sat in your spare room, the majority of the space taken up by the stacks of cardboard boxes. There was a spare set of bedding you’d instructed Hoshi to set out while you held Minghao up, his head resting on your shoulder and the crook of your neck. It was too close for what you considered comfortable proximity with a complete stranger, yet you hadn’t felt your usual aversion when someone was in your personal space.

It bothered you, you thought as you stirred the mixture of medicinal herbs in a mug. That’s why you were still thinking about it. It bothered you how you could still feel the warmth of his cheek and the tickle of his hair on your skin. And what bothered you even more was that your sister hadn’t made an appearance tonight. Her ghost was still lingering in the house and the office and almost without a miss, she breezed around you to check on you after an exorcism, but tonight the house was utterly still.

When you get back to the guys, you see Minghao is starting to wake up. He seems groggy and confused, his hair sticking up in different directions, tousled after the fight and the journey here, but you think he seems otherwise unharmed. Hoshi looks up from his phone, suddenly animated.

“You’re alive!” He squeaks excitedly. Minghao sits up slowly, assisted by Hoshi as you sit down beside them with the mug of tea and herbal medicine.  

“Excellent observation.” Minghao says, voice laced with fatigue.

“Well it’s good news cause we won’t get hit with a law-”

“Hosh!” You hiss in warning; what Minghao doesn’t know won’t hurt you in legal fees. “I left some painkillers in the kitchen for you, go have some.” You wanted to talk to Minghao alone so you wait for Hoshi to hobble out of the room. You turn to Minghao. “It’s good news because it means your body is strong enough to withstand possession.” You say. “Here, have some tea, it’ll make you feel better.” And you hand him the mug carefully.

“Thanks.” He mutters.  

You watch as he takes a discreet sniff and then a tentative sip. He hums in approval after a second. You raise your eyebrows in question.

“It’s good tea.” He doesn’t elaborate. He’s quiet as he takes a few more sips and you start to worry why he’s not asking questions. He’d clearly been curious enough about what happened that he agreed to leave with you.

“Have you ever seen a ghost?” You ask suddenly, not sure what compelled you to open with that. Minghao does a double take as he holds the mug to his lips. He tries to play it off as if it’s too hot, but the shift in his eyes doesn’t escape your notice. “So you have. Did it possess you?”

Minghao sighs, bringing the cup of tea to rest against his thigh. He looks as if he’s weighing up how much he should tell you. You don’t blame him; you’re total strangers and you’re claiming to know stuff about ghosts, it’s not a surprise the guy probably thinks you belong in Looneyville.  

“I think it did,” He begins. You lean in slightly, in anticipation. “It wasn’t the only time either. It was at my uncle’s house, I think it was haunted. Every time I visited, I couldn’t remember much of what happened. The way someone edits a video tape - there’s just snippets of things I saw or felt.” He says. “And then one day I saw the ghost itself, standing on the balcony and looking down at my family in the garden. After that, it stopped. I never bothered telling anyone about it all.”

You nod slowly, imagining a younger Minghao staring at the spirit speechless and confused.

“You must have been frightened. It must have been hard, all that time, keeping it to yourself.” You pause. “I’m sorry that we let the ghost get to you tonight. We should have been more careful.” You hope your apology eases Minghao’s mind, knowing that it was your fault and it can be explained to a degree.

“What do you even do?” He seems more curious than reprimanding.

“I’m an exorcist and Hoshi is my medium. We go after ghosts and get them to move on. That ghost at the gallery was lingering near his art work, too attached to it to leave this world. There is a natural progression that must be kept, so we move it along.” You explain.

You leave out the part that if a ghost stays too long, they become trapped here, their souls unable to ever leave, wandering the earth for all eternity, drifting endlessly. It happened rarely but it was a fate that could befall someone. They could also become vengeful spirits, some did, almost demonic in nature and begin to hurt anyone that was unlucky enough to cross their path.

You’d never really had to tell anyone in detail what you did, since your industry generally took mediums in and helped them understand their abilities and you never needed to tell ordinary people on the street what you did.

Clients came to you after going through a screening process set up by the Council’s Head Quarters and usually believed in ghosts before they even walked through the door. All you had to confirm was that you were indeed an exorcist and how you could help them. But telling Minghao about it seemed weird; you spoke simply of it, when it wasn’t quite as simple as it sounded.

So you’d decided to inform Minghao on a need-to-know basis.

“I think I understand. You take care of the dead, you’re like the boat guy in the underworld, what’s that myth?” Minghao thinks for a moment. “In Greek mythology, you know the one?”

“Charon.” You say automatically. You’re not really sure what to make of his comparison. In some ways he was right but you’d hardly ever thought about what you actually do. You were more burdened with the fact that you had to carry this on for your whole life - living in a world full of ghosts that you couldn’t escape. You’d never been allowed to consider doing anything else in your life; the path paved in front of you before you’d even been born.

You were born with a gift, you’d been told. A gift to see more than what meets the eye. Every time you heard that, it made you want to retch or scratch your skin off. It wasn’t a gift, it was a curse. A life sentence.

Your father had been lucky, being one of your line to miss out on the sight, the blessed sibling unlike your poor aunt, but neither you or your sister had been spared. Yet, you’d accepted your fate, your duty and the way that your life would go. Live amongst ghosts until you died and maybe became one yourself.

“Yeah, him. He helps people find their way. It sounds like a pretty important job.” Minghao pauses to look at you. Your eyes meet and you can’t find the words for it, but you feel something. There’s something heavy in his gaze, as if he’s trying to dissect you. It makes you feel naked. The look on your face must have been obvious because he purses his lips then says: “You hate it though.”

You mentally shake yourself out of his stare.

“Doesn’t matter,” you shrug. “Speaking of jobs. Sorry if you get fired. You could try explaining it was an emergency though I doubt they’d love that. If you do lose your job, let us know, we could hook you up with something.” You fish out a business card from your pocket; it’s solid black card with silver writing in one corner. He takes it and inspects it.

“You have an exorcism business?” He asks. Just as you’re about to answer, Hoshi limps back into the room, water bottle in hand. He settles down in the same spot to Minghao’s left.  

“What’d I miss, hmm?” He looks between you and Minghao.

“I filled Minghao in on some details.” You reply.

“Oh?” Hoshi catches a glimpse of the card in Minghao’s hand and points towards it questioningly. “You offered him a job too? That’s great, we could always use more mediums around here.” He says enthusiastically.

You hadn’t felt awkwardness in quite a long time, curtesy of working with ghosts who just don’t make you feel that way, scared, yes, frustrated, maybe, but awkward? Like never, but tonight you were getting a reminder of how much you hated the feeling.

Minghao on the other hand refused to be affected by the contagious awkwardness.

“You have an opening?” He asked simply.

“Yeah, I’m the only medium in the firm right now, by regulation we call up Seokmin every once in a while, he’s a freelancer and he comes to work between our office and Seungkwan’s office.”

“Right, and what do you actually do as a medium?” Minghao probes further. You don’t like it.  

“Hmm… I lend my body out for money.” Hoshi grins.

“So you’re a hooker?” Minghao’s voice rings with disbelief, then shrugs. “Not my place to judge.” He concedes.  

“Ignore him. Technically yes, we have an opening, but you’d have to undergo some basic training if you want to work here.” You add.

“Training?” Minghao perks up. “I’m actually a martial arts instructor, the security job was just for some extra cash. What kind of training?”

You can’t help but let out a tiny laugh. Is it relief or irony, you don’t know. So you’d been right, he most certainly could have kicked your ass if he’d been conscious.

“Ah, not that kind of training. Like learning to be a medium. After that, you could work with an exorcist, contract or freelance so you get paid per exorcism.”

“Do you think I could do it?” Minghao asks. You can tell the question is aimed specifically at you, the way his eyes roam your face, but you’re hesitating. He does have an aura around him, something still and strong about the air which he carries himself with. You had to admit he had potential and he was already looking better after the possession despite the short period of time to recover.

“Probably.” You say carefully. “It’s not the kind of thing I can judge right now since I don’t really know anything about you. But you definitely have the medium ability. Listen, this is a difficult job. And it’s dangerous too.”

“Yeah, people die in this business, like YN’s s-” you feel your heart sinking.

“Hoshi!” You warn. “Don’t scare him. It doesn’t happen that often.” You look away, unable to bear the weight of Minghao’s inquisitive look at the newfound information.  

“I’m not directly inviting you to work for us since you’ll live a better life away from all this. The offer is however on the table, working for us or within our sphere. You have the abilities after all.” You almost tell him he’s cursed too, like you, then you realise he’s not. His fate hasn’t been sealed yet, therefore there’s still hope for him. Instead you get up and walk over to cluster of cardboard boxes, kneeling to rummage through for a moment, plucking out a small jewellery box.

Once you sit back down you open it and flick around its contents until you find what you’re looking for. It’s a ring; a sleek, black onyx band, the only protective talisman you currently have in the house and you extend it to Minghao.

When he sees the ring, his eyes bug out comically, clearly misunderstanding.

“It’s a little too soon, don’t you think? We met an hour ago.” He can’t hide the look of disgust on his face. You roll your eyes.

“It’s to keep you safe, genius.” You deadpan at him. “Regardless of your decision, wear this to avoid getting possessed again.”

Minghao accepts the ring, having the decency to look ashamed at his assumption. It bothers you when it fits on his finger perfectly, the crystal hugging his skin snugly. You don’t tell him it was your grandfather’s ring, the one he wore when he and your grandmother founded the firm and indirectly cursed you years before you were even a possibility. Better he not know the weight it carried.

*

#seventeen #xu minghao #the8 #minghao #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines #seventeen x reader #the8 x reader #the8 scenarios #the8 imagines #minghao x reader #seventeen fics #seventeen slow burn #momobani.writes

[alwaysspeakshermind]

What do you think about Madge Undersee? Any headcanons?

Do you think her gift of the gold Mockingjay pin to Katniss just a coincidence? Or is there any connection to the rebellion in District 12?

Why do you think she brought the morphling after Gale’s whipping in Catching Fire?

How did you feel about Madge’s exclusion from the movies?

Who would be your fancast for Madge if there is a new adaptation?

Thank you so much :)

@curiousnonny

MADGE! My underrated, unsung, practically unknown no thanks to the films hero!

Ugh, where to begin.

(Also: sorry it's taken me so long to reply to this, and thank you for the ask! Madge Undersee deserves better than people who only watched the films going "Wait, you mean Mags, right?" 💖)

Even though we don't ever get to know her to the extent that we get to know characters like Finnick, or Prim, or even Plutarch, I love that we're able to see what kind of a person she is through what she does. (For instance: she is the mayor's daughter which basically elevates her to a certain position of status, but the girl she considers a friend/eats lunch with in silence every day, is a girl from The Seam. She tries to make light of a serious topic like the Reaping through jokes, brings a pin that once belonged to her aunt who made it very far into a particularly horrible edition of the Games to Katniss as a present, brings some of her mother's expensive meds for Gale, etc.) I like that she sort of befriends Katniss against her will, and doesn't treat her any differently after the latter becomes something of a de facto celebrity, and that she seems to instinctively understand that Katniss wants/needs companionship that doesn't involve guilt, pity, pressure, hero-worship, forced happiness etc., and does her best to offer that without any strings attached.

I think her gift of the pin was more coincidence than anything else, but I also think that it's fun to headcanon that Madge maybe spends some of her long, lonely evenings eavesdropping on her father's meetings/calls. And that maybe at some point she overheard something about how Haymitch won his Games, that he was partnered with her aunt (the original wearer of the pin), and thought that it might possibly do Katniss some good if he saw her wearing it.

Re: Gale and the morphling: The simplest explanation is that Madge is a kind person who considers Katniss a friend, and because of that would obviously try to help out someone who is basically Katniss' family.

That being said, I've always leaned toward the idea that maybe there were some sparks between Madge and Gale that we don't get to see, because it always seemed to me that he talks sharply to her in the beginning of THG in a way that doesn't seem fully connected to her being one of the richer kids. Like yes, I'm definitely reaching here, but to me, there's an aspect to it that feels like he might be a little attracted to her but annoyed because he assumes that since she's from the merchant side of town she probably thinks herself better than kids from The Seam. And, since Katniss and we all know that's not the case, I choose to believe that Haymitch's remark in CF is related to a Madge/Gale connection...maybe, while being grumpy about how close Katniss and Peeta were getting, Gale started hanging out more with Madge, since they in essence both lost their best friend while she was gone to the Games/busy on the tour, and maybe that's when he realized she's not stuck-up, and maybe there were some hints of something more between them, and maybe that's why Madge rushed over to offer help in the one way Gale would be unable to refuse.

"How did you feel about Madge’s exclusion from the movies?"

*feelings summarized in gif below*

While I understand that not EVERYTHING can make it into the films due to time constraints, I think that excluding Madge from the first movie made it that much easier to exclude the story of Maysilee Donner from the narrative, which in turn lessened the significance of the pin itself and helped keep the details of the last Quarter Quell from making it into CF. (Which, in my humble opinion, is a huge loss. The impact Haymitch's Games had on him essentially shape him into the character we know, and it adds another layer to the rebellion angle once we learn that Madge, whose family is supposed to represent the Capitol's presence in District 12, has inadvertently gifted Katniss a direct reminder to Snow/the Capitol of their failure to control Haymitch at a time when they're actively failing to control Katniss and Peeta.)

So, all in all? I think it was a mistake to not include Madge, and I'm honestly still a little bitter about it. It's not even as if a huge part had to be written for whoever they cast. We just needed to see her enough to establish her relationship to Katniss, and it would've made the losses in MJ so much more emotional if it were made clear that someone Katniss spent a lot of time with over the years was just gone...without warning, without any chance for a goodbye, and literally in the blink of an eye. Like, on some level, I can't believe I'm advocating for more sadness from the MJ films, but I really do believe it would have added a lot of depth if she had just been included in a small way.

"Who would be your fancast for Madge if there is a new adaptation?"

This is a little outside the age-range now, but I think I've always pictured someone like Elle Fanning. Madge has a sort of quiet strength/calm kindness mixed with humor about her, and I think that EF would play that very well <3

#ask: answered #ask: thg #user: curiousnonny #thg meta #madge undersee #my opinion

[nitrateglow]

Halloween marathon 2021: 8-10

The Spiral Staircase

The Spiral Staircase is about a young mute woman named Helen who finds herself the target of a serial killer-- a killer who might be hiding in the house where she works-- who might even be someone she trusts. Beyond the murders, Helen's plight is also psychological. Her inability to speak comes from long-ago trauma and this inability to face the horror of her past begins to put her in legitimate danger when she cannot call for help. The mystery element tightens the suspense as well, since Helen never knows who to trust. Even if you figure out who the killer is early on, Helen does not know and that only makes the situation all the more intense. Props must be given to the film's use of setting, a positive which goes beyond mere old dark house aesthetics. The Victorian house in which the movie is set is not only dripping with chilly menace and suffocating shadows, but also logically laid out. An often overlooked feature of single location movies is the importance of making that central setting seem lived-in and consistent from scene-to-scene. By the climax, we know the house's layout just as intimately as the characters do, which also makes us feel just as trapped as Helen once she suspects the killer is in the house. If you love the Val Lewton style thrillers of this period, then The Spiral Staircase should be your cup of tea. It's not unknown among classic horror fans, but for its influence upon the slasher genre (particularly the POV shots from the killer) and striking use of black-and-white visuals, it deserves to be considered one of the best Hollywood movies of the 1940s, full stop.

The Fall of the House of Usher

This 1928 short film is a great example of the surrealist filmmaking of the late silent period. As a Poe adaptation, it’s extremely loose, but the style is dazzling, with genuinely creepy imagery (like when Madeline emerges from her grave). It’s not as “out there” as Entr’acte or Un Chien Andalou, but it is spooky and fun.

Beware, My Lovely

Written by the author of The Spiral Staircase, Beware, My Lovely is a home invasion thriller set right after World War One. Ida Lupino plays Helen, a lonely war widow who hires a handyman to help her get her house in order. Little does she know that Howard (Robert Ryan) is a tortured soul suffering from memory lapses, mood swings, and sudden violent impulses. Also, his last handyman job ended with him murdering his employer, so the audience knows Howard’s floor-waxing duties will likely not go as planned. Helen becomes a prisoner in her own home and desperately seeks a way to escape a man she both fears and pities.

While the movie does peak a bit early and is only sparingly stylish, I was highly impressed, particularly by the relationship between Helen and Howard. It goes beyond the predator-prey dynamic. Helen and Howard are both lonely people who have been affected by the war: Helen lost her husband, who she still mourns, and Howard was rejected as unfit for military service due to his mental illness, striking a blow to his sense of social belonging.

Helen has a stable place in society: being a war widow, she is respected. However, she is unhappy, seeming to keep herself busy with charity and housework just to keep the emptiness at bay. Lupino does well with portraying Helen’s inner pain, just barely masking it with can-do cheer. Howard isn’t as lucky. Without family, friends, or even a home, Howard desperately clings to Helen’s casual kindnesses and becomes desperate for her complete sympathy. He’s undoubtedly attracted to Helen as well, a development which becomes disturbing once his mood takes a turn for the menacing.

I won’t go too much into the ending in case you haven’t seen the movie. It’s very controversial, but I thought it was fitting. Most home invasion movies end with the protagonist killing the bad guy or someone else coming to the rescue. The ending here goes in an unexpected, but overall chilling direction. I might write an essay on it alone sometime. It’s haunting to me, sort of the same way Black Christmas’s ending is haunting.

Definitely seek this out! It’s super underrated.

#beware my lovely #the spiral staircase #the fall of the house of usher #thoughts #halloween marathon 2021 #horror #thriller

[unmanageable-day]

Come to me

previous chapter. 1

PART 2 - next

Summary. After what happened in a relationship in the past, you found  it difficult to trust someone with the gentleman image.  'Gentleman' seems like merely a concept and it was probably impossible  for someone to be a genuine one. Now that you're stuck with the number one gentleman at campus for a  group project, how would you cope with the one and only Joshua Hong?

Genre. College!au, non-idol!au / friends to lover

Pairing. Joshua x y/n x a little bit of S.Coups, and a sprinkle of Wonwoo

A few days later, you and your groups gathered again to discuss more for the project assignment. You and Joshua came early to a secluded spot in the library. You were worried if things were going to be awkward, but unexpectedly he was always the first one to talk to you. While waiting for Suhyun and Johnny, both of you managed to look over your schedule to find out which time should work without disturbing each other's activities. You almost dropped your jaw when you realized he almost always matched all gaps between classes, which was because you were in the same class most of the time yet you had no idea.

"I didn't know that we're in the same class like almost for all subjects," you uttered. Again, the mixed feelings of guilt, nervous and awkward made you unable to directly look at him.

He slightly smiled at your obliviousness. "Because you always sit in the front row and don't even bother to look around."

"Really?" You nervously faked a chuckle. Not even your friends had called you out like that despite what he said was actually true.

"But anyway, it's easier for us, don't you think?"

"That's right." Another nervous chuckle slipped out of your mouth. This was the time you vigorously typed a message to Johnny and Suhyun to come quickly. However you can't even be on your phone for too long since this guy literally kept talking to you, which you found it odd. This guy should hate you if he remembered the first encounter. Suddenly you were reminded of Johnny once saying one of Joshua's nickname that made him even more famous than just a 'gentleman'. The holy Jisoo.

Neither you did believe nor care about that. Sometimes you had to beg Johnny to stop talking about him as if there was nothing else to talk about. Now that you think about it, probably being forgiving could be one of the trait of 'the holy Jisoo'. But still, it was not that you care.

"Hey, now that we're classmates for almost every class, is it okay if I ask you to study together sometimes? Especially for Professor Kwon's class. I mean, I heard that even getting B from his class is already considered good."

"I know right. I don't even know why I take that class." Wait, does this mean I agree to study together with him? Wait, what?

"How about this weekend? We can finish this one quickly and proceed to discuss for other subject."

"This weekend is no good," you quickly answered. Secretly you were relieved you had other stuff to do. "Got essay due Monday and another group project assignment too before finals."

"Oh, okay. No problem. Which class though?"

"Professor Kim Jooyong it is. I believe you don't go to this class, right?"

"Yeah, no. But I think I know someone there."

"Yeah?" You raises both of your eyebrows, slightly showing curiosity.

"You know Jeon Wonwoo?"

An excited gasp slipped off before you spoke. "You're kidding! He's my partner for the group project."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, he's a life saver," you answered enthusiastically for the first time ever. "I take this class unintentionally. This guy thankfully makes it more bearable."

Without words, Joshua smiled. It was a different smile from earlier before the topic of Jeon Wonwoo arose. Of course, you wouldn't notice. The way you talked about Jeon Wonwoo definitely made him feel something. It just made him wonder if someone asked you about him, would you look that cheerful and excitedly say something good about being his classmate?

--- after hours working on the group project

"This doesn't look like we're able to finish any sooner. Should we continue tomorrow?" Suhyun stretched her arms and tilted her neck.

"You're right. I still have my essay to do," Johnny complained to himself. "I don't think I will sleep tonight."

"I told you you should have started as soon as Professor Jung gave it," you scoffed.

Suhyun and Johnny quickly packed their stuff and left. Meanwhile Joshua was a bit slow for unclear reasons. Basically he came the earliest and left the latest, which you found it odd. Again. Yes, you got a bit closer within such a short time when waiting for Johnny and Suhyun. But you still felt uncomfortable being with only him. And you can't confront him and ask 'what take you so long?', can you?

"Tomorrow we finish the class at 4, right?" Again, he was the one to break the silence when he was about to depart. "Want to continue our discussion tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure." This was a scenario which it would turn out weird if you say no. "Library?"

He paused. His face showed that he was thinking of something. "Sometimes it's crowded in the library. We got lucky today. Do you know a small cafe near the campus gym?"

"There's a cafe?"

"Yeah, it's not very popular. But it's quiet. I usually study there."

"Okay, sure. We can be more focused then," you said, nodding your head although you had no idea where the place he suggested. The last thing you wouldn't even want to imagine was this gentleman turned out to be a psycho who would abduct you in an unknown, quiet place at campus.

"Anyway, can I sit next to you tomorrow in class?"

Again, a scenario that would turn out more awkward than it already was if you say no. "Well, yeah, sure.." This dude must know that many people avoided sitting in front row seat, so your side was empty most of the time.

"Okay, cool. I'll see you tomorrow?" He flashed you a smile.

That was the first time you noticed the way he smiled. You had no idea he looked like that. Now you know why everyone always calls him a gentleman. That smile and the way he talks softly explained his nickname perfectly. That smile made you look away because suddenly you got too shy to look at him.

"Yeah. See you."

--- the next day

Joshua was right. The small cafe near the campus gym was quiet, as if it was located outside the campus. You wondered what makes this cafe underrated. Was it new that no one knew? Was it that secluded? Was it too far? Well, Joshua and you had to spend at least 10 minutes of walk from your building to this place. Honestly that was the most awkward walk you've ever had. You kept your distance, but he kept going closer every time you took a step away. You were nervous most of the time. You were really worried if he would try to do something funny you wouldn't even want to imagine. You actually had Johnny's number ready to be dialed if there was a sudden emergency.

"This place is not so bad, right?" As always, he started conversation while you prepared your notebook and laptop.

Flashing your smile with your best effort, you nodded.

"Oh! It's Shua!" An excited exclaim filled the quiet place. "And it's Park Y/n!"

"Seok-Soon, is that you?" You got excited too as two guys, a black haired one with a well-built tall body and the other one with dark blonde hair, paler skin and slimmer figure proceed to your seat. The three of you hugged and cheered loudly, happy to reunite again. "I miss you guys. What are you doing here, Soonyoung? Seokmin?"

"We should ask you the same." Seokmin broke your group hug.

Soonyoung darted his eyes to you, then to Joshua. "I didn't know you're close with Shua hyung," he said, flashing his hamster teeth.

"’Shua’?" you asked back in confusion. Soonyoung nodded, gesturing at Joshua with his head and his expressive eyes. That was a clear hint that the guys were close friends.

"I didn't know you guys know her." Joshua managed to stay calm, totally contrast with the rest of you.

"Yeah, we met during the orientation week," you explained happily without looking at him. Your attention was now fully on the other guys. Your linking arms with the Seok-Soon duo proved how close you were with them.

"And after that the class schedule always separates us," Soonyoung responded dramatically, faking a sniffle.

In Joshua's eyes, this was the brightest version of you and your smile. He noticed the drastic change of your expression when Soonyoung and Seokmin entered the cafe and called them. To him, you were like a chameleon. Your expression, the way you talk, and even your behavior kept changing as if you were adapting to who you were with. Soonyoung and Seokmin were famous to be the mood maker, they barely can keep quiet or stay still. You kept giggling at whatever they said since they joined your table, kinda forgetting that you were supposed to get your work done with Joshua. It didn't look like he minded though. In fact, he could use this time to quietly observe the new side of you. He remembered even when with Johnny, you never looked this cheerful and hyped up. No wonder you always became much more quiet when it was only him. Compared to Johnny, Soonyoung and Seokmin, he was indeed the calmest.

Soon, another guy came in. Soonyoung called his name and the new guy joined you immediately. With a big, mischievous smile, you stood up and bowed, singing his name, "Kim Mingyu sunbaenim."

"Oh, hi, Park hoobaenim." He raised a hand waving at you with his smug smiley face, trying to give more of the sunbae vibe, which always made you and the others almost lose it. "Long time no see," he spoke in English with his strong Korean accent.

Soonyoung and Seokmin still laughed at how you and Mingyu addressed each other, leaving Joshua puzzled by himself. Basically it was their inside jokes within the guys only, so it surprised him how you had any idea about it. It also confused him how you got to know his bestfriends.

"Mingyu repeated the history with Jeonghan hyung. He thought she was a freshman at the first day of school after spring break. So he was like, 'Oh, are you lost? Let me help. Oh, by the way, my name is Kim Mingyu. You can call me Mingyu sunbaenim.' when she was standing in front of Communication 101 class."

"She really looked like she was lost though?" Mingyu defended himself when the others recalled that dark memory.

You blended very well with the boys that it felt strangely nice for Joshua. It was kind of odd to feel alienated when the guys were his best friends, yet they seemed closer with you. But again, he didn't really mind that. It was just for him, to click with someone new was never easy. Moreover, his instinct could tell easily that you were not comfortable with him. That was why he always tried to speak first. Seeing you obviously close with his best buddies made him want to know more about you. Now he needed to boost his confidence to be more open up. Starting from you as a groupmate.

#seventeen imagines #seventeen au #seventeen scenarios #seventeen x reader #seventeen joshua #joshua imagines #joshua x reader #svt imagines #svt scenarios #svt au #kpop fanfiction #post by yourblinkies

[sz-amare]

7. My Top 15 Anime List

I have watched a lot of anime in the past four years, but one thing that gives me great enjoyment is ranking my top anime. Here I will rank my top 15 favorite anime, along with some honorable mentions that couldn’t make it. However, I won’t be going too in-depth on the analyses; I just want to give you a general idea of why the particular anime is where it is on my list. In general, I rank my anime depending on a combination of factors: 1) how brilliant I find the anime to be written, 2) if the themes resonate with me, 3) if it is categorized in my favorite genres, and 4) my general enjoyment level. Anyway, to the list.

 Number 15

One Punch Man

When I first watched One Punch Man, it seemed nothing more than a mindless comedy anime. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it and laughed a lot, but I found it to be forgettable. But one day, I heard that the genre of One Punch Man was seinen, which made no sense to me. It had no dark and mature themes, and as I mentioned, it was nothing more than a senseless comedy. But then one day, on a whim, I watched One Punch Man again. And I REALLY enjoyed it. I still laughed a lot, but something felt different to me this time. I actually felt like I had a deep connection with each of the characters. The story seemed to be more structured and enjoyable this time, and finally, I could actually see the themes that One Punch Man was trying to explore. It made sudden sense to me that One Punch Man is indeed a seinen and that it had a lot more to it than on the surface. Of course, the difference in experience is because of my new understanding of anime and the experience I gained.

Number 14

Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple

Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple is probably one of the most unknown, underappreciated, and underrated anime on this list. Someone recommended it to me, and I had never heard of it, so I assumed it was a mediocre anime. But when I watched it, I had so much fun which I hadn’t felt in many months. It is a training shōnen anime where the main character tries to learn martial arts. That is all I want to say for now because I don’t want to spoil anything, so go watch it. I highly recommend it.

Number 13

A Place Further than the Universe

I don’t see many people talking much about A Place Further than the Universe. But, I must say, it is absolutely phenomenal. It is, hands down, the most inspiring anime in existence. The basic premise is a high school girl wanting to do something significant in her high school life. I won’t say anymore because, again, I don’t want to spoil this anime, and I recommend you check it out if you need inspiration in your life. Let me just say that it is now an aspiring goal of mine to visit Antarctica.

Number 12

Plastic Memories

I made a whole analysis on the previous post so go check it out. But for a quick recap, the life lesson I learned from Plastic Memories has permanently changed my behavior for the better. I found it to be the saddest anime I have ever watched.

 Number 11

Steins; Gate

Once again, I have already made an analysis on Steins; Gate, but this time I only covered the first episode. I also ranked Steins; Gate a 10/10 so that must mean that the rest of this list must contain masterpieces. But to be honest, that is not really the case. You see, to me, even if I consider something a masterpiece, the enjoyment factor plays the most significant role in ranking high on my list. For example, I found Death Note to be brilliant, but I really struggled to enjoy it and therefore, it is not ranked that highly. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed Steins; Gate, but I just enjoyed the rest of these anime way more. Anyway, if you want to see why I loved Steins; Gate so much and why I find it so brilliant, check out blog post 4.

Number 10

Berserk (Manga)

Almost everything I found In Berserk is brilliant (except its adaptations, that’s gas station toilet). Guts is a 10/10 protagonist, Griffith is a 10/10 antagonist, the cast is a 10/10, the story is a 10/10, AND THE ART!!! Holy shit!!! I can actually picture an entire museum dedicated to each panel of Berserk.

 Again, the only reason this anime is not any higher is simply because I enjoyed the others on this list so much more. However, I am yet to review any analyses on it so there is a possibility that it will bump-up several places higher when I truly understand the brilliance behind it. Great read though!

Number 9

Haikyuu

I LOVE Haikyuu. Each season gets progressively better and better. It has a lot of controversy around it because of its fan base and because it’s a sports anime. But to be honest, I find Haikyuu to be a better shōnen than My Hero Academia, Black Clover, Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and most other modern shōnen anime. It has its amazing moments, its cast is amazing, the character development is amazing, the themes are amazing, and the antagonists are amazing. I am not bluffing when I say that the antagonists in a Volleyball anime are better than the antagonists in many shōnen anime (I’m going to develop haters before I can even develop fans). I plan on making an essay on what most shōnen strive for yet fail to achieve, and Haikyuu somehow delivers.

Number 8

Oregairu

Best romance. Hands down. Oregairu, or SNAFU, or My Teen Rom-Com is Not What I Expected (yes, so many titles) is a masterpiece in its own right. If you are a guy and you watched Oregairu, don’t act like you didn’t imitate Hachiman a couple times. He is a beautiful protagonist, which most of us guys relate to. His inner monologues result in us treating them as gospel. The sub-text is confusing as fuck, but end up making sense in all sorts of ways once decoded. Yukino is best girl, but man I love Yuigahama almost just as much. The general enjoyment I got out of Oregairu is so far through the roof that I once forced myself to stop watching it so that I could savor the show a little more. It is a little difficult to get into at first, but you will most likely end up enjoying it.

Number 7

Re Zero

This is the most recent addition to the list. I often don’t add anything new to my list; I just switch the places between some of them. But ever since season 2, Re Zero jumped significantly in rank. It is the best anime of 2020 (including sequels), and I enjoyed each episode to the max. I was considering adding Re Zero to my top 10 since the first half of the second season finished, but I was a bit hesitant because I am easily affected by recency bias. But my love for Re Zero would just not die down: my love for it grows after each episode airs. It is the only anime on this list that I watched weekly other than One Piece. I actually prefer watching a series I love weekly rather than binging it all, except for One Piece, pacing is constipation (slow and painful). Other than the vast enjoyment I got out of Re Zero, the main reason it made it to this list is because of the light novel comparisons I watch. Aninews is my favorite source. He compares the episode to the light novels, mentioning what was left out and further describing the emotions and thoughts of the characters. He tends to release the “Cut Content” videos a week after the episode airs, but the content and quality are incomparable. I found the videos to be so amazing I am basically just as excited for the weekly videos as the Re Zero episodes themselves. If you love Re Zero, the Cut Content series is a must watch.

The fantastic details and emotions the light novels are able to portray are stunning. I decided to read the light novels recently, but the only issue is that I am very short on time. But for each novel I complete, I will release a post on it.

Number 6

Mob Psycho

Although I said I found Haikyuu to be better than most modern shōnen, Mob Psycho is hands down the king. Its quality far surpasses all modern shōnen and a lot of older generation shōnen too. Funny thing is, I believe Mob Psycho’s primary genre is slice of life, not shōnen. I also believe it to be the best take on an overpowered protagonist. One of my favorite things is that Mob, who is the strongest esper we have seen, seems to be so weak. That is exactly how he should be portrayed; he is still a child with mental challenges that he is constantly trying to overcome. The themes that Mob Psycho explores are some of my favorites. The animation is a bit weird at first, but after watching it, you suddenly realize how brilliant it is.

(Honorable Mentions)

Attack on Titan

I am going to get a lot of hate for not including this in my top 5, let alone my top 15. Attack on Titan is still releasing episodes, so that opinion may change soon but let me be clear about one thing: Attack on Titan is a masterpiece. It is absolute greatness. The hype and enjoyment I get out of Attack on Titan are out of this world. But, a) the enjoyment feels a bit short-lived for me personally. It is a fantastic week after airing, but I tend to forget about it the next. b) Attack on Titan is simply not my type of show. Again, I do love Attack on Titan. Again, it is a masterpiece. And again, it may bump up a bit after a few episodes release, but as of now, Attack on Titan isn’t in my top 15.

(Honorable Mentions)

No Game No Life

Similar to One Punch Man, I thought No Game No Life was an anime for senseless fun and enjoyment. But then I watched the movie. The movie is canon to the light novels, but it is irrelevant to the plot and only contributes to the understanding of the world. However, since I watched that movie, I felt the world of No Game No Life to be more realistic. Of course, a world where games resolve all sorts of conflicts like war is ridiculous. But after watching the movie, that ridiculousness somehow turned to reality. The world of No Game No Life became fascinating to me, and what seemed like dumb games began to turn into political machinations.

(Honorable Mention)

Magi & Yona of the Dawn

All I have to say about these two anime is that they seemed to be very fascinating premises and concepts, but the anime sadly stops for both. I am considering reading the manga for both of them sometime soon, so this list may change once I do.

Number 5

Hunter x Hunter

If you like shōnen, I don’t see why you would hate Hiatus x Hai—I mean Hunter x Hunter. The only thing it slightly lacks is a strong main cast, which many people like anyway. Otherwise, absolute perfection. They have most of the best villains in all of anime: Hisoka, Chrollo, Meruem… How can you not love Meruem? And the way he parallels with Gon but in the opposite direction: just perfection. The arcs are hard to rank because they are all perfection in their own right. The best power system in anime is nothing short but perfection. If it weren’t for the Hiatus, it would be ranked fourth. I doubt it would scratch my top three.

Number 4

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood

I know I kept saying perfection when talking about Hunter x Hunter, but I actually believe that Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the perfect series (Note: I am not saying that no one can love it and that it has to be your #1; obviously there are preferences. I’m merely saying that it perfectly crafts what it is trying to portray). The only two arguments you can bring is that the beginning is weak. But if you watch the 03 version, there are no issues whatsoever, in my eyes. Keep in mind, when I say it is the best, I mean from a narrative standpoint. Yes, the animation isn’t the greatest, and the gags are kind of bad, but from a general narrative standpoint, it is the best writing I have ever seen. The plot was brilliant and well-crafted. The world is beautifully bound by their power system: alchemy. The philosophical discussions and themes it explores always have you thinking. The characters are very likable and are all top tier characters. The mysteries keep you in a cycle of confusion and excitement. Since I love science and chemistry, alchemy was so fascinating to me. This show is definitely well-deserving of the number one rank in My Anime List.

Number 3

Kill la Kill

After listing a lot of the best anime/manga with the best stories and narratives, I can see why someone would be upset that I brought up Kill la Kill. This one is certainly the odd one out. However, remember me mentioning that the enjoyment factor is the biggest decision maker in my list placement? Kill la Kill gave me the most enjoyment out of all the anime on this list, even more significant than the obvious #1. I didn’t find anything to be all that brilliant in Kill la Kill, and I can completely understand if someone hated this particular show. But there was something about Kill la Kill that made me feel nostalgic in a weird way. It also gave me one of the weirdest yet most immense feeling of satisfaction I have ever felt. I love Kill la Kill.

Number 2

Konosuba

           Okay yeah, this one is also the odd one out, but it is a little more acceptable. I find Konosuba to be the best comedy anime of all time. Not necessarily because it is the funniest anime (I think it is the funniest but comedy is subjective), but instead because, unlike most comedies, like Nichijo, the characters in Konosuba are absolutely brilliant. Kazuma is one of my favorite characters of all time, Megumi is best girl, but I still love both Darkness and Aqua. Their interactions are absolutely entertaining on both a comedic scale and a general enjoyment scale. Their assholeish-type relationship reflects my relationship with my friends (we are complete assholes to each other, but we also love one another).

Not only that but from the comedy focused anime that I have watched, the plot in this one is actually delightful. The Konosuba movie is my favorite movie of all time, right after A Silent Voice.

Number 1

One Piece

If you read a couple of my previous posts or recognized my profile picture, you probably knew that One Piece is my favorite anime of all time. My love for One Piece is so extensive that I would rather forget all my experiences with anime than forget my experience with One Piece. One Piece inspired me and changed my life. Not in the typical way where I learned a life lesson from the story like Plastic Memories, but simply because I found the writing to be so brilliant. So it was more that Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece, inspired me. The characters are the best I have ever seen, the villains are well crafted, the world-building is literally the best in all of fiction, the build-up is fascinating, the questions from the mysteries somehow keep piling over, the symbolism fleshes out aspects of the anime even more, the backstories make characters more relatable and understandable, the general dynamic flow of the world feels like reality, the themes it explores are great learning experiences, the originality never ends, the hype moments keep you energetic for more, the foreshadowing is so phenomenal to the extent where it shouldn’t exist, and the general planning of the story makes it obvious how amazing of an author Eiichiro Oda is.

This series has been airing weekly for nearly 22 years now, the manga for 25. How in the world is Oda able to create this monster of a story, planning certain elements a decade or two in advance? This is brilliance. This is beauty in writing. And I want nothing more than to create a masterpiece of my own.

Final Notes

Emotional, I know. I believe my list here is a bit diverse in terms of genre: shōnen, seinen, romance, comedy, sports, slice-of-life, and mystery. I think it’s a great thing to widen your horizons a bit by exploring various types of genres. Anyway, there are many anime I haven’t watched that could easily replace and dethrone some of the anime on this list. I plan on watching and reading Hajime no Ippo, Gintama, Vagabond, Oyasumi Pun Pun, I”s, etc. I heard these anime/manga are considered the best for their respective genres by many people, and I will probably finish reading and watching these anime/manga in about six months. So I will make a top 15 anime list once again around that time.

If you have any questions or you want to discuss something, feel free to ask in the “Ask Me Anything” tab on my Tumblr page.

#anime #animelove #otaku #animeblogpost #animelist #manga #mangalove #onepunchman #history's strongest disciple kenichi #plasticmemories #a place further than the universe #steinsgate #berserk #haikyuu #orgairu #re zero #mob psycho 100 #attack on titan #no game no life #magi #yona of the dawn #hunterxhunter #fullmetal alchimist brotherhood #kill la kill #konosuba #one piece

[nyerus]

Hey I originally followed you for YOI stuff and since that seems to be on haitus, I have seen you and a lot of people rebloing stuff about a different anime or manga (i think) with different mlm relationships? I think they're two diff shows and I've heard about mdzs before. But lately youve been reblogging stuff from a manga tagged tgcf and it looks pretty cool--so i was wondering how I could get into it and what its about? Does it have actual gay charas?

Hello! I’m sorry for the late response! This morphed from a simple answer into a beginner guide of sorts, so I hope you don’t mind! I know there’s like 500000 guides out there, but I figured I’d give it a shot too! ❤

So the stuff you’ve been seeing everywhere is indeed MDZS or related to it–including on my own blog! (I promise when YOI comes back from war, I’ll be all over that again ;o;!!!)

So these works are all by the same author, Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù (MXTX) and they are separate danmei (i.e. Chinese BL) novels, though they share a lot of similarities between them:

MDZS (Mó Dào Zǔ Shī) – Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

TGCF (Tiān Guān Cì Fú) – Heaven Official’s Blessing

SVSSS – Scum Villian’s Self-Saving System

All of them are complete and fan translated, and I’ll answer your last question first: yes, they have actual gay characters! In the novels, the main couples end up canonically married! \o/ In some of the adaptations, their romantic relationships are also maintained (e.g. the manhuas (Chinese graphic novel)), though censorship is present.

Links will be added below this post! Grab some popcorn, this is long!

･:*:･ﾟ’★🐇MDZS🐇★･ﾟ’･:*:･

MDZS《魔道祖师》is definitely the most popular work by MXTX, as it has the most adaptations. You’ve almost certainly been seeing gifs and photosets from its donghua (Chinese animation) or live action the most. However, it has a manhua and audio drama (in both Chinese and Japanese) as well!

Synopsis: Reviled as the infamous Yiling Laozu, Wei Wuxian harnessed the forbidden dark power of demonic cultivation. Once the cultivation world decided he was too dangerous to leave alone, he was hunted down, and a terrible battle ensued that cost Wei Wuxian his life—and the lives of many others. 13 years later, he is resurrected under mysterious circumstances into the body of the pariah Mo Xuanyu. Now with this second chance at life (and while hiding his real identity), Wei Wuxian has to uncover the truth about a powerful malevolent spirit. It may just be the key to revealing a series of heinous secrets hidden from the cultivation world for years. And while the world may still hate him for crimes he didn’t commit, there’s one person who’s on his side—the illustrious Hanguang-jun, Lan Wangji—and is willing to stand by him against all odds. The two have a long and complex history, and Wei Wuxian is unsure of Lan Wangji’s motivations for helping him. But it couldn’t be more simple: respect and love.

Scene from the donghua.

Still from the live action, called “Chén Qíng Lìng”/“CQL”/”The Untamed.”

Panel from the manhua.

Art from the Chinese audio drama.

The great thing about MDZS is that you can really pick your poison in terms of what adaptation you want to get started with. If you are absolutely brand-new to the danmei scene, then starting with the donghua or manhua may be your best bet (both are ongoing). The novel of course is the most beloved, being the source, but all the adaptations have their own charms! They’re all worth checking out, and will keep you busy for quite a while.

･:*:･ﾟ’★🌸TGCF🌸★･ﾟ’･:*:･

Now, for TGCF《天官赐福》—that’s where my photosets are coming from: the ongoing manhua that started in October. There’s a donghua planned for late this year, and a live action in talks (info about that is largely unknown, but is slated for production sometime after the donghua release). TGCF actually has the same deal structure as MDZS apparently, so we’ll be getting an audio drama as well if that’s true.

Synopsis: Talented and virtuous, Crown Prince Xie Lian first ascended to the heavens when he was only 17. Once the darling of the earth and heavens for his boundless skill and purity of heart, he ended up falling from grace—not once, but twice! Subsequently, he became the laughing stock of the three realms. Spending almost 800 years roaming the earth and collecting scraps, he becomes known as the pitiful “rubbish god” and “god of misfortune.” No one could have expected Xie Lian to ascend for a third time, but fate seems to have something in store for this disgraced yet compassionate immortal. Thankfully, he is not alone, as the widely-feared ghost king, Hua Cheng, seems to have a special interest in helping him. The two of them embark on a series of adventures that unravel the secrets of their world, and of themselves.

Panel from the manhua.

Scene from the Donghua PV.

The novel for TGCF is a great place to start, especially considering how the manhua is still in it’s early stages (just starting it’s 2nd arc as of writing this post). The novel is long, incredibly well-written, and well-translated. The manhua is absolutely stunning, and follows the novel very closely thus far.

･:*:･ﾟ’★🎋SVSSS🎋★･ﾟ’･:*:･

The underrated sibling of the three, SVSSS《人渣反派自救系統 》has only the novel to interact with for right now. A donghua is planned for this year. There was a manhua, but it was cancelled due to some problems with the publisher afaik. Word on the street is that they’re searching for a new team for it, so we’ll continue to pray!!!

Synopsis: Shen Yuan is an avid reader of the web novel Proud Immortal Demon Way. The novel revolves around the protagonist Luo Binghe, a kind child who is tormented endlessly by his Shizun (teacher/mentor) Shen Qingqiu, until he turns into a powerful demon lord and exacts his violent revenge. While initially a fan of the story, Shen Yuan hates the unsatisfactory ending. Upon dying suddenly, he finds himself transmigrated into the novel, at the behest of The System—a sci-fi interface which gives him missions and directives. Unfortunately, he ends up in the place of the cruel Shen Qingqiu out of all people! This new Shen Qingqiu now has to use his knowledge of the novel to navigate around the plot, within the restrictions that The System has implemented. He has to find a way to ensure a better ending, if he wants to keep this second chance at life. His plan for doing this is to be as kind and encouraging as possible to the innocent Luo Binghe, who quickly takes a shine to this new Shen Qingqiu. Even after forced to the dark side, and despite the tension between them after this, Luo Binghe won’t let anyone else touch his beloved Shizun.

Cover of the Thai release of the novel.

SVSSS only really has the novel to interact with as of right now. There’s currently an excellent re-translation in progress by tumblr user Faelicy! If you want to get started now, however, you can read what she’s done so far and then swap over to the old translation afterward.

･:*:･ﾟ’★NOTES★･ﾟ’･:*:･

• ALL three novels are intended for an R-18+ audience ONLY. Other adaptations are safe for minors over 16 years of age.

• Please be aware that the novels may contain potentially triggering content. Feel free to ask me for content warnings if you need them.

• All three of these are totally different from one another and only share common themes typical of the wuxia/xianxia genres.

• The original Chinese raws of MDZS and SVSSS are no longer available for purchase on JJWXC (publishing site). You can find print versions on Taobao. TGCF, however, is still available!

• If you’d like more info on anything, please reach out to me! I’m happy to help.

• LINKS WILL BE ADDED BELOW THIS POST.

#mdzs #tgcf #svsss #mo dao zu shi #tian guan ci fu #grandmaster of demonic cultivation #heaven offical's blessing #scum villain's self-saving system #guide #asks #Anonymous #nyerus.txt

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Hi! Since you seem to be into a lot of different stuff can you share anime recommendations? If you have any. Have a lovely day!! You seem like such a sweet person

What 🥺🥺🥺 a-awww, thank you so much anon!! That’s so kind of you to say... I’m just a nut crying feels into the void over my obscure faves over here, without a consistent one fandom anymore a;lksfklkfg though I guess now it’s just egg, but thank you! ❤️ I have a lot of anime recommendations I can give, but I don’t know what exactly you’re into, or if you’re looking for anything in particular...? But I can definitely list some!

The big popular ones you probably already know about are My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan, I’ll get those out of the way first. I have my gripes with MHA and it has a lot of flaws that can’t be ignored, but overall it’s a really fun and high-energy and uplifting shounen series that has some really beautiful messages and moments, with a wonderful and touching main duo of main characters, and amazing animation and music; it’s as popular as it is for a reason, it’s just such a feel-good show and I’d always recommend it, even if I do complain about it sometimes haha. Attack on Titan on the other hand, I know hyperbole like this is like ugh really, but I really do mean it when I say it is an absolute masterpiece in the making; the first season feels very run-of-the-mill, typical shounen, which I wasn’t a big fan of like everyone else was at the peak of its initial hype years ago, but the show changes and evolves so much, beyond what you could ever imagine, honestly, and now by this point, when it’s almost at its end (the manga is literally ending a week from today), I can almost definitively say it’s one of the best anime out there. Everything in it is foreshadowed from the very first episode, the puzzle and mysteries unfold so masterfully and it all ties together so well, the story’s themes and the characters are all amazing, the music is GODLY and so is the animation, it’s just perfect, please please everyone watch AoT.

Bungou Stray Dogs is also pretty popular, and is one of my personal favorite animanga of all time; it’s a mystery/supernatural action semi-steampunk series with a huge focus on the characters and some AMAZING found family dynamics, seriously if you want found family for the love of god watch BSD, I love all these characters and their relationships so so much. Season 3 isn’t as good an adaptation of the manga, sadly, but the first two seasons and especially season 2 are absolutely amazing, and I would recommend the manga in a heartbeat as well. Noragami I adore for much of the same reasons, with the besttt found family dynamics and a really great balance between comedy and drama, though with Noragami in particular I would for sure stress to read the manga afterward, because the anime falls short near the end of season 2 and leaves so much unfinished, and the manga is absolutely phenomenal, one that like the rest of these will probably always remain in my top ten manga.

If you like shoujo, Akatsuki no Yona is my favorite shoujo of all time, with - once - again, wonderful found familyyy in a historical setting, really lovely slow progression of character development, and some fantastic action and music. The anime leaves so much unanswered and unfinished so the manga is an absolute must here, but I still just have to mention it because the anime is just so damn good in adapting what it covers, especially combined with the OVAs still waiting for that season 2 *cries*.

Assassination Classroom is a comedy/drama(??) shounen that ended a few years ago; it’s VERY funny and entertaining to watch, with an almost seamless transition into high emotional beats that left me speechless at how invested in and attached I suddenly was, and the ending, I’m not exaggerating, made me cry harder than literally anything else I have ever watched in my life, it is that devastating. Highly highly recommend AssClass yes that’s the nickname, I love it so so much, but be prepared to have your feels hit by a truck.

Free! is a really good sports anime with really great characters, and yes I am saying this completely unironically, I highly recommend Free’s first two seasons; just please for the love of god pretend season 3 does not exist. Run With the Wind is my other favorite sports anime that is CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED, it’s so motivational and uplifting and all the characters are so damn nice and endearing, and it has a fantastic score by the same composer as MHA and Haikyuu’s osts; EVERYONE WATCH RWTW IT IS SO SO GOOD.

Made in Abyss is another anime that is likely to never fully conclude the manga’s story, but the one season and movie that we do have is an absolute animated masterpiece in every imaginable way, so I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend it; it’s haunting and beautiful and very hard to watch at times, but so so worth it. Princess Tutu is, to me, the best magical girl anime of all time, dark beautiful fantasy with a wonderful four main characters and one of my favorite “villain” redemption arcs ever, not to mention one of the best enemies-to-lovers story arc I’ve ever seen. Of course my other favorite magical girl anime is the much-loved Puella Magi Madoka Magica, that is also dark but not without a purpose, twelve tightly-written episodes that wrap up perfectly by the end, with not a single minute wasted.

Poco’s Udon World is my favorite fluffy slice of life show; it’s also criminally underrated and SO sweet, it makes me cry every time I watch it with how goddamn precious it is, and I so wish more people knew about it. No.6 is a great short bl romance/sci-fi anime, and Romeo x Juliet is one of my favorite older romance anime, based on... well, the title is self-explanatory.

Mystery is my favorite genre in any media, so I have a lot of these haha. Gankutsuou is a supernatural mystery/drama/suspense/thriller based off the famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo, and it still remains one of my favorite anime of all time; the tension builds so WELL with each and every episode, the story is so gripping and so so tragic, and it always makes me cry by the last few episodes; a very underrated gem (also it has one of the most unique animation styles I’ve ever seen). Gosick is another mystery anime I adore, though it’s more of a slow-burn romance with some episodic mysteries before diving into an overarching plot; it’s actually what I tell people is my #1 favorite anime, just because the Victorian aesthetic is so me, but it’s so unknown that I never really get a chance to talk about it, haha. Mawaru Penguindrum is a mystery/drama/comedy anime that is extremely bizarre and philosophical, it’s honestly impossible to explain without just seeing it yourself alkfglalksdk, but it has a lot of family feels and is extremely touching and satisfying by the end despite all the weirdness, at least to me, so I always try to recommend it, though it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Erased is another fantastic short mystery/drama/suspense thriller, with some really moving moments and wonderful atmosphere and tension; the ending falls a little flat, but that doesn’t ruin how amazing the rest of it is (and I’d also recommend the live-action Netflix version, which has the proper ending from the manga). And I guess I’ll throw in Moriarty the Patriot too when it comes to mystery/crime thriller anime, which I’m still currently watching and is still ongoing, but I absolutely LOVE it so far, more people should be watching and reading it.

I have a lot more I could list too, to be honest 😅 I just pulled some of my favorites from the list on my About page ahaha, and a range of popular known ones to more obscure underrated ones. But I hope some of these suit your fancy, anon, sorry I tend to ramble ALKSDFKLFLSKDF I just wanted to be thorough since I didn’t know if you were after a particular genre or not! I hope you have a lovely day too! ❤️

#replies #me: i can list some #me: *summarizes fucking all of them* #take a shot every time I use the words 'masterpiece' 'absolutely 'definitely' 'of all time' or 'found family' #vocab level over 9000 👌👌👌 #not me not including hxh or ph #self care bitches 😌 #Anonymous

[grigori77]

Summer 2020′s Movies - My Top Ten Favourite Films (Part 2)

10.  BODY CAM – in the face of the current pandemic, viral outbreak cinema has become worryingly prescient lately, but as COVID led to civil unrest there were a couple of films in this summer that REALLY seemed to me to put their finger on the pulse of another particularly shitty zeitgeist.  Admittedly this one highlights a problem that’s been around for a good while, but it came along at just the right time to gain particularly strong resonance, filtering its message into the most reliable form of allegorical social commentary – horror.  The vengeful ghost trope has become pretty familiar over the past decade or so, but by marrying it with the corrupt cop thriller veteran horror screenwriter Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact) has given it a nice fresh spin, and the end result was, for me, a real winner.  Mary J. Blige plays troubled LAPD cop Renee Lomito-Smith, back on the beat after an extended hiatus following a particularly harrowing incident, just as fellow officers from her own precinct begin to die violent deaths under mysterious circumstances, and the only clues are weird, haunting camera footage that only Renee and her new partner, rookie Danny Holledge (Paper Towns and Death Note’s Natt Wolff), manage to see before it inexplicable wipes itself.  Something supernatural is stalking the City of Angels at night, and it’s got a serious grudge against local cops as the increasingly disturbing investigation slowly brings an act of horrific police brutality to light, until Renee no longer knows who in her department she can trust.  This is one of the most insidious scare-fests I’ve enjoyed so far this year, sophomore director Malik Vitthal (Imperial Dreams) weaving an effective atmosphere of pregnant dread and wire-taut suspense while delivering some impressively hair-raising shocks (the stunning minimart sequence is the film’s undeniable highlight), while the ghostly threat is cleverly thought-out and skilfully brought to “life”.  Blige delivers another top-drawer performance, giving Renee a winning combination of wounded fragility and steely resolve that makes for a particularly compelling hero, while Wolff invests Danny with skittish uncertainty and vulnerability in one of his strongest performances to date, and Dexter star David Zayas brings interesting moral complexity to the role of their put-upon superior, Sergeant Kesper.  In these times of heightened social awareness, when the police’s star has become particularly tarnished as unnecessary force, racial profiling and cover-ups have become major hot-button topics, the power and relevance of this particular slice of horror cinema cannot be denied.

9.  BLOOD QUANTUM – it certainly has been a great year for horror, and for most of the summer this was the genre leader, a compellingly fresh take on the zombie outbreak genre with a killer hook.  Canadian writer-director Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls) has always clung close to his Native American roots, and he brings strong social relevance to the intriguing early 80s Canadian setting as a really nasty zombie virus wreaks havoc in the Red Crow Indian Reservation and its neighbouring town.  It soon becomes clear, however, that members of the local tribe are immune to the infection, a revelation with far-reaching consequences as the outbreak rages unchecked and society begins to crumble.  Barnaby pulls off some impressive world-building and creates a compellingly grungy post-apocalyptic vibe as the story progresses, while the zombies themselves are a visceral, scuzzy bunch, and there’s plenty of cracking set-pieces and suitably full-blooded kills to keep the gore-hounds happy, while the horror has real intelligence behind it, the script posing interesting questions and delivering some uncomfortable answers.  The characters, meanwhile, are a well-drawn, complex bunch, no black-and-white saviours among them, any one of them capable of some pretty inhuman horrors when the chips are down, and the cast, an interesting mix of seasoned talent and unknowns, all excel in their roles – Michale Greyeyes (Fear the Walking Dead) and Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant) are the closest things the film has to real heroes, the former a fallible everyman as Traylor, the small-town sheriff who’s just trying to do right by his family, the latter unsure of himself as his son, put-upon teenage father-to-be Joseph; meanwhile, Olivia Scriven is tough but vulnerable as his pregnant white girlfriend Charlie, Stonehorse Lone Goeman is a grizzled badass as tough-as-nails tribal elder Gisigu, and Kiowa Gordon (probably best known for playing a werewolf in the Twilight movies) really goes to the dark side as Joseph’s delinquent half-brother Lysol, while there’s a memorably subtle turn from Dead Man’s Gary Farmer as unpredictable loner Moon.  This is definitely one of the year’s darkest films – by and large playing the horror straight, it tightens the screws as the situation grows steadily worse, and almost makes a virtue of wallowing in its hopeless tone – but there’s a fatalistic charm to all the bleakness, even in the downbeat yet tentatively hopeful climax, while it’s hard to deny the ruthless efficiency of the violence on display. This certainly isn’t a horror movie for everyone, but those with a strong stomach and relatively hard heart will find much to enjoy here.  Jeff Barnaby is definitely gonna be one to watch in the future …  

8.  PALM SPRINGS – the summer’s comedy highlight kind of snuck in under the radar, becoming something of an on-demand secret weapon with all the cinemas closed, and it definitely deserves its swiftly growing cult status.  You certainly can’t possibly believe it’s the feature debut of director Max Barbakow, who shows the kind of sharp-witted, steady-handed control of his craft that’s usually the province of far more experienced talents … then again, much of the credit must surely go to seasoned TV comedy writer Andy Siara (Lodge 49), for whom this has been a real labour of love he’s been tending since his film student days.  Certainly all that care, nurture and attention to detail is up there on the screen, the exceptional script singing its irresistible siren song from the start and providing fertile ground for its promising new director to spread his own creative wings.  The premise may be instantly familiar – playing like a latter-day Saturday Night Live take on Groundhog Day (Siara admits it was a major influence), it follows the misadventures of Sarah (How I Met Your Mother’s Cristin Miliota), the black sheep maid of honour at her sweet little sister Tala’s (Riverdale’s Camila Mendes) wedding to seemingly perfect hunk Abe (Supergirl’s Superman, Tyler Hoechlin), as she finds herself repeating the same high-stress day over and over again after being trapped in a mysterious cosmic time-loop along with slacker misanthrope Nyles (Brooklyn Nine Nine megastar Andy Samberg), who’s been stuck in this same situation for MUCH longer – but in Barbakow and Siara’s hands it feels fresh and intriguing, and goes in some surprising new directions before the well-worn central premise can outstay its welcome.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that the cast are uniformly excellent – Miliota is certainly the pounding emotional heart of the film, effortlessly lovable as she flounders against her lot, then learns to accept the unique possibilities it presents, before finally resolving to find a way out, while Samberg has rarely been THIS GOOD, truly endearing in his sardonic apathy as it becomes clear he’s been stuck like this for CENTURIES, and they make an enjoyably fiery couple with snipey chemistry to burn; meanwhile there’s top-notch support from Mendes and Hoechlin, The OC’s Peter Gallagher as Sarah and Tala’s straight-laced father, the ever-reliable Dale Dickey, a thoroughly adorable turn from Jena Freidman and, most notably, a full-blooded scene-stealing performance from the mighty J.K. Simmonds as Roy, Nyles’ nemesis, who he inadvertently trapped in the loop before Sarah and is, understandably, none too happy about it.  This really is an absolute laugh-riot, today’s more post-modern sense of humour allowing the central pair (and their occasional enemy) to indulge in even more extreme consequence-free craziness than Bill Murray ever got away with back in the day, but like all the best comedies there’s also a strong emotional foundation under the humour, leading us to really care about these people and what happens to them, while the story throws moments of true heartfelt power at us, particularly in the deeply cathartic climax.  Ultimately this was one of the summer’s biggest surprises, a solid gold gem that I can’t recommend enough.

7.  THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME – the summer’s other heavyweight Zeitgeist fondler is a deeply satirical chunk of speculative dystopian sci-fi clearly intended as a cinematic indictment of Trump’s broken America, but it became far more potent and prescient in these … ahem … troubled times.  Adapted by screenwriter Karl Gadjusek (Oblivion, Stranger Things, The King’s Man) from the graphic novel by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini for underrated schlock-action cinema director Olivier Megaton (Transporter 3, Colombiana, the last two Taken films), this Netflix original feature seemed like a fun way to kill a cinema-deprived Saturday night in the middle of the Lockdown, but ultimately proved to have a lot more substance than expected.  It’s powered by an intriguing premise – in a nearly lawless 2024, the US government is one week away from implementing a nationwide synaptic blocker signal called the API (American Peace Initiative) which will prevent the public from being able to commit any kind of crime – and focuses on a strikingly colourful bunch of outlaw antiheroes with an audacious agenda – prodigious Detroit bank robber Bricke (Édgar Ramiréz) is enlisted by Kevin Cash (Funny Games and Hannibal’s Michael Carmen Pitt), a wayward scion of local crime family the Dumois, and his hacker fiancée Shelby Dupree (Material Girl’s Anna Brewster) to pull off what’s destined to be the last great crime in American history, a daring raid on the night of the signal to steal over a billion dollars from the Motor City’s “money factory” and then escape across the border into Canada.  From this deceptively simple premise a sprawling action epic was born, carried along by a razor sharp, twisty script and Megaton’s typically hyperbolic, showy auteur directing style and significant skill at crafting thrillingly explosive set-pieces, while the cast consistently deliver quality performances.  Ramiréz has long been one of those actors I really love to watch, a gruff, quietly intense alpha male whose subtle understatement hides deep reserves of emotional intensity, while Dupree takes a character who could have been a thinly-drawn femme fetale and invests her with strong personal drive and steely resolve, and there’s strong support from Neil Blomkampf regulars Sharlto Copley and Brandon Auret as, respectively, emasculated beat cop Sawyer and brutal Mob enforcer Lonnie French, as well as a nearly unrecognisable Patrick Bergin as local kingpin (and Kevin’s father) Rossi Dumois; the film is roundly stolen, however, by Pitt, a phenomenal actor I’ve always thought we just don’t see enough of, here portraying a spectacularly sleazy, unpredictable force of nature who clearly has his own dark agenda, but whom we ultimately can’t help rooting for even as he stabs us in the back.  This is a cracking film, a dark and dangerous thriller of rare style and compulsive verve that I happily consider to be Megaton’s best film to date BY FAR – needless to say it was a major hit for Netflix when it dropped, clearly resonating with its audience given what’s STILL going on in the real world, and while it may have been roundly panned in reviews I think, like some of the platform’s other more glossy Original hits (Bright springs to mind), it’s destined for a major critical reappraisal and inevitable cult status before too long …

6.  HAMILTON – arriving just as Black Lives Matter reached fever-pitch levels, this feature presentation of the runaway Broadway musical smash-hit could not have been better timed.  Shot over three nights during the show’s 2016 run with the original cast and cut together with specially created “setup shots”, it’s an immersive experience that at once puts you right in amongst the audience (at times almost a character themselves, never seen but DEFINITELY heard) but also lets you experience the action up close.  And what action – it’s an incredible show, a thoroughly fascinating piece of work that reads like something very staid and proper on paper (an all-encompassing biographical account of the life and times of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton) but, in execution, becomes something very different and EXTREMELY vital.  The execution certainly couldn’t be further from the usual period biopic fare this kind of historical subject matter usually gets (although in the face of recent top-notch revisionist takes like Marie Antoinette, The Great and Tesla it’s not SO surprising), while the cast is not at all what you’d expect – with very few notable exceptions the cast is almost entirely people of colour, despite the fact that the real life individuals they’re playing were all very white indeed.  That said, every single one of them is an absolute revelation – the show’s writer-composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (already riding high on the success of In the Heights) carries the central role of Hamilton with effortless charm and raw star power, Leslie Odom Jr. (Smash, Murder On the Orient Express) is duplicitously complex as his constant nemesis Aaron Burr, Christopher Jackson (In the Heights, Moana, Bull) oozes integrity and nobility as his mentor and friend George Washington, Phillipa Soo is sweet and classy as his wife Eliza while Renée Elise Goldsberry (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Jacks, Altered Carbon) is fiery and statuesque as her sister Angelica Schuyler (the one who got away), and Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) consistently steals every scene he’s in as fiendish yet childish fan favourite King George III; ultimately, however, the show (and the film) belongs to veritable powerhouse Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting, TV’s Snowpiercer) in a spectacular duel role, starting subtly but gaining scene-stealing momentum as French Revolutionary Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, before EXPLODING onto the stage in the second half as indomitable eventual American President Thomas Jefferson.  Not having seen the stage show, I was taken completely by surprise by this, revelling in its revisionist genius and offbeat, quirky hip-hop charm, spellbound by the skilful ease with which is takes the sometimes quite dull historical fact and skews it into something consistently entertaining and absorbing, transported by the catchy earworm musical numbers and thoroughly tickled by the delightfully cheeky sense of humour strung throughout (at least when I wasn’t having my heart broken by moments of raw dramatic power). Altogether it’s a pretty unique cinematic experience I wish I could have actually gotten to see on the big screen, and one I’ve consistently recommended to all my friends, even the ones who don’t usually like musicals.  As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t need a proper Les Misérables style screen adaptation – this is about as perfect a presentation as the show could possibly hope for.

5.  SPUTNIK – the summer’s horror highlight (despite SERIOUSLY tough competition) is a guaranteed sleeper hit that I almost totally missed, stumbling across the trailer one day on YouTube and being completely bowled over by its potential, prompting me to hunt it down by any means necessary.  The feature debut of Russian director Egor Abramenko, this first contact sci-fi chiller is about as far from E.T. as it’s possible to get, sharing some of the same DNA as Carpenter’s The Thing but proudly carving its own path with consummate skill and definitely signalling great things to come from its brand new helmer and relative unknown screenwriters Oleg Malovichko and Andrei Zolotarev.  Oksana Akinshina (probably best known in the West for her powerful climactic cameo in The Bourne Supremacy) is the beating heart of the film as neurophysiologist Tatyana Yuryevna Klimova, brought in to aid in the investigation in the Russian wilderness circa 1983 after an orbital research mission goes horribly wrong.  One of the cosmonauts dies horribly, while the other, Konstantin (The Duelist’s Pyotr Fyodorov) seems unharmed, but it quickly becomes clear that he’s now playing host to something decidedly extraterrestrial and potentially terrifying, and as Tatyana becomes more deeply embroiled in her assignment she comes to realise that her superiors, particularly mysterious Red Army project leader Colonel Semiradov (The PyraMMMid’s Fyodor Bondarchuk), have far darker plans for Konstantin and his new “friend” than she could ever imagine.  This is about as dark, intense and nightmarish as this particular sub-genre gets, a magnificently icky body horror that slowly builds its tension as we’re gradually exposed to the various truths and the awful gravity of the situation slowly reveals itself, punctuated by skilfully executed shocks and some particularly horrifying moments when the evils inflicted by the humans in charge prove to be far worse than anything the alien can do, while the ridiculously talented writers have a field day pulling the rug out from under us again and again, never going for the obvious twist and keeping us guessing right to the devastating ending, while the beautifully crafted digital creature effects are nothing short of astonishing and thoroughly creepy.  Akinshina dominates the film with her unbridled grace, vulnerability and integrity, the relationship that develops between Tatyana and Konstantin (Fyodorov delivering a beautifully understated turn belying deep inner turmoil) feeling realistically earned as it goes from tentatively wary to ultimately, tragically bittersweet, while Bondarchuk invests the Colonel with a subtly nuanced air of tarnished authority and restrained brutality that makes him one of my top screen villains for the year.  Guaranteed to go down as one of 2020’s great sleeper hits, I can’t speak of this film highly enough – it’s a genuine revelation, an instant classic for whom I’ll sing its praises for the remainder of the year and beyond, and I wish utmost success to all the creative talents involved in the future.  The Invisible Man still rules the roost in the year’s horror stakes, but this runs a VERY close second …

4.  GREYHOUND – when the cinemas closed back in March, the fate of many of the major summer blockbusters we’d been looking forward to was thrown into terrible doubt. Some were pushed back to more amenable dates in the autumn or winter, others knocked back a whole year to fill summer slots for 2021, but more than a few simply dropped off the radar entirely with the terrible words “postponed until further notice” stamped on them, and I lamented them all, this one in particular.  It hung in there longer than some, stubbornly holding onto its June release slot for as long as possible, but eventually it gave up the ghost too … but thanks to Apple TV+, not for long, ultimately releasing less than a month later than intended.  Thankfully the final film was worth the fuss, a taut World War II suspense thriller that’s all killer, no filler – set during the infamous Battle of the Atlantic, it portrays the constant life-or-death struggle faced by the Allied warships assigned to escort the transport convoys as they crossed the ocean, defending their charges from German U-boats.  Adapted from C.S. Forester’s famous 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by Tom Hanks and directed by Aaron Schneider (Get Low), the narrative focuses on the crew of the escort leader, American destroyer USS Fletcher, codenamed Greyhound, and in particular its captain, Commander Ernest Krause (Hanks), a career sailor serving his first command.  As they cross “the Pit”, the most dangerous mid stretch of the journey where they spend days without air-cover, they find themselves shadowed by “the Wolf Pack”, a particularly cunning group of German subs that begin to pick away at the convoy’s stragglers.  Faced with daunting odds, a dwindling supply of vital depth-charges and a ruthless, persistent enemy, Krause must make hard choices to bring his ships home safe … jumping into the thick of the action within the first ten minutes and maintaining that tension for the remainder of its trim 90-minute run, this is screen suspense par excellence, a sleek textbook example of how to craft a compelling big screen knuckle-whitener with zero fat and maximum reward, delivering a series of desperate naval scraps packed with hide-and-seek intensity, heart-in-mouth near-misses and fist-in-air cathartic payoffs by the bucket-load.  Hanks is subtly magnificent, the calm centre of the narrative storm as a supposed newcomer to this battle arena who could have been BORN for it, bringing to mind the similarly unflappable turn he delivered in Captain Phillips and certainly not suffering by comparison; by and large he’s the focus point, but other crew members do make strong (if sometimes quite brief) impressions, particularly Stephen Graham as Krause’s reliably seasoned XO, Lt. Commander Charlie Cole, The Magnificent Seven’s Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Just Mercy’s Rob Morgan, while Elisabeth Shue does a lot with a very small part in brief flashbacks as Krause’s fiancée Evelyn.  Relentless, powerful, exhilarating and thoroughly unforgettable, this was one of the true action highlights of the summer, and one hell of a war flick.  I’m so glad it made the cut for the season …

3.  PROJECT POWER – with Marvel and DC pushing their tent-pole titles back into late autumn in the face of COVID, the usual superhero antics we’ve come to expect over the main blockbuster season were pretty thin on the ground, leading us to find our geeky fan thrills elsewhere.  Unfortunately, pickings were frustratingly slim – Korean comic book actioner Gundala was entertaining but workmanlike, while Thor AU-take Mortal was underwhelming despite strong direction from Troll Hunter’s André Øvredal, and I’ve already made my feelings clear on the frustration of The New Mutants – thank the Gods, then, for Netflix, once again riding to the rescue with this enjoyably offbeat super-thriller, which takes an intriguing central premise and really runs with it.  New designer drug Power has hit the streets of New Orleans, able to give anyone who takes it a superpower for five minutes … the only problem is, until you try it, you won’t know what your own unique talent is – for some, it could mean five minutes of invisibility, or insane levels of super-strength, but other powers can be potentially lethal, the really unlucky buggers just blowing up on the spot.  Robin (The Hate U Give’s Dominique Fishback) is a teenage Power-pusher with dreams of becoming a rap star, dealing the pills so she can help her diabetic mum; Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one of her customers, an NOPD detective who uses his power of near invulnerability to even the playing field when powered crims cause a disturbance.  Their lives are turned upside down when Art (Jamie Foxx) arrives in town – he’s a seriously badass ex-soldier determined to hunt down the source of Power by any means necessary, and he’s not above tearing the Big Easy apart to do it.  This is a fun, gleefully infectious  rollercoaster that doesn’t take itself too seriously, revelling in the anarchic potential of its premise and crafting some suitably OTT effects-driven chaos brought to pleasingly visceral fruition by its skilfully inventive director, Ariel Schulman (Catfish, Nerve, Viral), while Mattson Tomlin (the screenwriter of next year’s incendiary DCEU headline act The Batman) takes his script in some very interesting directions and poses some fascinating questions about what Power’s TRULY capable of.  Gordon-Levitt and Fishback are both brilliant, the latter particularly impressing in what’s sure to be a major breakthrough role for her, and the friendship their characters share is pretty adorable, while Foxx really is a force to be reckoned with, pretty chill even when he’s in deep shit but fully capable of turning into a bona fide killing machine at the flip of a switch, and there’s strong support from Westworld’s Rodrigo Santoro as Biggie, Power’s delightfully oily kingpin, Courtney B. Vance as Frank’s by-the-book superior, Captain Crane, Amy Landecker as Gardner, the morally bankrupt CIA spook responsible for the drug’s production, and Machine Gun Kelly as Newt, a Power dealer whose explosive pyrotechnic “gift” really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  Exciting, inventive, frequently amusing and infectiously likeable, this was some of the most uncomplicated “cinematic” fun I had this summer.  Not bad for something which I’m sure was originally destined to become one of the season’s B-list features …

2.  THE OLD GUARD – Netflix’s undisputable TOP OFFERING of the summer came damn close to bagging the whole season, and I can’t help thinking that even if some of the stiffer competition had still been present it may well have still finished this high. Gina Prince-Blythewood (Love & Basketball, the Secret Life of Bees) directs comics legend Greg Rucka’s adaptation of his own popular title with uncanny skill and laser-focused visual flair considering there’s nothing on her previous CV to suggest she’d be THIS good at mounting a stomping good ultraviolent action thriller, ushering in this thoroughly engrossing tale of four ancient, invulnerable immortal warriors – Andy AKA Andromache of Scythia (Charlize Theron), Booker AKA Sebastian de Livre (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe AKA Yusuf Al-Kaysani (Wolf’s Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky AKA Niccolo di Ginova (Trust’s Luca Marinelli) – who’ve been around forever, hiring out their services as mercenaries for righteous causes while jealously guarding their identities for fear of horrific experimentation and exploitation should their true natures ever be discovered.  Their anonymity is threatened, however, when they’re uncovered by former CIA operative James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), working for the decidedly dodgy pharmaceutical conglomerate run by sociopathic billionaire Steven Merrick (Harry Melling, formerly Dudley in the Harry Potter movies), who want to capture these immortals so they can patent whatever it is that makes them keep on ticking … just as a fifth immortal, US Marine Nile Freeman (If Beale Street Could Talk’s KiKi Layne), awakens after being “killed” on deployment in Afghanistan.  The supporting players are excellent, particularly Ejiofor, smart and driven but ultimately principled and deeply conflicted about what he’s doing, even if he does have the best of intentions, and Melling, the kind of loathsome, reptilian scumbag you just love to hate, but the film REALLY DOES belong to the Old Guard themselves – Schoenaerts is a master brooder, spot-on casting as the group’s relative newcomer, only immortal since the Napoleonic Wars but clearly one seriously old soul who’s already VERY tired of the lifestyle, while Joe and Nicky (who met on opposing sides of the Crusades) are simply ADORABLE, an unapologetically matter-of-fact gay couple who are sweet, sassy and incredibly kind, the absolute emotional heart of the film; it’s the ladies, however, that are most memorable here.  Layne is exceptional, investing Nile with a steely intensity that puts her in good stead as her new existence threatens to overwhelm her and MORE THAN qualified to bust heads alongside her elders … but it’s ancient Greek warrior Andy who steals the film, Theron building on the astounding work she did in Atomic Blonde to prove, once and for all, that there’s no woman on Earth who looks better kicking arse than her (as Booker puts it, “that woman has forgotten more ways to kill than entire armies will ever learn”); in her hands, Andy truly is a goddess of death, tough as tungsten alloy and unflappable even in the face of hell itself, but underneath it all she hides a heart as big as any of her friends’. They’re an impossibly lovable bunch and you feel you could follow them on another TEN adventures like this one, which is just as well, because Prince-Blythewood and Rucka certainly put them through their paces here – the drama is high (but frequently laced with a gentle, knowing sense of humour, particularly whenever Joe and Nicky are onscreen), as are the stakes, and the frequent action sequences are top-notch, executed with rare skill and bone-crunching zest, but also ALWAYS in service to the story. Altogether this is an astounding film, a genuine victory for its makers and, it seems, for Netflix themselves – it’s become one of the platform’s biggest hits to date, earning well-deserved critical acclaim and great respect and genuine geek love from the fanbase at large. After this, a sequel is not only inevitable, it’s ESSENTIAL …

1.  TENET – granted, the streaming platforms (particularly Netflix and Amazon) certainly did save our cinematic summer, but I’m still IMMEASURABLY glad that the season’s ultimate top-spot winner was one I got to experience on THE BIG SCREEN.  You gotta hand it to Christopher Nolan, he sure hung in there, stubbornly determined that his latest cinematic masterpiece WOULD be released in cinemas in the summer (albeit ultimately landing JUST inside the line in the final week of August), and it was worth all the fuss because, for me, this was THE PERFECT MOVIE for me to get return to cinemas with.  I mean, okay, in the end it WASN’T the FIRST new movie I saw after the reopening, that honour went to Unhinged, but THIS was my first real Saturday night out big screen EXPERIENCE since March.  Needless to say, Nolan didn’t disappoint this time any more than he has on any of his consistently spectacular previous releases, delivering another twisted, mind-boggling headfuck of a full-blooded experiential sensory overload that comes perilously close to toppling his long-standing auteur-peak, Inception (itself second only by fractions to The Dark Knight as far as I’m concerned). To say much at all about the plot would give away major spoilers – personally I’d recommend just going in as cold as possible, indeed you really should just stop reading this right now and just GO SEE IT.  Still with us?  Okay … the VERY abridged version is that it’s about a secret war being waged between the present and the future by people capable of “inverting” time in substances, objects, people, whatever, into which the Protagonist (BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington), an unnamed CIA agent, has been dispatched in order to prevent a potential coming apocalypse. Washington is once again on top form, crafting a robust and compelling morally complex heroic lead who’s just as comfortable negotiating the minefields of black market intrigue as he is breaking into places or dispatching heavies, Kenneth Branagh delivers one of his most interesting and memorable performances in years as brutal Russian oligarch Andrei Sator, a genuinely nasty piece of work who may be the year’s very best screen villain, Elizabeth Debicki (The Night Manager, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Widows) brings strength, poise and wounded integrity to the role of Sator’s estranged wife, Kat, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson gets to use his own accent for once as tough-as-nails British Intelligence officer Ives, while there are brief but consistently notable supporting turns and cameos from Martin Donovan, Yesterday’s HImesh Patel, Dirk Gently’s Fiona Dourif and, of course, Nolan’s good luck charm, Michael Caine.  The cast’s biggest surprise, however, is Robert Pattinson, truly a revelation in what has to be, HANDS DOWN, his best role to date, Neil, the Protagonist’s mysterious handler – he’s by turns cheeky, slick, duplicitous and thoroughly badass, delivering an enjoyably multi-layered, chameleonic performance which proves what I’ve long maintained, that the former Twilight star is actually a fucking amazing actor, and on the basis of this, even without that amazing new teaser trailer making the rounds, I think the debate about whether or not he’s the right choice for the new Batman is now academic.  As we’ve come to expect from Nolan, this is a TRUE tour-de-force experience, a visual masterpiece and an endlessly engrossing head-scratcher, Nolan’s screenplay bringing in some seriously big ideas and throwing us some major narrative knots and loopholes, constantly wrong-footing the viewer while also setting up truly revelatory payoffs from seemingly low-key, unimportant beginnings – this is a film you need to be awake and attentive for or you could miss something pretty vital.  The action sequences are, as ever, second to none, some of the year’s very best set-pieces coming thick and fast and executed with some of the most accomplished skill in the business, while Nolan-regular cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar and Dunkirk, as well as the heady likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, SPECTRE and Ad Astra) once again shows he’s one of the best camera-wizards in the business today by delivering some truly mesmerising visuals.  Notably, Nolan’s other regular collaborator, composer Hans Zimmer, is absent here (although he has good reason, currently working on his dream project, the fast-approaching screen adaptation of Dune), but Ludwig Göransson (best known for his regular collaborations with Ryan Coogler on the likes of Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther, as well as truly awesome work on The Mandalorian) makes for a fine replacement, crafting an intriguingly internalised, post-modern musical landscape that thrums and pulses in time with the story and emotions of the characters rather than the action itself. Interestingly it’s on the subject of sound that some of the film’s rare detractions have been levelled, and I can see some of the points – the soundtrack mix is an all-encompassing thing, and there are times when the dialogue can be overwhelmed, but in Nolan’s defence as a film this is a heady, immersive experience, something you really need to concentrate on, so these potential flaws are easily forgiven.  As a piece of filmmaking art, this is another flawless wonder from one of the true masters of the craft working in cinema today, but it’s art with palpable substance, a rewarding whole that really HAS TO BE experienced on the big screen.  So put your snobbery at post-lockdown restrictions aside for the moment and get yourself down to your nearest cinema so you can experience it for yourself.  You won’t be disappointed.  Right now, this is my movie of the year, and with only one possible exception, I really don’t see that changing …

#movies 2020 #body cam #body cam (2020) #blood quantum #blood quantum movie #palm springs #palm springs movie #the last days of american crime #hamilton #hamilton movie #sputnik #sputnik movie #greyhound #greyhound movie #project power #the old guard #tenet #tenet movie #awesome sauce

[scottymcgeesterwrites]

10 Underrated Movies of the 2010s

1. John Carter (2012)

Before Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was even produced in 1937, Disney was considering producing an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough’s A Princess of Mars as Disney’s first animated film. During its pre-production stage, producers weren’t quite receptive to the concept. The story was about a man being transported to Mars, where its gravity gave him super powers, and he fought with four-armed green-skinned aliens. Back then, space ideas were the last things on people’s minds in the ‘30’s. They wanted something uplifting from The Great Depression. Disney didn’t quite scrap the story; they shelved it for later and decided to go with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves as Disney’s (and the world’s) first feature-length animated movie. John Carter holds the award for the movie with the longest time spent in “development hell”. For the next 75 years, different directors and producers would try to bring back the classic tale of daring-do on the planet Mars. Growing up reading Edgar Rice Burrough’s novels, I was enthralled to hear that they finally produced a live-action film to be released on 2012 – and it was even near my birthday! March of 2012 marked 100 years since Edgar Rice Burroughs published A Princess of Mars. It was like all the stars were truly aligned for something great. The movie finally came out and it . . . didn’t do well at all. It’s also notable for being one of the most expensive movies ever made – and it was all for nothing. What happened? Most of you reading this may even be unaware of the hero John Carter or A Princess of Mars. I find that the main issue was the problem of John Carter being largely unknown because it has been long overshadowed by Flash Gordon, Superman, Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and literally everything else that owes its inspiration to John Carter. Superman got its concept of gravity-granting superpowers from John Carter. Flash Gordon got its human-on-another-planet heroics from John Carter. Star Wars derived nearly everything from Flash Gordon. The domino effect goes on. The further you go, the more people forget the original inspiration, and we live in a world now where people don’t really care about who did it first, but who did it best.

There’s a particular scene in the movie John Carter where the titular hero has to fight monsters in an arena. Many critics were bored of the scene, claiming they saw it already in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones; which is ironic being that the arena scene was written almost a full century before Attack of the Clones. Scantily clad Carrie Fisher in Return of the Jedi? That’s a Deja Thoris reference from A Princess of Mars.

It can be difficult to judge a movie or story by itself aside from other derivative works. When that source material is some obscure adventure tale that is literally older than World War I, you should realize that probably not a lot of people have heard about it nowadays.

The film suffers from two other major points: the runtime and the combination of books one and two of Burrough’s original trilogy. A Princess of Mars is a rather simple tale of a man saving a princess on Mars. Its sequel, The Gods of Mars, goes into more complex matters as the evil Therns are revealed as a group of mysterious aliens controlling all culture and life on Mars for their benefit. The movie John Carter tries to combine the two, and I see why. Modern audiences are uninterested in seeing another adventure tale about a guy saving a princess. Ironically, that would have worked much better in the 1930’s, but the Disney board at the time was like, “Space? What’s that? Mars? What’s this newfangled spaceship business?” John Carter ultimately had the unfortunate and unique experiences of being both too ahead and too dated for its time.

I still highly recommend it because the production value is amazing and it’s still highly entertaining. The score is fantastic (Michael Giacchino), and the performances are great, albeit with some cheesy dialogue. The screenwriters added more depth to the character of John Carter that really pulls some heartstrings, especially during one particular scene where he’s bashing hundreds of aliens to a pulp.Unfortunately, the poor performance of John Carter prevented its sequel and the planned trilogy from ever being produced. At the end of the day, I’m still content with seeing the world’s very first space adventure that ultimately inspired Star Wars finally put on screen. 2. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

I was frankly surprised when nobody else cared about a Solo movie coming out. Having read A.C. Crispin’s Han Solo Trilogy when I was a kid and having overall grown up loving the character, I thought ANY Star Wars fan would be pumped. That was the issue right away before the movie even hit theaters – Nobody. Fucking. Cared. The previous year’s Last Jedi left a sour, divisive taste in the Star Wars fandom. Toxic fans threw their hands in uproar and an entire debacle unseen since the prequel trilogy exploded. Like with Jake Lloyd in The Phantom Menace, fans had continually harassed and bullied Kelly Marie Tran for playing Rose to the point where she quit Instagram. YouTube videos nearly 30 minutes long were dedicated to bashing the film and “SJW culture” and “virtue signaling”. The entire debacle was a nightmare that makes me shudder to even think about. It was like everyone was tired of Star Wars by the next year. Some people like to say that “Star Wars fatigue” wasn’t the thing because nobody was tired of Marvel movies. I disagree. First of all, I witnessed immediate responses to people’s reactions at the trailer. They said “I don’t care” and “Why do we need that?”. Second, Star Wars and Marvel are two completely different universes. Marvel has a nearly infinite range of various stories with various atmospheres and moods and characters. One Marvel fan can “specialize” in Doctor Strange while another mostly loves Thor. Star Wars follows the same group of characters over the same damn story that we’ve already known for the past 42 years. Like John Carter, Solo had the same problem by being too confident and throwing too much money into its production. Solo also happens to be on the list of the most expensive movies ever made. Its poor performance and inability to make a return on the total costs scrapped the possibility of any more future standalone Star Wars films. Further dissections of why it didn’t work out vary. Some people hate the droid L3-37 and claim unnecessary SJW content. I disagree with that too. In my rulebook, something in a story is not unnecessary unless it proves crucial to the plot; L3-37 is the reason why the Kessel Run worked. Were it not for her fanatic desire of starting a droid revolution, Han wouldn’t have survived. The idea of revolution is also crucial and foreshadows the coming Rebel Alliance. I wonder if people would have had the same reaction to L3-37 if the movie had been released years before the current political situation; if we would have just seen her as a cool, kooky and rebellious droid instead. Solo: A Star Wars Story reveals that Han has always been around instances of rebellion, which he has tried to ignore. It isn’t until A New Hope that he finally gives in for good. I honestly don’t see why some people say it doesn’t fit with A New Hope when it clearly does. One of my favorite parts is when Q’ira tells Han, “I know who you really are.” From the trailer, you would expect her to say “A scoundrel.” But in the film, she says, “The good guy.” The film cements the idea that Han has always tried to look and act cool but deep down he gives in to doing the right thing, which separates him from the other scoundrels at the cantina. It’s because of this adventure that he ends up helping to blow up the Death Star later on. Also, like John Carter, the score is absolutely fantastic. I could go on about it but that would derail the topic for another time. 3. The Gift (2015)

I ended up seeing this movie on a whim by myself after someone bailed on me at the last minute to hang out. I had nothing to do but wanted to do something and checked what was playing in theaters at the time at my local theater. The synopsis hadn’t told me enough about what was really going on while at the same time enticing me. Jason Bateman though really surprised me in this role.I really don’t want to give anything away other than what you can find on the basic synopsis. Jason Bateman is married to Rebecca Hall and the two share a completely content life, until an old school friend of Jason’s starts visiting them. Joel Edgerton plays the school friend, and it’s quite amazing that he both wrote and directed this film too. 4. Prisoners (2013)

This movie was great – and absolutely nobody talks about it. I recall wanting to see a movie with my mom around fall of that year. We realized there was really nothing interesting in theaters. It was a lull where there was nothing really interesting playing. No blockbusters and no Oscar buzz. We chose Prisoners solely based on the fact that we like Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, and I guess we also gathered the general sense that it was a mystery.I became glued to the screen during the entire movie. The story revolves around Hugh Jackman’s daughter supposedly abducted by Paul Dano, who plays a mentally ill suspect. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the detective tasked with finding the daughter. With Paul Dano being unable to articulate his thoughts, everyone is left distraught on how to solve this case. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal take drastically different routes in trying to find the girl.Out of everything on my list of underrated films here, this was the most nail-biting. Highly recommend. That ending. Whoo. 5. Source Code (2011)

This movie is a real mindbender. It might be so much of a mindbender that it’s the reason why people didn’t talk about it more. They probably just thought, “Huh?” and wanted to rewatch the previous year’s Inception again instead.Jake Gyllenhaal is on a mission to find a bomber on a train in a computer simulation. That’s how it starts at least. . .   Another movie I probably shouldn’t explain too much, but it explored themes about a post 9/11 world and the nature of self. 6. The Big Short (2015)

This movie was a hit and then everybody forgot about it. Heck, I know a bunch of you didn’t even see it. I find this really concerning. Brought to you by the director of none other than Anchorman, Adam McKay directed a very entertaining but distressing take on the Great Recession. It has an ensemble cast of Brad Pitt, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Christian Bale. The movie manages to translate complicated, bullshit concepts in Wall Street into layman’s terms. Every performance delivers, yes, but it was also staggeringly prophetic in what would come a year later in the 2016 election – “I have a feeling, in a few years people are going to be doing what they always do when the economy tanks. They will be blaming immigrants and poor people.” This movie should have seriously started a riot. But it didn’t. Watch it. 7. Spectre (2015)

Many Bond fans hated Spectre, and it’s often compared to the supposed high-and-mighty Skyfall. I beg to differ. Spectre brought back the fun in Bond without also resorting to the really obnoxious misogyny. The Daniel Craig era of Bond films went back to Ian Fleming’s original intention of Bond being more of a “blunt instrument” than the tongue-in-cheek action hero he came to be known in the film series. And that’s okay. But you can’t help but be bored once and a while by the recent trend of “making things gritty in the new millennium”. Spectre brought back the evil Blofeld, Bond’s nemesis. Fans hated it because this movie implies that every other Daniel Craig movie has been tied to Spectre, ruining the standalone nature of Skyfall and feeling like Spectre was a shoe-in.

This situation requires a lot of explaining, but I’ll be brief.

The creative entities of Spectre and Blofeld were tied up in a copyright battle for almost half a century. Back when Ian Fleming was still alive, he was working on a script for Thunderball with a screenwriter named Kevin McClory. Long story short, there was a dispute on who created Spectre and Blofeld – Fleming or McClory. McClory won the dispute and MGM (the producers of the Bond films) were prohibited from using the names and characters of Spectre and Blofeld.

The last time we officially saw the character in name was in 1971’s Diamonds are Forever. Blofeld made a cameo in 1981’s For Your Eyes Only but was never mentioned by name, but you knew it was Blofeld because he was always the man with the white cat. McClory did eventually make his own version of Thunderball in 1983’s Never Say Never Again, which was an unofficial Bond movie yet it still starred Sean Connery (crazy, I know).

Fast-forward to when the Daniel Craig era started in 2006 with Casino Royale. Spectre and Blofeld were still under copyright protection of McClory. Instead of using the name Spectre, the writers had to come up with another Specter-inspired evil corporation. So they came up with “Quantum”, the evil company behind the plots of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.

BUT THEN, the McClory estate officially settled the matter with MGM in 2013, and Spectre and Blofeld could now be used. The writers jumped on it and that’s why to some Spectre feels like it was a shoehorned at the last minute.In my opinion, Skyfall had more issues being a standalone film. The villain Silva was supposed to be working alone and yet somehow create all these elaborate, time-sensitive plots that was just too much for one man with maybe a few henchmen to pull off. In Spectre, it’s implied that Silva used Spectre’s resources to help him plan his revenge. This would realistically make more sense. After all, it’s in the name: SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion. One would go to Spectre in order to enact revenge on someone if one didn’t have the means or resources.

And the whole Quantum being a part of Spectre thing – so what? Quantum was meant to be the same thing anyway. Lastly, there is some dispute on to the nature of Blofeld’s relationship with Bond. Bond suddenly has an evil foster brother now? Some complained about it. I thought it was fine. It gives a reason for Blofeld to go out of his way to torture Bond rather than just shoot him, which is a point always parodied in Bond spoofs. So again, it actually makes sense. I thoroughly enjoyed Spectre. It was virtually not misogynist out of the new Bond films. It treated the main girl, Madeline, very well, as well as the “other” girl Lucia. Yeah, some of the action is dumb and more out of spectacle than realism. It’s still done with the same wit and style of the old Bond films. 8. Shazam! (2019)

Yeah. I get it. Everyone’s tired of the god-awful, insipid DC Cinematic Universe (except for Wonder Woman), which pales in comparison to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Shazam! was finally a very fresh, funny, and lively DC movie. What makes it stand out to me was how it ended up revolving around the main character’s friends standing together with him, rather than just simply being an origin story of one superhero. Nothing felt like it fell flat. The humor was spot on. The action was good. You had a really pained, terrible villain. Some of the plot may be simple but it had a satisfying ending. Shazam! has the same kind of energy as Spider-man: Homecoming, but by doing its own thing and having its own theme of what a family really means. It revels in the genre by literally putting you in the shoes of a child’s wish fulfillment. 9. Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

I saw this movie on a whim on Netflix. Nobody has made any fuss about it. I think it was fantastic. It’s a quirky sci-fi comedy with Aubrey Plaza playing a newspaper reporter investigating an ad someone put in the classifieds asking for a time travel companion. She goes along with two other co-workers, played by Jake Johnson and Karan Soni (who later becomes the taxi guy in Deadpool). I have to be honest – I don’t find Jake Johnson that funny. In most things I’ve seen him in, I feel like his reactions are forced. But his deadpan deliveries in this movie are on the spot. Mark Duplass was still relatively unknown at this time, and played the oddball guy who placed the ad and firmly believes he made a time machine. The entire movie only costed $750,000! Movies today need to spend over $10 million in order to try and make something as compelling as this. This movie alone influenced the modern indie film industry by combining forces with Netflix. Maybe Netflix and chill wouldn’t have been a thing if it weren’t for this movie. 10. The Nice Guys (2016)

I saved my personal favorite for last. The Nice Guys is my favorite underrated movie that I have seen this past decade. It has everything I love in a buddy film; wit and style. Written and directed by Shane Black, this movie has some real zingers and hilarious deliveries. Ryan Gosling plays a jittery private detective, who unwillingly teams up with Russel Crowe, who beats up people for a living. The story revolves around a missing girl who is a key witness to a grander conspiracy involving the automobile industry. This is one of those movies that never fails to make me laugh. I can rewatch the same scenes over and over and still crack up with laughter. My only gripe is that the final confrontation can be a bit unrealistic at times, which can be close to breaking that border of “Okay, is this witty satire like Coen Brothers or just outright comedy sketch like The Naked Gun?” So to me it felt a little imbalanced in the last quarter. Still, the rest of the movie really hits the right marks.

#ryan gosling #john carter #movies #theaters #brad pitt #steve carrell #sci-fi #movie #onmovies #film #oscars #shazam #shazam! #james bond #spectre #ian fleming #aubrey plaza #star wars #solo: a star wars story #solo movie #han solo #prisoners #edgar rice burroughs #barsoom #mars trilogy #a princess of mars #pulp fiction #disney #unederrated

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael in the Mainstream: The Chris Columbus Harry Potter Films

Here’s a bold stance to take these days: I actually still really love the Harry Potter franchise.

Yes, this series hasn’t had a huge impact on my own writing; my stories I’m working on draw far more from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and the Percy Jackson series than they do Harry Potter. And yes, the author of the franchise has outed herself as a transphobic scumbag whose every post-script addition to her franchise has been an unprecedented bad move (save, perhaps, for allowing Johnny Depp the opportunity to work during a very trying time in his life). But while the author is a horrendous person and the story hasn’t exactly given me as much to work with as other stories have, there are so many great themes, ideas, and characters that even now I’d still say this is one of my favorite series of all time. The world of Harry Potter is just so fascinating, the usage of folklore is interesting, and it has one of the most menacing and disturbing villains in young adult literature and manages to play the whole “love prevails over evil” cliché in such a way that it actually works.

And, of course, then we get into what I’m really here to talk about: the adaptations. The movies are not entirely better than the books; while I do think most of the films are on par with their novel counterparts, and they certainly do a good job of scrubbing out some of the iffier elements in Rowling’s writing, I still think there’s a certain, ahem, magic that the books have that gives them a slight edge. But, look, I’m a movie reviewer, and these films are some of my favorites of all time, and as much as I love the books I’m not going to sit around and say the books surpass them in every single way. There’s a lot to love in these films, and hopefully I’ll be able to convey that as I review the series.

Of course, the only place to truly start is the Chris Columbus duology. Columbus is not the most impressive director out there – this is the man who gave us Rent, Pixels, and that abominable adaptation of Percy Jackson after all – but early on in his career he made a name for himself directing whimsical classics such as the first two Home Alone movies and Mrs. Doubtfire. Those films are wonderfully cast and have a lot of charm, and thankfully this is the Columbus we got to bring us the first two entries in Harry’s story. 

One of the greatest strengths of the first two Harry Potter movies is just the sheer, unrelenting magic and wonder they invoke. They’re so whimsical, so enchanting, so fun; they fully suck you into the world Rowling created and utilize every tool they can to keep you believing. Everything in these films serves to heighten the magic; practical effects and CGI come together with fantastic costuming and set design to make the world of wizards and Hogwarts school feel oh so real. And of course, none of this would be even remotely as effective if not for the legendary score by John Williams, who crafted some of the most iconic and memorable compositions of the 21st century for these films. In short: the tone of these films is pretty perfect for what they are, and every element in them works to make sure you are buying into this tone at every moment.

The other massively important element is the casting, and by god, the casting in these films is simply perfect. Of course, the title characters and his peers have to be unknowns, and thankfully they managed to pluck out some brilliant talent. I don’t need to tell you how good Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson are, even back in these films, but I do feel the need to say that Rupert Grint is vastly underappreciated; I really don’t think the films would work quite as well without his presence, because he does bring that goofy charm Harry’s friend group needs to balance it out. Matthew Lewis is the adorable coward Neville Longbottom and Tom Felton is the snotty brat Draco Malfoy, and though both of their roles are fairly minor in the first two films they manage to make their mark. The second movie pulls in Bonnie Wright as Ginny, and again, I’m gonna say she’s rather underrated; I think she did quite a fine job in her role.

But of course, the real draw of these films is the sheer amount of star power they have in terms of U.K.  actors. You’ve got Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Warwick Davis (Flitwick and, bafflingly, only the voice of Griphook, who was played by the American Verne Troyer in the first film for… some reason), John Hurt (Ollivander), Toby Jones (Dobby), John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick)… and this is only the first two films. The movies would continue pulling in stars like it was Smash Ultimate, determined to tell you that “EVERYONE IS HERE” and be the ultimate culmination of U.K. culture.

Of course, even in the first few movies there are those who truly stand out as perfect. Smith and Coltrane are most certainly the perfect embodiment of their characters, but I think a great deal of praise should be given to Richard Griffiths as Uncle Vernon; the man is a volatile, raging bastard the likes of which you rarely see, and he is at once repulsive and comical. He’s pretty much the British answer to J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson. Then we have Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy in the second film, and he is just delightfully, deliciously devilish and dastardly. Isaacs actually came up with a lot of Mr. Malfoy’s quirks himself, such as the long blonde hair, the cane wand, and the part where he tries to murder a small child in cold blood for releasing his house elf (which came about because he forgot literally every other spell and had just read Goblet of Fire, so...). Then of course there is Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart, and… well, it’s Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart. I don’t think you could find a more perfect casting choice (except perhaps Hugh Grant, who was originally cast but had to drop out). He just really hams it up as the obnoxious blowhard and helps make him much more tolerable than his book counterpart, though he does unfortunately have the lack of plot relevance Lockhart did in the book, which is a problem unique to Lockhart. Fun fact, he is the ONLY Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in the series to not ultimately matter in regards to the main story.

Of course, the greatest casting choice of them all is most certainly The late, great Alan Rickman as everyone’s favorite greasy potions professor, Severus Snape. I think Rickman goes a long way towards helping make Snape one of the greatest characters of all time, with everything about his performance just being perfect, and what makes it even better is how it would ultimately subvert his typical roles (though that’s a story for a different review). I don’t think either of the first films is really his best outing, butt he first one definitely sets him up splendidly. Snape barely has a role in the second film – something that greatly irritated Rickman during the movie’s production apparently – but he still does a good job with what limited screentime he has. Then we have Richard Harris as Dumbledore. Due to his untimely death, he only played Dumbledore in the first two films, but he really did give a wonderful performance that had all the charm, whimsy, and wonder the Dumbledore of the first few books was full of. The thing is, I don’t know if he would have been able to make the transition into the more serious and darker aspects of Dumbledore that popped up in the later books. I guess we’ll never know, which is truly a shame, but at the very least he gave us a good showing with what little time he had.

My only problems with the first two films are extremely minor, though there is at least one somewhat big issue I have. You see, while I do like everything about these films, I feel like they’re a bit too loyal to the books, not doing enough to distinguish themselves as their own thing like films such as Prisoner of Azkaban would do. But if I’m being honest, this is seriously nitpicky; it’s not like this really makes me think less of the films, because they have way more going for than against them. Stuff like this and the cornier early performances from the kid actors are to be expected when a franchise is still finding its legs. It really is more of a personal thing for me; I prefer when creators allow their own vision to affect an adaptation so that I can see how they perceive and interpret the work, but at the same time the first two Harry Potter books are all about setting up and the main plot doesn’t really kick off until the third and fourth books, so… I guess everything balances out?

It is a bit odd looking back at these first two films and noting how relatively self-contained they are compared to the denser films that were to come; you could much more easily jump into either one of these films and really get what’s going on compared to later movies, where you would almost definitely be lost if you tried to leap in without an inkling of the plot. But that is something I do like, since the first two films have really strong plots that focus more on the magical worldbuilding and developing the characters, setting up an incredibly strong foundation for the series to come. There are a few trims of the plot here and there, but it’s not nearly as major as some things that would end up cut later.

But, really, what’s there to cut? Like I said, these movies are more about the worldbuilding and setting up for later plotlines. They’re relatively simple stories here, and I think that’s kind of their big strengths, because it lets the characters and world shine through. The first film honestly is just Harry experiencing the wizarding world for the first time, with him going from scene to scene and just taking in all of the magical sights. Most of the big plot stuff really happens towards the end, when they make the journey down to the Philosopher’s Stone. The second movie is where things get a lot more plot-heavy, with the film focusing on the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets and all of the troubles that the basilisk within causes. Despite how grim the stories can get, especially the second one, these films never really lose that whimsical, adventurous tone, which is incredibly impressive all things considered.

It’s not really criticisms, but there are a few things that make me a bit sad didn’t happen in the first couple of films, or at the very least offer up some interesting “what could have been” scenarios. I think the most notable missed opportunity is the decision to axe Peeves, despite him being planned and having Rik Mayall film scenes with him only to have said scenes left on the cutting room floor, never to see the light of day; Mayall had some rather colorful words to say about the film after it came out. Sean Connery passing up on playing Dumbledore is another missed opportunity, but Connery has always been awful at picking roles and hates fantasy, so this isn’t shocking to me in the slightest. Terry Gilliam being straight-up told by Rowling she didn’t want him directing is another sad but necessary decision, as was Spielberg dropping out; neither guy would have been a very good fit for the franchise, honestly. Alan Cumming turning down the role of Lockhart because Grint and Watson were going to be paid more than him is a bit… lame, but also I don’t think he’d have been as good as Branagh in the role; as much as I love Cumming, Branagh has this grandiose stage actor hamminess that Lockhart desperately needs. There’s a lot of fascinating trivia facts I learned writing this review, and a lot of it paints some pretty weird pictures of how this franchise could have turned out in another world.

Chamber of Secrets and Sorcerer's Stone are both absolutely fantastic, whimsical fantasy movies, and I’d definitely recommend both of them to anyone who likes the fantasy genre. It’s a great jumping off point for younger people who may not be able to handle something as intense or heavy as, say, The Lord of the Rings making it a very useful gateway drug into fantasy, though it still manages to work perfectly as fun, engaging fantasy on its own. I’m personally more of a fan of the third and eighth movies but I can definitely hear arguments for either of these two being someone’s favorites or even the best in the franchise, because they invoke a lot of nostalgia and charm just thinking about them, good memories of seeing them with my family when I was a kid.

Some have come to view Chamber of Secrets less positively over the years, seeing it as an awkward transitional phase between the lighter, more whimsical adventures and the darker plot-driven ones, but honestly, Between the Columbus films, Chamber is definitely the superior one. It takes everything that was great about the first film and builds on it, and also gives us Lucius Malfoy, Dobby, Gilderoy Lockhart, and way better special effects and a more consistent narrative. The first film is still a classic, of course, but it’s almost episodic in nature and a lot more focused on showing Hogwarts to us than delivering a story. Still, it definitely has the plus of having way more Snape than the second film did, and there’s no arguments against that from me! Both films are very good at what they do, and both definitely deserve a watch.

#Michael in the Mainstream #Harry Potter #Christopher Columbus #fantasy #fantasy film #Daniel Radcliffe #Emma Watson #Rupert Grint #Alan Rickman

[hana-bean]

Ayumi Hamasaki Picks:  A Song for ×× era (1998-1999)

I’ll admit, I avoided A Song for ×× like COVID for way, way too long. Her vocals were hard to adapt to if you had only heard her I am... material and beyond. I personally found her voice high and squeaky; seemingly years and miles away from the Ayu I was introduced to at 14 years of age in 2002. There were a few tracks in their remix form I was able to stomach but otherwise, this album was an Ayumi I didn’t care to know. In fact, you’ll notice on most of these tracks I note that I prefer remixes over originals.

Within the last couple of years, I listened to this album in its entirety and ultimately fell in love. I realized now how important this debut is in considering and appreciating where Ayu started. Yes her sound is relatively high-pitched and un-Western, but it’s endearing AF. This album is able to span both sides of various spectrums: fun and sad, innocent and experienced, light-hearted and heartfelt. It exudes such a compelling, youthful perspective of love and heartbreak that I can’t help but empathize with it. Honestly, I don’t think I would feel the same emotions if this album was recorded with a more mature, older voice.

---

Rating system:

☆☆☆☆ Love - play this at my funeral ☆☆☆ Like - skippable, but still good ☆☆ Meh - this does nothing for me ☆ Hate - I’ve only listened to this once just to confirm I hated it (⭒ you might see these little guys pop up from time to time, which represent a half star because I can’t make up my damned mind)

For a couple of tracks I give two different ratings because sometimes a remixed version is better than the original.

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A Song for ×× album tracks

Track 1: “Prologue” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like It’s a prelude. Not the best or worst, but a good one.

Track 2: “A Song for ××” Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Love Are you really even an Ayu fan if you don’t like this song? Kidding! But seriously, I think it’s safe to say that this is a very, very important song to Ayumi; if the number of its live performances aren’t an indicator, the drama from even watching one is enough to move you. One of my favorite live performances ever is from her A Museum tour—the a cappella beginning of the first verse and bridge lures you in and forces you to listen, for her only to then blow you away with the booming orchestral intensity of the chorus. GAH! Fuck me up, Ayu!

Her “030213 Session #2 Take” re-recording of it on the A BALLADS compilation album provides a more organic, and arguably more powerful listening experience. Though she is older, you still can hear the strength of her despair. Her loneliness and strong façade hasn’t left, but has only changed and grew up with her.

The “Ferry Corsten Chilled Mix” from her first ayu trance album is also a total vibe. Great remix.

Track 3: “Hana” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like I’d file this one under: “the remixes are better than the original.” I mean the original is still a good listen, but the “dub’s trance remix” and acoustic orchestra version give it more oomph and dimension respectively (both are found on the first ayu-mi-x compilation). The lyrics reflect a fear of the relative unknown, or rather, a fear of growing, only to wilt or get stepped on. And I love how her considerably sad and pensive lyrics are backed with lively arrangements; it’s one of the many things I love about her music.

Track 4: “FRIEND” Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Love This 👏🏼 song 👏🏼 is 👏🏼 underrated 👏🏼 OMG do I love this song, it’s so fucking wholesome. This track was the one which truly solidified my love for ASf××. Like if this had a music video, I can totally see it popping up on the Disney channel back in the late ‘90s with Ayu dancing at a beach carnival in a pair of Keds or something. Though this song is not devoid of sadness, there is a bit of hope to it, and it’s just simply, super pure. It’s definitely a personal fave. 

Track 5: “FRIEND II” Rating: ☆☆ Meh It’s forgettable... I’m having a hard time trying to remember how it goes. I’m sure if I heard it, I’d be like “Ohhhh yeah!” but my mind is only broken picture links rn.

Okay I’ve listened to it and for some reason I get “Song 4 u” vibes like the very beginning guitar riff sounds like the “S4u” chorus, and even the build to the “FII” chorus is similar, I almost expect “S4u” sung over this. At least she copied herself LOL I mean it’s not a terrible song, but the first FRIEND is the better FRIEND.

Track 6: “poker face” Rating: ☆☆ Meh Yes it’s her first single ev4r so like, it’s all important and shit. But I feel there are better tracks on this album which easily eclipse the song. Though it fits in well with the album as a whole. Perhaps as a single compared to only “FRIEND” it holds its own but honestly, just it being Ayu’s debut song is really the only reason why I even remember it.

Track 7: “Wishing” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like I believe this is the first (and only) slow ballad that pops up on the album, and also believe this was a good foundation laid for the rest of the slow ballads of her career. This song showcases the youth and yearn of her voice very well. Does anyone know if she has even performed this song live?

Track 8: “YOU” Rating: ☆☆ Meh (original); ☆☆☆☆ Love (”Aggressive Mix”) I’ll be real: this original track is boring. Though the “Aggressive Mix” on the first ayu-ro mix album slaps for years and I don’t even really care for Eurobeat. The “FINE MIX” on the ayu-mi-x album is also pretty groovy with that—albeit slow—reggae vibe. I’d argue any remix of this song gives it way more personality and likability. 

Confession time: back when cosplay shows at cons were just like a mishmash of skits planned the day of and walk-ons, I thought about actually doing some kind of one-woman interpretive dance to the “Aggressive Mix.” It never happened so you’re welcome. 

Track 9: “As if...” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like This is just a good bop. I love the fake-out beginning of the slow piano and then: !!!TATOEBA!!!

Also I really appreciate the bass during the verses, like it goes ~BUM BUM~ every four counts and it’s just something nice and subtle which contributes positively to the song.

Track 10: “POWDER SNOW” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like (original); ☆☆☆☆ Love (acoustic orchestra) Three words: acoustic orchestra version. Are y’all seeing the pattern here? But seriously, this song supported by the simplicity of a haunting piano completely changes the mood of this song for the better. I will agree that the original arrangement has a great buildup, but it doesn’t compare to the emotion of the acoustic version.

Also, do any of you fellow old people remember Kazaa? When I was Ayu-curious, I was looking for random songs to download and the acoustic orchestra version of “POWDER SNOW” was one of the first songs I ever downloaded (maybe that plays into my bias). 

Honestly, now that I think about it, it might have been Morpheus at the time...

Track 11: “Trust” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like Also one of the first songs I ever heard from Ayu, so I like it for nostalgic reasons. Otherwise I would have relegated this to the ‘meh’ pile. 

This is one of the first Japanese songs I ever learned to sing, so I gotta give credit to my 14-year-old self.

Track 12: “Depend on you” Rating: ☆⭒ M— (I don’t hate it, but don’t not hate it enough to warrant the full ‘Meh’) This song is overrated :D The only good thing to come from this single is “Two of us.” Next! 

Track 13: SIGNAL Rating: ☆☆⭒ Meh-eh? Well...? It’s a good track, I respect it. Not as memorable as the other songs but it fits well in the album. A good filler song.

Track 14: “from your letter” Rating: ☆☆☆ Like The very beginning with the snaps and twinkly sounds are pretty cool. The song is enjoyable and calls for some shoulder moving at least. There was a remix on AHS a long time ago by sleeperspaceborn which was pretty damned good, and in fact made me like this song. 

Track 15: “For My Dear...” Rating: ☆☆☆⭒ Like Like  Here for the drama and the high notes, shoot it straight into my bloodstream and do not resuscitate. The Acoustic Version is also a great remix, I love how she sounds like she’s screaming over the piano and guitar.

Track 16: “Present” Rating: ☆☆ Meh Like “FRIEND II” I can’t remember this song...

Ah there it is! *proceeds to forget again*

Non-album tracks:

“Two of us” Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Love I absolutely l-o-v-e this song right down to the cheesy, slow dance prom-y feel to it. Hell, even the “touch of mahogany mix” is one of the best remixes; I dare you not to at least bob your head when you hear it. This song can only be found on the Depend on You single and it’s a damn shame it didn’t make it to the ASf×× album. However maybe this can be considered her first slow ballad... but again, solid foundation. The lyrics are once again so pain-ridden and sorrowful, but then when you hear it against that funky rhythm on the “touch of mahogany mix,” you can’t help but submit to the dissonance of snapping along while in tears.

Also Xelakad provided an ah-mazing remix of this song on AHS a while back too. It seriously turns this song into a spiritual experience.

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Average era rating: ☆☆☆ Like

If I could describe this album in two words, they would be: cohesive and precious. Yes her lyrics reflect hurt, rejection, and cynicism, but against the pop rock beats and her high voice, the album maintains an element of innocence. I believe it was a strong and consistent debut relative to her discography, as we are introduced to a young and weary Ayu who’s uncertain about the future, of love, of herself... *le sigh*

But let’s tie everything up in a nice pretty bow. For the list of Ayu’s creative bests, the common denominator is how much I really loved the drama and uniqueness of the tracks. Given that Ayu’s music style quickly evolved after this album, we conceivably don’t and won’t hear any songs like these ever again, and that’s why they’re just special.

The ‘Loves’ (only in order of track listing): A Song for ×× FRIEND POWDER SNOW (Acoustic Orchestra) YOU “Aggressive Mix” Two of us

Ayu’s creative bests: A Song for ×× POWDER SNOW (Acoustic Orchestra) For My Dear... Two of us

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Credits: -Album art from Wikipedia -Concert screenshots from eneabba.net/ayu

Disclaimer: this post is solely my personal view and opinion. I am a Westerner with no fluency in Japanese, and so my viewpoint is shaped from English translations provided by ahsforum.com and all the feels from years of daily listening.

#浜崎あゆみ #Ayumi Hamasaki #a song for ××

[404fmdminjung]

famed meme [no longer accepting]!

Send ‼ for a career goal headcanon. (wc: 246)

is it okay to explain that she has no career goal in mind? for most of her life, she’s been a girl that plays make believe and fills the shoes of what’s to be expected of her - sometimes, she’s girl on fire, and other times, she’s gone girl. of course, at times she feels like a phony for only playing a life long game of charades hidden behind a mask, but fuse has been her permanent home for the past six years and she sees no issues with that.

if there was anything career related, it might have to be related to fuse’s concepts. zimzalabim was the bane of her existence and she’d be terrified to have to repeat that era again. adding more darker concepts would’ve been preferred, but once again - that’s not really a goal, is it? 

maybe if anything, she’d want to dive more into solo work without restraints. for some unknown reason, gold star has allowed her to have a lot of creative control over her first solo, and for that she’s eternally grateful. however, she knows that if it flops, she’ll only be subjected to being told what to do and what to sing. so it’s really a blind eye and a free fall into the unknown at this point. but she doesn’t care about ratings or any of the charts, what she wants is a niche band of loyal fans who appreciate her eclectic taste of music crafting.

Send ♞ for a non-performance talent headcanon. (wc: 209)

what can anyone say about a girl who is a jack of all trades? she’s exceptional, brilliant. but she’s not. she carries few skills, but really random ones that usually attract a lot of hype on variety shows. she’s good at drawing, painting and creating. pottery, she creates beautiful plates and vases for her flowers. painting, her favorite medium is water color, and she does a lot of abstract ephemeral colors. sketching, she can draw free handedly a strikingly uncanny realistic portrait of someone.  it’s mainly her outlet to relieve stress and the only thing she recalls ever resorting to in times of high stress. 

another thing is her flexibility. over the years, she’s dabbled in different things such as yoga, personal training, boxing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc. but she’s never really found anything as entertaining as pilates and pole dancing. this in turn has increased her flexibility, which might just be a hidden talent.

the last talent, if you can call it that, is her poker face. she’s really good at hiding what she’s thinking. never one to reveal her cards to anyone, she’s able to tell people something while thinking about an entirely different concept. multitasking at its finest, and she’ll never divulge the secret to that one.

Send ☏ for a good fan experience headcanon. (wc: 251)

when she had gotten a lot of shit for her odd artistic drawings, there were a select few fans who remained true and defended her. they told off the antis in the comments sections, berating those who dragged her down. they were the first to remain steadfast, and offer words of reassurances of how they still loved her as an idol. although this wasn’t a direct interaction, it was one of the times that made her heart warm up knowing that she still had people on her side.

another good fan experience was when she was unsure of her singing ability as she had been taught to sing again and rework her voice. where once she thought she was the best singer in the world, she found solace when a fan slipped her a note saying to fight on and how much she admired her voice. they pegged her as an underrated vocal, one that’s like glass meant to be protected not shattered. it was the little things that she’s kept close to heart.

perhaps another good fan experience can be during fan signings when fans actually light up in front of her. although she has an apathetic nature by heart, she plays the role of a happy idol very well. when she’s subjected to these events, she adapts just like anyone else would. the glows on the fans’ faces and their little teary eyed expressions do make a mark by making her budge the slightest bit in her stone heart.

#fmdsooyeon #fmdyoojung #fmdmeme003

[graphicabyss]

I just finished watching The Gifted and I thought it was a long shot and I was prepared to be disappointed but it’s actually pretty good?? Good characters and character development and relationships. We finally got Thunderbird and he was awesome. There's a badass Polaris and Blink (which is already a second Blink on TV) and Stepford Cuckoos. All the characters and their relationships are dynamic. I was invested in this shit and they cut it off after 2 seasons?? It slightly reminds me of Dark Angel, the most underrated sci-fi series ever also incidentally cut at S2. I don’t know if it was the Disney acquisition or what but that’s bullshit. The second season got a little messy but Agents of Shield has gone to shit 4 seasons ago and it‘s still on air. The Gifted had some flaws but it also had a very solid core message regarding intolerance, human rights and minorities, like X-men always had, and that made it so much more meaningful than MCU. Im so stressed.

Being a fan of anything Marvel is so damn frustrating. All the TV/screen adaptations are an emotional roller-coaster, especially if you know anything about the comics. There's hardly a place to even discuss character and plot faitfulness. The MCU is fairly consistent but it still has enough issues. The X-men are totally fucked with most movies and TV series booting and rebooting and contradicting each other. And then there's Fantastic Four, which is 2 movies that have nothing in common except the actual character powers. The fans try to make sense of it but it's not really possible as the creators all realized their own vision in their own format aiming at revenue.

And it's all frustrating as fuck as no matter how bad it is, we still get attached to the characters and their stories. And it's sad that many of them just get scrapped, cancelled, discarded without conveying what they had to say. And even if some movies were disappointing you still like at least some parts of it, you just want them to be better not rebooted for the 4th time.

X-men is the worst. I liked most of both the first and the second cast and there were strong points in there, I just wish they could take the best of it and do something good with it. Yet, Dark Phoenix was so bad it feels like a renovation can't be done at this point, only demolition.

The Gifted started anew, taking a newer and virtually unknown corner of Marvel and making it its own. It finally introduced the Purifiers and Morlocks. It may have failed in some ways but it did a great job with highlighting the destructive nature of hate and intolerance, something MCU never really had. And now it's gone.

The Marvel world is s big, there are still so many places, factions and characters that can be used. But it feels like we just can't have good things.

#The Gifted