#almost every line is quotable

[violet-moonstone]

highlights from "searching for oswald...and chicken"

wow I loved this episode...I feel like I say that every time but I REALLY REALLY enjoyed this one

first of all its a Dagur episode, which automatically makes it great...most of the screenshots I took are of him. Honestly all of his dialogue is very quotable, especially since so many of the jokes they give him are thinly veiled adult humour

also the B plot with chicken was certainly something (and makes me think the writers were thinking about the end of the hidden world while writing it?)

ok so the beginning of the episode was already tugging at my heartstrings. I love seeing Dagur and Heather's sibling relationship, whether hey're arguing or getting along.

Well that's deeply upsetting! and the fact that he said "most of his life" makes me wonder how much of the confidence Dagur displayed as a teenager was a cover for whatever he was dealing with internally.

The part where Dagur hugs Heather and she looks happy but almost surprised was very bittersweet. It seems like she's still getting used to having a family, and affection catches her off guard.

Excuse me while I go cry

Call me deranged but I think Dagur slamming Snotlout against a cage was hot

As always, Hiccup is adorable. Literally looks like a cat

This is funny but also very upsetting! Snotlout and Dagur really make a habit of using humourous line delivery to cope with being deeply unwell:

*clears throat* uh yeah Dagur, I'm sure you do love a good "fruit bath," from time to time if you know what I mean...

Come on, the writers, animators and voice actor HAVE to have known that line came across as suggestive. Like the way he sounds? His facial expression? They may not have intended it to specifically imply he was talking about getting in a sauna with some twinks, but it certainly sounded like something sensual was going on.

Also I didn't get a shot of this but when Dagur starts listing adjectives to describe Heather's reckless behaviour, Hiccup says "Sentinel" while looking at Oswald's journal. Dagur says something like "that's not quite the word I'd use," which makes me think Dagur was going to call her a not so PG word...

Snotlout staring directly at the camera while narrating Tuffnut's emotional breakdown in the style of a pun-loving mystery novelist:

What an asshole (I love him). there's something really funny about Tuff leaning against the tree with a hand on his hip. Poor guy. Astrid and Stormfly were clearly less amused than I was.

Ok let's talk about Hiccup motivating Dagur to open the door to Oswald's shelter. My little Dagcup heart was really soaring here. And look at the lighting!

LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT HIS FACE!

Oooohh man, Dagur expressing guilt about his past and Hiccup trying to help him through it also really got to me.

Dagur: I was a villain!

Hiccup: No, you were a kid

Me: *crying*

Because yeah, Dagur in Riders of Berk/Defenders of Berk did horrible things, but he was also enabled by all the adults in his life who could have stepped up after Oswald left. I've already written (both in posts and in one of my Dagcup fics) about how being thrown into a dungeon as a kid only made Dagur a worse person (no one in the show talks about the scars on his face that weren't there before...). And There is clearly an opportunity for restorative justice when it comes to characters like Alvin and Eret that wasn't extended to Dagur despite the fact that they had already overpowered him and could have at least given him a choice between punishment and trying to make up for his actions. Anyway...let me not rant about that anymore.

Ok what's next...oh yeah! Astrid doing this:

Hilarious.

Um...ok so...I needed to screenshot this for uh...reasons. It's the um...the composition and the...the lighting and...yeah. All that stuff.

THE DRAWING OSWALD DID OF DAGUR AND HEATHER AS KIDS

oooooohhh my heart!

Look. At. My. Boy. He looks so happy and at peace after reading his father's letter.

Ok so again...the writers making very interesting decisions for Dagur's lines.

Dagur being funny and a little concerning again

I liked the colour scheme for this Gronckle

More Dagur appreciation.

Before the episode where Fishlegs helps Dagur fly Shattermaster, I would have assumed Dagur would make fun of Fishlegs for being a nerd -- but instead he appreciates it. I think their friendship is super adorable, and I wish we got to see more of it.

Fishie! He calls him Fishie! (I ship them a little sometimes tbh) I can see Dagur having a thing for nerds.

hehehe

and uh, let's close off with hiccup being hot and windswept

#rtte #race to the edge #rtte screenshots #httyd #how to train your dragon #dagcup #dagur the deranged #dagur #hiccup #hiccup haddock #fishlegs #fishlegs ingerman #astrid #astrid hofferson #tuffnut #tuffnut thorston #snotlout #snotlout jorgenson #heather #heather the unhinged #oswald the agreeable

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

Cory says, this is all wrong. If anyone knows hair, it's me. When I get a haircut, it looks terrible for like the first six weeks. Then all of a sudden it looks terrific for a day. And then it's time for another haircut. It's what I like to call the haircut cycle of shame. -Danielle

One of the greatest little monologues. Like just word for word. So funny. And Ben's delivery. I'm just like, yes, yes, yes. -Rider

God hit after hit after hit after hit of just, I can't catch my breath. -Danielle

It's also almost every scene you could quote almost every line. You know what I mean? Like almost every scene is an iconic line from Boy Meets world. Like the the next beat when I'm like, I live in a trailer park and my hair does this. It's like the most quotable Shawn line ever. -Rider

#HAIRCUT CYCLE OF SHAME #SO ICONIC #ONE OF MY FAVORITE LINES FROM THIS SHOW #pod meets world #bmw #bmwedits #bmwedit #boy meets world #cory x shawn #shawn x cory #cory matthews #shawn hunter #love #gif #gifs #gifset #4x2

[bethanydelleman]

Northanger Abbey Readthrough Ch 22

Well the manuscript is a washing bill. (The Thing About Austen podcast has a great episode about this btw).

She felt humbled to the dust. Could not the adventure of the chest have taught her wisdom? A corner of it, catching her eye as she lay, seemed to rise up in judgment against her. Nothing could now be clearer than the absurdity of her recent fancies. To suppose that a manuscript of many generations back could have remained undiscovered in a room such as that, so modern, so habitable!—Or that she should be the first to possess the skill of unlocking a cabinet, the key of which was open to all!

Catherine also deduces that she had so much trouble with the lock because she was the one who locked it, it was left open for guests to use. She is mortified and doesn't want Henry to find out what she's been doing. So she smoothly transitions into... loving hyacinths.

it is well to have as many holds upon happiness as possible

Who said this book has bad writing, there are so many quotable lines! So much to dwell on. I love Henry saying it will help Catherine go out of doors and she's like, "Pft, you can't get me inside." Also asking if Eleanor has a pleasant mode of instruction is totally a callback to Catherine comparing learning to torment!

The General talks about needing to purchase a new tea set soon and Catherine was probably the only one of the party who did not understand him. ✈️✈️✈️ Then Catherine asks about Woodston and the General does that thing again where he pretends to defer to Eleanor, but then actually just steamrolls over her and answers himself. Grrrr

So then the General gaslights Catherine so hard she thinks she is disappointing him by going on a walk. I hate this man. He clearly wants to go for a walk but pretends that it is her idea which leaves Catherine super confused. Catherine did not exactly know how this was to be understood. He's selfish and regimented, Catherine., that's the whole mystery.

The general listened with assenting gratitude; and it seemed as if his own estimation of Northanger had waited unfixed till that hour.

He is kind of funny though...

General Tilney demanding praise reminds me of Mr. Collins:

The general was flattered by her looks of surprise, which told him almost as plainly, as he soon forced her to tell him in words, that she had never seen any gardens at all equal to them before

Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind... (this is his own grounds) Elizabeth was called on by her cousin to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings, which, for Charlotte’s sake, she made more favourable than it really was. But her commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means satisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her Ladyship’s praise into his own hands. Pride & Prejudice

Also, it's a tiny line, but the fact that General Tilney is growing greenhouse pineapples is apparently a huge indicator of his wealth. For those who don't know, pineapples take about 2 years per fruit and each plant only grows 1. In England, you would need year-round heated greenhouses, and just an insane amount of wealth. Especially if he's just eating them himself and not selling them, this would be so expensive I can't even.

Catherine cannot resist a Gothic looking path, struck by its gloomy aspect, and eager to enter it, but the General will not join them. This is the beginning of Catherine's ill founded suspicions that General Tilney did not love his wife and also... murdered her. Or locked her up! Every word Eleanor says only seems to confirm her notions!

I love this: She had often read of such characters, characters which Mr. Allen had been used to call unnatural and overdrawn; but here was proof positive of the contrary. Listen to wise Mr. Allen, Catherine!

Now, at some point I have to address the elephant in the room that is Catherine letting her imagination get the best of her and believing that General Tilney is either a wife murderer or... Edward Rochester 30 years too early. I think it has a lot to do with things like this:

Catherine was shocked to find how much her spirits were relieved by the separation. (from General Tilney)

Catherine's confusion is between mundane evil (verbally abusive towards his children, overbearing) and dramatic evil. General Tilney is not a good person, Catherine's final conclusion way at the end is that she didn't actually get him wrong in character, but she erred in the expression of that character. Which is probably why Henry is pretty quick to forgive her, it's not like his father is a super nice person and he knows it.

It is clear that Catherine is picking up on something real. General Tilney does have an explosive temper, his children are afraid of him, he was cruel to his wife (if he treated her anything like Eleanor that couldn't have been fun), and his kindness feels oppressive because it is ultimately false. Not knowing anyone like the General, Catherine defaults to the evil she does know, which is in her dramatic horrid novels.

Anyway, the point is, General Tilney is still the worst even if he didn't murder his wife and Catherine wasn't totally insane to think of it.

Oh, also her confusion about the tour of the house. What Catherine is not picking up on is the General's deep desire to brag about his house.

#northanger abbey month #northanger abbey readthrough #northanger abbey #general tilney #catherine morland #learning to love a hyacinth

[perlukafarinn]

This has been done a million times before and no one asked but I decided to rank the songs from Nerdy Prudes Must Die.

Let's go Nighthawks!

15. Cool As I Think I Am

I actually do love this song but when I listen to the full album, it’s one of only two songs I sometimes skip. The sound of it is very sweet, just like Pete, and it’s a great song to establish his character and his conflict in stepping outside his set social role (also props for originating the “I’m not a loser” refrain that repeats several times throughout the show to great effect). It’s just maybe not as exciting as the rest of the songs on the list.

14. Bully the Bully

Very catchy and fun, and the “cool beans” verse holds a special place in my heart (as do Grace’s little spins). Half the fun of it are the (very cute) dance moves which makes this song a little less effective when just listening to it. I love the guitar riffs and hearing all the nerds teaming up and happy for the only scene in the entire show.

13. Bury the Bully

I don’t usually prefer the shorter reprise but this song is too unhinged for me not to love it. Some highlights: Grace’s immediate acceptance of the situation and detailed knowledge in disposing of a body (and the casual “how else he gonna fit?” like she’s not suggesting something absolutely psychotic), “oh god, she’s snapping again”, Ruth coming around faster than the rest of the nerds because she’s apparently only slightly less unhinged than Grace, the discordant slamming on the piano keys after every “hack all his limbs off”.

12. Dirty Dudes Must Die

Would be much higher if only it were longer. This was the heel-face turn I was waiting for and Angela absolutely kills it, the deranged energy is off the charts. Grace singing “who will pray for you” and pointing at the audience gives me chills as does that final “run”. It feels like another story is just beginning.

11. Go Go Nighthawks!

I love all the sounds in this song - the beats that sound like lockers closing, the school band drums and trumpets, the jocks grunting and the “caw caws” from the cheerleaders. They add so much and convey such a strong sense of the setting, a must for a show that doesn’t really have any sets lmao. Also, fuck Clivesdale!

10. The Best of You

This song is just super cute and it makes me happy to listen to - Lautski own my entire heart, I can’t help it. Many have pointed out the Disney channel sound of it but it also reminds me a lot like those mid 2000s pop punk British boybands (think McFly and Busted) and I think that was deliberate with the British accent Joey and Mariah put on a couple of the lines. Anyway, I love how overwhelmingly bright and happy this song sounds, because it almost rounds back to sinister as you just know this can’t be the end of the show - we don’t get endings this happy in Hatchetfield!

9. Just For Once

This is the other song I sometimes skip but only because it’s five minutes long and such a character piece that I’m not always in the mood for it. Lauren blows me away with her ability to perform in character. That switch from Ruth’s amateur acting in the verses to the more sincere chorus is so beautiful. And that ending, oof. “I used to dance”, gets me every time.

8. Hatchet Town

I love a good mob song and this is an all time favorite for me. The Hatchetverse has been successful in establishing a multitude of interesting side characters that make the world feel lived in and that really pays off here; the song works if you don’t know most of the characters but it’s so much better if you do. 

This is the first scene in the show that expands the story outside the school and the characters there, and it makes the danger feel all the more pressing, especially with how frantic and sinister it sounds. It’s also endlessly quotable; in a way, aren’t we all Dan Reynolds (with Action News, weekdays at 10 PM)?

7. Dirty Girl

Seems like I’m a much bigger fan of this song than many but I could never resist a musical theater song about sex. I love how weird and gross this song is while also containing some masterful lyrics. I love this bizarre look at sex through Grace’s warped, sheltered worldview. Most of all, I love that this is the first time we hear the line “will you pray for me” in the show and every time it appears after it’s in a wildly different context.

6. Cool As I Think I Am (Reprise) 

This song makes me cry and I’m not afraid to admit it. It's the way Pete starts the song being so brave and so gentle as he convinces Steph to make an impossible choice, how they come together in the middle of it, finally completely honest with each other about their feelings, and how at the end the song slows as they’re both overwhelmed by the tragedy of the situation. “I’d have to let you go” let me go curl up and cry for a week, maybe.

5. High School Is Killing Me

A killer intro (heh). This is how you set the mood for a show! The slow start with Richie and Ruth is perfect and then the beat kicks in and I ascend to a higher level. A really strong aspect of the songs in this show are the harmonies and we get some incredible ones here - they sound so good together. This may also be the catchiest song on the soundtrack.

4. The Summoning

Oh my god this song!! First the intro with the chant, the trio’s bright voices underscored by the creepy whispers in the background, and then the descent into immediate chaos as soon as the Lords enter. I guess this is more of a “theatrical” song in that it’s not really something you listen to out of context of the musical but it works so incredibly well in context. Hearing all five of the lords together and taunting our protagonists is so insanely good. And I love how this song works musically, too, with the guitars and drums in the louder parts almost battling it out with the piano in the slower parts. Jeff Blim really popped off with this one.

3. Literal Monster

God, the foreboding atmosphere in this song is unmatched. The incredible build-up to our antagonist, managing to make a believable threat out of a cliched high school bully. Kim Whalen belting “He roars, and we cry” lives rent free in my mind. And then Will Branner shows up and lives up to every single expectation instantly. 

2. Nerdy Prudes Must Die

Extremely basic opinion to think this song is great (the real unpopular take might be that it’s only number two) but what do you want me to say? That the similarities to the Halloween theme don’t make me wanna clap my hands with glee? That the music and lyrics don’t both absolutely slap? (“Will you pray for me” I will give you my entire life actually) That Jon Matteson belting “I’m not a loser” might not be the single greatest moment in the entire show? This is why they invented musical theater. I will take no further questions.

1. If I Loved You

Look I am Lautski trash, I will fully admit that, but this song is also just a bop. It’s the most fun song in the show to sing along to, by a mile. It is young, stubborn love boiled down to its most entertaining bits. It is two people almost coming together but missing each other by a hair and that hair is having too much pride to be the first to admit you’ve got a crush. This song has drama, it has fun, it has two characters vehemently denying their feelings for each other while insisting the other only deserves the best. “Don’t need a lover boy, need a lover man” marry me, Mariah Rose. How about that? Also, Joey Richter’s improvement as a singer has been severely underappreciated and this song shows his voice off perfectly. 

I am ranting but that’s because I cannot coherently express how much I love this song. In a soundtrack filled with nothing but hits, this one hits me right in the heart. 

#nerdy prudes must die #npmd #starkid #found this in my google docs #i wrote it like two months ago and i don't remember why i didn't post it then #i'm not 100% sure i still fuck with this ranking but it's close enough that i don't feel like changing it

[mundoscorner]

talking at night Claire Daverly

I love to read book reviews so why not give it a stab. 

There were moments this book was nearly perfect and there were moments it felt like every other book I had read. And there was comfort in that — knowing exactly how the story would end but still wanting to know how it gets there. 

I thought while reading this book, I sort of wish I was the type of person to annotate books. And not in the facetious, highlight anything Connell Waldron says, but in the reading a line so many times it’s almost memorized and I wish I could hold onto that way.

“You don’t live your life the way you should. You never speak out, to anyone, least of all your mother, who frankly could do with being put straight. You don’t sing, anymore. You deny yourself everything.”

I guess, there is something to be said that I wanted to review this book. It even made me re-download tumblr so that I'd have a platform larger than my journal. Put my thoughts into paper and let the record reflect that I read it and I enjoyed it and make my piece known. And shouldn't all "good" books do that? make you have thoughts so strong you need to share them with a friend or two? 

At times, the book touched me very deeply. And sadly. I don’t know if it was emotionally poignant, or just a carefully-selected string of words strung together very nicely. I think sometimes authors get a line in their head, and they almost construct moments and scenes or even full characters around that one memorable, quotable sentence.

The main character and her mother have a very real relationship, more real than any other in the book, despite the book being a romance. There’s a part where after years of resentment and resignedness and words left unsaid, Rosie (in her thirties) finally gets a dig in at her mother. I found myself cheering for the daughter, goading her on, begging her to finally say something, anything to her mom, to let her know how she failed her, left her alone despite being always there. And one voice crack later, and a “why are you doing this Rosie, I wasn’t that terrible of a mom” later, I found myself sick with sadness for the mother, who’s whole life changed because she was a mother, and who probably did really try her best despite it all. And Rosie backs off, just as I did, just as I so often do. And so, for obvious reasons, I felt that interaction deep in my bones. I also felt a sick sort of vindication that yes — this sphere of emotions I feel for my mom is not insular to me, that the complicated relationship between mother and daughter is not a tired, exhaustive trope but one that still brings me comfort and a sense of being seen and heard. An echo of my own withholdings and voice catchings and frustrations towards the most intimate relationship any of us will ever have.

I suppose I've read this a few weeks ago now, and I'm still thinking of it with a certain sense of fondness. It was, at any rate, a nice break from the world of faeries and Emily Henry wannabees.

Rating: 3/5

Claire and Anna if you've read this all - ILY.

#book review

[mysticbeaver]

what's your favorite line of dialogue from kevin in the show? and fave of rolf's? i think kevin is really funny super quotable. one line that always stands out to me is when he randomly says "POTENT", probably in response to eddy getting hurt or embarrassing himself. i can only remember him saying it once but its such a weird thing to yell out. then with rolf mine's gotta be "rolf sees through your husky boy masquerade". its too good.

I think Kevin only says "potent" that one time but it's a really good choice! It almost sounds like a fancy word for a 12 year old, did hear that from Edd or something haha. Or did he scroll through a dictionary to find other words to shout like "dork" and "choice"? (On a sidenote I feel I could just start just saying "choice" or "that's choice" in posts and comments shshsh)

"Nazz thinks I'M a dork. How can something so righteous be so wrong, man?" I don't even know how to interpret it. What's righteous? The fact Nazz thinks he's a dork? Cause she's right ��� Also some of his dork puns "I don't know what you're dorkin' about". And some of his sarcastic remarks get much funnier when you put it into context of him just being 12. Like in the restaurant scam "I'm ordering the barf bag" geez Kev tone it down 🤣

Also in BPS when he calls Eddy's bro "Hey, bro guy!" Dunno why It's just funny to me, like he doesn't even know how to adress him.

For Rolf it's impossible to decide, you know... His voice alone is hilarious, even just the funny noises he makes. The "husky boy" line is sooo good cause Rolf's wisdom makes him see right through people's attitudes, (which is why he calls Eddy that "half-man-half-woman" remark...)

Right now I'm thinking of an episode I saw not long ago, Urban Ed where he says "The city air is thick like Nano's toenail". Not necessarily the line itself, but the delivery just kills me every time.

It's oddly... camp? If that's the right word, I don't know how to describe it 😅

Another one is in "Dueling Eds" when he describes the cucumber suit. "The fittings were excruciating... but that's another story". Again the delivery is just *chef's kiss* (like all of the voice actors, really). That delivery again...

And finally, "Shall Rolf rub Kevin's belly with the oil of fermented figs?" Damn Rolf, that's gay

Thanks for the ask, hoping this answer was good enough hah 🥴

#asks #ed talk #eene kevin #eene rolf

[heathtrash]

i made some new ringtones recently!

there's just something so funny about 98 Mildred saying "EXTREME" so that had to be one!

i was rewatching raquel's doctor who episodes and the "singing campfire songs" line came up and it made me lose my mind. miranda cleaves pls

also almost every constance line is quotable but i thought this worked so well

they are all uploaded to the tww ringtones folder for android and iphone - feel free to listen and download any you like!

(when discord starts letting us have audio clips in voice chat, you can bet i'm going to put all these in our tww discord server!)

#tww ringtones #heathtrash makes #the worst witch #mildred hubble #constance hardbroom #miranda cleaves

[micromekas]

Finished a re-read of Atomic Robo and it cemented Dr. Dinosaur as my favorite character ever. And not just because of the chaos! But the chaos helps, he is hilarious and every single one of his lines is extremely quotable. mild spoilers ahead btw

And somehow he is still a competent scientist, possibly moreso than Robo in some ways! He can time travel, kind of! I would really love to see him become kind of a respected member of the scientific community, which he would do just to piss off Robo. Hell, he already just seems to have been accepted by Tesladyne like "yeah I guess he nuked Robo into the past that one time. Anyway"

Also, he's like... the complete opposite to Robo in many ways? Which almosts makes him more a true nemesis than even, let's say, Helsingard. Going past the obvious future Robot/ancient Dinosaur opposition, their tech is massively different (lab equipement that is sometimes a gun v.s. kitchen appliances combined with Integral Crystals), but most importantly their personalities. Robo keeps his cool for as long as possible, keeps up the witty banter, and always try to stay ahead with an improvised plan while Dr. D gets angry immediately, has the weirdest banter along the zorth axis, and his plans... definitely exist sometimes, but never past step 2 except for the time bomb. Once he also crashed a science fair with seemingly no plan other than to wreck shit up.

And Robo hates that. He is used to fighting other smart, collected individuals that answer somewhat predictably with a clear goal. And his tactic of bantering and listening to the monologue while he engineers the solution usually works, because he knows what to expect of the average mad scientist. But against Dr. D, he gets confused, angry and frustrated at the complete nonsense the saurian keeps throwing at him. He puts him completely off his game.

So anyway I kind of hope their team-up lasts, these two interacting gives me life. Also I hope one day we learn Dr. D's true origin story, because as Robo pointed out, the current one makes absolutely no sense. or maybe we won't!

#atomic robo #dr dinosaur

[the-rewatch-rewind]

New episode! Script below the break

Hello and welcome back to the Rewatch Rewind! My name is Jane, and this is the podcast where I talk about my most frequently rewatched movies after 20 years of keeping track. Today I will be discussing my 37th most watched movie: Act III Communications’ 1987 fantasy adventure comedy The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner, written by William Goldman based on his novel, and starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, and Mandy Patinkin.

This is another film like Mary Poppins that I’m not even sure I have to summarize, I feel like it’s so deeply ingrained in popular culture that anyone who is even vaguely familiar with the concept of movies knows Princess Bride. Even if you somehow haven’t seen it, you’ve almost certainly heard it quoted: I mean, it’s got “Inconceivable!” and “As you wish” and “Mawaige” and of course “Hello, my name is Iñigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!” among many many other extremely quotable lines.

But, just in case you’ve forgotten what it’s about, let me explain…No, there is too much. Let me sum up. The Princess Bride is a story being read to a boy (Fred Savage) by his grandfather (Peter Falk) and tells of the beautiful young woman Buttercup (Robin Wright) and her handsome farm boy Westley (Cary Elwes), whose love overcomes a plethora of obstacles, including pirates, kidnappers, eels, cliffs, swords, poison, fire, quicksand, large rodents, a sadistic 6-fingered count, a torture machine, and a prince who wants to marry but also murder Buttercup.

This movie used to be on TV all the time when I was young, so I remember catching bits and pieces of it a lot, but I can’t recall exactly when I first watched it all the way through. The main first impressions I remember are being terrified of the ROUSes (rodents of unusual size) and not really understanding what was going on. But I know I had figured it out and grown to appreciate it well before I started tracking the movies I watched. Once I started keeping track, I saw it once in 2003, once in 2004, twice in 2005, once in 2006, twice in 2007, once in 2008, twice in 2009, and once each in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2021: 15 times total.

If you’ve listened to my previous episodes, you may be wondering how on earth I’m going to argue that The Princess Bride is not a romantic film, and the answer is…I’m not. Though there is a lot of non-romantic stuff going on throughout the movie, I think we can all agree that the extremely romantic love between Westley and Buttercup is the main driving force of the story. And that’s okay, I’m not anti-romance simply because I’m aromantic; I’m anti-amatonormativity, the idea that every human wants and needs a long-term romantic partner. And while The Princess Bride is a love story, it is not amatonormative. None of the other characters besides Westley and Buttercup seem to be looking for romance, even though they are extremely well developed and do have clear objectives. Iñigo (Mandy Patinkin) wants to avenge the death of his father; Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) wants power; Fezzik (Andre the Giant) wants to be useful; Count Rugen (Christopher Guest) wants to torture people; and even Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon) only wants to get married so he can start a war over the death of his bride. Granted, not all of these are presented as good objectives, but at no point is it suggested that any of these characters should abandon their quests and instead search for romance. A significant amount of screen time is devoted to loving but platonic friendship, especially the one between Iñigo and Fezzik, which is fun and beautiful. The camaraderie between them and Westley when the three join forces is a major highlight of the film. Of course, it’s all in pursuit of romance (and vengeance), but that doesn’t diminish the strength of their friendship. Obviously no one can deny that a major recurring theme of the film is that true love (which is generally implied to be inherently romantic) is the greatest thing in the world, besides a nice MLT – a mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich – which I assume is that world’s version of cake or garlic bread and Miracle Max is an ace icon, but anyway. My point is that the movie emphasizes that the kind of love between Westley and Buttercup is rare. If you find it, you should hold onto it, but not everybody is going to find it, so don’t sit and wallow in self-pity or despair if you don’t. And this is kind of how I always thought of romance for myself, before I knew that being aromantic was a thing. It would be great if I happened to find it, but if not, there are other things to focus on. So amatonormativity and its consequences – people desperately trying to find a partner, any partner, just to have one; expressions of pity toward single people; etc – really confused me. As did the knowledge, once I figured it out, that most people enjoy romantic movies because of the romance, and not despite it, as I eventually realized I was almost subconsciously doing. Like the kid hearing this story, I tolerate the kissing parts if the rest of the story draws me in enough, which Princess Bride absolutely does. The grandpa telling him “someday you might not mind so much” about kissing rather than something like “someday you will like kissing” was almost certainly not intended to fight amatonormativity, but we can choose to see it that way. The fact that the kid wants to hear about the kissing at the end could be interpreted as “he’s finally growing up and accepting that romance is part of life”; but, it can also be interpreted as, “he’s so into the story that he’ll put up with the kissing at the end so it doesn’t go unfinished,” and that I relate to. I also appreciate that the movie ends with the grandpa saying “As you wish” to his grandson. By echoing the way Westley said “I love you” to Buttercup, the grandfather is implying that those two different kinds of love are equal, refusing to play along with the amatonormative idea that romantic love is far superior to any other form of love.

While I’m sure that a lot of people do watch The Princess Bride at least partly for the romance, I think that unlike many romantic films, the reasons I enjoy it are also the main reasons most other people enjoy it. The script is clever, quotable, and fun; the characters are eclectic and fascinating and perfectly brought to life by fabulous actors; and the tone is unique. Apart from the scenes in the kid’s bedroom, what we’re seeing is not the actual story; we’re seeing what the kid pictures as he’s hearing the story, which is such a cool way to tell it. Everything feels larger-than-life, but in an honest, pure way that makes it feel realistic even in its absurdity. The Princess Bride is a delightful blend of a child’s imagination and an experienced storyteller’s writing skills, and I think that is a major contributor to its enduring popularity, even if most of its fans wouldn’t necessarily articulate it that way. It lives in that elusive space between childhood and adulthood where both children and adults feel at home, and therefore love to revisit. I read the book the movie is adapted from once as a teenager, and I remember being struck by how, even though many of the plot points had changed, the humor and tone were perfectly consistent between the novel and the film, which made it, in my opinion, an extremely faithful adaptation. Of course this makes sense because William Goldman wrote both, and Rob Reiner, the film’s director, was a big fan of the book. But often novel-to-feature-film adaptations get so focused on figuring out how to shorten the story without omitting important plot points that they lose sight of the heart of the original story. That absolutely did not happen here, and that’s a big part of why so many people love this movie. Sure, the plot points are interesting, but we’re really here for the unique comedic tone that was taken directly from the book. Changing the sharks to eels and eliminating the Zoo of Death were no big deal, but trying to tell the story without witty jokes simply would not have worked.

I think of all the movies I’ll be talking about on this podcast, The Princess Bride is the one I’ve watched the most in large groups. Most of my movie watching has been done at home, maybe with a few family members or friends, and I’ve certainly watched this one that way as well, but I remember seeing it several times at big movie night events. While I’ve definitely encountered people who don’t love it and think it’s overrated, most people I know are always up for a Princess Bride rewatch. And because of its wide appeal and quotable script, it’s very fun to see with a big crowd. While I’m too young to have seen it in a theater when it was first released, I did go to a 30th anniversary screening in 2017, which was awesome. My favorite part of that experience was after Buttercup hears that Westley’s ship has been captured by the Dread Pirate Roberts, who famously takes no prisoners, and says, “I will never love again,” a kid sitting behind me muttered, “Well THAT seems a little extreme” and I’ve been laughing about it ever since.

In addition to crowded viewings themselves, just being familiar with this movie in general has been a very social experience. As a teenager who loved old Hollywood and frequently referenced movies most kids my age had never heard of (I know the movies I’ve talked about here so far are fairly well-known, but just wait), it was fun to be able to bring up this one and have most people know what I was talking about for once. A few years ago I got to participate in a Princess Bride script reading with some friends, and I read for Vizzini and a few other minor characters, and it was so fun! I kept losing my place because I was so caught up watching everybody else. The joy of reading this excellent script with other people who also love the movie cannot be expressed in words. Also, a former coworker of mine LOVES this movie, and we used to quote it to each other all the time when we worked together. At one point everyone in our office got these “mood indicators,” which were desk calendar looking booklets where every page had a different emotion and a colorful emoji-style face on it – I guess to give people who approached our desks a heads up on how we were doing that day? I’m not sure how other people used theirs, but this coworker liked to cut out post-it notes in the shape of hair and various props and speech bubbles to add to them, so the ones in our department would quote bits of Princess Bride, mostly parts of the scene when Fezzik keeps rhyming with Iñigo and winding up Vizzini. I’ll post pictures I took of them on Tumblr – have I mentioned that this podcast has a Tumblr? It’s the-rewatch-rewind. The link will be in the show notes. I know most people stopped using Tumblr a while ago but it’s still my favorite social media platform, so that’s where I’ve been putting the transcripts of this podcast.

Anyway, while 15 is a lot of times to watch a movie, it feels like I’ve watched Princess Bride way more than that in the last 20 years, partly because of how frequently it comes up in life. Some films are more memorable than others, and this one leaves a deep impression every time I revisit it, so each viewing feels like multiple. I’m also still noticing new things about it – it took me until writing this episode to appreciate the humor of the man with the extra finger being a count. Obviously, the movie isn’t perfect; it could certainly use more female characters and racial diversity, for a start. But overall I think it deserves its popularity and devoted followers. It’s a well-told story with an excellent sense of humor featuring an ensemble of fascinating characters; what’s not to love?

Thank you for listening to me discuss another of my most-rewatched movies! Remember to rate and review, and subscribe or follow on your podcast platform of choice if you’re enjoying this and want to hear more. Next episode will be the first one to feature a movie that was made after I started keeping track, so stay tuned to hear about something a little more recent. As always, I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “I don’t have a skull. Or bones.”

#rewatch rewind #princess bride

[popculturebuffet]

Indy Prelude: Carl Barks; The Seven Cities of Cibola! (Comissioned by WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy adventuerers!

Since I last covered duck comics. While Disney Ducks built this fine institution the fact is other disney properties, other cartoons and comics in general, and general nonsense have simply take up more of my time. But it's always good to return home and just in time as this is also a prelude to something duck adjacent. a franchise that may not exist without good ole scrooge mcduck.

Yup just in time for Dial of Destiny we're taking a look at the indiana jones film quintology! From one of the most loved films of all time with too many quotable lines to count and more nazi's turned to goo than you can shake a staff of ra at, to it's divsive followup featuring the most iconic heart ripping in human history, a future oscar winner, and the directors wife, to the film almost as iconic as the original with sir sean connery, holy grails and more nazis, and all the way into that fourth film what people don't like to talk about with nuclear explosions, greasers, communists and actual cannibal Shia Lebouf, cumulating in a film I.. don't have a ton of antedotes about because it hasn't come out yet? Indy punches a protester and deals with the horrifying consequences of age and america working with the nazis? I dunno, i'm just excited, kev's excited and hopefully you are.

I'm dead serious about Scrooge being part of the reason Indy exists though. While sadly not coming up in the fablemans, though likely because it might've been a bit too much of a LOOK LOOK SEE THE THING THAT WILL MAKE HIM FAMOUS LATER moment the film honestly avoided so I can respect the decision, Young Stevie was a huge fan of Scrooge McDuck, to the point his future succesful self did a forward for one of the many carl barks collections. It's not the only influence and i'm sure as I research Raiders, i'll no doubt find tons more direct ones, but it is a notable one that gets brought up quite a bit and it's easy to see why: Scrooge too is a globetrotting adventurer who has a successful day job (If a far less modest one), cares deeply about the history of what he finds, is a tad gruff, verbally pars with most love intrests, and takes the quick solution when it makes sense, so it's easy to see the compassions. The two are still different enough: Indy isn't in it for the money, generally adventures because he has to not for the thrill like scrooge, and Scrooge's only child we know of isn't a massive embarrassment, but you can still see how it left a mark and see Barks attention to culture, love of slow adventure, and humor in Indy.

That and one certain scene we'll get into in the comic is the direct inspiration for one of the most iconic scenes in film history.. but we'll get for that. For now we're taking a look at one fo the most legendary stories in the duck canon and seeing how it holds up, this is the Seven Citeis of Cibola!

We begin with what you all came to see

It's a neat enough visual gag and a reminder to me that most scrooge stories.. really didn't open with the big splash pages i'm used to in comics nor an actual story title

Though Barks still makes the best of it with the sight gag of Scrooge lieterally bathing in money. The setup to this one is brilliant too: Scrooge reflects on the fact he's got his feathers in just about every industry imaginable. Cannaries, Fisheries, Newspapers, Horse Races, Bibble Removal, Steam Cleaning, Steamed Hams, baseball, both kinds of football, mega football, calvinball, horeshoes, unicorn shoes, abestos, tabacco, cultural apporiation, robots, Goat Cheese Pizza, getting the cool shoeshine universal solvent, fishmobabywhirlmagigs, Spam, Crackers and Milk, Breaking Cat News, allen wrenches, gerbil feeders, toilet seats, electric heaters, trash compactors, juice extractor, shower rods, water meters, walke-talkies, copper wires, saftey googles, radial tiers, bb pellets, rubber mallets, fans , dehumidifiers, picture hangers, paper cutters, waffle irons, window shutters, paint removers, window louves, masking tape, plastic gutters, kitchen faucets, folding tables, weather stripping, jumper cables, hooks and tackle, grout and spackle, power fogers, spoons and ladles, pesticides for fumigation, high peformance lubircation, metal roofing, water proofing, multi purpose insulation, air compressors, brass connectors, wrecking chisels, smoke detectors, tire gagues, hamster cages, thermostats, bug deflectors, trailer hitch demagntizers, automatic circumciers, tennis rackets, angle brackets, Duracells and energizers, soffit panels, circuit brakers, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers, calculators, generators, maatching salt and pepper shakers, horse dewormer, fighting gold, repulsor technology, pym particles, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosiiiiiiiissssssss, flying pigs, wild pigs, pigssssss innnnnn spaccceeeeeee, wilkins coffee, islands that walk like men, mood slime, chainsaws, saftey films, toner, donald duck abuse, Yoghurt Platinum, Clubmarine, Saltweens, Disco Dairy, Disco Duck, Lard, Trash Bag Wrestling, Superfast Jellyfish, The Gizmonic Institute, Cloning deboning, dethroning, stupid nintendo games, Rusty Shackleford, Molten Boron, SCTV, Squakabilly Taxi's, An Automatic Man, Wells for Boys, Flight Rings, decoder rings, olvatine, Krakoan Gates, Sealabs, Underwater Motor Scooters, Sex Bombs, Good Guy Dolls, The Last cult, Krustyburger,Chalk Tablet Towers, nerderotica, underwear, money, fat, hank.

The problem is he's got no more worlds to conquer: He's invested in everything, and thus can't make money on a NEW venture. Barks gets some great gags out of this too with Scrooge trying and failing to buy Gyro's newest gadget and a peanut stand, only to find out he OWNS both. It really shows that despite his horrifying wealth and influence.. scrooge can't ENJOY it. To him the fun's in the chase. The having's nice too, but the world just dosen't feel the same if there isn't another rainbow to chase, something I get as a book and film collector. It's great to have, but the looking is just as fun. It's something i'm sure most can relate to especially us nerds.

Thankfully Donald and the Boys just happen to drive by: their hunting arrow heads for 50 cents a piece over in the desert for Crazy Harry's House of Cultural Approritaion. That's Crazy Harry, the man with a snake on his face.

As you can guess this story has some dated bits: while Arrowheads are still treasured, I have one my grandpa gave me, it's not nearly as kosher to sell artifacts of someones' culture for fun and profit. Even as far back as 1980 Indy himself was doing it more for the joy of history and famously said it belongs in a museum.. and evne that's starting to slip as I saw on John Oliver last year. You can find his piece bellow.

And of course they use the i word instead of native americans or indegenous peoples.

Which is annoying , but not suprising.

So our heroes go looking for Arrowheads out in the generic desert. Weirdly for Carl Barks this Desert.. isn't a specific place. There's just suddenly a giant desert outside Duckburg. I didn't notice when reading the story for this review as Barks still packs in nice detail and makes it feel real, with our heroes having to conserve water, brave dust storms and track using realistic methods where tribes may of hunted their game. For the record it was the Pueblo who were linked to this, primarily settling in new mexico. I normally woudln't be this harsh on research, I got that bit from wikipedia after all, but given both how much Barks was lauded for it and how much care he usually puts in, it's weird to see him drop the ball a bit

At any rate our heroes soon find a trail and along it some treasures they take in to town to get examined. The curator there reveals their from The Seven Cities of Cibola, seven cities made of gold and gleaming with treasure, similar to EL Dorado, based on real life rumors about lost cities that turned out to be adobe huts, something Donald brings up. Barks does find a clever way for the myth to still be true, and a shockingly modern one: given the people who found it were conquistadors and heard it through rumors, it makes sense that the people they were conquering and mistreating wouldn't tell them where the city REALLY was. It's not phrased that way, but it's still brilliant.

So our heroes decide, well Scrooge and the Boys decide Donald is just sorta swept along by the tide as usual, to go after the city, figuring the trail leads there. THey stop at a diner for some nondescript hamburgers.. and end up evedroppsed on as nearbye the Beagle Boys are kicked out of an Aid for the Poor Center for welfare fraud and are told hey hey why don't you get a job, which has aged like fine milk on the sidewalk. They naturally follow scrooge smelling money and trail our heroes. I do like the Beagle Boys Inc t-shirts they wear in this shirt, before beagle boys inc was bought by feel good inc in the mid 2000's.

Once our heroes get going Barks DOES make up for his previous non-descriptness as he cites actual locations along the trail such as big bluff and the colorado river. We also get a nice tone: normally the adventure is scrooge dragging our heroes along and being a real dick but here there's a real sense of camradery and excitment ala ducktales 2017. The boys gladly use their guidebook to help while Scrooge uses his experince, the guidebook finding them shade. Eventaully it can only go so far and they end up lost, as do their persuers. They refill the canteens but eventuallyt heir dry. It's a nice showing of the dangers of the desret and the realisim Barks really likes to use in his stories. These may be cartoon ducks but they can die just like anyone else… except of old age but you know

Our heroes fortunes don't get better when the beagles blindsight them.. but plan to just up and leave, having had enough fo the desert and having NOT stocked up on water due to being too busy persuing scrooge, leaving our heroes free to persue the cities unabated.. but near death if they do'nt find water soon. Thankfully they find an old spanish galleon and more importantly

That said I do love Donald's expression here. Barks is a master at those. It does provide our heroes with a way forward, as the logbook details both the ships survivors meeting people clad in gold and a clue about the way the ships pointing at long last our heroes reach the seven cities.. and the sight is truly gorgeous.

And inside are countless treasures, a great sequence as we see pools of coins, ruby arrowheads and most importantly an emerald statue.. set on a trap. Yes this is where the parts Indy homages come in, as it's also on a weight trap, though a far more elaborate one that will destroy the city if activated. IT's clever adn I can see why speilberg and lucas reused it and i'ts diffrent enoguh in the indy version to work as Indy tries to actually take the statue and uses clever manuvering.

At any rate we get to the climax and.. this is where the story falls apart for me: it starts well enough: the beagle boys show up, throw our heroes in a bricked up prison and star tlooting..a nd naturally stupidly trigger the trap leading to the second half of the equation for INdy's iconic opening

But again done diffrently.. with indy we actaully SEE it chase him, so Speilberg got the clear diffrence between inspiration and outright theft. He took the basic idea but made something fresh with it.

The ending… is what really weakens the story for me: everyone gets amnesia, no one remembers and the city remains buried, with scrooge not willing to go back for measly arrowheads. This ending… is all kinds of dumb. For one Scrooge talked to the professor man, he might follow up, and two.. ther'es no real reason for it. I get not wanting a white idiot to loot a fantastic city, that part's fine. Everything about the climax works … except the amnesia part. Yes scrooge could dig, but he could also damage everything or there could be nothing left. The amnesia seems tacked on because Barks coudln't be bothered to come up with an actual reason why Scrooge woudln't go back, when the trail coudl've been lost in a storm or something or the beagle boys destroyed it on the way so while Scrooge gets resuced, he has no way back. There are other ways.

Overall the Seven Cities of Cibola is a decent outing. It has a LOT of good stuff, the slow methodical apporach with little action but a lot of intrigue, the gorgeous city, and the threat not being fantastic traps or anythin gbut simply the heat and environment, and the comedy is on point, with Scrooge going from hunting arrowheads to hunting a lost city all wrapping together. Again it's really the amnesia ending that hurts it: without it this would easily be one of my favirotie scrooge tales, a well done caper that again is shockingly slow paced, but in a delebrate well done way. The ending just drops it a few knotchs in my eyes. It's still worth a look, just temper your expectations>

Next Time: Dun dunnn dunn dunn dunn, dun dunn dunn dun dun dun dun dunnn dunn dunn da da da da, da da da da dun dun dun dun da da da, dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnn!

#indiana jones #carl barks #scrooge mcduck #donald duck #disney #the seven cities of cibola #huey duck #dewey duck #louie duck #the beagle boys #stephen spielberg

[tortoisebore]

love your rambles love <3 what about their favorite movies/shows?

oooooo this is a good one

for movies i think remus would enjoy historical type stuff, so period pieces and war movies and all that. he'd talk about 1917 for weeks after seeing it. he's a wes anderson girlie too & he loved the french dispatch so much he bought a poster online & hung it in the living room. pride & prejudice is just always on in the background & he had to buy another DVD bc he watched the other one so much that it just...,.didn't work anymore. anna karenina with kiera knightly is one of his favorites, and it was the first movie he & sirius watched together (it's now in sirius' top ten movies of all time). he'd also force sirius to watch les mis even though it's like four hours long & by the end they're both crying.

on that note, sirius is a musical-adaptation girlie. he saw the phantom of the opera with gerard butler at a formative age and the rest was history. he dragged james to see la la land in theaters eight times in two weeks. remus makes him watch les mis & he's really put out about it until 'valjean's soliloquy' and then he just cries for the next two hours. but he's also a secret sci-fi and suspense stan, so he'd be a little bit in love with christopher nolan and inception would be one of his favorite movies. he watched interstellar once with regulus and never will again because it sent him on a two day emotional spiral & remus was worried. he's going to be first in line for oppenheimer. he & remus bookclubbed dune before it came out & they saw it three times the first week after the premiere. he's 75% in love with jordan peele & will physically harm anyone that thought nope was his worst movie.

they both love a good comedy and rom com, though, and movie night is usually something like bridget jones or she's the man. they quote mean girls back and forth constantly and remus does a really good impression of jane lynch in 'another cinderella story.' they have a framed picture of jennifer coolidge in the living room and two copies of legally blonde on DVD. sirius also bought it on amazon prime, just in case.

i think they'd do a lot of tv shows together, so their tastes kind of intermingle. remus leans toward quotable comedies like parks & rec and new girl, maybe friends if he's in the right mood. sirius likes the dark and dry comedies, like fleabag and what we do in the shadows. remus would want to watch stuff like the queen's gambit and the great (he enjoys it but cuts in every twenty seconds with 'this isn't actually what happened, you know' and sirius is like 'yes baby i know it's just a show') and sirius would want to try things like pen15

but their mutual favorite show and the place where their tastes intersect perfectly is arrested development. it's stupid and hilarious and quotable & they talk about it constantly. none of their friends except for peter have seen it so when they're out as a group it's just remus and sirius and peter going back and forth about 'beads???' and 'there's always money in the banana stand' and 'family love michael.' it's really annoying to everyone else & they can't even really explain where the quotes come from because it's all one big long running joke in the show that doesn't even make sense anymore.

like, they're out for brunch on saturday and the place has a french toast plate called "mr. frenchy" and remus goes "🎶mr. F🎶" and then sirius almost spits mimosa all over the table & it's coming out of his nose and peter chokes on a piece of cantaloupe and falls out of his chair. and everyone else at the table is like 😧🫢😟😦 'what the hell' and remus is like 'it....would take too long to explain.' and peter is on the ground and sirius is crying when the waiter comes back to take their orders & james just goes 'we're gonna need another minute'

#u ask tortoise answers #anon #tortoise writes a novel ab an ask for no reason #<- that's the ramble tag #if u want the rambles go there #me projecting my love of arrested development on them #bc i also quote it constantly #and nobody ever gets it

[evilmageclub]

29, 20, 7(for inspo):)?

29. Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

wow this is such a hard question.. i just had a little skim through the 4 things i posted this year and there are too many contenders (none as short as a line or a passage) but im gonna say this from the false rings chapter 6 flashback. not as grounded in moment to moment sensations as the stuff i tend to like about my writing but i think it is a neat little summary of why the flashbacks are there in the fic

They had been at war for ten years. It felt like nothing—was nothing, a single dark blot on the most recent page of millennia still being written. Samot’s task, as he viewed it then, was to conquer finality itself… so he would not, and could not, believe in permanent damage. Whether it was Samol’s tired disapproval across his living room couch, or Samothes’ larynx splintering under his teeth on some forsaken battlefield—passing passion, passing cruelty. Or perhaps an adult Maelgwyn sitting in a war tent clutching that mask too tightly in his lap, with a patch of stubble on his upper lip as he spoke that almost made him look older than Samot; who in any case had never felt much like a father, though it would take him years more to give up on being one. Samot had spent too long too far removed from Nothing. Before he had teeth to draw blood or a tongue to apologise for it he had known, until time and a cavalcade of mortal loves had made him forget, how all things must end. Only natural that what tormented him most in the hours after Samothes’ death was not that it had happened, but that it could not be undone.  Why this time? Why, among all the endings they had inked into the fabric of history and folded away like keepsakes, did it have to be in a lonely forge by their child’s hand? If he had known. If he had paid more attention to the whispers among his mages or on the city’s canopied streets. If he had known that Tristero had abdicated his throne. If he had known, he would have done it himself and done it right.

there are also a lot of bits i like from the first section of my secsam from last year, which counts as having been posted this year. i had a lot of fun getting lush w the descriptions and sappy about young love

But there is little of the wolf in Samot here, now, as he drains his drink faster than any mindful man should and rises from his seat to look out over the railing. His cloak rests forgotten on the back of his chair, and in its absence the gossamer-silk of his tunic takes flight in the mountain wind, jade and silver flowing forth as he leans forward on tiptoes to take in the view of the city. Yes—Samothes knows he is besotted, and he can conceive of nothing worse than the thought of seeing Samot’s curiosity blunted, his desires turned cold. So he teaches Samot to build towers of stone and beautifully outfitted classrooms, he casts letters in brass and allows his work to be reproduced, disseminated, explicated; he visits mortal bars, and bares himself before Samot’s barbed questions, all of which feels a bit like turning his own skin inside out and hanging it on display for the world to read his soul. Which is to say, of course, that it is unlike anything he has ever felt, and he would lay down his tools and surrender his every creation before letting Samot lose faith in him.

20. Which work of yours have you reread the most?

I don't do a ton of rereading because it leads me down an editing rabbit hole sjdgdf but i have reread many bits of false rings quite a few times because i wanted to keep a degree of continuity and by the time i was on like c6 i had Fully forgotten what i wrote in 2021. sometimes it is good and im pleasantly surprised!!

7. If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

god funnily enough i dont use song lyrics much at all. not a conscious choice but i think my aversion to it comes from the same place as my dislike of quotability used as a measure of writing quality. not a fan of pithy soundbites

but!! the most frequently occurring artists on my samsam playlist are serpentwithfeet, florence and the machine, and the cure (: i did once post and delete (bc it felt underdeveloped, but never fear the same idea got massively elaborated and turned into a flashback in false rings) a samsam fic with title 'i want the sky to fall in' from want by the cure, which is a samot song

#ask game #thank u for asking <33333

[signalwatch]

WA Watch: Asteroid City (2023)

Watched:  07/11/2023

Format:  Amazon Prime

Viewing:  First

Director:  Wes Anderson

So, I was as surprised as anyone else when I looked at Amazon to ponder watching something and up popped the new Wes Anderson movie, Asteroid City (2023).  We don't get out to the theater like we used to, so I was a bit bummed that I wouldn't probably prioritize this with so much else coming out/ lack of time/ lack of money in this economy, etc...

Anyway, apparently I'd also been socking away "credits" on Amazon for purchase of digital services, like movies, so although the movie was pricey to rent or buy vs., say, free or $3.99 for something else, I basically paid nothing for it and now have a digital copy, so... go me, I guess.

It's a curious period to be watching a Wes Anderson movie.  Film Twitter has basically just decided that liking anything is bad, and Wes Anderson is nothing but a collection of well mannered tricks, both visual and in his direction of actors.  That's plainly reductionist and a take I can't take seriously.  

Asteroid City may be the most ambitious Anderson film to date, carrying with it all of the lessons of the prior entries I've seen (which is not all of them).  Framed as a documentary about a play from the very complicated 1950's which also shows the leads of that play recreating the play, the film is communicating on a multitude of levels - with the story of what an imaginary playwright (played by Edward Norton) told about a group of people who have come to a remote locale in the desert for a science camp for teen-sci-fi-geniuses.  I won't get into the issues of the far more normal adults, but they have them.  And then an alien shows up.

But the story Anderson is telling folds in on itself.  This is a dramatized telling of how that play came to be.  

It's a movie that challenges with everything it says and does - from consideration of the careers of the characters in the play, to the concept of the cosmos, to what it means to have a world-changing event happen right in front of you. Especially to a photographer (who is paid to observe and not participate) and an actress who knows how to play emotions more than experience them.  But it's also a movie that feels almost primordial in its location, and some of its allusions.  But, of course, there's a play that has to be acted and completed and understood, and you get the feeling the third layer is Anderson himself, commenting and commenting upon the creation of his work, upon the seeming meaninglessness of it to some, to what it means to make illusions and share them.

More so than even usual, the film is absolutely littered with recognizable name talent in innumerable roles, including walk on parts.  Sure, you have Jason Schwartzman - honestly the best I've ever seen him- and Scarlett Johansson as a mix of a number of Hollywood stars of the 1950's, but an original character altogether.  Tom Hanks plays a minor role as a sonuvabitch father-in-law.  But then there's Hope Davis in a scene with five lines.  And Jeff Goldblum in a faceless, voiceless role.   The IMDB on this is nuts, but we're also now getting the movies that were made during the pandemic when folks had @#$%-all else to go do.  

As always, Anderson gets how just a few things can be hysterical.  Kids, for example.  Or a line delivered just so.  The right visual gag like a dancing road runner.

But, god, this movie is gorgeous.  And, I think, shot on Kodak.  

I'll need to watch it again.  It practically begs for it, but in a way that doesn't feel like homework, like "oh, you need to rewatch it to get it".  Nah, it's easy enough to get.  But it seems like a rewatch would be deeply rewarding, and - of course - give you time and brain space to appreciate what's there all the more.  

But, yeah.  I know there's plenty out there who will focus on the very quotable lines or the visual gags, but, man... you have to appreciate how astoundingly well crafted this movie is on every level.       

https://ift.tt/G3vmfqD

from The Signal Watch https://ift.tt/Pxwamoj

#Wes Anderson #asteroid city #movies #film review #movie reviews

[paperlovesadness]

In regards to Wet Leg, I think the TikTok aspect of it is really kicking. They're ~cool and edgy and sexual and out there and just so fucking *trendy* that it seems almost fake to me. Kinda like Måneskin (who used to be cooler I must admit but now is just another act in the back of the line...)

The very ~edgy cool quotable sexual innuendo easy to memorize~ lyrics do a lot of work too, I think (which, to me, seem so fucking cringe and immature and like, uninspired???)

And the fact that POP-DEITY and all around easy to digest and ~relevant and queer and catering to the right audiences Harry Styles endorsed them so heavily? And the continuous repeated mention of other celebs who love them like Elton John, Dave Grohl and Florence Welch, it's like they're just being pushed super hard in the industry. It seems so rehearsed and put-on. Like a spiel someone has been paid off to say every fucking time.

The Brits themselves must have been eager to have someone young, female and trendy to push forward to stay woke and up to date after the controversy.

Also, the fact that they copied Alex's speech at the Brits, but she hadn't even memorized it? She needed to look at her phone and it seemed so odd? Like why??? And then she stopped? Why begin and not follow through and commit to the bit? Like what was the point? She was trying to say how its amazing to have more women in rock and she chose to quote a speech made by a man dripping with sarcasm who doesn't care about being there?? And then she proclaimed how much it meant to them? Like?? Just, go with either one... She clearly had no fucking clue what he meant with that speech.

Ooh, you've made some really good & interesting points! (Thank you for joining the conversation!)

The more I think about it the more I agree that the 'tiktok potential' aspect may be a huge factor in this.

I saw someone on Twitter use the phrase "fast fashion but in music" - and I think that kind of nails it? There's always been musical trends but now like with everything they're coming and going so much faster than ever before. And with tiktok being able to make a song trend and bring the artist millions of views & streams it's no wonder the industry will gear towards that to get some easy income in. Especially when the songs that do best are literally the most basic easy-to-compose tunes one can think of.

I'm not even very up to date with these things. But I can see some patterns. Like make up a song that's simple, relatable - and like you're saying edgy and (*gasp!*) sexual + very rhythmic (good for edits and jump cuts/transitions) & you've got a potential hit.

"ABCDE-FU" type of shit. Or yeah- some of the new Måneskin songs too. Like BLA BLA BLA and Kool Kids (which were the only two actually unbearable songs on the album to me - but then in shock I found out that they're up in the top of their young fans' favorites)

(I do also agree - I was very much a fan of Måneskin and their previous two albums. They kind of lost that originality though with most ot the tracks on this one. Very much going the fast-fashion-music direction unfortunately)

Harry Styles' support being a big reason also just came to me yesterday as an idea - glad to see someone also thinks this could be a factor. His music isn't my thing - but I can respect it and even say some of the songs I have heard are good. But he's got a crazily dedicated fan base to the point that I believe they'd love and support anything he ever said he liked.

It's exactly the fact that next to them suddenly getting all these awards they've also been getting so much acknowledgement from fellow musicians who make completely different music that made me want to understand. I just feel like I'm missing something here!

Because I can understand getting the little songs stuck in your head or enjoying bopping around to them. But how does that type of song get you "best new discovery" awards & recognition from people like Elton/Dave/Florence???

The point you made about Brits possibly clinging to them as their hip-trendy and female representation is am interesting one too! Quite possible with the scandal they had.

And yeah... That speech... honestly didn't know what to think about it at first. Except how it was almost physically painful watching the awkwardness. It could've been a good idea to do if it had literally and thought and aim behind it. Like is they felt the same way about award shows and the way the industry works as Alex/AM does. They obviously don't though.

If it was meant to be a cheeky little joke-reference then it should've just been that first line (I'd appreciate it that way!). When she continued with it I stopped in my tracks and thought she'll do the full thing as maybe some deeper commentary/statement. But then she cut it off randomly... Strange.

And you're right it did also actually kind of contradict some of the things they added later?

Overall - I've got some ideas but still don't feel much closer to solving this mystery.

But very grateful for what you added! I think we've got a similar view on these things.

Have a great day anon! 🤍

[mildlysardonicthoughtdump]

You know what I miss....

I really miss conversations consisting of equal parts pop culture quotes/references & sardonic mockery.

When I say 'pop culture quotes' I'm not referring to the almost universal but, for the most part, short lived quotes from the likes of The Fast Show, Harry Enfield, Peter Kay, Catherine Tate & whatever Sacha Baron Cohen's latest 'just short enough of offensive to broadcast' character of the month was... whose shows seemed to be simply 'catchphrase generators' meant to give the general public something to shout at each other ad infinitum for a few weeks until they were, inevitably, replaced by the next 'mildly-humorous-at-the time-but-quickly-becoming-annoying' one, two (or if the writers put the coke down long enough...) three word phrase to bounce around the workplace & keep the 'artist' in question relevant enough to beg another season.

No!

I'm talking about the quotes & references from tv shows, books & movies that have become so beloved & iconic, no matter how small the fandom may be, that in certain cases a single word can communicate your love of a particular property to any other fan that happens to be in the vicinity. Say "Shiny" in a packed room with the right inflection & watch the heads of every Browncoat there swivel in your direction. Say "Geronimo" or "Allons y" & you've just let every Whovian in attendance have a brief glimpse into your preference of Doctor.

What I'm talking about are book series from the likes of Douglas Adams & Terry Pratchett. Tv shows such as Scrubs, Firefly, Doctor Who, Animaniacs, Star Trek, Red Dwarf, Freakazoid & Tiny Toon Adventures. Renowned films ranging across genres from The Lost Boys & The Crow to Blazing Saddles & Ghostbusters. The Back to the Future Trilogy, Star Wars, Flash Gordon, Con Air, Rocky Horror, Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, Every Monty Python movie... all the way to the more cult end of the spectrum such as Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse to barely known flicks like Airheads & Ski School.

Despite the different mediums & genres, the main thing that all of these have in common (as well as many others not mentioned) is that they're all so damn quotable. Incidentally, another commonality is that the majority were created & aired in the 1970's, 80's & 90's. Whether it was due to my age at the time I initially watched them or because the writing & performances were just better back then I don't know... but, with the possible exception of Game of Thrones & certain movies from the MCU,... there just don't seem to be as many movie/tv lines that embed themselves in the mind these days. (As I type this there's actually a Writer's strike going on... unlike the previous one back in the 90's(?)... I wonder if these guys actually deserve the raise tbh)

Take something with a fairly wide fanbase like, say, Red Dwarf. Any casual watcher who enjoyed it at the time will happily call you a Smeg Head if you happen to mention the show in passing... those of us whose fandom is a little more 'rabid' could tell you what Kryten says the apple is when Lister is teaching him to lie (in the episode 'Camille')... *answer at the end of the post for anyone interested... not that anyone but me will ever read this drivel.

The point is that even the most casual of fans can throw out quotes to the above at the drop of a hat...

To get back to my original point (it had to happen eventually)... the conversations I miss having were with friends who were far more than casual fans. These were friends with whom I could throw out an obscure line from an episode of Freakazoid & they'd instantly come back with the response... completely screen accurate... with the perfect timing & inflections. Someone could be getting increasingly frustrated about a printer spitting out endless blank sheets of paper & another friend would comment that "Mr Flibble's very cross"... instantly, the mood of the entire room would lift as we all giggled our collective tits off & the quotes bounced back & forth like tennis balls. I miss standing at the lift with my old next door neighbour (an absolute authority on all things WB animation) & waiting until one of us inevitably cracked & had to say "Elelator go down the hole" which would be instinctively followed by the other uttering "I push the button... my turn, not your turn, my turn... I push the button"!

There's a certain type of person that loves their fandoms (obsesses?) enough that these lines so easily drip into their subconscious & become an integral part of their lexicon, especially when surrounded by the like minded.

I used to spend a lot of time with these people. It was comfortable. Conversation was light & easy because we 'belonged'. Unfortunately, life happens... people drift, circumstances change, new situations create changes in social circles... we end up with different groups &, often, struggle to find that 'belonging' again. Not because these new groups aren't nice, kind, sociable & welcoming people... but simply because they're not 'our' people. We can always find common ground if we try hard enough but it's often not enough common ground to sustain any meaningful communication & certainly not the 'light, easy & comfortable' communication that makes you feel that you are part of the 'tribe'... warm, welcomed & wanted... we, inevitably, end up on the outskirts of these groups, unable to get past much more than a greeting & a minute or 2 of small talk before moving on. We find ourselves, over time, with fewer & fewer invitations to social gatherings &, possibly worse, we find ourselves not wanting to go anyway.

These days we have the wonderful dumpster fire that is the internet. We can find all of our fandoms & shared interests with a tap. We find 'our people' are everywhere... in all the remote corners of the world. The friends we've drifted from are right there on social media. But.... it's just not the same as being there, in the room, making casual, off-the-cuff, random references to a common love, in the complete & total knowledge that the person next to you just 'gets it'... & you... & I miss that!

The sardonic mockery that made up the remainder of these conversations is another story entirely... maybe one day.

*the apple in question was described as "The Bolivian Navy on maneuvers in the South Pacific"

[luckydragon10]

P&P Chapters 27 and 28

(Chapters 25 and 26)

Score check!

Lizzy, no movement, even though I was tempted to dock her additional for continuing to snob Charlotte: +15

Mr. Darcy, also no movement, because he doesn't seem to even go here anymore: -10

~~~

Chapter 27

Ah, looks like Lizzy's off traveling.

The only pain was in leaving her father, who would certainly miss her, and who, when it came to the point, so little liked her going, that he told her to write to him, and almost promised to answer her letter.

See, see, Austen has this HABIT of making me think one thing for about 85% of the sentence and then BAM, she just twists it and makes it as sweet as a lemon. I don't think I've ever seen a style quite like it.

@daswarschonkaputt I know you think I'm determined to dislike Mr. Bennet. I swear I'm not. I'm reading the text, and the text is telling me things I dislike!

Okay, time with Auntie Gardiner again. More gossiping, always the gossiping.

Lizzy: "Where does discretion end, and avarice begin?"

I'm betting this is one of those quotable lines that people like.

“A man in distressed circumstances has not time for all those elegant decorums which other people may observe. If she does not object to it, why should we?”

I'm giving you 5 points for making an attempt here to say that it's none of your business, even though it doesn't work on your aunt.

BTW, I know Lizzie has an uncle because he was mentioned previously. He just seems to be very, very unavailable to the plot.

~~~

Chapter 28

Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, and Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming when she found herself so affectionately received. 

Good. Now be on your best behavior with Charlotte, Lizzy.

Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he asked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which left beauty entirely behind.

PFFFFT. As expected of Mr. Collins.

When Mr. Collins could be forgotten, there was really an air of great comfort throughout, and by Charlotte’s evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be often forgotten.

PFFFFT I say again.

Lady Catherine gets mentioned yet again. BTW, I'm really anticipating that Lady Catherine is going to be a force of nature. If she isn't, I'm going to be very, very disappointed.

“I like her appearance,” said Elizabeth, struck with other ideas. “She looks sickly and cross. Yes, she will do for him very well. She will make him a very proper wife.”

Is Lizzy shipping Miss de Bourgh with Mr. Darcy? Oh wait, isn't there some engagement? Ah, I'd already forgotten because Caroline is trying so hard to get with Darcy.

(Chapters 29-31)

#nemi reads p&p #pride and predujice #chapters 27 and 28