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#but there i was…. on the big screen @ the premiere…. MULTIPLE TIMES

astermath · 8 months

Text

the premiere.

pairing: actor!steve harrington x actress!reader

summary: you're a recent addition to hollywood's up and coming promising actors. you'd recently scored the lead role in an emotional period drama, and you're more than surprised to see that top shelf douchebag and america's starboy, steve harrington, has shown up to your premiere. you’re soon confronted with his flirtatious attitude, and you feel the incessant need to put him in his place. it’s a first for both of you.

♡ landing page. ♡

word count: 4.9K

tags: some cursing, mentions of sex, steve is a cocky asshole and will continue to be one, regular font below!

notes: man I do love me some actor!steve because let's be honest, joe keery easily transfers his star power over to all his characters. it's not exactly hard to believe that steve would be a respected actor. let me know what you think and / or if you’d like to be added to the tag list! ♡

They always say life moves fast in Hollywood. Back in your audition days, you wouldn’t believe it. You could practically feel the hours eating away at you as you waited for calls to be returned and scripts to be sent.

Even when you started filming your first big movie, working with such a well respected director and incredible cast, you felt like you were dragging along most of the time. Sure, it was an amazing experience, but the set hours are long, and the time spent overthinking is even longer.

Thinking about if this would be it, if this is what would put you on the map as a talented actress.

You only realised how fast time really moves in Hollywood when you’re discussing the premiere with your manager. Your first big reveal. You’re in the spotlight, everyone will be there to see you. And not just reviewers and fellow cast members, no, people you’ve looked up to before, people you’ve only ever seen on the big screen.

“Are you listening?” Your manager’s voice pulls you right out of your hazy cloud of thoughts. She’s sat across from you, glasses pushed down onto the bridge of her nose, cappuccino in one hand, the other on her laptop.

“Yeah, I’m— I’m here. I’m, uh…” You lean back, clasping your hands together. “You’ve got my attention, sorry Miranda.”

She sighs, readjusting her glasses and bringing her attention back to her screen.

Miranda has been your saviour since day one. She’s got plenty of experience, once having been an actress herself, and now works on managing mostly young women like yourself. She’s a bit tough, stern, but she’s amazing at what she does. Besides, she usually knows what’s best for you before you even know it. She’s got that motherly intuition about her, despite being unmarried without kids.

Your eyes drift over the interior of her apartment. It’s modern, sleek, like her. There’s not much personality shining through it, unless you look hard enough. Then you’d notice she likes orchids, since she has multiple of them potted and well taken care of. Or the numerous photos of the same town in Italy.

She keeps herself busy with scrolling through the list of attendees to the premiere. A bunch of yes’es, a few maybe’s, and the occasional “sorry, however, congratulations on the movie”.

She stills her movements when she gets to the bottom of the list, scrolling up again to see if she’s looking at the right column and then scrolling back down to see if she saw the name right.

“Hm,” she purses her lips, “that’s… Peculiar.”

“What is?” you perk up. Peculiar. That could mean a lot of things. Peculiar as in “your movie is scrapped, actually” or peculiar as in “you’re already nominated for an Oscar”?

“This name. I’ve never seen it on the attendee list before. At least not for my clients.”

“Miranda, you’re killing me with this suspense, please.” You lean forward, your elbows resting onto your knees.

"Steve Harrington." She pauses, and you don't know if she's doing it to be dramatic, or because she's waiting for some kind of elaborate gasp or shocked response.

Instead, you raise an eyebrow, head quirking slightly to the side. "Who?"

You can tell in your manager's eyes that she didn't expect that. Not in her facial expression, of course, she doesn't want wrinkles.

"Christ, sweetie, you're kidding right?" She lets out a dry chuckle, setting down her now empty coffee cup on the end table next to her. sofa. "We've really got to touch up on your media knowledge if you don't know who that is."

"No clue, sorry. What, is he some big deal or something?" You snatch a cookie off the coffee table and start nibbling on it mindlessly.

"Only one of the most popular up and coming actors in the industry." She starts click clacking away on her laptop, pulling up a picture of him and turning the screen around so you can see.

You raise your eyebrows. Damn, not bad. He looks to be around your age, a little older, and you can tell from just that one picture that he knows he's all that. The confidence is practically oozing out of that million dollar smile of his, expensive sunglasses tucked away in his somehow perfectly styled hair.

"So what, he's going to be there. Not like there aren't any other big celebs showing up, I'm sure I can handle myself."

"It's not that I don't think you can behave, starlight, although we'll have to go over some of the red carpet etiquette again later." She takes off her glasses and runs a hand through her short but chic hair.

"Then what is it?"

"He doesn't really... Show up to premieres, usually. Well, none that aren't for his own movies, at least."

Oh, so he is that kind of guy.

You wrap up with Miranda not long after, heading to one last fitting of your premiere gown before returning to your apartment. That's when you start to do your own research on this Harrington fella.

You sit onto your bed, leaned back against a few pillows propped up against your headboard. You open Google and start by what seems the simplest; typing in Steve Harrington.

Steve Harrington age?

Steve Harrington height?

Steve Harrington movies?

The third one seems obvious, but you click it anyways. He doesn’t have a bad track record. A few nominations, one Golden Globe, he’s not slacking for sure.

Most of his stuff paints him as the type of guy you’d expect; undercover agent, the bad boy, the mob boss’ son… Makes you wonder even more why he’s showing up to the premiere of your movie. It has virtually nothing to do with the types of movies he stars in. You’re wondering why he even got an invitation to begin with, Miranda doesn’t seem like the type of woman to be sending those out to every C lister in America.

You type in his name again, curious to know more about his reputation.

Steve Harrington parents?

Steve Harrington dating history?

Though it is cliché, it does intrigue you. You’re not exactly surprised when a handful of names pop up, even one you recognise. Nancy Wheeler. You know that girl, she used to do interviews when you were still starting out. Apparently she went more into the crime journalist route, wrote a book… Pretty interesting stuff.

Almost as interesting as the breakup you’re reading so much about.

“Harrington broken in half? Did Nancy Wheeler finally have enough of his ego, or was she just looking for the next thing to report?”

“Geez, talk about a harsh headline…” You mutter to yourself. Besides her, there’s no mentions of other women he’s been confirmed to date. There’s been pictures, rumours, but you’re guessing he… Gets around.

Steve Harrington controversies?

You feel bad for clicking on it, but then again, you’re already in too deep now.

Something about nepotism, but that’s soon debunked when you realise his parents don’t do anything in the movie industry. Then there’s the Nancy thing, and something about him being difficult to work with. You could have guessed as much just by looking at the guy. You just know he flashes that smile like it’s a method of payment, and he probably gets away with it too.

You reach out and shut your laptop before you go too far down this rabbit hole. Your schedule is packed, and the premiere is only three days away. You've got better things to do than go all Sherlock on this random actor that's showing up.

Though it is unusual.

And he is handsome.

Yeah. It is true. Life does move fast in Hollywood.

Now you know for sure. Because not long ago, you were looking up Steve Harrington's name, like some deprived fangirl, and now you're on your way to the event he's supposed to be at.

The car seems packed, almost claustrophobically so. Miranda sits right of you, on the phone with someone who you can only assume to be too important to interrupt. On the left is your makeup artist, giving you some final touchups before your big entrance.

You don't know if this is the best or worst part about your rising fame. On one hand, it's all you've ever dreamed of. Of being recognised, making a name for yourself, getting to show the world what you can do. You're appreciated, celebrated, but on the other hand, you feel a bit like a product. The way you're sitting in this car, getting all dolled up, rehearsing what you'll say in the interviews... Miranda tells you you'll get used to it, but you're honestly not too sure.

Soon enough, you’re ushered out of the car by your manager. The same way you’ll never get used to the feeling of fame, is the same way you’ll never get used to having your name called out as you’re bombarded with camera flashes. This is only the entrance to the premiere, and you’re already overwhelmed. But you know that this is the worst part, so instead, you put on a smile and greet everyone.

Although you're having a little trouble walking in your gown, and not to mention those godforsaken heels, you soon make it to the actual red carpet for some photos. Your attention is called by several photographers, some asking who you're wearing, some just wanting you to look into the camera.

You look beautiful.

Your dress is a powdery blue, a close match to the dress you wear for most of the movie. It flows beautifully with your body, the silk catching the light in all the right ways. Your accessories and hair are adorned by white gold and pearls, classy, chic, but not boring. You feel like you're dressing up. Not a "let's go out somewhere fancy" dressing up, more like a "putting on your mom's heels" dressing up.

Part of all of this feels like you're playing pretend. Like you're not really supposed to be there. Like everyone's doing you a favour by being here, celebrating you and your movie. Though nothing could be further from the truth, the impostor syndrome somehow still gets to you, every time. You try not to let it show on your face, striking a casual pose, and smiling softly.

You look beautiful.

Steve thinks so too.

Only now he's reminded of why he came to this event. It's made the extra hoops he had to jump through all worth it. The extra questions by his management, the raised eyebrows when he arrived, the interviewers he, for once, has been trying to dodge.

He thought you looked pretty on the big screen, but no camera does you justice as much as the naked eye does.

He recognises something in you. Something nervous. Not necessarily innocent, just... New. It excites him a little, his mind already wandering to you allowing him to show you all the corners of the showbiz. Because he's a seasoned professional, of course. At least he likes to think so. He might only have a few years up on you, but he knows he's made for this. To act, to be famous. He knows you'd look amazing doing it next to him too.

"Mr Harrington!"

Some photographer calling his name catches him off guard, and so he brings his attention to the lens, flashing a cocky smile.

It catches your attention, too. The name more than the callout. You knew he'd be there, but for some reason you figured you'd have a bit more... Mental preparation. But what do you care, right? He probably wants you to gawk at him, be the little innocent newbie, borderline groupie, who can't believe it's really him.

You know better than to feed into his ego.

Which is why you have to stop yourself from rolling your eyes when he smiles at you instead. You know he won't come up to you, he knows better than to embarrass you in front of all these people. You just don't know if he can resist himself later.

Then again, maybe you've got it all wrong. Maybe he just happens to really like 18th century period pieces about a girl finding a connection with her long lost mother. But somehow you'd find that hard to believe.

You go inside the theatre, and you finally get to enjoy the best part. This is when you try to disconnect from your job for a second, from the image you've built for yourself. When you're in front of the big screen, seated with all these people, you're 12 years old again.

You go watch a movie with your mom, it's your favourite time of the month. You share a large popcorn, and you can barely contain your excitement when the lights dim. Somehow, every emotion feels bigger like this. You've watched countless women pour their hearts out in movies, give their everything for their art, their passion. You've always been determined to be like them. To make other people resonate with a character so much it brings them to tears.

When you watch your own movies, you're not watching yourself. You're a little girl again, admiring the performance like you always used to. It makes this career more worth it than anything else, than all the glamour and money anyone could offer.

You bite your lip in anticipation when the theatre goes dark, toying with the bracelet on your wrist. You've seen it before, but not like this. Not like how it's meant to be watched.

Everything fits right. The music immerses you perfectly, the environments are meticulously chosen and everyone plays their part like they were born to do so.

And you're starstruck. By yourself, no less. You've always stayed humble, that's something you'd never give up. But you're also proud. So proud. This is something you've worked so hard for, everyone on the crew has, so you feel no remorse when you admit it's perfect.

The movie is emotional, and nearing the end, the melancholy of it all reaches its climax. Your character runs through a field of poppies, all blooming as she passes each one, chasing what she thinks is a vision of her mother when she was younger. The girl being chased giggles, as the main character keeps calling out her mother's name in tears. She's brought to her knees at the end of the field, the edge of a cliff, reaching desperately to hold onto the memory of her long lost mother.

You let out a tear. Hell, most people do, even Miranda can't hold it. It's one hell of a scene, the orchestral soundtrack alone could make someone cry. It makes your heart swell.

Out of the corner of your eye, you can tell someone else is really letting the waterworks go.

Wait-- That's not just someone.

That's Steve Harrington. Crying. Because of your acting.

You can tell he's trying to hide it a little, hiding his lower face behind a clenched wrist, the tears leaving little stripes of wetness on his skin. Running past his stubbly jaw, dropping onto the fabric of his tuxedo.

You can't imagine this is normal for him. Apparently it was already a rare apparition to see him at your premiere, and now he's publicly crying too. Well, you don't know if anyone else is observing it, but you know what you're seeing. That's pure, raw emotion right there.

You bring your attention back to the screen, hoping he hasn't noticed your staring.

The movie comes to a close, and the audience arises in a standing ovation. You get up, giggling a little coyly at all this sudden attention. The director comes up to you, taking your hand and bringing you along with the rest of the crew to the front so you can take a bow. Your face beams with happiness, and it's contagious.

It makes Steve return the smile, even though it's not even necessarily directed at him. You're just so pretty, all excitement and modesty, so untouched by fame's worst sides. It pulls him straight to you in a way he hasn't experienced before, there's just something so... Sincere about you. Something so gorgeous.

He makes eye contact with you as you come back up from your bow. The smile he gives you is nearly a copy and paste from the ones you saw online, where you can tell exactly what he's trying to say just from his expression. It's like his face just reads "atta girl".

It's really hot. And you hate how it makes you feel.

You exit faster than you probably should. You mutter to Miranda that you just need some fresh air, but really, you need to get away from this Harrington man before you fall head over heels for his stupid tactics. He hasn't said a word to you yet, and you already feel yourself slipping into the enthralling arms of his charm.

You change your mind, earlier was not the worst part. This is. Because now you have to pretend like you're not mentally having a crisis while still answering questions and mingling.

You deal well with most of the compliments and praise. You get a bit of butterflies every time a household name or someone you look up to acknowledges you, and you practically feel like ascending when they say they like your work.

You're in the middle of speaking to one of your co-actors and your manager, when she's suddenly giving you the eyes. With Miranda, this can mean two things;

There is a fire happening, or--

There is someone important behind you.

She's done this before when Robert De Niro was getting interviewed just a meter away from you. But you have a feeling you know who it is this time. Though you're not sure how excited you are by it.

You look over your shoulder, and surely, there he is.

All suave and charm, smooth tuxedo, freckled tan skin and perfect hair. He encapsulates the entirety of Hollywood so well, and you're not quite sure how to respond.

"I'm a little starstruck, I gotta say." he says, and you're not sure why you're even surprised that his voice is that nice.

"Really?" You give Miranda your "help me" eyes for a moment, but she's already off to get more champagne. With no lifeline to hang onto, you figure you might as well entertain him for a moment. "Guess I could say the same about you."

"Hey, I'm not the reason we're all here, am I?" He chuckles, and you're unsure if it's a rhetorical question or not. From what you can tell, maybe he does think everyone's here for him. You try your hardest to fend off those preconceptions of him, but although you are new to all of this, you’re not stupid. You know how men can be once they start getting attention.

“I just wanted to congratulate you on the movie.” He says, voice dripping with honey, placing his large warm hand over your arm. It would surprise you, if it didn’t feel so nice. “Truly a great performance, and I mean that. I’m not even usually one for period pieces.”

He doesn’t realise that makes him look even more suspicious for showing up here at all. Why would you go to a premiere for a movie of a genre you don’t like?

“Thank you, I appreciate that, Mr…” You pretend not to know his name, for multiple reasons. To make yourself seem a little more nonchalant, or maybe you just want to give his ego that little chop it so obviously needs.

“Harrington. Though I assumed you knew, my bad.”

You refrain from rolling your eyes. Of course he would.

“I’m surprised to see you here.” You implore, and Steve’s eyebrows raise a little. He was hoping you wouldn’t ask that, but he supposes it was bound to happen eventually.

“Ah, well, the director is a friend of mine. I figured I’d show up for support, you know, keep the connection up.” He’s lying through his teeth, and you both know it. But part of Hollywood is pretending like you’re all not just lying to each other the whole time. You’ve gotten more used to it over time.

Neither of you mention what you saw inside. Partly because you’re unsure if you were imagining it, and partly because you wouldn’t even know where to insert it. Yet the sight of him getting emotional lingers in the back of your head.

“I thought you uh, didn’t know who I was?” Steve remarks, and you catch your own slip up now too. Why would you care if he showed up, if you didn’t even know his name?

“Oh, I do, your uh… Your name just slipped my mind.” Your nonchalant façade starts to falter, and you’re hoping it doesn’t make you look as much of a fool as you think you do.

Instead of pressing on, he chuckles. It’s a warm chuckle, low, smooth, it sends a shiver down your spine. He seems amused by you, for a reason you can’t quite make out.

He presses a hand to the small of your back, leaning in closely to your ear, and you think you might start seeing stars. He smells so incredibly good, you nearly melt into his touch, whether you mean to or not.

“Well, make sure to make it stick this time, hm, honey?”

You’re pretty sure your entire body has heated up just from hearing that. You hate how well his charm works on you, that silky voice and smug demeanour.

He pulls back, and just as you expected, he’s smiling like the cat that got the cream. “See you around, princess. Enjoy your premiere.”

You’ve had a lot of mind blowing shit happen to you already. The fact that you’re standing at your own movie premiere, surrounded by people you admire is insane to you on its own.

Now you’re getting flirted with by one of Hollywood’s golden boys, and you just have to play it cool. Pretend that you don’t feel like giggling like a teenage girl and getting all flustered. It makes you sick to your stomach. It makes you mad. That he can walk off, just like that, all cocky and confident. You don't want him to think of you like the innocent debutante that he can just play around with for a bit, before he moves on to the next young thing. You've seen that movie before.

Before you have a chance to let it get to your head, one of your costars, the younger girl that plays your little sister, comes up to you. "Geez, you okay? You look a little... Pressed."

"'M fine. Just-- a little frustrated. Sorry I haven't said hi yet, this is all... A lot, you know?"

"You'll get used to it." She sips her glass of champagne, and you want to say something about it, before you remember she's only two years younger than you. She's been an actress since she was 6 years old, she knows the industry so much better than you, and yet you feel protective over her.

"I don't think I ever will, to be honest. God, my shoes are killing me." You groan, hoping no one's close enough to hear you complain. The last thing you want is to come across as ungrateful for all this.

"Have some more champagne, that usually does the trick." She looks off to the side for a moment, and you can tell she's a little tense too. "Me and the rest of the girls on crew are going to get drinks and food later, wanna join?"

Her invitation brings a smile to your face. Though you're constantly surrounded by people, Hollywood brings a profound sense of loneliness into your life. You have trouble fitting in, connecting. Everyone is all smiles and compliments, yet no one talks, no one calls. Anything is rarely personal. And making friends is hell.

"I'd love to, seriously. Tell you what, it's my treat. To celebrate our premiere, hm?"

She smiles back, leaving her empty glass on the tray of a passing waiter. "Cool. I'm off to the bathroom, cab's gonna be out front around 8."

She leaves you shortly after, and suddenly it's there again. That profound sense of loneliness. It's got you left thinking about what Steve said to you. How he talked to you. That tone.

It makes you feel small. Yet you hold on to every word.

How infuriating.

The rest of the premiere is a dazed flurry of conversations and pictures taken in your memory. You've got too much on your mind now to enjoy most of it, and you damn that smug asshole for being the reason for that.

You walk outside, the sky being a lot darker than you expected. You sigh, the air you breathe out coming out in little clouds. April shouldn't be this cold, not in California, at least.

You look around, no cab to be seen yet. Your eyes catch sight of a familiar man smoking. He flicks open an expensive lighter, his hands shielding the flame from the wind.

The fire frames his face in a special kind of light. It shows both the pretty freckles scattered on his skin, and the bags present under his eyes. The strange dichotomy of his personality, represented so simply on his face.

It just pisses you off even more how handsome he is.

Before you realise it, your legs are taking you closer to him, heels clicking onto the pavement as you strut over. He only seems to notice your presence when your shadow casts over him, taking away the yellowish glow of the streetlight.

"Missed me already?" He smiles, lips still wrapped around the cigarette before he takes it between his fingers.

"You can't talk to someone like that. At least not to me." You don't know where this sudden surge of confidence sprouted from, your words even surprising yourself.

"I'm sorry?" He stands up straighter, and though his stature is definitely taller than yours, you try not to let it phase you.

"I know what you're trying to do. I'm not dumb. Maybe you think I am, but I'm not." You cross your arms, partly to shield yourself from the cold, partly to feign courage.

"And what do you think I'm doing then, hm?" The smile on his face makes you want to desperately smack it right off. He really is exactly like people say.

"Don't act stupid with me. You think you've got me all figured out, huh? You randomly show up to my premiere, and the first time we talk, you try to butter me up. Did you expect me to drop to my knees for you or something? Thank you for gracing me with your almighty presence, which for the record, I did not ask for?"

He's speechless for a second. This is a first. Usually, when a woman is cussing him out, it's after they've dated, not before.

He chuckles, dropping his half smoked cigarette onto the ground and stamping it out with his shoe.

"Sounds like you think you've got me all figured out, doll."

"Don't call me that."

"It's not a bad thing."

"I decide that. Not you."

He sighs, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning his head back for a moment. "Geez... So much for first impressions huh?"

"I'm not the one trying to get into the other's pants now, am I?"

"Coulda fooled me."

"God, you're fucking insufferable." You laugh dryly, rolling your eyes. "You think I'm some stupid showbiz newbie, that I'm supposed to be grateful you're even talking to me. Maybe have sex with you and see what opportunities I get out of it."

He just looks at you now. You don't know if that's better than a response, because he's neither confirming nor denying it. Or maybe he realises nothing he says will save him in this. He'd be right about that.

"Do me a favour, if you’re just going to treat me like a ditz, don’t talk to me again. I’m already forced to deal with enough guys like you on the daily, so go bother someone else.”

As if called by some higher being, the cab, along with the girls you were supposed to meet, arrive outside. You gave Steve no time to respond, instead offering him a cold shoulder and some time to let all of that sink in. Though you doubt your words are going to make him change that attitude any time soon.

He leans against the wall outside, watching the dark car you got in drive by and away into the nightly city. He’s not sure what to do with what’s just been given to him.

No woman has ever figured him out this early on. Or maybe they have, and they just never told him this outright. It’s not like he tries to hide the type of person that he is, it’s just that it usually never blows up in his face this much. You’ve taken his flirting, turned it around and served it right back at him to make him think it all over. You‘ve practically rendered him speechless, and it’s only your first time meeting.

It’s the hottest thing he’s ever seen.

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lokiondisneyplus · 8 months

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Welcome back to the TVA.

In 2021, Marvel journeyed into the multiverse with the decade-hopping Disney+ series Loki, an ambitious, trippy saga centering on Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief. The six-episode first season followed Loki as he teamed up with Owen Wilson's Mobius and Sophia Di Martino's Sylvie to investigate the mysterious Time Variance Authority, uncovering dark secrets along the way. Now, the hit Marvel series is adding a familiar face in its second season: Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan, who joins the cast as TVA tech expert OB.

Season 2 (premiering Oct. 6 on Disney+) finds Loki and Mobius trekking into the deepest bowels of the TVA, seeking help from Quan's quirky repair guy. OB works in the repairs and advancement department, and his office is stuffed in the basement, a sprawling mishmash of gadgets and gizmos.

"His job is basically every piece of tech, every computer, every thing that is running at the TVA," co-executive producer Kevin Wright tells EW. "He either designed it, or he fixes it and keeps it running."

Tom Hiddleston, Ke Huy Quan, and Owen Wilson in 'Loki' season 2

| CREDIT: GARETH GATRELL/MARVEL

Quan, of course, is no stranger to trippy, universe-hopping stories, winning an Oscar earlier this year for Everything Everywhere All at Once. Wright tells EW it was celebrated Marvel casting director Sarah Halley Finn who first suggested Quan for Loki, having caught an early screening of the film. It was April, and Everything Everywhere was about to open wide across the country, so Marvel scrambled to make Quan an offer immediately — knowing that his schedule was about to fill up.

"I think Kevin Feige made a call maybe April 12, just to follow up and say, 'Please, please do this,'" Wright says with a laugh. "Little did we know, Ke is apparently already a giant Marvel fan and was a big fan of Loki season 1."

EW spoke to Quan in August 2022, immediately after his Loki role was first revealed at Disney's D23 Expo. Stepping offstage, the giddy actor admitted that he'd been keeping the role secret even from his family.

"I've been fantasizing about this for many, many years," Quan told EW at the time, "all the way back to when the first Iron Man came out. I saw all the movies in the theaters. I've seen all the films. I constantly watch on YouTube how passionate and enthusiastic these fans are. So to be up on stage today with Sophia and Tom and Owen and Kevin and to be on the receiving end of that… it's just been incredible."

Since the launch of shows like WandaVision and Ms. Marvel, Marvel has built a minor TV empire on Disney+, with multiple new shows still in the works. But Loki is the first Marvel Disney+ show to get a true second season, and Wright says he and the creative team wanted to continue to embrace the storytelling possibilities of episodic television. Season 1 took time to luxuriate in quieter, character-driven moments — like long scenes of Hiddleston and Wilson together, just talking. Wright promises that season 2 will continue to do the same. (In fact, he says, the unlikely buddy-cop friendship between Loki and Mobius is the season's "bread and butter.")

"In our [Marvel] movies, sometimes you have to keep moving forward very rapidly to get to the next thing," Wright explains. "Here, it's like: 'No, we can sit in these moments.' And dramatically, that's an exciting thing."

Season 2 will also find Loki, Sylvie, and Mobius coming up against a new but familiar nemesis: Victor Timely (Jonathan Majors), a brilliant industrialist and inventor living in the early 1900s. Like the menacing He Who Remains, who debuted in the first season finale, Timely is a variant of Kang the Conqueror, a dimension-hopping villain who takes many forms. Majors' version of Timely will play a major role in Loki season 2, even as the actor faces off-screen legal troubles.

"Victor Timely is somebody that we are very, very excited about," Wright says. "When you look at Kang, he has a very funny comic backstory. He has all these iterations. Timely was one that we've always wanted to do in Loki. And I think we're really excited about how that integrates into the season. It's a big part of the show."

Above all, Wright promises that Loki's second season will continue to embrace the weirdness of the first. The upcoming six episodes will zip throughout space and time, stretching from the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to the fluorescent lights of a 1980s McDonald's. After all, this is the show that gave us Alligator Loki and sentient floating clock mascot.

"We made a weird show [in season 1], and people responded to how weird it was," Wright explains. "So, we wanted to push it further."

Loki season 2 will premiere Oct. 6 on Disney+.

#ke huy quan #ob #tom hiddleston #loki #owen wilson #mobius

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heresmyfiddlestick · 28 days

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i've been meaning to do a short-by-shot breakdown of the trailers for the upcoming season of Doctor Who, and with full-length trailer #2 out today it seems like a good time.

this will cover the teaser trailer (dropped after the christmas special), trailers #1 and #2 (dropped March 22 and today respectively), and the YouTube short they've released with all the episode titles. I've previously looked at the premiere date teaser released March 15.

Title Drop Short

I'll start with this because it is the shortest and gives some helpful hints to identifying other clips.

The accompanying audio here is some babies crying as the lights flicker, showing the monster's shadow. Is the monster hunting the babies? Is it supposed to be protecting them?

What this screencap doesn't convey is the music notes lifting off the page on the far right. When looking up "The Devil's Chord" (aka the tritone) I find on Wikipedia that "George Harrison uses tritones on the downbeats of the opening phrases of the Beatles songs "The Inner Light", "Blue Jay Way", and "Within You Without You" - I'm clearly not big up on my George songs, and I think it would be hilarious if the Beatles-centric episode of Doctor Who winds up being specifically George Harrison-centric.

I can find no info on who Timothy Drake might be (besides Robin, but that feels like a long shot). There is a piece credited to Beethoven behind the book.

"Boom" - clearly The Moff trying to bring back the spooky one-word title steez of Blink and Hide and Listen and so on. This clip has falling rubble and a bit of lazer fire, and above the door we have written "Entrance 3"

We have a cawing corvid behind this one, as snow rushes past what looks like a sign for a pub. Pretty creepy sign!

The words appear in sequence with some electronic chimes here, before the whole thing glitches out. Social media episode?

Here we have the title for the episode that was provisionally known as "Regency", written by Kate Herron and Briony Redman. We have reference to "The Duchess of Pemberton", who is presumably "The Duchess" played by Indira Varma. 8 May 1813 is in fact in the Regency period, but I can't find any other historical significance to that date.

The multiple screens and tech set up here gives me the vibes of a television studio. Will Ruby turn out to be a Sam Jones situation, a companion orchestrated perfectly for the Doctor? I'd say that's unlikely but I'm not ruling it out.

Now THIS is a Doctor Who episode title. Go off king give us nothing!

Alright bearing those aesthetics in mind, let's move on to the teaser trailer that premiered after the Christmas special

Season Teaser

youtube

This trailer introduced us to the great, kinda creepy music that recurs throughout the rest of them. And a powerful gaze from Dr. Who themself.

I think I can connect this shot to a scene we'll see later.

We then pop to another stare, in a shirt we've already seen in the Christmas special - so this is probably Episode 1 ("Space Babies").

Lots of good stares this episode, as we also see him looking through a window in the premiere date teaser. Who is that behind him with Ruby?

Then he's running down a corridor, and I'm so glad they've chosen to give him loads of different outfits because that makes this job much easier.

This is undoubtedly in Episode 2. Is he racing to stop "The Devil's Chord" from being played? Or maybe he's going to find Ruby ensnared somewhere. More on that later.

Why is he wearing a whistle? Why are the lights so low?

Were they working out? I love it.

A TARDIS design has to have some good levers for yanking on. This one has that and a jukebox AND mood lighting. good for her!

"I have the whole universe at my fingertips" - this is only part of a quote, which we'll get more of in a later trailer. I like this spot on a cliff's edge that they end up on, and I've just noticed the silly little tree near the TARDIS. The Doctor fell deeply in love with Dingle's Door when they regenerated from 13 and now their go-to spot is gonna be precarious rocks overlooking the sea. Just my prediction. This is likely Episode 1 "Space Babies", given other clips we've seen of them popping out here in their Christmas special outfits.

A door opens, casting a shadow on Ruby as she looks somewhat dumbfounded at what lies on the other side. Judging by the costume, this is probably Space Babies too, and yeah it looks like there might be babies in jars behind Ruby there...

It really looks like he has fangs in this screencap. Again, probably Space Babies given the costume. But who knows!

He's slamming on a button. Possibly to "Reset Port B"?

Here is the Doctor dancing with Jonathan Groff in Episode 6 "Rogue", and nobody seems too interested in them, but then:

The Duchess (and those around her) have taken note of something.

Mr Groff glancing at the Doctor's lips lmao

I love his wig! Everyone has taken notice now, and there's clearly something that has interrupted their dance.

Here we've got the pair strutting along the TARDIS walkway, probably having just changed into these sweet outfits before heading to:

"Abbey Road Studios" in Episode 2 "The Devil's Chord"

They're freaking out I love them. This is a great second-trip in the TARDIS historical. The Doctor has fallen back on their old tricks, but at least they didn't end up in Cardiff again. They're in the recording booth here during a Beatles studio session.

Where is Ringo?!!!

There he is (:

The Doctor has stepped on something he shouldn't. This is presumably is "gonna be a minute!" in the other teaser I've looked at. Shot in the dark, this is from Episode 3 "Boom". Because of land mines. (And the rubble and lazer blasts in the Short seem to match the "warzone" vibe)

"I've really stepped in it now". This looks like similar lighting to the very first "intense stare" shot from the start of this trailer.

Continued in reblogs...

#doctor who #doctor who trailer #doctor who speculation #fifteenth doctor #ruby sunday #Youtube

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nicolesainz · 5 months

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Within The Limits (Ben Chilwell x Jenson Button x OC)

Author's note: NEW SERIES BABES! I missed writing a full story, given that I always delete and redo my short fics, so this will be a probably 10-15 part story (if there's more, time will tell). This duo is very random, compared to the Mason x Carlos one I did last time, but I love these guys so much, so it was worth the shot. I hope you enjoy!

Summary: Chelsea Winster is a double working reporter for Sky sports F1 and the Premier League. At the ripe age of 25 she's surrounded herself with people who love and appreciate her (some more than others), that's how the former world champion Jenson Button got wrapped around her finger. But little does she know that an England senior and Chelsea player will step up his game just to see her smile. Who will she choose? Double trouble is fun but not when it comes to heart matters.

Warnings: nsfw content will be included, each chapter will get a warning so don’t worry, lots of swearing, intensity, age gap, fluff (of course)

next chapter

“Can you stop eye fucking Jenson for a minute? It’s as polite as I can ask you” Lissie nudges me with her elbow and I shake my head, coming back to reality.

“Sorry. Force of habit” I blurt out without realizing and Lissie slaps her hand on her mouth, shutting it.

“Oh my god. I don’t wanna know. Let’s just move on” she says and we focus back on the qualifying session that is currently taking place.

For some reason, qualifying for the British Grand Prix is always more thrilling than in any other race. Maybe neck to neck with Brazil but that’s because in both countries the weather is unpredictable, like the results.

Lissie works for the F1 network, while I for Sky Sports so most of the times at qualifying or free practice, I get to hang out with her since everyone else is in the comment box.

The one time I was in the commentary box with Crofty, Martin, Jenson and Nico, I almost confused Max with Checo and was about to announce Checo as the poleman instead of Max. That’s because I was heavily influenced by the way Jenson’s veins were showing around his muscled arms. Ever since that day, I refuse to step my foot inside there ever again.

Another reason why I try but fail to keep a distance from Jenson is that every time we are alone, we somehow end up in the back of a dark room, kissing like teenagers and making out until I can’t feel my legs anymore. Let’s just say that’s a detail no one knows. Not even Lissie. But I’m sure she’s suspected something given that in the space of an hour I showed up with a hickie on my neck.

I’m not afraid to admit that yes, I am into older men as well. Mostly the ones with brown hair and stupidly cute blue eyes, twice my age and 2009 world champion with Brawn, currently holding a microphone and analyzing how it’s impossible for the Ferrari’s to be on pole.

“I domt can’t tell whether you’re looking at the right side of the screen or left. Do you even pay attention to who is about to get eliminated?” Lissie snaps her fingers in front of my eyes.

“I can do multiple things at the same time. And yes, I’m looking both ways, what’s wrong with that?” I reply but now my attention turns to my friend.

“I seriously don’t get how you can be into older men instead of youngsters. Like, almost week in-week out in England, you’re surrounded by 44 handsome gentlemen and you’re telling me you only have eyes for Jenson?”

“Maybe. I mean, come on, look at him! He doesn’t compare to those boys in the Prem. Plus, half of them are perverts and others have girlfriends or wives. Jenson is single and I spend most of my time in the paddock with him”

“Have you at least told your loverboy that they are sending you for almost full-time at the Prem? He’ll miss you but not more than me” Lissie gives me a big smile and I hug her.

“He’ll find out when he sees me commenting alongside Micah Richards or Gary Neville. Plus, I think for some reason, they’ve assigned me to commentate most of Chelsea’s game and I don’t know if that has to do something with my name” oh the irony. My dad’s favorite team is Chelsea so when he and mum found out they were having a girl it was the perfect opportunity for him.

“Oh lucky! All of the hotties play for Chelsea. Well, used to, but some of them are still there. Like Ben Chilwell. A fine Englishman and champions league winner. What more than that?” She winks at my playfully and I roll my eyes with her comment.

"Not my cup of tea, L. Plus, all of them are arrogant assholes go just pose when the camera points at them." I do like football, I swear, it's the players that get on my nerves. Such divas.

"As if f1 drivers aren't snob and attention seekers?"

"Well, they have a sense of humanity and logicality. Driving the fastest cars alive, risking their lives, abandoning family and friends to travel the world just to entertain others. Footballers injure themselves and then take 2 months trip to the Bahamas."

"Remind me again why did they assign you to the Prem?" Lissie is amused with my ideas that she's been scratching her head the entire time.

"For banter, maybe?" I shrug

"Oh those poor boys, the things you will be telling them after the games."

____________________________________________________________

"Oh the way I knew that you couldn't get your eyes off the screen for even a second, satisfies me massively" Jenson whispers in my ear and I could faint right this instant moment.

"How can I? Especially when you are there. All bossy and classy simultaneously, explaining how the sport works better than anyone else" I smirk devilishly behind the crook of his neck.

"I still don't know for what reason you are attracted to me? My looks? My knowledge? Or my insanely good driving skills?" his hand lands on my thigh, caressing it up and down softly.

"All of the three" I sigh as I feel the hand going more upwards and uneasiness rushes over my body.

"Why so flushed darling? Does my hand on your thigh have this strong effect on you?" his lips kiss my jawline and a soft groan escapes my mouth.

"Oh I will miss this" I say as I hold on firmly to Jenson’s bicep and tighten my grasp around it.

“I’m not going anywhere dear, what are you talking about?” A small peck lands on my lips and I feel my lower lip being sucked by him.

I stop at my tracks and kiss Jenson sweetly before removing myself away from his lap, so I can tell him the truth about my job.

“I need you to be calm, m’kay?”

“I don’t understand. Is something wrong?” He looks worried and stressed.

“I’m being transferred. For the next two years I will be working full time in England.” I say out loud and it sounds like fake.

“Why? What? How? I mean, uh. Explain a bit further, please.”

“You know that I work for both the Premier League and F1. Well, Sky Sports decided to transfer me for two years back in England so I can commentate on the games and then they’ll decide where I will be permanently settled.”

“So that means I’m losing you? You’re not going to be around anymore?”

“Whenever there’s a weekend that I am free and F1 happens to be on, I will join you, just not as a commentator. I really hate that this has to happen”

I truly do hate it. For the past 4 years my life was about an airplane, no sleep, fast cars, statistics and Jenson. Now it will be 22 men kicking the ball for 90 minutes straight.

“I’ll come for visits too. Don’t think you’ll get rid of me that easily baby” he hugs my waist and grabs me back onto his lap.

“I wasn’t planning on it JB. Trust me.”

#jenson button x reader #ben chilwell x reader #ben chilwell #jenson button #formula 1 #football

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shiningshenanigans · 5 months

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When Sacrifice No Longer Feels Loving: Raw, Messy, Emotional Thoughts on Loki Season 2

It’s been a little over two weeks since the season 2 finale of Loki came out, and although it’s been pretty much all I’ve been able to think about lately, I haven’t really been able to put my thoughts into words. And I have a lot of thoughts. I need to get them out of my system, and I’ve tried to write them down on multiple occasions, but every time I do, they keep getting stuck on the way out.

So, I’ve decided to do something different. Rather than trying to analyze the series critically, I’m going to just start writing about how it made me feel, and see where it takes me. I’m not really sure what’s going on in my heart and mind as I reflect on this story, but I have a vague idea of the truth that it’s tapping into. Fair warning: these thoughts are going to get very Christian-y and preachy, so if the gospel is not your thing, I don’t know how much sense this post will make. But, if you’ve been having a similar experience with the season and care to read, I hope that you find some encouragement and truth in these messy, emotionally honest thoughts!

When I try to sum up how I feel about season 2 as a whole, the only word that really comes to mind is “upset.” I’m just upset about it. The morning after the finale aired, I woke up with a deep, hollow pit of sadness in my stomach. I broke down crying a couple of times over the next few days just thinking about certain scenes in episodes 5 and 6, and I couldn’t rewatch the finale for almost a week.

Is it weird to feel this kind of grief over something as simple as a TV show? Yeah, probably. But I think that’s kind of the point. I’d been looking forward to the release of this season for two years. Without getting too personal, I’ve recently been through one of the hardest years of my life. Just this year, I’ve gone to two funerals for people that I grew up with, been in a car crash, faced rejection in a relationship that I had grown emotionally attached to, and mourned with my community as we experienced one of the most tragic shootings in our country's history. The release of Loki season 2 had become a little bright spot in my 2023; something to look forward to in all the madness.

When the first season came out, I remember being overcome by how good it was. It was wacky, and sweet, and funny, and sad, and redemptive all at once. Even in its darkest moments, there seemed to be a thread of hope that ran through the series from beginning to end. Over the years it had become a comfort show, a beautiful piece of art that offered me encouragement when I needed a pick-me-up. Because if a comic book super villain with a long history of screwing his life up can change his ways, make new friends, fall in love, find meaningful work, stand up to his oppressors, and ultimately write his own destiny, then gosh darnit, so can I.

My roommate and I invited our friends over, every Thursday night for six weeks, to watch the new episodes as they premiered. Our watch parties started off full of excitement and anticipation. I even made key lime pie for us the first couple of times, which was a big hit. But as the weeks wore on, and the episodes started to spiral deeper into tragedy, our post-watch conversations became more full of questions and complaints than anything. When the credits rolled on the finale, we sat in an almost mournful silence, watching the screen, waiting with baited breath to see if there would be a post-credits scene. There wasn’t one. You could almost feel a sense of dread fall over the room. That’s it. That’s all they’re going to give us. That’s how they’ve decided to end the story.

I think the first words that were uttered when the Disney Plus screen finally popped up were, “I hate Marvel,” before we all began to voice how we felt.

I can honestly say this has been one of the weirdest, strongest emotional reactions to a piece of media that I’ve ever had. It’s genuinely felt like I’ve been going through the five stages of grief over this show, but the grief isn’t just stemming from the inherent sadness of the story. I’m also grieving the show itself; what it’s become, how it was handled by the people it was entrusted to, and the knowledge that there will likely not be another season to redeem it. I feel angry, unseen and unloved by the writers who set up everything over the course of six episodes to ensure that the finale was as heartbreaking as possible.

At the same time, however, I can’t say that I hated it. A part of me knows that the reason it’s affecting me so deeply is because it’s so well-made. Art doesn’t grip you this much unless it’s objectively good. There are legitimate critiques of the story/filmmaking that I could make and a lot of people already have. The temptation to scoff and say “Michael Waldron wouldn’t have done it this way” and turn all my excitement towards Secret Wars is very strong, but that just seems like misplacing my hope. Underneath all the sadness and the frustration, there’s also a layer of confusion. Am I supposed to be feeling this way? Is this what the writers of this show wanted me to feel all along? And if so, why? What are they trying to say through this story?

I don’t normally mind stories with tragic endings, so long as I can understand the purpose behind them. I remember feeling similarly unsettled when I finished the first season of Arcane, wondering what the point of it all was. But after a little bit of analysis and reflection, I could see how the tragedy was fitting; how the characters choices had led to the ending and the cautionary tale it was trying to tell me. Even in the tragedy, it was still good. I’ve also learned to love the grief that comes with watching a character make a heroic sacrifice for those he loves. I think of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, Janner in The Wingfeather Saga, or Stoick in How To Train Your Dragon 2. All these deaths are heartbreaking and painful to watch, but there’s a certain beauty to them too, and you can feel the goodness and love in their sacrifices.

This one is different, though. Something about this one feels wrong. Something about this one feels deeply, inherently, not good. And analysis is only making it worse.

I’m having a really hard time seeing the beauty in the sacrifice that Loki makes at the end of season 2. This story wasn’t supposed to end in tragedy. It was supposed to be a reversal of tragedy. A second chance for a beloved character (one who has already sacrificed himself for love on multiple occasions) to finally receive some kind of reward instead of punishment.

To end the series the way the writers did feels almost like a stab in the back, a betrayal if you will, of all the hope and joy and restoration that the first season promised. I guess adopted children who are abandoned at birth really are destined to be alone forever, no matter how much love they have to give. I guess villains can’t find redemption, and even if they do, they will not escape eternal punishment for their sins. I guess quarrels between brothers (or lovers) can’t be resolved, and every relationship we cherish is doomed to fall apart eventually. I guess young women like me, who are strong and independent because we’ve had to be, are not worth pursuing, and we should be content with our middle-management jobs and casual friendships as if that is the peak of human existence. I guess we should embrace isolation and selfishness after all. I guess true love doesn’t really exist, and we should walk away from any semblance of it before it makes us bleed.

Bummer.

The night after we watched the finale, I drove a couple of my friends home. On the drive back, I could feel the sadness of the story aching in my gut. I thought specifically about Sylvie, and how unsatisfied I felt with where the story left her. I’ve always connected with her as a character, and I hated the way she had been sidelined throughout the season. Every week, I had tuned in hoping I would see some kind of reconciliation between her and Loki. I just wanted some kind assurance that she loved him back, that they would somehow end up together in the end. One kiss, one hug, just… one conversation, for heaven’s sake. One apology from either side. One confession of love. But six episodes and it never came. Their relationship wasn’t even addressed. It was reduced to subtext, as if it wasn’t the back bone that Michael Waldron built his original pitch off of back before 2021.

I thought about the way she shrugged and smiled when Mobius asked her what she was going to do next, and it just irked me. Why didn’t they tell us what her plans were? Why didn’t they give us some kind of clue? It seemed so obvious to me what she should do. She should make good use of her Tempad and go be with Loki. How could she just walk away, knowing everything he just sacrificed for her? Do people really think she could just… go back to her life after that, with so many things left unsaid between them? If she really does love him, how could she? How could she go through life, knowing that the truest love she’s ever experienced is lightyears away, always watching, always with her, but unable to be physically present with her in a mortal, tangible way? It sounded like such a sad, lonely fate and my heart broke for both Sylvie and Loki as I thought about it.

But then it dawned on me: wait a second… isn’t that what it’s like to be a Christian? Isn’t that the reality I’m living every day, as Christ’s bride? The weight of that realization was so heavy I almost had to pull over on the side of the road because I couldn’t breath. My savior loves me more than anything. He gave up everything for me, just like Loki did for Sylvie. I don’t even know how many rounds he went with the enemy on that cross, just to bargain for my soul. And what do I do about it? I shrug it off with a smile. I forget about it until it’s convenient. I go back to my job, my house, my car, my record store, as if every second of my life hasn’t been paid for by the blood, sweat, and tears of a God who just wants me to be ok. As if I could ever fool myself into believing a life without Him is enough for me.

As if I shouldn’t be fighting like hell to get back to Him. As if love so amazing, so divine, doesn’t demand my life, my soul, my all. Just so you know, I teared up again writing that last paragraph.

A lot of people have pointed out the parallels that can be made between Loki and Sylvie and Adam and Eve. The comparison really does work in a lot of ways. A perfect likeness, a counterpart created for a lonely man because “it is not good that the man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). One flesh, two halves of a whole. Equals, balancing and complementing each other perfectly. A couple chosen by a higher power to rule the universe with authority. There’s something edenic about that scene where they snuggle in the grass under that blanket together: a man and a woman, wrapped up in a garden of green, completely unguarded and vulnerable with each other. The man promises the woman his protection, and the woman shyly offers him her trust and thanks in return.

When they make it to the Citadel at the End of Time, their parting echoes deeply of the fall. The serpent (He Who Remains) sows seeds of distrust between them, knowing full-well that they are stronger together and could easily overpower him if they remain united. The two halves are torn apart and turn on one another. The woman, in her thirst for freedom, takes control of the situation, and the man fails in his duty to stop her. Free will is unleashed into the world, and with it comes consequence and chaos and danger.

If season 1 can be read as the journey from the garden to the fall, season 2 reads more like the journey from the fall to the cross. Chaos and confusion, spiraling slowly towards death and destruction. Constant distrust between the man and the woman, between God and his bride. An inability to reconcile, to fix what’s been broken. The citadel goes from being Eden to being Gethsemane. When every other option has been tried and all hope is lost, Loki returns to the moment of the fall and pleads with his love, over and over again, to make a different choice. But she will not stop rebelling, even though it leads to her death every time.

Unable to reason with her, Loki confronts He Who Remains to bargain for her life. But there’s no option that doesn’t end in bloodshed. Loki must either kill Sylvie, the woman he loves, and go on committing genocide in HWR’s place. Or, he must break the temporal loom and let the chaos that ensues destroy all of reality. These, according to He Who Remains, are the only two choices. So Loki makes a third choice. Instead of sacrificing others for the multiverse, he makes a total sacrifice of himself. I think you can see where I’m going with this.

It’s not lost on me how weird it is to compare Loki, a marvel super villain based off of a pagan norse god, to Jesus. But the crucifixion/ascension parallels here aren’t exactly subtle. Loki puts on a heavy crown, carries a great burden up a hill, and “dies” on a tree of all things, to save both the woman he loves and the group of friends he’s grown close with during his time at the TVA. His last words to his loved ones before he ascends are, “I know what kind of God I need to be, for you, for all of us.” When I think about the story in these parabolic terms, I’m almost overwhelmed by how much truth is woven into this mythology. And yet, something about it still feels deeply unsettling to me. There’s still a piece missing that makes it feel more like a Greek tragedy than a Jewish parable.

As they are, Loki Seasons 1 and 2 show me a reflection of the fall, the cross, and in some ways, the ascension of Jesus Christ. What they don’t show me is a picture of the resurrection. And any christian will tell you that the resurrection is the most vital part of the story (1 Corinthians 15:16-20). The series shows me sin and what it costs. They show me what is lost in sacrifice, but they don’t show me what is gained. The hero meets a fate worse then death, and is forced to remain there, alone, for all eternity. There are no tearful reunions at the tomb, no assurance that death has been defeated, no eucatastrophe. No curse reversed. God and man are forever separated, and for some reason that’s supposed to be beautiful, according to Marvel. It’s not. It’s a question mark, a gaping wound at the end of the story that offers no comfort. To live in that tension, that separation, in those three days between Christ’s death and his resurrection, is literally the most painful, most hopeless place for the human heart to dwell. But, maybe it’s a tension that we should sit in more often, so that we can appreciate the weight of what Christ did for us.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that I don’t really hate season 2 of Loki. It’s a beautifully crafted piece of art, well-written (sort of) and well-acted, with gorgeous production design and a deep, meaningful story at its core. What I hate, with every fiber of my being, is the thought that that is where the story ends. That it’s supposed to end there. That this ending is good. As a Christian, I almost can’t accept it. Everything in me screams that there has to be more resolution beyond the credits of the finale.

That, I think, is where all the pain swirling in my heart around this story is really coming from. And whether they know it or not, I think that’s where a lot of the Loki fandom’s pain is coming from right now. The gospel is so written into our DNA that it pours itself out into every mythology we try to create. We are so desperate for the reassurance that the resurrection is true, that when we get even the slightest hint that it might not be, it triggers our deepest, darkest anxieties. Nothing scares me more than the thought of being alone, separated from God, for all eternity. Not even death is scarier, or more tragic, than that. It is, by definition, hell.

So yeah. Curse you, Marvel. Curse you for telling me a story that hurts like hell, and expecting me to just be ok with it. For giving me an ending that could never, in any reality, be satisfying or conclusive, and then trying to gaslight me into believing that it is. For ensuring that I will probably end up buying a ticket for both Secret Wars and Kang Dynasty (even though I’m really tired of superhero movies) just so that I can see if I’m right, that love really does win in the end. I don’t really have any kind of expectation that the next two Avengers movies are going to give me the closure I’m looking for. But I think I know where I can find it.

As grieved as I am by the way Marvel handled this story, I’m also kind of amazed by the way its incompleteness is revealing to me the total, satisfying completeness of the gospel. Marvel can’t promise me that, at the end of time, the God of Stories will be reunited with his warring bride and live happily ever after in the presence of his inner circle. But the gospel does. And the hope that I find there is immeasurable.

#loki #loki season 2 #loki series #geeking out gracefully #sylki #sylvie laufeydottir #christianity #when sacrifice no longer feels loving #eucatastrophe #ressurection

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supercupcakecollector-love · 11 months

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Why I'm excited and not worried about the Witcher season 3

season 3 will be awesome and much closer to the books than season 2, don't believe me? I have proof

We are now about 3 weeks out from the season 3 premier, comparatively 3 weeks out from season 2 there where already reports about a lot of the stuff that wasn't in the books.

-Eskel`s death,

-2 big fight scenes at Kaer Morhen,

-Voleth Meir,an all powerful evil magical being that tricks those who want their deepest desires,

-the scenes together with Yen and Fringilla

-and expanded roles for Istredd and Fringilla( I actually liked these editions finding them much more interesting than in the books where they are just involved in love triangle stuff with Geralt and Yen)

but we know that many beloved scenes from Time of Contempt are making it in as well as a few crucial skipped moments from blood of elves

based on the trailer we are getting alot more family bonding, fluff, laughter Yen teaching Ciri magic, Geralt and Yen rekindling there relationship , Geralt and Jaskier actually being friends now ( apparently the writers have learned that you can have slow moments of characters just talking, laughing and getting along, they don't have to just bicker, fight monsters , and encounter evil all the time ) (( that's the last of the salt in this post I promise))

first of all, Stephen Surjik director of the A Grain of Truth episode is returning

based on the trailer/stills, casting reports, as well as set scouting pictures from Redanian Intelligence, we have these scenes confirmed :

- Jaskier singing to the dryads in Brokilon

- the scenes in Shaerrawedd

-Geralt visiting Codringher and Fenn

-Ciri and Fabio Sachs, the circus and the Wyvern

- The Thanedd Ball

- Ciri in the Korath Desert, with Ihuarraquax

- Geralt fight with Vilgefortz

comparatively I don't think we had any confirmed in the book scenes in the speculation before season 2

the only changes I that I have found are:

Jaskiers bisexuality and romance with Radovid and Vespula

Id like to clear up some rumors here, they are not “ aging up a character who is later a tyrant” this Radovid is King Vizimir`s Brother, not his son, a completely different character, and there are multiple characters named Radovid in the Redanian royal line in the books so its not impossible for the two characters to happen to have the same name in this instance

for the people who are upset about this change, they already changed Jaskier from the books, there he’s the archetypical pervy, womanizer bard archetype, in the show he still sleeps around with wives alot but he`s more of a golden Retriever “ falls in love with everyone” type than a skirt chasing pervert. So if most people were positive about this change, why should what gender his lovers are matter homophobia that's why

Frankly im just glad we are getting a bisexual male character that will be involved romantically with a man a and a woman on screen as two different relationships I cant even think of any examples on tv of that

the possible premature fate of Rience

honestly this one is just set scouting speculation that he dies here, but I really don't think people are going to be as upset at a chaotic evil character dying as they were Eskel,

The original character of Gallatin

he seems to be somewhat inspired by Isengrim and Iorweth, a scarred elf that is the leader of the Scoia’tael guerrillas, based on the fact that they felt they had to make an original character rather than use one of those two,( they likely wont be killing any book characters off prematurely who are not a villains after whole Eskel debacle) as well as reports the actor wrapped filming quickly, seem to indicate he wont survive the season ( could this be part of what leads Cahir into joining the hanza next season)

to conclude im super excited, this season is packed with scenes I ( and alot of others) have been really wanting to see I cant wait

#the witcher #twn #the witcher netflix #Jaskier #the witcher season 3

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twh-news · 8 months

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Meet OB, Ke Huy Quan's quirky repair guy in Loki season 2

Executive producer Kevin Wright promises even more weirdness in season 2 of the hit Marvel series.

Welcome back to the TVA.

"His job is basically every piece of tech, every computer, every thing that is running at the TVA," executive producer Kevin Wright tells EW. "He either designed it, or he fixes it and keeps it running."

"We made a weird show [in season 1], and people responded to how weird it was," Wright explains. "So, we wanted to push it further."

#loki #loki series #loki season two #Ke Huy Quan #entertainment weekly #kevin wright #article

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silverfoxlou · 9 months

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Idk if you remember but when that one tokyo aotv premier tiktok went viral, I told you my friends had agreed to tag along with me to louis show. And guess what?!? they absolutely loved it!!!! We made an entire trip around the show and had a fucking blast. We were in pit at the back and it was soooo much fun. 505 cover had their jaws on fucking the floor. Mosh pit during ooms. It was our last event of the trip before returning home the next day and it made screaming to silver tongues so much special. I cried multiple times during the show for louis and in the end even my non louie friends cried during silver tongues not for louis obviously but those lyrics just hit all of us hard then. My only regret there were no screens so I missed seeing that pretty face, big ass in purple pants and all the barricade action. But our gc is now just full of louis thirst tiktoks and barricade shenanigans from last show 😂. And the best thing they are not stans, don't care about his personal life, all the dead band baggage but just his music and pretty face! If this was not the last show of this leg we all would have so followed him on the next stop😭 literally best time ever!

I do remember that! Omg!!! I’m so happy you had a great time with your friends, I love that 🥺🫂

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yen-stanning · 2 years

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I have seen Multiverse of Madness twice now and the first time my excitement levels were just through the roof because of the premiere, so I didn't really have words tbh haha. But I do now, so here are my SPOILER-FREE thoughts:

- I thought the movie was just incredible, I loved every moment of it!!! This is a Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch movie in all aspects, which is what I wanted the most!

- The hype for this movie for me personally was insane since the moment it was announced and I am so happy that it delivered on that hype!

- The action sequences were cool and it was amazing to see Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch's powers on the big screen. Both at THEIR BEST as well, there were some moments that I just wanted to cheer because of their awesomeness

- Benedict Cumberbatch... YOU ARE DOCTOR STRANGE. He is just such an incredible actor and I love this character so much. He was just great here, loved his performance and interactions with other characters!

- But Elizabeth Olsen... My gosh, her best MCU performance to date!! WandaVision was already incredible but this... This is a whole new level. She is just fantastic as Wanda and she owns it!!!!! Every line was delivered perfectly. At one point in the film, her performance legit made me cry, that's how good she is in this movie!

- And put Benedict and Elizabeth in multiple scenes together and you truly get MAGIC ✨ Just sheer perfection tbh

- One thing that really surprised me were the horror elements!! OH MY GOD, I jumped at every jump scare, there is one particular near the end of the film that is SO GOOD omg!!! But I am shocked Marvel went there and I am so happy they did, because that's what they promised and tbh they delivered on that note!

- Cameos were fun (one legit took me by surprise, I hope the internet does not ruin it for you!) and the multiversal aspects were interesting, fun, and not too on the nose, so I enjoyed that.

- Shout-out to Wong, I love this guy!

- America Chavez is a fun addition to the MCU. Loved the visuals of her powers and her banter with the characters.

- Of course, stay after the credits 👀😎

- I need more Strange and Scarlet Witch in the future!!! Like right now, don't you dare Feige to make us wait a long time for Doctor Strange 3 and give Wanda her movie (or trilogy hehe)

- Saw it last night in Dolby Cinema and highly recommend that. I am sure IMAX will be great as well 🤩

- Easily one of my all time favorite MCU movies!! Go see it asap and enjoy the ride ❤🔥

#gosh cannot wait for round 3 on Saturday #multiverse of madness thoughts #mom #multiverse of madness #doctor strange #scarlet witch #wanda maximoff #stephen strange #multiverse of madness spoilers #mom spoilers #benedict cumberbatch #Elizabeth olsen #mcu #marvel #yen's thoughts

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acaplaya-musings · 2 months

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Voiceplay Visuals: Boy Bands In 5 Minutes (post 1/2)

I really love this video (even though I'm not originally familiar with all the songs), and there is so much stuff that happens on screen that either I would have to limit the amount of screencaps I take (and where's the fun in that?), or just break it up into two parts (maybe more, we'll see how we go).

This video premiered in June 2019, Geoff was in charge of both the arrangement and the video, and this includes 14 songs!!! And there are different outfits for every single one! Which is why this'll be broken into multiple posts.

Starting off with a very quick snippet of I Want You Back by NSYNC...

...which transitions into I Want You Back by Jackson 5! (Also I want all of their shirts)

Got some fairly simple choreography (or simple-looking at least, apart from the very precise group timing), which often has me dancing along with them! 😄

Also lol rip Layne

The Beatles! (except it's a Fab Five, not the Fab Four!) Layne is Ringo, the drummer, of course, and I wanna say Geoff is being Paul McCartney, since he plays bass guitar, but Geoff's air guitar isn't left-handed. And Earl and J are just vibing

Looking sharp there, boys! 👌

"Wait where did my backup performers the other guys go?"

"You should see the size of his wallet!"

Left to right we have Ashley Jacobson, Cyndi Stein (I hope I didn't get them mixed up), Nick Perez, and Kathy Castellucci. The Voiceplay spouses!

First of all, appreciation for a very smooth transition:

And second of all, appreciation for those red blazers, they are absolutely styling (and Geoff especially looks really good okay bye)

To whoever had the idea to make the guys do the Single Ladies choreo for Walk Like A Man: I love you 😂

This move is NOT EASY. I've tried it, and yeah I could get about as far down as Earl, despite having a few more physical advantages. J None killed it (made it look easy even), but Geoff actually did a pretty good job of it too (also how tight were those pants, I wanna know) (and rip Layne falling over)

"oh thank god we don't have to do any dancing for this bit"

Not always a fan of fedoras, but yeah nah yeah I can vibe with it here (also J is wearing glasses here!)

"M'lady" (I'm sorry)

"Never trust a big butt and a smile" (the immediate contrast/juxtaposition here is just-)

Love the shoes! Also the choreography for this bit is harder than it looks

Okay well this is the halfway mark of the video (half of the songs anyway), so this is where I'll break it off and make a second part, which you can go to here!

#voiceplay #acapella #boy bands in 5 minutes #boy band medley #geoff castellucci #eli jacobson #layne stein #j none #earl elkins jr #earl elkins #acaplaya analysis #voiceplay visuals

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beingbigbrother · 7 months

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Week 1 Writeup: Big Brother feels like Big Brother again

▲ Dark days are over

Nearly five years since Big Brother UK's second "last ever" episode, the all-seeing eye returned to our screens on Sunday.

I loved - loved - Big Brother back in the Channel 4 days. Even in its darkest days (Big Brothers 8 thru 10), a properly good season was never far away (Big Brother Celebrity Hijack, Celebrity Big Brother 6, Big Brother 11).

And then Channel 5 happened to Big Brother.

The only two Channel 5 seasons I managed to get through were Big Brother 15 and Celebrity Big Brother 15, both of which were pure poison. The other ones I tried just bored me.

I've been watching Big Brother 19 - Channel 5's final season - in the run-up to ITV's reboot, and I have to admit it's a diamond in the rough. So it bodes well for this year's revival that much of the BB19 creative team is also working on BB20.

The good

There's a lot I like about this year's season.

The outdoor set is - well, it's a bit of silver MDF and a fog machine really, isn't it - but it still trumps pretty much all of Channel 4's efforts. And the House itself still blows my mind - considering this is ostensibly "just" ITV dipping its toes into the BB pool, with a six-week run on a free-to-air digital channel.

The casting is great, somehow managing to push the feelgood wokeness of BB19 even further with one of our most diverse groups of Housemates ever. Speaking of casting, one of the new hosts is great, too (AJ).

But the absolute greatest change is that the Live Stream is back for the first time in a decade! It's not on 24/7 - you'd have to go back to the Channel 4 days for that - but 23 hours a week is a big step in the right direction, and shows ITV at least has the right idea about Big Brother.

It feels so good unwinding with the Live Stream every evening, and I feel like I'm getting to know these Housemates so much better because of it. Big Brother finally feels like Big Brother again!

And, as I said before: this is ITV's inaugural toe-dipping season, so who knows what will happen in the future.

The bad

It's not all sunshine and rainbows, mind you.

What the fuck was up with those nominations, Big Brother?! They took place on Thursday, so we had to wait till Thursday's Big Brother Late & Live to find out who was up.

That gave viewers one measly day to cast their votes. For casual viewers, who aren't interested in BBLL, it would've meant finding out who was nominated, who nominated who, and who was evicted - all in the same, roughly one-hour episode.

It's quite frankly broken, and I really hope it changes in Big Brother 21. I didn't love each Housemate only giving one nomination, either - it means the obvious troublemakers will be up every week (which is exactly what happened this time) and we may well end up with bland Housemates in the final.

Presumably they've done it to try to speed things up in the highlights show - but they should probably have just copied BB11's editing, which made nominations the best they've ever been on BBUK.

Oh, and, to follow up on my earlier point: one of the new hosts is, um, not great (not AJ).

The ugly

youtube

Let me just finish off by saying the new opening titles, theme tune, and motion graphics are - frankly - rancid. There's the ghost of a good idea in there somewhere, but unfortunately it's almost impossible to make out behind multiple layers of inexplicable film grain(???) and "Free Glitch Effect Premiere Pro Beginner" google searches. 🤢

#BBUK #Big Brother #Big Brother UK #Big Brother House #Big Brother nominations #AJ Odudu #Will Best #Big Brother Live Stream #Big Brother Late & Live #Channel 4 #Channel 5 #ITV #BB2023 #Big Brother Weekly Writeup #Youtube

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tennelleflowers · 2 years

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Hello, A big fan here!! I was just wondering, what app do you use for the Drawing a_____! series??

Howdy! :D

I use several different programs! For the drawings themselves, I use Clip Studio Paint and/or Procreate (though the older DaBs were done in Paint Tool SAI (Illustrations) or Toon Boom Harmony (Animation)). Procreate and Clip Studio paint have recording features built into them so that you can record a video of your drawing, but when I work in Clip Studio Paint I use OBS to record my screen. This way I can edit the footage and length of the speedpaint to my liking when it comes time to edit. Because the recording options in CSP and Procreate both automatically record your canvas as a speedpaint, that can be a problem when editing if the speedpaint footage isn't long enough.

I write all my scripts in Google docs. Easy enough. But when I record myself speaking, I use Audacity.

So then, once I have all the separate elements recorded, I can start editing! I use Adobe Premiere for editing. I can bring in all my stuff and that's where I can chop up my audio in order to get the best takes, adjust the drawing recording to be the correct speed and length I need for the video, and add other elements like my Sona sprite and music and other things.

I also use Photoshop to make all my thumbnails, After Effects to edit together any animations, Illustrator to update text things like the Patreon endcards, and InDesign to create multiple different layouts I need for this and that.

Sorry this is a long answer, but since you didn't specify which part of Drawing a ____! you were curious about, I figured I'd give you the rundown. lol

#drawing a blank #asks

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scotianostra · 8 months

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Happy Birthday filmmaker Gillian Berrie, born on September 8th 1967 in Glasgow.

In 1996 Gillian co-founded Sigma Films with director David Mackenzie, writing and producing serial award-winning shorts, 'California Sunshine' and 'Somersault'.

Alongside, Gillian gained experience in numerous film and television roles, ie Casting Director on Ken Loach's 'My Name is Joe' (for which Peter Mullan won the Palme D'or in Cannes) and Lynne Ramsay's legendary 'Ratcatcher'.

Casting experience on the aforementioned led Gillian to create the charity, 'Starfish' which then became 'Jumpcut', which morphed into 'Short Circuit', and 'Big Fish Casting' which segued into Kahleen Crawford Casting

Gillian then produced many of David Mackenzie's films including: Last Great Wilderness, Hallam Foe, Young Adam, You Instead (aka Tonight You're Mine), Perfect Sense, Starred Up and the biggest film ever to be make in Scotland, Outlaw King. She was also heavily involved in the post-production, festival, UK/US theatrical release and Oscar campaign for Academy Award Nominee 'Hell or High Water'.

Sigma's films regularly premiere at A-List festivals and have received over 150 awards internationally, including the Prix de Jury in Cannes for Red Road, and the Silver Bear in Berlin for Hallam Foe, as well as numerous BIFA and BAFTA nominations and awards.

At the Scottish BAFTA New Talent Awards in 2002 Gillian won the BAFTA for Outstanding Achievement.

In order to create a vibrant hub for the film community in Scotland, Gillian founded the 65,000 square ft state of the art, Film City Glasgow in 2004. Since then it has been a full house of productions and film-makers.

In 2012 she founded 'Jumpcut', the UK's one and only, intensive, mentor-led Summer School to provide a fast-track for youngsters into working in the film industry. This project was a runaway success. Over 75% of the participants went onto working in the industry. It ran for two years and won several awards.

She also co-produced the multi-prize winner 'Dear Frankie' and Jonathan's Glazer's 'Under the Skin' (which won 23 awards and received 110 nominations).

Gillian also produced several features for first time feature film directors, including David Mackenzie, Colin Kennedy, Andrea Arnold, Morag MacKinnon and Ciaran Foy, as well as numerous additional shorts including the lauded I Love Luci.

Gillian continues to contribute to the next generation of Scottish film-makers through Short Circuit, which is in its 3rd year and has so far given the first opportunities in film-making to hundreds of new-comers and produced dozens of short films and is developing a number of feature films.

Short Circuit is Scotland's hub for filmmaking talent, supporting the creative and professional development of new and emerging writers, directors, and producers.

Over three years, Short Circuit's film commissioning strand ‘Sharp Shorts’ will award over £400,000 in funding across 27 filmmaking teams, creating opportunities for Scotland's most exciting emerging new screen talent.

‘Sharp Shorts’ has become one of Scotland's most diverse creative initiatives, with an overwhelming majority of female filmmakers as well as significant representation across the LGBTQ+, non-white and disabled communities.

The first batch of short films are screening internationally at festivals such as SXSW, BFI Flare, EIFF, Dinard, LSFF, Berlin, with multiple awards. In particular, Sean Lionadh's short Too Rough has won 11 awards to date.

The ‘First Features’ strand, with a fund of over £300,000, will support 30 new writers, directors, and producers, enabling Scotland-based filmmakers to take a career-defining step towards making their debut feature.

Most recently, Berrie exec-produced the critically acclaimed Pilot and 2nd episode of the Disney/ FX series Under the Banner of Heaven for which Andrew Garfield was nominated for an Emmy (2022). She also produced Taron Egerton's feature, Tetris, which I watched a few weeks ago and was impressed with .

#scotland #scottish #happy birthday #filmaker #director #glasgow

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afemail · 1 year

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Reactions to Stray Kids

My grandson loves Minecraft and kept trying to show me videos of other people playing the game. I was truly baffled as to why someone would consider that entertaining. I kept trying to explain to my grandson (he's 7 btw) that I didn't know the game and, therefore, it was not interesting to watch someone else play it. I wasn't learning anything; I wasn't entertained by anything; I wasn't interested. As you can imagine, he didn't understand me either. But I still love him loads!

And now I've found reactors to Stray Kids. I have to admit that it's exciting to watch other people discovering them. I couldn't figure out why it kept pulling me back in. Now I've realized It's sort of like reliving my own discovery. Feeling that excitement again is almost like a drug. Endorphins?

I am a classically trained pianist and a singer -- mostly ballads, American standards, and pop hits covering ... SHIT! ... over 40 years now! I was also a church organist for 15 years. All of that is to say I've experienced A LOT of music.

When I first started watching SKZ music videos, I was mostly watching title tracks. Each video was such a ride and I would have to pause them to catch my breath! There are outfits and accessories. There's group dynamics and interactions. There's backgrounds and scenery. There are colors and choreographies. And, of course, there are handsome, young men in the middle of it all. It's a lot! More often than not, I just watched with my jaw on the floor. I haven't often experienced music this way.

I was 13 years old when MTV premiered, and my family didn't have cable. We were still making cassette mixtapes from the radio and buying 45s of our favorite tunes. There was nothing more frustrating than the DJ who talked over the song you were recording! I saw some music videos when visiting friends' houses but, for the most part, I did not see many. They were usually just footage of the band/singer performing, and not much else. Sometimes, the artists were "acting out" the song, but they were pretty cheesy.

A little over 2 years later in December 1983, Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video premiered. It was such a big deal! He was a massive star and the video was being hyped as a mini-movie. Watch parties were organized and events were planned. My friends and I went to the nearest roller skating rink 5 miles away to watch on their big screens. That is the 1st time I can recall seeing a music video on such a grand scale. It was 15 minutes of great music, (cheesy) acting, and a dance that is still done to this day around Halloween.

and that is JUST ABOUT EVERY SKZ VIDEO !!!

Of course, there is a language difference, and reading subtitles while trying to take in the visuals was often overwhelming. I spent a lot of time watching videos multiple times as well as rewinding and pausing. I also spent a lot of time researching things they'd referenced.

I found myself watching the whole video once through while reading the subtitles. Then I would watch it again to SEE it. Then I would watch it again and try to sync the two. Then I would watch it many more times because I kept finding different approaches to understanding the video. Like, what's up with Hyunjin and apples???

And now that I'm reasonably caught up on MVs (I occasionally still discover one I haven't seen) I have discovered the reactors. There are so many! I didn't realize it was "a thing." People are trying to make a living out of other people watching them watch still other people do what they do. It's actually kind of mind-boggling if you really think about it.

There seem to be an awful lot of people just discovering Stray Kids. I don't know what's driving it, but there have been so many new reactors just in the last couple of weeks. I think I've read that sometimes there are "fake" reactors, but that wouldn't explain all of them. Why so many new ones? Are they just jumping on the bandwagon? Is "the word" getting out there?

I've tried to find reactors who have a history of reactions as well as a reasonable number of subscribers. That tells me that they're doing something right. I have my favorites of course -- Teddy Grey, Handsome Sausages, Amari Leon, and Sebastine. They each analyze rather than just react. The people who just really watch "with" you and say, "Ooh, that was fire!" don't interest me.

But I truly enjoy watching people "discover" Stray Kids. Their hype is invigorating. I will binge a reactor's entire journey into SKZ if they are excited about it. I'm subscribed to so many channels now. Prior to this journey, I was subscribed to about 10. Now It's close to 100.

They just remind me of MY 1st time ;)

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nnnnoooooooooooo · 8 months

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Bringing Up Baby (1938, Howard Hawks)

I watched Bringing Up Baby earlier this summer in a packed theatre, following an introduction by Kevin McDonald. I wrote this afterwards, but, for whatever reason, I never got around to posting it.

Bringing Up Baby is a first-rate Walter Catlett vehicle. The actor tops such luminaries as Charles Ruggles, Barry Fitzgerald, May Robson, and Fritz Field. Of Course, the picture belongs to Nissa, a leopard who plays the titular Baby. She's an even bigger scene stealer than Skippy, the dog from The Thin Man series, who also appears in this movie. Seeing this as part of a crowd opened my eyes to Nissa’s star power. The collective tension in the theatre when she enters the picture, first interacts with a human, and when she's found wrestling with Skippy is immediate, and, each time, that tension is instantly melted away whenever she's revealed to be just a big affectionate kitty. She has the audience in the pad of her paw whenever she's on screen.

Nissa gets the titular role, but it's Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant whose names are above the title. Hepburn enters the picture in full force, never lets up, and still manages to ratch her performance up a notch for the climax. Grant is largely used as set dressing for Hepburn et al., gracefully misdirecting characters and dialog, as well as getting in a few choice outbursts of his own. For all of the chemistry the two leads share, their romance is never developed, and is rather limp on the side of Grant. The film is only interested in the flimsy romance only as a vehicle for the couple’s entanglements, an outburst of dalliances, with their barely repressed desire spilling out across the countryside in the form of slapstick routines.

The hit/miss ratio of the picture's gags rests squarely below the picture’s reputation. Grant, tasked mostly with reacting to the other players, suffers the most. With so many characters playing so much dialog and business up to the rafters at all times, he is often left holding a reaction for an extra beat or two, and his bits begin to sag before they even get their turn to play out. Other times, he has to repeat a gesture multiple times in quick succession, unable to build on his gag, so as not to take away from the reams of dialog being read by Hepburn, which diminishes his returns. However, Hawk’s breakneck pacing, and tendency for overlapping dialog and bits of business seems to have this failing in mind. When a joke fails to land, it's either covered up, or hurried by so quickly that the picture barrels forward without ever losing its momentum.

The picture is held up at all times by some of the premier screen talents of its day, and it doesn't begin to sag until its coda. The picture finally slows down following its climax, after which the cast is emptied,save for Hepburn and Grant. We are left in the room where we first began, only now the romance becomes the focus, turning away from the couple’s chemistry. This shift in focus is unprepared to carry its own weight, let alone carry out the picture through to its end. This, coupled with the fact that the main gag here runs on the fumes of the previous act - a back and forth lacking tension, which should have been brightened with grace and playfulness - prevents the ending from satisfying. That is, if you can consider a successful reunion between two such dizzyingly beautiful people to be inadequate. It's the rare moment where the picture leaves its blemishes uncovered, before cutting to the jaunty theme and end cards.

Bringing Up Baby is not a graceful movie, but a rough and tumble affair that’s only playful if you follow Hepburn’s lead. Otherwise, it’s an all-out relentless assault. All that aside, this was never less than a crowd pleaser, and I cannot recall the last time I was in a theatre filled with so much laughter. Granted, this was a curated audience, and, with my choice of pictures and playtimes, I'm seldom in a theatre with more than a dozen or two other people at any given showing.

#Bringing Up Baby #Howard Hawks #Cary Grant #Katharine Hepburn #Walter Catlett #classic hollywood #old hollywood

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