#i watched the movie adaption of annihilation and i liked that too! (liked the book more) but i had to close my eyes at some parts still 😭 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

livwritesstuff · 5 months

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this is an edited repost of something I wrote last year for the 10-year anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School (now 11 years today). to say the least, it’s a difficult day for a lot of people, including me. i wrote this all in one go just as a positive outlet for the things this day evokes and i went back and forth on if i would post it, but i know i’m not the only one who has been affected by these events. if you’re someone who finds this day to be a hard one, this one is for you.

tw: references to gun violence and school shootings

It’s late morning in December 2012 and Steve is watching the news. He isn’t really paying attention to the current segment about opiate use, too busy being completely annihilated in Words with Friends by his eleven-year-old, who just played the word ‘jinxes’ for 23 points, the bastard.

He’s mid-way through sending Moe a text (“get off your ipod you’re in class”) when the channel’s Breaking News intro interrupts the interview that he’d been ignoring. He looks up to see that the headline has changed.

Steve sees shooting, and then elementary school and feels his heart jump into his throat the way it does any time he hears sirens when his daughters or his husband aren’t home – not because he really believes it’s for them, but because it could be. There’s always a chance it could be.

And he’s got two kids in elementary school right now.

He makes himself read the headline in full – it clarifies that the school is in Connecticut, nowhere near him and his house and his children’s schools in the Massachusetts suburbs, but it does little to remedy the panic that has his heart going a mile a minute.

Steve sits for a while, eyes glued to the TV as the anchor slowly ad-libs, clearly waiting for any new scrap of information.

On the first commercial break, Steve checks his phone. He’s got one text – from Moe telling him to play another word in their game. He responds back with the message he’d written before he’d become fixated on the news.

On the second one, he texts Eddie, tells him he loves him and asks if he’s heard what’s going on (he knows he probably won’t get a response for a while – Eddie is notoriously bad at checking his phone and that’s when he’s not in a meeting he’s been looking forward to for weeks, as is the case today).

By the third, they’ve learned the school is on lock-down, but not much more.

Everything he hears after that is nothing short of harrowing, and leaves Steve feeling sick to his stomach.

Eddie finally texts him a couple hours later, after the news anchor has been switched out for another, to say his meeting ran late (an actual director had reached out to him saying she was interested in adapting one of Ed’s books into a movie – today was the day they got to talk in person) and he hadn’t known any of this was going on, but he’s on his way to pick up Hazel from her AM kindergarten session.

Steve’s day continues. He makes lunch, he finishes some laundry, he responds to emails, always with one eye on the news. His shock at what was occurring mere hours south of his home, subsides, slowly replaced with a dull horror because he’s seen a lot of things in his forty-six years of life, but nothing like this. One by one, his three girls return home from school and he hugs each of them like he always does, but today it’s a little tighter.

It’s a Friday, and Friday night is movie night in the Harrington house. It’s Robbie’s night to choose (she picks Spy Kids, like she does every time she gets to pick the movie since it came out last year). Before they start, Steve and Eddie tell their kids what happened. They do their best to find an explanation that is sufficient for ever-precocious Moe, but not too much for Hazel, their sweet kindergartner who only just turned six. Once the movie starts, they all pile under the same blanket, and where there’s usually fidgeting and arguing and occasionally having to pause the movie altogether to wipe tears and wait on a time-out because someone weaponized a foot or an elbow after they weren’t given the big bowl of popcorn fast enough, tonight there is quiet and stillness.

The next day, the girls are back to their normal, bickering selves, but Steve still can’t shake the aching feeling in his chest every time he thinks about what happened the day before. He starts to get that itch in his brain, the same itch he'd felt after he ran out of the Byers’s house in 1983, after he turned back and saw those Christmas lights flickering, the itch where he’s gearing up for a fight.

As the months go on, Steve finds himself reading into gun control laws, finds himself with multiple non-profits fighting for them bookmarked on his computer, finds himself following politics for the first time in his life as he watches bill after bill get shut down by both sides of the debate.

Honestly, Steve isn’t sure why he cares so deeply about this – and not just what happened in Connecticut, but the issue of guns and gun safety in general. It’s not like he hasn’t fired a gun before. It’s not like he’s never seen their value (he still remembers that drive to the War Zone so many years ago). It’s not like he hasn’t ever felt safer with someone nearby wielding one, even if that someone was Nancy Wheeler.

Maybe he’s a little too familiar with children being the casualties in a war they didn’t choose to start, didn’t choose to fight in, and if that had made him angry at nineteen, he’s irate now, now that he has a six-year-old like the students in that classroom in Connecticut, now that he has an eleven-year-old like El when she escaped that lab in Hawkins.

It wouldn’t be the first time Steve threw himself into a battle that had nothing to do with him, that he knew very little about, because he knows what happens when children get caught in the crossfire of a battle that has nothing to do with them, and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he sat idly by and watched it happen again.

#i’m NERVOUS posting this one idk #they can’t all be fun times folks #idk if el was eleven years old in season 1 i'm pulling the artistic license for that one #i am definitely projecting here but whatever that’s what fandom is for i’m pretty sure #steddie #liv’s steddie dads verse #steddie dads #steve harrington #eddie munson #tw: school shooting #tw: gun violence

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athetos · 8 months

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I finally (after years of putting it off) watched annihilation and honestly I was pleasantly surprised because while I don’t think it was superior to the book in any way, it served as a nice complement. It took the main themes and vibes and made something enjoyable and unsettling that can stand on its own. I think the metaphor about refraction was a really nice addition, and the many (so, so many) changes from the book were mostly born from necessity as it would be impossible to translate them to a visual medium. I’m glad it didn’t try to just copy the book’s plot and characterization because it would never hold a candle to Jeff vandermeer’s writing.

However, with all that said, there are two glaring detractions. Firstly, the ending was disappointing. If I had the ability to change just one detail, it would be to make it ambiguous as to whether the shimmer truly disappeared, or if it advanced to encompass the entire planet. That alone would be much more interesting. Obviously I don’t expect them to tackle questions like “what IS the shimmer” because even the novels don’t really answer that question (I mean there’s a 4th book in the works so MAYBE but c’mon it’s Jeff vandermeer he’s not going to give a definitive answer).

The second major criticism I have is that there’s no tower or crawler! I know they kind of merged the tower with the lighthouse but it’s a pretty weird omission to me since the tower is the most significant part of the first book and whenever I think about them, I always picture the tower and the nonsensical but chilling scripture first. I do understand why it might not have been included for budget and set purposes but I’m so distraught over this…

I guess the last two, smaller criticisms I have is that they had to throw in a contrived affair (why does every other movie feel the need to do this) and that they didn’t explain what annihilation meant. I won’t spoil it for people who haven’t read it but it has a very specific meaning that gave me chills when it was explained. I’m kind of surprised they didn’t mention the psychologist using any type of hypnotism or mind tricks on them at all. It adds a lot more to Ventress’ character even without the backstory for her we get in the other two books, and it would play way more into the “are we being manipulated to turn on each other” question that arose.

Other than that I think most of the changes made sense from a filmmaking perspective. Lena is ex-military so they can show her shooting big damn guns. They let them bring electronics into the shimmer because finding a videotape left behind is way more interesting to the audience than reading a journal entry. They gave the other survey members backstories to make the audience get more attached to them. They let Kane live because they needed another ‘changed’ person for the ending. Kane (presumably the original) committed suicide because it was a great way to show the plot twist. Etc etc

I also want to address that there is whitewashing in this movie but it seems to come from a place of genuine unawareness. The main character is Asian and the psychologist is indigenous in the books however they’re both white in the movie, but their races are never touched on until the second book, which was being written and cast at the time of the script’s writing (the rights for the film adaptation were acquired before the first book was even officially released!) I truly don’t think anyone involved was aware of this information, as it just wasn’t available. I don’t know enough about the filming process to know if they could have altered it after the second book came out or if it was too late in the process, so that’s all I have to say, but I don’t think it was done with malicious intent at all.

TLDR: it was a good movie and I recommend it but I recommend the books way harder go read them right now

#southern reach #area x #annihilation 2018 #that’s the year it came out right?#I want to reread them but I just reread them in January. my woe is indescribable.#Jeff vandermeer #reviews

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mag200 · 2 months

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Horror movie/book rec.: Unsure if you are familiar but it seems right up your alley: the Annihilation film and books by jeff Vandermeer, he is writting the fourth of the series i think, and both are a hauntingly gorgeous horror story, the main character changed a lot in the film adaptation but i like that because the story is kind of about that but i dont want to spoil too much. Hope you are well 💜

oh i remember seeing a trailer for that but i never watched it & didnt know it was a book! i'll try to check them out, do you recommend reading the book first or they're different enough it doesn't matter? thank you!!

#anon #answered #recs #all i remember from the trailer is natalie portman so im sold <3

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dumbasswhatever · 7 months

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Ok I'm a little too shy to come off of anon, but in regards to books I've loved so much it made me crazzzzy: Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. The whole trilogy for the Southern Reach actually. Multiple people come into a mission to explore a mysterious Area X on the 12th expedition. All have various reasons and secrets. And most of all, Area X is a pristine wilderness that change you from the outside in and change your perceptions of the world and show you the coolest most beautiful animals and plants and also some real messed up nightmare fuel. Makes me want to tear the world ASUNDER. I feel like I could eat drywall. I'm thinking about it CONSTANTLY. It's so good in a weird fiction and slight horror genre of story and if it sounds interesting at all, read it read it read it. It's amazing

oh hell yes this is what i'm talking aboutttttt i actually watched a video essay that talked about the movie adaptation (i have not. watched the movie adaptation) and i saw thought the idea sounded interesting and i saw a few people in the comments talking about how good the book was, so i checked my library's website and all two copies were checked out at the time... they still are (that was a few months ago) but i've put a hold on the book so i will receive it in a few weeks probably. very excited for it, i looooove slight horror stories and i wanna read more weird fiction. thank you anon

#and btw no judgment about being on anon. i sometimes go on anon bc i'm too nervous to let people know i sent them like #'have a nice day'. too much pressure. what if they don't want to have a nice day and they get mad at me

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mikerickson · 9 months

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Mid-Year Book Freak Out 2023

Best book you've read so far: Annihilation - Jeff Vandermeer I’d seen the movie back when it came out in 2018 and expected more or less the same story beats, but the book really did it’s own thing. Extremely atmospheric, lonely, and strange in a way I’d never read before, but it absolutely worked for me.

Best sequel of 2023 so far: Authority - Jeff Vandermeer I told myself I’d read at least one trilogy this year (I typically stay away from series), and I went with the Southern Reach Trilogy. This book was such a narrative whiplash from Annihilation that at parts it didn’t even feel like it was the same author.

New release you haven't read yet, but want to: Vampires of El Norte - Isabel Cañas I really enjoyed her first novel, The Hacienda, and this one seems vaguely similar, which is exactly what I’d be looking for anyway.

Most anticipated release of the second half of 2023: I’m not super in-tune with book releases, and I still have a massive backlog to work through anyway.

Biggest disappointment of 2023: The Croning - Laird Barron I really enjoyed a short story collection by this same author and a lot of other reviewers I typically trust recommended this one, but this one-off novel was so bad that I was actually confused as to what I missed after finishing it.

Biggest surprise: The Holdout - Graham Moore A courtroom thriller is pretty far from my normal fare, and I don’t remember why I originally bought this book, but it had some good twists and turns that had me saying, “holy shit” out loud.

Favorite new author (debut or new to you): Christopher Bollen Pretty much every paragraph of A Beautiful Crime was edited and stylized in a way that felt like it was tailored to me specifically. There’s nothing about neither the prose nor the dialogue I would change.

Newest fictional crush: The burly oil rig worker in Jeff Vandermeer’s Acceptance that was secretly banging the town’s lighthouse keeper.

Newest favorite character: Listen, I know it’s coming up a lot on this list, but The Biologist from Annihilation was a fascinating protagonist to follow because she was simply too autistic to notice how terrifying her surroundings were.

Book that made you cry: Lone Stars - Justin Deabler A multi-generational drama that missed the mark for me personally, but the way society/the other characters treated the central matriarch made me really feel for her.

Book that made you happy: The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie I picked this up immediately after watching Glass Onion, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Favorite book to movie adaptation of 2023 you've seen: N/A

Favorite post/review you've written this year: I went in on Peter Straub’s Ghost Story

Most beautiful book you bought or received this year: Like aesthetically? I really liked the cover of Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk

Books you need to read by the end of this year: I told myself I’d finally get around to reading The Terror by Dan Simmons, but I haven’t bought a copy yet.

#books #midyear book freakout

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llycaons · 10 months

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I've been revisiting youtubers recently. some I like under the cut

Folding Ideas: a marvelously well-spoken social and media critic, with commentary on symbolism in film. his breakdowns of the editing failures of films such as Suicide Squad and The Snowman are entertaining and informative, and he has mini-episodes on narrative concepts like Thermian arguments (the Watsonian of Watsonian vs. Doylist explanations) and ludonarrative dissonance. politically on top of it (mostly), extremely astute, and a pleasure to listen to. See Earthsea and Adaptation Sickness, End of Evangelion and the Audience Author Membrane, The Thermian Argument, The Art of Editing and Suicide Squad, Cinematic Trainwreck – The Snowman: A Vlog, Cooking Food On The Internet For Fun And Profit, Annihilation and Decoding Metaphor

Ariel Bissett: a delightful young Canadian book reviewer takes us on her journey of renovating her old house. mostly cosmetic changes rather than structural as she's essentially self-taught, but she's a charismatic and charming host with a unique eye for style and color. her design sense matches closely with my own (we're both Monet fans), so I find her videos very soothing and satisfying to watch. I haven't seen any of her book reviews, but she seems thoughtful and passionate. I like all her house videos, but particularly the three yearly house tours so far (intro video, one year in, two years in,), Building The Perfect Guest Room, Complete Office Renovation!, Living Room Renovation To Look Like Emma's House!, Building The Perfect Reading Nook, Transforming the Smallest Room In My House With Wallpaper, and honestly all the others. it's a real pleasure to see the changes she makes over the months. I can't wait for the kitchen redo!

Accented Cinema: probably my favorite youtuber right now. he's a Chinese Canadian filmmaker with a focus on films and film-making processes, both his own and those from China (most often) and other non-American countries (occasionally). his videos have brought me to tears more than once. honestly I love too many to list all of them so I'll just list my top favorites but I highly recommend this channel. I loved Why China Cared About Kung Fu Panda, Shadow: Adapting Chinese Art, Who Killed Captain Alex: What Makes a Movie Good?, Chinese Animation: In Search of a Style (brief shot of mdzs donghua at the very end), Why Ghibli's First 3D Looks Soulless, East vs. West: Differences in Story Philosophy, Mahjong & Crazy Rich Asians, Why Are Kung Fu Movies So Patriotic, How I Made a Fake Video Essay

Local Script Man: a professional screenwriter whose advice and commentary on creating stories is really interesting and different than what you tend to see on tumblr. he tends to be kind of harsh but not in mean-spirited way, just in a way that makes it obvious that he knows what he's talking about. I like Oops No Plot, The Key to Writing Freakishly Good Dialogue, and both parts of 5 Essential Storytelling Rules I Just Made Up (part 1, part 2)

Schaffrillas Productions: a guy breaks down and ranks various animated films, often by studio. these videos are just a lot of fun. I liked his videos on the Shrek franchise (one, two, three, four, and the musical), and Raya vs. Encanto - How One Message Failed and Another Succeeded

Super Eyepatch Wolf: this man is, as we speak, convincing me to read Berserk. he has a slow, dramatic presentation of his arguments that draw you in and a great sense of humor. All of his "Why You Should Watch" videos are interesting even if you don't have any plans to watch the show he's describing, because they give an overview of the themes and strengths without spoiling it. he also presents a wealth of information on manga/anime history, and miscellaneous commentary on other media. I liked in particular The Fall of The Simpsons: How it Happened, "Non Battle" Battle Anime, What Makes A Fight Scene Interesting?, The Impact of Dragon Ball Z: The Series that Changed Everything, Why You Should Watch Yu Yu Hakusho, What Makes A Good Character Design?,

Cinema Therapy: these two guys are charming and sometimes funny. they can get annoying and their analyses tend to be very superficial, but I really like their videos tearing into bad romantic cliches. I like 10 TROPES We Hate About Rom Coms, 7 Tips from THE ADDAMS FAMILY to Keep Your Marriage Alive, TITANIC: Love Triangles and Compatibility, Therapist Reacts to THE KISSING BOOTH (Part 1, Part 2), Relationship Therapist Ranks Christmas Romances with guest Shona Kay

Sideways: a channel about music! knowing nothing about music at all, I find these videos really interesting and accessible. see Why the Music in Cats (2019) is Worse than you Thought, Why Pipe Organs Sound Scary, Decoding the Music of The Matrix, Why Avatar has the Most Ironic Soundtrack of All Time, Why the Soundtrack to Shrek is Actually Genius, Ear Training and Sight Singing: The Superpower you get from Music School, Why "Spoken Word" Makes me Nervous

Pop Culture Detective: I like this channel for the analyses of troubling tropes in media, especially the ones on misogyny. See Marvel Defenders of The Status Quo, The Ethics of Looking And The “Harmless” Peeping Tom, Born Sexy Yesterday, The Complicity of Geek Masculinity on the Big Bang Theory, Sexual Assault of Men Played for Laughs (Part one, Part two), Stranger Things, Belligerent Romance, and the Danger of Nostalgia

favorite misc videos here

#part 2 for misc videos coming next #cor.txt #save #video essays

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dead-weird · 2 years

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❤️‍🔥50 Essential Horror Movies ❤️‍🔥

1. 10 Cloverfield Lane – 2016 It’s not often a sequel is better than its predecessor. But this film is one of the most anxiety-inducing pieces of cinema, that somehow manages to make John Goodman scary.

2. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night – 2014

Everyone’s favourite Persian vampire film.

3. Alien – 1979 There’s too many reasons why this is a horror classic. It’s completely perfect.

4. American Mary – 2012 I’ve got massive respect for the Soska Sisters. This film is them to a T.

5. Annihilation – 2018 I love everything Alex Garland does. So when I say that this is my favourite creation of his, it means something. Part 1 of the Natalie Portman Body Horror Double Feature.

6. Apocalypto – 2006 Although not technically a horror film, there is a lot to learn here about true fear.

7. A Quiet Place – 2018 A movie without any (or barely any) dialogue that made people appreciate how much of horror comes from sound.

8. Audition – 1999 J-Horror classic that suits a lover of slow-paced arthouse body horror.

9. Black Swan – 2010 Part 2 of the Natalie Portman Body Horror Double Feature.

10. The Blood on Satan’s Claw – 1971 Folk horror has been having a revival for the past few years, and this film showcases its British roots.

11. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari – 1920 One of the first horror movies. The scenery, the expressions, the cinematography – it will teach you so much.

12. Candyman – 1992 The sauvest ghoul who ever graced screens.

13. Carrie – 1976 Stephen King’s first book about the telekinetic teen, who was immortalised on the silver screen by Sissy Spacek.

14. Christine – 1983 Yeah, so I like Stephen King. Who doesn’t? Christine might be cheesy and bonkers to some, but I used to watch it as a little kid and it’s stuck with me.

15. The Color Out of Space A modern adaptation of an H.P Lovecraft short story that can help horror fans understand the “rules” (or lack thereof) that surrounds cosmic horror.

16. Crawl – 2019 The reason for this being on here: it’s hard to find a serious creature feature nowadays. I call this the “Sharknado Effect.” Has anyone else coined that? *quick google search* Yes, they have. Still stands, though.

17. Cube – 1997 Some horrors are so simplistic, they’re boring. Others are simplistic and still have you on the edge of your seat. This is the later. I rate it above Saw any day.

18. A Cure for Wellness – 2016 This film has it all: claustrophobia, dentophobia, and even cheliphobia.

19. Duel – 1971 If you think a truck chasing a guy in a car for a whole movie isn’t scary, you’re right it probably isn’t. Unless that movie is Duel.

20. The Endless The cosmic horror that ticks every box for me – funny, realistic characters; a solid plot; cults; interdimensional beings; spooky shit that makes me wanna cry; time fuckery. I can’t sing its praises enough.

21. Evil Dead II – 1987 Evil Dead I and Army of Darkness are great, but this one’s my favourite.

22. The “Fear Street” Trilogy - 2021 Teen horror is good, actually.

23. The Fly – 1986 Not only is it horrific, its tragic. The magic combination of a love story, body horror, and Jeff Goldblum.

24. Flatliners – 1990

From Joel Schumacher – this film could almost be thriller if it weren’t for the supernatural elements, but deserves a place on this list for a great concept that made a fantastic film.

25. Frightmare – 1974 Pete Walker is a lesser known British director who made gory exploitation films. Frightmare is like a weird slice of history for me, and that’s why I’m into it.

26. From Dusk Til Dawn – 1996 Changing the genre of your movie halfway through is a bold move. It totally pays off here.

27. Ginger Snaps – 2000 Gothic werewolf movie about periods. That’s all you need to know.

28. Halloween – 1978 One of the most iconic slasher films.

29. His House – 2020 Horror is often used as escapism, but some films look into the real world horrors that people face. His House does this with the trauma experienced by refugees.

30. In the Mouth of Madness – 1994 Part of John Carpenter’s Apocalypse Trilogy. Lovecraftian to the core – small New England towns, eldritch beings, doom etc.

31. Invasion of the Body Snatchers – 1978 The Fly and this film go hand in hand for me – and not just cause they both have Jeff Goldblum.

32. It – 2017 Everyone was pretty blown away by how good (and well-cast this film was.) The second installment wasn’t as great, but they kept up with the fantastic casting so it’s easily enjoyable still.

33. Jennifer’s Body – 2009 This film got a lot of hate that arose from a bad marketing campaign. Luckily, it’s starting to push back against its bad reputation, showing people it’s actually a really good film.

34. Lamb – 2021 Doing a completely original folk horror (and even horror in general) is hard nowadays, but this Icelandic production managed to do it.

35. Last Night in Soho – 2021 Edgar Wright’s first non-comedic horror film. Beautiful, gripping and an incredible cast.

36. The Love Witch – 2016 Probably unlike any other film you’ll see.

37. The Lure – 2015 A horror filled musical with mermaids.

38. Prevenge – 2016 A pretty unique concept on a whole that director/writer/star, Alice Lowe, conceived and shot while she was pregnant.

39. Raw – 2016 Everyone’s favourite cannibal film – you had your time, Silence of the Lambs.

40. Relic – 2020 A terrifying look into our futures through the lens of aging family members.

41. Ringu – 1998 You can tell something resonates with people when it’s parodied countless times.

42. The Ritual – 2017 Realistic characters, sick monster design, great story. Adds a lot to the mid-2010s folk horror boom.

43. Saint Maud – 2019 Debut feature of Rose Glass. Original, incredible acting, and a VERY impactful final shot.

44. Scream – 1996 Just watch it.

45. Sputnik – 2020 Reviewers try and liken this movie to any other alien sci-fi horror, but it’s concept is way more original than most people give it credit for.

46. Suspiria – 1977 Italian horror at it’s finest.

47. The Thing – 1982 Essential sci-fi horror.

48. Titane – 2021 Julia Ducournau won the Palme D’Or at Cannes Film Festival for this freaky body horror.

49. Underwater – 2020 Two words: Aquatic Horror.

50. V/H/S – 2021 This anthology series is worth a watch, especially for “The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger.”

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essektheylyss · 2 years

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loving your annihilation film reactions. APPARENTLY the movie rights were acquired/film production started BEFORE the book was actually properly published? and the director has said that the adaptation was more of his memory of the manuscript. all this to say that i have tried long and hard to accept and love annihilation the film and annihilation the book as their own things born from the same seed but where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner I shall bring forth the

HAHAHAHA oh yes, this is... very much an issue in Hollywood. Sometimes it works (iirc The Martian was done like that and that movie is phenomenal!) but... often it doesn't, particularly if the author is not involved.

(I have separate thoughts I will not detail here about the increasing interchangeability of authors and screenwriters pushed by Hollywood but like... if you can already craft a story, format and structure can be learned if you're willing. That's not the problem.)

I did set out to watch it for the adaptation choices because I really love the concept and process of adaptation and I thought the book was phenomenal and had very specific opinions on how you could faithfully adapt it, and in this scenario I think every choice that was actually made was wrong.

But also, once I realized that I thought every choice was wrong, I did start looking at it on its own, and... I find that so much of the framing just of the movie on its own is deeply shallow? (Which, I haven't watched Ex Machina since college, but I remember feeling similarly about that one. Ooooh, your robot is a bitter girlboss. We all saw Bladerunner.)

More specific (negative) opinions, and book spoilers, and my thoughts on how to adapt it below the cut, both in case people do really like the movie and cuz it got reeeeal long—

In my opinion, the scientific aspects of it are the absolute most banal possible application of... well, biology, frankly (especially when you're originally dealing with fungus, my absolute beloved, so I was bound to have many opinions here)—the whole like... instant mutation thing? WHAT. It wants to be surrealist without ever selling me on any of the aspects that make it surrealist or even committing to the surrealism, like it doesn't believe or take seriously its own premise so it needs to explain it to make sure you, the audience, do not judge the absurdity of it, and achieves the opposite, where I just feel like the write didn't know how sci-fi or suspense worked as genres. I'm here to suspend some disbelief! I'm not here to have all of the wind cut from the sails because somebody needed to spend $50 million to try to convince people he was clever.

The structure of the film is bizarre and leans way too hard on exposition dumps and just telling both the characters and the viewer exactly what they're looking at, which negates any of the mystery of "The Shimmer" even once you've divorced whatever this is supposed to be from Area X. I really hate the choice to use camera footage rather than journals, especially given they've maintained the radio and satellite interference.

The way the backstories are set up really feels like it chokes out the purpose of the character motivations and then parades the lifeless corpse of that purpose through the streets pretending it's a theme (and, looking at the base level of where the characters are being led, I'm pretty sure an episode of Hannibal did it better). I will say, I do like Josie a lot, and I think she is actually the only one who maintains the concept of the biologist in the original, and her exit should've been the thesis of the film, and the ending with Ventress is genuinely bizarre (and, frankly, gives me end of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull vibes, which is in zero ways a compliment).

It seems like Lena is the last to understand, which makes no sense considering she's the biologist, and this is a biology puzzle (and gives me the impression that this was not someone who understood or appreciated the aspect of the biological intrigue of it). It started with her explaining mitosis, and she should've been the one to understand it best through it all. The scenes with Lena's doppelganger feel... so meaningless, and again, really just negates the ineffability of the whole concept, and the point of the inevitability! Why did the phosphorus burn down the lighthouse this time but not with Kane. Why did the doppelganger let herself be destroyed only for Lena to go back. (And, frankly, they and the treatment of the biological science have an insufferable vibe of edgy film major who just took a philosophy 101 course. And I would absolutely know.)

In terms of my thoughts on adaptation, I think the first mistake was getting rid of the conceit of having stripped them of names. It's the easiest thing to maintain in film, even easier than in prose. You lose some of the effect when they're not calling attention to it all the time, but you don't undercut it at all. (Same with "The Shimmer" instead of Area X.)

As I read the book, I felt the psychologist's hypnosis would be hard to adapt, but actually, I think film editing choices (jarring cuts, jump cuts, lighting effects, etc) could've made it very easy, especially since you then have to simply transition back to a more traditional flow of editing once the biologist stops being effected by it.

I'd have also organized it roughly as it is in the book starting at the tower, and shown the husband's return in flashback, along with the biologist's memories, probably with a lot of jump cuts. Also, just keep the original timeline of Area X! I don't really get the point in changing it, except to add urgency, even though... part of the horror of the original is that the process is slow but it is inevitable.

In general, much of the rest of the aspects of Area X's weirdness and how it affects the biologist are pretty straightforward, even on film. I imagine they were demotivated by the very... intangible aspect of depicting the interaction with the lighthouse keeper at the end, but honestly... A24 could've done it, no sweat. I'm no expert on effects, but I think both The Green Knight and EEAAO had aspects to them that I'd say were comparable to ways to make that scene work.

And really, I do think that this screenplay feels like it was written to make sure the audience knew that the writer understood all of the clever details, and as such so much of the ambiguity that makes the book fascinating and haunting is lost. Even with some of the fucked up horror effects, it feels a lot more like a generic action movie than the suspense thriller it should've been, especially because so much of it is just stated outright.

(Also, oh my god I hate a climactic title drop in a situation in which it did not need to ever be said to have the effect.)

Which is why I return back to, the first mistake was giving them names.

#megs watches annihilation #also cuz I got to the discussion with the coworker. what the fuck is that subplot about. like it's barely there and it's just. POINTLESS.#HONESTLY STOP DUDES FROM WRITING UNNECESSARY ADULTERY PLOTLINES 2KFOREVER #I knew too. the minute they interacted I knew it was coming.#and on the OTHER HAND why would you cut the fucked up doppelganger sex. like it's RIGHT THERE #if you WANTED uncomfortable and deeply hollow sex THE BOOK HAS IT #anyway I'm done with the movie and I'm gonna go reread the book just to cleanse myself frankly.#mr vandermeer I'm so sorry an ugly bitch like alex garland and skydance would do something like this to you. i read your stunning book.#honestly tho I did watch this cuz I am writing a thing with one similar aspect (that I had all planned prior to reading the book)#(and like. a quarter written lol)#and was like 'wow wtf this is the vibe.' however this was a great lesson prior to starting editing of that in 'what not to do'#LOVE lessons in what not to do love learning from other people's mistakes #also it's not really that overall but there's an aspect of it so

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alexzalben · 2 years

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What are your thoughts on the whole streaming situation rn, the bubble has got to burst, while I'm happy we have more shows and even more happy we have more opportunities for diversity I have a lot of issues with the way things have been going the last couple of years. The number of episodes/ seasons is a big problem I've been watching tv religiously since I was a kid and I 've always thought the 22 eps was too much (for dramas) comedies though thrive on it like the best comedies of all time have that number of episodes ( I'm so glad we have Abbott elementary and ghosts now but we need a lot more like streaming annihilated the episode comedy genre) but for dramas we need so much more I'm not talking about true crime shows that were supposed to be movies but became shows bc this is the thing now I'm talking about shows that are built on relationships and character development that need a lot of episodes over the years to build things, with the way things are going there will only be a handful of shows that go past 3 seasons of 8 episodes every 3 years and that's not tv let alone good tv. I'm talking about shows with a mythology that needs time to develop slowly. Some shows need 8 eps some need 13 some need 16 or even 20. It's so weird to me bc i see things like NCIS and law and order and new girl etc having huge numbers on Netflix bc they're so long and I'm not saying streamers should do shows like that but creators should be allowed to tell the stories they want without having to shove everything into 6 episodes and get cancelled on S2. Also what is it with executives and romance, Bridgerton was such a big hit you'd think every streamer would be greenlighting at least one big romantic historical or otherwise book adaptation but it's been crickets, not to mention romance is the biggest book industry by faaar so why are we not hearing anything, is it just the inherent belief that despite the numbers proving otherwise in everyway catering to women and things they inherently might enjoy is a waste or a non starter, also maybe they should spend less money on big name movie actors ( it's so funny to me bc tv actors are truly some of the most talented actors ever and they spend years living and breathing a character and more money paying their writers and staff and giving them more episodes ) . Also cancelling things after a month if they don't do really well is just do baffling to me, how about you let shows find their audiences first Idk I wanted to ask your thoughts since you know a lot more than me and I'm feeling very weirded out by the entire thing considering tv is such a dear medium to me and I have spent so many hours of my life consuming it and talking about it but lately it feels like a lot the entire thing is in a state of absolute mess.

Well, this is a lot to address, but let me see if I can get to the core of what you're wondering about, which is this: TV, as a medium, is experiencing severe growing pains right now. You've got broadcast, cable, streaming (free and paid), as well as multiple companies that are going through mergers or splits, or are on the brink of shutting down. Add in that the movie business is also going through growing pains, and forgive my language but: nobody knows what the fuck they're doing.

I don't mean that to be dismissive, but it's an extremely murky time in terms of what the future of entertainment is, and there's no clear path to where things will or should go. Streaming seemed to be the clear future, but it's going through hiccups. Some companies are doubling down on it. Others are panicking and retreating. That's why you're getting things happening all over the place with no discernible pattern. Eventually, something will break through - it always does - with a clear path forward. But right now we're in the weird times where everything is happening at the same time in wildly different directions.

My two cents? I, as I always do, wish they would be thinking about the consumer experience first and foremost. What is best for people watching their shows and movies, not their bottom line? Because ultimately if you make a good experience for the people who are consuming the thing you're making, you will get the money you need to keep your company going. Right now, the suits in charge are getting a lot of conflicting info, and that's what is leading to the wild, weird, frustrating and terrifying state of TV at the moment.

Hope that begins to answer a little bit of your question(s).

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tired-momfriend · 2 months

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I think when a book is being adapted into a movie, they should do the thing that annihilation and Coraline did. Where the book isn't a strict guideline but more of an inspiration.

Too often, a shitty movie is made from an amazing book and that's because it's pretty much uninspired. It's a lazy adaptation with no real thought. And on top of that, because movies often can't be as detailed as books, a whole bunch ends up getting cut out so it doesn't even capture what the author originally put out there.

But by using the book and premise as an inspiration, something completely new and almost separate can be created.

Coraline the movie is so vastly different from the book and can be analyzed separately; however, the inspiration is clearly there.

Annihilation the movie is much more loosely based off of the book, and so the experience of watching the movie in no way ruins the book. Like, at all. However, each piece is amazing. The southern reach trilogy is an amazing read, the movie is an amazing watch, idk I just love it.

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heavensmortuary · 3 years

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🍁🍂🍁🍂Alright, since its mid-September, its time for my annual spooky movie reccomedation list! I include ratings, and I can include trigger warnings for any of these films upon request as well! I'm also looking for horror movies to watch myself, so feel free to comment/ask any as well!! So, here we go, in no particular order...🍁🍂🍁🍂

Fantasy/sci-fi horror:

The Thing 1982 [R]: A group of scientists find a shapeshifting alien underneath the ice in Antarctica, and they just survive as it imitates them. Trust no one. The Thing is one of my favorite movies in general. Its scary, retro, and the special effects are insane. It reminds me of classic Lovecraft, but better. Very terrifying. 10/10

Pan's Labyrinth 2006 [R]: During the Spanish Civil War, a young girl named Ofelia enters a world of twisted fantasy while above, her step-father's brutality causes trouble in the midst of a rebellion. Genuinely a beautiful movie. It's like a fairy-tale, and sometimes you forget it's a horror movie. It's simply magical, but frighteningly real. If you love classic fantasy, monsters, history, and horror, you'll love this movie. 10/10

Alien 1979 [R]: A team on a shipping vessel in soace come in contact with a parasitic alien within the clausterphobic confines of the ship. A classic, and it's still absolutely terrifying. Sharp insight on early 80's consumerism (in more than one sense), and a marvel of alien horror. Its very claustrophobic, tense, and 100% worth watching, especially if you love scifi. 10/10.

Aliens 1986 [R]: Continuing the story of Alien, space marines must investigate a distress signal from a colony, and what they find is more horrifying than they could have imagined. Full of retro action, humorous quips, scares, and plenty of bullet spray, it's a terrifying and fun watch. I enjoyed it just as much as the original, and its just awesome, while being scary at times. 10/10

Annihilation 2018 [R]: After the mysterious death of her husband, a Biologist goes into Area X to discover what horrifying cosmic entity his team found there. Not nearly as good, or accurate as the book (I CANT reccomend the Southern Reach trilogy enough), but this movie genuinely frightened me at points and the setting is simply beautiful. Its clever, creepy, and it's a strange watch. 8/10

Signs 2002 [PG-13]: After strange symbols appear in the cornfields on a family's farm, they must protect each other, and their faith, during the invasion. Love this movie, it's just spooky enough, but outside if the monsters, the people in this movie are what really matter. It's compelling, and a beautiful story. Simply excellent. Plus you'll know where the screaming guy in a closet meme comes from after seeing this one. 10/10

A Quiet Place 2018 [PG-13]: Could you survive a world where making a single sound could spell your death? Monsters decend upon the Abbot family, just as a baby is on the way. One of my favorite movies ever. Its beautiful and ABSOLUTELY horrifying. I think I forgot about eating my popcorn while watching this one. Overall, the desperate survival of the Abbots is heartwarming, but oh so stressful. If you can, PLEASE watch the sequel right after this one. 10/10

A Quiet Place 2 2021 [PG-13]: The Abbots face new challenges as they traverse a devestated landscape, and monsters wait around every dark corner for them. An EXCELLENT sequel. I caught myself actually going "NOOO AAAA" at some points, and its totally a worthy sequel to the scares in the first one. Again, great story, great characters, great cinematography, great message. 10/10.

Coraline 2009 [PG]: Coraline Jones, unhappy with moving to a new house, suddenly finds a whimsical world in a little hidden tunnel inside the house, but she learns the sinister truth behind the candy-colored world beyond the wall. Dont let the stop-motion animation confuse you; this movie is terrifying. A classic from my childhood, and its a treat to watch every Halloween. The Beldam has to be on the list of the most horrifying villains ever. 10/10

Zombies, ghosts, ghouls, and everything in between:

The Haunting 1963 [G]: Based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House, a group of people must stay in a supposedly haunted mansion. Eleanor, one of the women, suddenly believes that the house is talking directly to her. One of the many adaptations of the book, it's spooky, and it's very disturbing, while also having a nice theme. Perfect for setting the mood on a October night. 8/10

Night of The Living Dead 1990 [R]: Survivors take shelter in an abandoned farm house while the undead attack. Can they work together, or let their own prejudices get the best of them? I havent seen the original yet, but I love this movie. Very scary, and its directed by Tom Savini, so lots of good ol zombie gore. Not only that, there's a good bit of social commentary here on racism. The classic was the original zombie film. 9/10.

Dawn of The Dead 1978 [R]: As the undead rise up, survivors take to a shopping mall in order to survive. I don't know how to describe this movie's vibe. It has this weird retro 70's feel, mixed with uncanny horror. It's campy at times, but it doesn't take away the scariness. Very fun in a weird way, and its an on-the-nose satire of american consumerism. 10/10

Train To Busan 2016 [R]: While the world crumbles around them, a small group of survivors must learn to protect each other on a train headed to Busan. Seriously, please watch this one. It's completely unique to any zombie film I've seen. It's scary, but you genuinely care about the characters, and its VERY intense. Love this one. 10/10

Murder and ect:

Scream 1990 [R]: A masked serial killer stalks high school students in middle class suburbia. Its a parody of the modern horror genre, clever and scary all at once. I enjoyed it as a classic and I liked the commentary on how violence with no essence effects people, especially when glorified with horror films. Definitely not for everyone, but its good never the less. 8/10

Wait Until Dark 1967 [NR (I give it a PG-13)]: A gang of criminals looking for heroin attack the home of a blind woman, and it turns into a horrifying game of back and forth between them, until it can go on no longer. Literally one of the best thriller movies ever. Genuinely scary, and genuinely clever. This was actually the first film I saw Audrey Hepburn act in. Super tense near the end, I was biting my nails the whole time. 10/10

The Village 2004 [PG-13]: A rural community is faced with a hard decision as the monsters in the woods leave bloody warnings around their small town. I watch this one every autumn. Its atmospheric, the score is breathtaking, and its a great story. Its beautiful, gently frightening, and its overall a love story. I love this one a lot, even though I know a lot of people didnt like it. Don't go in expecting a great twist at the end, and you'll enjoy it. 10/10

Jane Eyre 2011 [PG-13]: Jane Eyre becomes the governness to an estate, and find a dark secret there. Not necessarily horror, but its gothic and absolutely beautiful. Its the perfect october movie. I love it lots. Nothing hits different than a rainy october day, a cup of chai tea, and this movie playing. 10/10

TV Series:

Stranger Things 2016- [PG-13]: After a child is taken by a supernatural force, the small town community of Hawkins must search for answers and find him before its too late, but as they search, a horrifying conspiracy comes to life before them. I adore this series. Its a love letter to the 80s. Cant reccomend it enough. 10/10

The Twilight Zone 1959-1964 [PG]: A serialized series featuring many different stories ranging from scifi to horror and everything inbetween. Its genius honestly. Each story is compelling, and thought provoking. A great Halloween watch. 10/10

The Walking Dead 2010- (seasons 1 & 2) [R]: A sheriff wakes up from a coma to find himself in a terrifying world of the undead. Its a decent series, at least in the first two seasons! Its pretty scary. Its great if you like zombie movies! 7/10

Over The Garden Wall 2014 [PG]: Two brothers find themselves lost within the world of the Unknown, a place where time is blended together and reality isn't quite right. Ok, real talk here. Its my favorite series of all time. I could go on and on and on about it. If you haven't seen it, please I beg you. Theres nothing like it. Its literally the BEST autumn show to watch. Clever, funny, lightly disturbing, deep, nostalgic...its fantastic. 11/10

So, there you have it. Huge list of horror movies I've enjoyed and actually reccomend. I have seen quite a few more than this (Halloween, Dawn of the Dead 2004, Nightmare on Elm Street, ect), but I specifically picked out the ones I love the most. Enjoy! And have a great autumn.

#krakens croaks #hope yall enjoy!!#feel free to rb and add some reccomenations

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st-just · 3 years

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Semi-coherent Thoughts on Annihilation

I honestly can’t remember how long ago I first read this book, but it’s been firmly top ten ever, ever since (the rest of the series, less so, but I can’t complain because I do dearly love the conclusion to the Biologist’s story in Acceptance). Having now re-read it, I can say it absolutely lives up to the image of in my head! Got quite a bit more out of it than I did the first time, honestly, now that I took my time a bit. Not to just rant about how The Book Is Better, but having watched the movie adaptation last week as well, it really does both me how the film adaptation of it is just an entirely different story which happens to share some proper nouns and aesthetics. Like, it doesn’t even bother me that it’s a bad adaptation so much as that it doesn’t even try. The film is thematically tight and focused, the characters fairly simple – the Folding Ideas video lays it out pretty well, but the whole story is very clearly about how trauma changes people and how people live with it (or don’t). Which is, sure, a totally fine subject for a movie, but it’s very much not what the book is about! Like, if nothing else, the Biologist in the book is far closer to Tessa Thompson’s character in the movie than anyone else – she’s a misanthrope and a xenophile, and if you want to try to read the book’s themes as bluntly as the movie’s, the effort to force herself into a normal life in normal society is equated with engaging in deliberate self-harm so as to remain human. Something the book ends with her seeming to give up on as pathetic, and journeying deeper into Area X without any intention of returning. (and, while I’m ranting – in terms of gender politics it’s just a bit weird how the personalities of the Biologist and her husband were basically flipped relative to each other for the movie? In the book their marriage begins to fall apart because the Biolgoist is distant and uninterested in socializing, emotional intimacy, or friendships, while the husband is gregarious and friendly and repeatedly attempts to bring her into his social circles. In the film he is distant and constantly away on military assignments, and she has an affair with a coworker. I don’t know, it feels like an odd reversal, but I’m really not sure enough attention was paid for the source material for it to actually be a reversal and not just something new and unrelated laid over top.) But, okay, to attempt to talk about the book and not just rave about its superiority to the film – you know, I once glanced at Vandermeer’s twitter, and it seemed to be mostly bird watching and nature appreciation? And that is exactly what I would expect of the author, having read this book. The descriptions of nature – and of the uncanny things a few steps to the side of it – are unfailingly really beautiful, and honestly one of the main charms of the book to me. And, like, as a character arc it is actually pretty impossible for me to overstate how much I adore anything where something walks away from a mundane life and casts aside their humanity for an uncanny and eldritch existence beyond the world we know. Personally, I blame too many children’s/YA stories that ended up with the protagonists giving up all their cool shit as an obvious metaphor for maturing and putting away childish things, and also a deep seated resentment of conventional society. Anyways, please read Annihilation, Authority is eeehhh and Acceptance is just pretty good, but as a standalone work Annihilation is absolutely sublime.

#books #book review #Annihilation #jeff vandermeer #in this essay I will #this is theoretically a writing blog #film #the southern reach trilogy

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canmom · 2 years

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Televisual Transmission Tuesday 36: 28 X Later

Hello friends! Exciting day today in the canmom house of entertainment because I just opened commissions. If you want to help maintain the continued existence of these movie nights (and the girl who runs them), that’s the best way to do it - and you even get a picture!

Tonight’s subject really should have been number 28 for numerology reasons, but I was in California, so we did some Californian movies, mostly. And now, having done regional specials on various places I’ve been, I guess it’s time to bring it home to London, in the grips of a terrible pandemic...

...wait, that sounds a little too familiar.

Enough preamble! Tonight we’re watching two zombie movies from the 2000s: 28 Days Later (2002) and its sequel 28 Weeks Later (2007). At the time these movies came out, I would have been first 11 and then 16 years old... so I basically missed out on the cultural phenomenon of the time. Now, I have a chance to look back and see what I was missing! For this I have to thank @lyravelocity for reminding me of these films and convincing me they’re worth a watch...

So, to briefly introduce the film as I understand them. The basic elements of a zombie movie are the familiar: a highly virulent virus causing mindless violence is released, rapidly causing total social collapse. The zombie film genre has been many things, but before anything it was a vehicle of social critique, and - like any good art from this shithole - 28 Days delivers on this front with a fiercely bleak picture of the sort of fascism that would result if this country got too much of a shove. The sequel, 28 Weeks Later, follows it up by imagining the violent imposition of the Iraq War coming home.

But hold up, let’s pull back. Who are the people behind this business?

The major figure here is maybe not the director - although we’ll have plenty to say about him - but the writer, Alex Garland. Before this film, he was a novelist known for works like The Beach and The Tesseract, both drawing on his experiences of travel in Europe and Southeast Asia - but I can’t comment too much on these books since I’ve not read them. The first novel, much more successful, was adapted to film by Danny Boyle. Again, more on him in a bit!

Garland stepped into screenwriting with 28 Days, and ended up writing a number of science fiction thrillers throughout the 2000s and 2010s, among them...

Sunshine (2007) - a stylishly shot but kind of nonsensical sci-fi horror film in which a spaceship goes to rekindle a failing sun, but on the way finds the captain of the previous ship has become a space murderer

Dredd (2012) - a tense adaptation of the flagship 2000AD comic, placing the fascist Judge in a sealed tower block - a compelling action film, if inevitably lacking the chaotic future-shock spectacle of the comics. Although only credited as writer, Garland apparently did most of the direction (and wasn’t especially happy with the result).

Ex Machina (2014) - Garland’s first credited direction, a character drama in which a company invents a gynoid, and their CEO procedes to abuse her [I think that’s accurate, not seen this one]

Annihilation (2018) - an adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel about an expedition into a surreal, Roadside Picnic-like zone, interpreting it to be about the ambiguity of self-identity

...many films you might well have seen! And while none of these films are perfect, they do at least all have the quality of, well, actually using their science fiction setting for theme and metaphor. Which should not really be a high bar.

What then of the director? Danny Boyle is... let’s say a tragic figure. At the time of 28 Days, in Alex’s narrative, he generally seemed to be a decent, well-meaning ‘soft left’ guy with a lot of talent for direction. He was best known for Trainspotting (1996), an intensely popular black comedy about a group of heroin addicts in Edinburgh, which became one of those generationally defining films - unfortunately another I’ve missed. (In my defence I was five years old!) He made 28 Days Later, which we’ll soon see took a similarly uncompromisingly bleak tone.

And after that? Well, OK, he continued to make high profile films like the controversial Slumdog Millionaire (about a country he, by his own admission, didn’t know anything about), and the survival film 127 Hours - which from the outside seems to be an arc of increasingly letting go of any sense of critical or satirical edge. But the real turning point seems to have come in 2012.

The Olympic Games came to London (provoking all sorts of bizarre spectacles of social cleansing of homeless people and missile launchers on rooftops), and Danny Boyle directed our opening ceremony. Which, I can only echo Alex’s perfect description, was the British state’s only effective act of propagandistic psychomagic in the last twenty years, papering over David Cameron’s struggling Tory government by smarmily slapping together cultural figures - james bond, harry potter, the queen - with enough ‘haha aren’t we so goofy’ to cultivate a suitable vague and reserved sense of national pride. And what’s horrible is, it worked. Cringe nationalism was in again.

They played it again when the lockdowns started at the beginning of the pandemic.

But, 28 Days predates all that! Visually, it added a new way of presenting zombies, which spread to other films like Train to Busan (Toku Tuesday 25) and games like Left 4 Dead and eventually who-gives-a-shit World War Z - rather than slowly shambling and reaching, its zombies would become an aggressive wave of sprinting bodies falling over each other. But more than that, it presented a picture of British society in collapse along its fault lines into a military dictatorship willing to justify sexual slavery with the logic of ‘necessity’...

Now, British apocalyptic stories have a long history - perhaps no surprise that an empire which exported vast quantities of violence to all corners of the world would shit itself about it ever coming back to give us the same treatment. You have one of the earliest alien invasion stories in The War of the Worlds (1898) by H.G. Wells, subsequently adapted to many formats including radio play, film and indeed rock opera. You have the ‘cosy catastrophes’ of John Wyndham like The Day of the Triffids (1951) in which the apocalypse may come, but after some disruption a group of middle class survivors are able to get on with a simpler life.

The 80s brought a much bleaker and more honest tone driven by the atrocities of Thatcher and the counterculture around the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament - we’ve seen When the Wind Blows (1986) on Animation Night 28, but perhaps more of note is the harrowing BBC drama Threads (1984), unflinchingly depicting the hopeless aftermath of a world-ending nuclear war. Soon summary executions and forced labour are the norm for the survivors. And, likewise inspired by Thatcherism, Alan ‘actual wizard’ Moore’s comic V for Vendetta (1982-89) imagined a fascist government building concentration camps to place gay people, all ruled by a clique of corrupt and hypocritical officials who gradually meet their end at the hands of his anarchist antihero.

On a similar note, I might throw out a mention to the alternate-history story Protect and Survive, which I read earlier this week, drawing on 80s British ‘continuity of government’ plans to depict the survivors of a nuclear war dragging together a fascist dictatorship full of slavery, mass executions and even a genocide of the (purportedly) Irish. Remarkably this was considered by many readers to be a relatively upbeat depiction of the aftermath. Weird forum. It’s broadly a good story though.

I mention all this because, well, we seem to broadly be in agreement: given a suitable shove, they would not hesitate to build the camps before ever letting go of control. 28 Days then, outside of its zombies, imagines how things would break down in this event - who would side with the state and what lengths they would go to.

So 28 Days sits in this tradition. What else to mention? The soundtrack! Notably, 28 Days featured one of the intensely moving songs of Canadian anarchist post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor, which the film uses in one of its strongest sequences of the main character wandering the eerily abandoned London. Indeed, Boyle apparently had Godspeed in mind for basically the whole picture. I look forward to seeing how much this does for the film’s feeling.

Anyway, with that, I’ve gone on long enough, and I can only say so much about films I haven’t watched - so please make your way into the theatre, and let’s settle down to see it all go to ruin!

#toku tuesday #hope this isn't going to be one of those writeups that i realise is completely wrong after seeing the film lol

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pepperful-qt · 4 years

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Hi there! Can I request hcs of kuroo, kita and semi with a big brain s/o? It doesn't just apply to s/o academically, but more so about life in general (like having ~streetsmarts~) thank you!

you said street smarts my mind went to jj bittenbinder. ngl i kinda used the wisdom proficiencies from d&d as reference for this hahaha nerd i hope it’s what you want! also i just want to thank you for requesting my not-so-secret fav semi semi

Kuroo, Kita, & Semi with a big brain s/o

* * * * *

Kuroo Tetsuro

oh this man appreciates it. he’s so entertained

you know that drinking game that Tyrion does with Shae where he guesses something about your past and if he’s right you have to drink, if not he does? that’s what you do minus the drinking part obv,, unless

as a person with high charisma himself, you make it a game to see who can bluff out and/or fool the other (you almost always win)

any time there’s a game night and you’re playing a social deception game you always win. no one can get a lie past you

if it’s a teamwork one, you and Kuroo crush everyone else

you find ways to skimp on your hw but still come out fine. he has no idea how, and it both annoys and impresses him

“i thought you stayed up watching buzzfeed unsolved instead of studying last night??”

“yeah so what?”

“but you got a 96%”

he knows that intelligence isn’t just defined by what you’re able to memorize out of a book, and you’re a perfect example of that. he respects you a lot

you’re the type of person that reads random articles and therefore has the most random bits of trivia that you throw in conversation

he can have an intellectual conversation with you, since you always come up with unique perspectives. he loves asking your opinion on things, bc who tf knows what’ll come out of your mouth

you don’t know what a derivative is to save your life but you know the location of every 7/11 in a ten mile radius, and if they carry a specific type of onigiri or cup noodle flavor

but fr you give the best advice and are always there to lend an ear

you watch murder mystery movies together and try to figure out the culprit, sometimes actually arguing over it

other times you’ll watch a drama and make bets on who’s gonna do what or end up with who

rip Kenma in the corner just trying to live his life

it’s hilarious seeing you interact with someone who is not “big brain” or street smart

let’s just use Lev as an example for no particular reason, just bc

you quickly learned that Lev would believe almost anything you said, he was that fascinated by your apparent wisdom

so you and Kuroo will sometimes join forces and see what you can get him to believe. you once convinced him that if you kill an insect you’d become that insect in your next life and die the same way, and for a solid month he would start crying if he ever stepped on an ant

chaos couple™

you have this whole atmosphere about you that is just “do not fuck with me” bamf if i do say so myself

which tbh is one of the things he finds most attractive about you. you knew exactly what he was up to the first time he started flirting with you, but you weren’t intimidated one bit. you became a challenge~

10/10 best looking couple of the three

* * *

Kita Shinsuke

the two voices of reason, bless you both. you’re very similar, but also very different

he’s the definition of high intelligence & high wisdom with low charisma cleric kita omg, while you have both high wisdom and high charisma with an intelligence stat you barely use (high or low lol)

he’s the kind of guy who always thinks things through with logic, and he’s always sure of his decisions

you on the other hand, have an intuition based logic

freaks him out when you rely on your gut instinct but somehow it always pays off

“why?”

“just because”

“but why??”

you’re adaptable in almost every situation, always know what to say, and have an uncanny ability to read people

which actually comes in handy in your relationship

he’s not the best at expressing himself but you always seem to know his emotional state and thought process, something no one else except his granny has really cracked yet and you do it so easily. sometimes he wonders if you’re a mind reader

you knew he liked you before he did & you asked him out first ~

“Shin-kun, you look happy today!”

“Ah, I was able to clean all the volleyballs after practice and still had time to fold and organize the scrimmige vests by color.”

meanwhile Atsumu: “hE litERALLY?? looks the sAME??!”

speaking of the twins, you’re great at handling them

Atsumu tried to scare you away the first time you showed up at practice before you and Kita announced your relationship, but you were calm and polite

which tbh put him off more than if you’d clammed up or gotten angry. he almost felt bad for being rude. almost.

imagine how bad he felt when Kita found out

the both of you are both feared and respected by the team

you’ll help Kita out with his self-assigned chores sometimes, figuring out new ways to be efficient and not lose quality

he also loves how he can trust you to take care of yourself, whether it’s walking home alone or losing you in a crowd or just looking after your health. he still worries and dotes on you but it’s out of love, not because he’s concerned you’ll hurt yourself unintentionally

he loves a person with common sense @ inarizaki

you’re both really good at getting gifts for each other, since you’re both very perceptive

one time you guessed his favorite flavor of ice cream and it made the butterflies a’flutter

there’s this silent competition between you two of who can give the better gifts

wishes you would study more though ngl. he knows you’re smart you just don’t always dedicate that intelligence to your schoolwork

he finds it charming how you’re always looking at things from different angles rather than the straightforward path. he thinks it’s a very good quality

that “yeah but what if...” kind of mentality

we already know he appreciates that attitude if he doesn’t really take it on himself

you’re both able to appreciate the nuances of life and enjoy the moment together

your relationship is one of the most balanced and strong out there tbh,,

* * *

Semi Eita

you’ve got this charm that makes people respect you. a certain type of confidence, if you will, that made him first notice you

lots of students were intimidated by the members of the volleyball team, for their height and reputation etc, but you never showed any reservation, not even with Ushijima

as well as your conviction, you have take no shit attitude that comes in great handy with certain members of the team it’s also hot af

you can banter with Tendou and you provoke Goshiki all day long but never Shirabu bc you know what’s up

you do however irritate him with mind games, bc you know he’s a little shit who stole your bf’s spot and needs to be taken down a peg sometimes

you: *describing the quantum wave trolley problem”

Shirabu: *screams*

all the while Semi is trying and failing to hide the smug little smirk on his face

with Semi though, you’re able to just talk

he enjoys conversation with you bc he’s never bored. you make him think and you make him laugh, both good things

sometimes you’ll point something out that just makes him go “oh” bc it seems so obvious when you point it out

other times it’s something so outlandish that he can’t help but crack a smile or let out a laugh

sometimes it’s the connect the dots meme “you didn’t connect shit” lmao

again, solid advice giver with no holds barred. anyone who needs to be straight up told what they need to hear comes to you, bc you're usually right

and Semi himself can get lost in his own head so it's nice to have you to ground him

you’re decent in your classes sure, but where you really impress is your strategy in game. any game

once you were invited to play laser tag with the team and you whipped out a battle plan that annihilated the other team

alternatively, you show no mercy in monopoly or uno, damn your relationships

it’s actually very annoying how quickly you pick up the rules and nuances to games and use them to your advantage

if you’re both very competitive, it’s usually better for everyone if you’re both on the same team

but he likes a challenge heh

okay, we know he’s bad at dressing himself when it comes to casual outfits. no common sense. you notice this too

“Eita, sweetie, if you go out like that you will get mugged,, even in Miyagi.”

you’ll walk down the street hand in hand and you make random guesses or stories about the people you see

“that guy is totally a scammer” or “bet that lady looking at the papaya is trying to start a diet for the third time, look at her face” and he’ll chuckle

he knows there’s always something going on inside your mind and he wants to know

when you’re lost in thought he’ll tap your forehead

“hey what’s going on in there?”

he enjoys listening to your musings and thoughts and opinions. you either have a crazy gut instinct or have some unique thought you’ve internally debated over for months

gets inspiration from you actually, even if he doesn’t realize it

likewise, you realize he has a lot on his mind he doesn’t say, but you have a way of making him say it, even if he is hesitant and abrasive at first

you’ll call him at 3am with a random thought and he’ll grumble a bit but actually will listen to you with the smallest smile on his face

* * * * *

i hope??? this was good??? also lmk if this is too long without a read more i’m not sure :P

#kuroo tetsuro #kita shinsuke #semi eita #kuroo tetsuro x reader #kita shinsuke x reader #semi eita x reader #haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #kuroo x reader #kita x reader #semi x reader #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu writing #haikyuu imagine #haikyuu headcanons #the way i got so excited seeing my boy semi on here #don't look up the quantum wave trolley problem unless you want your brain fried

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icbfthinkingofaname · 2 years

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Annihilation - Jeff Vandermeer

This book is probably my favourite book.

My favourute book changes every few years, when I was about 9-11 my favourites were the Clarice Bean books, my childhood best friend and I adored them and constantly talked about them. After that it was the Hunger Games and god were we OBSESSED (around 11-14). I think this was also because I had my first taste of social media (google plus and instagram) where I could consume fan content (although I never read fanfiction for some reason). I loved the series so much, and honestly still do! My opinions on it have changed but I hold it close to my heart.

After this it was the Night Circus, I had never read anything like it before. The way Erin Morgenston writes captivated me, I loved the characters, the premise, and they way she explored the envrioment.

After this I'm not too sure, my go to answer was always the Night Circus but I dont think it was. I was probably to embrassed to tell people what books I loved after about 14, mostly due to general angst. Oh how can I forget!! I loved Looking for Alaska and the Fault in our stars!! Like so many others teenage girls i was obsessed and truly sobbed while reading them. It would be easy to look back and cringe at this but I can't. At the time they really did break my heart, I was emotional and they gave me an outlet to express this. At the time I also read the Book Thief and it was... devastating. Even now I cant read or watch it without crying. It's just so so so sad and I can't deny it!

After this period (heading into 15-19) I really didnt read much, and not much that really stuck onto me. I read a couple Terry Pratchet books that I loved (Wee Free Men!!!) but overall in the three year span I read maybe about 15 books? Not counting school books, I enjoyed some quite a lot but I had to read them so I wont count them. During my first year at Uni I started reading to procrastinate doing homework and assignments and while I've had slumps, there has been less and less time between them. It was 2020 when I really started reading again. I had forgotten how much I loved it and with.... everything... it was good to just forget about reality for a little while. I read 20 books and while obviously not a lot, after reading nothing it felt like an accomplishment. in 2021 I read about 60 books (including re-reads) and it felt good.

I read multiple genres and have finally settled on a favourite - Annihilation.

I'm not sure what to say about it, I really did just love it. I loved the main character, i loved the writing, i loved the premise. I loved how you could never be certain of any of what she was telling you, she even admits to leaving a lot out and gives personal details to avoid confronting her situation. I liked that she wasn't the most likeable, there was something uncomfortable about her. Her desire for isolation and fasination with her job made her a really interesting progtaginost. Her relationship with her husband - her love for him but the wall between them where they failed to truly understand eachother. I loved how that was reflected in area X. He was searching for meaning in this aspect her of her, looking to uncover a 'mystery' when there isnt one, she is just like that. There is not parts of her to uncover, the differences between them aren't something to overcome, they are just differences. The exploration into area X to understand WHY it is what it is similar. It shows no clear motive as to why it's growing and changing. It drives each exploration crew mad and destroys them, spitting out copies that fail to survive outside of area X. I love how it is also reflected through the push for 'normality', she marries her husband because she loves him but is unwilling to share all aspects of her life. Their disconnect is like area X, outwardly it seems normal but upon inspection there is just something off. It's hard to pin point but once you notice it, you can't ignore it.

The movie adaptation was.. disappointing. I watched it first and loved it, after reading the book and re-watching the movie I was disapointed in the changes made. I felt like it excluded what made the book so intriguing, the biologist and her husband, the relationships within the crew, the hypnotism!!!!! the tower!!!!! the crawler!!! literally the most important aspects of the book!!!!!!! I started the second book and hope to finish it but I honestly prefer it as a standalone.

I'm excitied to see where i will be at the end of this year and how my tastes will change. Once I truly started reading I understood what I liked and how to expand my reading tastes. Despite Annihilation being my favourite, god do I love a good fantasy teen fiction. I looove the six of crows duology (the whole grishaverse honestly) it's just so fun and I always have a good time reading them. ACOTR was good but god is it BAD, i also love twilight and have for about 15 years.

Edit 6 months later: finished the whole series, actually loved it! Was surprised how much I enjoyed it, particularly Saul and Gloria.

#books of tumblr #ramble #talking shit #annihilation #love to think about what books have influenced me at different points in my life

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