#molly was the first character I drew for critical role

[finncakes]

really hope they come back.

(emotional ramblings and the original drawing i did of them under the cut)

for the life of me i couldn't figure out why hearing orym and fearne died was affecting me so badly (i'm still on ep 32 lol). i didn't sleep, i was crying almost every few hours, no appetite and i was so confused as to why. i didn't react like this with molly! then i realized it's cause fearne and orym are part of exu and exu pulled me out of a bad place.

i remember when i decided to listen to exu. i was in one of the worst places mentally i have been in years and choosing to listen to it was dicey for many personal reasons. but i took the risk and i listened to exu and fell in love with the crown keepers (fearne, orym and opal in particular). and after that i slowly but surely pulled myself out of that hole. hearing two of my favorite members of the crown keepers were in campaign 3 was the greatest news ever for me. i know they'll never see this but just in case they do: thanks liam and ashley (and all the crown keepers as well as aabria) for making the characters and fun story that saved me. i hope they come back, but if not i'm glad they came into my life and they will always hold a special spot in my heart.

#critical role #critical role campaign 3 #cr #cr3 #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #fearne calloway #orym of the air ashari #critical role orym #too much depressing art of them (understandably) #that pic under the cut is the first fearne i ever drew #third orym i ever drew #anyways i hope they come back...i know everyone says deaths are narratively interesting but.. #i think it's okay if they come back and i don't think it'll ruin the story of dampen the gravity of that moment #maybe that's just me though XD #either way i am trying to remember that molly's death gave way for one of my fave critrole characters ever #so #maybe there'll be characters even better than fearne and orym #who knows #fey blossoms

[dent-de-leon]

Top 5 CritRole episodes!

Okay, SO!! Sorry this took so long and that I ended up writing just way too much. I got a few different variations of this question a while ago, and it took a bit to think about. CR episodes are honestly so long, it just leaves me with too much I want to say. 

I’m sticking with just Campaign 2 episodes to help narrow this down a bit. Also, this is really just me rambling about how much I love the Nein and especially Molly. So: 

5) Episode 1: Curious Beginnings. I watched that stream live and it just made me so happy and excited and I don’t think anything else got me invested so quickly. I’d heard of Critical Role before, tried to watch a few episodes of Campaign 1 but kept feeling a little lost at first. Decided to try again with the premiere of C2, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. 

Everyone’s characters meeting for the first time was so much fun and Matt putting on the whole fantastical circus show was just magical. Pretty sure I fell for Mollymauk the very second Taliesin started speaking, and that’s my own fault. I don’t know, early C2 and that first episode especially just have a certain charm to me, it really drew me into the story and made me feel for these characters. All of them being outcasts also made them very endearing to me. They were fun and scrappy and (mostly) untrusting, and still they all came crashing into each other, and it felt like they belonged together. 

After that, I kept watching all the other episodes live until one day when I couldn’t because something else came up--that ended up being episode 26. I literally could not make this up. Very first time I ever missed an episode, but found out what happened later that night and could not bring myself to watch CR again for several months. Absolutely hit me out of nowhere and broke my heart. 

4) Episode 86: The Cathedral. I love Yasha, I really do. And this is one of those episodes that reminds me why. Beau just saying, “Long time no see,” when Yasha stalks up to her, still trying to just talk to her friend even though she can’t hear her. That devastating crit. Ashley being so upset that she has to keep attacking Beau even after she falls, Matt saying, “It evokes imagery that you’ve seen once before,” and Marisha just going, “Molly...” Yasha crying when she lands that blow and then walks away from Beau. 

Lightning shattering all the stained glass windows as Yasha falls to the floor with such a cathartic scream when she’s finally freed. Caduceus being the one to dispel Obann’s control and then stabilizing Beau in the same turn, because Grave Clerics are unbelievable. Yasha finally being free again after so long, knowing that she was saved by her family.

And really, there’s something so haunting and fitting about the imagery of Yasha ripping Obann’s wings off in front of shattered stained glass. We know how much earning her wings means to Yasha, so this punishment really feels like one of the most thematically compelling instances of How Do You Want To Do This. I think it also feels extra special because not only is Yasha back, but we finally get Ashley back. And I love it. Taliesin just throwing an arm around her and going, “Fuck some shit up!!” is one of my favorite things. 

Also!! This whole combat is wild. Caleb crashing through the stained glass window on his cat’s paw in the most cinematic way, and then tumbling down off the claws and falling to the floor because he is still a squishy little wizard with no athletics. That moment when Obann charms Beau and she just thinks of meditating at the sea in Nicodranas, using Stillness of Mind to break free through sheer force of will. 

The fact that we finally get to see Pumat fighting!! Taliesin and Liam simultaneously screaming, “Pumat Swole!!” Veth being charmed for like half the episode and how absolutely hilariously Sam plays it. I also think Veth had a very cool HDYWTDT too, when she draws her crossbow and the Traveler’s hand reaches out to correct her aim just a bit, helping her strike the cultist down. It’s just one of those little things that shows how everyone’s gods really looked out for the party. Then there’s the Inevitable Friend phasing in and out and haunting the whole battle, which I just think is very fun. 

3) Episode 111: New Homes and Old Friends. WIDOGAST’S NASCENT NINE SIDED TOWER!! Liam narrating so much of the episode, taking his friends on a tour of this lovingly handcrafted gift he’d been working on for so long just for them. The way Caleb catered it to everyone’s personalities so well, the care and thought and love he poured into all of it, because creativity in magic is how Caleb expresses himself.

The Nein were all just so moved by Caleb’s kind and attentive nature, all of them so grateful for this new home. There’s so many cute little moments, like Jester cuddling with all the cats. Or Fjord saying that everything in his room is just perfect, except, “Could I make a small request? Critique? The hammock was amazing. Could you make it sway as if I was in a boat? It was the only thing that was missing.” 

Mollymauk’s stained glass mural is one of the first things that you see after you really enter the tower. The pain in Caleb’s voice when he says he’s been planning this since half the party was taken by the Iron Shepherds. The knowledge that he wanted to build a shelter and home for all of them, a place where they could always feel safe at night.

How much it hurts to see that Caleb still isn’t ready to extend that same love to himself; the way he waits for everyone to fall asleep so he can sit in a replica of the room where he was tortured, still thinking about Astrid and Wulf and Trent and everything he’s endured until now. It’s another reminder of how Caleb will always carry these scars, and how badly he just wants to rebuild the life he lost. 

And of course, we have the Eyes of Nine. It’s just fascinating watching the Mighty Nein unravelling the trail Lucien and the Tomb Takers left behind. Marisha is such a voracious notetaker and she really gets so excited with her theories throughout the episode. 

I also love the part where they find out that Cree no longer works for the Gentleman, when they collect on all their blood vials and Beau just says, “We want that one that’s labeled Mollymauk.” I remember that moment gave me chills the first time I watched it. I don’t know, I just really love seeing Beau do detective work and collecting all her notes and the look of absolute horror on Caleb’s face when she tears out a page from this book at the Cobalt Soul. I could just watch a whole miniseries that’s just Beau solving weird mysteries.

Then there’s the question of whether or not to visit Mollymauk. Jester had offered to bring Caleb’s parents back before, and while he thinks that isn’t possible (maybe because he doesn’t have their bodies??). He does ask if Jester could bring back Mollymauk instead. “I have a foolish question, perhaps...Jester, you only just asked me about potentially bringing my mother and father back. While not possible, because we have no--well. It’s not possible. But if he still lies at rest where we left him, is it possible...?” 

That alone just breaks my heart, because we know reuniting with his parents is what Caleb wants most of all. And while he believes it just isn’t possible under the circumstances, that he just can’t have that right now--he does dare to hope that maybe, just maybe, he can still bring back someone else that he lost. 

And he’s so driven and just excited at the thought, at the hope, “It could be a reunion,” that Jester actually takes him aside and gently tells him why everyone else is so hesitant to bring Molly back; trying her best to manage his expectations and make him understand why the rest of the Nein aren’t pushing for this like he is. “Caleb? I think one of the reasons why some of us are...a little hesitant to go talk to Molly, is because it is a little painful, to do that. So, that’s maybe why Beau is...is holding back on that, I think. Just so you know...But it’s important.” “I think so.” 

How anxious Beau and Yasha are about the thought of visiting Mollymauk, how both of them especially have been dreading this moment. Beau reaching out to hold her hand because she knows Yasha still aches with grief. Veth wanting to check the grave, but promising to be careful, to try and not disturb Mollymauk if his body is still there. 

The anticipation steadily building throughout this entire episode and finally leading up to this--to everyone’s blood running cold when Veth gently disrupts the grave site and realizes something’s very wrong. Caleb immediately dropping down to his knees and saying, “I’m going to hell anyway,” and just clawing away at the dirt. The implication that Caleb believes he himself is already doomed, and has no qualms about whatever he has to do to try and reach Mollymauk. Everyone looking on in disbelief, the grave getting dug up more and more, until they know for sure it’s empty. 

Jester scrying one last time and seeing Lucien in the snow with a smile on his face. Everyone screaming and pointing fingers at Taliesin and how absolutely chaotic that whole cliffhanger is. Taliesin being so smug and excited even though he’s completely in the dark about what Matt’s plotting and honestly doesn't know anything.

I’d love this episode if it was just Caleb’s tower showing his love for the rest of the Nein, or just the grave being empty--that rush of adrenaline and sudden hope of possibility. But it’s both of those things combined with the fact that Caleb of all people is the one most driven to return to Molly’s grave, the one who keeps asking if they can bring him back.

2) Episode 14: Fleeting Memories. I feel like this one has to have a high spot purely for how many times I’ve rewatched it and the kind of impact it had on me. We find out so many interesting things about Mollymauk’s backstory--just enough to make it all the more gutting when we lose him so soon. But there’s so much about his personality in that Zone of Truth scene that really stuck with me, that makes it clear the exact kind of person he is. A number of Mollymauk lines that I will never be over: 

In response to Caleb asking, “Are you a good guy?” the absolute sincerity of, “I’d like to think so.” 

“Can you imagine what it would feel like to not remember anything that happened to you so far?...It’s very freeing. It’s the best thing--it’s the thing that happened to me. It’s not the best thing that happened to me, it’s the thing that happened to me. I found peace in building a new person. [In] the Moonweaver--”

“I don’t want to remember anything. I don’t want anybody else’s baggage in my head, I don’t want anybody else’s problems, thoughts, ideas...I like this person. [This person], right now, is a good person, is a fine person, is a happy person.” 

“I like my bullshit. It’s good. It’s happy. It makes other people happy.” 

“Literally decorated a pair of swords to make them look special. Thought maybe it’d make it less likely they’d think there’s something special about me...”

“Things came back quick, and the circus helped. They were good people. They did a lot for me, and joy can fill an awful lot in a person’s life.”

“I may be a liar, but I’m never a betrayer. I’m honest in my work and I believe in doing a good turn.”

“I stayed with that circus for two years, I know how people treat each other. It’s important.”

“I don’t care where you’ve been. I don’t care what terrible things any of you have done. You’re here now. This is how it works.” 

“I always try to be helpful when I turn cards for people.”

“I’ll tell you--and this is true--I did my best every town I went to and every town I left, no matter how they treated me. And a lot of them treated me with deep disrespect...I left every town better than I found it.” 

Caleb telling Molly, “I am satisfied, Mollymauk Tealeaf. For now.” And Molly, who’s still experiencing his worst nightmare, being so grateful for any bit of support. “This was not how I expected this to go. Thank you.” 

Molly just quietly patting Yasha on the back and going, “Thank you, dear,” when the spell ends, just happy that she’s here with him now and would never abandon him over Lucien’s past. 

It just means a lot to me that Mollymauk is someone who carved his own path, who was so unapologetically and loudly himself, colorful and daring and fiercely protective. He’s absolutely fine with deceiving everyone, but he believes his bullshit is so much kinder than the truth and makes people happy. Sincerely wants to leave every single place better than he found it. 

Won’t let anyone else or anything from the past define him, slowly reclaims his body piece by piece with tattoos of his own art to cover up Lucien’s marks. Someone who’s been through so much pain but has also learned to fill his life with a lot of joy. I just love everything Molly’s story represents and I’m so grateful for what little of it we are lucky enough to see. 

Also, we learn about the Tombtakers! And get to see a glimpse of Cree’s blood magic. 

1) Episode 140: Long May He Reign. This episode has everything. It’s “You’re killing her! You love her. You’re killing her.” “Molly, I’ve never forgiven myself! For not being there--when you died. I wish I could have saved you. I wish I could’ve done something.” “Please come back to us. I’ve missed you so much. I don’t really know what to say or how you’re supposed to do this, but all I want is for you to be here right now. And be whole.” “I just lean down and kiss him on the cheek.” “Empty no longer, Mr. Tealeaf.” 

It’s “Whoever it was, just put it back. I think they’ve earned it. Put it back.” “Love.” All of it still feels so heartbreaking and heartwarming and bittersweet and surreal. 

I think everything about 140 was just about perfect and that Lucien was absolutely worthy of being the final villain. Aeor Arc is one of my favorites, I don’t think Campaign 2 could ever be the same without it. The Mighty Nein taking down Lucien and saving the world that will never thank them, risking their lives because they want to save all their loved ones--including Mollymauk--that just feels right. 

So much of 140 feels like the narrative really coming full circle in a way that’s just so rewarding and cathartic. It’s thematically fitting because so much of C2 revolves around redemption, new starts, rebirth--this notion that it’s never too late for a second chance, so long as your heart is open to it. 

Vox Machina are forever known as heroes. The Nein don’t get that; no one but each other will ever know everything they risked and what they fought to the death against. But all their suffering isn’t for nothing. They get back their friend. They all get to go home together. That’s their reward. And without it, I think C2 would just feel too tragic. Not even bittersweet, just...hollow, as if getting their hopes up again and again only to have to go through this grieving process all over was just inevitable. 

My heart’s still aching over how much love Mollymauk and the rest of the Nein have for each other; it’s the entire core of episode 140, and the entire overarching final arc of this campaign. I can’t get over that moment when Laura suggests the reason Lucien attacked Jester and Caleb so viciously--and eventually killed them--was because they were the ones who kept reaching out to Molly and really breaking through. Molly laughs at Jester’s joke, tears his claws across his own face when he realizes Lucien hurt her. Stops himself from hitting Beau. 

And when Caleb calls out to Molly, that too shakes something in Lucien. The way Caleb’s voice breaks a little in each plea, the way he looks to Molly and begs, “Please, don’t give up. You can find your own life again. There will be time for that later.” It’s so satisfying to see Matt work in a mechanic where the Nein are rewarded for bonding with Molly and trying to free him. 

Then it’s Jester of all people who gets the How Do You Want To Do This, who still talks to Molly right up until the end, wants him to know that the Nein all love him and they still want him to come home. It’s the very thing her tarot reading somehow foretold, and that in itself is so unbelievable. “I know you’re in there, Molly. We love you so much, and we want you back. Lucien doesn’t deserve you.” Those last haunting moments when Mollymauk briefly regains control. And he finishes it himself, tears himself apart because he refuses to let anyone control him, won’t let his body be used to hurt any of his loved ones again. It’s vivid and visceral and too painful. 

And that resurrection--I’m still reeling from that. Caleb’s plea to the rest of the Nein to save Molly is so heartbreaking. He just came back from death himself, is still in so much pain. But he just limps over to Molly’s body, determined to do what he came here for. “Why did we come this far, if not for this?...Why did we go so far and fight so hard? We would do this for any one of us.” 

For Caleb, it was always leading up to this. He couldn’t conceive of going to Cognouza if they didn’t bring Mollymauk home with them; he was never going to leave there without trying everything he could to rescue him. Like how Jester said she never forgave herself after Molly’s death, never stopped wishing she could have done something to help him. Because Mollymauk will always be a member of the Mighty Nein, and he won’t let any of them get left behind. When Caduceus asks if they could perform the ritual after they plane shift, Caleb is adamant that they don’t wait another moment. “No. Now.” 

It’s Caleb who performs the ritual, and it’s the greatest culmination of all his power and arcane studies throughout the narrative. Liam describes how Caleb channels all of his magic and willpower and imagination into this, and how so very good and cathartic it feels to finally be able to heal instead of his powers being abused to tear down and destroy. 

And then Caleb gently encourages the others to come forward one by one.  Yasha first, who knew Mollymauk the most, who just wants to see her friend again more than anything and doesn’t want him to have to feel the gnawing pain of Emptiness anymore. Then Jester, still holding onto the cards Molly always used to make her happy, and she’s so excited to share she’s been learning tarot too. But it just isn’t the same without Molly. 

And finally Beau, because of course it’d be Beau. For a bit I think she really did believe Molly hated her, or that she hated him; and by the time she realized how very fond they actually were for each other, the mutual respect and playfulness and surprisingly vulnerable truths shared between them--they were nearly out of time. And Beau goes up to Molly last and she promises him that this time the Nein are strong enough to save him--the way Molly sacrificed himself to save all of them. 

My heart dropped when Matt rolled that natural 1. The soft way Caleb says, “He’s lifeless,” and then that painful goodbye. Brushing away a lock of hair and kissing Mollymauk on the forehead, returning that touch of tenderness Molly gave to him so long ago; it really is one of the most tragic moments and yet its also so full of love and longing, Caleb trying to offer Molly one last comfort. 

I know a lot of people don’t read Caleb and Molly’s feelings as romantic, but I think one of the most intimate and heartfelt lines in C2 is, “I lean down, kiss him on the forehead where he kissed me a long time ago, and push the sweaty hair out of his eyes.” Something about the fact that this one little comfort from Molly stayed with Caleb after all this time, was still on his mind. Caleb being closed off and so terrified of intimacy at first, but reaching out to Molly and returning his forehead kiss in the very end. 

Yasha crying, just looking to Caleb and going, “There’s nothing else to do? Caleb?” Because she just wants her best friend back, and she thinks if anyone could do it it would be Caleb, the person who argued so passionately to bring Molly back, the person most driven to resurrect him at the grave, the one who poured all their magic into the ritual. 

And Caleb can only helplessly say there’s nothing he can do. And Yasha, who is so torn apart, who loved Molly more than anyone, she cries for him again and insists, “Well, we can’t leave him here.” Because if nothing else, she wants Molly’s body to at least come home with them. She won’t leave him. 

Essek walks away and cries over this lost soul he never even met, so upset that Fjord goes to comfort him and they have a very bittersweet philosophical discussion about life and death. Jester goes to tell Molly goodbye. All of them lamenting the fact that after they fought so hard, they still couldn’t save this one person they loved so much. The absolute bitterness and defeat when Caleb says, “I know it was a hard-fought victory, but it still feels like we lost.” Essek actually admits this is the only time he’s ever seen Caleb look defeated, and that says so much about how gutting this loss was for him. To Caleb, none of it feels like it matters if they can’t bring Molly back. If the Nein aren’t all together.

And then Taliesin...Taliesin--the quiet way Deuces just walks off to the side, trying not to disturb the rest of the Nein while they commiserate and grieve, giving them a bit of space. And then, while he’s there--just for the hell of it--casting a final pivotal Divine Intervention. Because Deuces is such an empathetic and caring person, someone who looked at everything their friends went through and simply doesn’t think it’s fair that this member of their family was torn away from them. 

And it works!! Against all odds, after rolling a 2%, it really works. And it truly feels like it was meant to be. Matt laughing in disbelief and saying how much he just loves this game, the way all the other players went from choking up and crying to being unable to stop themselves from smiling...it just really does feel magical. 

And Molly’s first moments are so very heartbreaking; that innocence and vulnerability, the initial shock and fear and the way he just holds his head in his hands and keeps saying, “Empty.” Then Yasha walks forward and calls his name, says he isn’t Empty. And in that moment all his feelings come rushing back again, and Molly looks at her and just says, “Love” with such fondness and relief. Those moments when Yasha embraces him and gives him the biggest hug, just holds him close and is so grateful he’s here and whole...it’s so good, and Ashley and Taliesin play off each other in that scene so well.

It’s so clever and just beautiful that Taliesin doesn’t just leave Molly with Empty, but gives him a handful of other words too--the ones from his Tarot deck--those little virtue names Mollymauk assigned to all his loved ones even though they never knew. The realization that Molly was drawing cards for the Nein all this time, that he really did love them and wanted to remember his time with them. And now he finally gets to be with them again.

#the very short summary of this is--i just love molly #thats it thats the post

[awesomeblogwellnotreally]

#critical role #the mighty nein #kingsley tealeaf #mollymauk tealeaf #kingsley #critical role 2 #cr2 spoilers #critical role fanart #tm9 #m9 #molly was the first character I drew for critical role #so it makes sense to draw him last too #digital art #digital painting #Digital Illustration #digital drawing #digital portrait #artists of tumblr #my art

[saturnberries]

Love ya lots, Circus man 

#critical role #critter #critrole #mollymauk tealeaf #vax’ildan #mollymauk cr #been suffering from art block so #decided to try and get out of it by drawing molly #he was the first cr character i drew so hes still very important to me :)

[liunaticfringe]

By Scott Moore April 25, 1999 

 At first blush, Lucy Liu seems to have little in common with the character she plays on "Ally McBeal."

Unlike the assertive Ling -- soft L, soft G -- she doesn't growl. Neither is she sarcastic, rude or abrupt.

Rather, it's with enthusiasm, courtesy and a bit of a giggle -- traits Ling Woo would never permit -- that Liu explains the hardships of portraying this very litigious woman each week on Fox's "Ally McBeal" (Monday at 9 on Fox).

"I can barely keep a straight face most of the time in the scenes," she said.

The insulting Ling Woo has little time for emotion -- or so viewers first thought. After the death of a young boy, the character kept up the persona by declaring: "We knew he was dying, Ally. This isn't the world's biggest shock. The boy had leukemia. Get over it."

The true shock came moments later, when Ling was seen crying outside the hospital parking lot -- and later still when she apparently arranged for a blimp to convey a comforting sign to Ally.

The turn of events "are just as surprising to me as to the audience," Liu said.

The actress has had quite a ride since being introduced in the second week of the season as the ill-tempered friend of icy attorney Nelle Porter, played by Portia de Rossi. A potential cash cow for the law firm and a romantic target for perpetually excited senior partner Richard Fish, Ling instantly drew the scorn of the rest of the firm and the attention of a large fan base, helping move the series into the Top 20 in the weekly ratings.

The turn of events, like each week's story line, has been a pleasant surprise to Liu, who was rejected last year while auditioning for the role of Nelle.

"They said they'd think about me in the future," Liu said. "But I was the only person of color there at all," of the half-dozen actresses applying for the part.

However, a few days later, she was cast for a role that writer-producer David E. Kelley created for her. Further, color doesn't seem to have any detriment on Kelley's offbeat comedy, where interracial relationships are commonplace.

If anything, Liu's Chinese heritage works to her advantage. Kelley has used her ability to speak Mandarin in a couple of story lines -- Ling inadvertently instructed waiters to cook John Cage's pet frog Stephan ("Tastes like chicken") and addressed a jury with nonsensical phrases that Liu's mother helped her construct. ("It doesn't matter what I say here," said the subtitles, "because none of you speak Chinese. But you can see from my sad face . . . I'm sympathetic.").

As a result, Ling Woo has evolved from an Asian stereotype -- that of Dragon Lady or sexual object -- to a multi-dimensional character. In addition to the show of emotion, Ling recently was revealed to have a law degree and joined the firm.

Still, Liu's character certainly has draconian elements. Her appearance on screen is often accompanied by glares or "The Wizard of Oz's" Wicked Witch of the West theme. And Ling's creative foreplay-but-no-play romance with Fish has gained Liu a growing fan base and several job offers.

"I knew she was well-rounded from the beginning," Liu said. "There's friction, and she's blunt and honest, but I always knew she was a sympathetic character."

Sympathetic? Ling yelled at a man in a wheelchair to watch where he was going. ("It's bad enough you people get all the parking places.") She declares that "men are horny toads." She has sued a radio shock jock for contributing to sexual harassment and a nurse of a plastic surgeon for having natural breasts.

Ling would interrupt here to ask, "Do you have a point?" Liu only laughs.

"I have to study her a great deal so she can shoot them out," Liu said of her character's audacity. "She doesn't hesitate when she talks or after she talks. If I know the lines, I can be more secure when I try to express her.

"She's a very clear-minded, blunt person. She's not disciplined, so I need to discipline myself, so she doesn't get lost or muddled."

Liu, born in New York City's Queens in the 1960s (she doesn't reveal her age), began acting while majoring in Asian languages and cultures at the University of Michigan. She played the lead in "Alice in Wonderland."

She had recurring roles on "ER," "High Incident" and "Coach," and guest spots on "NYPD Blue," "L.A. Law," "Michael Hayes" and "The X-Files." She also had a regular role as a brainy student in the short-lived Rhea Perlman comedy "Pearl."

And after playing a former girlfriend in "Jerry Maguire" and a hooker in "Bang," she made a mark this year with her portrayal of a brutal dominatrix in the Mel Gibson action-thriller "Payback." Liu also appears in "True Crime" with Clint Eastwood, "Molly" with Elizabeth Shue, and the "Austin Powers" sequel, "The Spy Who Shagged Me." And she was just cast in Ron Shelton's "Play It to the Bone."

"I've come to terms with things the last few years, so I can appreciate things as they're happening," she said.

Her favorite part of playing Ling, she said, are the romantic scenes with Fish (played by Greg Germann, a fellow accordion player).

"They're a real challenge for me, because my roles before didn't involve sexuality," said Liu. "I think, Oh, I can't do that. But, hey, I'm a woman, why not find some sensuality in that? When you discover yourself and allow yourself to be sexual, it's a really liberating feeling."

In fact, Liu says Fish is the character to whom she is most drawn: "I'm attracted to humor. Laughter is the most important thing in the world -- it takes 10 years off your age."

So, Liu is able to laugh off criticism from those who try to attach stereotypical labels to her character. "Chill out, take a pill or don't watch the show," she said.

The line could have been Ling's, except it was accompanied by a giggle.

CAPTION: Lucy Liu: "I can barely keep a straight face most of the time in the scenes."

CAPTION: LUCY LIU

#Lucy Liu #Ling Woo #1999 #WaPo #ally mcbeal #dragon lady

[mithrilwren]

for the fanfic meme!! 8, 17, 32, 41 :)

:D

8. How did you get involved in your latest fandom?

If we’re going with Critical Role, then in a roundabout way, TAZ! More specifically, all the TAZ blogs that had crossover with Critical Role, where there was an outpouring of grief for one particular character that drew my attention, wanting to know who this mysterious ‘Molly’ was that everyone was so upset about. It took me a while after that to finally get around to watching, but when I did, I was hooked! Though I didn’t really join the fandom until I caught up to what was airing at the time, which was around episode 48 of CR2.

17. Who was your first OTP and are they still your favourite?

My first OTP that I remember was Julian/Garak from Star Trek:DS9, and YES.

32. Do you listen to music when you write or does music inspire you? If so, which band or genre of music does it for you?

I do listen to music, but generally only when I’m in an environment with distractions, like a coffeeshop (obviously, not as common nowadays, haha). If so, I’ll usually put one song on loop that has the right mood for the scene I’m working on, so that it eventually dulls down into white noise. I tend to go for songs that have difficult-to-discern lyrics (eg. mumbled) and repetitious instrumentation, again, to make it easier for the active part of my brain to ignore it. I don’t necessarily have a particular genre I swear by - it really depends on what I’m writing - but I do have a few song mainstays, eg. Call Me In the Afternoon by Half Moon Run.

41. List and link to 5 fanfics you are currently reading:

Ah, again, I’m not really reading much at the moment, sorry! At least not much ongoing, though I AM very much looking forward to reading the final chapter of if all the shadows disappeared, @the-littlest-goblin‘s Shadowgast high school AU, that just came out today!! It’s an incredible fic, everyone should read it.

#replies

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Best of 2019

What a year. By the time 2019 ended, I had seen over 130 new movies. It's actually probably closer to 150 but I lost count. There are a few titles I missed, such as The Dead Don’t Die, The Fanatic and Honeyland so obviously, this is not an all-encompassing, definitive list of 2019’s best, but it should give you a good idea of which films you need to check out if you haven’t already.

I usually like to save the #10 spot on my list for a movie that’s just for me. Normally, this would mean a giant monster movie, an off-beat creation nobody else saw, a comic book movie that spoke to my particular tastes or maybe a Canadian movie I know didn’t get the opportunity to shine like it should’ve. This year, that’s not happening. Trimming my list down to 10 was hard enough. I certainly wasn’t going to sacrifice one more to make it just 9. Let's dig in.

10. The Farewell

It’s been weeks since The Farewell and I’m still thinking about it. If I was put in the same position as Billi, I'm not sure what I'd do? Is it better to tell someone that's dying that their days are numbered, or should you spare them from that burden? Is it really them you’d be sparing, or is keeping the secret for your own selfish needs? Writer/director Lulu Wang asks serious questions about culture I had never contemplated before. There’s a lot for you here and even more if your family comes from mixed backgrounds.

9. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

I heard some complaints about Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) not being the main character of this film by Marielle Heller, from writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster. It was the right choice. The plot has a cyical reporter meet Rogers and through their relatively brief interaction, learn what we knew going in. It delivers a moving character arc without having to stain its subject with flaws we didn't want to see. The quasi-meta presentation is what elevates it into top-10 status. That extra touch means it does a lot more than simply re-iterate what we saw in the 2018 documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor?.

8. Knives Out

Knives Out is one of the most entertaining films all year. There are no profound moments of meditation, no earth-shattering realizations about yourself, just a mystery to be solved. All the suspects are so intriguing they could be the stars of their own movies. Put together in the same house as a dead body and you’ve got no idea who did it. Its screenplay is excellent. The twists are juicy. Everything ads up in a satisfying manner. Rian Johnson is already working on a sequel. I can’t wait.

7. Apollo 11

There are few holdovers from the list I made halfway through the year, which either says something about the strength of the second half of 2019, or the weakness of the first. Either way, you’ve got to see Apollo 11. It’s the closest thing to going back in time and being there when man landed on the moon. The tension and anticipation are overwhelming. Knowing what happened doesn't matter. The way the footage is assembled is nothing short of incredible. Why this documentary wasn't present at the Academy Awards is beyond me.

6. Uncut Gems

Adam Sandler should’ve been nominated for an Oscar. He wasn’t. I’ll bet you dollars to donuts it's because of his association with all of those brain-dead Happy Madison Production comedies. His history with cinema shouldn't matter. The movie is what matters. The fact is, this was the perfect role for him. It isn’t even that Sandler’s doing something different, it’s that he’s being used to his full potential. If you weren’t glued to the screen, eager to see what’s coming next, this movie would have you jumping out of the window screaming - anything to escape the anxiety the Safdie Brothers serve up with devilish grins.

5. The Lighthouse

Next on my list is The Lighthouse. Right away, the aspect ratio and black-and-white cinematography lets you know you’re in for something different. You have no idea. What I love so much about this film is the way it handles madness. At the end of the day, I’m not sure if I could tell you if Robert Pattinson’s character was crazy, if Willem Dafoe’s character was the nutty one, or if they both were. It shows you just enough to make you doubt your own sanity. It’s also unexpectedly funny, which makes it feel oddly genuine. In one scene, Robert Pattinson's Ephraim Winslow gets a hold of the lighthouse's logs. In it, his boss, Thomas (Willem Dafoe) recommends Ephraim be disciplined for masturbating excessively. Considering Thomas has been cavorting with some kind of tentacle creature up in the lighthouse (at least that's what I think I saw, I'm not so sure anymore), all you can do is laugh. What kind of loony bin is this turning into? One I'm looking forward to revisiting.

4. 1917

Shot in a way that makes it all look like one take, 1917 is a technical marvel. It hooks itself up to your circular system and steadily replaces your blood with pure, undistilled stress. As you're about to flatline, it stops and gives you a breather. A shot of a meadow untouched by the ravages of war; a reminder of what the soldiers are fighting for and of how utterly devastating armed combat is on humanity as a whole. Gorgeous cinematography, powerful emotions, magnificent production values.

3. Joker

Along with Godzilla: King of the Monsters (a movie they basically made for me), this was my most anticipated movie of the year. To get ready, I watched Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, two Scorsese films Joker director Todd Phillips drew a lot of inspiration from. For some reason, it seems as though many critics took offense to the similarities. Sometimes I understand differing opinions from mine. This time, I don’t. It’s a great film that warns of the dangers of letting people like Arthur Fleck (brilliantly performed by Joaquin Phoenix) fall through the cracks. Left unchecked, he discovers that by doing terrible things, he becomes a “better” version of himself. It’s not a drama. It’s a horror movie that spins the familiar Batman archenemy in a new direction but also stays true to the character. There are several scenes in this movie that are going to be permanently imprinted in my brain. Those stairs. Need I say more?

Runner-ups

Avengers: Endgame

Even if every single Marvel movie going forward is awful, this caps off the whopping 22-chapter saga epically. A couple of aspects bugged me enough that it could only manage to make the runner-up list but it's a terrific film.

Booksmart

The funniest comedy of the year. I think back to Amy and Molly using their hairs as masks and still can't manage to hold back a few chuckles months later.

Toy Story 4

This one was hard to cut. The only flaw I could find was that it isn’t on the same level as 3… even though they’re both 5-star movies.

Midsommar

I’ve heard the extended cut is even better than the original. I wish I’d had the chance to see it in theatres.

Jojo Rabbit

Audacious and heartfelt. I loved those scenes of Scarlett Johanson being a mom. Her agent might've dropped the ball getting her cast in Ghost in the Shell but she sure knew how to pick great work in 2019.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino brings us back to a time when Roman Polanski was simply a good director instead of a convicted rapist, movie stars were untouchable, and the death of someone’s wife under mysterious circumstances was nothing to raise eyebrows about. It’s not a movie that screams “here and now”. If anything, it’s regressive. That said, I cannot deny the experience I had watching it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing and I doubt even Tarantino could pull it off again. I wonder how many people went in knowing what happened to Sharon Tate like I did.

Marriage story

It’s nothing but raw emotion and powerhouse performances in this drama about two people you love going through a divorce. I always make it my goal to watch movies all the way through without any interruptions. Several times throughout, I was tempted to hit "Pause" so I could catch my breath.

Internet lists are everywhere. You know why, don’t you? They suck you in and when you get down to it, most don’t require all that much effort to put together. Except when I make them, apparently. These bi-annual lists always turn out to be difficult to put together. 2019's proved particularly arduous. I’m fairly sure that my #3 movie belongs there. Out of all the movies on this list, it’s probably the one I’m going to go back to most often. The other two? I’d say that technically, one may be better than the other but I think the other one is “more important” so that gives it the edge. What I’m trying to say is, they’re all winners and on a different day, I might even swap them around.

2. Little Women

I have only seen three of the seven silver screen adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s novel and I don’t expect any of the others to top this one. The secret ingredient to this one's success is Greta Gerwig. Writing and directing, she does so much more than merely translate the classic to movie form. She re-arranges the story to give the events a greater punch than they would if they were shown chronologically and puts a little more emphasis on a couple of key moments (that tear-jerking Christmas, for example) to crank up the emotion. She also makes it more modern without having to change anything about the setting or characters. Admittedly, the back-and-forth between the past and present is a little jarring at first - makes you wonder what Greta Gerwig could’ve done had she been given the de-aging budget Martin Scorsese was given - but that’s where the performances and costumes come in. It takes mere moments before you get what the movie is doing. I’ve said it already but it made me cry.

1. Parasite

To make this list, I didn’t go through all of my past reviews and check which ones were rated what. I thought back to which movies gave me the most vivid memories, which ones gave me the biggest reactions. I’m still not sure how I feel about the final final moment but there’s so much about Parasite that I admire. This would be a great one to watch with others just to see their reactions to the reveal about the bookcase.

#movies #films #reviews #movie reviews #film reviews #film criticism #best of 2019 #avengers: endgame #toy story 4 #booksmart #midsommar #jojo rabbit #once upon a time in hollywood #marriage story #the farewell #a beautiful day in the neighborhood #knives out #apollo 11 #uncut gems #the lighthouse #1917 #joker #little women #parasite

[grimmseye]

A Bird in the Hand: Chapter Six

Read on Ao3 here!

Rating: T

Fandom: Critical Role

Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Essek Thelyss, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast (eventual)

Chapter Characters: Mollymauk Tealeaf, Essek Thelyss

Chapter Tags/Warnings: Molly Rez, Amnesiac Mollymauk, Oh My God They Were Roommates, Existential Topics, Essek getting excited by both Mollymauk and his weird magic, Mention of Torture (in literally like the first sentence)

— — —

The scars littering Mollymauk's body weren't a result of torture, as Essek had first assumed. Blood magic was still fairly taboo, but he knew it had its merits. The life force was a powerful source of magic, and drawing blood was safer than drawing directly from the soul.

Most blood magic came in alteration and control. One could use their own blood to change themself, to augment their power by manipulating the force that defined them. Or, they could take another's essence, claim it and use it to collar its source. Blood made scrying simple and curses into child's play. It was a very useful component, and Essek preferred to stay quiet about his own applications of it.

What Mollymauk did, he theorized, had to do with sacrifice. There was power in that, too. The giving-up, the exchange of something to gain, or to take from another, was a form of magic that dated back to its most ancient roots. Before there was wizardry, druids, artificers, those who learned their craft and honed it through study and training, there were those who made pacts with something else.

The question then became what Mollymauk was sacrificing to. A god, a demon, a devil? Or simply to the Weave itself, using his blood as the guidelines to tangle its threads in new formations.

It was all very exciting.

So was watching Mollymauk, though he was ashamed to admit it. He hadn't asked the tiefling to undress, but Mollymauk had been more than happy to divest himself of his shirt. It left him in loose pants, the material fluttering in the cool wind that blew past. He'd taken up blades in Essek's backyard at Essek's own request. One of his swords was wet with his blood, and illuminated with a radiant glow.

The radiance took a point away from Mollymauk contacting of the negative planes, though Essek knew better than to negate it completely. Tieflings had infernal heritages, it was entirely possible that all the oddities of Mollymauk's body were tied to a single source. It was doubtful, but it was also worth noting.

Essek did just that, writing down his thoughts, knowing he'd be glad to have them later. A stream of consciousness on a page was better than neat and tidy notes that lacked detail and most importantly context. He seethed when thinking of the number of projects he'd had to abandon all because he hadn't marked down a late-night thought.

"You have another of these, you said," Essek prompted. "The other sword does not use radiance?" It was difficult to look at the blade directly with its sunlit glow.

Mollymauk twirled one scimitar with an idle air, catching it in his palm. "Yeah. Ice for that one."

Essek moved forward, wanting a close look. He muttered a word, burning the first-level slot to sharpen his gaze to magic. "Activate it, please."

Without missing a beat, Molly obeyed. It made his insides shiver to see the blade come up, cutting neatly into his skin. It was shallow and precise, drawing a scarlet line along the edge of the blade that beaded and dripped over Mollymauk's collar. Molly held it still against his chest for Essek to watch as the blood crystallized, frost crawling over the surface of the blade. It was evocation that brought the ice to the surface, and that brimmed off the blade's glowing twin.

A hint of necromancy burned in Molly's blood, and suddenly Essek had the thought: what would he find if he drew some from Mollymauk's veins, was the blood under his skin inherently magical was he built from necrotic energy, he'd crawled his way out of a grave so what did that make him. Surely he wasn't undead, or the way magic interacted with him would change, the spells Essek had cast on him wouldn't work, but he couldn't count as mortal, either.

So what on earth was Mollymauk Tealeaf? The question had a giddy sensation roiling up in his stomach.

"What's up with your eyes?" Mollymauk asked, and Essek blinked back to himself.

It took a moment to remember what he meant. The spell gave his eyes a kaleidoscopic appearance, reflecting colors that shifted madly in the presence of magic. "Ah. I cast a spell on myself, it lets me sense magic in the vicinity. Do you know about the different schools of magic?"

Mollymauk closed his eyes, arms swinging at his sides so the sword blades dragged in the dirt. "... No," he concluded, with a definitive nod. "I really don't know shit about magic as a whole. I don't know why or how this happens, but cutting myself makes my swords fancy."

Essek remembered the way blood had burst in a gnoll's eyes, blinding them, making the snap of their jaws only seize the air. "Is there anything else you can do?" He pressed.

Mollymauk gave him a long, withering look, and snorted. "Wizards. They tell you I know a place and then spend the time quizzing you about your blood curses. Yeah, if I cut a bit deeper, I can affect other... things. People, monsters, whatever. It's only temporary, but it can be enough in a pinch. If someone's about to get run through with a sword..."

Mollymauk's gaze went distant. His breath hitched, and he lifted a hand, putting it on the ragged scar on his chest. "It might be enough to throw them off."

Essek let him linger, uncertain what had captured his mind but hoping that maybe this would help unlock the rest of his memories. If he could return Mollymauk to the Nein, safe and happy and just as they'd found him, then maybe he could relieve the weight of his guilt. If bad and good were opposites, then surely if he just did enough good, that would eventually outweigh the bad.

He knew that logic was flawed. If that were the case, then the teleportations would have eased the pressure. But that was small, not necessarily easy for him but simple enough, something he could do for anyone. This was different. This was special. This would mean something, and then he could be forgiven, even if they never knew of his betrayal.

Eventually, clarity returned to Mollymauk's eyes. He shook himself, his expression pensive and tail coiling. Essek prompted him with a quirk of the eyebrow. Each time this happened, there was the hope that maybe he was fixed at last. And as was true each previous time, it didn't seem to be so — Mollymauk only gave a yawn and stretched his arms out, mindless of the blades he held. "So, yeah. Blood curses. Can't exactly demonstrate them without a target, though."

Essek sighed, but let himself be swept into a new focus. In time, he soothed himself. Mollymauk would regain his mind in time. Regardless, letting the memories filter back gradually seemed to treat Mollymauk better than forcing the issue, even if Essek was still looking for a more direct way to unlock those memories.

He tapped his own temple, refocusing. What Mollymauk said was true, there wasn't a target to use for a demonstration. Unless —

"You said the effects were temporary," Essek checked.

Mollymauk gave a shrug. "Far as I've seen."

"No lasting effects?" The question got him a shake of the head, as expected. Magic usually wore off without a trace. To call Mollymauk's abilities a curse was likely a stronger word than was accurate, too small and too brief to qualify. Curses clung and festered, even a blindness spell was likely to have more effect than what Mollymauk could do — except that it wouldn't come through in a split-second of need, by the time Essek was finished pulling his components and conjuring the sigils in his mind, a sword would be through Mollymauk's chest, through Caleb's, through Jester's.

Life for life. Perhaps it was a more equal exchange than he'd believed.

"In that case..." Essek drew the words out, giving himself a moment longer to consider. "Target me."

Mollymauk's face contorted into bewilderment. "Are you sure?" He prompted.

"As long as what you said is true, and the effect is only temporary, then yes." Even if the thought did make his skin prickle, remembering how blood spurted around the eyes. He wondered how badly it would hurt. Essek could fight, but it did not mean he was comfortable with pain. Not like Mollymauk.

The tiefling shrugged, shifting his weight between each hoof. "Ready?" He asked. Then he broke out into a sudden grin, saying, "Honestly this is weird. It's always a split-second thing for me, I've hardly had to think about it."

"Would it help if I attempted to strike you?" Essek pulled a curl of ice between his fingers, crystalizing purple magic that was so dark it bordered on black. Mollymauk watched the movement of his fingers, teeth sinking into his lower lip as he grinned.

"Talented hands," Mollymauk commented, and then cleared his throat. "But uh. You know what? Fuck it, why not. Give me your best shot, Thelyss."

Mollymauk slunk back, and the shift to his posture held Essek's gaze where it didn't belong. Mollymauk typically held himself lofty and large, filling up the space around him. That meant this change made for a captivating view, to watch as he became a serpentine creature, one who curled one way to the other and then lunged in to strike. He wasn't attacking Essek, though, was only on defense, swaying in place with a hypnotic flow.

Essek watched him, biding his time, a stalemate. He counted the seconds, learned the pattern of Mollymauk's weight, found the point when he'd struggle to shift his movement and then —

Crimson splashed in his vision. Essek gasped, a hand flying to his face as the burn began to settle in at the corners of his eyes. Blood trickled from his tear ducts in heavy drops, sticky as they rolled down his cheeks. The sensation was nauseating.

Necromancy, he recalled. That had been the magic that flashed the second before he lost his vision. He cleaned the blood away with a few casts of prestidigitation, blinking his eyes to find Mollymauk standing much closer with streaks of blood on his own cheeks, and not so much as a speck of frost on his skin.

"Handy trick," Mollymauk commented, as the blood wicked off of Essek's skin. "You mind...?"

He swallowed his nausea, saying, "Of course." Essek cupped Mollymauk's jaw, sliding his thumb across his cheek to where the peacock feather was inked to clear the blood away. He only realized a moment later he hadn't actually needed to touch Mollymauk.

"Thank you," Mollymauk all but purred, and Essek would swear the tiefling pressed into his hand before he pulled it away.

He drew in a breath, and as he let it out he forced his muscles to unwind. "Thank you," Essek returned. "I have some interesting points to consider from that."

"Oh, yeah?"

A smirk twitched at the corner of his lips. "You wouldn't understand it." It wasn't meant as an insult. Or, perhaps it was a bit of an insult, but mostly just a statement of fact.

"True enough," Mollymauk shrugged, and to Essek's disappointment, he didn't bother prying.

In the distance, the sky began to change. The change in the light was enough to draw both their gazes. The clouds that cast the city in darkness had begun to spiral open, an eye dilating over the Bright Queen's palace to let in a light that made Essek wince even from so far away.

"I suppose we will have to pause this," Essek said, turning away to head into the house. "I prefer not to willingly blind myself."

"Please think about what you just said," Mollymauk drawled as he trotted up beside him, tail flicking against the back of Essek's calf.

He had to snort. "You have something of a point, but that was performed as apart of an experiment. Learning, studying, improving, not just..." He stopped himself and just huffed out a breath.

"Oh?" He could hear the smirk in Mollymauk's voice. "That means something."

Essek considered how honest he wanted to be here. Mollymauk was not a subtle individual — to call him such would likely be considered an insult. In that same vein, Molly had shown little if any regard for social norms and standards, often to a frustrating extent. "I am only frustrated," he said. "What you see there is apart of worship of... something they do not understand, and treat as a deity because of that."

"Lot's of folks don't understand me but I've yet to be treated like a god. Shame," Mollymauk sighed. "So it's some kinda ceremony? They wouldn't be having a festival, would they?" His expression lit up.

Essek actually felt bad dashing his hopes. "No, it is not the kind of ceremony you would want to partake in," he said. "It is... reverent, to an alarming degree."

"Wrong: I'd love partake in that — just as long as I'm the center of attention." Mollymauk's comment dragged another chuckle from Essek's chest. He'd been laughing more in general, since meeting the Nein. It followed that one of their early members would be much the same.

Mollymauk continued, "Really, though, what's going on? You conjured a big spooky cloud to keep the sun out, didn't you?"

"You have not heard of our Beacons yet, have you?" Essek prompted. They stepped across the threshold, Essek drawing the curtains that ideally would have only been for decoration.

"I've heard 'em mentioned?" Mollymauk shrugged. "That's — lemme guess, beacon of light?"

"That is the idea, yes." Essek lowered himself into a chair, while Mollymauk all but threw himself into another. He wrinkled his nose as the furniture creaked under the tiefling's weight. "There are these... dodecahedrons. They were found, and so were some of their properties. They found that when one is consecuted — I would say attuned, but they use consecute — their soul enters this Beacon upon death, to be reincarnated at a later time."

As Essek explained the beacons to Mollymauk, the tiefling's gaze grew distant. Snippets of conversation pulled to mind, pieces falling into place for Essek. He nipped his own criticisms of the practice short, circling around to say, "That is reason why your friends are so revered in the Dynasty. They —"

"We found one," Mollymauk interrupted. His voice was distracted. "No. We met in the sewers — Thuron."

The name pinged in Essek's mind, one of those sent to retrieve a beacon. He hummed, quiet and prompting, not wanting to break Mollymauk's reverie.

"He was killed. The guards took it, but we —" A smile pulled at his lips. "Caleb and Nott, those fucking bastards. Can't trust either of them, clever assholes'll stab you in the back at the first sniff of trouble."

Essek swallowed a protest as Mollymauk trailed into silence. Molly's brow furrowed and he shook his head, a hand coming up to cover one eye. "Gods," Mollymauk groaned. "So we'd been lugging around your god in a lead box."

"Allegedly," Essek couldn't stop himself from breaking in. He bit back any further words, but the moment had passed. Clarity returned to Mollymauk's gaze. He gave it a moment before continuing, "I have my doubts that it is any sort of deity. I think they need to be studied, not worshiped. By I am in the... extreme minority, in that regard. And I would prefer these words not be repeated."

Mollymauk gave him a crooked, tired smile. "What's a little blasphemy between friends, Mister Thelyss? And honestly, I don't blame you. That reincarnation thing, that sounds like a nightmare."

The words were alien enough to shock Essek. He cocked his head, leaning forward. "You wouldn't want to be consecuted, given the chance?"

When Mollymauk only scrunched up his nose he added, "Theoretical immortality. Death is no longer an object of fear, as it becomes a delay, not an end. That doesn't appeal to you?"

By his expression, it definitely did not. Molly's voice was rough when he spoke. "What you said about how the souls... awaken. What about the person they would have been? Is it really even their soul, or are they just suppressing someone else? I wouldn't..." Mollymauk pulled his legs up, tail curling around his shins as he rested his chin on his knees. He looked small, in that moment. His voice shook. His eyes were wide. "I don't want anyone else's memories. I don't want anyone else's thoughts."

Essek stood up. The movement was sudden enough to snap Mollymauk out of it, leaving him blinking at Essek with wide red eyes. He wracked his brain for something to say, a way to interrupt this descent, and landed on Caduceus' voice: "Would you like some tea?"

Mollymauk stared at him. Then he laughed, hoarse, and pushed himself to his hooves. "Sure," he croaked. "But there's not a chance in all the hells that I'm letting you make it."

They were silent as they moved to the kitchen, Essek standing begrudgingly aside to let Mollymauk make a mess of things. He was a good cook, but hardly a considerate one.

And maybe it was poking the sleeping owlbear, but Essek couldn't deny the questions that lingered on his tongue. "It would, theoretically, still be you," he said. "And who is to say that the person you become is not influenced by the person you were."

Mollymauk snapped his head to look over his shoulder, pinning Essek to the spot with a near-snarl. With teeth bared and ears pinned low, he looked a beat away from outright snarling in Essek's face. Then the fight drained from him. He breathed a sigh through the nostrils, drawing himself upright as he poured water into a kettle. "I am the last person to yuck anyone's yum," Mollymauk said. "If someone wants to go body hopping to the end of time, they can be my guest. But I want no part of that. It's just not for me."

Essek hesitated before dipping his head in a nod, even if Mollymauk couldn't see. "That is fair," he murmured. "I do not think it is for me, either."

"You were pretty pushy about it." Molly clicked his fingers at Essek and pointed to the stove. Essek just sighed and touched the runes, igniting a fire for him to set the kettle atop.

"You can do that on your own. Regardless, I was curious," Essek said, leaning back against the counter. "You are so against having another person's memories, but you want your own back. What is the difference there?"

"It just is." Molly started taking out the tea — all of it, in tins and bags and boxes. Most were blends that Caduceus had given him, but some came in his grocery order. Essek hardly understood the difference between them all. As Mollymauk worked, his tail lashed. It would betray his agitation if the tension in his voice hadn't already. "It feels different. Right now I'm missing pieces of myself. Those people, your people, the Nein, they're important. I don't know why, but they just are. But there was something before them."

Mollymauk turned, the anger in his face now resembling fear. Dread, maybe, or horror. It left him pale and clutching the edge of the counter, looking at Essek like he expected him to sprout fangs and lung for him. "There was something else, and I don't want it. This is my body now, my life. He gave it up. He doesn't get to take it back."

Essek remembered the haunted sheen in Molly's eyes when he'd called him by a different name.

Mollymauk.

Lucien.

"If that is true," Essek said, giving up on any further inquisition, "then you have nothing to worry about. He is... whoever he is. And you are you. You cannot become him."

It didn't work that way. He was making a statement with no backing, barely even understood what it was Mollymauk feared so terribly. But whatever he'd said, it seemed to work, with Mollymauk's shoulders going loose and a sigh expelling from his chest. "Yeah," he puffed. "Yeah that makes sense. Good thinking, Mister Thelyss."

"I am... happy to be a help to you."

And though it was said with a dryness in his voice, Essek found the words rang true.

#Mollymauk Tealeaf #Essek Thelyss #shadowmauk #cr #cr fic #my writing #a bird in the hand

[vanessakirbyfans]

Vanessa Kirby has never given birth, but after shooting her first lead movie role in “Pieces of a Woman,” she kind of feels like she has.

“Whenever I see a pregnant woman now, or someone’s telling me that they’ve just given birth, I smile,” she said in a recent video chat. “I feel with them.”

The two full days she spent shooting a searing scene for the film could explain this psychic confusion, as could the thorough way Kirby, 32, immersed herself in the role.

In “Pieces of a Woman,” which debuts Jan. 7 on Netflix after a limited theatrical release in December, Kirby plays Martha, a pregnant woman whose home birth goes horribly wrong.

This pivotal event at the beginning of the film plays out in a 24-minute, single-take scene that starts with Martha’s first contractions and ends in tragedy. The camera follows Martha, her partner Sean (Shia LaBeouf) and a midwife, Eva (Molly Parker), around the couple’s apartment, condensing the agonies of labor into under half an hour.

In September, the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where Kirby won the best actress award, and began to be talked about as an Oscar contender.

Kirby said she wanted to portray Martha’s labor as authentically as possible. “That was terrifying, because I didn’t want to let women down,” she added.

So she got down to research. Watching many onscreen depictions of birth left Kirby no closer to understanding the experience, she said, since they were so censored and sanitized.

“Then I was even more scared, because I realized that I had a responsibility to show birth as it is, not as it’s even edited in documentaries,” Kirby said.

She talked to women who had given birth and women who’d had miscarriages, as well as midwives and obstetrician-gynecologists at a London hospital. While she was there, a woman arrived having contractions, and agreed to let Kirby observe the birth.

The experience of watching that six-hour labor “changed me so profoundly,” Kirby said. “Every second of what was happening to her, I just absorbed.”

And she began to understand how to play Martha. The woman in the hospital went into a primal, animal-like state, Kirby said. “Her body was taking over and doing it, so that helped me so much for the scene,” she added.

Over two days, that long take was shot six times. In a phone interview, the director, Kornel Mundruczo, who also works in theater and opera, said that preparing it was like getting a stunt scene ready: “Lots of planning, but you don’t know what’s actually going to happen.”

In the end, each take was different, Kirby said: Martha and Sean’s conversations shifted, the way Martha’s body reacted to the contractions was distinctive each time.

“It was, I think, probably the best career experience I’ve ever had,” Kirby said of those two days of shooting. Inspired by the labor she’d observed, she tried to think as little as possible, she said, and not judge what her body was doing in the scene.

After a decade of work, “Pieces of a Woman” is Kirby’s first time leading a feature film, and it is a bold and memorable role that shows her flexing her acting muscles. Mundruczo said he needed an actor at Kirby’s exact career point: “Where all of the skills are already there, but the fear is not,” he said. “When you are very established, you are more and more careful.”

Kirby has been honing those skills since she was a teenager. She grew up in a wealthy, West London suburb, where she attended a private, all-girls’ school and escaped the social pressures of teenage life onstage, in plays and youth drama clubs.

“Every time I walked into that space, I suddenly felt not judged at all, I just felt accepted,” Kirby said. “You didn’t have to be anything, or do anything right.”

After graduating from college, where she studied English literature, Kirby was accepted to the prestigious London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art in 2009. A few months before term began, though, she was offered three stage roles by David Thacker, a former director-in-residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company, who was then the artistic director of the Octagon Theater in Bolton, a town in northern England.

Come to Bolton, he told her, and you will learn more from these roles — which included Helena in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Ann Deever in “All My Sons” — than you will in three years of drama school. Kirby agreed, and now describes that season as her training.

“I learned everything there,” she said. Working with Thacker taught her to trust herself, to find her own way as an actor, rather than waiting for other people to tell her what to do, she said.

Kirby has been working steadily ever since, with lead roles in the West End, as well as high profile supporting roles in films and British TV costume dramas. She starred as Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of “The Crown,” a performance that earned her a BAFTA award. Her Margaret fizzes with restless energy, an ideal foil for Claire Foy’s restrained Queen Elizabeth.

In 2018’s “Mission Impossible — Fallout,” she played the White Widow, a glamorous black-market broker who carries a knife in her garter, and knows how to use it. She is slated to appear in two further “Mission Impossible” sequels.

Even as these supporting roles brought her critical praise and awards, Kirby wasn’t in a hurry to find her first onscreen lead role, she said. She’s played many complex characters onstage: women like Rosalind, the fiercely intelligent heroine of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.” She was holding out for an onscreen lead in whom she could feel some of Rosalind’s “magic,” she said, which made performing “like flying when you step onstage.”

“I could never find those roles at all onscreen,” she said. So she waited, using her smaller parts as opportunities to observe and learn, asking Anthony Hopkins about his craft when they worked together on the British TV drama “The Dresser,” and watching how generous Rachel McAdams was onset for the film “About Time,” she said.

It’s fitting, given Kirby’s theatrical background, that “Pieces of a Woman” started life as a play, written by Kata Weber, Mundruczo’s partner, who drew on the couple’s own experience of losing a child. The play “Pieces of a Woman,” which is set in Poland, consists of only two scenes: the birth, and an explosive dinner with Martha’s family that occurs about halfway through the film adaptation. Its 2018 premiere, directed by Mundruczo at the TR Warszawa theater in Warsaw, was a hit, and the production is still in the company’s repertoire.

Around the time Mundruczo turned 40, five years ago, he started wanting a bigger audience for his work, he said, so he switched from working in German, Hungarian and Polish; “Pieces of a Woman” is his first English-language film. In adapting the play for the big screen, Mundruczo set it in Boston, he said, because he felt the city’s Irish Catholic culture mirrored Poland’s conservative social landscape.

The loss of a pregnancy is rarely featured in onscreen entertainment. Mundruczo said he hopes watching Martha’s experiences will encourage “people to be brave enough to have their own answer for any loss,” he said.

In recent months, the model Chrissy Teigen and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (writing in The New York Times), have shared stories of their experiences with pregnancy loss. Kirby said that, while researching for the role before filming, she found that women who had experienced one were “actually really relieved to talk about it,” and appreciated that someone wanted to understand.

“Pieces of a Woman” was shot over just 29 days last winter, but Kirby said it took months for her to shake off the experience of playing Martha. “I knew my job was to feel it, to feel what she felt,” she said. Carrying that degree of empathy was “really difficult and disturbing,” she said, but added that the privilege of spending time inside another’s experience is what she loves about her work.

Kirby’s next project will see her co-starring as Tallie, one of two farmers’ wives who fall in love in the United States in the 19th-century in “The World to Come,” a meditative drama from the Norwegian filmmaker Mona Fastvold slated for theatrical release next month.

And after that? Kirby said she was reading scripts, on the hunt for the next role that will scare her. She’s looking for an “untold story about women,” she said, that will feel as urgent to tell as Martha and Tallie’s did.

“What’s that expression?” she said. “Feel the fear, and do it anyway.”

#Vanessa Kirby #Pieces of a Woman #Interview #Articles

[dracoqueen22]

[CR] Paying the Dues

Title: Paying the Dues Universe: Critical Role Campaign 2 Characters: Mollymauk Tealeaf, Vax’ildan, The Raven Queen Rated: K+ Desc: Dying had not been fun, but waking up after is a fascinating experience. “You’ve returned much sooner than we anticipated.” The low voice, with its odd cadence and even odder lack of accent, is the first thing to pierce the veil. Molly’s eyes flutter open, and isn’t surprised to find himself surrounded by darkness, the taste of blood on his lips, and pain lingering in his chest. Someone leans over him. He’s pretty, pretty enough Molly feels a grin on his lips that’s completely instinctual. Bright brown eyes peer down at him, framed by long strands of dark brown hair. “Oh, hello,” Molly says. “Have we met before? I’m sorry, you’ve caught me at something of a loss. I do think I’m dead.”

The man cocks his head, in an oddly bird-like fashion. “You are. For the second time at that.” He stands, and Mollymauk finds himself suddenly standing as well. He brushes at his clothes, familiar and stained with blood, but where there should be a hole in his abdomen, there isn’t one. The blood is there -- tacky and wet -- but no hole. Molly looks around, and finds they’re surrounded by dark and black and occasionally, wisps of grey. It’s very quiet here. So quiet his breathing echoes around him. Which is even weirder because his companion is not breathing. “I guess I don’t get a third try at life,” Molly says with a disappointed sigh. “Not that I know what really gave me the second try, but a part of me was hoping I was little unkillable.” “No one is fully immortal. Not even the gods.” Molly snorts. “I don’t know if I should find that comforting or disappointing.” He eyes his companion who’s staring back at him without blinking, and it’s a little bit creepy. “I take it you know who I am then. Who are you?” “Once, they called me Vax’ildan. Now I am called Hers.” The feathers around his collar -- as black as the darkness which surrounds them -- flutter in a wind Molly can’t see. There’s something in the way this Vax’ildan says ‘Hers’ that makes Mollymauk think he means some kind of deity. Capital-letter and everything. “Whose?” Mollymauk asks, though he thinks maybe he’s got a good idea. He’s only been awake for a little over a year, but he’s learned as much as he could, and there’s something. Something tugging at the memories he can’t really access. Vax’ildan glances over his shoulder, and a shape looms in the darkness, much larger than both of them, draped in all black, but a very, very white mask putting off a slight glow. Yep. That’s definitely the Raven Queen, or at least, the way Molly’s heard her described. “Ah,” Molly says. “Nice to, err, meet you. Both of you. Again?” He’s off-balance, here in this realm, and it leaves him fumbling. “So what happens next?” Vax’ildan tilts his head, and far behind him, the Raven Queen does as well, as if they are connected on a level Molly can’t see. “You don’t remember?” “Nope. Not a damn thing.” Molly tilts his head, too, because it seems the thing to do, and the chime of his jewelry seems abnormally loud in the odd silence. “Is this the part where you tell me I made some kind of deal or something?” “Of a sort,” Vax’ildan says. Behind him, the Raven Queen dissolves to nothing, and Molly wishes he could feel relieved, save that a chill climbs up his spine, and he knows without looking, she’s not gone at all. She’s standing right behind him, looming over him. Vax’ildan looks up, past Molly, and nods briefly, before he returns his gaze to Molly. “You asked for a favor,” Vax’ildan says. “We’ve come to collect.” Dread pools in Mollymauk’s belly. “Is that right?” he says with a little nervous laugh. He can’t step forward or back, so he stays in place. “Does it count if I can’t remember what it was?” “It counts.” Molly goes still. That voice had not come from Vax’ildan. It had, in fact, come from behind him, around him, above him. Both sonorous and gentle, there’s a finality to the tone which leaves no room for argument. Molly gulps. “Sure,” he says, and his voice shakes a little. “I understand. Rules are rules, after all.” He aims for a smile, lands somewhere near it. “So, uh, what was this deal?” “You wanted a second chance,” Vax’ildan says, his tone changing until it matches the Raven Queen’s. “A chance free of the burdens you carried into death,” his goddess says, and the echoes of her voice make Molly shiver. It feels like it vibrates through whatever surface they’re standing on, up through his boots, his knees, his hips, up around his heart. Molly scratches his chin. “Well, not remembering a thing about how I used to be, I can’t say if it sounds like me or not. But probably so. What did I promise in return?” At this, Vax’ildan reacts like a person for the first time. His cheeks take on a bit of color. He glances off to the side. A feather-light touch graces Molly’s shoulders, and he glances to the side, seeing long, pale fingers curled against him, expertly manicured fingernails a gleam in the dark. “Companionship,” the Raven Queen whispers in his ear, like a warm seduction, only without the sexual promise. Oh. Molly flushes, despite himself. His old self probably thought he was being smart, that he’d find a way out of this deal one way or another. Who knows what his old self was escaping, to think of such a deal. “My champion finds he misses what it means to be mortal,” the Raven Queen continues, and is Molly losing his mind, or does he find a hint of amusement in her voice? Certainly, Vax’ildan is reacting much differently than before. The pink in his cheek darkens. He shifts his weight and finds the nothingness that is the ground fascinating. “For as long as your mortality keeps you, I would have you in my realm,” the Raven Queen says. “That was our deal.” For as long…? Molly works his throat. “So how long is that?” He swears the Raven Queen’s hands become heavier on his shoulders. “It varies. It depends on your will to cling to the life you had. How long you can linger in this in-between realm.” “I have a strong will, if I do say so myself,” Molly says, and he can’t fight his grin this time, because he’s reasonably sure that’s a blush on Vax’ildan’s cheeks, which makes him seem a lot less like a blank slate, and more like a person. A very pretty person. “I’ll be happy to meet my end of the bargain.” The Raven Queen chuckles like the rustle of laundry drying in an afternoon breeze. “You had little choice, Mollymauk Tealeaf, but your concession makes it easier.” The hands vanish from his shoulders. The sense of a looming presence vanishes, and Molly doesn’t have to look to know the Raven Queen is stepping back, away from him. “You’re not going to call me by my old name?” Molly asks. Vax’ildan coughs into his hand and rolls his shoulders, trying to put his reserve back on him like a mantle, but it doesn’t work. Molly’s seen him ruffled. “If you prefer,” he says. “Nah. I like the name I picked out.” Molly pointedly looks around, even behind himself, but as he suspected, the Raven Queen is no longer there. She’s not anywhere. She’s gone, leaving him with Vax’ildan, who Molly supposes he’s meant to entertain, until he forgets who he is again and moves on into the afterlife, whatever that means. “So… Vax’ildan. What next?” “You can call me Vax, if you like,” he says, and his shoulders twitch like he’s settling something that isn’t quite there. “I suppose I should show you around.” Molly blinks. “Around what?” he asks, but no sooner do the words leave his lips, then the area starts to lighten around them, from the inky black, to shades of gray, to washed out color, and then muted shades. They’re in a building made of stone, what Molly assumes a castle might look like. Gray stone and wooden beams and fantastic tapestries. They’re in a room with a long table surrounded by chairs, and on the wall is a painting which defies words. Two gnomes? On a horse? On a beach? Why? Molly wants to ask, but he’s afraid. “Home,” Vax’ildan says. Home. Interesting. Molly grins and tosses Vax a playful wink, just to watch the pink grow at the tip of his ears. “Lead the way.” Dying hadn’t been fun. But at least death is proving to be interesting. He’s sure the Mighty Nein will survive without him. They’re strong and smart, and they have each other. They’ll be just fine. ***

a/n: Feedback is highly welcome and appreciated! I'd love to know what you think about Vax's characterization in particular because I drew a lot of it from his brief appearance in the Dalen's Closet oneshot and how he's changed a little post-Vecna. 

There's a high probability I will eventually continue this. Marking it as a one-shot for now, but don't be surprised if I come back to it. :)

#Vax'ildan #Mollymauk Tealeaf #the Raven Queen #critical role fanfic #draco watches critical role #draco writes critical role

[bakudomaster]

Pushing Daisies

Hello again everyone! It’s time for another in-depth analysis of a show that I’ve watched. This time I’ve picked a show that I have recently rediscovered - question: do you guys like pies and corpses...?

[The facts were these]

PREMISE

In the fall of 2007, a quirky little show known as Pushing Daisies premiered on ABC. Taking inspiration from all things kitsch and Wes Anderson, the story centered around Ned (no, not THAT Ned), a self taught baker specializing in pies who has the unique ability to touch dead beings and bring them back to life. As with many superheroes, his powers did not come without restriction: once touched, should Ned touch the “undeaded” once more, they would become dead permanently. Also, once Ned touches the dead, they exist consequence free for only 60 seconds before something living in close proximity has to die to balance out the cosmic scales.

A bundle of anxiety and intimacy issues on a good day, Ned uses his special skills to moonlight as a part time private investigator to help full time investigator Emerson Cod solve various murder cases and collect reward money. One day, it turns out that the case they have to solve is that of Ned’s childhood sweetheart, one Charlotte “Chuck” Charles. Ned takes a risk and resurrects her beyond the 60 second rule, meaning that someone else has to take her place in the great beyond.

Together with Ned’s waitress (and unrequited admirer), the quartet must solve mysteries, keep the secret of Chuck being alive again from her eccentric aunts and come face to face with all of their emotional issues.

Sadly, the show was cancelled before it ever took off, but more on that later on.

CAST & CHARACTERS

Lee Pace as Ned - the man with the magic touch, he owns a restaurant called “The Pie Hole”, where he makes... well, pies; what did you expect? Ned discovered his gift/curse at a young age when he resurrected his dog after being run over and his mother after she suffered a brain aneurysm. He also discovered that his powers did not come without consequence, as the cost of bringing his mother back to life was Chuck’s father dying. Abandoned at boarding school by his father, Ned grew up and opened his restaurant where he also helps Emerson Cod solve many murder mysteries for the rewards of justice and money. Due to his powers and abandonment issues, Ned has trouble opening up to anyone and carries around a great deal of anxiety. Lee Pace was previously unknown before the show, but he rightfully gained much recognition afterwards, going on to make a few bad movies before getting roles in the Hobbit and MCU franchises.

Anna Friel as Charlotte “Chuck” Charles - Ned’s childhood sweetheart and neighbor, Chuck grew up with her father, having believed that her mother died giving birth to her. Once the universe decided to claim her father as payment for Ned’s mother being brought back to life, she was raised by her shut-in aunts and never allowed herself to travel beyond the gates of her house for their sake. Deciding to break that rule, she was killed when she went on a cruise, after which she was revived the socially anxious Pie Maker Jesus. Chuck is a very optimistic and sincere girl who enthusiastically takes to solving cases. She carries around a bit of existential depression in her, what with being previously dead and all, but she cares for her family and friends very deeply. She can never touch her boyfriend again, but she’s very happy to just generally be around him. Anna Friel had a bit of a generic career before the show, but all that changed once it was cancelled. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her work here.

Chi McBride as Emerson Cod - a jaded private investigator who believes in nothing but the almighty dollar, Emerson frequently contracts Ned’s skill to revive murder victims, ask them how they died and who killed them, solve their cases and collect easy reward money. He had a romance with one of his PI targets a few years before the series began, resulting in daughter who is now missing. He is the author of a children’s pop-up book, hoping to get it published so that his daughter will use it and come find him instead of the other way around. He does not like the complications that come with having Chuck around nor does he care for Ned’s frequent ethical dilemmas or Olive’s stubborn charms; but he does appreciate all of them in his own way. Chi McBride previously starred in Boston Public and went on to star in short lived shows such as Human Target and Golden Boy before getting a recurring role on the new Hawaii Five-O

Kristin Chenoweth as Olive Snook - a former jockey turned waitress, Olive works at the Pie Hole, lives next door to her boss and carries a very strong, yet unrequited love for our Ned. She does not take kindly to Chuck suddenly appearing and gaining the affection she had worked so hard without reward. She believes that Chuck faked her death and is locked out of the loop as to what is really going on. After some snooping around of her own, she makes firm friendships with Chuck’s aunts, Chuck herself (they even become roommates) and even Emerson. She also learns to accept that Ned will never see her the way he sees the dead girl and tries to move on. Kristin was a very well established Broadway actress before the show and won an Emmy for her role in the show’s second season. She went on to do more plays and more TV shows, with a few guest starring roles here and there.

Swoosie Kurtz as Lily Charles - a cynical and sarcastic agoraphobe, Lily was once part of a synchronized swimming duo called the Darling Mermaid Darlings with her sister Vivian. They toured all over the world before settling down to raise Chuck once her father died. She’s fond of martinis, guns and does not take kindly to strangers... or anyone for that matter. She also happens to be carrying a few secrets of her own as Olive find out and is devastated when she finds out Chuck dies at the beginning of the show. Ms Kurtz is a very acclaimed actress, having an Emmy and two Tonys to her name. She went on to star as Joyce Flynn on Mike & Molly after the show.

Ellen Greene as Vivian Charles - Chuck’s other agoraphobic aunt, Vivian was the other half of the Darling Mermaid Darlings. She’s much more compassionate and delicate than her older sister, but is lost and sad after her niece’s death. Wanting to explore the world in all senses of the phrase beyond her house, she finds herself frequently held back by Lily’s stubbornness... but is that all that’s keeping her back. She was also once engaged to Chuck’s father. Ms Greene is renowned for her role in Little Shop of Horrors (both musical and film versions).

STRUCTURE, DEVELOPMENT & WRITING

Described as a “forensic fairytale”, Pushing Daisies drew inspiration from all the 20′s right through to the 50′s. For those who haven’t seen the show, have you ever watched the Wes Anderson segment in the Family Guy episode Three Directors? You’d be surprised at how similar the setting is, even though it’s a parody. You could even say it has a very Tim Burton feel to it, and who doesn’t love Tim Burton?

Combining the murder mystery and fantasy show genres was not new at all. Medium started up 2 years before PD; whilst Missing & Tru Calling debuted the year before that. If PD was going to be different, it needed another element to make it a success, critically at least. It found that piece by embracing full on quirkiness and adding equal amounts of emotional gratification instead of the darker themes of the aforementioned predecessors, it could carve a niche for itself in the late 00′s television market. PD didn’t serve up thumping adrenaline in any of Ned’s pies, but it didn’t need to: there were other shows who could do that better. It aimed for something else entirely, making the crime element a portion of itself rather than the whole focus.

In this sense, the show followed through with the more intellectual sarcasm starting to appear more frequently at the time (thank you Tina Fey), but tempered it with sincerity. Characters were allowed to be jaded or anxious, but never at the expense of the lighthearted atmosphere. The show’s scripts were also tightly consistent with character development, often pairing very unlikely characters for humorous or heartwarming moments. Characters also took on very familiar tropes in a very unique way - instead of endlessly pining for the pie maker who could never be hers, Olive attempted many a times to get over him, finally accepting that friends instead of lovers was better than slicing Ned out of her life completely. Emerson was a hard-boiled private eye, who wanted his AWOL daughter to find him instead of the other way around.

As with many shows airing on ABC at the time, PD carried a family secret/scandal that affected almost every character, forcing them to go to great lengths to keep it buried once the truth had been discovered. It fit in well with the general theme as opposed to the other examples who used it for shock value or to prolong viewership.

Sadly, the pie maker and his friends weren’t destined to remain on TV for long. The show was one of the victims of the 2007/8 writers strike, forcing it’s first season to end after only 9 episodes. Production resumed afterwards, however the second season only premiered an entire 10 months after the first one did, with only a quarter of the viewership. ABC pulled the plug through the second season in 2008, leaving the final three episodes unaired in the US until May 2009. Pushing Daisies was... pushing daisies - eh? Eh? Ok, I’ll see myself out.

BULLSEYES & IMPROVEMENTS

What the show gets right:

The general offbeat, yet pleasant mood

Olive Snook - for a relative outsider (she’s not part of Emerson’s PI business nor does she truly know Ned’s secret), she worms her way into all mystery related plot lines, proving herself to be a badass sidekick along the way

Speaking of Olive, she is wonderfully unique. Though she sees herself as a rival to Chuck for Ned’s love, she bonds with the previously dead girl over taking care of Lily and Vivian, even rooming with her. She also doesn’t go down the tsundere route - she’s not afraid to discuss her feelings maturely with Ned and accept her defeat in amore.

Emerson and Olive frequently team up together, even though they’re as different as night and day. Olive proves herself so competent that Emerson offers her a position at his firm should she ever get tired of The Pie Hole

The sets and cinematography contribute to the fairy tale escapism mood. I wish more shows did this nowadays

Olive’s songs, especially her renditions of Eternal Flame and Hello (Lionel Richie’s version, though I’m sure Adele’s one would be equally perfect, if not more so)

Ned coming to terms with his abandonment and intimacy issues by slowly letting people in

Jim Dale as the eloquent narrator. Never have exposition and narration been so quaint

Vivian’s delicate melancholy when she realizes her boyfriend abandoned” her and now she has to take the rose colored glasses off

Digby - enough said

The show doesn’t get much wrong, but then again it couldn’t have considering the extremely short run. Had they received a full season at least once, I’m sure the tension in the various mysteries could have been a bit tiresome. Instead, here is a wishlist of sorts:

Who Dwight Dixon really was and why he was obsessed with the pocket watches

See Ned connect with his twin half brothers a bit more

What did Chuck’s father get up to after he took off

Explore Ned’s dad character, who he was and why he abandoned his two families

A slow burner of Emerson’s missing daughter plot

Emerson’s relationship with his mother (Debra Mooney is a hoot)

Delve into more of Vivian’s anger at her sister in the last episode

CULTURAL IMPACT

PD was a critically acclaimed gem right from it’s very first episode. That continued through the 22 episode run. Unlike its peers, it didn’t chop and change plot elements to see what worked and what didn’t. It chose a direction and it stuck with it.

Many fans have expressed their desire to see the show revived, claiming injustice at the fact that it was gone too soon. I think part of why it was cancelled, apart from the production troubles it faced, was that it was a bit ahead of its time. Considering it as a whole by today’s standards, it seems something better suited to Netflix rather than mainstream TV. It was a very specific show that needed a very specific mindset to watch. It didn’t have the commercial broadband appeal that Desperate Housewives or even Weeds had.

Could it be revived today? I think it’s in a very prime position to at least be considered. Creator Bryan Fuller is currently busy with Star Trek: Discovery, but I’m sure he could find time, at least in a consulting capacity. Streaming services offer a much more diverse set of original productions, something cable and network services are struggling to keep up with - it’s an environment that Pushing Daisies would thrive in. It comes down to the cast - Lee has a quietly booming movie career, but it would be nice to see him on TV again. Both Chi and Anna are busy with other TV shows, but I could see them working this in during their inter-season breaks. Kristin has just come off a cancelled TV show, so she’d probably say yes.

Let’s hold thumbs - after all, these guys are in the business of bringing the dead back to life

WHERE TO WATCH IT

The series is available on Amazon’s Prime Video service

If Amazon hasn’t licensed it in your region, you can find episodes from various channels on Dailymotion (just search for the titles)

#pushing daisies #lee pace #ned #anna friel #charlotte charles #chuck #kristin chenoweth #olive snook #chi mcbride #emerson cod #swoosie kurtz #lily charles #ellen greene #vivian charles #bryan fuller #bring back pushing daisies #literary analysis

[sky-writes-daydreams]

Fictober Day Eight

Prompt number: # 8 and 14

Fandom (AU if applicable): Critical Role C2

Rating: G 

Warnings/Tags: Kind of angsty, Major Character death mention, Spoilers. Yasha and Molly

How long now? Days? Weeks? I had lost track. The pain was too much. To lose another so close to my heart, It was devastating. The friendship we had, The vulnerability I could have with him, I could never get that back. It was lost forever, Just like Zuala. Molly. Zuala. Gone.

I led the storms. I stayed five steps ahead of the Stormlord wandering. Trying to find anything to quell this ache in my chest. I lost track of miles and time so easily like this. Nothing mattered. Just Existence. An empty shell wandering the land in search for something they aren’t sure about.

Finally my body caught up with me. At sunset I had to make camp. A small flat spot under a tree on top of a hill overlooking a dead field. Everything was dry and dead around here. They could use the rain he would bring. In the distance, almost like a rumble in my own mind, I could hear the storm lord slowly making his way towards my camp. I just made sure to lash together some branches in case he came while I slept. I hated waking up to soaking wet hair. I leaned against the tree staring out ahead fiddling with a piece of dead grass between my fingers as my eyes slowly closed.

The birds are what woke me. Sparrows chirping above my head. Warm light touching my skin. I opened my eyes slowly and just stopped. The once dead field was thriving with life. Tall grasses and little rabbits hopped around. Flowers bloomed everywhere, lavender colored with a sunburst in the middle with different types in blues and darker purples. They were everywhere. I got up from my resting spot and walked further out gazing around. I could see the tent, The one the carnival used setting up below near a small creek. What was this? Had it all been a bad dream?

“Mind if I join ya?” I turned quickly reaching for my sword before freezing.

Lavender skin, Red eyes, That insane multicolored coat, that smile. There was no way. He walked closer with his tail flicking out behind him as he stood next to me looking out.

“Big crowd tonight Yasha. It’ll be a show for the books for sure!”

“Yeah. Yeah I guess it will be.” I couldn’t hide my shock. I wanted to touch him but I was so scared. I didn’t want this to be a dream.

“You going to help out tonight? You know I could always use you to make it more fantastic. You are the charm after all.” A subtle wink got a chuckle out of me as he sat down close by. I sank down into the grass near him. He had picked one of the flowers and was rolling the stem between his fingers watching the pattern swirl.

“Too bad you can’t stay huh…?”

“What do you mean?” He smiled then and suddenly the soft grass became dry and coarse. It was all dead again. Then a snap and it was back. I looked around confused and honestly scared. What was going on?

“Molly.. Where the hell are we?”

“The Inbetween. A place for people like me to talk to people like you. Your side can only reach it in their sleep….” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cards before shuffling them and drew the top one. Instead of the tarot being there, It was almost like a memory. Jester curled up by the fire with her sketchbook open showing off what they had done that day. He pulled another and it was Fjord. He was dreaming as well. A fearless captain on a ship using his magic to keep the seas safe. Caleb was after him, Curled up with Frumpkin and a book open on his chest dead asleep. Nott curled up by his side holding her flask like a stuffed animal. I laughed seeing it before he drew the last one. Beau. She was still awake. Playing with a deck of Tarot cards looking confused and worried. It was the very same deck he had there.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on you all… And asked a favor. You’ve been worrying me Yasha.” He flipped another card and it showed me. I was asleep against the tree but Tears were streaming down my face. I felt then and it was real. Even now my face was wet with tears. Molly smiled then.

“You really do miss me don’t you?” I nodded then before moving closer and reaching out. Molly came into my arms and hugged me as I stopped holding it in. I cried for him. I cried for the loss of my only friend. I cried for the loss of my wife all those years ago. All the pain I had been carrying came out and I couldn’t stop it. Molly didn’t move. Only to lay back and hold me closer, Petting my messed up hair, just being there for me like before. Before all of the death and the trouble and the mess. Just back when it used to be us and the Carnival. He had always been there for me.

Time moved slowly. I didn’t know how long I had been there laying on his chest just holding on. I didn’t want to let go. We just watched the clouds and listened to the wind. Slowly tho, Sunset came and with it, Desmond on his violin. Even all the way up here, We could hear him. Molly sighed then as I got up. He laid there for a second longer.

“It’s gonna be a good Night Yasha…”

“I hope so… Um…” He looked over then and smiled.

“I know better.”

“I didn’t even ask.”

“You don’t have to.” He sat up and sighed.

“I can’t come back… As molly or Lucien.” I nodded then looking down. I felt him get my chin then and make me look up.

“Hey…. Don’t look so down, you silly girl. I never said I wasn’t going to still be around. I can't stay with you physically is all.” He smiled then before kissing my forehead. I laughed then as he knelt down and picked one of the flowers. Same colors as him. He slid it behind my ear then.

“Keep it close and I’ll always be there with you Yasha.”

“Promise?”

“Swear. On my pretty little horns.” I gave him that look before we both ended up laughing. I got up then before hugging him close.

“We loved you Molly… Don’t ever forget that.”

“I won’t. Trust me. Take care of yourself.”

“I’ll try.”

“And try to find the others too… Beau loves you Yasha so don’t let that skip by you.” I nodded then smiling.

“I like her too… So I’ll do my best.”

“Atta girl!” He let me go then with a huge smile before a whistle pierces the air. We looked down and a small black figure was down there.

“Molly!! Come on!”

“I’m coming!” He sighed then and relaxed.

“Vax is new with us. He’s damn good in the air. Makes my sword show a lot more fun and daring. Even better when he adds in his daggers.” I just smiled then before letting him go. I watched as he slowly walked down the hill whistling an old tune before I felt myself getting really tired. I closed my eyes falling back into the grass then not able to stop the smile.

I woke up to a roll of thunder above me. I jerked awake and looked around. It was close to noon but the Storm had made its way to me. The first few drops sizzled and dried as they hit this barren field before it started slowly coming down raising a fog of sorts from the hot ground meeting the cold rain. I sighed a bit just listening before I felt something shift. I reached up into my hair and pulled away something surprising. The flower molly left there. I looked up then before smiling and getting on my feet.

“Thank you…” The loudest peel of thunder hit my ears then as I shifted my sword.

“Forgive me… But I’m ready to serve you again… if you’ll let me.” I stepped out into the Rain then and it wasn’t cold. It was warm. Almost like a hand saying it was ok. I found my little book then and found a safe location for the one molly gave me. I slid it back into my armor over my heart then as I headed off to find where he wanted me to go next. After all, I wasn’t as alone anymore.

The next morning, with no one there to see their wonder, The once dead field has new life. Small and green, still breaking through the softened ground, tiny flowers in all shades of purples and blues with sunbursts in the center bloom across the field. A field of Purple Reins grown in memory of a god who shall forever reign.

#fictober19 #critical role #yasha #mollymauk #sky writes

[ashedink]

Take a bow, Mollymauk! You’re amazing!

WARNING: Critical Role Spoilers ahead

I’m not even sure what to say at this point. Either way it’s either going to be too much or not enough.

Mollymauk was/is my favorite character, and in ways I didn’t even realize until nearly 20 episodes after Glory Run Road. It haunted me like losing a friend, like losing someone I knew personally and it was eating at me as to why it bothered me so much, and then a couple of days ago it hit me like an avalanche. I see so much of myself in him. In his excitement, in his passion, his love for a good story, his lust for a new experience, in his flamboyancy and his willingness to roll with just about anything. I see myself in his altruism, and also in his utter bullshit. I see myself in his gender, in his sexuality. I see parts of myself I like and parts of myself I don’t, I see some things in which I wish I was a bit more like him, and some parts of myself I left behind and strongly want back.

Without knowing it, the reason it haunted me so much was because when Molly died on Glory Run Road, I wasn’t just watching a character I loved die, I was watching probably the first character I have ever truly related to die. And when I came to that realization... it stopped bothering me. Like I’d solved a great mystery, and taken a weight off of myself. I think that part of it was that it allowed me to make peace with why his death hurt me so much more than any other fictional death I’ve encountered thus far. Maybe part of it is that I just hate the air of funerals, how serious, how miserable, how they’re always focused on what you lost as opposed to the time you had.

When I set out to draw a picture on the topic, each time it tried to go dark and it tried to go sad and each time I was frustrated with myself. It didn’t feel right.

And so eventually I drew Molly saying goodbye. Taking a bow to his audience.

Might not be for everyone, but it felt right. For me at least.

#criticalrole #criticalrolefanart #mollymauk #mollymauk tealeaf #criticalrole spoilers

[nationaldvam]

Our favorite childhood stories tend to stick with us. For me, rabbits seemed to be prominent characters in the books I loved – from Uncle Wiggily to Watership Down, Peter Rabbit and Alice in Wonderland. And more than the adventures of the bunnies, I remember the way the stories made me feel, and the lessons I still carry with me. There were lessons of survival, persistence, curiosity, risk-taking, and problem-solving that reinforced values of leadership, compassion, community, respect, and kindness. These rabbits live on in my subconscious, holding power and space having shaped my understanding of the world and all of its love and pain. Now, as a parent, I’ve come to know just how critical these choices are for my own children, and just how much power a simple picture book can hold.

Enhancing Social Justice Literacy

In 2015, Tanya Nixon-Silberg and Francie Latour, two Black mothers, authors, and community activists, drew on their own parenting practices – especially their use of children’s books to disrupt dominant narratives with their kids – to launch Wee the People (WTP) in Boston. WTP is a social justice project for children aged 4-12 that explores activism, resistance, and social action through the visual and performing arts. As part of their work, WTP hosts Social Justice Storytime at the Boston Public Library for their “Little Voices, Big Changes” initiative, built on the belief that if kids can understand fairness they can understand justice. Tanya and Francie work to builds parents’ capacity to confront topics like racism, deportation, gentrification, misogyny, islamophobia, and homophobia.

Innosanto Nagara, a Southeast Asian immigrant father, author/illustrator, and graphic designer creates new-wave board books that inspire conversations about social justice and encourage children’s passion and action around social causes like environmental issues, LGBTQ rights, and civil rights. With titles like A is for Activist, Counting on Community, and The Wedding Portrait, Innosanto explores themes of activism, free speech, political progress, civil disobedience, and artistic defiance. Innosanto is on the editorial team of M is for Movement, a site dedicated to exploring social justice and activism in children’s literature. The contributors to M is for Movement are children’s writers, illustrators, and book creators who are long-time activists and advocates who “come from and stand with marginalized communities living at intersections of identity, experience, race, class, gender, religion, sexuality, and ability.”

At the 2018 Facing Race National Conference in Detroit organized by Race Forward, Wee the People co-founder Tanya Nixon-Silberg and author/illustrator Innosanto Nagara presented a workshop together on racial literacy for children. They stressed the importance of racial literacy from an early age in the process of dismantling racist systems and structures.

Through their work, Tanya, Francie, and Innosanto are invested in inspiring social action through the arts, and have found that children’s books offer a powerful medium for moving new generations of people towards justice. Louise Derman-Sparks from Social Justice Books (a project of Teaching for Change) agrees:

“Children’s books continue to be an invaluable source of information and values. They reflect the attitudes in our society about diversity, power relationships among different groups of people, and various social identities (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, and disability). The visual and verbal messages young children absorb from books (and other media) heavily influence their ideas about themselves and others. Depending on the quality of the book, they can reinforce (or undermine) children’s affirmative self-concept, teach accurate (or misleading) information about people of various identities, and foster positive (or negative) attitudes about diversity. Children’s books teach children about who is important, who matters, who is even visible” (Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books, 2013).

Social Justice Literacy as a Prevention Strategy

Social justice literacy is an effective gender-based violence prevention strategy – a proactive effort to stop violence and abuse from happening in the first place by interrupting the cultural rules, norms, and constructs that support it. Several projects highlighted in the PreventIPV Tools Inventory demonstrate the effectiveness of social justice literacy in creating a more peaceful and just world. For example, Teaching for Change is a project that strives to build a more equitable, multicultural society by promoting social justice activism in the classroom. Their strategies center on leadership development and civic engagement for students, parents, and teachers that draw on real world current events. Teaching a People’s History offers classroom materials that emphasize the role of working people, women, people of color, and organized social movements in shaping history. And Rethinking Schools focuses on strengthening public education through social justice teaching and education activism with a specific focus on promoting equity and racial justice in the classroom. These approaches focus on impacting the outermost layers of the social ecology to shift our cultural norms and values.

Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo, youth activists and creators of The Classroom Index, a textbook on racial literacy, identified two gaps in racial education:

The heart gap: “An inability to understand each of our experiences, to fiercely and unapologetically be compassionate beyond lip service,” and

The mind gap: “An inability to understand the larger, systemic ways in which racism operates.”

TED Talk: What It Takes to be Racially Literate by Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo

Children’s literature is one way to bridge these gaps by inspiring, educating, and engaging readers of all ages in a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of all people, families, and communities in our wide and vibrant world. But the fact is that marginalized people and communities are outrageously underrepresented in books available to children in mainstream American classrooms, libraries, and catalogues – in terms of both those authoring the books, and characters represented inside them. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center found that in all children’s picture books published in 2015, you are more likely to find non-human characters like bunnies (12.5%) than African Americans (7.6%) and Latinx (2.6%) combined. White characters are primarily depicted in the vast majority (73.3%) of these books.

Illustration: Diversity in Children's Books 2015 by David Huyck, in consultation with Sarah Park Dahlen and Molly Beth Griffin

Social Justice Books serves to identify, vet, and promote multicultural and social justice children’s books, building on the tradition of the Council on Interracial Books for Children which offered a social justice lens to reviews of children’s literature. They also help parents and children develop critical literacy skills and promote activism around diverse representation in libraries. One example is their #StepUpScholastic campaign urging Scholastic to “publish and distribute children’s books that reflect and affirm the identity, history, and lives of ALL children in our schools.” Engaging children in proactive efforts to both notice and address the underrepresentation of people of color in literature, as illustrated above, builds their social justice literacy.

Books that Promote Justice and Peace

For those looking for books that promote justice and peace, resources like Social Justice Books offer vetted booklists on a variety of topics, as do Raising Luminaries: Books for Littles and Little Feminist: Books for raising conscious kids. Topics include:

Learning about family structures

Talking to kids about violence

Books for tomorrow’s leaders

Honoring single mothers

Promoting healthy fatherhood

Fostering social and emotional health, compassion, and independence

Helping kids recognize privilege

Cultivating healthy sexual boundaries

Preventing sexual violence

Bullying, civil disobedience, and disrupting injustice

Seek out books by authors of color like Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Honor receipient Kwame Alexander. Additionally, several anti-violence organizations offer book lists specific to addressing trauma. For example, The Child Witness to Violence Project offers books about trauma and violence for young children.

As M is for Movement explains, “Children’s literature—both fiction and nonfiction—is full of inspiration and examples of children and adults who stand up for themselves and others. Whether it’s ducks organizing animals to oppose unfair farm rules, a student listening to her classmates’ concerns when running for student council, or a boy joining his first march, young people’s literature can demonstrate how individuals and communities have the power to act as agents for social change.”

Through children’s books, we can teach justice and peace across generations. By engaging a child in a book with a strong message that fills the heart and the head, we can help build their understanding, compassion, and confidence to impact social change in ways that are meaningful and important to them. And these lessons and values will likely stick with them their whole life long

Images:

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

Counting on Community by Innosanto Nagara

Illustration: Diversity in Children's Books 2015 by David Huyck, in consultation with Sarah Park Dahlen and Molly Beth Griffin

[cryptobioticseraphim]

Hey, if you had to pick a specific thing about Molly that's your favorite part, what'd you say it is?

this is... such a hard question... hm

i ended up getting really personal with this question, so read with caution TW: brief mentions of out-patient treatment, mental health struggles etc (nothing graphic, I’m pretty vague)

what initially drew me to him was his accent, but I think my favourite thing about him was his kindness. I mean, he was totally a dick sometimes, but  he kept giving and giving where ever he could. He slipped silvers into stranger’s pockets, made sure to include everyone, and was generally so sweet. His whole him was taking what he needed and spending the rest on everyone he cared about. He just genuinely wanted to be a better person than whoever owned his body last. He’s all about improvement, and that really spoke to me when I met him a year ago.

I was in a really dark place when I first started watching critical role, I recently came out of out-patient treatment and my mental health was fucked and just seeing this character that just... brought so much joy to everyone around him? It spoke to me. I needed someone like that. I was in a deep, dark, hole and Molly was there for me. He brought this positivity to my life and I fell in love with someone who believed in me. Someone who spread so much love and happiness wherever he stepped. He was a beacon of hope for me in a dark time, and that’s why I use him in therapy. Molly loved me for who I was, and who I was becoming. I had already made so much progress before I met him, and I feel like he gave me that extra push to be where I am now. Mollymauk taught me to love myself.

I talked to my therapist (hi, lita!) about it, and why I have such a big issue with Caduceus, is because it felt like my beacon of hope was snuffed out, and got replaced. I still have really mixed feelings about Cad because of it, but I really do want to like him.

I love Molly for all he’s done for me. I guess that’s my favourite thing about him

Anyways, I’m sorry for getting all deep on you, anon.

#lumi answers #deep talk #Anonymous

[shalizeh7]

Hey!!! I wanted to ask you if you have seen the recent critical role (ep26)episode and if yes how do you feel about it?

Spoilers for ep 26 of the second CR campaign below, guys.

I’m very sad about what happened T_T I love Molly and he was the first character I drew fanart for in campaign 2. And today’s Talks made it pretty final, so lots of sad feelings all around. What is it with Taliesin and his characters dying??? I’m also amazed the others survived, actually - that situation was heading towards TPK really fast 0_0

On a brighter note, I’m so happy that Ashly Burch is playing with them again and in a couple more episodes too! I love her very much

#replies #cr 2 #cr 2 spoilers #episode 26 spoilers #anonymous