#plus Cameron is just the most gorgeous man ever

[starlight-time-machine]

Week in Review

10/08/2023 – 10/14/2023

Sunday

I have a tradition on Sundays I like to call, unimaginatively, Manga Sundays, where I catch up on all the manga I follow on the Manga Plus app.

MamaYuyu has unique and interesting panelling as always, but I’m not sure if the story can stand on its own.

Handsome Must Die is just stupid fun and I’m glad that the nice looking kid flipped the bird and that the evil kid is getting his proper redemption arc.

Undead Unluck is fantastic, and I love that Latla and Rip share the leg weapon now – this feels like one of the first big shifts in a character setting we’ve seen this loop, other than everyone avoiding/circumventing their tragedies, which are a given.

The Ichinose Family has completely lost me, but at least the emotional moments still come through clearly – Taizan 5 definitely has a flair for melodrama (this isn’t a dig).

The power stats in the Oshi no Ko are fun, and the last page was definitely impactful.

Dandadan is as chaotic as usual, and I can’t wait to see what supernatural or sci-fi or who even knows at this point power up the Class Rep gets from being caught up in this friend group. I loved her vampire fantasies, they felt very true to what a teenage girl would write self-insert fanfics about. I do wish Momo and Okarun would get together already, but that’ll probably have to wait until after this new ghost themed arc.

Marriagetoxin is alright, I’m glad to have a romance themed chapter again after all those action chapters I skimmed through. Erina is a cute little boss.

Magilumiere’s new shady private investor character is fine, I like his design but I don’t really care about his investing strategy when I already know him joining the team is a foregone conclusion.

Akane-banashi is a series I keep up with purely because it’s about rakugo (and I like Karashi), but it’s never really grabbed me despite being about a topic I enjoy. I don’t know, most of the art is pretty whatever to me, and its attempts to make rakugo seem interesting don’t interest me, even though I already like rakugo. I have no idea how it has captured the attention of the typical Shounen Jump crowd, but I suppose I’ll be grateful for it since I’m invested in the wellbeing of rakugo as an art form.

One Piece…I’ll admit that I don’t really know what’s going on in One Piece anymore, since I can’t keep track of all the characters and politics and powers straight in my head and I tend to just skim chapters until something cool happens. The old man spider looks cool, though I have no earthly idea why he’s so revered and feared. Eventually I’ll pick up the anime again – I’ll probably retain things better when I watch them as whole arcs at a time. (I also want to rewatch Water 7/Enies Lobby…)

And finally, I always leave Cipher Academy for last on Manga Sundays, because I love Cipher Academy soooooo much. I love all the characters, all the character designs, the puzzles, the art, the Nisioisin-isms, the list goes on. The first Tayutan vs Iroha Code Battle absolutely blew my mind and I felt a renewed love for the comics medium, so I’ve been hooked ever since. This chapter was really fun: I feel a little proud of myself for seeing through the ‘trick’ this time, even though it was pretty blatantly telegraphed with the close up on the arrow. Nohime is also looking gorgeous as usual, and I’m happy to get some lore about her. And of course Byu is checking out the tables for hiding spots. I wonder if Iroha and/or Shitsuke let the bomb explode to open a hole down into the lower floors? Feels very Stardew Valley Skull Cavern to me.

My friend and I have been watching House M. D. together over Discord – she’s watching for the first time while I’m rewatching. Today we finished off S3, and none of the episodes left a particularly deep impression on me. I’m going to miss the Chase Foreman Cameron team though.

Monday

The new Make Some Noise episode is okay, I’m not really vibing with the prompts…but I always enjoy seeing Jacob Wysocki, he’s one of my favourite Dropout cast members.

More House M.D. – the competition style arc at the start of S4 is pretty fun, but the medical mysteries are not interesting me in the slightest. The House/Wilson moments are great though.

I tried watching the first episode of Ascendance of a Bookworm, and it’s cute enough, but the low production quality is a pretty big turn off…I think I’m just going to read the manga. But this means that Fall 2019 gets a whopping 0 shows in my Anime by Season statistics, which is a far cry from the 14 shows of Spring 2016 (then again, I was in high school at the time, which meant that I had more free time and lower standards). Also yes…I’m so far behind on anime that I’m still working through 2019 shows…

Tuesday

Started the day off with the latest Chainsaw Man chapter, since I’ll get spoilers on Twitter if I left it until Manga Sunday. I would love to be a Devil Name Consultant.

Read through the first part of the Ascendance of a Bookworm manga. I like how tiny and cute Myne is, and these types of isekai stories where the protagonist uses their knowledge of modern technology to advance in society are just about the only kind of isekai I can tolerate. It’s a bit silly that she just happens to know all these handicrafts from doing things with her mom though. I think they could’ve just explained it with her already established book obsession. It’s interesting that she revealed her true self to Lutz so early – I haven’t read a lot of isekai but it doesn’t seem like this is a common trope. Usually it seems like the protagonist assimilates easily into their new world and has fun adventures, but this is an interesting development to their relationship. I also love the business wheeling and dealing, and it’s always fun when it’s a little kid doing it. Some of the plot progressions felt a bit weirdly paced to me, and the manga’s structure isn’t anything too inspired, but the story is interesting enough to keep me reading.

Skimmed through the latest chapter of Gakuen Babysitters. I basically only read it to get a dose of cuteness, but I still hang on for the Ryuuichi and Hayato interactions, which are few and far between these days.

Also read the latest chapter of Scary Campus College University. I’m not really digging this Cultural Festival arc because I don’t really care about the backstory stuff, but Fujimiya’s turn has been fun to see, and I’m looking forward to seeing the confrontation between him and Mahina.

Watched some more House with my friend. I’m not enjoying the gimmicky patients like the girl who could see ghosts or the guy who can magically read your insecurities and mirror them back at you. The CIA episode was pretty fun though.

I tried watching Catch Me If You Can, but I wasn’t really feeling it and stopped. This means I can finally continue my daily Movie Roulette though, so that should be fun for tomorrow.

Wednesday

The new Dirty Laundry episode was decently fun, it’s interesting to see guests who I’m actually pretty familiar with for once. The stories weren’t particularly exciting though.

Read the new Asper Kanojo chapter. Anyway,

Read the first few chapters of Shiroyama to Mito-san. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this oddball romance progresses.

Today’s Movie Roulette choice was Fantastic Mr. Fox, which my friend has been wanting me to watch for ages so we watched it together on Discord. It was pretty fun, though the stop motion animation and stares into the camera wigged me out a bit. I’m still not sure how I feel about Wes Anderson’s Wes Andersonisms, but the new Henry Sugar movie is on my list and I actually do love that book so we’ll see…

Thursday

I finally finished reading Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary, which I started weeks ago and haven’t had time to return to until now. Sammy Keyes is one of my favourite childhood book series – I love Sammy’s boldness and resourcefulness, I like that the books are written like kid-friendly noir mysteries, and I like the characters and all their developing dynamics. This instalment was a pretty fun romp, and I was surprised to see a kid’s book talk about meth? As a kid I only remembered the pig (I don’t think I got that far into this one, or reread it a whole bunch). I really didn’t appreciate the slurs though, intentional or otherwise.

I’ve had an on and off headache for like three days now, and I wanted something soothing to watch while I ate dinner so I put on Heya Camp, which was about 30 minutes total for 12 episodes. It was perfectly fine and cute, not much else to say about it. I’m looking forward to getting back into Yuru Camp proper though.

Today’s Movie Roulette choice is In & Of Itself, which I had put on my list because I heard that it was life changing. It didn’t really do that for me, but it was fine. I enjoyed the magic tricks. I think if I were one of those people in the physical audience who he would look in the eye and identify, it’d be emotionally moving, but other than that the platitudes of perspective and identity weren’t all that mind blowing to me. But with this, I’m officially down to 100 movies left on my to watch list!

And then, because I couldn’t help myself, I started the next Sammy Keyes book, which is the Hollywood Mummy. It’s the first Sammy and Lana centric story in the series and I remember nothing about it, so I’m pretty excited.

Friday

I watched some more House with my friend. This crop of episodes was pretty good, with the Christmas one being a highlight. I’m definitely enjoying the more lighthearted silly sideplots than the ones about House brooding about his pain or addiction.

Managed to read the latest chapter of Akuheki before passing out from sleepiness. Today was a very toxic yaoi kind of day, huh? I always enjoy the complexity of the main couple’s relationship in this BL, which is pretty rare to find. And oh my godddddd when Daimon was presented on stage as an object…this is the good stuff.

Saturday

And now to catch up on the BL series I’m following (which I was going to do on Friday night, but oh well). First up is A Second Goodbye to You, which I feel like only barely counts as a BL at this stage? But I’m enjoying the intrigue and the thriller aspects of the story, even if it feels a little like they’re just systematically placing the suspicion onto each person involved in turn. And after the third “Everything’s going to be okay! Oh no someone died!” twist it gets a little tiring. The reporter is an interesting new addition – I really hope he can just help Harusawa out because he’s definitely in over his head.

Next is the latest chapter of Memeshii Aku to Azatoi Suh, which I find to be generally pretty silly and I’ve only gotten this far because I enjoyed the original manga that this is a spin-off of. This chapter was like a lecture on slut-shaming and consensual sex lol. But good for them, now they can get together without reservations.

I watched the first episode of Spy x Family season 2 over dinner, and it was fun! Just more of the same, which is a good thing when the quality’s already pretty high. I enjoyed the experimental animation in the opening and ending, and I’m always down for a Loid/Yor shippy episode.

We’re nearing the end of House season 4 now with a solid batch of episodes. I realize now that I actually like this new team more than the original team – Thirteen is cool, Taub is cunty (this is a compliment) and Kutner is just chilling. Plus Foreman is still there, and he’s my favourite from the original trio. The episode where House diagnoses someone by watching a soap opera is a fun setup, though the ending felt pretty rushed and anticlimactic. My friend and I don’t like the Wilson/Amber pairing, but we do love that it brings out House’s jealousy and plenty of Hilson moments. We’ve left the two part season finale for tomorrow, which should be fun.

Went back and watched the second episode of SpyFam since it was available. And man they really tried their best to fill out the Bond centric segment huh…and it’s like, I like Bond as an addition to the family, but it’s hard for him to carry a storyline by himself. The Damian segment was a lot more fun – I like that shot of Damian with his little cape looking up at the sky. And I like that his friends are a little more fleshed out and that they’re his actual friends, not just henchmen. Pretty cute episode, if a bit slow.

Okay wow I’m only halfway through Undead Unluck episode 2 but I needed to write down my thoughts in case I forget anything. I love the stylistic choices and directing style here, it feels like they’re really taking advantage of the medium to elevate the story and the atmosphere rather than just adapting the manga panel for panel (cough SpyFam is sometimes a little guilty of this when it’s not doing big action set pieces cough). But the big blue sky framing and the stylistic cut into the title card and the UNAVOIDABLE cut was pretty perfect, and captured the impactful energy of the manga’s style. Hanae Natsuki as Shen is also sooooooo good, and I’ve always loved how interesting the Union felt like as villains – knowing what I know now, everything makes sense, but when I first read the manga it was really refreshing to have an antagonistic force that could be negotiated with and seemed to have its own altruistic goals, and also crazy to see people actually die and for those deaths to have consequences on the story…a shocking concept, in shounen battle manga. I really love Undead Unluck’s commitment to its own setting and exploring all its possibilities (well maybe not in the romance department. Which, while refreshing, is very straight lmao).

Also they haven’t announced who voices Mui yet, but I have my fingers crossed really really really really really hard that it’s someone who can speak Chinese…I get why Shen didn’t get that (I don’t even know of a male seiyuu who speaks Chinese) but I have two female Chinese seiyuu in mind who’d be great for Mui…Homoto Akina perhaps…and totally not just because I love her Love Live character…but pleaseeeee I’d love to hear some real Chinese in the anime. The opening was fun and stylish, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed by Queen Bee’s song for it. It was just more lowkey than I would’ve expected…it’s heartening to see so many characters show up in the opening, though. It seems like they’re in it for the long haul and I really do hope we get to see the entire manga adapted. The directing in this episode feels like they’re setting up how this will be a grand adventure, and I can’t wait to watch it play out. I just feel reassured that the people working on this anime really understand what makes Undead Unluck so magical, and their love can be felt through the work.

Wow I’ve never noticed that little opening on Shen’s waist…hip window… Also man I appreciate them animating Andy’s dick censor, it’s pretty funny how it flops around.

LMAOOOOOOOOOOO OKAY JUST GOT TO WHERE HANAE NATSUKI TRIES HIS BEST TO SPEAK CHINESE…I’M ROOTING FOR  YOU MAN…

I completely forgot how Shen just sells out a member of the Union for seemingly his own amusement. It definitely sowed the seed for how interesting of a character he is…and why he’s my favourite heh. And wow that ending was beautiful…

I’ve written so much about Undead Unluck that it’s a little embarrassing ha, but I love this story so much and it’s amazing to see such a great adaptation of it. I love feeling like I’m about to set out on an amazing world-spanning journey…it almost feels like when I watched One Piece for the first time as a ten year old. I’ll definitely be tuning in every week.

And that’s it for my first Week in Review! (I’m forcibly ending it here so that I go to bed and not watch any more shows or read a book.) As you can see, I can talk a lot about things that don’t matter to anyone but myself because I think I’m soooo interesting (this is only half sarcastic). If anyone ever even sees this, I’ll be amazed. But until then, I’ll just be here talking to myself.

#week in review #2023

[ghostiewriter]

prologue | tale of a slightly unstable teen hero

Summary: JJ’s life is thrown upside down after a school trip. Now he just decide what to do about his newly found powers and discover just how much his life has changed.

Warnings: contains strong language, a teeny sliver of sexual references, just the three boys being dumbasses? a small smidge of angst (it barely counts) and some fighting, kinda amateur but he’ll learn eventually

Word Count: 8.2K (I’m so sorry)

A/N: ahhh so here’s the prologue! Hope you guys enjoy, it’s a bit of a mess and it wasn’t meant to be this long but oh well! This is just to kinda set up the world, I promise the chapters won’t be this messy! There will be way more Kiara in the next chapter as well, don’t worry! Like I said, this is just a filler chapter! Also this is unedited and I am kinda unwell so lets hope this makes sense :) feel free to leave any feedback!! 

masterlist // taglist // ao3

JJ prided himself in always loving an adventure. A random trip at 3am when one of his buds felt down? Hell yeah! An exploration through the streets of New York when he decided to ditch his Spanish final? Let’s go, dude! A spontaneous road trip with his boys during summer? JJ was down! But this? This just felt like some sick joke.

Admittedly, JJ wasn’t listening in class when the trip was announced. And as Pope liked to remind him every couple of minutes, this whole situation could have been avoided if he had listened in class. But can you blame the guy? A whole day off school to visit some big corporation uptown where he was getting a free lunch—JJ would be stupid to reject that. Yet, JJ should’ve known there would’ve been some catch, some flaw in this trip. And that flaw was that he had to spend the day walking around Cameron Industries, the biggest nerd fest on the East coast.

JJ was bored out of his mind.

Pope was ecstatic beyond belief.

John B was ready to punch JJ in the face if opened his mouth to complain one more time.

“Why call it a trip when all we do is listen to these dudes in lab coats droning on about some weird gene thing? Like c’mon! A trip is meant for relaxing. Where the fuck am I gonna relax around here, huh? The fucking gift shop—“

“Shut up,” John B hissed at the blonde, smacking JJ’s arm for good measure, to which the blond dramatically whined at. “Just please…shut up. You’ve got one more hour until lunch, alright? Don’t ruin this for him.”

JJ huffed as he glanced over at Pope, who was eagerly questioning every scientist they came across. As much as it pained him to agree with John B, he did have a point. There weren’t enough fingers in the world to count the amount of times JJ had dragged Pope into some anxiety-provoking, impulsive situation. The least he could do is suck it up a little and mope silently as they walk through countless fancy labs that probably each cost more than his apartment complex altogether.

“I don’t know why you’re acting so chuff,” JJ huffed, his fingers twisting the rings that adorned his hands—a force of habit when he was uncomfortable and bored. “You usually back me up on this kinda stuff—“ But JJ didn’t need to finish his question. Oh no, because the answer was right there.

JJ smirked as he turned to John B, one eyebrow raised in question. However, his friend seemed much more content staring at Sarah Cameron from where she stood near the front of the group, smiling towards the tour guide like they were close friends. Which they probably were considering they were standing in the building her father owned.

Ward Cameron. Renowned scientist, billionaire and founder of Cameron Industries. A true inspiration. What started as a hopeless experiment in his high school chemistry lab ended up forging Ward Cameron’s path to success in the biggest multibillion-dollar multinational corporation that held the future for chemical engineering. JJ just thought he was some lucky rich kid that had daddy’s money to support his dream.

And it was for that reason that JJ rolled his eyes, nudging his friend out of his daze. “You do know you don’t stand a chance, right?” JJ commented.

Harsh but true. JJ and the rest of the kids that attended this trip went to Midtown High School. True to its name, it was smack bang in the middle of two very different livelihoods. Uptown Queens: home to the kids who live of old money, designer clothes and trust funds. And Downtown Queens: home to working-middle class who would spend the rest of their lives making a sliver of the uptown folks’ wages.

Take a wild guess which area JJ is from.

However, some old dude in the 60s decided to try and bridge the gap between the classes and thus, the school was born. All it did was let each know how much they resented the other. Yet, John B had fallen into the alluded mind-set of that old geezer and set his eyes on Sarah Cameron, the most uptown chick you’ll get. And of course, JJ was there to remind him of that very fact and push him off that imaginary bridge. It was a fool’s hope to combine the uptown and downtown folk; it was a fool’s hope to try and make them get along. It won’t happen now nor ever.

John B flipped him off. JJ only grinned in response.

Nonetheless, that ended up being the most exciting part of the hour. JJ shuffled along at the back of the group, his eyes constantly wandering around the labs. Did he have any clue what any of it was? Hell no, but he was naturally curious and couldn’t help his hands from wandering. Sue him, he was a teenage boy with ADHD and a knack for getting into trouble—he was bound to do something stupid.

His interest in science perked up a bit when he noticed a small enclosure of what looked like completely normal spiders, yet as their tour guide spoke, they were anything but normal.

“Our team have been working on taking the genetic code of three separate species of arachnids and combining them to form a super-spider. One which can survive and reproduce and live as any other would. It is the first step in the future of genetic engineering and modification. With this technology, we could find cures to diseases that were deemed impossible to cure. We could form a stronger, better human race—“

“Isn’t that unethical?” A voice interrupted. Everyone’s head snapped towards the curly-haired girl that stood by Sarah Cameron’s side. JJ knew very little about her—considering this was honestly the first time he had seen her—and he wasn’t complaining…nor was he actually listening to what she was saying. “I mean, won’t this just introduce a future of designer babies and a superiority of the genetically modified over the natural?”

“I understand your concerns,” The tour guide—a young redhead who honestly didn’t look a day over twenty-two but then again, JJ guessed everyone around here was some sort of genius. “But I can assure you there are a number of protocols behind this research that would prevent such a thing from happening.”

“Can you really stop the rich from getting what they want?” Ironic considering she was a rich, uptown chick.

An awkward silence washed over the group before the teacher quickly cleared their throat and directed the tour guide to continue.

JJ—being the foolishly bored teenager he was—made his way over to the unknown girl, standing next to her as they looked at the spiders in the enclosure.

“Poor things.” She sighed sadly. JJ only raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it.

“You know,” He began, his voice smooth and suave—the usual JJ charm he used on girls. “I totally agree with you on all those…ethic…things…” He trailed off, risking a glance towards the girl who only narrowed her eyes at him.

“Really?” She questioned, nodding her head for him to continue.

“Yeah, I mean, save the animals, am I right?” He grinned, nervously scratching the nape of his neck. The girl seemed unamused.

“Uh huh, sure thing, buddy.” She stated before turning to catch up with the group. But JJ’s voice stopped her once again.

“How about I take you out some time? And then you can tell me all about all this ethic stuff.” He proposed, his usual charming smirk on his lips. He was a lady’s man, he knew he was gorgeous and JJ would be a fool if he didn’t use it to his advantage. One small date to charm her before JJ wiggled his way into her bed, then boom—they never have to speak to each other again. Plus, this girl may be one of Sarah Cameron’s wee minions, but JJ didn’t let class get in the way of his ‘love’ life. He just resents the lot of those uptown kids in every other aspect of his life. No harm in fraternizing with the enemy, right? What other people didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. It’s just a little bit of fun.

“Do you even know my name?” She asked him, her arms crossed over her chest. It took a lot of self-control for JJ not to follow the movement. He cleared his throat, leaning one hand against the enclosure.

“Uh…Samantha?”

“Nice try, asshole.” And with that, she turned around to join the group.

JJ stood there, a little dumbfounded by the encounter. He was taken aback not only by the fact she had just rejected him, but with the sass in which she did so. He would be lying if he didn’t say it was a little hot, but he expected it. Uptown kids always thought there were better, superior to the downtown kids.

But JJ didn’t wallow in his rejection for long when he felt a sharp, stinging pain on his hand. He glanced down, seeing a spider on the back of his hand and his instant reaction was to shake it off. “Little shit!” He hissed, looking down at the small bite mark on his skin.

“Hey, dude, you comin’?” He heard John B call out. He glanced around, unable to spot the spider. He shrugged, JJ has had worse than a small spider bite. He’ll survive.

“Yeah, I’m starving, let’s go!”

Little did JJ know that was his last day as a normal, hyperactive teen.

**********

“I’m telling you something is fucking wrong with me!”

Both boys looked at their blond friend with sceptic looks. It was Saturday morning and far too early to deal with JJ nonsense. Especially when they could barely understand what he was going on about. It was around 6am when John B and Pope received a very distressed call from JJ. Neither one was very sure for what reason, all they heard was ‘freaky’ and ‘fuck’ multiple times during the call. But he sounded like he was really going through something so they eventually went over—arriving at JJ’s place at 7:30am. JJ was too on edge to even try and call them out on it.

“Dude, breathe,” Pope muttered, watching JJ run holes in his carpet from how much he was pacing. “Calm down a little—“

“I can’t calm down, Pope!” JJ snapped, looking at his friends who seemed far too calm. “Like I don’t know if I am freaked out or pumped but just—“ He paused, seeing the look of confusion on his friends’ faces. He huffed and pulled his shirt off, looking at them expectedly. They didn’t react.

“JJ, did you really call us down here on SATURDAY MORNING because you have another birthmark that looks like George Clooney because I will literally murder you—“

“No, no!” JJ hissed before pointing down to his abs, and then his arms. Then he began flexing, yet he was met with blank expressions again.

“Dude, as much as I love staring at your abs, what the fuck are we meant to be looking at?” Pope asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“They are different!”

“They are?”

“They are!”

“Uh…how?”

JJ scoffed, as if it were obvious. “They are more defined!”

“…more defined?”

“Clearly!”

John B let out an unattractive snort, pushing his hair back as he leaned back against the wall, all his worry for his friend now gone. He was honestly concerned it was something important. “What’s next? Is your hair too perfect, J? Need a bag to cover how gorgeous you are?” Pope snickered along with him.

“I mean, I am having a good hair day…” JJ trailed off before shaking his head and turning to the two of them again. “But that isn’t all, okay? It gets freakier!”

Both boys looked at JJ with amusement from their spots on his bed.

JJ rolled his eyes before he stretched his hand out, his palm facing the ceiling with his two middle fingers pressed into his palm. Not even seconds later, a THWAP echoed through the now-silent bedroom.

Both teenagers looked down at the string of substance that just existed their friend’s wrist, completely shell-shocked. It was John B who spoke first, looking away from the white substance on JJ’s bed.

“Is that like…the same as…did you just—“ John B points down to his groin area, only for JJ to grimace.

“Dude, no! EW! I didn’t just jizz from my wrist!”

“It looks like you just did.”

Pope quickly kneeled down next to the bed, hesitantly reaching to touch the stuff, ignoring John B’s comments on how disgusting it was. “It feels like…silk,” He murmured in confusion before pulling his hand away, noticing how it stuck to his skin. “And it’s sticky.”

John B gagged in the back, but JJ ignored him. “It’s like glue, a really strong glue! And then after like twenty minutes, it disappears!” He told Pope as he reached for the scissors to help his sticky situation.

“How did you do that though?” Pope’s mind was reeling with the possibilities, the science behind the completely inhumane thing JJ had just done and he had witnessed with his very own eyes.

“I don’t fucking know!”

“Does it have anything to do with that weird-ass bump on your hand?” John B perked up, nodding towards JJ. All three boys’ gazes shifted to his left hand, where in fact there was a small red bump, no bigger than a grape at most.

“Nah, dude, that’s just from the spider bite yesterday.” JJ answered with a shrug. Pope chocked on the air, looking at JJ like he had three heads.

“I—you mean the fucking GENETICALLY MODIFIED SPIDERS FROM THE LAB?!” JJ winced, trying to shush Pope but there was no avail, this boy was going off on a rant. “Are you stupid? Why didn’t you tell anyone yesterday? JJ, those could’ve been poisonous or had long term effects or—“

“Made you some weird mutant with cool powers.” John B added. He quickly shut up when he received the ‘look’ from Pope.

“We have to tell someone at Cameron Industries.” Pope concluded. JJ was quick to pipe up, taking a few steps away from Pope on instinct.

“What, no way! They are gonna stick me under some fancy microscope or inject me with needles full of…stuff! I’m not going back into that geek galore!” JJ stated. Pope looked like he was ready to open his mouth, and start spouting out arguments as to why JJ should head over to the professional scientists over his weird, overnight mutation. But it was actually John B who came to a more mutual conclusion.

“Or we just do our own tests,” John B shrugged, both boys turning to look at him with fairly discombobulated expressions. “C’mon, Pope is basically a scientist and he is smart enough to figure out whatever the hell is going on with you!”

“I don’t have half the equipment they would have—“ Pope tried to argue.

“Look, we aren’t going to find out anything through a microscope. The best way is just go out there and test what he can do. How hard can it be?” John B grinned.

Pope wanted to argue that it was very hard. Though he had read countless papers on the genetically modified spiders, even he didn’t know enough to do a full conclusive examination on JJ and his new state. He didn’t have half the things he needed, but when he looked over at JJ and saw a much more relaxed—and hopeful—expression on his face from when he had suggested returning to the lab, Pope sighed and shook his head a little.

“Just so you both know, I am going to say, ‘I told you so’ when this goes downhill.”

**********

That is how JJ, Pope and John B found themselves standing on the roof of JJ’s apartment complex, the busy streets of New York oblivious to the scientific discovery that is happening above them. JJ couldn’t tear his eyes off the skyline, finding something about it much more relaxing that the potential of just what his new body could do. He was scared—no, scratch that—he was nervous, anxious if you will. JJ couldn’t lie that a part of him was excited. It felt surreal, like something out of one of those comics he used to nick from the uptown kids. Then again, JJ wasn’t very fond of the idea of being some new scientific discovery. It made him feel like he would end up like one of those poor frogs they had to dissect in biology—poor fuckers.

“Okay, so the spiders were made from three separate species to optimize their physical properties—being able to adapt to new environments, heightened senses to avoid predators, enhanced strength and speed, stronger material to create webs for larger prey—all that jazz. No research has been done on the psychological properties though.” Pope rambled, his hands moving wildly whilst both boys stared at him with clueless expressions.

“Which means?”

“JJ could have some really cool powers but could also be going totally insane,” Pope said with a sheepish shrug. “Like I’m talking full Tasmanian devil mode here—“

“Very reassuring, dude.” JJ stated bluntly. He took it all back, he wasn’t excited. He was terrified now. He glanced down at the small bite on his hand, which was slowly deflating as time passed. JJ wasn’t sure if he was relieved or worried that the second the bite disappeared, it could mean something really bad—like him turning into some massive humanoid arachnid that attacks the city. He shivered at the thought. “Right, let’s just get on with this.”

John B clapped a hand on his back, a small smile on his lips. “You’ll be fine, dude, alright? You’re in good hands.” He tried to reassure JJ. And JJ knew that everything Pope was saying was just to help him understand what was going on too, but he couldn’t help but think there was a small part of Pope that enjoyed using JJ as a lab rat. He was a scientist, could you really blame him?

“Yeah, I know.” He said with a curt nod.

“Let’s try the web again, see how far you can shoot it.” Pope piped up, moving to stand on the other side of JJ. “The average spider can shoot a web to about four feet, but these spiders have the DNA of the Darwin Bark Spiders which can shoot webs up to eighty-two feet. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you could reach the same, maybe more.” He then gestured for JJ to try it out, pointing towards the building opposite then, which was only around eight feet away, at most.

JJ took a deep breath before extending his hand out, the THWAP sounding clear despite the ongoing traffic down below. Yet, the web barely shot out a couple of inches before landing on the edge of the roof with a disappointing splat.

“Well then…” John B trailed off, all three boys staring at the failed web shot.

“You clearly weren’t trying, just concentrate!” Pope said with a clap of his hands. He only received a blank stare from JJ.

“I was trying, dumbass! It’s harder than it looks. It…feels weird, man. Like a sneeze…from my wrist!” He huffed, but Pope only nudged his shoulder to try again.

JJ sighed and turned to face the opposite building again. He raised his arm, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he tried to imagine the web shooting out and reaching the opposing roof. He tried to imagine more web fluid being shot out his wrist, he tried to imagine like he actually knew what he was doing. Not even a second later, the THWAP sound was heard and suddenly there was a white rope of silk extending from JJ’s hand onto the next roof over.

“Holy shit!”

JJ grabbed the web, giving the web a light tug. He was expecting for the web to break, for his hand to be covered in web fluid. But instead the web remained, strong and sturdy as though it was bolted onto the roof.

“This is crazy, dude.”

He snapped his hand back, watching the web breakaway from his palm and flop, hanging from the brick wall like a pathetic piece of string. “That was cool as fuck,” He murmured as he glanced down at his wrists in shock. He gently ran his thumb over his wrist, a delightful shiver running down his back. It caused him to smile a little, thinking about just how far he could shoot these webs.

“Dude, you could swing around like Tarzan now.” John B snickered. JJ gave him a deadpan look but he couldn’t help himself from glancing down at his wrists again.

“You think?”

“Only one way to find out.” John B grinned.

Pope’s eyes widened slightly as he quickly began to shake his head. “You don’t know if the web is strong enough to hold his weight, he could hurt himself or—“

“You calling me fat?” JJ gasped with a pout, a hand placed over his heart. “You offend me, Pope. Thought you were better than this.”

“If calling you fat will stop you from swinging off a building like an idiot then yes, I am calling you fat.” He hissed.

JJ grinned, his eyes quickly searching around before he noticed a large satellite pole sticking out from one of the nearby buildings. It was a bit further away, but JJ let the pride of his last success get to his head. “I can do it, bud, don’t worry about it.”

“That’s my boy!”

“Don’t encourage him!”

“He can do it!”

“How the fuck do you know that!?”

“Sixth sense, my dude.”

JJ blocked out the bickering, taking a couple of steps back from the edge of the roof. A running start never hurt anyone, right? He rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck from left to right. Never once did he let his gaze shift away from the satellite pole. He crouched down a little, already feeling the adrenaline build up in him. “Diver down, boys.” He grinned before he began sprinting to the edge of the building. As he reached the edge, he pushed himself off and extended his arm out, imagining the web wrapping around the pole and seconds later it did. He held the web tightly in his grip as he felt himself swinging towards the building. Whoops and cheers could be heard, though JJ wasn’t sure if they were coming from him or the boys back on the roof.

“JJ, THE WALL! LOOK OUT!”

But JJ was a little too pumped up to even comprehend what Pope was screaming until he noticed the brick wall getting closer. ‘Shit, shit, shit.’ The words echoed in his head and he tried to think of a way to slow himself down. But it was useless as he found himself colliding with the wall, his eyes clenched shut on impact.

“Oh, fuck.” He groaned, his limbs sprawled out like a starfish. A part of him thought he was dead, that maybe he hit the wall way too hard, he had a lot of momentum after all. But the muffled screams coming from his friends was enough to tell him that he was very much alive. “I’m alive!” He yelled out, slowly beginning to blink his eyes open, finding himself face to face with a brick wall. “What the…” He trailed off when he glanced at his hands, finding them attached to the brick wall.

His heart was pounding when he looked down, seeing that he was attached to the wall, very far up from the ground, with nothing suspending him. His mind was reeling, almost as though he was waiting for himself to fall and his body to meet the ground. But it never happened.

“You’re like an actual fucking spider, dude!” He heard John B yell, as though he was right beside him, which caused him to wince a little. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing them still very far away on that roof.

JJ shook his head and glanced up, seeing the edge of the roof a couple of feet from where he was stuck on the wall. He took a deep breath before slowly removing one hand, and when he was sure he wasn’t going to fall, he moved it up higher. Slowly, JJ found himself scaling the side of the building, his heart beating wildly even as he pulled himself over the edge, both feet finding the solid ground of the roof. He turned back to look at his friends, both of whom looked shocked beyond belief.

“What the hell…” He could hear Pope whisper, which only caused JJ’s eyebrows to furrow in confusion.

“This is a lot more complicated than I thought.” He muttered to himself, only now realising that the bite mark on his hand was long gone.

**********

JJ winced a little as he heard the bell ring, indicating the end of this period and the start of lunch—his favourite subject. Yet, JJ wasn’t exactly jumping out of his seat as usual. It was now Monday and everyone was back at school. JJ, Pope and John B had spent the better use of the whole weekend to run around, using JJ like some lab rat and seeing just what he could and couldn’t do. And JJ was fucking exhausted. The amount of times he had face-planted into a wall was beyond funny and he had learnt the hard way that the more on edge he was, the more sensitive he was…well, to everything. The sound of the chairs screeching against the floor made him cringe, the bright LED lights made him want to cry and the feeling of his sweater against his skin was scratchy and uncomfortable. JJ sure as hell wasn’t hyped for his newly found powers if this is what the rest of his life is going to be like.

The blond sighed to himself as he shoved his stuff into his backpack, swinging it over his shoulder and heading towards the cafeteria once he left the class. He kept his head down, finding the small shuffles of his vans against the floor were helping him from cussing out every single student that bumped into him, making him honestly want to scream and stay six feet away from everyone. He tried to reassure himself that he was half way through the day, that he only had a couple of hours left and then he could preferably go hide in a hole somewhere for the rest of his life. Okay, that is a little dramatic but a dark hole sounded great to JJ right now.

But here’s the thing, JJ is a Maybank. He has the good ol’ Maybank luck, which means even when he feels shit, the universe is out to make his life worse. And the universe sent that in the form of Rafe Cameron and his loyal little minions, Topper Thornton and Kelce Smith. Midtown High’s own version of the Plastics, some may say.

By some, I mean JJ. But hey, don’t judge. He was forced into watch Mean Girls by one of his flings awhile back and he won’t lie, the movie slaps. But that is besides the point.

“Oi, Maybank!”

JJ inwardly groaned at the sound of Rafe’s voice. He would much rather hear nails on a chalkboard than whatever Rafe had to say. JJ wouldn’t consider them bullies, they were simply the top tier of the uptown kids who had some sort of superiority complex. And JJ had no issue on challenging them, it was far too easy to wind up a bunch of rich kids who weren’t used to being called out on their bullshit. And it just stuck. They would say something stupid to try and provoke him, and most of the time JJ’s words were enough for them to leave him alone. He had the satisfaction of punching Rafe in the face a few times, but usually Pope and John B were quick to hold him back. After all, it would backfire on JJ if he got into trouble with an uptown kid.

“What do you want?” JJ huffed out, glancing up at the trio. The sight of the three of them almost brought a smile to his lips. Uptown kids and their need to follow trends, they wore the same outfit in different variations and it honestly made JJ want to laugh. The classic preppy look with their pastel sweaters and tennis shoes, it made JJ want to gag. But he contained his vomit as Rafe spoke up.

“Aw, c’mon, Maybank. That all you got today? A bit pathetic.” Rafe snickered, the other two laughing along with their leader. JJ rolled his eyes. The funniest thing about them was their outfits.

“As much as I’d love to talk to you little pastel powerpuff girls, I have much better things to do in my life,” JJ said with a sarcastic smile on his lips as he side-stepped the trio, attempting to make his way past them. He really didn’t have the patience to deal with them today. He had happily planned to steal food from Pope and take a nap for the hour. But the second he felt Rafe’s hand on his shoulder, he knew that wasn’t going to be happening.

“Watch your mouth, Maybank.” Rafe spat, his hand tightening on JJ’s shoulder. The act made him want to cringe away and rip off his skin. The feeling of his hand on his shoulder, his thumb brushing that little bit of skin near the neckline of his sweater, it made JJ want to gag. It felt horrible. He wanted that feeling gone.

“Piss off, Cameron.” He scoffed, harshly jerking his shoulder so Rafe’s hand would lose its grip but it only tightened. In an act of desperation, JJ did the only thing that seemed reasonable. He shoved Rafe away. Now normally, it would be enough to have Rafe stumble a few steps so JJ can make a quick exit. But JJ just so happened to have forgotten that this wasn’t like every other normal time. He wasn’t normal anymore. So, his shove was much more than a wee push, it was more like completely winding Rafe. JJ couldn’t help but cringe when he heard the sound of Rafe’s body colliding with the lockers before he slumped to the ground, a dent now evident in the lockers from the collision. Topper and Kelce looked at JJ with mixed looks of confusion and fear before rushing to their friend’s aid.

“Oh my god, Rafe!”

JJ’s head snapped to the end of the hallway where he could see Sarah Cameron, but she wasn’t alone. Beside her was the curly haired girl from the trip. His eyes widened a little when his gaze met hers, but he was only met with a glare from the mysterious beauty.

“What’s your problem?” She hissed at JJ as the two girls got closer, now seeing the full effect of what JJ had done. JJ gulped a little, his fingers tapping the side of his legs as he tried to think this through. What could he say, ‘oh sorry, kinda lost control of my new powers, I’ll be a little more careful next time’. Yeah, that wasn’t going to work.

“He started it!” JJ blurted out, only to mentally smack himself at how childish he sounded. “I barely touched him, he was being dramatic!” He added but the looks of uncertainty didn’t reassure him that they bought it. He was in the lion’s den here, a downtown kid surrounded by the privileged. He was never going to win. So, he did the only sane thing any downtown kid would do. He got out of there as quick as he could.

“He could be concussed!” Sarah Cameron spoke up for the first time, a frown on her face as she met JJ’s gaze. He could almost feel the judgement oozing from her.

“Maybe he will finally have some brain cells knocked into him!” And with that, JJ ran out of that hallway and didn’t stop running until he was far away from the school.

**********

“I’m sorry what?”

Following the fiasco on Monday, JJ’s week hadn’t been much better. Most of it was spent avoiding the uptown crew whilst simultaneously keeping a low profile, which is very hard for someone like JJ. He was used to being the class clown, milking any attention he got. Now he felt like he was under house arrest or something, trapped to keep to himself and work out what the hell was happening to him. But true to their commitment of being his best friends, John B and Pope were right there beside him. It had been a long and stressful week but they made it through. It was a little exhausting on them but they had each other to lean on. JJ was just glad he wasn’t alone.

But now, sat in Pope’s bedroom on the Saturday night, looking between the two boys with a very concerned look, JJ wasn’t sure his weekend was going to be any more relaxing. He knew the three of them combined weren’t the best combinations. They probably shared a brain cell between them and even then, it mostly resided with Pope and his weird, random facts. They had come up with some really strange, out-there ideas before—like the time they tried to give John B a perm with household products or when they convinced themselves they could do a road trip in John B’s crappy van. But this was the icing on the cake. This was enough for JJ to confirm that his friends had completely lost their mind.

“Think about it!” John B continued, practically rolling on the balls of his feet in excitement. JJ raised an eyebrow but didn’t interrupt him. To be honest, JJ wasn’t even sure where to start with how bad of an idea this was. “You have these super cool powers that are totally useless to everyday life, so why not put them to use? You could be like—the next Batman or something!”

“Batman was a rich dude who made gadgets. He doesn’t even have any powers. How the hell would I be like Batman?”

“Okay, bad example,” Pope piped up. “But just think about it. You could make a difference, be a hero!”

“A really badass superhero!” John B added.

JJ looked at them with a frown on his face. This now just seemed like a deranged joke. He was waiting for them to laugh, to say it was just a silly joke and move on with their usual weekend plans. But they didn’t. They continued.

“I mean, we could be a team! The three of us! You’ll go out and do all the crime fighting, Pope can make crazy gadgets and do all the…tech stuff and I can be your guy in the chair, you know?”

“My guy in the chair?”

“Yeah, you know, the guy in the headset…surrounded by screens…telling you where to go when you need extra help and stuff.”

“What?”

“Like Pope would set it up, but I would be the mastermind behind it! Like you’re stuck in a building and can’t find a way out, I would help you find a route. Your guy in the chair!”

JJ only shook his head, pressing his fingers to his temples to try and not completely lose his temper.

“And like every superhero ever, you’ll need a suit. So, I went looking through some stuff and I found my mum’s sewing machine,” Pope fumbled around in his pocket before he pulled out a small bunch of red fabric. He threw it to JJ, which he easily caught. JJ then realised it was like a ski mask, with two small holes for his eyes. “It’s not much but we can work on it, keep your identity secret and everything.”

“Oh, and you’ll need a badass name! I was thinking like Night Monkey, or—“

“—Spiderling!” Pope interrupted with a grin, clearly proud of it. But JJ had enough.

“Can the both of you just shut up!” He snapped, both boys instantly quieting down, looking at JJ with concerned looks. “Okay, are you out of your mind? Me? A superhero? Hate to fucking break it to you but I am not the superhero type guy, alright? I’m not your friendly neighbourhood nice guy helping old ladies cross the street or getting cats out of the tree! I could give zero fucks about the law cause all its there for is rich idiots to manipulate and use to ruin lives of people like us!” JJ cried out to them, letting go of any hope he had on trying to keep his cool.

“People like us don’t become heroes, alright? We are usually the ones that get locked up. And knowing my luck, I will be thrown straight into some loony house, in a straitjacket because of these powers! You guys have to be absolute fools if you think any of this would work.” JJ huffed as he stood up, shoving the mask into his pocket before making his way to the door. “I don’t care about other people, alright? I care about you guys, my mum and most importantly, myself. Why the hell should I risk my life for a world that won’t appreciate it anyways.” Both boys stood there stunned, looking at JJ with wide eyes and parted lips.

“JJ—“

“No, okay? Superheroes are meant for comic books and movies, not real life, alright? Grow up.” And with that, JJ slammed the door as he left the apartment.

JJ scoffed, muttering to himself as he walked through the dark streets of New York, deciding to take the longer route back home. He needed the time to clear his head, grasp his thoughts. He didn’t know what the boys were thinking, he was definitely not fit to be a hero. Were they out of their minds? Give a guy some abnormal powers and suddenly he should be putting on a cape and preaching morals. That wasn’t JJ, that would never be JJ. He was selfish, arrogant at times and beyond prideful. But he was aware. He knew what he was and he knew he didn’t have what it took to be a hero. Pope and John B needed to stop being ignorant and see that.

He rolled his eyes at the thought and continued his way back to his building complex, hands shoved in his pockets with his right-hand clenching around the fabric of the mask. Small puffs escaped his lips as JJ started regretting taking the long way home. It was October and winter was promising to come early, JJ could tell that much by the stinging cold against his cheeks. The cold was just the cherry on top of his bitter mood.

Yet, as JJ continued to make his way home, he could hear the sound of people talking, causing a frown to form on his face. JJ had walked this way many times, especially during the night, and the chance of passing someone down these streets were fairly rare. Maybe the odd one here or there, but a group of people? Definitely not common.

At first, he ignored it. He had gotten used to the heightened senses over the week, being able to hear things from a distance even when he didn’t try. For all he knew, he could be hearing the muttering of some people a few blocks over. So, he ignored it and carried on walking. But then it started getting louder and clearer. JJ felt his whole body go on alert, the hair on his arm standing up, like his body knew something was off. He could feel it in his gut, a horrible realisation that this wasn’t going to be his usual walk home.

It wasn’t until when JJ turned the corner that he realised just what he had walked into. There stood around five men, all wearing masks that covered the lower half of their faces. They were dressed in all black, probably to draw less attention to themselves, but JJ could see the glint of guns in the light of the lampposts shining down on the street. They stood outside a building, three of them seeming to try and block the view of the other two. It was then when JJ’s brain actually caught up with what he was seeing and realised what the building was. A bank. These guys were trying to rob a bank.

Well shit.

The way JJ saw it, he had two options here. He could turn around, pretend he didn’t see anything and let them get on with what they were doing. Chances were they would either get caught by the police or he would see that the bank had been successfully robbed tomorrow morning on the news. Or JJ could do something about it. He quickly grabbed his phone from his pocket, only to see that it was dead. Of course, it was the good ol’ Maybank luck. He shoved it back into his pocket and looked towards the five men.

Then an idea popped into his head. A stupid, insane idea that was nothing short of self-deprecating and downright dumb. It was short of one of the worst ideas he had ever had. JJ had done a lot of weird stuff in his life but this definitely tops it all. And the worst part was that he was going through with it, because as much as he hated it, it was his only choice right now.

“I’m gonna regret this.” JJ huffed to himself as he snatched the mask out of his pocket and pulled it down over his face, adjusting it so he could see through the small holes Pope had made. He let out a breath, shaking his shoulders a little as he tried to pump himself up, get his adrenaline going.

“You got this, it’s not like they have guns or anything,” JJ muttered to himself as he placed his hands on the wall of the building across from the bank, the one he was currently hiding around so the bank robbers wouldn’t see him, before he began to scale the building. I mean, who would expect the enemy coming from above, right?

He stopped around half way up the building, thanks to the heightened senses he was able to still see the criminals clearly. He watched them closely, seeing only the three men that were on lookout where the one with guns. “Oh, let’s hope this works.” He whispered to himself before extending his arm out.

“What the fuck!” One of them called out as his gun was snatched from his hands in the blink of an eye, his two friends following a similar reaction. JJ wasn’t even thinking about where he was throwing the guns, just as long as they were nowhere near these dudes when he confronted them.

He watched them freak out, yelling at each other as they looked around for the culprit to their missing guns. He heard the half-ass threats they used and tried not to snort before he shot a web to one of the lampposts nearby and swung down, landing gracefully at the top of the lamppost.

“Guys, I hate to break it to you but someone lied, bank doesn’t open until tomorrow morning.” JJ called out to them, giving a small shrug. All five heads snapped up to look at him, and the glares he was receiving was enough to tell him that these guys weren’t big jokesters.

“Piss off, kid, this is none of your business.” One of them replied in a blunt, scruffy voice. It honestly made JJ cringe a little.

“You see,” JJ sighed. “I’ve made it my business so…” He trailed off before snapping his wrist, a web shooting out to stick to the head of the closest criminal and with a firm tug, his head hit the pole before he slumped to the ground.

One of the men growled at JJ, clearly not happy about some weird kid interrupting their wee heist. “You had your warning, kid. Come down and play with the adults.” He taunted before JJ noticed the glimmer of something in the light. A knife. Of-fucking-course the gun wasn’t the only weapon they had on them.

“That’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?” He commented, shooting a web to wrap around the criminal’s wrist, prepared to pull it out of his grasp, only for the robber to tug the web instead, sending JJ flying off the lamppost and falling on his ass to the ground. “Fuck!” He hissed as he quickly jumped to his feet.

“Life is unfair,” The criminal muttered before reaching to punch JJ but he easily dodged it. The speed and agility with which he moved with clearly distracting the criminal long enough for JJ to kick him hard enough that sent him stumbling back into the wall. JJ barely had time to process it before he snapped his hand to the left, stopping a fist that was inches away from his face.

“Nice try, asshole.” He huffed before twisting the criminal’s arm before sending a swift punch to his jaw. There was a satisfying pop sound that told JJ he would be preoccupied for at least a couple of minutes.

He then noticed two of the criminals trying to corner him, and he couldn’t help but smirk a little under the mask at just how cliché it seemed. In seconds, JJ has webs shooting out each wrist, attaching to the chests of each men, before yanking the two towards each other. Groans echoed through the empty street as both men collided with each other.

JJ’s head snapped to the side when he heard an angry battle call as he saw the man with the now dislocated jaw running towards him. JJ crouched down a little before he began running towards the criminal, his arms hooking around his knees. He kept running forwards until JJ felt glass smash around him and the two of them fell through. He quickly got up, wincing at the window he had just broken before turning to the criminal and giving him a good smack in the face—he definitely wasn’t holding back with his strength on that one.

JJ began to work fast, not knowing how long each of the criminals would stay dazed and unconscious for. In no time, he had them piled together, a healthy amount of web fluid keeping them tied together. They wouldn’t be going anywhere—at least for twenty minutes. But it was just JJ’s luck that he didn’t have to worry about that time limit because not even seconds after he finished, he heard the sirens and saw the blue lights flashing down the streets.

Police cars began to surround the bank, creating a semi-circle to prevent any possible escape. Officers began to exit their vehicles, guns set and loaded and now aimed towards JJ. “This is NYPD, keep your hands where we can see them!” One officer called out.

“Shit,” JJ muttered to himself as he raised his hands in the air, watching as officers slowly approached the crime scene.

He watched as a look of confusion washed over their faces as they took in the scene: the smashed window, the five tied up men, the weird silky rope that was binding them together and of course, JJ in his crappy mask.

He watched as they evaluated the situation. Watched as they tried to piece it all together before one officer—the badge telling JJ her name was Captain Peterkin—stopped in front of JJ with raised eyebrows. “Did you do this?”

“Sure did, ma’am.”

“Why?” Another officer perked up, JJ could see his badge said Officer Shoupe.

“They were robbing a bank, what did you want me to do? Sit around making daisy chains until you showed up?” JJ immediately defended, glaring as best as he could with the mask on his face.

Peterkin smiled a little before she cleared her throat, JJ’s attention shifting to her. “Then I guess we owe you a great deal of thanks for your work.”

“All in a day’s work, can I leave now? I’m sure the security cameras will give you all the answers you need.” JJ stated as he already began to take a few steps away from the crime scene, walking backwards.

“Can we at least know your name?” Peterkin asked.

JJ looked down at his wrists before he snapped them up, watching as the web attached to nearby building. He looked at Peterkin and couldn’t help grin under his mask as he answered her question before tugging on the web and swinging away into the night.

“Call me Spider-Man.”

Taglist: @alphinias @popcornhook @loveyatopluto @teamnick @peanutbelley @iccyyyybitch @jiara-maybank @donkey-is-my-spirit-animal @carissarose16 @unspokenfaith @largedenominationsplease @jiaaras @homebody-nobody @smileymikey @hvitstark @shaymq7 @hmspogue @falseungodlyhours @aarchiess @rcsales @raeoffuckingsunshine @jjskiaras @parker-holland-osterfield @thesadprose

#jiara #outer banks #obx #jj maybank #kiara carrera #jj maybank x kiara carrera #outer banks fanfiction #jiara fanfiction #obx fic #my fic #spiderman au #marvel #tale of a slightly unstable teen hero

[dafukdidiwatch]

Titanic 1997

Alright, I finally caved and watched it.

It could have had a happier ending.

<spoilers>

I was against watching this movie for a long time. I didn’t have anything against the plot, it was just I knew how the movie ended.

The boat sinks.

My mentality was, if I knew how the event ended why bother watching? Like, all the movie was going to do was let me see a bunch of people who is just going to die at the end.

Plus, back then I was really against romance movies of any kind. If it was a movie marketed as a romance, I would be super against it. Meaning the entire lure of Jack&Rose was strike two against this film.

Then, it didn’t help that I knew the end and main plot points because of how big Titanic was. (pun unintended but accepted). I knew the song, the motif, the opening shot, specific lines like “Paint me like your French Girls” and “It was called the Ship of Dreams,” “I’m king of the world,” Jack could have fit on the door. Basically, all the best/iconic parts of the movie.

So it felt like, if I knew plot of the film, for something that didn’t really held my interest, in a very sad event, why do I need to really watch it?

Well, I was wrong. And really wrong.

Overview: Treasure Hunters search for a rare necklace that was lost on the Titanic. Soon they discover information from an unlikely source, an old woman named Rose Dawson, who explains her experience of love and lost on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

I did not realized that the movie opened in present-ish day. I was expecting to just jump right into actual story, so that was a little off-putting. I was against it at first, because they were going for the whole “flashback” route and I wasn’t really into it. But it grew on me, and looking back it was probably the best way to tell this story. It opened on modern day because that was where we are, but we can’t possibly imagine how/what happened on the Titanic unless someone who has been there tells us. It just makes it feel more real that way. I think Rose explains it the best when that one guy was explaining how exactly the Titanic sank to her: living through it was a different experience than just explaining it.

The transitions between old and new are just beautifully done, both in a long emotional transition as everything fades from old to new to old again, and a quick jump for comedic timing. I never really expected this to be a funny movie, but there are a LOT of good jokes throughout. Old Rose is especially hilarious. She is just old and spunky and didn’t give two shits. I hope to be like that someday. .

The supporting characters are good too. Cal the fiancee was a dick and a trash person and oh so wonderful to hate. Fabrizio and Tommy were the fun party guys just there for a good time. We got to see some cool historical characters brought to life like Margret Molly Brown, who is a fun take charge kind of person. Thomas Andrews the ship builder as a kind and thoughtful man who really did care a lot about the people on the ship. They were like two of my favorite people in the movie.

And speaking of historical things, James Cameron did a lot to portray the movie as historically as possible. Not just the big things with the ship and the historical people. There were so many small moments that were historically important and relevant to the sinking that were included. Like the missing binoculars, wanting the ship to go faster, “woman and children first” to “woman and children only.” There is just a lot of respect in trying to make this as accurate as you can.

The romance felt natural, it was a nice slow burn of just trying to open a new world for Rose. Stuck in a shitty and loveless engagement, ending up just talking to a genuinely kind people. Like, Leo was perfect in his role as Jack. I just love his care free attitude and his kind nature to just try to help. Granted, I wished that there was a....Better Way for them to have initially met, but it just pulls you in that you know you want there to be a way for them to work it out.

I’ve also noticed you don’t really see a genderbend version of the trope, the poor but free traveler and the wealthy but trapped socialite having a romance. It’s always a poor boy and rich girl in those specific roles. Just a thought I had while watching. 

You know, I never actually heard them really play the song “My Heart Will Go On.” I mean as the full song. I was expecting the lyrics to play at some point at least. Instead it was just a motif in little parts throughout the movie, but at all the romantic parts whenever Jack and Rose were really bonding together. And it also got sad when you hear the music over, you know, the ship about to sink. 

God I was freaking crying when Rose jumped back into the ship and Jack and kissing her calling stupid but they just kept kissing! Arg!!! 

Also, have you noticed that there were a LOT of hints to Jack dying when the ship sinks? I get catching the lines foreshadowing the ship sinking, but there were a bunch of moments that also point out his own demise. If I didn’t know about Jack’s death already, I probably would have just chalked it up to specifically the ship sinking.

This movie has a terrible habit of getting me attached to side characters only to watch them die. It also has a terrible habit of getting me attached to characters I’ve never even seen before while I was watching them die. Which makes sense, because this movie managed to really capture just how awful and tragic the entire sinking was. We see people panicked, fighting for the boats, silently accepting their fate, trying to survive, and I couldn’t really blame anyone for their decisions. Like, there were a TON of dick moves that people did, but at the same time you KNOW most of them are going to die so you know they are also just trying to survive as best as they could.

Overall: This film has helped me realize that I didn’t really have a problem with romantic movies, just bad romantic comedies. Basically, just watch this film. It is gorgeous in the set designs and shots. It is funny, romantic, thrilling, horrific, historical, kills you in the feels, literally everything that you could/would ever want in a movie. Is it a long ass time? Yes, over 3 hours. Does half of the movie just cover the ship sinking? Also yes, but it was time well spent.

#dafukblog #dafuking films #titanic #titanic 1997 #titanic movie #week 14 movie

[gra-sonas]

A Kiss a Decade in the Making

Pairing: Malex, Alex Manes/Michael Guerin

Words: 4.8K | Rating: T | On AO3

"Is Jenna going to schedule snogging rehearsals for us?”

Alex smiles at him.

“It’s a fair question to ask. How do we, two people who’ve only just met, play two men who’ve been in love for a decade?"

Initially, the story stems from the question how the actors - who hadn't met before filming the pilot - may have worked out the 'logistics' of the Malex kiss in 1x01, and whether there was something like a snogging rehearsal. Any similarities between the characters and the actual actors are - of course - purely coincidental. ;)

A couple of dialogue snippets from the original Roswell New Mexico 1x01 script have made their way into the fic, they are displayed in a 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚗𝚝.

This fic has been sitting in my WIP folder for months and initially I had no plans to ever post it, but thanks to the wonderful encouragement and helpful beta works of @i-never-look-away​ & @cosmiceverafter​, here it is. Love you, guys! ♥

~*~

When they get up to leave showrunner Jenna Cameron’s office, there’s a moment of hesitation as they arrive at the door at the same time. Michael takes the initiative and opens the door. He can’t help himself and bends his knee in a ridiculous half curtsy while he gestures at Alex to walk out first. Alex looks slightly bewildered for a moment but then he smiles.

“Thank you, Michael.”

Michael perks up. Not many people call him Michael, there are way too many Michaels in the world, that’s why he goes by Guerin everywhere.

“You can call me Guerin, it’s what everyone does.”

Alex nods.

“I’ll think about it. I like it though. Michael. It’s a good name. Suits you.”

He walks off and leaves a stunned Michael behind. What does that even mean, he’ll  think about it? Michael’s just a name. Not a bad name, he also considers it a lucky name, after all it has landed him a role that could very well be his first leading role in a major network TV show. At least that’s what he likes to think.

For that to happen, the show just needs to get picked up to series. After reading the script and hearing Jenna talk about what she envisions, he’s even more confident that the show has great potential. If they are going to do this right, they will be picked up.

Doing it right is the thing though. He already loves Mikel Rath, sees a lot of himself in him, and a lot of things he can at least relate to. The quick wit, the anger issues, the sarcastic and funny side of him.

There’s just one thing he’s unsure about. The thing with Alistair. The Alistair & Mikel thing. He wonders what their moniker would be? Milistair? Or Alikel? Do they have to come up with one themselves, or will they leave that to the fans? He makes a mental note to ask Jenna about it.

Michael has a bunch of LGBTQ friends, he’s even part of the community himself (although he’s never acted on it, which sometimes makes him feel like he’s not allowed to claim membership), and he’s lived in LA long enough to be aware of the significance of LGBTQ representation on screen. He knows how important this relationship is going to be to many people. How important it is to get it right. From what Jenna’s just told them, she has a lot in mind for these two characters, but only if there’s going to be a show Aliens of New Mexico .

The pilot only gives them one shot at selling it. It won’t just be on their shoulders alone, of course, Liz and Max will have to do most of the heavy lifting with their characters, but he has a feeling that this Alistair and Mikel thing will still play a vital role in TV executives making a decision that could change his life forever.

Michael takes a deep breath and slowly walks back to his trailer. On the way he recalls the meeting he had with Jenna and Alex. Jenna’s awesome, he’s met her before back in LA, and she’s also responsible for hiring him. He met Alex for the first time in Jenna’s office just now, though. He hasn’t had much time to get to know the man yet.  

Alex had been earnest during their meeting, notes written in the margins of his script and post-its marking some pages. He’d asked Jenna a lot of questions during their read through of the Alistair & Mikel scenes.

It had been interesting to listen to an experienced TV actor asking all these questions. Michael had never been an avid watcher of  Charming Young Deceivers, but even he had heard about Gemma & Mic’s popularity. Referred to as  Gemic by fans, they’d been crowned Best TV Couple in almost every online poll for several years, and Alex Manes had won three Teen Choice Awards for his portrayal of Mic, plus two others with his co-star for Best Couple. They’d also won three awards for Best Kiss. So, no pressure.

When Michael had found out that Alex Manes would play Alistair, he’d almost felt a bit giddy because he instantly knew what face went with the name.

He’d then done what he imagined most people would've done in his position: he’d gone and looked up Alex Manes in news and on social media. Since Instagram seemed to be his personal favorite, he went there first. Impressive follower count, very curated content (gorgeous photos though), cute dog (a beagle called Buffy, Alex had tagged her ‘Love of my Life’ in several photos). Alex seemed like an interesting guy who was not only very photogenic, but also had great taste in interior design, music, and he loved to travel. Michael had been looking forward to meeting him.

Then he’d read Alex’s Wikipedia entry. Like the character he was about to play, he came from a military family, his parents got divorced when Alex was in middle school and he’d grown up with his mom, while his three older brothers had stayed with their dad. He’d filmed a couple of indie movies and to Michael’s surprise, had released a number of singles. Michael’d listened to all of them and really liked them. One song had stood out to him in particular, a duet with Rosa Ortecho, a household name in the LA indie music scene. Michael was impressed.

Reading about the incident in Afghanistan, where Alex had been visiting US troops and lost part of his leg when their convoy had been attacked, had made Michael swallow hard. He’d then gone back to Alex’s Instagram account and looked through some of his more recent pictures. Now that Michael was aware of what had happened, he’d noticed a crutch in the background of some of the pictures. And there was a photo of Alex in a German military hospital, a beautiful dark-haired woman (probably his mom) by his side.  

Now that they’ve met, Michael is not sure what to think of Alex, who seems to be so much more than the handful of “facts” Michael had gathered from the internet. Alex had been nothing but friendly during their meeting with Jenna, he’d often looked at Michael, had tried to include him in the conversation (it had seemed like he’d been aware that Michael didn’t come with the same kind of TV experience under his belt as he did), had asked him questions, had listened with great attention when Michael spoke.  

All things considered it had been a great meeting. It had given Michael much needed input to get a better idea of the Alistair & Mikel dynamic. And yet her he is, still feeling somewhat insecure about it.

There’s one line in the pilot script that stood out to him in particular when he read the script for the first time, and it’s been nagging him ever since. 

𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚗𝚘 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚌𝚕𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 -- 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚛𝚎 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶

Muscle memory springing to life? How are they going to pull  that off when they barely know each other?

When Michael reaches his trailer, he looks around. Max’s trailer is to his left, Isobel’s trailer is to his right, Liz is right across from him. Valenti’s trailer’s right to Liz’s, and if memory serves him right, Alex’s trailer is to Liz’s left.

With just an idea in his mind, Michael crosses the short distance and knocks on the door of Alex’s trailer.

“Come in.”

Michael opens the door and is hit by a waft of warm air that smells rather nice. He quickly enters the trailer and closes the door behind him. He looks around and although they’ve all arrived in Albuquerque just 48 hours ago, Alex’s trailer already looks very cozy and lived in.  

A set of what must be scented candles is burning, set on a wooden plate on the sideboard in front of the big mirror. Something slow and jazz-y is playing over two small speakers, and Alex, clad in gray sweat pants and a soft looking baby blue hoodie, lounges on the recliner, a beautifully patterned quilt in earthy colors draped over his lower legs.  

He’s looking up at Michael, carefully placing a bookmark in the pilot episode script he'd been reading when Michael entered the trailer, before he places it on the table in front of him.

“Michael, good to see you. Can I offer you some tea?”

Michael is not much of a tea drinker, but it’s cold in Albuquerque this time of the year, and if Alex’s already offering to make tea, this could be a much-needed bonding experience. He smiles.

“That would be great, thanks. Can I help?”

His mom Mara has raised him right, he never expects people to just serve him, but Alex is already up and heads over to the small kitchen area. He busies himself with boiling water and placing cookies in a ceramic bowl. He looks over at Michael.

“Sit down and make yourself comfortable. Are you warm enough? I can turn up the heating some more if you’re cold?”

Michael plops down on the comfy chair offered to him and shakes his head.

“Thanks, I’m naturally running hot, I’m good.”

That remark earns him a raised brow from Alex. No kidding, Alex Manes is capable of raising just one brow. It gives his face something almost diabolic for a second, until one corner of his mouth twitches and he smirks.

“You’re running hot, huh? Good to know.”

Michael blushes. He honest to god blushes. Holy shit. Is Alex Manes  flirting with him? He’s not sure. Alex is so different from his group of friends and the people he’s worked with in the past. They are usually just taking the shit out of him (and vice versa). With Alex it's all new and unknown terrain.  

He’s being pulled out of his thoughts when Alex returns to the table and puts a mug of steaming tea in front of him. And of course, he doesn’t just place it on the wooden table, he’s putting a  coaster  underneath. Because Alex Manes is a cultivated man who brings his own quilt, scented candles and fucking  coasters  to a 3-week-shoot in the desert.

Michal is impressed, but also intimidated. His usual crowd is loud and rambunctious, and it suits his outgoing personality perfectly. Alex is only three months older than him, but he almost feels like an insecure kid meeting a man of the world. He shakes off that mental image and waits until Alex is snuggled up under his quilt again before he takes a cookie. It’s chocolate chip, and it tastes divine .

“Holy shit, these are amazing. Where did you get them? I have to buy three boxes.”

Alex chuckles.

“I don’t usually do orders, but I can give you the recipe, they’re quite easy to make.”

Michael is in awe. He loves food more than almost anything in the world, and he knows his way around a stove or oven. He’ll figure out a way to make these cookies.

“Didn’t take you for a baker, but you sure know what you did with these. They are incredible. I’d love the recipe. I’ll send it to my mom. She’ll be so excited.”

He must’ve said the right thing, because Alex’s smile turns warm and genuine for the first time since they’ve met.

“Moms, right?”

Michael couldn’t agree more and nods enthusiastically. He picks up his mug.

“To amazing moms.”

Alex picks up his mug and toasts back.

“To amazing moms.”

They both sip some tea and for a moment the music in the background is the only sound in the trailer. Michael is careful to place his mug on its coaster before he picks up the conversation again.

“Okay, now that we’ve established that we’re both momma’s boys, I hope we can take it from there and get to know each other better and maybe build something for our Alistair and Mikel dynamic. What do you think?”

He’s nervous all of a sudden. Alex is an experienced actor, he’s been doing this professionally for more than a decade. When Michael sees Alex’s face soften, he’s feeling better immediately.

“I think that’s a great idea. There’s this one sentence in the script that shows how close they are, or at least how close they must've been at some point, and I think it would be good to find that closeness somehow. And then we’re going to show the execs what a kiss a decade in the making looks like.”

Michael laughs.

“You won’t believe it, but that’s been my thought process on my way from Jenna’s office to your trailer. I mean, Liz and Max still have the biggest responsibility to convince the higher ups, but in my opinion, Alistair and Mikel are just as important and as much of a selling point.”

Encouraged by Alex nodding in agreement, Michael continues.

"The scene you mentioned, is our springboard, that’s the moment where the audience has to realize that this isn’t just a spur of the moment thing. These two men have history. We may not know about that history yet, but it has to be clear that they know each other. It’s really helpful for me that Jenna wrote that bit about muscle memory into the script. The question is, how do we get to a point where we look like we’ve done this before? Is Jenna going to schedule snogging rehearsals for us?”

Alex bursts out laughing. On the one hand Michael’s delighted that he’s managed to make Alex laugh, on the other hand that he’s worried he’s made a stupid suggestion.

“Uhm, sorry if that was dumb. I’m just a very hands-on guy. I often approach my roles from as much of a physical perspective as I do from the emotional perspective of my character.”

Alex smiles at him.

“You didn’t say anything dumb. It’s a fair question to ask. How do we, two people who’ve only just met, play two men who’ve been in love for a decade? I want this to be every bit of convincing and true to these characters as you. In all honesty, I might have an even bigger interest in it, given that I’m part of the community who will watch this part of the show very closely.”

Michael knows that Alex is gay, in his research he’s found articles and an interview that had been released after Charming Young Deceivers ended. Media and fans alike had been in a frenzy over the coming out, especially after Alex had been part of one of the most beloved  straight  couples in TV history.  

Michael looks at Alex as open and honest as he feels.

“I’m bi myself, so this story means a lot to me, too. I want to do it justice, and I want to do right by a community I know is marginalized in many, many ways. They -  we -  deserve me giving it my all. And that’s what I want to do.  That’s what the script demands. And I think Alistair and Mikel have the potential to be as important and relevant as Liz and Max’s characters. Maybe even more so.”

Michael’s run out of breath at this point, something that barely ever happens, but this is important to him, and he hopes Alex understands what he means. Going by the look on Alex’s face, he does. His eyes seem to glisten, but maybe it’s just a trick of light.

Alex clears his throat and takes another sip from his mug.

“You know, I’ve had the hardest time making the decision whether to take on this role. After seven years on my previous show and coming out after we wrapped, I took a year off. I just needed a break from pretending to be someone I’m not for way too long. The media just always assumed I had to be straight because I played a straight guy on TV. I knew it was risky to come out when the show ended, it could’ve ended my career as well, but I couldn’t live the lie by omission my life had become any longer. I did a lot of soul searching and focused on myself. I was at a point where I didn’t know if I should continue to work in this business, when the accident happened. After that, I didn't know if I  could continue to work in this business. I’m sure you know enough about the industry to understand how hard it is as an able-bodied, assumed-straight, assumed white male actor.”

Michael nods, he knows all too well how hard it is. He’s been driving Uber and Lyft for more than a year to make ends meet, and as a talented mechanic, he’d also done the odd car repair job for friends or people recommended to him for extra cash, he’d spent on more acting classes.

Alex puts his mug down and rubs at his eyes with the palms of his hands before he looks at Michael again, his gaze intense.

“Well, after playing a straight white guy for years, people now know that Alex Manes is actually a gay man, who’s half Native American, and also disabled. I’ve worked my way up in LA for years, until my name was one casting people and show execs would recognize. Expectations were always high, but the longer  Deceivers  went on, the pressure to replicate the success got bigger every year, and the media wanted to be fed with the same narrative over and over again. Especially in regards to my personal life.”

Alex shakes his head, probably thinking about gossip magazine headlines questioning whether his female co-star of seven years and him were banging in real life. Michael shudders in sympathy.

“When the show ended, I just couldn’t continue and pretend to be the guy they wanted to write about. If someone had asked me one more time what my dream girl would have to be like, I can’t guarantee I wouldn’t have committed a murder. And now they know that I’m really not that guy."

Alex points at the script on the table.

“When I got this, I’d more or less made my peace with the idea of never being able to act again, while simultaneously worrying about what to do with my life instead. This role, this story, came at the right time. I read the script and I knew immediately that I wanted to play Alistair. That – to a degree – I  am  Alistair.”

Alex takes a steadying breath.

“I’m not going to make this about me all the time, don’t worry, but I wanted you to know where I’m coming from, and that there’s the potential that some part of my story will bleed into Alistair’s story. Mentally I’m still a bit ‘all over the place’ right now, I’m more emotional than usual, and I still struggle with the decision of having signed up for a project that could turn into yet another commitment of several years. But I think the show has the potential to be really good. For myself, and for many people like me.”

Michael gets up from his chair and walks over to the recliner. He reaches out to Alex with both arms.

“Man, would it be ok if I offer you a hug? I know I could use a hug right now. It’s ok if you don’t want, of course, but I thought I’d ask?”

Alex looks at him with big eyes, but then he untangles himself from the quilt, gets up and steps into Michael’s open arms. Michael wraps his arms around Alex’s upper body, while Alex’s arms slowly wind around Michael’s mid-section. It’s only awkward for a second, then both men give in and melt into a comforting embrace. They just stand there in the middle of Alex’s trailer for a long time, holding each other, breathing in and out in perfect sync.  

They lose track of time, but eventually Alex bends back a little to look at Michael’s face from close up.

“Momma’s boys  and  suckers for hugs, I have a feeling, things between us are going to be just fine.”

Michael snickers.

“I’m warning you, I’m a cuddle slut. I can fall asleep on people’s shoulders, or I will sloth-hug them from behind when I’m tired. Feel free to tell me no at any time though, I know not everybody’s comfortable with that kind of invasion of their personal space.”

Alex smiles.

“Thanks, I’m trying to listen to my needs more closely. In general, I do enjoy a good hug, but sometimes it can be too much. Boundaries are hard.”

Michael nods.

“Don’t I know it. I mean, I’m not having a hard time to accept or notice other people’s boundaries, it’s more like that I often ignore my own boundaries in an effort to please everyone. Leaves me drained and exhausted, but then life demands that I’m being me again, and I never seem to have enough time and space to recharge.”

They end the hug, but when they sit down again, they do so on the recliner side by side, their knees touching. Michael’s right leg bounces.

“So, after we’ve bonded over some emotional stuff, how do we get to the muscle memory part of our characters’ connection? Kissing boot camp? I’ll admit, although I know I’m bi, I’ve never kissed a dude before. I don’t expect it to be that different from kissing a girl, but I can’t be sure. I’ve looked up your filmography and saw that you did this cool musical film where you played a seemingly gay man. How did you and your co-star approach that thing between your characters?”

Alex laughs.

“Did you see the movie?”

Michael shakes his head.

“I didn’t have the time to watch it, but I saw the trailer, and, uhm, there’s a making of clip of one rather steamy scene on YouTube, I watched that.”

Alex smirks at him.

“Did you now? Interesting. Well, in general we talked with the director of course, how they wanted the scene to go, stuff like that. We did a screen test where we kissed before the shoot. Colton’s also gay, so we both had no trouble with the ‘kissing a dude’ part. But as it is with any kiss on screen, kissing a stranger is never easy.”

Michael nods.

“Okay, that makes sense. Maybe they’re going to do a screen test with us, too? To make sure we’re compatible? Jenna didn’t mention anything, right?”

Alex shakes his head.

“No, she didn’t. I don’t think there will be a screen test. This is just a pilot, and they’re on a tight budget. They’ll expect us to knock it out of the park as soon as the cameras roll.”

Michael swallows around a lump in his throat that wasn’t there a minute ago.

“Good, that’s cool. I mean, looking at you, it’s not exactly a hardship to imagine how great it must be to kiss you. I’ll do my best to make it not awkward.”

Alex smiles at him, but the smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. He’s careful with his next words.

“If it makes you feel better, we can do a screen test without cameras? Figure out how to embrace without colliding? I mean, we don’t have to kiss, obviously, if it makes you uncomfortable or you think it’s not necessary. But we could work out some kind of choreography and develop the ‘muscle memory’ for the kissing scene?”

Alex doesn’t look straight at Michael when he makes his proposal, only when he ends, his eyes are back on Michael with full focus. Michael feels like he’s blushing furiously, although he really hopes that isn’t the case.  

“Uhm, okay, that’s a great idea actually. A choreography. I like that. I’d rather not knock you unconscious with my thick skull just because we both go for the same side.”

Alex laughs and stands up again. He holds his hand out to Michael.

“Come on then, let’s try.”

Michael takes Alex’s hand and lets himself get pulled up into a standing position. Alex doesn’t release his hand, so Michael follows him to the middle of the trailer where they have enough space to move around without bumping into furniture. Alex takes one more step until they stand opposite from each other.

“Is there anything off limits with what you’re comfortable with? Like, do I have to know about any particularly ticklish spots, is it ok to touch your hair? That kind of stuff.”

Michael thinks about it for a second, then he shakes his head.

“I can’t think of anything. How about you?”

Alex shakes his head.

“I’m pretty ticklish, but I don’t think you’re going to tickle me. Should we just act out the scene like it’s in the script and see how it goes?”

Michael nods. He picks up his script from where he’d placed it on the table earlier and quickly reads through the instructions for the scene’s set-up.

“Okay, why don’t you take the chair from over there, and I enter from the kitchen area?”

Alex nods in agreement. He pulls out the chair from under the desk and props up his right leg on the seat. He pulls up the leg of is sweatpants and pretends to adjust something on his prosthesis.

Michael’s stepped back into the kitchen area and looks at Alex. His hair is tousled and he looks warm and slightly flushed. For a moment, Michael glances at the metal of Alex’s leg reflecting the light, but then he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. He’s Mikel Rath now. An alien who’s lived in this town for ten years while the love of his life went to war. They are not on good terms, but there’s still love.  

A love that’s been tested over and over again, but never went away. Michael opens his eyes and looks at Alex. Alex, who’s Alistair Jessup now, a decorated war veteran. Not the same person Mikel fell in love with a decade ago. Not a boy anymore. Alistair is a man now. But the love, oh the  love, it's burning just as bright as the first day he’d laid eyes on him.  

Mikel takes a step forward into the room, as per description “belt buckle first”.

"𝙽𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚐𝚒𝚊’𝚜 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑, 𝚑𝚞𝚑."

Alistair adjusts the leg of his pants and puts his foot back on the ground. He looks at Mikel, his eyes dark and questioning. He sighs.

"𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚐𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙸𝚛𝚊𝚚, 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚎."

Mikel feels embarrassed all of a sudden. Alistair is right, it’s been ten years and he’s still stuck in the same place, wasting his life, just like Alistair said earlier. But then Alistair doesn’t know  why  he never left, what kept him in their hometown, or rather who. Mikel is tired, and his shoulders drop. He sounds resigned.

"𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎. 𝙸𝚝’𝚜 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝? 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚘?"

Alistair shakes his head, he also looks tired, his eyes are hollow.

"𝚆𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚔𝚒𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎. 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛."

The ‘what I want never mattered’ is hanging like an unspoken truth between them. Mikel takes a step forward, his eyes on Alistair. Alistair in return, takes one step in Mikel’s direction. They are close now. Very close. They look at each other, their eyes telling an entire story while they remain quiet.

When they both start moving at the same time, there’s no need to figure out a choreography. Mikel’s arms reach for Alistair’s head, his fingers slotting around his neck just so, while Alistair’s hands go underneath Mikel’s arms and wrap around Mikel’s torso. They both pull the other in until there’s no space left between them. Mikel takes another breath before he closes the last inch of distance between them and their lips meet in a searing kiss.

They are swaying back and forth, their lips pressing firmly against each other. They are Alistair and Mikel for a long moment, until Mikel Rath slowly turns back into Michael Guerin and Alistair fades back into Alex Manes, and now it’s them kissing all of a sudden, and no longer the characters they are supposed to play.

Michael doesn’t know how to stop. He doesn’t want to. He’s holding onto Alex’s face and looks at him like he’s searching for something. When he sees what he’s been hoping to find, he closes his eyes and lets his lips go soft, his mouth turning into a pliant invitation

When he feels Alex’s tongue nudging at his lower lip, he opens his mouth and lets him in.

#malex fic #malex #alex manes #michael guerin #roswell new mexico #my fic #rnm 1x01 #rnm fic

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Select: Vast and Infinite

I’ve done a few of these Smokey brand Selects, lists of some of my favorite films in any specific sub-genre, and it occurs to me that I haven’t even touched my actual, favorite, sub-genre at all. A few of these movies have made different lists, sure, but I've never cobbled together an actual, dedicated, catalog for the Cyberpunk category. I absolutely adore these types of film. They capture every aspect I look for in a flick; Beautiful imagery, enthralling sounds, compelling narrative, existential questions, and so much more. The sheer depth of this genre lends itself to great storytelling, diverse creativity, and enthralling visuals. I love Cyberpunk and these films are some of the best I've seen.

10b. Johnny Mnemonic

Johnny Mnemonic is probably the purest, US made, Cyberpunk film I have ever seen. It’s not a great watch, there’s a ton going on all of the time, but it is bursting with creativity and ideas. I adore this film, I really do. Even with all of it’s confusing, spastic, scatter-brained, story telling, I loved this film. Up until The Matrix and then John Wick, Johnny was my favorite Keanu Reeves performance. That, alone, has me coming back year after year. I highly recommend checking this one out if your a fan of the genre but it’s probably the weakest select on this list by a wide berth.

10a. Virtuosity

I was hesitant to put this one on the list because, I mean, this makes it eleven instead of ten, but moreso because I wasn’t sure of this thing qualifies as Cyberpunk. There’s a couple ahead on this list that have the same issue but I ended up putting them on so I guess this goes on here, too. Plus, I never hear anyone talking about this thing and I feel it deserves a bit more of a spotlight. Virtuosity is a goddamn blast. There’s a great performance from Denzel Washington a trite but ably executed plot, and some pretty interesting choices from a relatively new director. The strongest draw, however, is Russell Crowe as the artificial, glass eating, super psychopath, SID 6.7, as well as all of that mid 90s, virtual reality, conjecture. Virtuosity is definitely a product of it’s time but it's still a great time to watch.

9. Tron: Legacy

Legacy is, admittedly, not the best film. Even so, i had a ball with this one. The soundtrack by Daft Punk, alone, is worth the price of admission but couple that with the stunning, neon, visuals and you have a combo that can move even the most stoic of moviegoers. I absolutely adore this film. It get way too much hate for what it is. I’m a little perturbed we’ll never see the capping to this narrative but, for a second outing, I really did enjoy returning to this world. I’d put the first on this list but I really did connect with it beyond how dope it looked. Legacy gave me so much more to dig my teeth into and I respect it for that.

8. 12 Monkeys

I don’t even know where to begin with this movie. I’ve seen it a few times and dissected it in a couple of essays for school but I'm still not sure if i understand it wholeheartedly and that is incredible. For a movie to keep me so off-balance and I still enjoy the show is testament to the brilliant direction on display. The plot, itself, as convoluted as it can be sometimes, is rather gripping once you get a handle on what’s going on and the performances are outstanding. Brad Pitt really shows his range in this one, shades of things to come. 12 Monkeys is a Cyberpunk on the strictest sense but, like The Matrix, I was hesitant to add it tho this list. But, also just like The Matrix, if it is truly a Cyberpunk film, it has to be required viewing.

7. Dredd

Dredd is entirely Cyberpunk. From page to screen, Cyberpunk everything. The first outing was a little too campy to make this list but the second? The Karl Urban Dredd? That one fits this list perfectly. It’s a crying shame we didn’t get a sequel. I was itching to see Judge Death do it’s thing but the siege of Peachtree was more than enough to sate my ultraviolent appetite. Seriously, this movie is outstanding and it’s a crime more people didn’t see it. I feel like if this thing was released today, maybe on VOD, it would get the respect it deserves. Too early to the party, it seems.

6. RoboCop

It’s crazy to me that all of the classic, US made, Cyberpunk movies are all championed by foreign directors. Ridley Scott, Denis Villeneuve, Terry Gilliam, and Paul Verhoeven. Verhoeven’s RoboCop is a scathing indigent of consumerism and it’s interchangeability with corruption. When I was a kid, that sh*t flew right over my head. All I saw was a dope cyborg named Murphy and a beautifully alien war machine called ED-209. As I got older, I learned to appreciate, more and more, Verhoeven’s vision and RoboCop became more than just an action film for me. This thing is one of the best in the sub-genre and far more intelligent than anyone gives it credit for being.

5. The Matrix

I don’t know if The Matrix belongs on this list. It never felt Cyberpunk to me but everyone else tells me it is. When I think about it, it checks all the boxes; Existentialism, robots, future dystopia, etc. All the boxes but I always felt it skewed more toward Neo Noir than anything. That said, if it is Cyberpunk, and it seems that is the accepted consensus, how can it not make this list? The Matrix is one of the most influential films ever made. It’s easily the greatest action film in history. Terminator 2 is usually the front runner for that title, I’ll eventually make a Select for action films so don’t worry, but Neo’s maiden voyage matches anything Cameron created.

4. Alita: Battle Angel

I was initially introduced to Alita way back in the early 90s. the SyFy channel, back then know as the Sci-Fi Channel, used to show these blocks of what was called “Japanimation”, later known properly as anime, and the original Alita OVA was one of the few that aired. I loved every bit of it. It got me wondering about the manga so i went looking for that, too. Imagine my surprise when it was hundreds of chapters deep and encapsulated an entire world. I was hooked. So was James Cameron because he optioned it for the big budget, US, blockbuster treatment and spent the next decade and change, adapting technology to bring Gally and her universe to life. What we eventually got was, hands down, the best adapted anime or manga to the big screen, ever. Alita: Battle Angel is an incredible film experience that deserves more eyes on it and more love. Here’s hoping HBO Max and ATT give it that sequel everyone wants because it gets real awesome after the rollerball arc we just witnessed. Plus, I mean, Rosa Salazar’s Alita is just f*cking adorable, man.

3. Akira

Akira was the first anime I really watched with intent and that viewing colored my perception of cinema going forward for the rest of my life. I had seen anime before, of course, but not like this. Macross and Go-Lion were serials, cartoons for kids, but Akira was a completely different animal. I didn’t understand the narrative as a child, that came later, but i knew the experience was revolutionary. As I watched this film over and over, year after year, I began to understand exactly the story being told in a critical nature. It wasn’t only the breathtaking visuals that held up. Akira is as influential as it is because of it’s absolutely pristine storytelling. It’s reputation is unassailable and if you count yourself a fan of cinema, you have to see it at least once. I am petrified at what America is going to do to this narrative, man.

2. Ghost in the Shell

Ghost is easily the most balanced Cyberpunk film i have ever seen. It’s what I measure all movies in the sub-genre against. The narrative is poignant, profound, and perfectly executed. For the record, I’m speaking about the 1995 anime, not whatever the f*ck ScarJo starred in a few years back. That sh*t was the worst but Oshii’s masterpiece? That sh*t is the best. For such a short stint in Masamune Shirow‘s world, you are immersed in the grit of it all immediately. Kusanagi’s story, her struggle with being and conflict, mirror each other brilliantly. This would be top of the list if not for how much the world, itself, resembles our own. The Cyberpunk aesthetic kind of eludes this most Cyberpunk narrative. Even that juxtaposition is a positive in my eyes.

1. Blade Runner 2049

This one was hard to place. I love the original Blade Runner to bits. I think it’s a masterwork of cinema. It’s deftly acted, brilliantly directed, and easily one of the most gorgeous films I have ever laid eyes upon. And then Denis Villeneuve drops his continuation. Everything i just said about the original, stands for it’s sequel, but maybe even more. 2049 is breathtakingly gorgeous. It tells a simple, yet, emotional story driven by outstanding performances from everyone. No one is bad in this at all. I enjoyed the characters as much as I enjoyed the first’s, absolutely falling in love with Joi and Luv. This movie is everything and doesn’t get the love it deserves. Admittedly, it can be a little long in the tooth, but it needs all of that time to tell it’s story. If you commit to the narrative, engage with the visuals, and accept what the film is offering, you will be absolutely rewarded with one of the best movies ever captured on film.

Honorable Mentions: Terminator, Appleseed Alpha, Hotel Artemis, Run Lola Run, Demolition Man, Black Magic M-66, Elysium, Upgrade, The Lawnmower Man, Dark City, Armitage III, Ready Player One, The Zero Theorem, Minority Report, Looper

#Smokey brand Select #Cyberpunk

[legendarymasterwolf]

E3 2019: My Thoughts on What We Saw

Alright, E3 is over this year, which means it's time to go over what we saw and my thoughts on it.

This is late, so some stuff here will be out already.

I'll be going by publisher alphabetically, so first up, we have...

Borderlands 3

I'm so freaking hyped to get lost in this hilarious world again. I've played Mordecai in Borderlands 1, Zero in 2, and Claptrap in Presequel. Still trying to decide who to play as in 3, but right now, it's looking like I'll pick FL4K, since he specializes in long range and has a few cute beasties by his side. Also, we're getting not one, but THREE action skills with each character. Not only that, but you can sacrifice your grenade skill for two equipped skills.

The Children of the Vault look like some worthy successors to Handsome Jack for title of "Best Borderlands Villains", though we'll see how they pan out on release date.

The gameplay that we saw of Moze looks smooth. Heck, everything about this game looks sleek and refined without doing away with the art style. Also, guns with legs.

Anyway, we not only got the gameplay reveal, but also Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary, a new DLC for Borderlands 2 that sets up 3, so I'm scrambling to finish the Handsome Collection on my PS4, which just got a lot more difficult now that I've bought RDR2 finally, along with several other games.

Control

I loved Alan Wake, and this is from the same people, so I’m hyped. The game looks great, has a suspenseful atmosphere, and it seems to play well. I’m looking forward to release date.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reboot

I haven't bought a COD game since "Black Ops 2", though I have played the newer ones with a friend of mine. It looks good visually from the reveal trailer I saw, I'll say that much. No gameplay yet, but I know it'll be gritty, focusing on some of the more shocking moments of the original trilogy, like "No Russian" from MW2 or the nuclear explosion from MW1, so it seems we're bringing in more edge to the series. Still, I'm glad the campaign is back, and I'm interested to see how it will look.

12 Minutes

A twelve minute time loop where you're forced to relive the death of your wife and the only way to break it is to find out why she was killed? Sign me up.

Code Vein

I remember this one from last E3. Still the same opinion, too. Anime style souls game that I might buy for the story, which looks interesting.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

So this looks REALLY good. It's like a deep RPG, deeper than Xenoverse was, with mechanics besides fighting like fishing, and as for the fights themselves, they seem to be more strategical than before, with a healthy dose of classic DBZ fisticuffs in there for good measure.

Elden Ring

A Souls game written by George RR Martin? Don't know too much about it besides that, but it looks cool based on the trailer.

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan

Basically, another Until Dawn, but on the open sea during a storm. And I'm totally okay with that.

Deathloop

Another game from Arkane? The guys who made Dishonored? I'll take it. Besides, another time loop premise sounds interesting.

Doom: Eternal

If Fallout 76 was any indication, Bethesda desperately needs a win now to restore faith in their studio. Besides a few of the other games announced at E3 2019 that could do so, there was one that stood out in particular: Doom Eternal. I’ve already played all the Wolfenstein games, with the exception of one upcoming entry on this list, and based on what I’ve seen of Eternal, I’m going to like it due to the similarity in gameplay.

GhostWire: Tokyo

The presentation on the new game from the makers of Evil Within, another series to try now that I have a PS4, was memorable for a few reasons. First off, Ikumi Nakamura, the game’s creative director, was the main presenter and she was adorable. Seriously, it’s probably one of the best E3 presentations I’ve seen this year. I can’t remember the last time I saw one so genuine like hers, plus it helps that the Internet has fallen in love. As for the game itself, it looks great, with people disappearing in Tokyo and it being up to some guy with a bow and supernatural powers to find out why. The reveal trailer was all we got, but still, I can’t wait to play it.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood

The first game I’ve ever preordered, and this comes from a guy who never preorders on principle. It’s a Wolfenstein spinoff with BJ’s twin daughters, so yeah, I’ll buy it. Plus, it’s co-op, so I’m playing this with my best friend. Still trying to decide which twin to play, though. Probably Jessie, since my friend is gonna want to play Soph.

Paranoia: Happiness is Mandatory

Looks interesting, plus the gameplay reminds me of Shadowrun Returns.

The Sinking City

This one’s already out, but it looks good. Hopefully, it’ll be received better than Call of Cthulu before it. Plus, I’m all for a game where the protagonist is losing his mind, like Dead Space.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood

Set in the World of Darkness universe, like Bloodlines, except you're a werewolf instead of a vampire and it's from a different studio. Gameplay was revealed behind closed doors, but it looks good from what I've heard. We don't have too many werewolf games around.

Cyberpunk 2077

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY ALREADY!

Yeah, this might be the first game I preorder for myself, since now we finally have a release date: April 16th, 2020. The new trailer we got gave us a glimpse of a default male V as well as what may be Jackie’s death (please don’t kill off Jackie, CD Project RED, I like him too much already). After V’s employer tries to double cross him, V tries to kick ass with his twin arm blades, which look really unique, before said employer shoots him in the head. The trailer ended with a major surprise: as V comes to in a junkyard, a figure in jeans, a tank-top, and a silver left arm approaches, and kneels to reveal a face and voice that sounds suspiciously like Keanu Reeves.

Yes, that’s right, for those who haven’t heard by the time this is posted, Keanu Reeves is in Cyberpunk 2077 and he’s playing Johnny Silverhand, a legendary rocker in the world of 2077 who may not be what he seems.

After the trailer premiered onstage, Reeves came out onstage to promote the game. He could barely get through the start of his speech, people were that excited to see him in the flesh. There was even a great moment where he described the game as “breathtaking”, to which a fan shouted out, “You’re breathtaking!”, to which Keanu responded in kind. We don’t deserve this man.

Anyway, at the end of his speech, Reeves gave a new look at gameplay as well as the game’s release date. The glimpse was only about 20 seconds long, but still, the new look at the combat, hacking, and what is presumably a digital afterlife or something like that was enough to get me even more hyped for this game.

Seriously, I couldn’t be more hyped. This game is gonna be massive and I just might preorder it.

My Friend Pedro

Switch game, but still looks cool. It’s already out now.

Sea of Solitude

I need to play more games that make me feel like this. The art style looks gorgeous and the theme is depression, so yeah, I may buy this one if I like what I’m hearing.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Honestly, EA's part of the the expo was kind of depressing, especially when it got to Anthem. However, we did get more of Jedi: Fallen Order, and for that, I'm grateful, because this game looks great. Both the combat and lightsaber look slick as does the gameplay in general, and the voice acting is on point, from Cameron Monaghan to Forest Whitaker. We need a good Star Wars game for current gen consoles, and while The Old Republic is still my favorite, that's for PC. Also, while it has been announced that there are no microtransactions in the game, I'm sure EA will find some way to screw it up, but for now, it looks awesome.

Greedfall

I’m interested. Story and premise have me, a mix of 17th century colonialism with horror and the supernatural. Gameplay looks like my kind of jam, and we may be getting romance options too, based on some trailer observations.

John Wick Hex

Gameplay seems unique, plus it’s John Wick. I will always take more of Keanu Reeves.

Grandia HD Collection

I like JRPGs like this one, though it’s for Switch, so I can’t play it.

Way to the Woods

Looks like a cute adventure puzzle game. I might get it for PC.

Wasteland 3

This series looks like tactical Fallout, so yeah, I’m likely to give this one a shot since it looks good.

Blair Witch

A Blair Witch video game? That’s psychological horror?! With an adorable dog companion named Bullet?!?! Yes, please.

We didn’t get much besides a trailer and some gameplay, but I’m eager to see more.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel

Ugh, why is it that last year I was complaining about not having a PS4, now this year I’m complaining about not having a Switch?!

Anyway, this looks great and I want to see more. Especially since I’ve heard it’s going to be scarier than Majora’s Mask.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

Looks good on the graphics front, plus the gameplay additions looks promising.

And once again, I can’t play it.

Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

Out of all the games on this list, this is the one I want to play most that I can’t play because, you guessed it, I don’t have a Switch.

I loved the original Ultimate Alliance games, so I’m sure the new one is gonna be a hit, what with the new combos, character designs, and references to the MCU, plus it’ll tie us over until Marvel’s Avengers.

Pokemon Sword and Shield

The Pokemon look cute, it is set in the world’s version of the UK, gameplay looks improved, and once again, I can’t play it.

Empire of Sin

It looks cool, plus I need more Mob style games to play. It’s also made by the people who are responsible for the next game on this list...

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

It’s only in pre-alpha, but still, this one looks good. The original is on the Steam store, and there are fan made patches that improved upon what was originally a disaster. The sequel looks like a smoother version of its predecessor, with a few new abilities and mechanics put in. Again, it's in pre-alpha, so the final product will look much cleaner, but for now, I'm excited for its release date.

Shenmue III

First off, I’m royally pissed that Epic stole this one. That being said, the game looks great and I’m looking forward to continuing Ryo’s story on PS4. The gameplay looks great, the atmosphere is enthralling, and the English dub sounds good this time around. Still pissed about Epic, but at least I can play it on PS4.

The Outer Worlds

This still looks great. Since Fallout 76 took a nosedive and kept on going, we need a game like this to get that bitter taste out of our mouths. This still looks like a cross between Fallout and Borderlands, the true New Vegas spiritual successor that we need right now. The companions actually look helpful, have personalities of their own, and the Flaws System sounds really interesting, giving your hero a perk in enchange for a debuff for the whole game. Also the humor is great, too.

Marvel’s Avengers

Yes, the character designs don’t look so hot. However, those can be changed on the road to launch. That aside, I liked what I saw. The gameplay looks great, the voice cast has some top tier talent for the industry, and the promise of more heroes to be added after launch without the attached microtransactions has my attention.

Dying Light 2

I only played the demo for the first one, a game I still need to play, but I liked it enough to want a sequel. The usual free running mechanics look smooth, plus the addition of player choice shakes up the game, making your playthrough unique, so yeah, more of the good old stuff with a few new things sprinkled in.

Final Fantasy VII Remake and Remasters

The remake of FF7 looks AMAZING. The hybrid combat system looks like a dream, plus the character designs look top notch. In addition, the voice cast sounds on point for their respective characters. The hype around this thing was evident from the incessant cheering, we want it that much. We even have a release date: March 3rd, 2020. It’s been a long time coming, but it seems the wait to experience this classic for the second time on a different system will have finally been worth it.

Also, there was content announced for FF14 as well as two remasters: Crystal Chronicles and FF8.

Bet your ass I’m buying the remaster for FF8.

Biomutant

This has been described as Fluffy Devil May Cry. It’s accurate. I didn’t know you’d be able to customize your character, to! Combat looks fun, and it appears there is humor present if the narrator is anything to go by, so I’m interested.

Destroy All Humans! Remake

I never played the original, but I did read about it and hear about it from a friend. From what I’ve seen, the remake looks fun! Good parody of the 1950s and the updated graphics look great. Plus, Krypto seems like a fun, grumpy protagonist.

Gods and Monsters

This looks like a cross between Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Legend of Zelda. Considering it’s being made by the same creators of the former, I can’t wait to see more of this in the future.

Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

I’ll be honest, I still haven’t played any Ghost Recon games, so maybe here would be a good place to start. Gotta say, I like the way Jon Bernthal presented. He just seemed at ease onstage. Plus, Bernthal’s dog looks adorable. Bam Bam is the real hero of the Ubisoft press conference.

Anyway, it seems Bernthal is playing Cole D. Walker, one of the antagonists of the game. Didn’t see any gameplay, but still, the game looks good. I need to play more tactical shooters in general.

Watch Dogs: Legion

I played the first Watch Dogs game. Thought it was cool, but overall it was a bit disappointing. I still need to play the second one, but I heard it was a major improvement, even if it wasn’t a financial hit. Still, this one put a smile on my face. The ability to recruit and play as anyone? A sarcastic AI as your companion? A grandma assassin? I will take all of it, thank you.

Also, grandma assassin.

Did I mention there was a grandma assassin?

Can’t wait for March 6th.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The LEGO Star Wars games were some of the first games I ever owned back when I played on the PS2, so I’m hyped for a collection of all 9 films in one game. We don’t know much beyond the announcement trailer, but hey, I’ll gladly take this one when it comes out next year.

Baldur’s Gate III

A video game that plays like a DND game? I can’t wait. Haven’t played the other games, but I’m sure I’ll be fine once I play that tabletop prequel they mentioned.

Battletoads

It’s an Xbox and PC exclusive, but still, glad this is getting a remake.

Bleeding Edge

This looks like an Overwatch reskin. The combat itself looks unique, though, so we’ll see how it goes.

Gears 5

We got a little more on Gears 5 this time around. We’ve got a look at Kait and how the Locust influence is threatening to tear her apart (that’s what I’m assuming, I’ve never played the Gears games). We also got a new mode, Escape. I might get it, since it’ll be available for PC.

Halo Infinite

If this is what Xbox Scarlett looks like, then Sony might have actual competition for once. This is the best the Halo series has looked in years, and considering how let down some felt after Halo 5, it’s about time. We’re getting the same badass Master Chief back, this time with no AI companion, as Cortana has suffered corruption due to being around for longer than normal and has gone psycho as a result. Regardless, the graphics look amazing and I can’t wait to see how it looks when it releases Holiday 2020.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

I never played the original, but I might have to now, because this looks cute. The art style looks great and I’ll always be interested in games where you fight things ten times your own size. Plus, it seems to run smooth, and just by the sound of the story, it already has my heart.

Psychonauts 2

To cap things off, let’s end with a game I’ve been excited for since I finished the original months ago. The game seems to be coming along great, if the first level is anything to go by. Returning voice cast, new enemies and powers, new environments to explore, Jack Black voicing a Brain in a Jar, need I say more?

Also, this game looks to explore the water curse put on Rasputin’s family, so it will be a more personal and chilling story as well.

________________

So, there you have it. That’s my thoughts on E3 2019, half a month late.

What are you guys excited for? Leave a comment letting me know, especially if there was something I left out!

Until then!

#e3 2019 #borderlands 3 #modern warfare reboot #dragon ball z: kakarot #elden ring #man of medan #deathloop #doom eternal #ghostwire tokyo #wolfenstein youngblood #werewolf: the apocalypse #cyberpunk 2077 #sea of solitude #star wars jedi: fallen order #greedfall #john wick hex #blair witch #breath of the wild #ultimate alliance 3 #control #vtmb2 #marvel's avengers #dying light 2 #ffvii remake #watch dogs legion #psychonauts 2

[gayasinstupidpodcast]

What’s up gamers!!! Our fourth episode plowed through the chaos of thanksgiving holidays and is Here w/ some Facts and Opinions about creating shit and being LGBT and how being LGBT influences creating shit. HEADS UP we recorded this while I had a cold so my voice is probably a little off, but ik Isaac put SO much work into the editing so it would be ready on time and we have recorded statements from some amazing artists (transcriptions under the cut below!) & this is honestly one of my favorite episodes we’ve done so far, so give her a listen if you’re gay or enjoy fun things!

BIG thank you once again to everyone who participated in this month’s episode!! Your contributions are so valued and so beautiful!!

You can find us on the Itunes Podcast App/Webpage at Gay As In Stupid Podcast! You can also find our episodes uploaded to Youtube and Soundcloud!

You can also follow us on twitter at gayasinstupid!

Further Reading on LGBT Artists

Montage of a Queering Deferred: Memory, Ownership, and Archival Silencing in the Rhetorical Biography of Langston Hughes

The Political Provocations of Keith Haring 

Pop art politics: Activism of Keith Haring 

E M Forster’s Gay Fiction

Alok Vaid-Menon Tells Us What It’s Like To Be Femme In Public

Shea Diamond Speaks Her Truth

Aaron’s 2018 November Recs!

Alok Alok Vaid-Menon is one of my favorite poet/activist/performance artists out there! Their writing and stage presence is gorgeous and witty in a way that’s SO clever and still feels like you’re in a room trading jokes you don’t need to explain with your closest trans friends. The way they balance their art creates a real, deeply touching experience that feels very essential to our world.

Miles (2016) Miles is set in 1999 and is a coming of age story about a gay teenager trying to get a volleyball scholarship for college in Chicago. It’s not revolutionary and it’s not over the top dramatic, but it’s funny and honest and it makes me feel nice. Definitely the movie to watch when you’ve just been through something emotionally taxing and need a light crying session and some mediocre pastries.

Isaac’s 2018 November Recs!

The Adventure Zone I know half of you already kin the Mcelroys while the other half either don’t know or don’t care, but the Adventure Zone is one of my most favorite things in the world. It’s a DND podcast (yes, all episodes are transcribed, and they have a graphic novel for the first arc of Balance with a second one on the way!) by three brothers plus their dad, and not only does it have the most amazing story and is ungodly funny, but TONS of gays (Griffin went ape with those Lesbian NPCS)! And just because they can! Same with trans characters. It’s a story where they just exist, and that’s really important to me because in a lot of media LGBT have to almost prove why they deserve to take up space. And it’s not just something that goes on in their first campaign, Amnesty also has those sweet sweet gay! I could talk about this podcast for hours, so if you needed that final push to give it a listen, THIS IS IT!

Stardew Valley You get to farm and be gay. And if THAT hasn’t sold you on this charming video game, then maybe the super cute graphics, beautiful soundtrack and a handful of interesting characters will! TBH I spend so much time playing this game it’s concerning. It’s just such a fun way to relax, and I just really REALLY like video games were I can chose to be gay. Like. God Tier. YOU CAN HAVE CROPS AND CHICKENS AND BE GAY C’MON YALL!!

The Amazing Quotes And Artists Featured!

Meg | instagram | esty

“My identity as a bisexual woman influences my art in many ways. As a woman, i create art about the issues that effect me, such as abortion and gender equality, in order to resonate with the people that matter most to me. As a bisexual individual, my subjects often appear from a gaze that falls outside of the stereotypical eye. My figure drawings and portraits all come from a place of admiration, and don’t fall into the stereotype of the male gaze or womanly care- they are the space inbetween, equally sexualized and normalized. I feel lucky to be a bi gal in the art world because it is a place that is my own to create in. There are so many queer artists that i look up to such as Mapplethorpe and Warhol, and many female artists i can cite as influence (Jenny Holzer, Kiki Smith, and Louise Bourgeois to name a few). My identity gives me a whole new world of content to draw from and allows my work to resonate with a wider audience, and I really think that any artists goal is to reach and touch as many people as possible.“  

Cameron | twitter | instagram 

“I don’t think that it influences the form really, but it definitely influences the subject matter! (Much as I hate to admit it, my identity influences the majority of choices I make in life.) I write a lot of poems about lgbtq related things and religion, as well as other stuff too. I was raised catholic, so realizing that I was “different” at more than one point in my teen years was scary AF. Being a member of the lgbtq+ community and also trying to still feel like I belong, or wanting to, in a religious community is hard, the two things are usually at a crossroads in my life so writing about them makes it easier for me to get through. My hope is that someday someone reads what I wrote and finds some peace in their own life/experience.” 

Vince | art instagram

“Well, being transgender I feel like I’m constantly aware of the lack of representation of my community, and I feel like it might be because of that I tend to experiment with showing all sorts of different type of people in my work. Because there’s so much diversity in the world, why not showcase that?”

Fox | art instagram  

“Oof…I’m gay so my characters always be gay. Gotta Fill the void in media w my own bullshit so I don’t have to rely on straight showrunners who will inevitably discard the character since they themselves seem to have no personal attachment and treat lgbt characters as disposable extras. Bc if I don’t at least attempt to create representation in the field I’m going into then I can’t rlly complain about the lack of it right? If I don’t try and change it I can’t complain about the lack of change so being an lgbt artist is lowkey Big Pressure to be revolutionary in your work but sometime…..I just wanna draw funkey animeal and that’s aight too”

Jen | twitter | instagram

“As a female bisexual poet, I worry often that my poetry and art will be too niche to be appreciated. I’ve spent years editing my poetry down to its barest bones in hopes that someone will relate to it. Changing pronouns back and forth because I worry that if I do talk about a woman, the poem will be stripped of its context and suddenly be about my queerness when in reality it never was. When I write about love and people I have dated and have crushed on, I want the poem to exist outside of the gender of who I love. I fear my authorial death will result in a complete misinterpretation of what I mean. When I write, it truly does not matter to me if I am writing about a woman or a man. If I feel what I write and I can make someone else feel it too does it matter that I also love women? I write what matters to me overall, regardless of gender, I try to make my poetry as true as possible. Sometimes, when I catch myself over editing I try to take myself back to the moment, to the person, what I loved about him or her. “

Lain | art instagram

“My LGBT Identity has significantly impacted almost all of my art, especially my work over the last two years. Ever since I have allowed myself to accept that I am trans and began my transition (6 months on T!), the impact that my Roman Catholic upbringing has had on my bisexual trans identity has bled into my artwork. Because of the way I was raised, accepting and allowing myself to be authentic has been an upward struggle. And what better way to process and document struggle than art?  

Much of my recent work has had a focus on the trans body, particularly the “sanctity” of self-actualization and the god-like power that comes with accepting and creating yourself in the unique and exceptional way that LGBT people must in order to live authentically. Two of my pieces on this topic were actually recently exhibited at UWM in the Trans-lucent exhibition, and will remain there until December 15th (I think). I got sick and tired of never seeing trans representation, so now I am creating that space that I crave in my own work.”

Kobe | instagram | soundcloud

“My art from is very influenced by my LGBT identity. It is very influenced by my LGBT black Identity. I think that whenever an artist makes their art (in my case writing music, singing, dancing) they should incorporate as much of themselves as possible. I think my LGBT identity definitely adds a sense of representation as well. I want people like me to listen to my music to know they aren’t alone. So it influences my work a lot. “

Nat | art instagram

“I think the fact that I am part of the LGBT+ community influences my art directly. Even though I don’t draw as often as I wish, I believe both my drawings and college projects (I am a 3d art/animation student), and my creativity in general is inspired by my personal experiences as a gay woman and common things experienced by the community. I try as often as I can to bring representation of some kind in the things I do, mainly personal projects. I also feel that it influences me on my motivation to keep creating; whenever I listen to, see drawings, watch movies or see whatever form of artistic expression from LGBT+ artists it gives me the energy to keep going, to keep creating.”

#gay as in stupid podcast #lgbt podcast #lgbt artists #gay art #trans art

[rhywhitefang]

It’s the end of the year (Well, not quite, but I’m not gonna get any reading done tomorrow)  - and we all know what that means... Looking back at what you read and evaluating your favorites. And no, I did not contain myself to just 10 - but that’s also because I did read a lot this year. Why are they eleven books for the first two categories? Any excuse to include one more book It looks better on the graphic. Although, before someone asks why the Broken Earth Trilogy isn’t on here - Rereads don’t count and I read those in 2017. For a more detailed look at each of my lists, links to the books, and more of my thoughts, look under the cut. For a list of all of my favorite books look here. 

Now, on to these...

The best new releases of the year

Now, obviously, I did not read every single book that was released this year - duh. This is just a list of the best 2018 releases that I read this year. Ranked, they look like this:

Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake. Why I loved this one: It’s a really honest, well-written, gentle, well-done, nuanced, and detailed examination of what rape does not only to a person but also to a community from a perspective I’ve never seen considered before. 

Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram Why I loved this one: Because I love well-done coming of age narratives and this one was excellent. It’s a very quiet, introspective, slow moving book with a softer main male character. I also really appreciated the setting of Teheran. 

The Book of Essie by Meghan Maclean Weir Why I loved this one: Look, it’s one of my very specific favorite tropes of all time (I’m not going to spoil it) that I almost never see, the main character is interesting and strong in a mental way I really enjoy, and it’s a deconstruction of conservative family culture. Yay. 

The Adventure Zone - Here there be Gerblins by Griffin McElroy Why I loved this one: I jumped on the hype train and listened to the podcast - and like, this is a comic adaptation of the first arc? Which is so much fun?

The Air You Breathe by Frances de Pontes Peebles Why I loved this one: I loved the main character who was bitter, and passionate, and jealous and lovin, and complicated and determined and stern and regretful. It was great. If you loved Evelyn Hugo, this one should be your next read. 

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay Why I loved this one: This thriller was very unique in the way that it put its focus on just one family, and the whole rest of the world was not really present. Instead we get a very closed, and isolated narrative where everything but the characters we follow and the relationships they have with each other is called into question.

How Long Til’ Black Future Month? by N. K. Jemisin Why I loved this one: I refuse to comment on claims that I light a candle of my very own N. K. Jemisin shrine every night before I fall asleep. If you haven’t read The Fifth Season - go read them right now. My favorites from this collection include: Valedictorian, The Storyteller’s Replacement, Walking Awake, and Henosis.

Circe by Madeline Miller Why I loved this one: I’m a huge slut for greek myth retellings, if you’re a semi-competent author retelling any greek myth, I’ll eat it up. And Miller is more than just semi-competent.

The Poppy War by R.F Kuang Why I loved this one: Listen, listen, listen - you know how to get me as a reader? Training sequences and school settings. This has 250 pages of training sequences in a school setting. It made me very happy. 

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender Why I loved this one: Everyone’s excited for this author’s other book, which is like, a YA romance and to be fair, I haven’t read that one yet, but still - why is this one so underrated? It’s a magical realism coming of age story of a young girl and it’s stellar. 

Inkmistress by Audrey Coulhourst Why I loved this one: I wasn’t the biggest fan of the author’s debut, but this has a lot of things I love - “be careful what you wish for” style blood magic, dark self-fulfilling prophecies, and a female characters journey from hero to villain. Also dragons. 

The best backlist books of the year

Meaning, the best books I read this year that were released in 2017 or before that. Pretty simple, really.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan Why I loved this one: It has been a long time since I was this attached to a group of book characters that quickly. They’re instantly relatable, even if they’re not instantly likeable. And beyond that, the whole book is a wonderfully satirical take on the portal fantasy genre. But seriously, guys, there’s not enough of fanfiction for this book - I’d know it, I read them all.. C’mon, where’s my soulmate AU?

Radio Silence by Alice Oseman Why I loved this one: One of the best YA novels out there and not only one of my favorite’s of this year, but also one of my favorite books of all time. Alice Oseman understands the teen coming of age story on a spiritual level, and manages to be so wonderfully affirming in this one.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid Why I loved this one: Listen to the hype, everyone, listen to the hype. Evelyn Hugo is an amazing character and I’d 100% believe you if you told me she was a real person. PLUS, this one also has the trope. The one I talked about with the Book of Essie. 

Strong Female Protagonist by Molly Ostertag Why I loved this one: Well-done, deconstructionalist superhero narrative are my jam. This webcomic is not that action driven, instead it focuses on the main character identity crisis, and her reconsidering what it means to be a hero and what her responsibility as a human is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M Danforth Why I loved this one: Do you think the owner of this blog might like coming of age narratives? I’m not super sure, like, maybe if she had “I love coming of age narratives” tattooed on her forehead, it would be a little clearer... but like this? It’s a mystery. 

Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi Why I loved this one: No, I did not read the first book in this series, and I don’t think you need to in order to enjoy this. Here, I just really appreciated the friendship aspect of the book and the healing power of reaching out to others and letting them into your heart. Also death magic. That too.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds Why I loved this one: I think the slam poetry style this was written in, often novels written in verse don’t work for me because it feels like more distance being put between you and the narrative, but in this case it really elevated the story. And of course, this was a very introspective read with a focus on character development.

One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabelle Greenberg Why I loved this one: The artwork here is just gorgeous, just like in the first one The Encyclopedia of Early Earth. Its beautiful and has a lovely fairytale vibe.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon Why I loved this one: This has a very sharp, very unique voice to it and a protagonist unlike anyone I ever read. And the spaceship setting was really cool as well.

Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng Why I loved this one: This is a fae book that gets fucking dark, and truly fucked up as any proper fae book should do. Some parts of it read almost like a trippy nightmare which is just delightful. And the premise itself? Just wild, man

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard Why I loved this one: Say it with me everyone 📣: Coming 👏 of 👏 Age 👏 Narrative

Honorable Mentions

Yes, I have a whole entire seperate list of honorable mentions. What’s it to you?

A  Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi Why I loved this one: The writing is beautiful and engaging. The protagonist is refreshing, lively, realistic, and I loved her perspective. Her internal journey was wonderfully rendered. The issues she dealt with were important, timely, and needed to be put into the forefront. It had a lyrical, atmospheric quality to it and I thoroughly enjoyed my experienced reading it. Why it didn’t quite make the list: It almost, almost made the list because it was really good. There was just one thing that bothered me. I get that the point of this book was that the protagonist was really isolated in the beginning, but even so... she had a romance with a guy, she had her brother and his friends whom she hung out with. But she didn’t seem to know any other girls... at all. The only other real female character I remember is her mother. And then there’s one interaction with another girl and that girl is a racist bitch. So I didn’t like that portrayal.

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger Why I loved this one: Teenagers finding themselves.... friendship..... clubs.... gay people.... I mean, come on.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: The writing style isn’t the best.

And I Darken by Kiersten White Why I loved this one: This was a great first book in a trilogy with a historical setting I haven’t read about before. It has court intrigue, sultans, assassins and political imprisonments. The main character’s brother, Radu, is one of my favorite characters I read about this year and I liked the way this tackled religion. Why it didn’t quite make the list: Being the first one in a series, this feels more like...a prologue, than anything that could stand on its own.

When I Hit You - A Portrait of the Author as a Young Wife by Meena Kandasamy Why I loved this one: It’s an unflinching look at an abusive marriage, power dynamic, and coping with the more patriarchal aspects of your own culture. It’s also really well written and extremely believable.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: It had an odd framing device, and because the protagonist was a writer, this caused it to be kind of pretentious at times.

Here to Stay by Sara Farizan Why I loved this one: This is a very realistic depiction of high school, and the social dynamics most teenagers for. Teenagers aren’t wise or mature, most of them have a lot of growing to do. And I liked how flawed everyone there was. They just wanted to keep their head down, or they overcompensated for their insecurities, and they dealt with their own issues. I liked how the topics in here were handled. Why it didn’t quite make the list: The plot was a bit too simplistic for me. 

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant Why I loved this one: Killer mermaids! Need I say more? I’ll say it again - killer mermaids! Why it didn’t quite make the list: Despite the title, this isn’t really that deep. Just a fun monster horror.

The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson Why I loved this one: The one thing that Sanderson does consistently well is develop magic systems, and I really liked this one. And because this one was so short, there wasn’t some epic (or even cosmic) overarching plot, but a rather clear and relatively small narrative of a specific task that needed to be completed, which I found absolutely fascinating. I think I like this story even more than the Mistborn trilogy. It’s my favorite from him. Why it didn’t quite make the list: Everytime Sanderson writes a female character, you can tell he feels so proud of himself for being such a feminist. 

I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman Why I loved this one: This surprised me. Even though I loved Radio Silence by Oseman and had read that one before, the subject matter of this book didn’t really seem appealing to me, but it was still really fun. I loved the friendship dynamics and the discussions of fame. Why it didn’t quite make the list: I just very much wanted this one to go more in depth and really dive into that character development, and these relationship dynamics. I just wanted a little more of that. 

A History of Glitter and Blood by Hannah Moskowitz Why I loved this one: I loved most things to do with the fae - the dark fae of folklore, mind you, not whatever SJM is doing. Now, these fairies aren’t really traditional, but the setting is definitely dark. Also, there’s an unreliable narrator which I love.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: I was kind of iffy about some of the racial implications with the goblins. 

The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson Why I loved this one: We stan a ruthless, traitorous accountant. Love that dark character development, bitch.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: While I loved the first one, this one really lacked a clear sense of structure or direction. The pacing was kind of off. 

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan Why I loved this one: I loved the worldbuilding here, and the setting of concubines in a castle, quiety rebelling in themselves. Yay.  Why it didn’t quite make the list: It felt a bit juvenile at some points, some things were rushed, and I would have liked a bit more depth to the characters, especially the love interest.

#favorites 2018 #books #best books of 2018 #best books of the year #bookblr

[momscookingthebooks]

Need You Now, the newest standalone in the Man of the Month Series by #1 New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner is LIVE!

Book Review

Title: Need You Now

Series: Man of the Month #3 (Each novel is a standalone)

Author: J. Kenner

Total Pages:  250 Pages

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Publication Date:

Cliff Hanger: No

4 Stars

*This story is for mature audiences only. Contains explicit scenes and language intended for adults 18+

Synopsis:

Charming smile. Wicked skills.

Meet Mr. March.  With his tousled hair, cocky grin, and surprising abs hidden under a conservative button-down, bartender Cameron Reed is no stranger to the attention of women.  He dates, but never gets serious, claiming that he’s too focused on his studies. But it’s not really school that preoccupies him; it’s sensual fantasies of his best friend’s sister.  Mina Silver might be absolutely off-limits because of her overprotective brother and father, but that doesn’t stop Cam from imagining the feel of her in his arms, the brush of his lips over her soft skin, or the sparks that would fly between them if he ever got her into bed. But for Cam, the bonds of family and friendship are sacrosanct, and there is no way that he’d ever violate his friend’s trust. Or would he? Because with love on the line, maybe it’s time for Cam to break a few rules. Taking a risk never felt so right.  **Need You Now is part of a binge read series by New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and #1 International bestselling author of the million copy Stark series, J. Kenner.  Each novel in the series is a STANDALONE romance with a guaranteed HEA! But even so, you won’t want to miss any in the series. Because then you can answer the question…

Who’s Your Man of the Month?

My Thoughts:

I was anxiously awaiting Cam and Mina’s book as there have been subtle hints of his attraction since book one. Little did I know that he has been harboring these feelings almost as long as he has known Mina.

Cam has been promoted to assistant manager at The Fix on Sixth, the neighborhood hot spot that is hosting a Man of the Month competition for a calendar they are doing to help raise money to keep the establishment from going under. Cam was in close competition but was aced out of the February win for Man of the Month. He didn’t have any intentions of entering the March contest, but at the prodding of his best friend Darryl and his twin sister Mina, who he has a serious crush on, he decides to enter. Cam has a sad back story, but he has really done well for himself. He has won scholarships for college and he is currently working on his doctorate! He is not only gorgeous but smart!

Mina is Darryl’s twin sister and he is very protective of her. He was born first and healthy, but Mina was a preemie and had a rough start her first few years, but growing up she caught up except her size, she is petite. Their mom left, and they were raised by their Dad and he is also very protective of her. Her dream is to get a job in Hollywood as a director. She has her master’s degree in film and media production, so her stint as an intern on the Fixer Upper show that’s also filming at The Fix on Sixth will only pad her resume, not to mention, she just got a job as an assistant to the VP of a production company in South Austin.

An innocent touch Mina gave Cam set the wheels in motion for the attraction to ramp up and after a few drinks and liquid courage took over, the passion was ignited! Wholly hotness they have chemistry. Cam is wanting to out them as a couple, but Mina wants to keep it on the down low.

Will their relationship become public? Can Cam confess to Darryl that he is dating his sister? Who wins Man of the Month for March? I’m not going to spill the beans! You are just going to have to read it and find out for yourself. This was a terrific addition to this series and it just continues to keep me enthralled.

ARC kindly provided by Social Butterfly PR for an honest review.

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2ypkyI9

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2AtQ3By

iBooks: http://apple.co/2yrTc4i

Nook: http://bit.ly/2mdSIxa

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Av185x

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2BTOMsn

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2zO7SPI

Start the Series of Standalones Today!

Down on Me

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2hqLF2p

Amazon Universal: myBook.to/DownOnMe            

iBooks: http://apple.co/2AsnDrJ

Nook: http://bit.ly/2AsnOmT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2iN8nOZ

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2iNkziM

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2jd6hs6

About J. Kenner

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five-time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas.  She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

Connect with Julie:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JKennerBooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliekenner

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/juliekenner/

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+JulieKenner-author

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliekenner/

Tumblr: http://juliekenner.tumblr.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/juliekenner

Newsletter: http://juliekenner.com/contact/subscribe-to-the-julie-kenner-newsletter/

Website: www.jkenner.com

#release blitz #book review #contemporary romance #Man of the Month Series March #Need you Now #J. Kenner #Hosted by Social Butterfly PR

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Select: Vast and Infinite

I’ve done a few of these Smokey brand Selects, lists of some of my favorite films in any specific sub-genre, and it occurs to me that I haven’t even touched my actual, favorite, sub-genre at all. A few of these movies have made different lists, sure, but I've never cobbled together an actual, dedicated, catalog for the Cyberpunk category. I absolutely adore these types of film. They capture every aspect I look for in a flick; Beautiful imagery, enthralling sounds, compelling narrative, existential questions, and so much more. The sheer depth of this genre lends itself to great storytelling, diverse creativity, and enthralling visuals. I love Cyberpunk and these films are some of the best I've seen.

10b. Johnny Mnemonic

Johnny Mnemonic is probably the purest, US made, Cyberpunk film I have ever seen. It’s not a great watch, there’s a ton going on all of the time, but it is bursting with creativity and ideas. I adore this film, I really do. Even with all of it’s confusing, spastic, scatter-brained, story telling, I loved this film. Up until The Matrix and then John Wick, Johnny was my favorite Keanu Reeves performance. That, alone, has me coming back year after year. I highly recommend checking this one out if your a fan of the genre but it’s probably the weakest select on this list by a wide berth.

10a. Virtuosity

I was hesitant to put this one on the list because, I mean, this makes it eleven instead of ten, but moreso because I wasn’t sure of this thing qualifies as Cyberpunk. There’s a couple ahead on this list that have the same issue but I ended up putting them on so I guess this goes on here, too. Plus, I never hear anyone talking about this thing and I feel it deserves a bit more of a spotlight. Virtuosity is a goddamn blast. There’s a great performance from Denzel Washington a trite but ably executed plot, and some pretty interesting choices from a relatively new director. The strongest draw, however, is Russell Crowe as the artificial, glass eating, super psychopath, SID 6.7, as well as all of that mid 90s, virtual reality, conjecture. Virtuosity is definitely a product of it’s time but it's still a great time to watch.

9. Tron: Legacy

Legacy is, admittedly, not the best film. Even so, i had a ball with this one. The soundtrack by Daft Punk, alone, is worth the price of admission but couple that with the stunning, neon, visuals and you have a combo that can move even the most stoic of moviegoers. I absolutely adore this film. It get way too much hate for what it is. I’m a little perturbed we’ll never see the capping to this narrative but, for a second outing, I really did enjoy returning to this world. I’d put the first on this list but I really did connect with it beyond how dope it looked. Legacy gave me so much more to dig my teeth into and I respect it for that.

8. 12 Monkeys

I don’t even know where to begin with this movie. I’ve seen it a few times and dissected it in a couple of essays for school but I'm still not sure if i understand it wholeheartedly and that is incredible. For a movie to keep me so off-balance and I still enjoy the show is testament to the brilliant direction on display. The plot, itself, as convoluted as it can be sometimes, is rather gripping once you get a handle on what’s going on and the performances are outstanding. Brad Pitt really shows his range in this one, shades of things to come. 12 Monkeys is a Cyberpunk on the strictest sense but, like The Matrix, I was hesitant to add it tho this list. But, also just like The Matrix, if it is truly a Cyberpunk film, it has to be required viewing.

7. Dredd

Dredd is entirely Cyberpunk. From page to screen, Cyberpunk everything. The first outing was a little too campy to make this list but the second? The Karl Urban Dredd? That one fits this list perfectly. It’s a crying shame we didn’t get a sequel. I was itching to see Judge Death do it’s thing but the siege of Peachtree was more than enough to sate my ultraviolent appetite. Seriously, this movie is outstanding and it’s a crime more people didn’t see it. I feel like if this thing was released today, maybe on VOD, it would get the respect it deserves. Too early to the party, it seems.

6. RoboCop

It’s crazy to me that all of the classic, US made, Cyberpunk movies are all championed by foreign directors. Ridley Scott, Denis Villeneuve, Terry Gilliam, and Paul Verhoeven. Verhoeven’s RoboCop is a scathing indigent of consumerism and it’s interchangeability with corruption. When I was a kid, that sh*t flew right over my head. All I saw was a dope cyborg named Murphy and a beautifully alien war machine called ED-209. As I got older, I learned to appreciate, more and more, Verhoeven’s vision and RoboCop became more than just an action film for me. This thing is one of the best in the sub-genre and far more intelligent than anyone gives it credit for being.

5. The Matrix

I don’t know if The Matrix belongs on this list. It never felt Cyberpunk to me but everyone else tells me it is. When I think about it, it checks all the boxes; Existentialism, robots, future dystopia, etc. All the boxes but I always felt it skewed more toward Neo Noir than anything. That said, if it is Cyberpunk, and it seems that is the accepted consensus, how can it not make this list? The Matrix is one of the most influential films ever made. It’s easily the greatest action film in history. Terminator 2 is usually the front runner for that title, I’ll eventually make a Select for action films so don’t worry, but Neo’s maiden voyage matches anything Cameron created.

4. Alita: Battle Angel

I was initially introduced to Alita way back in the early 90s. the SyFy channel, back then know as the Sci-Fi Channel, used to show these blocks of what was called “Japanimation”, later known properly as anime, and the original Alita OVA was one of the few that aired. I loved every bit of it. It got me wondering about the manga so i went looking for that, too. Imagine my surprise when it was hundreds of chapters deep and encapsulated an entire world. I was hooked. So was James Cameron because he optioned it for the big budget, US, blockbuster treatment and spent the next decade and change, adapting technology to bring Gally and her universe to life. What we eventually got was, hands down, the best adapted anime or manga to the big screen, ever. Alita: Battle Angel is an incredible film experience that deserves more eyes on it and more love. Here’s hoping HBO Max and ATT give it that sequel everyone wants because it gets real awesome after the rollerball arc we just witnessed. Plus, I mean, Rosa Salazar’s Alita is just f*cking adorable, man.

3. Akira

Akira was the first anime I really watched with intent and that viewing colored my perception of cinema going forward for the rest of my life. I had seen anime before, of course, but not like this. Macross and Go-Lion were serials, cartoons for kids, but Akira was a completely different animal. I didn’t understand the narrative as a child, that came later, but i knew the experience was revolutionary. As I watched this film over and over, year after year, I began to understand exactly the story being told in a critical nature. It wasn’t only the breathtaking visuals that held up. Akira is as influential as it is because of it’s absolutely pristine storytelling. It’s reputation is unassailable and if you count yourself a fan of cinema, you have to see it at least once. I am petrified at what America is going to do to this narrative, man.

2. Ghost in the Shell

Ghost is easily the most balanced Cyberpunk film i have ever seen. It’s what I measure all movies in the sub-genre against. The narrative is poignant, profound, and perfectly executed. For the record, I’m speaking about the 1995 anime, not whatever the f*ck ScarJo starred in a few years back. That sh*t was the worst but Oshii’s masterpiece? That sh*t is the best. For such a short stint in Masamune Shirow‘s world, you are immersed in the grit of it all immediately. Kusanagi’s story, her struggle with being and conflict, mirror each other brilliantly. This would be top of the list if not for how much the world, itself, resembles our own. The Cyberpunk aesthetic kind of eludes this most Cyberpunk narrative. Even that juxtaposition is a positive in my eyes.

1. Blade Runner 2049

This one was hard to place. I love the original Blade Runner to bits. I think it’s a masterwork of cinema. It’s deftly acted, brilliantly directed, and easily one of the most gorgeous films I have ever laid eyes upon. And then Denis Villeneuve drops his continuation. Everything i just said about the original, stands for it’s sequel, but maybe even more. 2049 is breathtakingly gorgeous. It tells a simple, yet, emotional story driven by outstanding performances from everyone. No one is bad in this at all. I enjoyed the characters as much as I enjoyed the first’s, absolutely falling in love with Joi and Luv. This movie is everything and doesn’t get the love it deserves. Admittedly, it can be a little long in the tooth, but it needs all of that time to tell it’s story. If you commit to the narrative, engage with the visuals, and accept what the film is offering, you will be absolutely rewarded with one of the best movies ever captured on film.

Honorable Mentions: Terminator, Appleseed Alpha, Hotel Artemis, Run Lola Run, Demolition Man, Black Magic M-66, Elysium, Upgrade, The Lawnmower Man, Dark City, Armitage III, Ready Player One, The Zero Theorem, Minority Report, Looper

[in-the-name-of-styles]

I'll Find My Way Back To You// Part Two

The reaction I received for part one was heartwarming. I’m working really hard on this one that’s why its taking me so long to update, that and plus I’m busy with studies. I’m still kinda iffy about this series since I want to give you guys the best and don’t want you guys to settle for anything less. So please let me know if this is what you guys want to read.

I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to read your thoughts on this series. Suggestion are welcome. Let me know it here. . ENJOY!!

Word Count: 2.5K

Few months later…

Rain sucks. It really does.

Especially, when you’re in a café all alone, waiting for your best friend to show up. It’s been an hour and he is yet to come. This was unlike Harry’s behaviour but ever since he’s been dating Ella, all other things seem to be his second priority. You’ve been trying to neglect all your feelings towards him all together and it seems to be working. Louis has helped you tons. By been an amazing friend and keeping you company not only when you feel lonely but also generally. Recent events have made the two of you extremely close, and both of you seem to enjoy it.

“Miss, would you like a refill?” The waiter asks you, giving you a sympathetic smile as if he knows you’ve been stood up.

“No, thank you. I’ll just have the bill please-” you being but are cut off by a very familiar voice.

“Oi! No need to call in for the bill yet, angel.” He slides into the seat in front of you with a huge smile. He grabs your hand softly and kisses the back of it, he looks at you with those shiny bright green eyes along with an apologetic face as if telling you to forgive him one more time. You look at him with a nonchalant look yet let out a sigh and forgive him. You turn back to the waiter and ask him for a refill and Harry gives him his order. The guy smiles and walks away with your orders.

“You’re an hour late, Harry.” You exclaim, “One whole hour! This is a new record for you…”

“M’sorry! S’just that Ella had some last minute shopping to do for this dinner we are having with her parents, anyways it won’t happen again. I promise, angel.” He apologizes and promises you all those empty promises you’re familiar with.

“Don’t promise something you can’t live you to, H.” You warn him. He looks at you pleadingly, telling you to just drop the topic. You shake your head and thank the waiter as he places your tea in front of you. You tear open the sugar packet and emptied it into the tea. You look back at him as you stir to find his eyes watching all your movements. You raise your eyebrow, “Anyways…” his eyes snap back to your face, waiting for you to continue, “How are you? Now that the album was so well received and you’re done with all the small gigs, looking forward for the movie to release?” You ask him.

Instantly a huge dimpled smile spreads on his face, “M’really excited for it! A bit nervous, since it’s the first time m’doing something like this, but none the less excited. I hope everyone likes it.”

You scoff, “It’s a Christopher Nolan movie, H! It will be good, with or without you.” You tease and sip your tea. He frowns and pouts.

“Stop being so mean to me!” He whines. You both chuckle and an hour passes just like that, full of inner jokes and sly teasing.

By the time the pair of you walks out of the café, the rain has stopped but the winds are blowing in a wild form. Harry holds out the door for you as you exit and you smile at him gratefully, which he returns.

“Well, this has been nice, H. Lovely seeing you once in a while.” You say as he pulls you into a hug. He roughly sways the two of you from left to right as you laugh.

“It has been lovely, isn’t it?” he pulls back, “You’re so busy with work now. Give some time to your old friend, would you?” You roll your eyes at his fake hypocrisy.

“Sure, rockstar. I’m the one who’s busy!” you smack him lightly. He laughs and pulls you closer but you pull away the moment you start feeling a bit tingly.

“That reminds me… I wanted to talk to you about the premiere, the one which is being held in London…” You saw this was coming, so you aren’t as shocked as you would’ve been few months ago, “I know I asked you to be m’date along with my mum all those months ago, but-”

“Now that Ella is in the picture, instead of me you want to take her with you?” you finish his sentence. He closes his eyes and sighs. He knows your smart, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t hate doing this to you. But if he doesn’t do this he knows Ella will feel devastated, even though she is too kind to say anything.

“I’m sorry, angel. I swear, never planned this.  S’just that I don’t want Ella to feel sad, even though she won’t say anything I know it’ll break her. I really don’t want to mess this up. You understand me, don’t you?”

It hurts you. It really does. Seeing him being so thoughtful towards her feelings but not yours breaks your heart. But you can’t change the way things are, so you just settle for them.

“I saw this coming, Harry.” You squeeze his shoulder and rub his back in comfort, “It’s totally fine, hun.” He smiles at you gratefully. Once you pull away and being to say goodbye for the second time, he stops you again.

“But you still have to be there, angel! Use the two tickets I have given for your friends and if you want extra just let me know, okay?” he says.

“Of course I’m going to be there, you knob. I told you that we knew this was coming.” You laugh and pull out your car keys.

He chuckles, “We?” he inquire.

“Oh, Louis and I knew this was coming since the moment you marked four months with El. So he asked me to be his date for the movie.” You smile when you recollect the conversation you had with him. While you are busy smiling and searching your purse for your parking ticket, you failed to notice the glare Harry is giving you. The look filled with confusion and anger and probably a bit of jealousy. But he changes it right before you look back at him.

“So you and Lou, huh?” he nervously lets out a fake laugh and he rubs the back of his neck. Your hum doesn’t help his nerves, instead they increase is anticipation for you to answer.

“It’s nothing, we’re just friends, H.” you finally state.

“Doesn’t look like that.” He rasps out a snap. You turn your head to him instantly after you hear the twinge of anger in his voice.

“What is that supposed to mean?” You reply. He clears his throat, he shakes his head and lets out chuckles.

“I mean, you guys have been spending quite a lot of time together. Come on, s’okay if you a bit of a crush on my mate!” he nudges you with his elbow. When you blush his heart drops a bit. For some unknown reason he was expecting you to be angry.

“I mean, I’m not going to lie. He’s pretty hot. But I don’t know…” you drag your words at the end but snap out of your dreamland and look back at the boy who once stole your heart, “W-Why do you ask?”

“Don’t know… I mean he doesn’t seem your type.” He states. You scoff at his choice of words. Both of you know that you don’t have a type. The statement certainly takes you aback.

“What a load of crap! I don’t have a type, H. You and I, both know that.” You let out a loud laugh.

He looks down to the floor before reciprocating the laugh, “Right, how can I forget?! Back home you had a crush on the guy with a weird punk haircut… what was his name?… Cameron!”

“Oh please! He was good to me, okay?!” you exclaim as you try to defend yourself. He laughs out a laugh which makes his head fall back and his face turns all crinkly along with the dimples. Seeing him laugh, brings out a smile on your face.

“H-He had rainbow coloured hair, YN! Plus the guy was basically a huge creep, he used to show up everywhere you were!” he bends down to catch his breath after laughing so hard.

You roll your eyes, “Whatever, I gotta go. Don’t be late next time, H. Please.” He nods and pulls you in for another hug, you hug him one more time before parting ways.

It seemed like the time flew faster than ever and before you knew it, it is the day of the most anticipated movie premiere.

“Love, have you seen my blazer? I kept right on the couch when I came in.” Louis calls you out as the two of you get ready for the event. It was you who suggested the idea to meet up at your house to get ready for the night. It does save a lot of time and is more convenient, so he didn’t argue.

“I brought it up here with me, so it won’t get all wrinkly and ruin its iron.” You answer back. You hear his loud footsteps as he climbs the stairs to get to your bedroom.

“Well aren’t you a lifesaver.” He whistles and teases you as he opens your closet doors to reach out for his expensive blazer. You look at him from the rear view of the mirror in your bathroom. You can’t help but be attracted towards him. You know Louis is an attractive man and you’re sure he knows exactly what he does to his female fan-base, and right now you can’t help but be one of them. Once those girls get a look at him in this attire, they are going to lose their mind.

You snap out of your dreamland before he could catch you drooling over him, you walk out of the bathroom, “Well, I’m done. So if you need the bathroom you can go ahead… Lou, are you listening?” You ask him since he is standing right where his is like a statue.

“You… You look gorgeous, YN. Wow…” He exhales loudly. You turn crimson at his words at you steal a glance at yourself on the floor length mirror. You felt beautiful in this dress. Your eyes meet his again and but jump in a fright to now see him close to you. You feel his warm minty breath on your face, and feel goose bumps rise on your body.

“Well, y-you don’t look too bad for yourself either, Lou.” You let out whisper. You feel his arms snake around your waist and pull you closer to his body. You are kind off short heighten in general so Louis being an average height person doesn’t make you feel that intimidated like harry managed to make you, sometimes. You feel his index finger under your chin as he lifts up your face towards him.

“Is this okay, love?” he whispers to you, not wanting to ruin the mood. You find yourself nodding, and before you can exhale the long breath you realize you are holding, he gently presses his lips against yours. Every thought that ran through your mind disappears into thin air. You lock your arms around his neck and pull him closer. He tightens his hold but pulls out too soon for your liking.

“You have absolute no idea for how long I’ve been waiting to do that.” He whispers as he presses his forehead against yours. You lean in one more time to leave a small peck on his lips.

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot these days. I can’t seem to get you out of my mind.” You whimper as he nuzzles his head into your neck and places little feather kisses there. You cup his cheeks to make him look at you and chuckle at the state of his lips. You wipe of the red lipstick which is smudged on the area covering his lips. “You have my lipstick all over you face!”

“Why don’t you go and see yours, love? It’s worse than mine.” He sass as he leans in to kiss you again. You moan but pull out.

“We should get ready. We don’t want to be late now, do we?” You walk into the bathroom again to wipe of the smudged lipstick.

 He follows you and stands right beside you. He leans against the sink and his eyes follow your every move. Once you are done, you take another wet tissue to properly wipe of the lipstick on his face. You take a hold of his hand and pull him towards you. He stands there staring at you. You meet his glace, “What?”

“Is this how were going to act the rest of the night? As if nothing ever happened?” He wants to appear all strong but you can’t help but see the worry in his eyes.

You smile,cup his face and pull it towards you, “ Louis William Tomlinson, if I hadn’t just reapplied my lipstick I would kiss the shit out of you again not just to shut you up from saying all those word but also to show you that I’m ready for whatever this is. I’m so sure that if you would kiss me in front of those hundreds of people who are waiting to get a glimpse of my boys today, I won’t stop you.”

You see the flush in his cheeks as he looks down shyly. You wrap your arms around him and feel his around your waist, “Thank you, YN.”

“For what?” You ask as you pull back and the two of you walk out of the room holding hands.

“Everything… For being there for me when I needed you the most. You’re one of the strongest women I’ve ever seen, after what happened with Harry I can understand if you don’t want to do this-”

You cut him off before he can complete his sentence, “What did I say, Lou? I’m ready for this. I’m so ready to forget about the hurtful past, to move on.”

He opens the car door for you with a huge smile and climbs in after you, the driver he appointed for today, takes this as a cue to start the car and get going. Louis bring his body close to you, “I want to do this the right way. I want to take you on a first date and do everything perfectly. So if you don’t mind, I’m afraid we have to act like two friends, just like everyone thinks we are, as if the kiss never happened. Just for the night though, because I would love to continue the kiss we shared back there.” He jokes.

You nuzzle your nose in his cheek and he lets out a giggle. You smile, hook your arm against his elbow and rest your head on his shoulder for the rest of the ride. 

For the first time in the last few years you felt content and happy. You felt truly happy.

#harry styles #harry styles imagines #harry styles one shots #harry styles fanfic #daddy harry styles #daddy harry #one direction #one shot #one direction imagines #harry styles fanfiction #in-the-name-of-styles #harry styles fluff #harry styles feels #harry styles smut #harry styles angst #harry styles au #one direction preferences #one direction writing #1d writings #1d preferences #harry styles writings #one direction drabbles #1d drabbles #us #1d fanfic #1d fan fiction

[davidmann95]

Since you've listed the preferences of the Superman actors, and also have done a FrankenBatman, can you do a similar worst to best list of the Batman actors in your opinion?

Skipping over Lewis Wilson and Robert Lowrey, as I haven’t seen the Batman film serials:

9. Dick Gautier

Adam West’s fill-in for a 1974 Equal Pay PSA, his impression is far from up to snuff, with not an iota of West’s hilariously sincere conviction.

8. Val Kilmer

I’m what might be called a Batman Forever apologist - as opposed to Batman and Robin, which requires no apologies - but Val Kilmer’s flat, passionless performance is certainly not one of the aspects I would leap to the defense of. I suppose he deserves some credit for being the last to wear an acceptable big-screen Batman costume for 21 years, but bleak as 1995-2016 was in that regard, no cowl is enough to cover up that he just wasn’t a very good Batman.

7. Bruce Thomas

The Onstar Batman may not have had a chance to make much of an impression in his 6 commercials - nor did he give any kind of impression that there was some kind of grand take on the character just waiting to show itself - but he did pretty well with what time he had, with some decent comic timing and a straight-faced attitude to fighting the Joker, Penguin, and Riddler that managed the tricky balancing act of showing a serious version of Batman who regardless still clearly enjoyed his job.

6. Michael Keaton

I’m not totally certain I ever fully bought Keaton as Batman - his greatest performance in superhero movies wouldn’t come until, of all things, his time as the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming - but I still most certainly bought him as an unhinged trust fund millionaire who would beat the snot out of sword-wielding street punks and a sewer-dwelling Danny DeVito, and that goes a long way. Plus he casually backhanded that one guy so fantastically it’s been a cultural shorthand for how awesome Batman is ever since.

5. George Clooney

While he delivered maybe the 5th-best performance of the thoroughly amazing Batman and Robin, it was regardless a seriously underrated one. His Batman may not have quite found the line overall between serious and camp it seemed to be aiming for, but he still had a number of great individual moments under the cowl, he was a smooth as hell Bruce Wayne, and his work bouncing off Michael Gough’s Alfred and Chris O’Donnell as Robin was A+ all the way. If nothing else, his delivery of “She wants to kill you, Dick” was Oscar-worthy.

4. David Mazouz

From what fairly little I’ve seen, Gotham is an utterly bonkers and entertaining Batman show at its heart, but one utterly and irrevocably crippled by a delusional self-image of actually being about Jim Gordon and generic cop show bullshit, rather than baby Batman hanging out with baby Catwoman under the world’s crankiest babysitter in Alfred as supervillains ham it up at each other. Insomuch as there’s a soul to the thing though, it has to be Mazouz, who pulls off a solid performance of a Bruce Wayne who deep down is already very much Batman, but in spite of his willpower and conviction simply doesn’t yet have the skill, maturity or perspective as to how to apply himself yet, with all the frustration that brings as he figures it out a bit at a time. Seeing him confront his parents’ killer or hold strong in the face of Cameron Monaghan’s proto-Joker, it’s honestly difficult to believe he’s even operating in the same genre as most of his co-stars, much less the same actual program.

3. Ben Affleck

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice has a boatload of sins to be held accountable for, but the casting of Affleck as the caped crusader to fill Bale’s considerable shoes was not one of them. His Bruce Wayne is simultaneously genuinely charming while having *just* enough of an air of sleaze that he’d be believably overlooked, while his Batman…well, feels like Batman in a way no one else has quite matched, with the kind of visceral, focused intensity and righteous hate you’d expect from a guy who’s spent almost of a quarter of a century trying to fist-fight crime into submission, with an entire unseen history of allies lost and ground wars against brilliant, sociopathic crimelord-artists, while still showing the kind of sympathy in his rescue of Martha Kent and encounter with Deadshot in Suicide Squad to make clear there’s a soul underneath. While he hasn’t gotten a proper opportunity to strut his stuff yet - even the most generous interpretations of this version up to this point hold that he was *intentionally* being written entirely out of his character in his debut - if Matt Reeves and Chris Terrio bring it for The Batman, I could absolutely see him topping this list down the line (especially if they don’t try and fix what’s broken with that suit, the first palatable modern take on his uniform that only makes him look all the more like he stepped off the page).

2. Christian Bale

If Christian Bale committed a single sin in his tenure as Batman, it was that when he screamed “SWEAR TO ME!!!!!!” in that one crooked cops’ face before dropping him 10 stories, stopping him right above the ground, and then having him fall on his face, he was fully conscious that it was the hypest shit of all time, and mistakenly believed his Batman voice should be at that level of intensity all the time rather than the lighter degree of raspiness he went with in Begins. The voice aside though - I think it largely worked given it was meant to scare the shit out of muggers, though I’ll admit it really did get to be a bit much in Rises - he was tremendously better as both Bruce Wayne and especially Batman than he was ever really given credit for at the time. It’s not entirely surprising; he was surrounded by bold, charismatic figures being pushed to their limits and capital-A Acting, while the very nature of what he was doing meant keeping it a bit more emotionally reserved. But his Bruce Wayne was almost immaculate in his grand douchebaggery, his sparring with Alfred gave us some of those characters’ best scenes in their almost 75 year relationship, and his Batman was haunting, enraged, and unstoppable. I suspect he could have been pushed a bit farther though; while I entirely disagree with the notion of Christopher Nolan’s films being cold and emotionless, I feel like a lot of the time he was played a note or two low in terms of intensity when taking it further could have made him stand out much more, and made clearer his actions under the cowl were as much an extension of his personal rage as an act to frighten the superstitious and cowardly. Regardless, he can absolutely hold his head high as the definitive modern interpretation of the character to the world at large.

1. Adam West

With every Batman up above, there’s always at least one ‘but’. They were great except; he’d be perfect if not; so on and so forth. That is not the case with Adam West. The superheroes’ superhero, he was the ultimate straight man to a world of camp madness, whether refusing to throw a bomb in a lake when it’d endanger a group of ducklings, making leaps of deduction that held more in common with dadaist poetry than criminal psychology with a 100% success rate, or somehow summoning up the willpower to not stop Batmaning to go run off into the sunset with Julie Newmar’s impossibly gorgeous Catwoman. The epitome of Batman as father-figure, dedicated keeper of public order, and crimefighting savant - as well as a damn smooth Bruce Wayne - he leapt off the pages of the New Look-era titles and defined a platonic ideal of decent-hearted superheroism that carries weight to this day. More than any to succeed him to date, he was a perfect, hilarious embodiment of his time’s vision of Batman, taking it to a level that can truly be said to have redefined the character to an extent no one else to wear the cape has come close to matching.

#Batman #Batman '66 #The Dark Knight #DCEU #Adam West #Christian Bale #Ben Affleck #David Mazouz #George Clooney #Michael Keaton #Bruce Thomas #Val Kilmer #Dick Gautier #Opinion

[chloeintheoffice-blog]

April TBR: #OWLsReadathon2019

So it’s been a while! I wanted to make this post as I will be taking part in the OWLs Readathon during April, hosted by G from BookRoast!

She has put so much effort into this readathon. Her announcement video is linked here.

I have decided that I am going to be a Charms Professor at Hogwarts! There are seven exams that must be completed for this career, but I have set a book for each subject! I have from 1st - 30th April to read all 12 books, so I should be able to do it.... I can hope!

So to be a charms professor you have to complete the following criteria:

Charms (or any subject you want to teach)

Defence Against the Dark Arts

5 additional subjects of your choice.

My first choice is for charns, where the prompt is to read an adult work. I have chosen: Falling Through Clouds by Anna Chilvers. 

I got this book a while ago, in a mega-unboxing of around 80 adult books. I sorted through them and decided to hang onto this one, and now there’s a perfect place for it in this readathon!

This book is about Kat, a 22 year-old who meets a man called Gavin on the train. They spend the summer in Cornwall but she can tell that something isn’t quite right with him. It turns out that Gavin is suffering from intense nightmares after being held hostage in Iraq. He then goes missing and Kat has to decide whether she wants to chase this mystery man.

This is definitely not the usual style of book I would read, but I am excited to give it a go.

Next, for defence against the dark arts, the prompt is to read a book starting with the letter “R”. I have chosen Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer.

This was the only book starting with a “R” that I own.. which I do find really hard to believe, but it’s true! This is another book that I got in the mega-unboxing, so I’m excited to get to it to finally unhaul it from the massive pile remaining in my reading room.

This book is about a medical student, called Patrick, who has Asperger’s. The body he is examining in anatomy class starts to speak to him, and then he is faced with solving a possible murder.

Again, this is definitely not something I would usually pick up, but it was the only book in my possession and I tried my hardest to not purchase any books for this readathon!

The first subject I have chosen is ancient runes, which means I have to read a re-telling. I’m not a huge fan of re-tellings, but I’ve decided to pick up The Surface Breaks by Louise O’Neill.

The cover of this book is just gorgeous. This is obviously a Little Mermaid re-telling, and I was going to include a short summary here but I actually don’t want to read the blurb for it. I feel like I know enough about the Little Mermaid (doesn’t everyone?) so I don’t want to find out any potential twists and turns before I get started. But this book is just gorgeous and I can’t wait!

The next subject I have chosen is astronomy, for which I have to read a book with “Star” in the title.This felt very specific to me, and I thought it would be difficult, but luckily Brittany sent me a copy of Starry Eyed by Jenn Bennett a couple of weeks ago! 

She sent me this book as she doesnt typically read contemporaries but loved this one, so I have very high expectations for it! It is about ex-friends Zorie and Lennon who have made a habit of trying to avoid each other. Their families are described as the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets. But, then they all go camping and it goes horribly wrong, and Zorie and Lennon are abandoned alone.

This does sound very intriguing, and I cannot wait to get to it!

Next, I chose to read a book set in the future for divination. I went with Allegiant by Veronica Roth, which is the third and final book in the Divergent series.

I have wanted to get this series finished off for a while now because I have the UGLIEST copy on my shelf. I’ve watched the film and cannot remember what happens, so I wanted to get into it to finally find out how this series ends. I have heard very bad things about this book, but cannot leave a series unfinished... so I’m popping it into this readathon so I can read and un-haul it for good!

Next I am going to be reading a contemporary for Muggle Studies and the one I have gone for is The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. This is one of those books I’ve been wanting to get to for years but I never ever got round to it.

This is about a girl called Isabel, who spends every summer at her family friends’ house, with two boys, Conrad and Jeremiah. Isabel has been in love with Conrad forever, and Jeremiah has been friendly to her forever, 

I think we can all see what’s going to happen here... but it just sounds like a cheesy cute romance that I can power through for the readathon. Also, it’s only 276 pages, so it’s definitely a short one I can pop in if I start feeling a bit slumpy.

The final exam I am set on taking is Potions, which is to read a book that is not the first in a series, or a sequel. I have gone for Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling. Firstly because you can’t have a Harry Potter readathon without reading a Harry Potter book, and secondly I am commited to reading this book in April, for a lovely group of friends I’ve made.

I’m not going to tell you what this book is about; if you don;t know you should! But the only bad thing is that it is 636 pages long... in a readathon... oh well! I can give it a shot!

So then there are 5 more exams, that I don’t HAVE to take, but let’s face it, I’m going to give it a go. The first being arithmancy, for which I’d have to read a book with two authors. I have gone for Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan.

I knew nothing about this book before searching it on Goodreads, and I can now provide you with this information:

“One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers cross paths. Two teens with the same name, running in two very different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, culminating in heroic turns-of-heart and the most epic musical ever to grace the high-school stage.”

So yeah, it sort of sounds like my cup of tea, but not something I’m jumping for joy waiting to read. But, it is my only book with two authors on my shelves, and this readathon does not give me liberties to buy new books!

Next is care of magical creatures, where the aim is to read a book with a land animal on the cover. I have gone for Going Bovine by Libba Bray, as there’s a big cow carrying a gnome on the cover.

This book is about 16 year-old Cameron who doesn’t want to put any effort into shcool, or life in general. But then he gets the horrible news that he’s sick, and he’s going to die. Help comes for him in the form of a punk angel/halloucination called Dulcie, who tells Cameron there’s a cure, he just has to search for it. Cameron sets off on a road-trip across America, to live.

Wow okay, this sounds mildly depressing, but hey ho let’s give it a go shall we?!

Now we have herbology, to read a book with a plant on the cover. This was easier than I thought because as well as Starry Eyed, Brittany also sent me Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson. 

This is a YA mystery, set in an elite boarding school called Ellingham Academy. The backsotry is that when the school opened, the founder’s wife and daughter were kidnapped, and the only clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed by Truly Devious. Stevie is starting her first year at the academy, and she decides she’s going to solve the mystery.

Now this sounds interesting! I had it on my Wishlist for a while so it was something on my radar, but I hadn’t really got a full idea what it was about. Now I’m even more interested!

Last but not leasy we have history of magic, to read a book published more than 10 years ago. I’ve gone for Dead Girl’s Dance by Rachel Caine. This is the 2nd book in the 15 Morganville Vampires books.

We seem to have a tiny photo here, but it’ll do! I can’t say too much about this book without ruining the first, but this is about a girl called Claire who goes off to college at 16 (she’s a genuis). Once there she has to move out of her dorm due to mean girls tormening here, and she moves in with some 18 year-old locals. She then discovers that the whole town in run and owned by vampires. 

It’s a very good book, a classic for me. And I want to get all of these books re-read before 2020.

And FINALLY we have transfiguration, where I need to read a book with sprayed edges. I’ve gone for One of Us is Lying by Karen M.McManus.

I assume all copies have this, but mine has red sprayed edges to match the font on the front. It actually looks pretty cool, especially with the white cover. I’ve been told this is a breakfast club plus murder style book, which sounds right up my alley! I don’t want to look any more into it so that I don’t spoil myself, but I am excited to finally get my hands on this one.

So there you have it - that’s the 12 books I would love to get finished in April. I do have a dissertation to write, 3 exams to study for, and a 3rd *cough* driving test to take... so I’m trying not to stress myself out but I have a lot to do, and fitting all these books in will be quite an accomplishment.

Stay tuned for my OWLs wrap-up after April!

#OWLsReadathon2019 #magicalreadathon #surfacebreaks #willgrayson #starryeyes #goingbovine #fallingthroughclouds #rubbernecker #allegiant #trulydevious #deadgirlsdance #thesummeriturnedpretty #gobletoffire #oneofusislying

[mrmichaelchadler]

Starz's Outlander is as Immersive and Irresistible as Ever in Fourth Season

Money in your pocket. A morning of clear skies. A vast, untamed landscape, or years and years ahead. Few things are as intoxicating as a sense of endless possibility, and it’s that sense, above all others, that defines the fourth season of “Outlander.” But there’s a downside to any landscape in which anything is possible. Good things can happen, sure, but trouble can creep in, too. That’s true in life. It’s true in marriage. And it’s true in the creation of television shows. Intoxication can feel wonderful, but it can impair your judgment, too.

If that sounds vaguely ominous, it’s not meant to. Not really. There’s still plenty to recommend in the fourth go-round of the popular Starz epic, including but not limited to its predictably lush cinematography, uniformly excellent costuming and production design, and performances that range from solid to remarkable. There’s also a hell of a good yarn to be spun—the Diana Gabaldon books from which the series is adapted just placed second in “The Great American Read,” between “To Kill A Mockingbird” and the “Harry Potter” books—and the fact that, for the most part, the people telling the story do so with enjoyable panache. But some of the stumbles from the show’s mixed-bag of a third season reoccur here, and the occasional new misstep threatens to diminish the show’s other pleasures. Still, when the show focuses in on its central pairing and those most connected to their lives, it’s as immersive and irresistible as ever.

At the end of season three, we left Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) Fraser—he, a Scottish Highlander of the 18th century, she, a time-traveling British battlefield nurse-turned-surgeon who served in the Second World War—she’d once again returned from the future, leaving a daughter in the late 1960s to find the man she loved. On arriving back in the past, the pair end up chasing some kidnapping jewel-thief pirates (it’s a long story) all the way to the New World. After some murder, witchcraft, political maneuvering, several big storms, and a lot of time on boats, they land in Georgia—without a dime, but free to be themselves and together for the first time in many years. As season four begins, that’s still true, but as is always the case with this couple, there’s chaos with which to contend. 

A lot of that chaos centers on death and trauma. Of the six episodes released to critics, there’s not much that can be said—nearly all the plot developments are embargoed, as is much concerning both new and returning characters—but to say that there’s a sense of darkness that belies the gorgeous, sunkissed photography is an understatement. At its best, that darkness stems from three seasons and two-plus decades worth of history. A standout scene between Jamie and his nephew Ian (John Bell) addresses the way that trauma—in this case, the trauma that can spring from sexual assault—sometimes lingers for months, years, or even decades; that it takes place in a graveyard beside an empty coffin in the middle of the night should make clear both the tone and the show’s occasional reluctance to chill. That’s one instance among many in which the through-line of grief, loss, and cruelty succeeds. 

There are others that aren’t as successful. In the third season, the arrival of the Frasers in the West Indies led (as is the case with the books) to the show’s grappling with slavery. The results weren’t promising. Season four fares at least somewhat better, as the arrival of the Frasers as relative Jocasta Cameron’s (Maria Doyle Kennedy) plantation forces them to confront the harm even the best of intentions can inflict when those acting don’t ask those they’re attempting to help what they actually need. But when the Frasers head into the wilderness, their interactions with the Cherokee population range from much more thoughtful to frustratingly heavy-handed and even silly. The events themselves could be successfully told, both those taken directly from the books and those that are an invention of the show, but a tendency to always add one more layer, one more scare, one more piece of meaningful slow-motion or drum-laced music cue sometimes threatens to drag the series down. Heavy-handedness can be forgiven, but not endlessly so.

Thankfully, there’s plenty about this season that’s neither too hot, nor too cold, but just right. First and foremost among these strengths: a cast that grows stronger by the year, anchored by a thoughtful, often thrilling performance from Caitriona Balfe. With Claire firmly planted in one time period, Balfe gets the chance to play more of the little, everyday stuff that defines a life, and as good as she is when the world seems to be coming apart at the seams, she’s even better when Claire has goats to feed, patients to tend, and a husband to quietly (or not so quietly) cherish. Balfe has always been terrific, while Heughan has improved year after year, here seeming more relaxed and at home playing a frankly unrealistically magnificent man whose years of suffering have not hardened him to the beauties and pleasures of life. Kennedy and Bell both give engrossing performances, the former especially so, while Ed Speleers of “Downton Abbey” takes a role that might have swallowed a lesser actor alive and turns in something vicious, putrid, and disturbingly forceful.

To cap it all, two of the series’ most reliable players return near the end of the season’s first half. These two actors inhabit their characters with easy confidence and honestly,  and their arrivals, one on the heels of the other, seem to trigger a major shift in quality, elevating what the good to something remarkable and whole. The arrival of the first is easily the season’s most electrifying moment, and of all the threads not named Claire or Jamie the show weaves together, his is the one I’m most interested to tug.

Characters old and new alike have a bit more of a struggle than they have in seasons past, thanks to the occasional piece of creaky dialogue—I actually said aloud, “Please don’t say it,” in the long pause before one of the show’s best actors delivered a line that was telegraphed from miles away—and the aforementioned tendency of the show to do just a bit more than is necessary. (We see the same magnificent view over, and over, and over again, and never without a remark on how powerful the sight alone is to all who behold it.) And there’s no particularly graceful way to say this, but the series also suddenly feels much more chaste—not a small thing for a series that was, for some time, the sexiest thing on television. It’s not as though these characters aren’t having sex, but it certainly seems as though “Outlander” is suddenly a lot less interested in the intimacy and dynamics of those sequences than it was in previous years. Put another way: Not every show needs loads of doin’ it, but “Outlander” was best in class, and now that’s gone. What happened?

That’s a lot of negative up there, I know. But when you love something, acknowledging its flaws is important. That’s true in the relationship on which this show centers, and it’s true of the show itself. At its best, “Outlander” tells the story of a marriage and its ups and downs as well as anything else on television. It’s sexy and smart, frustrating and thrilling in equal measure. At its worst, it’s still a series with an incredible cast and a world so richly drawn it feels as though you could just wander right in. What are a few stumbles compared to that kind of promise? Grab some knitwear and a wee dram, forgive the missteps if you can, and allow all that possibility to unfold.

from All Content https://ift.tt/2ETOhRi