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amarumpersici · 1 year

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My issues with Princess Peach's personality in the Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Not everyone will like this rant, I’m aware of it. I promise that I’ll accept any criticism of my writing, as long as it’s reasonable and in good faith and that I’ll respect your opinion, regardless if we agree or not. Before commenting, please, read it throughout it all or if you’re lazy, go directly to the TL;DR section.

Last month, like most of us, I saw the long awaited Mario Movie: it was generally a really enjoyable experience which made me smile during pretty much its entire length, from its reference and its lighthearted humor. If I have the chance, I wouldn’t mind rewatching it.

It had some flaws, many of which are generally recognized and I agree with: I wished that the movie would be a bit longer and I felt it was too childish for my tastes, as in general Mario games are enjoyable to all ages. Today, however, I want to focus on the aspect of the movie I generally found to be the weakest: Princess Peach’s personality.

There has been a lot of discourse in merit, some of which I contributed to with a previous rant I published in my other blog before the movie released, which luckily partially aged bad. I’m sorry if I sound angry or overly harsh: Princess Peach is a character I deeply connect with since I was a child and I’m not lying that her portrayal in the movie worried me ever since the first trailer she appeared, so it’s also kind of personal.

If you like Princess Peach in this movie, you're fine! But I also ask you to respect my positions as well.

Please don’t label me immediately as a misogynist who hates to see women have larger roles in movies (I mean, I’m a woman myself) or as a snobbish cinema critic who expected to see Citizen Kane from the Mario Movie. I’m just a huge Nintendo fan who loves the franchise but also likes good writing.

Before starting to write, this rant WON'T be:

A political commentary, so don't expect me to talk about culture war or whatever debate is occupying USA’s society at the moment (I'm not even American). So I won’t complain about how the Leftists or the Republicans ruined a children’s movie. I’ll also refuse to use terms like “problematic”, “girlboss”, “woke” or any words which are fashionable right now.

A judgment about Anya Taylor-Joy's performance, as I didn't watch the movie in English.

What I attempt to do, instead, is to judge Princess Peach’s character based on the writing and how well it adapts with her games’ counterpart.

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The criteria in which I’ll base myself

For my judgment of the Princess’ portrayal in this movie, I also need to make an important distinction, to clarify my point: the one between Role and Personality.

In brief, the Role is the placement that one character has in the story, its social placement, how it affects the plot (e.g. Protagonist, Antihero, Damsel in Distress, Princess). In general, while analyzing a piece of media it’s useful to recognize a role in a metatextual way, an abstract way to see the character’s dynamic.

Personality is the combination of the psychological qualities that form an individual's distinctive character. On a broader side, this includes how the character’s interests or how they view the other characters along with them and the actions that would be made, based on their tendencies, hopes or fears. (e.g. optimistic, greedy, stylish, likes baseball or dislikes soda)

Sometimes both parameters influence each other but there are many others they do not, depending on the author’s writing styles, the plot or the development of those specific stories.

From these two theoretical traits, I’d like to add a third one, partially disconnected from these two: adaptation.An adaptation is a re-development of a piece of media, whether a book, a movie or a videogame into another. They usually base on the original plot but many others would rather use some elements to make another story, like it happened with the Mario Movie. Usually a good adaptation, regardless if it uses the original plot or not, either keeps the original’s feeling and morals or it coherently expands it. Here’s why this cinematic adaptation of the Mario games, as flawed as it is, is already regarded more fondly than the 1993’s movie.

With my criterias now made clear, let's start this rant.

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The positives

Of course, I like the role the writers got her in the movie: while I don’t mind her classic damsel in distress role, seeing Peach in a position in which she could constantly help Mario put a huge smile on my face. She constantly encourages him and her people as well, like an actual ruler would do and she would even sacrifice herself to save even one of her subjects. Her combative side was somewhat accurate to the Princess Peach from the games and her dynamic with Mario was rather interesting. Her not being kidnapped and being more experienced than the plumber also makes quite sense, since the movie is an origin story to the parable of Mario. I even say that switching Luigi and her role was actually a clever choice, since it gives a much stronger motivation for Mario to explore the Mushroom Kingdom and a reason for them to bond.. Many argue that this version of Peach was too perfect: I can see their point but at the same time I think that while the writers overblown her combat capability, Peach still needed some help to succeed, whether from Mario or the Kongs. She had some flaws, even though they only affected her relationship with the plumber that could easily be explored in the sequels. Not everything it’s perfect with this writing choice, mostly regarding the management of her role with her personality, but I’ll explain myself better in the next section.

Her backstory and fascination with humans could have potential as well, if we take the context of the movie as a separate universe from the games: it gave this Peach a sort of flavor that differentiates her from other similar characters in recent animated movies. Throughout the projection, there were a few moments in which her caring side from the games somewhat emerged, such in the scene in which she advises Mario to be more cautious against Donkey Kong or when she saved Toad multiple times, most notably by surrendering from Bowser. Unlike what the trailer made many of us believe, Princess Peach could have been managed way worse, but still this doesn't imply that I liked her personality, with which I still have a load of issues with.

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My criticisms Even though she could have been even dirtier, I still don’t like Peach’s personality in the movie, sorry. Let’s not confuse (negative) potential with the actual result: an idea, as good or bad as it sounds, it’s often not good enough to make a final product worthy of praise or loath. It also needs a deliberate narrative choice to make it shine. For these reasons tropes and cliches are constantly invoked even by non experts. As I mentioned in the section above, my issue with this version of Peach wasn’t the role she was attempting to do: it was nice to see Princess Peach in action and having a mentor role to Mario but I still feel her arc was managed poorly, which also affected the pacing of a good chunk of the movie. Even the positives I mentioned earlier seem to be afterthoughts put by Illumination, probably under Nintendo’s pressure. Whoever was in charge of the writing seems to have missed the point of what made Princess Peach unique in the first place, some common characteristics present both in the games and in the comics: her sweetness, well integrated with a bubbly side. In the games she seems defenseless, however here also resides her strength: she’s not always ready to combat but she always is to forgiveness and kindness, even to villains. Emotional strength is not always explored in recent narrative but in reality it’s just as important as combat capabilities. Even the times in which she decides to join the adventure she always sees the big picture, contributing to her party with her grace and femininity. Even though she was often kidnapped she wasn’t a complete pushover: even in difficult times, the Princess always tried to do everything she could to escape or to help Mario to find her. Among the main Mario characters, Peach is among the most developed ones, with Luigi, Rosalina and Bowser, especially in the RPGs, because she never fulfills a stereotype, whether being the damsel in distress or the competent warrior. Despite being pure by concept, she’s still a flawed character who pays her kindness and patience with naivety and dizziness. We’ve even seen her prideful and stubborn side from time to time!

In the movie, I barely saw any of these traits, especially in the first half: in general her dialogue, especially with Mario, is left vague, not in a way that felt mysterious but rather lazy. In general, Princess Peach may have had more agency, but at what cost? Compared to the other characters, who kept their loose but iconic characteristics, she didn’t feel like her game self but rather a toned down version of a generic action heroine like many others seen recently. With this I don’t want to imply that there mustn’t be a place for stoic and capable characters, I even love many of them, I just prefer to see new ones rather than an adaptation of a character who already had a developed and different personality. Luckily, she wasn’t as bad as other offenders: she seemed to support and cherish Mario and Toad throughout the movie but at the same time her tough mentoring style felt really forced and out-of-character. She felt really aggressive and condescending, both in her animation or small remarks, as by calling Mario “Mustache” or "unimportant" (this last one was a joke but it was in a rather poor taste) or even by even much bigger scenes, like in the infamous training level scene. She was almost never the center of a joke, even if the movie was filled with gags and it seemed that her role was just to remark how much she was capable of fighting. In general, Peach's character doesn't seem to evolve through the movie (if we leave the really quick moment in which she didn't trust Mario) nor is connected with a solid theme like Mario, Luigi (brotherly love and overcoming one's own fear), Bowser (the effect of an obsessive love) or Donkey Kong (feeling worthy of a parent's approval): even if the movie was not deep, the writers did attempt to attach some moral for the kids, even as trivial as it is, which is unfortunately missing from Peach's arc.

The more I think about her movie writing and more questions I ask myself. Aside from the vague defeating Bowser, does she have an objective which motivates her to do everything she does? Does she really appreciate the Toads’ company or just thinks that she’s superior to them, as it’s evident to her reasoning to bring the one who presented himself to Mario on an adventure? Does she have some other personality traits than being headstrong, smug, supportive and self sacrificing?

Why does she often recur to action even if there may be a more diplomatic alternative to resolve a problem? For example, let’s talk about Peach’s first encounter with Mario: the situation may not have been the best but I was surprised that she, alone, could lay the plumber on the ground. If I were to write this part instead, I would have debuted the Princess by either being extremely confused and telling the guards to do anything or, alternatively, to tell the guards that she would take care of Mario, ever since he already tried to apologize to her and, later, to calm him down. Turning back to the movie, it’s fair to assume that the castle is pretty big but then, why hire some Toads, if she’s so strong as well as the first to admit that they’re weak creatures and therefore not the greatest option to even protect an eventual treasure she may hide? I may get a lot of hate for this but I also need to criticize the Ice flower scene that many seemed to love: at this point Peach was aware that Bowser liked her, she could have been way more cunning by at least attempting to convince him to not do any harm to his prisoners while Toad himself could have been using the ice flower in case Bowser misbehaved, therefore letting Peach to escape safely to search Mario, to reciprocate the sacrifice that the Princess did for him and let Toad to guide a riot with Bowser’s prisoners against him. In this quick idea, I also gave more purpose to Toad, which is only used in the movie as a way to introduce Mario to the Mushroom Kingdom and to make it even more evident that Peach was awesome, whether telling him or with the facts. I also gave the princess a moment of evident emotional vulnerability.

While I found her fascination with humans rather interesting in the very context of the movie, it still feels an arbitrary choice considering the extended Mario lore: in canon, it's implied that Rosalina is born in the Mushroom Kingdom and had a family there. If we also involve the spinoffs, how Princess Peach didn't know about Sarasaland, which is ruled by Daisy or even Diamond City, where many humans live? Peach’s backstory in general makes sense if you don't think too much about it: when you do, many canon discontinuities emerge, too many to be ignored. And even without caring about the games lore, this plot line goes nowhere: when she’s transported to Brooklyn, she seemingly doesn’t react to how her surroundings changed so drastically, not a single cue, dialogue or even a small animation to express at least awe or confusion. The only thing she does is to support Mario and Luigi and, lastly, to feed Bowser that mushroom which will be the final straw to his demise.

In short, despite her popularity I don’t like Princess Peach’s personality in the Super Mario Movie at all, since it’s a rather cheap adaptation of the characterization that Nintendo and its affiliates were giving to her during the nearly forty years of her existence to give a characterization that is too similar to other characters in recent cinematic times. Even considering this Peach as her own character, her writing still comes out flat and inconcludent to the movie’s plot line.

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Movie Peach and Comic Peach: a comparison

Speaking about this portrayal of Peach, a lot of people and even Nintendo itself like to mention the Nintendo Power comics that were released in the 90s. I can definitely see where this connection may come from: she is indeed more proactive than in the games. However, she retained a dreamy and dainty side which is evident when she interacts with Mario. She directs her sarcasm and even violence towards Bowser and the Koopalings themselves. As a characteristic that also was brought up in the games, Peach was snarky, with those who annoyed her in the first place. It’s especially evident in the first three Paper Mario that she uses it when she’s fed up with everyone’s misbehaving.

In everything she did, Peach had a strong and personal purpose which it’s absent in the movie: to save Mario and herself and she was not above failing in her plans, as it's evident in the Bowser Marriage scene. Hence this is why I think that, even by Nintendo itself, the comic was just used as an excuse to justify the lazy writing for the Princess, since it was the closest example to what the authors wanted to do with her.

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Conclusions

TL;DR: Princess Peach’s role in the movie could have had a lot of potential and I’m glad to see her helping Mario in a more involved way but I’m disappointed in how the writers butchered her personality from the games just into a mellower version of a common Hollywood trope, especially since the essence of most other characters seemed to have been respected to the most part.

I’m even more disappointed that even Nintendo, after those first concept arts in which Peach retained her personality, could approve of a similar change, even because the others retained their characteristics. I think they tried to overcompensate the widespread (and, to be honest, unjustified) hatred for the Princess with a personality that has little to do with her character, and judging from the general consensus, they succeeded to make her liked. I may have an severe opinion regarding this topic but it’s fine to appreciate this version of Princess Peach, even prefer her to the games' one: everyone likes different kinds of characters and there’s nothing bad about it.

I ask you to respect my opinion as I accept yours. Mario movie debates have been really exhausting, and I genuinely hope that this rant could lead a constructive dialogue from both sides, which wouldn’t use ad hominem/political party insults or to assume my political affiliation basing on this rant, let’s keep politics out of this rant.

In general, I strongly encourage you to correct me whenever I was wrong or if there's anything you'd like to add to my points!

I hope that you won’t hold a grudge against me and I hope to see you soon!

#spoilers #rant #super mario bros #princess peach #mario movie #the super mario bros movie #super mario bros movie #movie peach #super mario #nintendo

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bridoesotherjunk · 1 year

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Well I have officially watched the Mario movie and I cannot believe I'm saying this but................ Chris Pratt was not the worst member of the cast.

Anya Taylor Joy was TERRIBLE as Peach. Her delivery for her lines never changed, she was flat and generic and BORING every single time she spoke. Peach was literally only cool when she wasn't fucking talking. Genuinely rolled my eyes a few times when she spoke.

Don't get me wrong, though, Pratt still wasn't that good. He was at his best when he was playing off of Luigi, Toad, and Donkey Kong. The other roles helped to lift him up. By himself he was definitely floundering and pretty flat. (I'm pretty sure they re-used one of his screams like 3 times in the movie, too. Which I found really odd. Did they not get enough takes? Why the same scream three times? It wasn't even a funny scream.)

Jack Black and Charlie Day both absolutely killed it. They were both fantastic. Jack Black was funny AND menacing. We knew he would kill it, though. Jack Black is a king. And Charlie Day gave probably the most "poor little meow meow" performance I've heard in a while lmao. 🤣

Charles Martinet was easy to pick out in the side characters. I wanted to cry as soon as I heard him. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU, KING!!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!!!!!!

#Mario movie #Charles Martinet #IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU #Jack Black #Bowser #Charlie Day #Luigi #Mario #Princess Peach #She was awful you guys #She sounded like every generic white woman I met when I worked retail #She was boring and flat #Can we just let Charles play Mario if they do a sequel #Please #I am not kidding #Just recast him #Mario movie spoilers #Spoilers #Mario spoilers

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fontainegirl · 7 months

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* ◟ : 〔 ANYA TAYLOR-JOY, NONBINARY + SHE / THEY 〕 OPAL FONTAINE , some say you’re a TWENTY SEVEN YEAR OLD lost soul among the neon lights. known for being both DRIVEN and CONFRONTATIONAL, one can’t help but think of MERMAIDS by FLORENCE + THE MACHINE when you walk by. are you still an ASSOCIATE / HEADLINE PERFORMER for THE BURNING GODS / OLD WORLD CASINO, even with your reputation as THE STAR? i think we’ll be seeing more of you and LIMBS THAT APPEAR TRANSLUCENT IN CERTAIN LIGHTING, A FAMILIAR FACE HIDDEN BEHIND A MASK, DRESSES MADE FROM BLOOD DIAMONDS, although we can’t help but think of OPHELIA (HAMLET) + AVA (EX-MACHINA) + LIZZY WIZZY (CYBERPUNK 2077) whenever we see you down these rainy streets.

FULL NAME: Opal Anette Fontaine NICKNAME(S): Opie, Anette AGE: Twenty-Seven GENDER: Nonbinary PRONOUNS: She/They BIRTHPLACE: Paris, France OCCUPATION: Headline Performer & Model GANG AFFILIATION: Associate of Burning Gods FC: Anya Taylor Joy

APPEARANCE

HAIR COLOUR: Dyed platinum blonde, originally dark brown. EYE COLOUR: Brown HEIGHT: 5”7 PIERCINGS?:Both ears. TATTOOS: None.

TRAITS

POSITIVE: Driven, Honest, Independent NEGATIVE: Confrontational, Secretive, Spoiled

BACKGROUND

TW gore, body mutilation, body issues,underage drinking, drugs,

She remembers very little of her past, only what they’ve been re-taught by others. Opal has been in the spotlight since childhood - there are magazines and ads that show them as a child, be it for clothing or toys or jewelry, an accessory for their mother, the actress Brigette Fontaine. That is obvious, something that can be physically seen and understood, and with it comes very vague memories; Opal can remember being painted for pageants, can remember their mother smacking her chubby baby thighs and encouraging them to spit-take the sweets they chewed. Who’s papa? There are photos around their grand parisian home, a stern looking man with a cold gaze, a man who prioritizes work over family and is disappointed that Opal is not a man. When he has a son with another woman, there is a complete disappearance of him from her life.

They didn’t stay in Paris because now she’s in New York, a singer in a casino. America held better studios, better make-up and record companies that Opal could be thrown at. A few minor roles, nothing serious, teenage years spent on sitcoms as the ditzy french best friend, accent thick and played for laughs in front of a live studio audience. There is always a sense of discomfort for Opal when they watch these, as if it wasn’t a happy time, makes her skin crawl. Something bad happened, she cannot recall what. Parties came next, underaged in nightclubs and bars just barely 18 when pictures started showing up in papers of her in various states. Boyfriends twice her age, men with children younger than her taking her out to dinner. There are articles online Opal has read, comments still available after all these years.

The accident was terrible. Still, nobody knows how it came about - did Brigette owe money? The former actress had been taking out loans to fuel an addiction to surgery and opioids. Or was it the absent father? Involved with arms dealings with Chinese triads and Saudi prince’s that had gone horribly wrong? Or was it Opal themselves? Drunk behind the wheel? Nobody knows, only the outcome is fact; that legally, Opal Fontaine should be dead. Two limbs crushed to a bloody pulp, spine cracked, blood spilling from her ears. And yet - she isn’t. Half of their body has become meshed with robotics, Opal a picture of modern cybernetic enhancements and what they can do. There was a price to it all, for stuff like that doesn’t come for free.

Brigette Fontaine dead, aged 58, overdose. All that debt is piled onto Opal who learns that their life was paid for with dirty money, an arrangement with a local gang Burning Gods. It was transferred to her, now a headline singer at Old World Casino, a shadow of who they were prior to the accident.

OTHER

Got a job at Old World Casino due to nepotism but is actually a good singer.

Hasn’t seen her younger half-brother before.

They have cybernetic enhancements, as their right leg and arm had to be completely replaced following the accident. Part of the spinal cord is also synthetic. These enhancements, particularly the one of their right hand, have allowed her to become oddly good with computers.

Though in debt to the Burning Gods, she also works off some of that via doing a little hacking which is why her associate status isn’t chosen but almost contractual.

Still models occasionally for magazines. Their most recent one is becoming the face of Hi-Chew in America.

Speaks French, English and Korean.

Legally dead for 30 minutes.

Sells feet pics online.

Kind of a huge bitch actually.

The accident was about 5 years ago.

#lawlessintro

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rottentiger-art · 1 year

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tag people you would like to get to know better

Thank you @gigantomachy1916 and @litterateur97 for the tag!! It's crazy how much we have in common lol

1. Three Ships

Ooof, I got so many, I'm gonna put the three I'm currently obsessed with (bc I'm not sure I could choose just three as favorite)

Vegebul, my beloved, my OTP, the light in my life, the best anime couple imo

Trumai (yes, both versions), the successor of Vegebul, they have me in a hold just as strong as them, it's such a weird but fun pairing, I adore them

Hurrem x Suleiman (look at themmmmm) everytime suleyman spoke his poems to hurrem I melted, no ship has ever have such romantic quotes. Plus, i use a lot of their scenes for royal aus, it's just gold

I know you said three but I gotta give an honorable mention to Lawmane, who's ever present in my mind, even if I dont post about them as often as before. They would've been THE couple if only Misa hadnt fallen for that gay republican

2. First Ever Ship

I think it was either Sparrabeth or Quogan, I'm not too sure (Quogan was the first ship I've read a fanfic of tho). I'm still obsessed with both, maybe more than when I was younger. I remember wanting Spareabeth to be endgame and to know more of Quogan's life after the show's end, but now it's a NEED

3. Last Song

Funeral by Mon Laferte. It's an amazing song, it speaks of being in a loveless/passionless relationship and wondering how it got that way and wanting nothing more than for it to finally reach its end. My favorite part goes something like this: "While I prepare breakfast I feel so terribly alone, suddenly I want to die, I want to run away from you. I wish I was on the ocean, letting the waves carry me away, I want to stop breathing; dont wake me up, I want to keep dreaming about our funeral" not a perfect translation, but you get the point. The narrator feels so helpless and is so desperate to find a way put an end to that relationship, other part of the song reflects her regret on how they both let the relationship die and wishes she could go back in time and prevent it, but nonetheless their love has died and they're both wasting their time by still being together.

I listen to it a lot when I need to think an angst AU or something lol. But the singer is so good and shows such emotions through her voice, it makes me relate, even tho I've never been on that situation (thankfully)

If you want to get into Hispanic music, I definitely recommend Mon Laferte, she's one of my favorite artist, "Se me va a quemar el corazón" is another amazing song of hers that I recommend.

4. Last Movie

The Menu (2022)

Amazing movie, it was fun and light to watch and not to be taken too seriously + it has my gf Anya Taylor-Joy (ORGULLO ARGENTINO), I took a peek at its tag on ao3 out of curiosity and I'm embarrassed to say who I'm shipping now, but if you know me, you can probably guess

5. Currently Reading

Nothing new, I've re read my favorite books, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Chronicle of a Death Foretold by GGM. The little prince was the first book ive ever read, I always heard it's a book you should read as a kid and then later as an adult, and my God, it's true, it's a completely different experience. 6 yo me thought it was a fun book about a man hallucinating in the desert, 24 yo me cred like a baby full of longing for a childhood I didn't appreciate and grief of the kid in me that inevitably died as I grew up and became an adult.

I never tire of reading CoaDF, everytime I expect the end to be different even tho the very beginning tells you what's gonna happen.

I dont have much time, so I choose those too bc they're a short read. However, I'm gonna start to reread asoiaf books too, bc I can never get enough of them

6. Currently Watching

Like I said, I have no time, so I stick to Sitcoms I can put on the bg while I work. I'm currently rewatching The Nanny, I forgot how much I loved it. And I swear, I'll start dressing as Fran as soon as I have time to buy new clothes, her style is just, mwah chef's kiss, obsessed.

And omg, I forgot how slow the burn in this show was, its Season 5 and they're still not dating!!!! Immabout to throw gasoline at them!!!!!

7. Currently Consuming

I ordered some Pizza, it should be here any moment, I'm sure you can guess why

8. Currently Craving

TIME PLEASE, I NEED TIME TO BREATH, I HADNT DRAW ANYTHING IN SO LONG AND ITS AFFECTING ME SO MUCH

I also need to finish my fic and socialize more. So I crave time, I need a vacation.

9. Tagging

@tomwise @emcads @littlewomenpodcast @mslilylashes ❤ anyone that wants to do it, feel free to!

#tag game #beloved mutuals #vegebul #trumai #hurrem x suleyman #lawmane #sparrabeth #quogan #mon laferte #the menu (2022)#anya taylor joy #the little prince #chronicle of a death foretold #cronicas de una muerte anunciada #asoiaf #the nanny #fran fine #idk what else to tag

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icarus-suraki · 23 days

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Hi Issy, How are you? Did you watch the Furiosa trailer? If so, what do you think about it?

Oooooh... So I've actually been avoiding the trailer...

I just have mixed feelings about whether the movie should have been made at all? I know George Miller had mentioned wanting a Furiosa prequel, sequel, backstory, something several many years ago, but here's the thing: does it need to exist? Like, as a full-on movie, does it need to exist?

I know I'm in the minority here, but I really prefer it if there aren't answers to every question in a piece of media. Yes, answer the important ones, tie up the loose ends (maybe), but let at least some of the answers stay secret.

Like, I know George Miller got all the actors, even the extras, to create backstories for why their costumes/makeup/hair/whatever are the way they are. But we don't need to know all those details. It's texture. We've learned bits and pieces (like the giant mall under the desert) and I feel like that's enough. I like the uncertainty. I like the room for speculation or imagination. I don't want all the answers.

I feel the same way about all the (cash grab) prequels and sequels for Star Wars. I like 4, 5, and 6 without anything around them. There are all these references to things (spice traders? Kessel run? Clone wars?) that you'll probably never know about but it's texture. It's jargon. It adds to the worldbuilding--and it doesn't need explanation. Let it just exist as a thing that can be or would be understood by the characters but that doesn't need full explanations to the audience. We can adapt.

So re: Furiosa: do we really need a canon backstory with all the details in four-part harmony with feeling? I don't feel like we do.

MMFR attaches the audience to Max (more or less). We have to sort out the rules of the Citadel along with him, what the relationships between the characters are, where the hell we're going, and how the fuck to survive. And I liked that. I like getting dropped in head first, in medias res, and having to sort it out. (I was watching it in the theater for the nth time and right when Angharad is crawling up into the cab of the War Rig, the guy in front of me goes "Now who the hell is this???" and I loved that for him. (You also don't see her face clearly in that entire scene, which I also love.)

I don't know. It just feels like it's going to establish a lot of stuff as Officially Canon and I don't want official answers to things. Miller said Furiosa lost her arm "in a battle." So now I can imagine 27 different scenarios, and they can all be possible. I don't want an official answer because I know I'll be disappointed.

I also need to say that, by way of full disclosure, I did see a teaser trailer (which I watched out of the corner of my eye, through my fingers) and it looked like all the "story beats" were basically the same as MMFR, just "this time, Max is a girl!!!!" Come up with something original, damn.

And this may also sound bitchy, idk, but I don't feel like Anya Taylor-Joy is quite right as Furiosa. She's an very fine actress, don't get my wrong. But she doesn't seem like Furiosa? She's too...delicate, I guess? She's beloved of the Girl Bloggers, so maybe I've got a distorted view.

I'm also feeling weird about the chariot-car? Like, that seems a bit de trop? Even for a Mad Max movie? It's sliding into Marvel territory and I Do Not Like That.

tl;dr: I got some mixed feelings on this. And I haven't even seen the trailer. But I just feel like...we don't need this many answers. I don't want this much backstory. I want to stay in the nebulous realm of possibility.

Anyway, I'm also avoiding the trailer for the reboot of The Crow. It just feels like sacrilege. I can't do it. It's like they saw Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in a black and white photo and were like "Oh, that makeup looks kind of like Eric Draven ha ha" and the rest is cinema history.

On the other hand, at least it's not Timmy Chardonnay playing Eric. That would have literally killed me, resurrected me, and then sent me on a Crow-style revenge quest on behalf of Brandon Lee.

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docgold13 · 2 years

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365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…

June 28th - Magik

Illyana Rasputin is a Mutant sorceress who rules the demonic extra-dimensional realm known as Limbo. Magik (as she's known in the superhero community) became the lord of Limbo by way of a tragic experience. The younger sister of the X-Man known as Colossus, Illyana possessed Mutant powers of her own. Specifically she is able to teleport anywhere by way of creating portal through Limbo. This ability to access limbo brought her the attention of the demon-like entity known as Belasco. Hoping to use her to so to gain unencumbered entry to the human world, Belasco abducted young Illyana.

And yet Belasco had underestimated Illyana natural talents for sorcery. She spent years as a prisoner of Belasco and in that time she honed her craft and was soon powerful enough to overthrow the demon lord and become the new ruler of Limbo.

Time flows differently in Limbo; what was years for Illyana in Limbo was merely a few hours on Earth and, when she finally returned to her brother and the X-Men, she had seemingly aged many years. She had left a sweet and naive child and returned a battle-hardened older teenager.

Following her return, Magik joined the New Mutants, a group of teenage Mutants training to become the next generation of X-Men. She would go on to have numerous adventures alongside The New Mutants and made close friends with her teammates (especially Kitty Pryde). Her frequently mischievous and carefree attitude always masked a deeply traumatized and lonely soul.

Later, Illyana was magically reverted to her child-aged self yet sadly contracted the deadly Legacy Virus and succumbed to the illness. Seeking to regain his conduit to the human world, Belasco resurrected Illyana, reviving her body whilst keeping her soul hidden away. Bales hoped that this would enable him to control Illyana; yet once again he underestimated her. Aided by her X-Men colleagues, Magik led an invasion of Limbo, once more deposed Belasco and re-obtained her soul.

Magik’s teleportation abilities, coupled with her ever expanding magical skills has made her one of the more powerful members of The X-Men. Along with acting as a member of the X-Men, Magik has also spent time honing her craft as a sorceress under the tutelage of Dr. Strange. Herein she was identified as a potential candidate to become the next Sorcerer Supreme.

More recently, Magik has found a passion for teaching, having been appointed one of the Great Captains of the Mutant nation of Krakoa, where she's in charge of training and leading mutants to battle. In addition to that, she also teaches magic at Strange Academy.

A version of Magik featured in the Fox Films movie, The New Mutants where her character was portrayed by actress Anya Taylor-Joy. The heroine first appeared the pages of Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975).

#365 Marvel Comics Heroes #Magik #X-Men #New Mutants #Strange Academy #Anya Taylor-Joy #cut-out #paper art

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middlefade · 5 months

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☕ plotting call — would really like to have more things going & to delve into some historical / dark academia / supernatural / horror stuff & to write with these muses particularly so if you are interested in plots like that or in just writing with these muses in general let me know

ages vary per verse but are always 20+ & things labeled * are only relevant to supernatural plots. insomnia is prevalent in a lot of my muses for varying reasons.

anna sun — she/her, madelaine petsch / bi / professional ballet & company dancer, perpetually in debt, occasional purveyor of substances

aristotle aryes — she/her, saoirse ronan / bi / investigative journalist (particularly mysterious subject matter or crime), nomadic

auden smith — she/her, victoria pedretti / bi / owns & operates bakery, responsible & sensible

bliss iver — she/her, florence pugh / bi, preference for women / waitress, singer-songwriter, busker, dive bar & open mic performer

chance — he/him, lee minhyuk (huta) / gay / vampire* / film photography, magazine

charis — he/him, tom blyth / bi / vampire* / theater actor, filthy rich

draco aryes — he/him, dylan o'brien (specifically blonde, buzzcut 'not okay' era) / bi / artist, historical art restoration, struggles with addiction

ella finley — they/them & she/her, halsey / bi / part time at a music shop / dj

emerson beckett — she/her, kristen stewart / bi, heavy preference for women / touring musician

evie caldwell — she/her, olivia rodrigo / bi, demi / witchy, clairvoyant, practices tarot reading & divination

hannah monroe — she/her, lili reinhart / bi / film & photography restoration & preservation

jace tide — he/him, dylan o'brien / bi, preference for men / freelance writer for print & online papers, drummer in a band

shen keung — he/him, xiaojun / bi / lycan* / traditional artist, works part time at a gallery, takes commissions for paintings, died briefly once & is real existential about it

kian wyatt — he/him, timothée chalamet / bi / night shift laundromat, poet & aspiring novelist

lorelai parker — she/her, hunter schafer / bi / waitress at a 24hr diner, loves a good party, partakes in most nightlife scenes

mandy carter — she/her, hailee steinfeld / bi / bartender, works & has worked a lot of odd jobs, catholic trauma, interest & belief in most things supernatural

nash newton — he/him, thomas sangster / bi, demi / lobby pianist in hotel, re-strings & balances pianos at music store(s), is known for being almost non-verbal unless particularly comfortable

neil parrish — he/him, josh hutcherson / bi, demi, preference for men / runs physically & away from his feelings, big on trust, used to deliver & work for a florist, is good with cars, does translation work & has been a verbal translator, freelance photography (travel, flora)

nellen casper — she/her, jenna ortgea / bi / doesn't set down roots, good at casual relationships, not good at long-lasting romances, more likely to flee the more she cares about a person

ophelia caldwell — she/her, amanda seyfried / bi / a bit off with the faeries, a mental medium & is a witch or bananas depending on the way you look at it

rhea czerny — she/her, anya taylor-joy / bi / ghost?*, nebulously clairvoyant, has prophetic dreams, speaks a bit cryptically, not good at time awareness, uses tarot cars, makes elixirs

river josslyn — he/him, elliot page / bi / atmokinesis by way of emotions*, is autistic, has alexithymia, into classical poetry & shakespearean literature

finnigan — he/him, they/them, barry keoghan / demi-romantic, bi / lycan* / speaks a lot of languages, has a literary understanding of even more, has studied many religions but does not practice them, filthy rich, a haunt to local pubs & clubs, loves a casual hookup, good fighter, curses a lot

stella monroe — she/her, dove cameron / equal opportunist / fashion girlie, amateur model, adores women, will take almost anyone to bed, dressed up to get messed up, loves to dance, will wreck a home, does not feel shame rocking up to breakfast in last night's outfit

winter josten — he/him, troye sivan / gay, demi / was almost an olympic swimmer, does not swim anymore, works at a bookstore with cats, believes in most things, always has a book

#from the ghostwriter.#what a tangled web we could weave / wishlist.

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isobelleposts · 2 years

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Jane Austen’s Humor in ‘Emma’ - Book vs. Film Review

Anya Taylor-Joy as Emma Woodhouse in 'Emma. (2020)'

The 2020 adaptation of Emma directed by Autumn de Wilde might just be the most precise when it comes to showcasing Jane Austen’s humor. It is often that when one mentions Jane Austen, they might think of words like “melodramatic” or “tragic”, when really if you’ve read the books you’d know that Austen’s works are considered moreover humorous with a touch of romance.

‘Emma’ is not only a part of my list of comfort films because it stars Anya Taylor-Joy, but because, unlike most classic adaptations, the film was able to feel light and not as if it were made with the intention of being overly sophisticated and serious.

Emma Woodhouse and Johnny Flynn as George Knightley

LOVE & HATE

My annotations on the book alone greatly prove how much of a love and hate relationship Mr. Knightley and Emma have, being that it is only filled with the colors red for conflict and pink for romance.

How could you be so unfeeling to Miss Bates? How could you be so insolent in your wit to a woman of her character, age, and situation? – Emma, I had not thought it possible.

Page 364 of 'Emma' by Jane Austen

The “hating” part of their relationship feels natural and reasonable unlike some that may seem superficial if set outside of the fantasy genre.

It darted through her, with the speed of an arrow, that Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!

Page 396 of 'Emma' by Jane Austen

While the heated arguments between Emma and Mr. Knightley had me re-enacting them and looking manically in my bedroom as I read, their signs of affection for each other were also consistent and displayed in several actions, letting there be a perfect balance of loathing and love all throughout and not only near the end when one finally confesses of their likeness.

MR KNIGHTLEY

What I love most about Austen’s writing is how her men are deemed attractive for their personalities and wit rather than for their physical appearances, and this is something that I might say almost every film adaptation has made sure to succeed in making clear.

“As a friend!” – repeated Mr Knightley. – “Emma, that I fear is a word. – No, I have no wish. – Stay, yes, why should I hesitate? – I have gone too far already for concealment. – Emma, I accept your offer – Extraordinary as it may seem, I accept it, and refer myself to you as my friend. – Tell me, then, have I no chance of ever succeeding?”

Page 416 of 'Emma' by Jane Austen

There were many things that the film was able to visualize better and re-envisioned than I could ever have just from reading between Austen’s lines. Aside from the humor that I sometimes find hard to decipher, Autumn de Wilde directed what I consider one of the most tension-filled dances I’ve yet to find in period cinema, and it will continually haunt me as the reason why I may forever remain uninvolved in romance due to highly set expectations.

Although there were pages that seemed awfully prolonged which I would have enjoyed more if worded much shorter, ‘Emma’ is one of the most exciting classic reads I’ve ever encountered and is one the books that doesn’t have you itching your mind almost every few pages for what the hell this sentence might mean.

(Click HERE for Writing Commissions)

by Isobelle Cruz, 11/06/2022

#jane austen #emma woodhouse #mr knightley #book review #classic books #george knightley #anya taylor #anya taylor-joy #emma 2022 #book to movie #book to film #movie review #period piece #classic book review #autumn de wilde #frank churchill #johnny flynn

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dayurno · 3 months

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hi hi hi do u have a goodreads or something you don’t mind us following you on? im curious to see what else you like since ive enjoyed some stuff you’ve mentioned before and. the kevin day love

ohhh i’m sorry i don’t i’m not really the rating kind but i should get on goodreads asap because i love doing book reviews. here’s an extensive list of things i like that you might enjoy: dolly parton. alyssa edwards. pink and orange. ruffle gloves. james baldwin. unwind by neal shusterman. mary oliver’s devotion: selected poems. jenny holzer’s truisms (though we deviate on politics sometimes). um. chloe x halle! anya taylor joy. the movie el hoyo (2019). thinking thinking thinking. death game horror! alice in borderland. bad horror! terrifier 2. ‘psychological’ horror (is it?)! i loved midsommar. DISCO ELYSIUM!!!!!!!! re: danmei i loved heaven official’s blessing (duh), invitation to wine (really good political novel), recently started on priest’s stars of chaos and it’s pretty fun. i’m just listing stuff off the top of my head clearly. ok cats. tapioca pancakes. drag race seasons 6, 13 and 14. drag race all stars season 2 and 7! sweet caramel popcorn. women. julia serano is a really good writer and theorist i find!

these are a few of my unlisted uncategorized favorite things :-) i hope if you check them out you’ll find joy in them too

#asks #i tried to keep it mostly to things in english/with easily available english translation #but oh you know. the imperial core and whatnot

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wickedsrest-rp · 1 year

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Name: Augusta "Gussie" Calimeris Species: Muse Occupation: Barista (Starring Role) / Mime Age: 44 Years Old (Looks about 22) Played By: Ashleigh Face Claim: Anya Taylor Joy

"Don’t mind the day mimes, it’s the night clowns that you have to watch out for!"

Gussie is the first born in a long line of first born. She was taught that the gifts she would possess would be beneficial for all of those around her. She spent her days watching her mother gather promises, deals, and debts from people too stupid to understand that they would be held to it. She would steal other’s names, only so she could pretend to live a life that was not her own. She would become somebody else for a little while, before she eventually grew bored. Those who felt like they had no meaning in their lives would come and try to find it. Her mother would give it to them for a little while, but always for a price.

Gussie spent her days watching as each person that her mother bestowed gifts on would venture out into the world, and find exactly what they were looking for. They would return as hugely successful in whatever endeavors they sought after, but it was never enough for some. One in particular believed that they deserved all that Gussie’s mother had to offer. When they were declined, they did not take the news well. They returned with a vengeance and attacked Gussie and her mother. They both barely survived the ordeal, and it put a sour taste in Gussie's mouth.

Gussie spent her life listening to her mother’s customers praise the services that she provided. Without her mother, many of them would be miserable. They believed that what she did was somehow magical, but Gussie knew the truth. She understood that all her mother did was show what was already there. She would fill in the blanks and give people the confidence that they could not find on their own. But even then, they could never have enough. They could not find their own way, so they had someone else tell them what to do.

Gussie started helping her mother out of necessity more than anything else. Because every woman before her had done it too. Because it was required. But Gussie saw how the people who were blessed found inspiration and creativity in everything. She wanted that too, even if it was not something that was done. She saw her name up in lights and herself on a stage, and no one could tell her otherwise.

She shouldn’t have done it. That is what she tells herself over and over again as if it will somehow magically reverse what was already done. Gussie is not one to fall in love very often. It seems to only occur by happenstance. If she were to truly think about it, she has likely only been in love once. But as fate would have it, that love would not be returned to her. That love would be for another. She was ravished about it, a broken version of her former self. She had always been told that love would find her, and when it did, it would become like the fairytales she grew up listening to. Stories told to a little girl who believed them wholeheartedly, without anyone to tell her that's not how things work. There was never any story about how it was possible to fall in love with someone who would never love you back.

She shouldn’t have done it. But she did. Her mother was the one who had set up the whole thing. Gussie had moved into her teenage years, and her hunger had become voracious. It was time to start the family business of finding artistic souls to feed off of. It was not supposed to be like this. Gussie was only supposed to feed for a little while, before she moved on. But she couldn’t help it, she was always a precocious child. Instead of moving on, she kept feeding in secret. She had made a pact. But a muse cannot feed on the same person without the risk of illness or death. She had known this going in, but the obsession was too much. She did not view the relationship as take-and-give, she thought it was copacetic. She wanted them to be successful, and she wanted their love in return. In the end, it did not turn out how she expected it to.

When the body of her beloved was discovered, Gussie’s mother knew that she could no longer remain with the family. She had to be cast aside and shunned, forced to live in the human world as a punishment for her actions. The only thing that she was allowed to take with her was a cameo necklace enchanted with the spirit of her great-grandmother, who would keep and eye on how she was doing. If anything were to go wrong, Gussie would have to face severe punishment.

Character Facts:

Personality: Assertive, captivating, fervid, airy, boisterous, egocentric

Gussie has an enchanted cameo necklace infused with the spirit of her great-grandmother. It is considered a family heirloom that required the assistance of a necromancer to create. In social situations, the necklace may offer advice and flatter conversation partners. Usually. Great-grandma often has a lot to say.

Gussie has made a name for herself as a fairy character she created to attend Renaissance Festivals. She has a cult following and several online blogs dedicated to her character, “Gussie Dapple.”

Gussie refuses to feed from any one being for too long. She finds it difficult to not create an emotional attachment to those she feeds from, so she has had to learn how to distance herself from that personal connection. Instead, she will feed only once before she moves on.

After being exiled from her home in the Mirrored District, Gussie has found herself mostly roaming around Elm Street with others like her. It’s the perfect place to hide in plain sight.

For now, she has decided to take a job as a barista at Starring Role Pâtisserie. She only applied once she learned that mimes were involved, and takes the role very seriously. Similar to her roleplaying as a fairy at Ren Faires, she considers this role the very same and hopes to broaden her artistic abilities.

On occasion, Gussie will steal the name of a customer, stating that she is researching for a role. She does this to especially rude customers, or whenever she feels bored. Since her mother dealt in promises, deals, and debts, Gussie knows exactly how to manipulate those around her and isn’t afraid to do so. After all, these are things that are given to her. She would never think of stealing anything!

Gussie does minimal glamouring, only so that those who dare to gaze at her beauty don’t drop dead at the mere sight of her. She is mostly humanoid, if not for her iridescent skin, elongated ears, and bright blue eyes that she uses glamorous to hide.

She has the ability to speak four languages: English, Spanish, French, and a special fae language used between her family. She has learned them through traveling and living in these places for short periods of time, and therefore is not fluent in any but English and the fae languages. Because the fae language began to fall out of favor and seen as “old-fashioned,” Gussie only learned what she needed in order to get by despite her mother insisting on speaking/learning it.

#retired

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