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queen-breha-organa · 1 year

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I wanted to briefly come back online and discuss the WGA and, in turn, the current writer's strike.

I know my opinion matters very little, and I don’t consider myself an expert or a valuable voice in this matter. However, since I talk about Star Wars a lot, I wanted to discuss the strike because these things go hand in hand. I think it’s unfair to ignore the real-world circumstances that shape the media you enjoy. Knowing the context of something is important. And beyond that, this situation has just been on my mind, and I wanted to express my thoughts somewhere.

Firstly, all workers should be paid living wages. All workers deserve to be treated fairly and compensated fairly. All workers deserve safe, productive, and fair working environments—end of story.

I’ve been seeing a lot of jokes along the lines of “I didn’t even know media had writers these days,” and while I understand the joke and the potential humor in it, I feel like it’s important to realize that this is entirely why the WGA is striking in the first place.

The writer’s rooms are shrinking. Writers are being overworked. Writers are being underpaid. Writers are being dismissed and undercut. These factors lead to poorly written and poorly managed shows because the individuals who write the bones of the shows are exhausted and burdened by corporate interference, unreasonable deadlines (especially in animation), unfair wages, and stale corporate agendas.

Additionally, these writers often aren’t given the opportunity to oversee or manage their writing while it’s being filmed. Instead, companies are acting as if the writing process ends before the filming process so that they can shorten the writer's contracts and pay them less. However, in actuality, the writing process is often most valuable during the filming process.

Some things work on paper but don’t work on the day. Maybe the joke doesn’t land, or an actor can’t deliver the line as intended. Writers are needed on set to rework and revise these lines, so the process can run smoother without sacrificing story and believability. Now some actors are incredible at improvising and can make these things work. However, overall, without writers on set, you usually end up with awkward/stiff dialogue or scenes that make no sense. Writing doesn’t stop in the writers' room.

Another massive force driving this strike is the evolution of streaming services.

With “traditional” tv reruns, the network airing the media has to purchase the viewing rights of the episode or the show. This money is then extended to the people who worked on the show in the form of residuals. It makes sense. Something you worked on makes money, so in turn, you get money.

However, streaming services have broken this mold by allowing consumers to watch whatever media whenever they want. Streaming services claim that it is no longer possible to pay residuals for these shows since they don’t know how often or when the shows are being watched. This is a lie.

Companies will brag privately in shareholder's meetings and publicly in articles about streaming shows that have done well. We’ll read headlines like “Stranger Things’ Was Most-Streamed TV Show in 2022” or “‘Star Wars’ vs. Marvel: Which Disney+ Shows Are Most-Viewed.” These articles and the data within them prove it is possible to know how frequently shows/movies are being watched on streaming services. Still, companies are only willing to shell out this information for bragging rights and not for fair payments.

In 2021, Disney CEO Bob Chapk earned $32 million. In contrast, the WGA website states, “Median weekly writer-producer pay has declined 4% over the last decade. Adjusting for inflation, the decline is 23%.” These writers are merely asking for 3%, while CEOs are given the moon.

This is unacceptable.

If you’re reading this post, if you’re on Tumblr and engaging with fandoms enough to have this post written by me, a Star Wars blog, circulate on your feed, media writing has affected your life. Writers have impacted you and your daily routine and hobbies.

You should care about this strike. You should be supporting this strike.

We all want our favorite shows to come back, we all want to reunite with our favorite characters, and we all want to see their stories, their triumphs, and their struggles.

But the real people behind these stories and behind these characters are far more important than any fictional narrative.

These writers have crafted the worlds and stories we love, and by supporting them, we can return the favor and craft a better world for them too.

#Writers strike #real people matter more than the new season of your favorite show #Long post

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artsyjedi · 10 months

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They don’t stay together at the end | Charles Leclerc x reader

summary: you and charles meet, live and life goes on.

author’s note: i enjoyed this but no at the same time? maybe it’s a little confusing, sorry. I hope you enjoy anyway :) and let me know if you do! english isn’t my first language!!!! and it’s been a while since i wrote something, be nice please

*also: I think the reader is gender neutral, but i don’t exactly remember.

warnings: none but If you find any let me know

**2nd part: ‘they see each other again’

“Move in with me to Monaco” Charles’ voice caught your attention.

You had met during that week, three days ago to be more precise and the days since have been more than a dream. A true fairy tale.

Charles’ was travelling, enjoying his days off before the begin of the season, and you were trying to make a life in a new place. You were working at a cafe when you met him; brown eyes enchanting you right away. He was a prince; the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen.

“Hi” he said softly while paying for his drink.

“Hi” you answered back with a mere whisper. If he wasn’t paying fully attention to you, he wouldn’t have heard.

And that was when you figure it out how powerful a two letter word can be.

This simple ‘hi’ became a whole conversation at the end of your shift, and then him showing around the city; his favorite spots, places he holds deep in his heart. Charles told you stories and you loved how his eyes sparkled with passion whenever he mentioned his family, friends or his career. He loved talking about art, he showed you his songs. Every little thing he did, you fell more and more.

But this dream would end one day. You knew - and so did he. This whole fairytale is gonna come to an end eventually and he’s gonna go back to his prestigious life as a driver while you gonna go back to your cafe and small apartment you share with other three people. Everything was gonna be nothing more than a memory - one you will hold close to your heart forever.

He was still staring at you, body and hair wet from the hot shower. You were on his hotel bed, covered with the white sheets, hair a mess and body tired. You were still sweating. He looked ethereal.

“I can’t, you know that” you laughed.

“Of course you can” he sat next to you, hand holding yours “You can live with me. At least at first if you want to live somewhere. And if you want, you can find a job there - or not too. Just come. I need you”

“You’re insane! I can’t just go and leave everything behind again. I need to create roots, a life. And more: what people would say? They would think I’m using you for money and fame”

“Who cares about what people think? It’s me and you that matters, nothing else. Create roots with me. We’ve been having such a good time together here, why not keep this going?”

“Because” you tried to argue, taking a deep breath before continuing “Because this is just a moment, Charles. This is good, perfect, but we both know it won’t last. This is good because it’s gonna come to an end. That’s all. Destiny played its part: we met each other, we learn from each other, and now we need to follow our own paths”

Charles got quiet. He was sad, you could see it; feel it even. But he knew you weren’t wrong. You couldn’t just drop everything you’ve been fighting for and go on this adventure with him; he had everything right already. A name for himself, a career.

“I love you. I love this” your hand held his face and went to his hair, caressing the brown humid strands. He closed his eyes, letting his head lean on your warm touch. When he opened his eyes, he found you smiling. Charles Leclerc was truly a thing.

He leaned further, nose meeting yours and he let himself enjoy the intimate touch. He kissed you then, with more passion than he had on the previous days.

“Fine” he rested his head against yours “I hope we meet again soon. Until there, let’s enjoy the time we have, ok?”

“Ok”

The days passed and everything felt then times more real. The feelings you had towards each other were crude and transparent to everyone. You went more places together, ate together, slept together. You loved him and he loved you. Life was simple.

The day he left, you went to the airport to say goodbye. It felt right.

While you saw him walk to his gate and disappear from your sight, you thought how beautiful those days were. It’s was not just about love, but about moments, about knowing to live with the knowledge that everything can and will end. One hour, one day, one week, one month or an entire life - moments are what makes life what it is and the best thing we can do is be grateful for them to happen at first place, and for the people who are part of it.

When you left the airport, the cold breeze met your face. That day was a good day, and you hoped faith would put Charles in your path once again; in that life or in another one.

#charles leclerc #charles leclerc imagine #charles leclerc fanfic #charles leclerc x reader #charles leclerc x you #charles leclerc x female reader #charles leclerc angst #charles leclerc fluff #formula one #formula 1 #formula one x you #formula 1 x you #f1 x reader #formula one x reader #formula 1 imagines #f1 #f1 imagines #enough tags i believe #artsy writes

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mariacallous · 5 months

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Several years ago, I invited my new boyfriend to Yom Kippur at my aunt’s house. He didn’t need convincing – I think he adored my family early on – but to entice him further I made sure he knew what was on offer.

Bagels. Cream cheese. Lox.

Let’s just say he showed up on time. I knew my aunt would be thrilled when he devoured the pickled herring. (He earned similar accolades when he asked for seconds of gefilte fish at Passover.)

Jewish food, he says, is just a hop, skip and a jump from the Scandinavian food he grew up with. “It’s like the foods of my people. Foods of your people, foods of our people.”

Apart from being poetic, it was a very Jewish thing for him to say.

Now my husband, Brad is definitively non-Jewish by all religious standards. His father was raised in a big Irish Catholic family and his mother, raised in the Midwest, is of Scandinavian descent. He was the first non-Jewish person I’d met with his own proclivity for pickled fish and smoked salmon.

Among the items he always kept in his pantry — before he met me and still today — are tinned fish and Triscuits, often eaten as a meal. He and I have been on a year-long journey of finding the best “real rye bread” within driving distance in the greater Metrowest area of Boston. (Haven’t found it yet.)

To say that he embraces all things Jewish is obvious. That he loves me is only part of the reason; another is the food.

My grandmother always had enough food to feed an army, no matter whether it was Shabbat, Passover or Tuesday. I watched as Brad became accustomed to the foods we loved and the leftovers we take pride in sharing: the containers left on the table after Yom Kippur for extra brisket, the paper bags for challah and rugelach.

But he’s taught us about food, too. Our family text chain is called “Smashburgers Unite” because of my family’s newfound favorite meal, brought to us by my husband. A better cook than I (a generous understatement), he loves cooking projects.

At that point, my biggest cooking project I’d taken on was making latkes for Hanukkah.

It had been my job for years. I’d shove the potatoes in the Cuisinart, wring them out as best I could, and do my best guesswork with how much egg, matzah meal, onion and salt should go in. Then I’d stand at the stove and fry them, the kitchen filling with that wonderful greasy-spoon smell, as the rest of my family arrived. I laid them out as they were done, always in an inadvertent ombre from light to dark as the oil, and my patience, decreased.

So for Brad’s first Hanukkah with us, I told him — who once made a BBQ for 40 people with no help from anyone — that I (and, by proxy, he) was in charge of latkes.

“Cool,” he said. His indifference both alarmed and relieved me.

“It’s more work than you think,” I said.

I should have known he’d have better tricks for peeling massive amounts of Russet potatoes and draining their water (cheesecloth! The man I’m dating owns cheesecloth?!), adding cornstarch to help the eggs adhere better to the mix, and adding enough salt so they actually tasted good. He added seasonings like zaatar, onion powder and garlic powder. He showed me how to wait until all the oil – way more than I was used to adding for frying – was shimmering, and to be patient while each side cooked.

I think he wanted to add a shallot.

“It’s not traditional,” I said.

“So?” he said.

He had a point.

The latkes that year were a hit. My family made sure he knew that it was now his task for life. They were joking, but they were also serious.

I knew he was about to take this latke-making to the next level. On the way home, he thought up different flavor combinations, like adding dill and black pepper, and what if we fried them in schmaltz – we’d have to roast a chicken first; store-bought schmaltz wouldn’t cut it – and what if we added cayenne, and what if we used different root vegetables, like turnips and rutabagas, and what if made a sweet potato version?

I was exhausted just thinking about it. The latkes take a great deal of effort, and I don’t have the same love of cooking that Brad does. Where he sees opportunity, I see how long it will take to clean up.

Maybe we buy shredded potatoes, to make it easier? I suggested.

But no: Everything from scratch, no shortcuts. Our first year in our new home together, we made them in our kitchen. He shredded the potatoes, I wrung them out. He set up three bowls with different seasonings and spices. I spooned them into balls, and we’d take turns at the stove, frying, flipping, frying again. We ate several between us right away – impossible not to. Yes, it was an hours-long process. But the pride I felt at bringing them home, measured by the silence while people ate and ate, was unmatched.

I learned that the effort, the planning, the execution: it’s a way of showing love. The energy we put into the latkes as a team made me feel closer, somehow, to the holiday and to my Jewish roots.

That first meal of jointly-made latkes also included my mom’s brisket. Over dinner, the conversation turned to other traditional Jewish foods like corned beef and pastrami. Brad pointed out that they were both brisket, just made different – something we hadn’t really ever thought about.

He mentioned he could make a pastrami.

Our eyes widened.

“It’s just a matter of brining it…then smoking it…”

So we’re in charge of both now: latkes and pastrami.

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amethystsoda · 1 year

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your personal top (10?) manga? :))

Hello!!!

I am going to preface this with the fact that I only got into anime around 2014/2015 (Fullmetal Alchemist + Brotherhood) and then read the manga around 2016.

I only started avidly reading around 2019 with digital copies of JoJo and fell into loving manga from there and genuinely becoming a reader/keeping up with new releases and starting to learn Japanese (basic hiragana, etc) in 2021.

My other qualifications for these picks are that I am an irl artist (illustration and stained glass), taught an art history course for 1 year, and I read/write as much as possible outside of work.

I will also say that I may not have finished reading all these series yet, but they are the ones near and dear to my art-loving heart.

Also sorry it’s a few more than 10 *sweats*

Fullmetal Alchemist — Hiromu Arakawa

My very first manga.

Knowing that Arakawa taught herself art while still working on her parents’ farm and used her nights/time off to write it made me so in awe of her drive and skills. The ways the story deals with humanity, war, power, and love make it a timeless classic.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure — Hirohiko Araki

It’s bonkers. It’s off the wall. It’s been going since the 80’s and Araki is still working. There’s so much to love. There’s so much to hate. But no matter how you feel about JJBA, it’s undeniably a masterpiece.

Araki’s dedication to the art is one of the biggest draws, with his fashion and art history references and use of bright colors. You can feel his love for the medium shine through his full color pieces!

My personal favorite parts are Phantom Blood, Diamond Is Unbreakable, Stone Ocean, and Jojolion (ikik all the “boring” parts, but I think that’s where the characters are most interesting)

Jujutsu Kaisen -- Gege Akutami

My next big read after JoJo. After watching season 1 of the anime, I knew I needed more. The way that Gege uses the classic shonen tropes combined with explorations of life and death is very strong storytelling.

We learn from the start about curses, cursed energy, we witness a major death in the protagonist’s life and he’s given a goal:

“You’re a strong kid, so help others. Even if it’s only those closest to you, just save the people you can. It’s okay if you lose your way, and don’t worry about whether they’ll thank you or not. Just save as many people as you can, even if it’s only one.”

The series often shows us what it means to save even one and the self sacrifice that comes from protecting others, even if it’s painful or difficult. Throw iconic characters into the mix and you have the basis for an already notable classic shonen manga.

Spy x Family — Tatsuya Endo

Found family slice of life with a big dose of action and fluff?? Literally the perfect comfort manga. I saw enough promos on tumblr that I finally caved and started it in 2020 and I LOVED it.

More people are familiar now bc of the anime’s popularity, but I definitely recommend reading it as well! The art is consistently high quality, the face expressions are hilarious, and the main concept of fighting for peace is re-stated throughout the storyline.

Loid took on this mission and his spy position to bring peace. He never wants to see the horrors of war again. He never wants to see another child cry. The family may be “fake” but the feelings are real.

Witch Hat Atelier — Kamome Shirahama

I cannot stop giving high praises for this series!!!! It’s like if you mixed Ghibli’s nature and art with Narnia or LOTR’s fantasy vibes. The magic system is based on drawing and it’s such a treat for artists to read.

Shirahama also uses a lot of traditional art references for her work, like rococo, art nouveau, classic illustration, etc. She’s won awards for the series and every one is deserved.

Also the two main witches, Qifrey and Olruggio, are definitely in love and take the best care of their witch students (cough daughters) in the atelier. Qifrey is like if you mixed Howl Pendragon with Gojo Satoru. Olruggio is the traditional tsundere with a heart of gold.

The series also talks a lot about disability and how we can improve others’ lives to make them more comfortable and accessible! It’s a very unique world and story that draws you in and makes you feel at home.

Chainsaw Man — Tatsuki Fujimoto

Yes, the series everyone is currently talking about. And I’m not going to call it peak or goat, but I think the concept is very strong and well-executed.

Fujimoto pulls you in from the intro (esp Pochita, how can you not love a cute little chainsaw dog!?), he makes you care about the characters, and slowly rips your heart out chapter by chapter. It’s won awards for good reason.

Not everyone is morally black and white. There’s giant battles and dynamic art. The main character just wants to touch some boobs. The other main guy is basically a househusband after work hours. Add in a pretty girl blood devil who doesn’t like vegetables. An Angel Devil who can kill someone through a touch and loves ice cream. A sopping wet kitten of a girl who works at her family’s burger place and hunts devils on the side. etc etc.

The characters are one of the strongest aspects of Chainsaw Man and their dynamics with each other. Hate, love, control, fear… The series talks about our basest desires and anxieties and explores them in a fictional playing field with all the flare you expect from a Shonen Jump title.

Toilet Bound Hanako Kun - AidaIro

THE ART STYLE THE ART STYLE THE ART STLYE. This series is done by a two person team (AidaIro - one for art, one for writing) and I appreciate that each brings their strength to this manga.

The coloring and art are so dreamy and whimsical, while still using strong jewel tone colors (instead of only pastels or earth colors as you might expect in a western fantasy series).

The work uses the “seven school wonders” as its base and Nene Yashiro as the protagonist who just wanted to get a date with her crush and called on Hanako’s help. Through her impulsivity, she ends up under a mermaid’s curse and makes a pact with Hakano to make it more bearable, getting pulled into the carryings-on of spirits around the school.

The art/story combo is engaging, dynamic, and emotional. There’s a lot of hilarious face expressions in this manga as well and little visual gags/jokes that make it fun to read. The series started in 2014 and is still ongoing!

The Way of the Househusband — Kosuke Oono

a former yakuza member marries a designer and becomes a stay at home househusband. Hijinks ensue. Add in his former gang friend Masa and their cat Gin and you have a recipe for domestic comedy.

I’ve genuinely laughed out loud so many times reading this manga. The chapters are pretty short and are good when you need a little break to not stare at a screen. It’s another good comfort manga when you need something low intensity.

Dorohedoro -- Q Hayashida

I have to admit I found this one because of the anime MAPPA did, but I immediately explored the manga and mud and sludge art book. Q Hayashida trained in fine arts before becoming a mangaka and it shows through the quality of her work.

From the heavily detailed manga panels, to the mixed media covers, and bonus comics done in color, the world is rendered in a blend of gritty realism and surreal fantasy.

Dorohedoro is one of the most unique pieces of worldbuilding I’ve encountered, with the smoke magic system, use of doors for traveling between Hole and the sorcerers world, as well as including devils in the lore.

Again, characters are a big draw of the series, but the art is just mind blowing to me as an artist, knowing the level of craft she put into them. I still flip through the artbook for inspiration when I’m feeling drained.

I haven’t finished all of the manga, but I’m slowly collecting the volumes (some are out of print). But I believe all the pdfs are up on archive.org (also please keep in mind there is an Adult Only/18+ content warning on this manga as there is gore and some nudity)

Blue Period — Tsubasa Yamaguchi

I started collecting this when they released volume 1 and just kept collecting. If you’re an artist at all or appreciate art, this is a series for you. It describes the struggles of finding your voice as an artist so deeply and you will feel understood and seen.

There are quite a few characters in the series, so I suggest looking at the wiki for this one to keep everyone straight. I also recommend watching the anime, as the colors and voices help distinguish the characters further.

The art history references in the chapter art makes this a scavenger hunt for art nerds and the messages of self searching, acceptance, and discovery are something anyone can relate to. (edit: I looked up the series more and it's another woman author!! :D )

The Case Study of Vanitas — Jun Mochizuki

Another I started collecting because of the anime, but it’s SO so beautiful (Arakawa sensei even gave a recommendation inside the front cover of volume 1!)

Also!!! Another woman author!! I’m so happy to give lots of women author recs. If you like gothic romantic vampire dramas set in alt history steampunk Paris with a dash of horror, then this is for you.

Bisexual vibes from literally all of the main 4 (Noe, Vanitas, Dominique, Jeanne). Some moments of sensuality, but it never goes into overtly sexual, making it more accessible for teen readers.

Her watercolors are instantly recognizable and stunningly gorgeous. Noe’s delight in the world is balanced by Vanitas’ grumpier realism. Also, the concept of a vampire that can read memories through blood blew my mind. Definitely recommend.

Special mentions:

Yotsuba&! (a classic first manga for kids. Heartwarming. Funny. Adorable)

Skull Face Bookseller Honda-san (also a good anime. Only 4 volumes. All the crazy things that happen in a bookstore/publishing. Funny and a great autobiography by the author Honda)

Kaiju No. 8 (an up and coming Shonen Jump that’s already slated for an anime!!!! Kaiju battle action + a 32 year old protag that had an accident while working and can now turn into a Kaiju >:D Monster lovers rejoice)

I also have a few singles of older shojo manga that I’m getting into recently like Cardcaptor Sakura, Sailor Moon, Kitchen Princess, Host Club!

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emopirates · 7 months

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Thoughts about the wooden demon boy who thirsted for life

OK so I think early in his pirate career Stede latches on to the story of Pinocchio because it’s about a "fake" boy becoming “real.” And for Jim, Fang, and Archie the focus is on a "wooden" boy becoming "flesh."

Stede has masked his entire life, with his father and his bullies and his arranged marriage. He has buried his true impulses over and over (when he made himself look at that bloody goose, when he posed for portraits with a stranger he didn’t want to marry, when he said his life wasn’t monotonous, when he told Mary his crying was an owl). A puppet who wants to be human resonates with him because maybe he has become a puppet, a little bit. He's done what people manipulated him to do, and what he himself learned to make himself do, to get by and stay out of trouble. When he leaves home, Stede isn't sure who he will become or what will happen, but he knows he has to go in order to find out. He takes a leap of faith, and I think he hopes it will lead him to be more authentic to himself than anything he’s known lately.

To Jim, Archie and Fang, the story of Pinocchio is maybe the same, but it’s also about a “wooden” boy who is becoming “flesh.” Which is hilarious because it makes it a horror story, and Jim and Archie and Fang are all in on that joke! But also, the lives they have led, as an assassin trained from childhood, as career pirates, have led them to be tough and guarded (Jim takes a year to tell their best friend their favorite color; Archie isn’t phased by fighting to the death because that’s just how stuff goes; Fang is more raw and open, but also his persona is so different on raids vs on the Revenge that that juxtaposition is used to set up the whole cake-eating scene). Jim and Fang both remember a time when almost everyone on the Revenge was unguarded and soft most of the time. They wore soft clothes and sketched each other and played the lute and went on little day trips and talked about their feelings and kissed. Archie probably doesn’t know all those specifics but she can piece some of it together, I think. I think, to Jim and Archie and Fang, maybe the wooden boy story is still about unmasking and shedding learned behaviors, but instead of the focus on those behaviors being untrue, now the focus is on those behaviors being protective.

Side note: we don’t know this for sure, but Pinocchio could be the same story, mostly, in both tellings! Certainly they’re compatible with each other. Which maybe is a comment on what it’s like to put your story out in the world. People will make it their own and use the parts they need, and that’s the desired effect! That’s part of it! Look how much relief and hope it’s giving these folks to do these silly demon voices! Look how this fancy guy is enjoying reading this kids' story to his new family!

Also both s1e1 and s2e1 end with Pinocchio (if you include the post-credit tag) which I just think is neat.

Seagull feast

I think this is related. I was wondering if the seagull feast is maybe a goose callback?

Goose: baby Stede making himself go through the motions of seeming tough and masking to avoid mean comments from dad. Mostly this isn't successful, shown by baby stede’s flinch and dad’s lecture. Dad still mean, goose still not nice to look at. Flashbacks to the goose moment always come when Stede feels like he's weak or weird or wrong :(((( — but, I think this is changing in season 2!

Seagull: Shows that the crew have made themselves BE tough since the storm / almost killing Ed. They are much more effective at toughening up than baby Stede (not flinching at the sight of the dead bird but digging in!! eating it!!). They are more armored up than ever rn. They're eating a SEAGULL and not flinching even a little bit. They've gone full box-in-the-mind.

I love so much that Stede seems to see the bloody seagull and barely registers it (or jumping overboard, swimming, climbing up a ~!~ladder~!~ for that matter). Now he only wants to find Ed, and flashing back to his dad is the farthest thing from his mind, dead bird what dead bird who CARES I have important things to do. He’s got no time for his filters and protective layers and second guessing his instincts, he’s a real boy and he’s going to find Ed damn it!!!!! Ahhhh!!

Nine guns

There is so much to think about with Ed and Blackbeard and masks and armor. When Ed meets stede he’s been wanting to soften and take off his Blackbeard armor for a while, and within the first one hour and forty seven minutes :D of meeting, he does so, a bit, in the form of softer clothes. Ed lowers his guard over and over, in the bathtub scene, the kiss scene, etc, even renounces piracy (kinda ;), he is his real soft self and then when he gets his heart broken :(((((( he tries to suit back up with his emo makeup and nine guns, but he can't really get that armor to stick. Maybe because it's tied up in the Blackbeard persona which he was so ready to shed anyway???

I think I'm really glad he gets the head bonk and the cold shoulder in the antique shop and talking shit with Mary Read because they’re all little ways he’s getting little bits of protection/autonomy back?? in ways that feel authentic to Ed and not blackbeard, and not ed as part of ed+stede??? And then once he's that little bit safe he starts saying thank you to compliments from stede and yes I'll come back to the ship and gahhhhh

I have no conclusion and this is half formed, and I want to think/read about how the cake toppers and gravy basket fit in too, but really I just can’t wait for ed and stede and the crew to get more story time and art therapy. ✨🎶🎨

#ofmd #our flag means death #ofmd s2 #ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd s2 e1-5 #or 1-4 I guess?

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toon4thought · 6 months

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"Scavengers Reign"

I've always been a massive sucker for experiences that live on their atmosphere, colorful environments, and sound engineering - so this little Max series was naturally always going to be on my radar. And while it indeed excels on all of those traits, and are more than happy to show them off at every opportunity, it's also just a plain inspired story.

It takes an extremely simple idea - a downed ship gets stranded on an alien planet, and a few survivors must explore this world - wonders and dangers alike - in order to hopefully make their way out. There's three different subplots covering different characters, each covering a different angle (especially emotionally) and all go in very engaging directions. They may not have that much intersection until near the end, but it doesn't matter because it's all very well paced, never giving you too much or too little of something at once.

It helps just how much range it has. Sometimes it lets you take in the activities of all these creatures, almost like it's a documentary, or show a robot assistant unexpectedly take an interest in nature. Other times it puts the characters through hell, from an Alien-style parasite invasion, to being trapped in your inner trauma, and of course, straight-up death. The stakes feel legit, but it doesn't feel *grim* either. There's a terrific balance, and it all works hand-in-hand to make it all feel *real*, made even more so with just how natural all the characters are in both personality and dialogue. (Azi's my favorite, if you're wondering)

Over time, the character-driven stuff does start to take over the awe, but all the virtues I mentioned before remain consistent all throughout. And it all comes together to end on a truly gorgeous, cozy, and mysterious note - the kind that really leaves you wanting more (and god, do I wish this pulls through a second season) but still feels like a complete experience in its own right.

I give major props to everyone who had to fight for this to get made and released to the public and all the people at Titmouse who came together to make something this incredibly special and pure. Best new animated series of 2023, which is saying so much.

#hbo max #animation #scavengers reign

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unsleepingtales · 9 months

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MENTOPOLIS REACTIONS EPISODE ONE

Here we go babeyyyyyy. (this is so long. you have been warned.)

Right off the bat the cc says (cool opening noir music) and I'm in love

Mind of a scientist ok!!

brainstorm I'm dying already

HE'S BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME <3<3

I'm so excited for Hank Green in the dome guys

Also I love that Hank gets to show just how big a dropout fan he is here

I love that they hacked the system by hiring the people who wrote the original system lmao

God the table is SO COOL

Oh god is this gonna be corrupt

It would be so cool to see theoretically moral 'people' have to deal with being the mental functions of a not necessarily 'moral' person

closeups on the buildings this is SO cool

Dome antics AND light antics??? We're being so spoiled this season <3

First episodes are usually one of my favorites in any given season because I love getting introduced to the characters and watching a story get set up and this looks to be no different

I love the custom office scene for Trapp is there going to be a unique backdrop on the dome for each intro??

Brennan found a list of slang terms for detectives somewhere and decided to have a good time huh

A rubbery kinda guy

Tropes!

I for one LOVE the puns

Siobhan is gonna kill it as a femme fatale I can already tell

They're being so dramatic I love them I love this so much

ooh okay different time system? That's really interesting I wonder why like is it just because the scale is smaller or is there some larger reason within the world logic?

"I understand the sequence of the words you've said, I don't understand how it involves me just yet" FELT

ooh that's a cool feat

what the fuck are you two talking about

they have a mayor?

Does stuff being in the newspaper mean that it comes to the attention of the big guy?

(nat one sound) I love that that's a normal caption <3

Halving mechanic my beloved!! King Solomon that shit

(sad, New York accent) me every day of my goddamn life

is one of god's own children a real saying that I've just never heard in my life

Brennan was just waiting for Danielle to ask what their name was and I'm so glad he was able to slip it in even though she didn't

Norrel Ojiccle I'm gonna lose my mind

The clunk means failure :D

Entirely unrelated but I can't wait for merch of this season I just know it's gonna slap

so many reporters, just one fact checker. so real.

Ooh okay so A probably has ties to a rich/powerful family but left to make her own way

So when an attention being goes somewhere it actually calls the big guy's attention to it? Like if A went to the red light district it wouldn't matter if she reported it or not, the very fact of her being there would do something?

"I heard you say a lotta words there but deep down I really don't wanna pay attention" FELT

Also the word play of he doesn't want to pay her. Because she's A Tension.

Also I didn't write it before but. I think there's more going on with her name than just being a play on attention. Tension means something else. We've gotten clues that the Pulse family has impact on the big guy's actions, implying that they have something to do with the circulatory system, I'm thinking something similar could be going on and that the ties A has could be to a musculatory family? Idk maybe I'm clowning.

(making those sounds you make right before sneezing) cc writers I love you

I was prepared to have mild distaste for this character I was not prepared to be charmed

I love that the names in the red light district all seem to be things that feel good or are a luxury or connect to a physical pleasure trigger in the body I think that's neat

Dan Fucks and Donny Urges. Man.

Ohohoho intrusive thoughts. Oh boy.

The lighting on Brennan's eyes as he said that lmaooo

That one time a barber whispered in your ear. Is this just like a universal experience.

It's not sexual. It's also not not sexual. (being satisfied) it's nooOt sexuAl

oh my GOD oxytocin being hot chocolate but also oxytocin being outlawed because the big guy is lonely and touch starved

I silence with my arms. Also my gun, if necessary. I love you.

Why is he vaguely french

The big guy doesn't DESERVE pleasure???

Deserve.

Hmm.

(saying "yeah" back and forth in increasingly horny ways)

(Hank trying to control his laughter and himself)

(weirdly tense mouth sounds)

They're all so delighted by what's happening this is wonderful

Nobody's allowed to feel good until the job is done this is such neurodivergent guilt shit. This is gonna nerf me I think.

You're telling me that the giant hitman has bad sneak? Unbelievable.

Tropes!

I am once again begging for posters of the dome art. Please. Like retro style travel posters.

oh he's good at this. he's really good at this.

fuck why was that kind of hot.

(Brennan silently laughing in terror and awe) me too babe meee toooo

He can use sharp instead of slick 'cause he's Menacing another cool feat!!

Also yeah that is menacing

I don't think Brennan was prepared to be that flustered and honestly besties neither was I

Hank's satisfied little smirk <3

Trapp so fed up and simultaneously delighted with the puns

But what happens when he's hyperfixated on something that is of no use to the main ambitions of the big guy? What happens to him then?

He's so prepared for it to be a pun

He feels a feeling that he does not know and is not comfortable with. I was so right when I said the audhd rep (explicit or otherwise) would nerf me in the emotions.

Ooh I just noticed on the map it looks like the university is in the red light district? Fascinating.

"Would a good guy do a bad thing?" oh my GOD??

I gave him all the facts and he made a choice KIDDO

He put the papers out of order on purpose?

(old timey speech music)

And all of this makes sense!

Bonjour, hello- Oh well I don't speak that!

"Please reconsider" reconsider what?? Just the illegality of it? Or did he get rejected for a job or smth? I feel like I'm overthinking this.

OOH STAT BREAKDOWN LOVE IT

Are they gonna alternate spellings of his name because if so that's hilarious

My MORTAL ENEMY (referring to a child that was introduced as small, too small, and whose character sheet refers to him as teeny tiny.)

We need lore on the Fakename family please

Oh of course they know each other!

Does that imply that Imelda is somewhat related to intrusive thoughts?

They also know each other!

Babe what are you saying

Notably slightly shinier than most rocks!

It's very satisfying to me that Conrad's stat dice are in descending order.

Wayward interests...

That's not what a superlative is?

OKAY I'M GLAD HE AGREES WITH ME

I love him

The wayward interests are past hyperfixations?? Or maybe interests that were deemed unhelpful?

They both know so many facts this is going to be a wonderful season

I like when it is very clearly explained thank you

What are youuuuu

List of Lists kid <3

Oh my god magic kid. I'm gonna cry.

Key??

Okay so she has an insane amount of power.

Cousins! Ok!

A also has a key! Noted!

Is this kid about to get shot

oh GOD WHAT

Oh what have you done

I loved that so much cannot wait for next week <3

#mentopolis #The Fix #brennan #HANK #dropout art team <3 #rick perry appreciation hours #verbal component #reactions

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actuallylorelaigilmore · 7 months

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2023 Movie Journey #17: Elemental

elemental. i watched this one earlier this week with my family...and i'm finally caught up on movie reviews! which means i can now post new ones right after i see the movies. yay.

this movie's cast has some actors who i know, probably most notably a guy i enjoyed in jurassic world dominion. but much, much more importantly, the star of this movie is leah lewis, so even if i hadn't liked the movie overall i still would have had a great time watching it.

i fell immediately in love with leah lewis's portrayal of george when i started watching nancy drew this year. and i mean immediately--i was watching with somebody who loved bess the most, and i had seen so much ace on my tumblr dash that i knew i'd like him too, but george was still my favorite character by the time i finished the pilot. without even knowing how great and rewarding her season 1 arc would be, or how much depth she would eventually have beyond her introduction as 'grudge-holding black sheep nancy's boss,' i could just tell she was my type of fave.

and even after watching the whole first season of nancy drew, it wasn't until i was rewatching it to show it to @actuallylukedanes that i accidentally learned george was played by leah lewis...and that i already knew her! she was in the half of it! which i watched and reviewed in 2020, and loved so much that i've wanted to get other people to watch it ever since. i didn't connect her performances at all, but even my review back then raved about how she was what made the movie good.

so when i realized she was starring in this, i was thrilled. and what i love about her is that she's consistently the kind of actor who has a real presence: she makes her characters engaging and stands out in a big way for somebody still young (though she started acting as a kid, so i know she's not new just cuz she's newish to me). she's signed on to the matlock reboot with kathy bates and i don't expect to love that cbs show, but i am very excited to try it anyway.

as for the movie though: i couldn't help but spend the first half just hearing george, in all her lines. not in a distracting or bad way, but a nice familiar feeling. i suspect the goal with animated disney heroines is to not make them too distinctive, because there's kind of a 'friendly normal' sound to the modern ones regardless of the actress that means even when i can recognize who's speaking, they all sound a little more similar than i would ever say they do in live action work. (either that or it's just me not being able to differentiate as well in animation, which is certainly possible.)

anyway, i loved everything about her work in this; she was the reason i cried a few times. in my opinion that's always a mark of good work, making an impressive amount of connection with viewers using just your voice.

i also really liked her parents and wade, despite the movie's core conflict revolving around all of them--this movie did a good job of explaining who everybody was as things went along, in a more than superficial way, so that it was much easier to still like people when the Bad Times came because they made more sense and were more sympathetic. as family conflicts go, compared to encanto and turning red, this one was my favorite because of that. no matter how angry or disappointed her father got, or how much that affected ember, i could still sympathize with him too and believe that his love for her was more important than anything else.

now, i know this movie got mixed reviews (or possibly worse? i only saw vague headlines) but i'm not really sure why! the metaphor they used to tell the story about immigration and a diverse society was maybe more blunt than usual, but i don't think that's a bad thing. and while it did center on themes that disney movies cover a lot (family expectations, parental disappointment, feeling like a failure, being an outsider, etc)...there are reasons those themes pop up so much!

especially when pixar movies are trying to appeal to both kids and adult audiences, i think it makes total sense to keep coming back to the 'classics.' again, there were a lot of thematic similarities between encanto and turning red and this movie (despite their differences in the details) and i watched those other two--encanto more than once--but still cried just as easily when ember confessed to her dad that she was a bad daughter, and when they bowed to each other before she left. the wounds between us and our parents never really heal, i think, at least not for everybody. so this movie tugged at me by just representing those feelings well, and making me care about the characters.

and when it comes to caring about the characters, probably my favorite thing about the movie besides the cast was the way the plot genuinely surprised me. i expected a happy ending, because it's a disney movie. but based on the trailer, i didn't know what to expect between ember and wade beyond 'they meet and things happen.' and the movie does such a good job of setting up the world they live in and the rules they live by that i believed them.

so in the beginning, i figured they were going to become unexpected friends, and navigating that alone would be a challenge. in that story, presumably the happy ending would've been something like, she learns that wade is right and she doesn't have to stay with fire people and never interact with the rest of the world, and they get to have further adventures.

but then! it turns out that this movie is going for romance. weirdly, i don't expect that from disney movies--you'd think i would when they're the home of princess culture and everything, but i wasn't a 'princess meets her prince for a happy ending' kid. i grew up with disney classics but didn't imprint on any of them.

instead, i was a don bluth kid! singing music from an american tail is literally one of my earliest memories, and my animated love story growing up was anastasia. if i squint, i can kind of see overlap between that animated romcom and this one, in terms of traumatic family history and a guarded, feisty female lead who gets what she thought she wanted all along just as she's also fallen in love with someone whose difference threatens her new fulfilled goal.

i'm not saying the two movies are very alike, lol...a zombie sorcerer belongs nowhere in elemental, obviously. but they both treat their romances with less sentimental sweetness, more sparkage and sincerity. the flirting in this is cute, and i loved them more the further along we went.

but of course, there's still that pesky plot-established problem that makes them a doomed romance. so once it was clear that their dynamic was about falling in love, not just befriending the 'other'...then i honestly expected a bittersweet ending where friends is all they can be. because this is disney, not pushing daisies, and in a world where nobody seems to have invented the elemental version of saran wrap for characters to safely kiss through, what kind of future could they have?

i did not expect them to give us this story where the characters are all believable in how firmly they believe (or don't, in wade's case) that different elements can't mix, and then for the story to show us those differences being overcome. i mean, that theme isn't exactly a new one, love conquering all, but the differences were so much more concrete here--it was life or death for them! when the parental disapproval alone was almost enough to ruin their chances!

i suppose you could flip my reaction to this movie and look at it the opposite way, and complain that their ability in the end to do what the story all along told us couldn't be done made it a waste of time, like the stakes were fake even if they didn't know that. maybe if you predicted the ending from the beginning, it could have felt that way.

but i didn't have expectations for the ending. so while i was really hoping ember and wade could be together, i was prepared for the alternative, a more modest 'crossing the aisles' journey of discovery for them both that opened her world and future and allowed him into her life from a safe distance going forward. instead, their whole story was wonderful and i love them and i'm so glad that they get to be the odd couple they are in a very divided world.

one last fun (if also slightly vexing) thing about this movie is that while it does end, it leaves a lot open, too. and i wanted to get to see ember start her internship; i wanted to learn about their new life and if it goes well for them once they're out in the broader world. i guess i wasn't ready to say goodbye to them, really, is all.

but that was fun at least on the level of seeing this with my family--it meant that after it ended, we were discussing what a sequel could be about, and that segued into a discussion about whether ember and wade could have kids or if they'd have to adopt--and how cool it would be if them having kids would create new elements or something. i love that idea a lot.

and i enjoyed this movie a lot. it was super pretty, i liked most of the characters, and it was unexpected romcom fun. i'm officially rooting for pixar to make more love stories now.

#2023 movie journey #elemental #actuallylukedanes #leah lewis #anastasia #an american tail #nancy drew #encanto #turning red

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girlmodepod · 1 month

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Episode Number Blog

Robin: Hello and welcome to Girl Mode.

Willa: THE BLOG.

Robin: Yes, the blog. As you may have noticed, we haven’t had a new episode in two weeks. That’s because I’ve been sick and I can’t finish a sentence without coughing. So we have decided to try a little experiment instead. Think of it like a podcast that you don’t listen to with your ears, but with your eyes. We’re calling it a blog. We made that term up.

Willa: Kind of like how Hideo Kojima made up the term “movies”

Robin: Basically exactly like that. We’re the Hideo Kojima of podcasts. Does Hideo Kojima still have a podcast?

Willa: That’s a good question. Look it up while I talk… or write rather. So just running through the motions like we do on the pod, should we talk about some news that’s been happening lately in the industry? Because a lot has been done in the two weeks we’ve been off.

Robin: The last episode of Hideo Kojima presents Brain Structure was in March 2023. So I guess he gave that up.

Willa: He should bring it back to have Hunter Schaefer on.

Robin: We should have Hunter Schaefer on.

Willa: So. News.

Robin: Yeah, it’s been a fucked up couple of weeks. Or, honestly, there’s just been one fucked up thing sort of dominating news for the past couple of weeks, which we’ve planned to talk about for two weeks in a row now but couldn’t. We kind of missed the boat on it, which is actually a good thing I guess because it shows just how short-lived this sad little attempt at launching Gamergate 2.0 was that it seems to be on its last legs now.

Willa: Yeah if you want to know the details of it, there are several good articles on it, but honestly my favorite take is Ash Parrish’s which just calls the whole attempt at a movement “smaller and sadder.”

Robin: Yes! I actually wanted to talk about Ash’s take too, and it’s fortunate that it just came out. I think if we had talked about this two weeks ago, I would have said “here’s how I wish people were approaching this,” and last week I would have said “people are starting to approach it the way I hoped we would” and now it seems like Ash have kind of wrapped up the whole conversation perfectly. Which is, in short, the people going after Sweet Baby Inc and diversity in gaming are doing it in an incredibly pathetic attempt at feeling important. She’d probably put it a nicer way, but that’s how I see it.

Willa: For me, the thing that I keep coming back to and want to remind people of is that these groups are just such a vocal minority in the industry anyways. Like the industry is getting more diverse naturally and most players want that. GLAAD released its first gaming report this year and overwhelmingly players said queer characters in a game wouldn’t dissuade them from buying a title.

Robin: Totally! I think that’s an important thing to keep in mind. No matter how loud these people are, they are essentially trying to shout loud enough to stop the seasons from changing and it’s just not gonna happen.

Which isn’t to say that it’s nothing! Like, yes they’re a small and annoying buzzing in our ears, but they’re also trying their hardest to be something more than that. So while they’ll never achieve their stated aims of making gaming less diverse, they can be a real pain in the ass in the process! I had my own little taste of that this week when I tweeted something critical of Capcom using one of the biggest instigators of this whole mess to market Dragon’s Dogma 2 and it’s been nonstop bullshit since then. I just checked and I have 704 comments on that post. They’re probably not ALL shitheads, but most of them are! So I do just want to acknowledge that being on the receiving end of that kind of sucks, and I do think it’s important to call that behavior out and also be aware when someone you know is being brigaded and make sure they’re ok.

Willa: All very true. Should I let you monologue a bit longer?

Robin: Shut up. Yes. I really just want to add how weird of an experience it was to have this much shit thrown at me by like the most incompetent people in the world. You got some of this when you wrote about the shitty Harry Potter game, and I’d always kind of been afraid of it, since being a trans person in public seems to be enough to incite mobs. But I’ve got to say, and this is maybe a weird comment to make, but these people are fucking corny! There’s sort of that thing about transphobes only having one joke, and it’s true! They have like three maybe. But before I stopped paying attention, it was shocking how much people were just repeating literally the same message, sending the same shitty memes and all that. It just lays bare how much all this behavior is about trying to impress each other in this really sad way.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got I think, except to say, it’s a good idea to read up on everything that’s gone down and keep informed about it, but it’s also a totally valid personal reaction at that point just to say, “These people seem like assholes. Diversity is a good goal to aim for so I don’t really need to pay any more attention to people who want to stand in the way of that.” Like, the worst-case scenario for the people pushing this harassment campaign is that more marginalized people get hired to write more marginalized characters in games, so just saying that that's actually a good thing and that fighting against it is incredibly stupid is enough, I think.

Willa: Can we talk about how cool Unicorn Overlord is now… please?

Robin: Your transitions are just as smooth in text I see.

Willa: Ok. So, Unicorn Overlord rocks!

Robin: It does.

Willa: For those who don’t know, Unicorn Overlord is Vanillware’s latest game and it's a tactics RPG that’s also kind of an RTS game. It has a medieval fantasy story that doesn’t matter at all. The main attraction is the combat, which is fantastic and has a lot of crunchy systems and numbers to fiddle with. We both reviewed it, and both liked it a lot.

Robin: Yeah it rules. I think the whole time we were playing it, we were texting each other like five times a day about how good it is.

Willa: It’s definitely one of the best games the genre has seen in recent years. Hell, even Yasumi Matsuno can’t stop talking about how good this game is. And while I agree with him that this game is amazing to play, the one thing it lacks when compared to Matsuno’s games is the story. It doesn’t need a good story with combat this good, but god I wish it did have one, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim showed they could do a great narrative and that would have really made this a home run. But again, that’s a nitpick. The game still rocks.

Robin: I’m watching you type so I saw you say something like “one of the best games in this genre” and then delete it, but I don’t think you need to restrict it to “recent years.” I really think it’s one of the best strategy RPGs ever. Everything about it just goes so unbelievably hard. Except the story, yeah. Do you want to talk about the story a bit? It’s something we both critiqued even coming out of the preview and I didn’t have the room to really fit much about it into my review.

Willa: I mean I barely even touch on it in my review just because there is truly so little. You are a prince building an army to take back his throne, which was taken from his family by an evil guy. That’s it!

Robin: They really should have known he was evil from his armor even before he overthrew the queen.

Willa: The thing that I was more interested in picking at was how the mechanics intertwine with what little narrative there is in weird ways. Like the game has no interest in investigating what makes Prince Alain a good ruler, and the literal handwavey magic explanation for why the game’s bad guys are bad but not actually and don’t have culpability for their actions is a big head scratcher for me. But the game just isn’t interested in investigating those potential themes.

Robin: Yeah, it really is just about getting the good king back and throwing out the bad one. The thing that really sticks out to me is, like you said, the handwavey magic bit. So in the game, the evil bad guy just like casts a spell on a bunch of people and turns them into the leaders of his army, then Prince Alain uses his own handwavey magic to free them. It just seems so odd to me that they would choose what must be the least dramatic way of telling this story. All the major enemies are just mind-controlled, so they can become your friends after you beat them in battle. It’s so strange to me that they sidestep any potentially interesting political intrigue in favor of a plot that feels ripped out of a saturday morning cartoon.

Willa: Basically I think if you want a great tactics/strategy game you should pick this up. But if you need a story, then this will not spark joy in you. I am surprised by how much buzz this game is getting though, just in my office I’ve had a bunch of non-gaming writers come up to me to say how they have bought the game. You love to see it. Like Yoko Taro said, everybody should be buying Vanillaware games!

Robin: Yeah that’s actually surprising! It feels like such a niche thing that would only appeal to real sickos, but somehow it’s getting tons of attention. It’s well deserved, just surprising. And I do love seeing all the Vanillaware appreciation. I’ve followed this developer for so long and it’s honestly shocking that this is the game that’s finally getting them this much press when it feels like one of their least accessible. I mean, it is just that good though. Even now when we’re both spending all our time playing [REDACTED], I still want to go back and play more Unicorn Overlord if I can ever find the time.

Willa: All I want to do is spend all day talking about [REDACTED], but with that teaser, should we run through what we’ve been doing for the past two weeks?

Robin: Sure, everyone has probably stopped reading by now anyway. So, as I said I’ve been sick for a couple weeks, which is taking up pretty much all of my time. Shoutout to eating chicken noodle soup on the couch. Otherwise, just playing a couple things for work that I’ll be able to share soon enough. I guess I’ve been watching a lot of Deep Space 9? It’s kind of a comfort show for me, so I can put it on when my brain is too fuzzy to watch anything new and just be soothed by… horrible interstellar conflict I guess?

Willa: Sounds relaxing.

Robin: Yeah it’s got some hot aliens in there too, so that’s nice. What have you been up to?

Willa: Well I haven’t been sick in bed for a week, so I’ve been doing stuff. Outside of games, I’ve really been enjoying the show Shogun lately. I also started reading the new Ultimate X-Men comic by Peach Momoko, which rocks and you should read the article I wrote about it.

I think with that we can wrap up here. I’m excited to record another episode this week but also we should do this again. Maybe we will get the hang of it one of these times. Though that hasn’t been true of podcasting so…

Robin: Yeah but we have a lot more practice with written words than spoken ones. But yeah, I’m finally on the mend so we should be back to the normal schedule next week. If you’ve somehow made it this far though, and even more unlikely, enjoyed it and want more stuff like this, let us know! If you don’t like it, keep it to yourself.

Willa: You can find us on socials and any podcast provider, that’s all in our linktree that you can just click on here.

Robin: Yeah I guess that wraps up the first Girl Mode Blog Edition, and maybe the last if no one reads this. If you do want to see more, maybe like this post so we know that anyone bothered to read it!

Willa: Normally I just let the fade to music cover our bad endings, but we don’t have that here. Bye.

Robin: I’ll try to find a way to make this just fade out so it feels the same and people can just imagine we said something interesting afterward. Bye!

#gaming #video games #podcast #queer

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fortunatelabs · 2 years

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【𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓾𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓛𝓪𝓫𝓼】【𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓷𝓮𝔀 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮.】

◈ ━━━━━━ ◆ ━━━━━━ ◈ New opportunity, new lifestyle, new experiences. You've just been employed to a job like no other. This new occupation isn't very public most information was shut tight up until your first day of orientation. You were ordered to show up at an exact time and no later or else you'd be 'fired' on the spot. The owner of this facility is a mystery thus far. As you're lead in by masked people in lab coats you notice how eerie the atmosphere is that you were just bought into. The chill of lab was like a hit of winter destroying the warmer seasons. You were then lead to a secret confessional room. Inside was a wooded desk, not well kept. More importantly atop that very surface was a tape player. And even more peculiar was an ominous tape with the label of 'There's No Turning Back Now'. Your blood ran cold at the message, but now you were in too deep. You prepared yourself and took a deep breath, then reached for the mysterious cassette. In the next moments the real horrors of this facility were to be revealed. You finally set the tape into the player and pressed the very button that was the key to knowing just what exactly you signed up for... *The Vintage Message Recorder Comes To Life With A Crackle Of Sound. An Old Man Who Sounds About Around His 40s Speaks Through The Muffled Recorder* "Ahem. Welcome To Fortunate Labs. It Will Be Your Home In More Ways Than One, No Matter The Position. Our Facilities Strive To Be Number One Regarding Research On Every Type Of Despicable Creature You Can Think Of, Receiving Research Results Through Any Means Necessary Of Course." "Eh, Doctors And Other Staff, There Are A Few Things I Need To Inform You Before You Begin Working At These Facilities. Concerning The Little Amount Of Employees We Maintain Each Month You Should Know That Those Numbers Would Indeed Make This Job A Tad Challenging At Times. Although You Will Be Glad To Hear Doctors Are Able To Schedule And Conduct A Test Experiment Any Moment They Please. That's The Fun Part Hahaa! This Facility Is Equipped With Numerous Testing Rooms And Equipment, Along With A Functional Electrical Chair. Of Course My Personal Favorite Will Forever Be The Vivisection Table Haha! ... And If A Subject Should Attempt An Escape, Guards Are Equipped With Leashes, Tranquilizers, And Tasers, Along With Their Own Physical Strength. If A Guard Is Somehow Not Present, Doctors Are Equipped With Shock Collar Activation Buttons, Tranquilizers, And Whatever Other Weapons They Desire. I Trust That You, Fortunate Lab Staff Members, Are Loyal And Stay Loyal. If Something Goes Wrong, I Do Not Hesitate To Switch Your Position." "As For The Subjects, I Like To Call Them Lab Rats, Will Be Safely Contained In Their Assigned Cells. Only Allow Them To Free Roam In The Cafeteria During Lunch, And The Contained Garden During Outside Time. Keep In Mind We Rarely Allow The Lab Rats In The Garden. Oh, And I Wouldn't Bother Trying To Escape. It Will Only Lead You Back Here. Escaping Through The Front Door Leads To An Enclosed Forest, Where We WILL Catch You Again. This Is Your Home Now, Whether You Like It. Or Not.” "I Look Forward To All The FUN We Will Have Together In My Lab! See You Then!" *The Vintage Message Recorder Stops With A Scratch Of Sound* ◈ ━━━━━━ ◆ ━━━━━━ ◈

#fortunatelabs

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alphinias · 2 years

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I watched TSITP in one sitting and immediately devoured the first book (about to start the second one).

I can totally see now why people were saying the show was even better than the book which took me by surprise 'cause that's a bold statement I had never heard in my life before.

They fixed a lot of things in the series that were probably ok in 2009 when the books first came out but wouldn't stand a chance today, especially if the target audience is young women in 2022.

13 years isn't THAT much but sure things have moved and progressed fast in the last decade, so many nuances of the story would have been slaughtered if they sticked to the book step by step. I'm glad they smoothed Conrad's character and watered down some of the possessive ways he acted and same for Belly being 10 times more "I act for myself first" and less obsessed over him. Watching the show I'm 100% team Conrad but I'm not gonna lie a lot of moments reading the book I was like "mmmmh boy, no" (for example when he kept grabbing her by the arm at the bonfire dragging her away from Cam or how forbidding some of his statements sounded) and they sure fixed it in the script, show Conrad is definitely jealous but not possessive. Same thing goes for a lot of the female characters like Taylor and Nicole, in the books it's almost like Belly projects her insecurities despising other girls, none of her relationships with other girls her age seemed to matter or to be real and I'm glad in the show they actually said "no, this isn't happening 'cause in real life girls don't go around catfighting 24\7. They maybe won't be the best of pals but they'll be cool and respectful with each other" which added A LOT to Belly as character. I love how they also toned down a little the bitterness between Jeremiah and Conrad, it is definitely there on screen but it isn't as snappish as in the book (like Jeremiah showing off is new body to Belly and Conrad calling him out at the dinner table).

Overall they tried to make everything a little more healthy and easy for the people following the story to like the characters and empathize with them, I feel like in the show you can easily struggle with "it's so hard to pick a side 'cause I love them all, they're all great" while with the books you can easily think "it's so hard to pick a side 'cause they're all messy" (not gonna lie borderline toxic, ALL of them). With the show you pick your favorite, with the book you pick who you despise less.

This makes me hopeful about the next seasons, I yet have to read the next two books but I roughly know what's gonna happen in the story since it's been impossible to avoid spoilers and I have this belief they won't go there with the marriage proposal, it's too much and it probably would divert the audience from the empathy towards both ships and they'll probably scratch that replacing it with another big deal but not as drastic (maybe moving in together) 'cause considering how much of a big deal the ball was in the show and her already having to choose between one of the two brothers but not at all in the book I have the feeling they kind of used it as symbolism for the wedding storyline (I picked Jeremiah, I'm there in the white dress with him but SYKE it's Conrad in the end always been him) and letting it happen now while they're all teen and it's not so serious, I don't know maybe that's just my wishful thinking but I can see them fixing this as well and making it more acceptable.

Never thought I'd be saying these words in my life but so far season 1 vs. book 1? The score is Book 0 - TV show 1.

Like I’ve said, it’s been years and years since I read the books, but yeah. Definitely thought a lot of it would have aged poorly from what I do remember. It’s definitely a product of its time.

Hats off to Jenny Han and everyone who worked on the show, truly. They improved all the areas that needed it and made the good things as good or even better.

I am also hopeful than they will translate some of what’s coming better after what they changed in S1.

#the summer i turned pretty #ask

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bigtiddies-smalldreams · 2 years

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Appreciation post for Max Mayfield in s4 specifically

!TW!depression & suicide

Spoiler warning: stranger things s4 vol2 2

Okay, naturally I'm always going to love & appreciate max. She's my favorite character and she has been for a v long time. She's funny and a good friend but also puts people in their place when necessary. She's genuinely one of my favorite things about stranger things.

But can we talk about Sadie's performance in season 4?

When reintroduced to the characters in episode one, it's clear something's off with Max. She's dressing differently, her stature is lower, less confident than who we're used to. She's not the max we know and love. And sure, you can go and blame that on Vecna or whatever, but I think there's something deeper here.

At the end of season 3, max loses everything. Her family dynamic shifts overnight, one of her new and closest friends moves across the country. One of the most impactful scenes of this entire show for me personally, is that shot towards the end of the Heroes goodbye sequence. Everyone's saying goodbye and packing up and then it cuts and you just see her sitting alone in her room, curtains drawn, just all by herself. It's only for a split second, but you can just see the anguish in her face, the pure raw of finally being alone and just crumpling entirely. And I feel like that was really telling for what to expect in s4.

I think that in s4, the Max we know is still there, we can see that from the way she interacts with her friends, Lucas specifically, but it's almost as if she's muted. As if the entire color has just been drained out of her after months of fighting this silent battle. We learn later that she's hating herself for not doing anything about Billy when she could have. We learn that she actually has wanted to die, that she's even pictured herself in his own situation. Because it seemed that if she was gone, everything would have turned out okay. It's clear (or at least it was to me, as a fellow mentally ill) that Max is struggling with suicidal ideation p much the entirety of s4. It's not something that's super focused on, but it's definitely there. You can tell she still cares about the people around her, she's still herself, but it's like there's this internal pain that she's just buried deep underneath. She's trying to hide these thoughts, that she'd be better off dead or everything would just be better if she was gone, but as a viewer it's really intriguing.

And what's special to me- is that it doesn't feel pushed or exaggerated. Depression or being "walking suicidal"(def having sucidal ideation but kinda just living with it) as I like to call it isn't this gigantic thing where you can just 'tell'. A lot of times it's being happy or feeling a small momentary reprieve(when spending time with your friends, for example), but in the back of your mind you can just feel this overwhelming nagging that you don't belong here. You don't deserve happiness. And no matter how hard you try, you can't find your way out.

Fast forward to the last episode where Max is literally dying, losing her vision. She's crying because she's not ready. She doesn't want to go yet. And I think that's what's so beautiful about this. Most times depression and suicidal ideation is so suffocating and intense that it clouds your vision so you can't see that you actually do like living. That life isn't all just pain and nothingness.

I think we don't get to see much actual good rep of suicidal characters in general, but even when we do it's like this over-dramatized Degrassi "going down the rabbit hole of darkness" plotline that's really only there to get an emotional response from you. In a lot of cases depression isn't this huge interstate billboard that other people can see from miles away. It's more like tiny cracks that go undetected.

Again, maybe I'm just picking up on this more since I've been there numerous times, but it's so lovely and special to me to see such a beloved character struggle with something so real.

#at least that's just my take #max mayfield #stranger things #depression #sadie sink is an actual god

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spoilertv · 2 months

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#SpoilerTV

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wavesandgazes · 5 months

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The true Achilles heel of retail is Black Friday. If you didn’t already know this, it’s called Black Friday because most stores just bleed money for the first three quarters of the year, and it’s only when the Christmas shopping season comes around that their numbers start to move from the red into the black. Prior to the proliferation of two-day shipping and Cyber Monday, Black Friday already had a bad reputation—every local news station in the country has a B-roll package of people getting trampled in the entryway of a Target. But even if you’re not willing to risk life and limb to get your cousin a pair of Airpods right after Thanksgiving, the fact remains that going to a mall or big box store at any point in the month of December is not a fun experience. Parking sucks, lines are long, and you will be inundated, like you are every year, with the cloying, dulcet tones of Christmas music. And though it does and may always induce an involuntary Pavlovian drip of nostalgia, Christmas music is no one's favorite.

I am fascinated by it. So much of it is immediately recognizable as Christmas music, but determining the exact contours of the genre feels very slippery. Certain subject matter (Santa, the newborn king) are very easily shelved, and a lot of it is secular, seasonal odes to snow and roaring fires. Yet somehow it’s verboten to play these songs in January. It doesn’t have any singular instrumental signifiers, besides maybe sleigh bells, and while many songs are as serious and solemn as a fad dance number, they have endured for decades.

I’m mostly fascinated by Christmas music’s predicament. Just like the shopping centers that pipe it over the loudspeakers every year, Christmas music as we know it is facing a slow terminal decline. The canon of Christmas music is not replenishing itself, and if the charts are any indication, there doesn't appear to be any incentive to try. The resurrection and growing popularity of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”, released 19 years ago, is no longer a meme but a replicable playbook—Brenda Lee's "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" (released in 1958) is receiving a similar social media push. Despite artists from every corner of the pop sphere still releasing Christmas cover albums, any original songs on these records aim for little more than short-lived novelty (like on the recent Kacey Musgraves’ duet with Willie Nelson called “Have A Willie Nice Christmas”). With catalog hits showing algorithmically-rejuvenated strength, the songwriting braintrusts of New York and Nashville do not appear interested in writing new and enduring inter-generational Christmas songs. This is obviously not the most urgent art project to undertake, but it speaks to diminishing returns in the larger ecosystem.