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existentialmagazine · 3 days

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Existential Magazine’s April Music Roundup

With the month coming to a close, we’re sharing just a handful of our favourite new releases we’ve discovered this April! Sit back, put on our New Music Friday playlist and spend a few minutes enjoying fresh new tunes hand-picked by us.

Kyss på halsen - Dive

As a sequel to their well-received debut EP, the glowing indie act Kyss på halsen are proud to release their second EP; ‘Nightwanderer.’ With inspiration taking from paintings like ‘Starry Night’ rather than musical pieces themselves, it’s immediately clear the textural landscape of these new singles will be unlike any transitional song, carefully curating every brush stroke, flowing of sound and pattern of beats like a painter wields their tool. The opening single ‘Dive’ sets that anticipation best, led in by large, atmospheric beats, a resounding boom that circles around the soundscape like it were an open stadium. Whirring synth beats and backing vocals are laced underneath, shifting through distorted effects before the opening verse comes to more of a light simmer. With just the slow, reverberant beats that unfold like droplets of water, and atop it their vocals that linger through the air, ‘Dive’ really begins to press forward. With an airy delivery to her lines, their vocalist’s clean delivery contrasts against the electronic backing, made even more prominent when electronically soaked backing lines come in with more of a low-toned blanket beneath. The chorus is what really shows off the starlit scene though, dancing through a cascade of quick firing beats that roll, tumble and crackle like fireworks or shooting stars working their way through the audible artwork. It’s mesmerising, like if bedroom pop and hyper-pop came together for a sound that were both intimate and vivid. It’s not just the sound that is filled with depth though, as the lyrics carry through a poetic and melancholic approach to longing and hope, teetering the line: ‘dreamers fading away… love will come and go.’ Feel it in your soul or live it in an upbeat little dance, either way it’s yours.

Snap Infraction - Touch The Sun

Echoing the vibes of The Cars, Thin Lizzy, early Fleetwood Mac, and The Beatles, the rock-based trio Snap Infraction have been dancing between the sheer potential of their work for a long time now, delivering a multitude of singles all styled in ways that are familiar but ever-so new and refreshing. Their newest ‘Touch The Sun’ is perhaps the most Beatles reminiscent yet, sweetly delivering gentle acoustic tones in an infectiously laid-back manner. Through an introductory bright acoustic guitar riff swiftly followed by warm piano keys and bass twangs, this easy-going ambience is one you’re lulled right into from the get-go. Swaying and easing into the soft, slow journey, the verse embraces you further with the addition of the double-tracked vocals. They’re dreamy and rich as they lift the sound to its full potential, an aching touch in the lower-toned range but that doesn’t mean there aren’t the most transcendent high cascades too, all together glowing like a lake on a summer’s day. As things move forwards, the sound continues to rise and develop through a palette of other instrumental layers, with rising volumes for piano keys and an acoustic guitar riff that now finds itself running through the verses too. It’s hard to capture a sound that’s wistful and sad, and yet so beautiful and hopeful all in one, radiating like a nostalgic reflection of a much-loved day that’s tinted with regret and longing from the future. That’s why their lyrical message is one that weaves so carefully and intentionally through, mirrored by the sound as their words aim to help and guide someone through their depression. With lines like ‘no need to hold onto regret’ that alleviate you of your bottled-up burdens, and the chorus hook that preaches new beginnings, you’ll find yourself lifted up and reminded of the beauty life has to offer even at your lowest: ‘reaching so high you touch the sun, now that your life has just begun.’

ego n friends - none of your business

Claiming the genre of nostalgic indie-pop, the upcoming artist ego n friends has been continually proving why they’re one to watch since they first entered the music scene in 2022, creating a style of music that’s familiar but so strikingly individual that no one else is doing it quite like he is. This separation from any other act is clear as day in their new single ‘none of your business’, blending an array of styles like bedroom pop, electronic and alternative flourishes into one palette you just can’t get enough of. With heavily distorted and electronically seeped vocals that whir in and out in a long introduction that samples their previous song, there’s an immediate aching to ‘none of your business’ that’s clear in the vocals, showing that even while shielded in effects they’re clearly still carrying a sadness in their downbeat isolation. Accompanied just by deep, drawn-out synth keys, this rather untraditional lead into ‘none of your business’ is perhaps what makes it that bit more special, showcasing an array of emotions from low to high through and through. After about a minute though, the track twists and warps into something completely new, painting on a fresh face and lifting you right up. Between gorgeous shining electric guitar strums and ego n friends smooth, charismatic vocals, you’ll be quickly wrapped up in every single quickly spoken-sung line. Female backing vocals add a lingering to intermittent words while others seem to have a light chanting behind them, drawing focus to segments like ‘hope your daddy’s hurting, ‘cause he ain’t learning all your trauma.’ All of it completely pops, showcasing exactly how few instruments can make the boldest of impacts when playing around with stereo space. While the lyrics are complex and weave between romance, accountability and other real-life admissions, a lot of what you’ll take away from ‘none of your business’ is just how you end up interpreting it in your own life - and that’s exactly what the experience hopes to deliver.

Grapevine. - Like An Oasis

The solo artist Will Clucas has been slowly but surely making his name known under the project Grapevine., hailing from the North East with a drive that’s seen his work adored by locals and fans worldwide. This sparkling indie rising star has garnered this much deserved attention through his first two synth pop tracks, and his latest ‘Like An Oasis’ is no exception to an already stellar discography. With a vibrancy perfect for the upcoming bright spring and summer days, this tropical feeling new delight parades his yatch pop inspiration with a flavourful array of genres we all know and love. Through funky electric guitar strums, soft tumbling beats and glowing synth, this new tune is an oasis of its own, topped off by a light and airy vocal performance to match. With smooth lines that keep things easy on the ears, you’ll be singing along in no time to Will’s catchy and contagious delivery. Perhaps this edge of tranquility and ease is why his utterly contrasted lyrics float through undetected, ringing out with desperate pleas for when you’re so lost in love with someone that you can’t quite find your way. Lines like ‘forget everything I said’ seem to be afraid of their admissions, leaving a barrier up and a distance between them and their crush or lover, potentially uncertain if they’re deserving of reciprocated feelings. Continuing ‘this weight over my head’, it’s almost like their feelings are a burden rather than freeing, yearning to let it go instead of accept them and pursue. The way the sound develops seems to match these uncertain ramblings, with more paired-back verses against a chorus that shimmers and dances through the most explosive of synth. A little saxophone solo bursts through the final portion of the song, a sonic journey you don’t want to miss out on experiencing for yourself.

Mel Senese - Melonade

Jumping into her third release of the year, the up-comer Mel Senese has been quickly dominating the music scene with what she does best - delivering indie-pop you just can’t get enough of. From the start of ‘Melonade’, not even a second is wasted before her clear and domineering vocals grab your hand and pull you in, filled with clean charisma and little raspy moments that show off more of the emotion underneath. The soundscape is just as bright and feel-good to match, popping through an equally groovy bassline and catchy clapped-styled beats, delivering that easy-going disco spirit in more of a modern day indie approach. Simmering to more of a stripped-back moment for the pre-chorus, the track fades into quick strummed guitar and pulsating beats, a slowly rising moment of building intensity that Mel’s vocals commandeer with ease. The chorus is an unexpected little shift, blaring into gritty electric guitar strums, tumbling drums and more attitude-filled vocals from Mel, falling more into a rock-y intermission that can’t help but empower and radiate: ‘get your drink from a melonade stand, rolling up to me like damn.’ Just when you think you know what you’re in for, the next verse completely shifts once again with a casually rapped delivery from Mel that’s insanely addictive to sing along with. Backed up by the perfect assortment of electronic beats and bass twangs, as well as backing vocals that add little witty nods like ‘uh huh’ and ‘okayyy’ , you’ll always be on your toes while listening and perhaps that’s why it’s so damn good. The words are equally integral to the experience too, written by Mel as an ode to herself and how sometimes you just need to talk yourself up to have the confidence you deserve. Whether you’re here for a good time, or for that extra pick-me-up that Mel is sure to deliver, you won’t regret listening to ‘Melonade’.

We Were Young - The Kids

With a motive to ground listeners, letting them live in the moment and free of the pressures of life, the upcoming artist We Were Young has been slowly but surely delivering new songs that capture that breath of fresh air we all need sometimes. Since setting up only this year, they’ve already found themselves sharing five stand-out singles in a short space of time, but never sacrificing the staple sound to do it - and their newest offering ‘The Kids’ best displays it. Through a light opening of finger-picked acoustic guitar amidst booming beats and claps that entwine for a rather paired-back soundscape, you’re immediately brought back to the basics and reminded of your youth, swept up in the summer air and natural feel of the rustic instrumental energy. A warmth is carried through the vocals, soft and floating through the sound with a sincerity to every gently rising word, a delicate rasp on some lingering moments that delivers emotion through the ease. Everything about it is fresh and freeing, transporting you to the outdoors with bonfires and friends and pink-tinted skies, away from your burdens for a moment of uninterrupted tranquility. The chorus adds some vibrant pops of synth, dancing through their notes while only the vocals are there to complement them. This moment of more intentional intimacy is perhaps one of the first times you realise the narrative has a more hard-hitting depth to it, caught up on the line ‘they stay together for the kids’ as the song falls into place as an exploration of the push-pull of family life. But as the sound contrasts with such a colourful palette, there’s a hopeful air that shines through even the gloomiest of admissions, emphasising working through it despite no longer choosing to ‘dance to tunes so sweet.’ Building atmosphere and healing your heart, you’ll find that ‘The Kids’ is the perfect folk-y tune to journey into the spring days with, embracing the imperfections of life and building a life that can withstand the rain.

Maddy Storm - i want to be everything

Known as an artist and producer of self proclaimed “over-the-top-sad-pop-bops”, the upcoming musician Maddy Storm has been slowly but surely dominating the music scene with tracks that are loud, bold and unashamed. If you want to wallow in your feelings, the best way to do it is definitely through channeling your inner boss, and Maddy’s here to teach you how. With her newest single ‘i want to be everything’ continuing the staple edginess of her music, Maddy’s once again embracing the ability to mesh sad thoughts with fiery delivery. The opening verse is anything but typical though, stripped-down and pushing forward through bright instrumental chimes like the winding of a music-box, an uneasy slow progression that feels as though it’s sulking and waiting its time to dominate. It’s not long before striking synthetic beats cut through the softness, with Maddy’s previously toned-back vocals and light distortions quickly finding their place in a more volatile landscape, twisting and pushing through a range that’s impressively daring. The chorus is where it all really comes out to play, thunderously blaring through controlling, booming synth and layers of vocals that shine between higher ranges and shouted vocals front and centre, all still displaying an epic range from start to finish. As a manifestation of a 2am spiral, ‘i want to be everything’ perfectly encapsulates that level of late-night unhinged we all often live through, our thoughts tangling out of control and losing sight of the daytime’s ability to keep us in check: ‘you wouldn’t want me to worry, and I know I shouldn’t… but my mind likes to play tricks on me.’ Continuing ‘I have no reason to believe you’d lie’, it’s quite clear that Maddy strongly knows the truth of the situation, and yet cannot help but still find doubts weaving their way through. Between hyperpop, dark-pop and some rocky grit mixed in, ‘i want to be everything’ absolutely champions everything you need when the world feels like it’s burning around you.

Northern Captives - Living In-Between

Initially forming in 2016 as a recording project by singer Sam Cook, the indie upcomer Northern Captives have spent many years establishing their unique presence in the music scene, drawing attention from Kerrang! Radio and BBC Radio 1 Future Alternative among many others. Now as they take 2024 by the reigns they share new single ‘Living In-Between’, a blend of alternative-rock, indie, pop and emo flourishes for something familiar and yet one of a kind. With an atmosphere set right from the beginning, ‘Living In-Between’ comes tumbling in through tapped drums, blaring guitar strums and a whole lot of building energy, but it dissipates just before you’d expect things to kick off. Through the settled verse, the sense of trepidation for something loud and large flows through the simmered steady drums, intermittent bright guitar strums and their vocalist’s lower-toned lines, carrying a spoken-sung lean to his words that adds an ache into the performance. This is all hushed and delicate, but that sense of rising sound present the entire way through with the backing vocal shouts and building guitar. The chorus finally allows things to burst, dancing into a dreamy electric guitar riff, building drum beats and their vocalist’s words soaked in reverb, all clashing into one final eruption of dominant drums and gritty strums that we’ve been awaiting since the very beginning. A moody bassline also comes into play from this point forwards, with ‘Living In-Between’ slowly but surely pulling together its individual pieces and growing in strength. The vocals show off a lot more force, hurtling into higher notes and shouted lines that carry a hoarse and quivering level of emotion in each word sung too. It’s hard not to love every second of it, moulding something dreamy with bottled-up emotions finally finding the place to free themselves and be heard.

Giack Bazz - Only Fans

Since writing his first song in 2008, the talented musician Giack Bazz has been continually demonstrating why his music is made to stand out, tackling an array of genres and widely spanning themes throughout his journey. His newest single ‘Only Fans’ is perhaps the most daring yet, unafraid to speak out about the current state of the music industry and the digital creative environment that has seen artists struggling more than ever before. The sound doesn’t wish to thrust that on you immediately though, lulling you in with a warm, slow indie-rock sound, painting a picture of ease through the dreamiest of reverb-soaked electric guitar plucks layered and entwined. Giack’s vocals are equally smooth and charming, floating through the delicate tones with his own airy delivery, carrying a sense of melancholia in the lower-toned lines that are mellow but saddened. From sound alone, you’d be none the wiser, whisked along for a magical escape that’s easy on the ears and soothing for the soul, but everything about that feels completely intentional. ‘Only Fans’ wants to push a message, and what better way to deliver his point than to create a sound that's relaxing and easy, coaxing you in with an easy-going nature and making it unavoidable to learn more as Giack’s words spill out. With a narrative that rings out as a protest as much as it does a story to be heard, ‘Only Fans’ tackles the unfortunate reality that the music landscape has shifted for the worse: ‘If it's true that one's company and two is a crowd, there were three many people singing too loud.’ With lines that emphasise the way the music scene feels overcrowded and impossible to succeed within, we’re immediately drawn in by the struggles that are often unmentioned by those who have “made it.” Continuing into the chorus, Giack adds ‘watching disinterested the stage, with a drink in their hand’ , an acknowledgement of the way crowds await their headlining act without love for the openers, or perhaps have just lost the desire to support upcoming musicians any longer. From start to finish, Giack touches on the despair that comes with creating nowadays, the struggles to be heard, the unconventional ways you must promote yourself, the dire amount of money paid through streams and more. If you’re ready to hear it for what it is, ‘Only Fans’ isn’t backing down about getting it heard.

Morgan Chambers - growing pains

The twenty-one year old singer-songwriter Morgan Chambers just began sharing her soft musical works with the world, offering some of her most intimate experiences and emotions as both a form of healing and guidance for those who need it most. Not only that, but as her debut as a musician Morgan hasn’t just shared with us a single worth remembering, but a body of work residing in EP ‘growing pains.’ From the the leading track ‘chasing dreamers’, Morgan right away establishes just how much of an upcoming star she is sure to be, creating aching folk-y works reminiscent of acts like dodie and Phoebe Bridgers but so incredibly her own all in one. Chiming in with finger-picked acoustic guitar notes and the most haunting but equally soothing of vocal hums, ‘chasing dreamers’ lulls you right in to a soundscape that is real and raw, but offers an much needed level of comfort like the presence of a friend at your most painful of lows. This sense of heart-wrenching agony is only further continued into the verse when Morgan’s tender vocals really begin to shine, soaring through delicate vocal lines that float through highs and simmer through lows, a tone carried through her delivery that makes every revelation feel as emotive as it must’ve been while experienced. All of it wraps around you with an ease and understanding that all artists would hope to weave through their songs, making the listener feel heard and understood as they pin their own woes to the troubles that Morgan spills. The words are just as sentimental and heartbreaking as you’d expect, questioning why someone would compare her to so many beauties just to walk away: ‘you said I looked like the stars, was that not enough to keep me in your heart?’ Continuing ‘half of me puts you first, and half of me hates everything you do’, Morgan seems to come to the revelation that she must come first, but her torn heart lingers on what could’ve been and the love she still stores. It’s wistful and pained, truthful and cathartic, delving deep into emotions buried and unheard of, spilling out like the words of a diary for the world to hear - and that secretive, close feel of her work is what makes it ever so impactful.

Give a listen to these songs and more in our New Music Friday playlist this week, or see our Roundup Recap playlist for every song previously featured in one of our monthly roundups that you might have missed!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

// Some of this coverage was supported and created via Musosoup, #SustainableCurator.

#tatiana

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mykpopwire · 7 months

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interview: cignature to fill up your youth with excitement through [Us in the Summer]

cignature have recently made a comeback with their fourth EP, [Us in the Summer] on August 29th. The EP talks about girls in their youth and all the new things they are experiencing such as love, breaking up, and finding your inner self. cignature shared more about the album and their group in the recent interviews with K-Pop media outlet around the world.

Q: Could you tell us what is special about ‘Smooth Sailing’, why your fans should listen to this song?

CHLOE: I think this song captures our natural side. We're all about going hard and perfecting performances on stage, but with this song, we tried to show more relaxing side where we can enjoy our performance on stage. I hope that our fans who are watching our performance can also feel the joy. That's what I hope for.

Q: Your stage presence is so much fun. What’s your favourite thing about performing ‘Smooth Sailing’?

SEMI: I can't help but smile when I hear our fans cheering for us; that's my favourite part of performing this song. Additionally, in the choreography, there are several dance moves where we interact, like the part where our backsides touch. This allows us to showcase different aspects of our group and adds to the enjoyment of the performance.

Q: How does [Us In the Summer] differ from your previous releases?

SELINE: I don't think there's a significant difference from our previous albums, but the main distinction is that our prior release was during the winter, so we aimed for a bright and energetic vibe. In contrast, this is a seasonal summer song, and we tried to capture the cool, refreshing, yet laid-back feeling of summer. I guess the biggest difference lies in the seasonal setting.

CHLOE (left), SELINE (right)

Q: Did the members personally take part in the creative process of conceptualizing the EP? Could you share more about your participation?

CHLOE: For our title track, ‘Smooth Sailing’, there is a part where we exchange diaries, and our members wrote down the diary entries and we exchanged it with each other. We would reply to these entries, so we participated in that. And JEEWON came up with the idea of the choreography. It was actually for a challenge, but our CEO really liked it so we are actually doing the "bow" part in the actual choreography. Also, I picked up this outfit for the music video and also our CEO really liked it so we were wearing that in the music video. And we actually had to pick out the title track and it was a unanimous opinion that we really liked this song. We actually went through 50-ish songs to pick a best one for the comeback, and this was the song that we picked.

Q: Which part of the lyrics from ‘Smooth Sailing’ that kind of represents your feeling at the moment?

CHAESOL: The lyrics, "Annyeong, insahae/ Ttwineun heartbeat (Hello, say hello / My heartbeat is racing)," really capture our emotions perfectly. Being on stage and connecting with our fans fills us with excitement, just like the lyrics suggest with the "racing heartbeat." Every day is filled with excitement.

Q: Besides the title track ‘Smooth Sailing’, what is the favourite song or what song do you enjoy the most in your EP?

SEMI: I chose ‘Sorry So Sorry’. While recording it, the director gave us many compliments, and listening to the final version fills me with pride. The song also highlights our unique voices, adding to my pride in cignature every time I hear it. During the performance, there's a powerful dance section and getting it in perfect synchronization feels great. This is why ‘Sorry So Sorry’ is my choice.

DOHEE (left), SEMI (right)

Q: Before filming the music video, did the director tell you the overall story that they wanted to tell, or did you approach it scene by scene and find out when you watched the finished product, the overall story?

JEEWON: This was our first time collaborating with this director, and he was incredibly thorough in his approach, meticulous with monitoring, and often initiating meetings himself. We initially received the story concept for the music video, and it was evident that he really understood our individual characteristics and incorporated them into the video. Moreover, he skilfully orchestrated scenes where the members with great chemistry appeared together. It seems clear that having the story concept before shooting, after multiple meetings and discussions, resulted in a much better final product. I felt very proud in the finished music video and thought it would be an excellent idea to continue working with the same director.

Q: [Us in the Summer] is about happy times, enjoying summer breaks and letting go of stresses and worries in life. What is one core memory of your own youth, your childhood that comes to your mind when you listen to the tracks of the EP?

CHAESOL: When I was younger, I lived in an apartment with a stream in front of it. I have fond memories of playing in the water, having fun with friends, enjoying an ice cream, spending quality time with my parents, and going on bike rides. Listening to this album evokes those cherished summer memories and I get very happy.

Q: ‘Us in the Summer’ depicts the different experiences young girls face in their youth. In one word, how would you describe your own youth and why did you choose this word?

CHLOE: I would like to choose the word, "treadmill", because without stopping I just ran through whatever was in front of me, like having the goal and trying to reach that goal without stopping. So before I became a part of cignature I only studied. I studied in the U.S. and I knew nothing about K-pop, but I still chose and chased my dream of becoming a K-pop idol so I would choose the word, "treadmill."

CHAESOL (left), JEEWON (right)

Q: Is there a message you would like to express through cignature (your concept, music, etc)?

JEEWON: We want our fans to feel a sense of happiness when they watch our performances and listen to our music. That's why we put a lot of effort into both our music and performance. We believe in consistently producing great songs that resonate with the public, so that people can trust that cignature's music is always worth listening to. This is the path we aim to follow.

Q: Which cignature song would you recommend to people that first became your fan through this comeback?

CHAESOL: I'd like to recommend the song ‘Sirius’, which shares a similar vibe with ‘Little Me’ and is featured on the same album as ‘Boyfriend’. This song has the power to truly soothe your soul, and I hope it resonates with listeners and helps them develop an even deeper love for cignature. So, my recommendation is ‘Sirius’.

Q: In the future, when people look back at cignature and the music you’ve made, is there a certain way you’d like it to be seen or something you’d like to be called by the public?

SELINE: I believe that our debut song, ‘NUN NU NAN NA’, perfectly encapsulates the overall concept of cignature. I hope that people remember us as a group that delivered great songs right from the start. I'd be thrilled if ‘NUN NU NAN NA’ became known as "the bible of girl group debut songs."

Thank you J9 Entertainment and Helix Publicity for the invitation.

Watch cignature 'Smooth Sailing' MV here!

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*photos courtesy of J9 Entertainment

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forensicastronomer · 2 years

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Photographer's Eye

I have always had a love for nature, the sky, and the seasons. I have been fortunate to have traveled and captured the different seasons. I also have been able to access great vantage points. The sky can have so many different looks, from dark and dreary to bright and inviting. There can be many clouds in the sky or none. Rainbows can appear after the storm. Mother nature creates beautiful scenes, from the flowers that bloom to the leaves of the trees changing colors in the fall. Snow can blanket the ground, creating a winter wonderland. The way nature appears is extraordinary, so I chose to share the photographs I have taken of it in various forms.

"Snow in March"

I love this photograph because it really captures the beauty of a snow fall. I was visiting my mother in western New York March of last year, when I took this photograph of her dog Karhu (which means "bear" in Danish) enjoying the snow. He loves to dig and roll in the snow. There is nothing better than hot cocoa and a fire on days like this!

"Snow on the Farm"

I took this photograph while visiting my stepbrother's farm in western New York. I liked how the snow fell on the hay bales and how most of the ground is visible. You can also see the wide open space in the background. The snow was falling off and on that day.

"Mother Nature's Canvas"

This picture was taken in Letchworth State Park in New York. Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. The colors of the leaves are breathtaking and truly a sight to be cherished. The reds, oranges, and yellows are like a beautiful painting. Mother Nature is an amazing artist!

"The Joy of Fall"

Another photograph I took at Letchworth Park in New York. I loved the way the trees had all the colors of fall. This park is really lovely if you get the chance to visit it. I also love how the sky is bright but had lots of white cloud coverage.

"Spring in Florida"

I took this picture at the Edison Home in Fort Myers last April. It was slightly overcast outside but the water was beautiful and the weather was nice.

"Mrs. Edison's Spring Garden"

I took this photograph of Mrs. Edison's garden at the Edison Home in Fort Myers. The trees, plants, and little pool just encompasses the feeling of spring. It is a very relaxing area!

"Summer at the Zoo"

I took this photograph a few summers ago at the Naples Zoo. The sky was clear and bright and I love the way the clouds look. I also like the various trees and plants. That is my daughter and my son is out of view in his stroller.

"Summer view from Allegiant Air"

I took this picture from my window seat as I was flying to New York one summer. The clouds look like you could just jump across them.

"Summer Vibes"

I took this picture a few years ago on Siesta Key beach. The water was so clear and the sandy was soft. We came on a day where it was not too busy. It was nice to enjoy this beautiful beach, it is one of my favorite beaches!

"The Beauty of Saint Augustine"

I have a strong love for Saint Augustine. I love the city, love the history and the beautiful scenery. I was walking along the Fort at Saint Augustine when I took this picture of the water.

"Saint Augustine Beach in the Morning" This photograph was taken from my hotel room on the beach at Saint Augustine. I love how the water just seems to go on forever and all that can be seen is the sand, water, and sky.

"Rainbow after the Storm"

I took this picture in Fort Myers. You can seen the faint double rainbow that appears above the brighter one. Rainbows have always been a symbol of hope. Especially in the difficult times we have faced over the past several years with COVID and now in the aftermath of Ian, a rainbow can give us hope. After a storm, the rainbow comes to offer its beauty and to give us hope.

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demigodshavedamproblems · 2 years

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The Seven's favourite ice cream flavours because why not?

Percy * bright blue bubble gum ice cream

- Blue because its Percy

- You cannot tell me that he would not love anything super sweet and sugary and loves the flavour ( Also why this is Leo's second favorite

- His favourite part is when he has finished eating it and has a blue tongue for the rest of the day

Annabeth * mint chocolate chip

- She’s not into blue food as much as Percy but the colour reminds her of him and Annabeth kinda gives me mint green vibes anyways

- She LOVES mint. Like it's her favorite flavour for almost anything

- She also loves the choc chips because they remind her of Sally's cookies (this is why its Percy's second favourite flavour)

Piper * strawberry

- The strawberries remind her of camp half blood ( Also why this is Annabeth's second favourite)

- Subconsciously the color soothes her and this because it reminds her of Aphrodite

- She loves it so much she and chiron have an agreement that she is allowed to use the strawberries from camp to make a huge vat every summer that gets given to the winners of capture the flag and Piper gets a few tubs

Hazel * honeycomb crunch

- I feel like she would love the honey comb because of the smooth and sweet flavour

- When she eats it in summer the little flecks of honeycomb glisten in the sun that remind her of little pieces of gold without any of the negativity attached to them that she normally associates with gold and it kinda reinforces her love for the world (Also Frank's second favourite because the gold flecks remind him of Hazel's eyes and so he tried it once. He LOVED it but had a really bad stomach ache for days afterwards )

Leo * cookie dough

- He would 100% be the kind of person who makes cookie dough whenever he or his friends are feeling sad and it's just his comfort food

- Leo gives me major cookie dough ice cream vibes. Just the sugary content and the lil choclate chips (similar to Annabeth)

Jason * choclate

- Classic, good steady flavour that tends to be a crowd pleaser.

- The flavour reminds him of Camp Jupiter when he first had a hot choclate and was obsessed and now loves anything choclate related or flavoured. Just brings him comfort and nostalgia

Frank * Mango sorbet

- He is so happy when he finds and ice cream equivalent that doesn't make him ill

- He is with Hazel in Rome on one of the hottest days and she is determined to get something that can cool them both down. They find an ice cream parlour and see that there is sorbet so she runs in and gets some for Frank whilst he is stood awkwardly out side. 5 mins later she comes running out and pushes the tub into his hand, her eyes lit up with excitement and since then he has been hooked on mango sorbet, his summer comfort food.

#percy jackson #annabeth chase #piper mclean #hazel levesque #leo valdez #jason grace #frank zhang #percy jackon and the olympians #percabeth #the heroes of olympus #the seven #frazel #jasiper #ice cream #pjo series #pjo fandom

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planetdream · 2 years

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on the topic of music, I’m making playlist for each skz member— what songs remind me of them/ have their vibe yk?

I love all of your works so I trust your judgment ;) any song recs ?

okay, first, honored that you trust my judgement for this ☹️ here are my thoughts + suggestions (tried to add a little description for everyone but im running on my last brain cell rn oops)

chan reminds me of any song that grooves. need a really nice bass line, or maybe a piano. tbh it just has to vibe rlly nicely idk. not quite sure how to capture the feeling so let these songs do the talking:

-> let it happen by tame impala, after last night by silk sonic, special affair by the internet, pursuit of happiness by kid cudi, beautiful oblivion by issues, all i do is think of you by troop, breakin my heart by mint condition, candy rain by soul for real, wolf by exo (yes im serious), versace on the floor by bruno mars

minho reminds me of steadiness. something sexy. unironically, love songs (and some not love songs). some perfect rnb. tbh these are all songs i either scream to or dance to so yeah

-> be with you + speechless by beyonce, my boo by usher ft alicia keys, beauty by dru hill, forever my lady + feenin by jodeci, unthinkable by alicia keys, bad man by rain, dressing room by after school, luna by oneus, playboy by exo, die for you by the weekend, hate the club by kehlani ft masego, bad girl by usher

binnie ... idk how to even describe this song selection but its him ok!!!!! these songs are fun(?)!! and they all have pussy parts ok!!!

-> kiss me thru the phone by soulja boy ft sammie, lollipop by lil wayne ft static major, saturday drip by nct dream, ok! + 90s love by nct, 134340 by bts, transformer by exo, need to know by wale ft sza, that$ money by p1harmony, let me see it by megan thee stallion

hyune makes me think of any song about love ever. but also, generally the ones that make ur heart hurt, songs that make you miss someone that’s far away or someone that was never quite in your grasp in the first place. songs that hurt and make you cry but also make you smile. just love, really.

-> the love cats, friday i’m in love + lullaby by the cure, the one that got away + teenage dream by katy perry, teddy bear by nct dream, in my dreams, blue hour by txt, blue dream by jhene aiko, truth by india.arie, kingdom come by red velvet, what if + first love by exo, first love by hikaru utada, last kiss by bonnie pink

jisungie makes me think of songs you’d play on a late-night drive—like coming back home from being with friends all day. or maybe that slight melancholic feeling you get on the way home from a party.

-> options + been like this + i don’t do drugs by doja cat, spotlight by lil peep, tide pen by smokepurpp ft jack harlow, jet pack blues remix by fall out boy ft big k.r.i.t, n 2 deep by drake ft future, shimmy by lil wayne ft doja cat, crying out for me by mario, baby by exo

lixie makes me think of songs that sound shiny or like sparkles. songs that feel like big, bright stars. sunny, summer days with just the right amount of warmth.

-> red velvet — bamboleo, rock with you by micheal jackson, blast off + skate by silk sonic, im your baby tonight by whitney houston, just like magic + get well soon by ariana grande, froot by marina, comeback kid by sleigh bells, garden by meet me @ the altar

seungmin makes me think of songs that are pretty with pretty vocals. something that's kinda longing and yearning.

-> light by ateez, from home by nct, try again by d.ear ft jaehyun, here always by seungmin (hehe), rock with you by seventeen, nothing even matters by lauryn hill ft dangelo, lonely by chloe x halle, this is all i have for you by makoto matsushita, worldwide by big time rush

jeongin reminds me of songs that are bright! songs you could play in the car, with friends, with ur favorite cousin, etc. maybe life is fun and cool after all

-> run by bts, after school by weeekly, pang! + crush by seventeen, electric shock by f(x), power up by red velvet, hazy + catch up by chloe x halle, get into it (yuh) by doja cat, sweetener by ariana grande, rise by tyler the creator ft daisy world

#all of this is self indulgent im sorry #some of these are also interchangeable lol #💌 — mail time

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star-consultant · 3 years

Text

Bright are the stars

You need a Beatle song that perfectly encapsulates your sign? Of course you do. (Spotify playlist)

Aries—“I Saw Her Standing There”

One two three FOUR! An eager and intense song for an eager and intense sign. Aries falls hard and fast, with a tendency to rash vows that everyone doubts they mean—but Aries doesn’t doubt. Paul (who later styled himself as a "ram” at a key point in his creative development) makes good on the Cardinal Fire vibe with his exuberant vocals, and John of the Aries rising contributed the street-smart innuendo that utterly makes the song: And you know what I mean. Fittingly, this song kicked off the group’s first album, which itself has plenty of Aries “HELLO I AM HERE TO MAKE A MARK ON YOUR WORLD! (like me plz ok? this is my heart and i am Doing My Best??)” energy.

Taurus—“All I’ve Got to Do"

A song that takes its sweet time but burrows deeper than the average ear-worm into your consciousness. It’s a patient song that is unassuming but knows exactly what the hell it’s doing. The intensity builds bit by bit, so that you’re unaware when the power of the bridge comes crashing down. Describes the Taurean romantic ideal: lazy, loyal, cozy, constant, tender, and ever-so-true. Also, “All I’ve Got to Do” is featured on the second album, With the Beatles, which has plenty of other Bullish touches, noticeable even with a casual glance at the tracklist: “Don’t Bother Me,” “Not a Second Time,” and “Money (That’s What I Want).”

Gemini—“She Loves You”

Paul is a Gemini Sun, and throughout his catalogue it shows. But perhaps he never topped the Twinniness of this energetic, optimistic, breathless, gossipy classic. It was composed “eye-to-eye” with John, a truly dual-authored song, and one the rare Beatles numbers where the two lead vocalists double up on every single line, in true (Nerk) Twin fashion. Also the first but definitely not the last of their many “third-person narratives,” Paul’s novelistic instead of confessional slant being distinctly a Gemini thing. The speaker in this one couldn’t be more enthusiastic about this relationship if it were already repaired, and he couldn’t be more enthusiastic about it if it were his. Love is great! People reconciling is great! You should be glad, dumbass! But the real corker? What makes this so Gemini that it hurts? Yoko has confirmed that in the early 70s, during her separation with John, she actually had Paul play agony aunt. Then, during that meetup in L.A. where they were last photographed together, Paul urged John to “apologize to her” and get back together... which he did. That’s right. "She Loves You” is not merely a Gemini’s song: it’s a Gemini’s life.

Cancer—“Octopus’s Garden”

Ringo the Crab’s musically-complex fantasy about an underwater sanctuary where children are “happy and safe,” he and his lover can be together, and there’s “no one there to tell us what to do.” George (a triple Water sign himself, probably not-so-incidentally) always insisted that his best mate’s song Had Depths, and he himself supplied a lot of them: check out his lead guitar lines. They function as emotional counterpoint. When Ringo’s vocal line is especially wistful, the guitar is bright; when Ringo ends on a confident note, the guitar is quirky, ironic, even stiff-upper-lip pessimistic. Result: a shifting kaleidoscope of FEELS. The Moon approves.

Leo—“Good Day Sunshine”

Paul perfectly expresses his own Leo moon with a sublime, vibrant ode to laughter, love, and pride on a cloudless summer day. The bit in the lyrics about she knows she’s looking fine and I’m so proud to know that she is mine? That’s not marring the high tone of the song: that is part of the tone. Hear us roar! And by “roar” I mean "laugh and canoodle, coz Leo is about living the good life, bitches.”

Virgo—“Please Please Me”

What’s fair is forkin’ fair, mate! A exemplary blend of Virgo’s Mutable passive-aggressive sensitivity with its Elemental directness... half-critical, half-begging... plus the very sign-typical humblebragging. About their sexual prowess. Damn, Virgo. People forget how Earthy you really are sometimes. But here we are. In very Virgo fashion, instead of ditching the girl he’s decided to harangue her. On a more meta note, the Beatles were still studio virgins when they first began crafting this song, and it took several passes and incorporation of George Martin’s feedback before it became the bursting pop hit as we know it now. There’s that Virgo work ethic paying off.

Libra—“Strawberry Fields Forever”

The imagery of the title suggests an eternal harvest. But the star sign resemblance goes deeper than that: Always, no, sometimes think it’s me, but, you know, I know when it’s a dream. I think, er, no, I mean, er, yes, but it’s all wrong... that is, I think I disagree. Did you just hear your Libra roommate rambling after a joint, or did you listen to verse three of “Strawberry Fields”? Same difference. The song is absolutely lovely, as anything associated with the child of Venus should be, and innovative, as befits a Cardinal sign. Most of all, even in all of Libra Sun John’s weighing and weed-wandering, he knows one thing: he’s got to take someone else along with him. A companion, stat!

Scorpio—“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

George of the Scorpio moon and Scorpio ascendant had to really lean into this side of his nature to even get this damn track properly recorded. He resorted to the social power play of inviting Eric frickin’ Clapton into the tense post-India studio just to get Lennon, McCartney, and Martin to give his song proper Beatle recording magic. Which it deserved. The dark drama of the hard-won arrangement is the perfect Scorpio accompaniment to the moody, reflective lyrics about “all the love there that’s sleeping” in this weary world. There’s tender, horrified pity here for those who are stifled into inauthenticity: I don’t know how nobody told you how to unfold your love. I don’t know how someone controlled you; they bought and sold you... Bonus points for the Watery ‘just can’t even’-ness of not being able to so much as pick up a damn broom.

Sagittarius—“Something”

You’re asking me, will my love grow? I don’t know, I don’t know! A deeply instinctual lover knows that Cupid has done hit a bullseye. He remains emphatically ambivalent about the future, but he knows what he feels in this moment, and in that moment is romance and wonder that is as deep as the earth is from the heavens. Sags are intense, but of all the Fire signs they are most far-seeing and detached (due to their Mutable quality, which makes them see the world a bit more like an Air sign does). “Something” keeps trying to capture that je-ne-sais-quoi, and despite the speaker’s happiness he can’t help but circle back again and again to take another shot at that the mental target. A philosopher even when in love. Ultimately, however, he doesn’t want to leave her now... which for a restless Sag is already saying a ton.

Capricorn—“Revolution”

John let his unfashionable midheaven Capricorn off the leash with this blunt, pointed savaging of radical and violent revolutions. (Given the tanks on Tiananmen Square and the millions dead on the killing fields of Cambodia, I can’t say that his cautionary note about “destruction” and “minds that hate” was unnecessary.) Few things are more Capricorn than ‘Oh, you want my money? Yeah, first show me that you’ve done your fucking homework, mate.’ Bonus Earth points for the fact that he somehow worked sex—a lot of sex—into this political track.

Aquarius—“Come Together”

John of the Aquarius moon’s decidedly loony attempt to write a political campaign song in order to stop Reagan. (The result was too weird for Timothy Leary, whose reaction was pretty much ‘wtf? I don’t think even I have enough residual acid in my system for this one... ’) John invokes the ideal of collaboration, but his call to solidarity is built around fantastical lyrics that no one can comprehend: He wear no shoeshine, he got/Toejam football, he got/Monkey finger, he shoot/Coca-Cola, he say/I know you, you know me... Oh, right. The lyrics contain exactly one discernible message: One thing I can tell you is you got to be free. How Aqua. Also in true collaborative Water-Bearer fashion, the arrangement really makes the song (special mention to the tight, tight work of the rhythm section). Bizarre genius that attracts a true team effort—it doesn’t get much more Aquarius than that.

Pisces— “I Want to Tell You”

The wall of sound builds up thickly enough that soon the words seem to be traveling through the sea to reach you: I want to tell you my head is filled with things to say... But when you’re here, all those words, they seem to slip away. A gorgeously, emotionally tongue-tied song... about being tongue-tied. Written by George, a Pisces Sun, this absolute mystery of a lyric is all emotion and no logic. If he seems to act unkind, it’s only him, it’s not his mind. Okay, Fishboy. Good thing the track is compellingly lovely and utterly relatable. Which suits the Pisces life exactly: ‘I don’t know what I mean, but it’s exceedingly beautiful and I want you to share it with you very, very much.’

#zodiac #beatles

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tteenagepetulance · 3 years

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𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝓷𝓮𝔀𝓵𝔂 𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

𝓉𝓌𝑜 𝓋𝒾𝓃𝓎𝓁 𝑒𝒹𝒾𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈

wonderstruck & dancing all alone (left) every night with us is like a dream (right) + a collectable lithograph to match !

𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓇 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈

she breezed past the threshold of betty’s rose garden, turned left at the hedges, and went deep, deeper, deeply.... back into the folklorian woods, where a magnificent tree reached ancient branches up towards nearly perpetual lavender skies; some called it a wonder, some called it a miracle, others called it a warning. that didn’t stop her from reaching out two fingertips & opening up the tiny hidden door, painted in swirls of teals and bright pinks, beckoning her towards a pandora’s box named freedom... and with a tumble, she promptly fell right down the rabbit hole.

she found wonderland & this time, she wasn’t getting lost in it.

welcome to fae land’s mistywood high, home of the bullfrogs! once dilapidated school buildings brought back to life by thickets and weeds, swathed in a new coat of pastel pollen paint; teeming with life through vines and ivy, wisteria and lavender and baby breath filling every crack along concrete hallways. plums of roots, shoots, and flowers blooming out of lockers as birds chitter and crickets sing, binders labeled in floral washitape: Large Wing Anatomy Vol.156, ALCHEMY OF RARE GEMSTONES, the encyclopedia of rules and ramifications of ingesting fae food. sneaking out into the mushroom fields and having your first kiss over bioluminescent fungi, all your love immersed in neon blue. a world of neverending youth, dizzy drunk with nectar juice and the splendor of puppy love, each one as intoxicating as the one before. the cafeteria is teeming with political warfare, lines drawn along cliques and conformity. the maddening spin of petals and popularity, crying tears of mascara in the bathrooms... oh honey, life is just a classroom.

how exciting it can be, to dream up new worlds & wonders as the taylor’s version remasters release, and sparse them across new chapter eps, to revel in the majesty and whimsy of our hopelessly romantic inner youth. i hand picked these songs because i think they embody the whirlwind rush of high school, exacerbated under the conditions of nearly endless youth for my fickle fairy friends.

collaboration continues as my good friend, jack antonoff, returns to my side once again to help with production, this time with his iconic indie-pop sound from bleachers alongside him. every song is remastered under his touch, and you might hear the fluttering beat of fairy wings, the twinkle of their magic, the cry of the bullfrog, the chorus of the crickets, and the endless wistfulness i feel when i think back to this journey we started on. lover, state of grace, and daylight got special attention from the both of us, as i wanted to recreate vibes and aesthetics of mistywood to the deepest of my heart’s desires, and as always, jack thoroughly delivered. also joining me again is hozier, who took complete creative liberty with his remaster, which will bring you to your knees with wonderment and hope. maren morris also joins this chapter for a feature, lending her gentle vocals to create an echoing, beautiful rendition that’ll haunt as much as it hopes. when i started this project, i knew i needed troye sivan to join me on at least one track, and he helped spin a gossamer-light tale of sparkling first infatuation, and helped elevate the track with the original demo lyrics from my days at nineteen. brendon urie rejoined my side for a heart-stopping, strings & piano only rerecord of ME!, a titular pop track from the past two years that’s been passed over by many, so i decided to present it in an incandescent, softer light. lastly, the wonderful kacey musgraves lends her voice and songwriting talent to help combine two iconic songs to create a whole new story - you belong with // betty finally brings the james/august/betty love triangle to fruition, after inez accuses august of actually having feelings for betty, and the titular night of prom that changes everything.

this album is a love letter to love itself. // these songs are open letters. // no matter what love throws at you, you have to believe in it. you have to believe in love stories & prince charmings & happily every after. that’s why i write these songs. because i think love is fearless. // fearless is walking into your freshman year of high school almost immortally at fifteen. // an endless seventeen-year-old standing on a porch, learning to apologize. lovestruck kids wandering up and down the evergreen High Line. // the purple-pink skies of the soccer field on the walk home; the dazzle of opal necklaces i couldn’t afford gleaming from a department store jewelry case. // crowds of loving, vibrant people in the bleachers, watching acorn lacrosse. // daydreaming on parchment and mused about who might ask who to the dance or how nervous i was singing the anthem at the local fairyball game. // // they are the moments you saw sparks that weren’t really there, felt stars aligning without having any proof, saw your future before it happened, and then saw it slip away without any warning. // a single thread that, for better or for worse, ties you to your fate. // wonderment. intrigue. romance. i noticed things and decided they were romantic, and so they were. // creaks in the floorboards and ultraviolet morning light. // we crave romance. we long for those rare, enchanting moments when things just fall into place. above all else, we really, really want our lives to be filled with love. // love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve // being young and needing someone so badly, you jump in head first without looking. // real love shines golden like starlight, and doesn’t fade or spontaneously combust. // opening the curtains to see the clearest, brightest daylight after the darkest night. // their secret admirer looks at them and sees an elaborate sunset of brilliant color and dimension and spirit and pricelessness. // all the angles of the kaleidoscope that is you. // i don’t think you should wait. i think you should speak now.

𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉

enchanted

ivy

i know places

wonderland

daylight - whimsical world version

out of the woods (hozier remaster)

invisible string

new romantics (bleachers remaster)

ours (remaster ft. maren morris)

state of grace - twinkling fireflies version

you need to calm down

we are never ever getting back together

shake it off

blank space

stay stay stay

the way i loved you

i wish you would

miss americana & the heartbreak prince

lover - midsommar night version

𝒷𝑜𝓃𝓊𝓈 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓀𝓈

you belong with // betty (kacey musgraves remix)

ME! piano remix by kitty committee studio (ft. brendon urie)

sparks fly (original demo lyrics ft. troye sivan)

op notes: hello & welcome to mistywood! thank you so much for everybody’s interest in this!!!! in my mind, all of these “chapter eps” occur after the release of all of taylor’s versions. this was a very self indulgent project, as you can see, and i can guarantee the rest will be as well!! as you can probably tell, the first two portions of liner notes were written by yours truly, while the last paragraph is a scouring off all of taylor’s to thoroughly ~capture~ the prologues she always provides. please enjoy! i take zero criticism lmao too busy being absolutely unhinged!!!

please remember that likes are appreciated, but reblogs beat the tumblr algorithm! support content creators!

keep an eye out for next week’s creation, forever & always are the sweetest con (chapter two) - just as a sneak peek, they’re gay, they’re cowboys, they’re werewolves, and i’m thrumming with excitement over getting started!! i’m aiming at having them posted by next weekend :)

tag list: @tscreators, @networkthirteen, just ask to be added to the next one! credit: coloring (@maxiresources #1, @suunflowerx foodie, @bbyhyuck summer’98), vinyl mockup purchased

#tsedit #ts edit #taylurking #taylornation #networkthirteen #tscreators #taylor swift #taylor swift edit #taylorswiftedit #myedit #taylors version

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masterwords · 3 years

Text

This Time It’s Forever

Warnings: Mention of character death (canon), panic attack

Notes: This was supposed to be fluff. It really was, but it got away from me. It’s still sweet though. It isn’t Mortch, but it definitely has some strong vibes. Morgan takes Mother’s Day pretty seriously and he makes sure that Hotch & Jack aren’t alone on their first since Haley’s passing. Around 4500 words. Like I said, it got away from me. (Title comes from Last Dance by The Cure)

I'm so glad you came I'm so glad you remembered To see how we're ending Our last dance together Reluctantly, cautiously But prettier than ever I really believe that this time it's forever

Nobody came to his eighth birthday party. There were balloons and streamers, a cake with candles and bright yellow letters swooping over the deep chocolate frosting shouting HAPPY BIRTHDAY AARON and he sat there beside his cake with his party hat on, his mother shuffling nervously around the kitchen, busying herself with things that didn't need to be done for a party that wasn't going to happen. If you asked Aaron, he wasn't surprised, the kids that were invited were not his friends, he didn't have friends, they were just kids he went to school with. His mother picked up the phone, dialed all the mothers of the kids, got a handful of excuses but at the end of the day, it was just the two of them. His father was at the bar playing pool with his friends, the working man's weekend party in their small town.

“Mom, can I just go upstairs?” he asked, turning his tired brown eyes up at her and she shook her head no. Oh he looked too tired for a boy his age. Newly minted eight year old who was tired of the world.

“You haven't opened your gifts yet,” she said softly, crouching beside him and extending a small package wrapped in newspaper, the funny pages. He noted the way her fingertips were gray, like she'd wrapped it up just before the party was supposed to start, the final ingredient in what she'd hoped would be a fun afternoon. He could still remember ripping the paper open, revealing a hardback copy of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, he remembered running his small fingers along the embossed letters on the cover and he hugged his mother around the neck tight. She had bought his favorite copy of his favorite book from the town library during their annual sale, the pages were soft and worn from his relentless reading and now he owned it, it belonged to him. For a party, it was a bust, but it might have been his best birthday ever. He didn't know it, but later that night his mother sat in bed with his father and talked about how lonely Aaron was, how the other kids bullied him and he just couldn't connect with kids his age, he was always spending so much time at the library when he should be out running through the woods playing capture the flag. She mentioned that a little brother or sister might help, give him a playmate, and she had expected her husband to say no, to say one burden was enough, but he smiled and nodded and said yes, he thought it was a great idea. The age gap would be a problem, but if she wanted another go at it, he was on board. He was drunk and he’d had a good night playing pool, everything sounded great.

Aaron sat at his desk, now, decades later remembering that day and he couldn't tell you why. Maybe because it was a slow Friday afternoon in the office, quiet, just him and a stack of papers. It didn't make him sad, he'd never wanted a birthday party in the first place, and he got his wish after that. His mother would make him a pie from some of the fruit she'd canned during the summer time, usually peach or apple, and they would put a candle in the top of it and he'd lick it clean once it was blown out and that was it. Usually it was she and Sean as his party guests, and she'd give him a book she picked up at the library sale like always, wrapped in the funny pages, it was her tradition and it was the only thing he ever wanted. He set his pen down on his desk and glanced at the clock, time to go. He had no motivation to finish his paperwork, he was eager to pick Jack up from Jessica's house and spend the weekend at home.

“Hey, I’m taking off, you out of here too Hotch?” JJ asked, leaning into his doorway with a smile. He looked up, nodded and gave her a little wave of his hand.

“Yeah,” he began with a smile. “Happy Mother's Day, JJ.” He said it so softly she almost mistook it for something not meant for her, but she smiled and nodded her thanks. She almost said you too, but stopped herself just before making things awkward, there was a first time for everything. She wanted to ask him if he had plans for the weekend, it felt wrong, intrusive, she knew it would be the first Mother's Day without Haley and he hid it carefully behind his scowl but she knew it must be breaking his heart. She'd seen Jack at the Mother's Day brunch at preschool earlier in the week, he was ahead of Henry's toddler class but she still caught a glimpse and he'd brought Jessica and looked so happy to have her there, holding his hand and eating a muffin with him, but it wasn't his mother and it would never be his mother again. Instead of asking him about his weekend, she told him she hoped he had a nice one and left it at that. Her discretion was always appreciated where he was concerned, he knew what she meant, he knew what she was thinking. Everyone in the office had thought it at one point during the week, he'd seen the realization hit each of them in turn and he brushed it off the best he could, usually by deflecting. Spencer and Derek talked about flying home for the weekend to surprise their mothers, except neither of their visits would be a surprise, they did it every year they could. Emily had been shopping to stock up on the amount of whiskey she'd need to call her mom on Sunday, and Dave kept quiet but he was thinking about his mother too. He hadn’t seen Garcia much and he had his suspicions that she might have been avoiding him because she’d never keep herself from crying right in front of him over a pain that didn’t even belong to her.

Aaron realized he was probably recalling his birthday because he missed his mother, missed the library sale books every year that showed up on his doorstep even into adulthood. And now he missed Haley, too, missed the fact that she never got the chance to make a tradition with Jack as silly as his books and his pies. He hoped that Jack had enjoyed his brunch with Jessica and would forget about the holiday for the rest of the weekend, instead they could just lay low and watch movies and eat junk food. He thought about calling in on Monday, keeping Jack home so he didn’t have to her the other kids talk about Mother’s Day or ask him about his, it was all he thought about on his drive home. Truthfully, he didn’t want to field the questions himself so an extra day off might do them both some good.

Movie after movie, bowls of popcorn and skittles and tater tots dipped in ranch dressing (with fresh broccoli and celery available too, he hadn't entirely lost his mind) were the mood for Saturday. He didn’t cook a proper meal, they just snacked and played and watched movies. He kept the apartment relatively clean, all things considered, but he ignored the laundry and he played round after round of Candyland and Go Fish with Jack instead. They baked cookies for Jack’s class and the team, and Aaron wondered if any would actually make it to Monday.

Sunday morning brought more of the same, orange juice and frosted flakes and piles of toast with jam. His stomach was already mutinying and he'd woken up with a raging headache, the kind he remembered from college after a night of too much tequila shots, but Jack was having a blast and he hadn't teared up when he told Aaron it was Mother's Day and he missed his mommy. Just before lunch, he was lying on the couch with an ice pack over his eyes and a heating pad on his neck while Jack took his nap and he heard a knock at the door, it startled him, he wasn't expecting anyone and he wasn't in the mood for company. Even still he found himself rising from the couch, setting the ice pack on the coffee table and rubbing at his temples while he walked, willing the ibuprofen to kick in, to work its magic, he had to finish the day strong.

“Derek,” he muttered, pulling the door open. “Shouldn't you be in Chicago?” Derek looked his friend up and down, noted the redness around his eyes and across the bridge of his nose and smiled, shrugging.

“My sisters are there,” he started, entering the apartment and leaning against the couch, folding his arms over his chest. “I thought maybe I could be of better service here.” Aaron frowned and walked toward the kitchen, offering Derek a cup of coffee from the never empty pot on his counter, a kindness that Derek never turned down. “Where's little man?”

“Napping. He should be awake soon, especially if he hears your voice.” Aaron spoke in a low monotone and handed Derek his mug of coffee before sitting on the couch, gesturing for Derek to have a seat. He wasn't keen on pop-in visits, they made him anxious, especially on days like today when he knew he looked a mess and was acutely aware of the state of his apartment. Derek didn't comment on any of it, a testament to his compassion Aaron supposed. As Aaron lifted the mug to his lips, he heard Jack's bedroom door burst open and his thundering footsteps roared down the hallway crying out for Uncle D. Aaron nodded at Derek, just as he'd predicted.

“Hey buddy! I came by to see if you and your dad wanted to hang out today. You up for a surprise adventure?” Jack squealed and nodded, hardly able to contain his enthusiasm. Aaron, on the other hand, had gone white as a ghost.

“Surprise adventure? Derek,” he began, but Derek just shook his head adamantly and looked back at Jack.

“Here's what we're gonna do...” and then he was whispering in Jack's ear, and Jack was nodding and bouncing and maybe only listening to half of it but he leapt off of Derek's lap and began rushing around the apartment on a mission anyway. Derek sat back, clearly pleased with himself, and sipped his coffee. He knew Aaron was glaring at him, he could feel it burning into his skin, but he just grinned and let it happen.

“Derek,” Aaron began again, and was shut down just as quickly as before. Jack stood at attention beside Derek now, backpack full of toys slung over his shoulder, jacket on with the zipper hanging half open, shoes on the wrong feet but at least they matched. He was beaming, and Aaron stopped breathing for a moment at the sight of him, his smile so wide and so pure, it was Haley's smile. He sipped his coffee to divert his attention.

“I'm taking Jack out to set up the surprise. You...take a shower, maybe clean up a bit in here, and in an hour I'll tell you where we are and you will come and you will have a good time. Got it?” There it was, the subtle dig at the state of him and the apartment, but at least Derek had the decency to make it into a gentle jab.

“You’ll need a carseat,” Aaron stammered, relenting. He had no choice, Derek wasn’t asking, he was telling.

“Already covered, I bought one a few weeks ago, when I picked him up from school the night you had the budget meeting.”

“You...bought a carseat?”

“Why not? It’s already paying off. Get moving, don’t be late.”

He nodded, what else could he do? Derek had played his hand and it was the winner by a long shot. Aaron watched as Derek held Jack's tiny hand in his and walked out of the apartment talking secretly among themselves, thick as thieves. Aaron glanced at his ice pack melting on the table and groaned.

The text came an hour later, and he had managed to get in a shower and a little cleaning and some more lying down, his head was still pounding mercilessly. Stress, he figured, and no amount of ibuprofen was going to touch it, he would just have to power through. He blinked and read the text again and again, making sure he wasn't seeing things. Meet us at Haley's, that was all it said. Anyone else and he might be angry, might think it was a shitty day for a joke, but he knew Derek wasn't making a joke and he knew where he had to go, he just didn't want to. His son was there, and oh God what if he was crying, what if they both cried? He wasn't sure what Derek was playing at but he felt his stomach tie itself in knots as he pulled on his sweater and grabbed his car keys.

He could see it from the parking lot, a great silver and pink and yellow monstrosity. It looked like a child's birthday party among the cold gray headstones. He walked carefully along the hallowed ground, feeling the way the grass slipped beneath his feet. As he got closer, he heard music, and saw Jack running around in the open grass behind them with Derek, flying a kite that looked like a dinosaur through the air. From the large tree that hung over her headstone there were streamers flowing in the wind and a sign that said HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. There were bouquets of spring flowers that looked wild, like a party themselves, set against her headstone and dozens of balloons of all shapes and sizes and colors. Aaron felt his knees go out first and he dropped down to the bench, rested his elbows on his knees and pressed his face into his hands. He listened to the way Jack yelled for Derek to look how high, as if Derek had taken his eyes off of the kid and his kite for even one moment. Neither of them seemed to notice Aaron had shown up, or if they did, maybe they knew he needed some time to himself. He just sat beside her headstone and felt the hot tears, the first of the day, burn behind his eyelids.

“Happy Mother's Day,” he whispered, looking at her headstone now, eyes trained on the bright yellows and greens and pinks dancing through her grass. He hadn’t been back in months, he was a coward, he couldn’t look at her while her blood still burned hot on his hands. “I miss you so much.” His voice was nothing but a pale gossamer shroud on the wind, so faint only she could hear it.

“Hey!” Derek called, and Jack came running ahead of him, kite whipping wildly behind him through the air, nearly taking Derek's head off a few times.

“DADDY YOU COME TO MOMMY'S PARTY!”

Aaron stood, put his hands into his pockets for a moment and then folded his arms over his chest instead, really just not sure what to do with himself, his limbs felt extraneous and utterly useless. He hovered on the verge of tears, or maybe an entire breakdown, he couldn't be sure anymore. It all felt the same and it started the moment he woke up each morning.

“When my dad died,” Derek started, approaching Aaron cautiously. “My mom made sure we still celebrated his birthday and Father's Day. She would pack us some lunch and a blanket, and we'd go sit at his grave and talk to him like he was right there with us. It was hard at first, I cried a lot, but it ended up being some of my best memories. I was talking to her on Friday and she asked what you were up to this weekend,” he was going to continue but Aaron interrupted, heat flushing across his collar bone and up his neck.

“She knows?” Aaron croaked, instantly embarrassed by the state of his voice, his treacherous voice.

“Of course, man, I tell my mama everything. She told me I'd better not show my face in Chicago this weekend unless you two already had something planned.”

“We did, we had movies and...”

“That wasn’t plans, that was hiding and I get it. But you're in the trenches, and I know what that feels like, and sometimes we all need someone to jump into the trenches and just...be with us. So here we are. Jack and I went to the store and we've got a whole spread, even some apple pie because he said it was your favorite and he didn't know his mom's...”

“Chocolate cream,” Aaron whispered, more to himself than anything. Derek nodded, making note for another time. He didn't forget things like that, they were too important. Maybe he'd tell Jack for later, pass it on. “I, uh...don't know what to say...”

Derek laughed. “You don't have to say anything. We've got a football we can toss around with Jack, he's a baller with that kite, and we've got food. Let's celebrate a great mom the best way we know how...by being good kids and having fun.”

Derek pulled out the food first and Aaron helped him set it up, telling Derek stories about Haley, maybe because it made him feel closer to her again, even if it wrecked him. He felt the water from the grass seeping into the knees of his pants while he sat there, opening bags of chips and a vegetable tray with hummus and a big fruit salad, thankful for Derek’s eating habits after a full day of nothing but junk. His hands shook every so often when he tried to peel a lid off, he wasn't good at hiding discomfort, just ignoring it and hoping everyone else would do the same, but he talked through it, and Derek listened, didn't offer to help him when he struggled with a lid, just let it happen.

“JJ told me that Henry's class had them do some kind of hand print craft for the moms, so I asked Garcia to help me with it and I think we came up with something pretty cool. I got these paints,” Derek said, pulling a few bottles out of his bag. “She wanted me to get glitter but I said hell no to that one. I found a few rocks near my house and we thought we could put Jack's hand prints on them and leave them here with the flowers. Moms love that shit. Stuff...I mean stuff. Sorry.”

Aaron smirked at the way Derek policed his language, and he wondered if it was because of Haley. He'd never pulled his foul language before that Aaron could recall. “She would love it,” was what he said, and what he meant was that his heart was crumbling to dust inside of him and he couldn't breathe. This was more than he was ready for, far more, and every instinct in his body told him to run and save face before the inevitable meltdown, but Jack was having so much fun and Derek was just trying to help. It wasn't that he hadn't melted down in front of Derek before, he'd done it plenty of times, more than he'd care to admit and yet each time it was mortifying and each time Derek came through for him, which made him wonder just who was leading who, and why Derek ever followed him in the first place.

“Excuse me,” he whispered, pushing up off of the ground and walking as briskly as his legs could carry him away from the grave site, hand splayed across his forehead, fingers digging into his brow bone. He rushed toward the trees that bordered the cemetery, the silent place, where Derek and Jack and Haley wouldn’t see him fall apart. He stared at the ground, at his feet, counted his steps and the way they sunk into the grass less and less as he approached the treeline. Just inside, in the quiet and the dark where the sunlight ceased to touch, he leaned his back against a large oak tree and felt his ribs constrict, squeezing him tight. He fell to his knees, pressed his face into his palms, and let out a silent sob, the kind that hurt, came from so deep within you that your whole body had to release it and you felt like an empty husk afterward. It wasn't Derek's fault, this was always going to happen today, he'd just hoped it would be in the privacy of his own bedroom long after Jack was asleep. In fact, he'd been counting on it.

“Daddy?” Jack called, rushing into the woods hot on Aaron’s trail. Aaron swiped hurriedly at his tears, pressed his palms hard into his eyes to blink himself back to the world, struggled to pull in a ragged breath. Anything to save a little face, to not scare his son. He’d done enough damage already.

“Hey buddy,” he rasped, falling back until he was sitting against the tree. “I'm fine, daddy's okay...” he was talking to himself just as much as he was Jack. It became a bigger lie each time he said it, but he held tight to it nonetheless. It was his life preserver, and he was sinking fast.

“Pinky promise?” Jack asked, sitting beside his dad and holding out his chubby little finger. Aaron looped his pinky with Jack's and nodded, gulped down the next wave as best he could and his eyes darted desperately around, hoping to find Derek nearby. As if his son were somehow Derek’s’ responsibility, and suddenly that thought made him feel worse, more out of sorts than he already was. Derek already owned a carseat, just for his son, what kind of a father was he that his friend thought it pertinent to own a carseat when he had no children of his own? What kind of a friend was he?

“Pinky promise,” he whispered and he choked down another sob, face contorting painfully as he tried to hide the emotion. Jack hugged him around the neck, pressing his soft cheek against his father's face.

“It's okay to be sad, daddy,” he said in that chirpy little voice of his. Aaron nodded and held Jack tight, and he heard Derek's footsteps coming slowly up beside them. He swelled with warmth just knowing Derek was standing there now, and the next breath he drew in didn’t catch, it filled his lungs and gave him just a little courage.

“Hey, the party's out this way, if we don't get back quick the ants told me they're gonna take over...” Derek reached down and swung Jack up into his arms, giving Aaron a quick, knowing nod and patting him on the shoulder gently. “We'll hold down the fort, keep the ant army at bay. Come back when you're ready to defend our kingdom.”

“I'm ready, I'm good, I just um...” he stammered, clearing his throat and pulling himself to his feet. “Sorry. I’ve had a headache all day and...” but he let his voice trail off at the look Derek gave him, the look that said excuses were neither necessary nor welcome. On weary legs he set out beside Derek, wiping the last of the sticky tears from his cheeks and clearing his throat again, clearing away the emotion, the pounding in his head was worse than ever but his lungs pulled in air again, and he felt Derek's arm circle his shoulders, resting heavily there. It felt like the old days, before promotions and life got in the way, just the two of them learning the ropes and how to still smile after all the monsters, side by side.

“Thank you, Derek,” Aaron leaned into the embrace, against a person he was proud to call friend though he'd worried over the years that he'd screwed it up irrevocably. Apparently he hadn't, not yet, a testament only to Derek’s character, not his own.

“Anytime, man,” was the reply, and what it meant was so much more. There were years of laughter and heartache and inside jokes and breakdowns in between them, but those years belonged to them and the way they shared them was strained sometimes, but there was always love too. What it meant was that he loved Aaron, that he worried about him and would do anything to take away his hurt, and when Aaron sat beside him and rested his pounding head on Derek's shoulder while Jack ran his kite out in the grass, he knew it meant that Aaron felt the same, that he felt safe enough to let some of his guard down. Derek’s fingers played mindlessly at Aaron’s temples, smoothing out the messy hair and the pain all at once and Aaron let his eyes drift shut, thinking about Haley and Jack and wondering how they would ever make it without people like Derek in their lives, people who busted down doors to get to them when they hid themselves away. Derek called to Jack, told him to come and have some pie, get ready to get messy and Jack squealed because he loved getting messy. He would go home with paint all over his pants and Derek had forgotten to bring anything to clean his hands with but Aaron always kept extra baby wipes in his car long after diapers were done and they managed to keep the mess contained. Jack decorated Haley’s spot with his colorful hand prints and Aaron cried, it was silent and only a little but he let himself this time, didn’t hide away and Derek held onto him, let Jack sit in his lap, let him get paint on his jeans. Maybe it hadn't gone exactly as he'd planned, but Derek would tell his mom all about his day anyway, and she would tell him it was a success because he made sure that two people he considered family were taken care of, knew they were loved, and that was the best Mother's Day gift he could ever give to her. And then she would tell him that he'd better already have a ticket to Chicago for his birthday or there would be hell to pay.

#criminal minds #fanfiction #aaron hotchner #derek morgan #haley hotchner #jack hotchner

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grigori77 · 3 years

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2020 in Movies - My Top 30 Fave Movies (Part 3)

10. WOLFWALKERS – eleven years ago, Irish director Tomm Moore exploded onto the animated cinema scene with The Secret of Kells, a spellbinding feature debut which captivated audiences the world over and even garnered an Oscar nomination. Admittedly I didn’t actually even know about it until I discovered his work through his astonishing follow-up, Song of the Sea (another Academy Award nominee), in 2015, so when I finally caught it I was already a fan of Moore’s work. It’s been a similarly long wait for his third feature, but he’s genuinely pulled off a hat-trick, delivering a third flawless film in a row which OF COURSE means that his latest feature is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, my top animated feature of 2020. I could even be tempted to say it’s his best work to date … this is an ASTONISHING film, a work of such breath-taking, spell-binding beauty that I spent its entire hour and three-quarters glued to the screen, simple mesmerised by the wonder and majesty of this latest iteration of the characteristically stylised “Cartoon Saloon” look. It’s also liberally steeped in Moore’s trademark Celtic vibe and atmosphere, once again delving deep into his homeland’s rich and evocative cultural history and mythology while also bringing us something far more original and personal – this time the titular supernatural beings are magical near-human beings whose own subconscious can assume the form of very real wolves. Set in a particularly dark time in Irish history – namely 1650, when Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector – the story follows Robyn (Honor Kneafsey, probably best known for the Christmas Prince films), the impetuous and spirited young daughter of English hunter Bill Goodfellowe (Sean Bean), brought in by the Protectorate to rid the city of Kilkenny of the wolves plaguing the area. One day fate intervenes and Robyn meets Mebh Og MacTire (The Girl at the End of the Garden‘s Eve Whittaker), a wild girl living in the woods, whose accidental bite gives her strange dreams in which she becomes a wolf – turns out Mebh is a wolfwalker, and now so is Robyn … every aspect of this film is an utter triumph for Moore and co, who have crafted a work of living, breathing cinematic art that’s easily the equal to (if not even better than) the best that Disney, Dreamworks or any of the other animation studios could create. Then there’s the excellent voice cast – Bean brings fatherly warmth and compassion to the role that belies his character’s intimidating size, while Kneafsey and Whittaker make for a sweet and sassy pair as they bond in spite of powerful cultural differences, and the masterful Simon McBurney (Harry Potter, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) brings cool, understated menace to the role of Cromwell himself. This is a film with plenty of emotional heft to go with its marvels, and once again displays the welcome dark side which added particular spice to Moore’s previous films, but ultimately this is still a gentle and heartfelt work of wonder that makes for equally suitable viewing for children as for those who are still kids at heart – ultimately, then, this is another triumph for one of the most singularly original filmmakers working in animation today, and if Wolfwalkers doesn’t make it third time lucky come Oscars-time then there’s no justice in the world …

9. WONDER WOMAN 1984 – probably the biggest change for 2020 compared to pretty much all of the past decade is how different the fortunes of superhero cinema turned out to be. A year earlier the Marvel Cinematic Universe had dominated all, but the DC Extended Universe still got a good hit in with big surprise hit Shazam! Fast-forward to now and things are VERY different – DC suddenly came out in the lead, but only because Marvel’s intended heavy-hitters (two MCU movies, the first Venom sequel and potential hot-shit new franchise starter Morbius: the Living Vampire) found themselves continuously pushed back thanks to (back then) unforeseen circumstances which continue to shit all over our theatre-going slate for the immediate future. In the end DC’s only SERIOUS competition turned out to be NETFLIX … never mind, at least we got ONE big established superhero blockbuster into the cinemas before the end of the year that the whole family could enjoy, and who better to headline it than DC’s “newest” big screen megastar, Diana Prince? Back in 2017 Monster’s Ball director Patty Jenkins’ monumental DCEU standalone spectacularly realigned the trajectory of a cinematic franchise that was visibly flagging, redesigning the template for the series’ future which has since led to some (mostly) consistently impressive subsequent offerings. Needless to say it was a damn tough act to follow, but Jenkins and co-writers Geoff Johns (Arrow and The Flash) and David Callaham (The Expendables, Zombieland: Double Tap, future MCU entry Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings) have risen to the challenge in fine style, delivering something which pretty much equals that spectacular franchise debut … as has Gal Gadot, who’s now OFFICIALLY made the role her own thanks to yet another showstopping and definitive performance as the unstoppable Amazonian goddess living amongst us. She’s older and wiser than in the first film, but still hasn’t lost that forthright honesty and wonderfully pure heart we’ve come to love ever since her introduction in Zack Snyder’s troublesome but ultimately underrated Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (yes, that’s right, I said it!), and Gadot’s clear, overwhelming commitment to the role continues to pay off magnificently as she once again proves that Diana is THE VERY BEST superhero in the DCEU cinematic pantheon. Although it takes place several decades after its predecessor, WW84 is, obviously, still very much a period piece, Jenkins and co this time perfectly capturing the sheer opulent and over-the-top tastelessness of the 1980s in all its big-haired, bad-suited, oversized shoulder-padded glory while telling a story that encapsulates the greedy excessiveness of the Reagan era, perfectly embodied in the film’s nominal villain, Max Lord (The Mandalorian himself, Pedro Pascal), a wishy-washy wannabe oil tycoon conman who chances upon a supercharged wish-rock and unleashes a devastating supernatural “monkey’s paw” upon the world. To say any more would give away a whole raft of spectacular twists and turns that deserve to be enjoyed good and cold, although they did spoil one major surprise in the trailer when they teased the return of Diana’s first love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) … needless to say this is another big blockbuster bursting with big characters, big action and BIG IDEAS, just what we’ve come to expect after Wonder Woman’s first triumphant big screen adventure. Interestingly, the film starts out feeling like it’s going to be a bubbly, light, frothy affair – after a particularly stunning all-action opening flashback to Diana’s childhood on Themyscira, the film proper kicks off with a bright and breezy atmosphere that feels a bit like the kind of Saturday morning cartoon action the consistently impressive set-pieces take such unfettered joy in parodying, but as the stakes are raised the tone grows darker and more emotionally potent, the storm clouds gathering for a spectacularly epic climax that, for once, doesn’t feel too overblown or weighed down by its visual effects, while the intelligent script has unfathomable hidden depths to it, making us think far more than these kinds of blockbusters usually do. It’s really great to see Chris Pine return since he was one of the best things about the first movie, and his lovably childlike wide-eyed wonder at this brave new world perfectly echoes Diana’s own last time round; Kristen Wiig, meanwhile, is pretty phenomenal throughout as Dr Barbara Minerva, the initially geeky and timid nerd who discovers an impressive inner strength but ultimately turns into a superpowered apex predator as she becomes one of Wonder Woman’s most infamous foes, the Cheetah; Pascal, of course, is clearly having the time of his life hamming it up to the hilt as Lord, playing gloriously against his effortlessly cool, charismatic action hero image to deliver a compellingly troubling examination of the monstrous corrupting influence of absolute power. Once again, though, the film truly belongs to Gadot – she looks amazing, acts her socks off magnificently, and totally rules the movie. After this, a second sequel is a no-brainer, because Wonder Woman remains the one DC superhero who’s truly capable of bearing the weight of this particular cinematic franchise on her powerful shoulders – needless to say, it’s already been greenlit, and with both Jenkins and Gadot onboard, I’m happy to sign up for more too …

8. LOVE & MONSTERS – with the cinemas continuing their frustrating habit of opening for a little while and then closing while the pandemic ebbed and flowed in the months after the summer season, it was starting to look like there might not have been ANY big budget blockbusters to enjoy before year’s end as heavyweights like Black Widow, No Time To Die and Dune pulled back to potentially more certain release slots into 2021 (with only WW84 remaining stubbornly in place for Christmas). Then Paramount decided to throw us a bone, opting to release this post-apocalyptic horror comedy on-demand in October instead, thus giving me the perfect little present to tie me over during the darkening days of autumn. The end result was a stone-cold gem that came out of nowhere to completely blow critics away, a spectacular sleeper hit that ultimately proved one of the year’s biggest and most brilliant surprises. Director Michael Matthews may only have had South African indie thriller Five Fingers for Marseilles under his belt prior to this, but he proves he’s definitely a solid talent to watch in the future, crafting a fun and effective thrill-ride that, like all the best horror comedies, is consistently as funny as it is scary, sharing much of the same DNA as this particular mash-up genre’s classics like Tremors and Zombieland and standing up impressively well to such comparisons. The story, penned by rising star Brian Duffield (who has TWO other entries on this list, Underwater and Spontaneous) and Matthew Robinson (The Invention of Lying, Dora & the Lost City of Gold), is also pretty ingenious and surprisingly original – a meteorite strike has unleashed weird mutagenic pathogens that warp various creepy crawly critters into gigantic monstrosities that have slaughter most of the world’s human population, leaving only a beleaguered, dwindling few to eke out a precarious living in underground colonies. Living in one such makeshift community is Joel Dawson (The Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien), a smart and likeable geek who really isn’t very adventurous, is extremely awkward and uncoordinated, and has a problem with freezing if threatened … which makes it all the more inexplicable when he decides, entirely against the advice of everyone he knows, to venture onto the surface so he can make the incredibly dangerous week-long trek to the neighbouring colony where his girlfriend Aimee (Iron Fist’s Jessica Henwick) has ended up. Joel is, without a doubt, the best role that O’Brien has EVER had, a total dork who’s completely unsuited to this kind of adventure and, in the real world, sure to be eaten alive in the first five minutes, but he’s also such a fantastically believable, fallible everyman that every one of us desperate, pathetic omega-males and females can instantly put ourselves in his place, making it elementarily easy to root for him. He’s also hilariously funny, his winningly self-deprecating sass and pitch perfect talent for physical comedy making it all the more rewarding watching each gloriously anarchic life-and-death encounter mould him into the year’s most unlikely action hero. Henwick, meanwhile, once again impresses in a well-written role where she’s able to make a big impression despite her decidedly short screen time, as do the legendary Michael Rooker and brilliant newcomer Ariana Greenblatt as Clyde and Minnow, the adorably jaded, seen-it-all-before pair of “professional survivors” Joel meets en-route, who teach him to survive on the surface. The action is fast, frenetic and potently visceral, the impressively realistic digital creature effects bringing a motley crew of bloodthirsty beasties to suitably blood-curdling life for the film’s consistently terrifying set-pieces, while the world-building is intricately thought-out and skilfully executed. Altogether, this was an absolute joy from start to finish, and a film I enthusiastically endorsed to everyone I knew was looking for something fun to enjoy during the frustrating lockdown nights-in. One of the cinematic year’s best kept secrets then, and a compelling sign of things to come for its up-and-coming director.

7. PARASITE – I’ve been a fan of master Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho ever since I stumbled across his deeply weird but also thoroughly brilliant breakthrough feature The Host, and it’s a love that’s deepened since thanks to truly magnificent sci-fi actioner Snowpiercer, so I was looking forward to his latest feature as much as any movie geek, but even I wasn’t prepared for just what a runaway juggernaut of a hit this one turned out to be, from the insane box office to all that award-season glory (especially that undeniable clean-sweep at the Oscars). I’ll just come out and say it, this film deserves it all. It’s EASILY Bong’s best film to date (which is really saying something), a masterful social satire and jet black comedy that raises some genuinely intriguing questions before delivering deeply troubling answers. Straddling the ever-widening gulf between a disaffected idle rich upper class and impoverished, struggling lower class in modern-day Seoul, it tells the story of the Kim family – father Ki-taek (Bong’s good luck charm, Song Kang-ho), mother Chung-sook (Jang Hye-jin), son Ki-woo (Train to Busan’s Choi Woo-shik) and daughter Ki-jung (The Silenced’s Park So-dam) – a poor family living in a run-down basement apartment who live hand-to-mouth in minimum wage jobs and can barely rub two pennies together, until they’re presented with an intriguing opportunity. Through happy chance, Ki-woon is hired as an English tutor for Park Da-hye (Jung Ji-so), the daughter of a wealthy family, which offers him the chance to recommend Ki-jung as an art tutor to the Parks’ troubled young son, Da-song (Jung Hyeon-jun). Soon the rest of the Kims are getting in on the act, the kids contriving opportunities for their father to replace Mr Park’s chauffeur and their mother to oust the family’s long-serving housekeeper, Gook Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eun), and before long their situation has improved dramatically. But as they two families become more deeply entwined, cracks begin to show in their supposed blissful harmony as the natural prejudices of their respective classes start to take hold, and as events spiral out of control a terrible confrontation looms on the horizon. This is social commentary at its most scathing, Bong drawing on personal experiences from his youth to inform the razor-sharp script (co-written by his production assistant Han Jin-won), while he weaves a palpable atmosphere of knife-edged tension throughout to add spice to the perfectly observed dark humour of the situation, all the while throwing intriguing twists and turns at us before suddenly dropping such a massive jaw-dropper of a gear-change that the film completely turns on its head to stunning effect. The cast are all thoroughly astounding, Song once again dominating the film with a turn at once sloppy and dishevelled but also poignant and heartfelt, while there are particularly noteworthy turns from Lee Sun-kyun as the Parks’ self-absorbed patriarch Dong-ik and Choi Yeo-jeong (The Concubine) as his flighty, easily-led wife Choi Yeon-gyo, as well as a fantastically weird appearance in the latter half from Park Myung-hoon. This is heady stuff, dangerously seductive even as it becomes increasingly uncomfortable viewing, so that even as the screws tighten and everything goes to hell it’s simply impossible to look away. Bong Joon-ho really has surpassed himself this time, delivering an existential mind-scrambler that lingers long after the credits have rolled and might even have you questioning your place in society once you’ve thought about it some. It deserves every single award and every ounce of praise it’s been lavished with, and looks set to go down as one of the true cinematic greats of this new decade. Trust me, if this was a purely critical best-of list it’d be RIGHT AT THE TOP …

6. THE OLD GUARD – Netflix’ undisputable TOP OFFERING of the summer came damn close to bagging the whole season, and I can’t help thinking that even if some of the stiffer competition had still been present it may well have still finished this high. Gina Prince-Blythewood (Love & Basketball, the Secret Life of Bees) directs comics legend Greg Rucka’s adaptation of his own popular series with uncanny skill and laser-focused visual flair considering there’s nothing on her previous CV to suggest she’d be THIS good at mounting a stomping great ultraviolent action thriller, ushering in a thoroughly engrossing tale of four ancient, invulnerable immortal warriors – Andy AKA Andromache of Scythia (Charlize Theron), Booker AKA Sebastian de Livre (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe AKA Yusuf Al-Kaysani (Wolf’s Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky AKA Niccolo di Ginova (Trust’s Luca Marinelli) – who’ve been around forever, hiring out their services as mercenaries for righteous causes while jealously guarding their identities for fear of horrific experimentation and exploitation should their true natures ever be discovered. Their anonymity is threatened, however, when they’re uncovered by former CIA operative James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who’s working for the decidedly dodgy pharmaceutical conglomerate run by sociopathic billionaire Steven Merrick (Harry Melling, formerly Dudley in the Harry Potter movies), who want to capture these immortals so they can patent whatever it is that makes them keep on ticking … just as a fifth immortal, US Marine Nile Freeman (If Beale Street Could Talk’s KiKi Layne), awakens after being “killed” on deployment in Afghanistan. The supporting players are excellent, particularly Ejiofor, smart and driven but ultimately principled and deeply conflicted about what he’s doing, even if he does have the best of intentions, and Melling, the kind of loathsome, reptilian scumbag you just love to hate, but the film REALLY DOES belong to the Old Guard themselves – Schoenaerts is a master brooder, spot-on casting as the group’s relative newcomer, only immortal since the Napoleonic Wars but clearly one seriously old soul who’s already VERY tired of the lifestyle, while Joe and Nicky (who met on opposing sides of the Crusades) are simply ADORABLE, an unapologetically matter-of-fact gay couple who are sweet, sassy and incredibly kind, the absolute emotional heart of the film; it’s the ladies, however, that are most memorable here. Layne is exceptional, investing Nile with a steely intensity that puts her in good stead as her new existence threatens to overwhelm her and MORE THAN qualified to bust heads alongside her elders … but it’s ancient Greek warrior Andy who steals the film, Theron building on the astounding work she did in Atomic Blonde to prove, once and for all, that there’s no woman on Earth who looks better kicking arse than her (as Booker puts it, “that woman has forgotten more ways to kill than entire armies will ever learn”); in her hands, Andy truly is a goddess of death, tough as tungsten alloy and unflappable even in the face of hell itself, but underneath it all she hides a heart as big as any of her friends’. They’re an impossibly lovable bunch and you feel you could follow them on another TEN adventures like this one, which is just as well, because Prince-Blythewood and Rucka certainly put them through their paces here – the drama is high (but frequently laced with a gentle, knowing sense of humour, particularly whenever Joe and Nicky are onscreen), as are the stakes, and the frequent action sequences are top-notch, executed with rare skill and bone-crunching zest, but also ALWAYS in service to the story. Altogether this is an astounding film, a genuine victory for its makers and, it seems, for Netflix themselves – it’s become one of the platform’s biggest hits to date, earning well-deserved critical acclaim and great respect and genuine geek love from the fanbase at large. After this, a sequel is not only inevitable, it’s ESSENTIAL …

5. MANK – it’s always nice when David Fincher, one of my TOP FIVE ALL TIME FAVOURITE DIRECTORS, drops a new movie, because it can be GUARANTEED to place good and high in my rundown for that year. The man is a frickin’ GENIUS, a true master of the craft, genuinely one of the auteur’s auteurs. I’ve NEVER seen him deliver a bad film – even a misfiring Fincher (see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Alien 3) is still capable of creating GREAT CINEMA. How? Why? It’s because he genuinely LOVES the art form, it’s been his obsession all his life, and he’s spent every day of it becoming the best possible filmmaker he can be. Who better to tell the story of the creation of one of the ULTIMATE cinematic masterpieces, then? Benjamin Ross’ acclaimed biopic RKO 281 covered similar ground, presenting a compelling look into the making Citizen Kane, the timeless masterpiece of Hollywood’s ULTIMATE auteur, Orson Welles, but Fincher’s film is more interested in the original inspiration for the story, how it was written and, most importantly, the man who wrote it – Herman J. Mankiewicz, known to his friends as Mank. One of my favourite actors of all time, Gary Oldman, delivers yet another of his career best performances in the lead role, once a man of vision and incredible storytelling skill whose talents have largely been squandered through professional difficulties and personal vices, a burned out one-time great fallen on hard times whom Welles picks up out of the trash, dusts off and offers a chance to create something truly great again. The only catch? The subject of their film (albeit dressed up in the guise of fictional newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane) is to be real-life publisher, politico and tycoon William Randolph Hurst (Charles Dance), once Mank’s friend and patron before they had a very public and messy falling out which partly led to his current circumstances. As he toils away in seclusion on what is destined to become his true masterwork, flashbacks reveal to us the fascinating, moving and ultimately tragic tale of his rise and fall from grace in the movie business, set against the backdrop of one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. Shooting a script that his own journalist and screenwriter father, Jack, crafted and then failed to bring to the screen himself before his death in 2003, Fincher has been working for almost a quarter century to make this film, and all that passion and drive is writ large on the screen – this is a glorious film ABOUT film, the art of it, the creation of it, and all the dirty little secrets of what the industry itself has always really been like, especially in that most glamorous and illusory of times. The fact that Fincher shot in black and white and intentionally made it look like it was made in the early 1940s (the “golden age of the Silver Screen”, if you will) may seem like a gimmick, but instead it’s a very shrewd choice that expertly captures the gloss and moodiness of the age, almost looking like a contemporary companion piece to Kane itself, and it’s the perfect way to frame all the sharp-witted observation, subtly subversive character development and murky behind-the-scenes machinations that tell the story. Oldman is in every way the star here, holding the screen with all the consummate skill and flair we’ve come to expect from him, but there’s no denying the uniformly excellent supporting cast are equal to the task here – Dance is at his regal, charismatic best as Hearst, while Amanda Seyfried is icily classy on the surface but mischievous and lovably grounded underneath as Hearst’s mistress, Marion Davies, who formed the basis for Kane’s most controversial character, Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Moneyball) brings nuance and complexity to the role of MGM founder Louis B. Mayer, Tom Pelphrey (Banshee, Ozark) is understated but compelling as Mank’s younger screenwriter brother Joseph, and Lily Collins and Tuppence Middleton exude class and long-suffering stubbornness as the two main women in Mank’s life (his secretary and platonic muse, Rita Alexander, and his wife, Sara), while The Musketeers’ Tom Burke’s periodic but potent appearances as Orson Welles help to drive the story in the “present”. Another Netflix release which I was (thankfully) able to catch on the big screen during one of the brief lulls between British lockdowns, this was a decidedly meta cinematic experience that perfectly encapsulated not only what is truly required for the creation of a screen epic, but also the latest pinnacle in the career of one of the greatest filmmakers working in the business today, powerful, stirring, intriguing and surprising in equal measure. Certainly it’s one of the most important films ABOUT so far film this century, but is it as good as Citizen Kane? Boy, that’s a tough one …

4. ENOLA HOLMES – ultimately, my top film for the autumn/winter movie season was also the film which finally topped my Netflix Original features list, as well as beating all other streaming offerings for the entire year (which is saying something, as you should know by now). Had things been different, this would have been one of Warner Bros’ BIGGEST releases for the year in the cinema, of that I have no doubt, a surprise sleeper hit which would have taken the world by storm – as it is it’s STILL become a sensation, albeit in a much more mid-pandemic, lockdown home-viewing kind of way. Before you start crying oh God no, not another Sherlock Holmes adaptation, this is a very different beast from either the Guy Ritchie take or the modernized BBC show, instead side-lining the great literary sleuth in favour of a delicious new AU version, based on The Case of the Missing Marquess, the first novel in the Enola Holmes Mysteries literary series from American YA author Nancy Springer. Positing that Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) and his elder brother Mycroft (Sam Claflin) had an equally ingenious and precocious baby sister, the film introduces us to Enola (Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown), who’s been raised at home by their strong-willed mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) to be just as intelligent, well-read and intellectually skilled as her far more advantageously masculine elder siblings. Then, on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Enola awakens to find her mother has vanished, putting her in a pretty pickle since this leaves her a ward of Mycroft, a self-absorbed social peacock who finds her to be wilfully free-spirited and completely ill equipped to face the world, concluding that the only solution is sending her to boarding school where she’ll learn to become a proper lady. Needless to say she’s horrified by the prospect, deciding to run away and search for her mother instead … this is about as perfect a family adventure film as you could wish for, following a vital, capable and compelling teen detective-in-the-making as she embarks on her very first investigation, as well as winding up tangled in a second to boot involving a young runaway noble, Viscount Tewkesbury, the Marquess of Basilwether (Medici’s Louis Partridge), and the film is a breezy, swift-paced and rewardingly entertaining romp that feels like a welcome breath of fresh air for a literary property which, beloved as it may be, has been adapted to death over the years. Enola Holmes a brilliant young hero who’s perfectly crafted to carry the franchise forward in fresh new directions, and Brown brings her to life with effervescent charm, boisterous energy and mischievous irreverence that are entirely irresistible; Cavill and Claflin, meanwhile, are perfectly cast as the two very different brothers – this Sherlock is much less louche and world-weary than most previous versions, still razor sharp and intellectually restless but with a comfortable ease and a youthful spring in his step that perfectly suits the actor, while Mycroft is as superior and arrogant as ever, a preening arse we derive huge enjoyment watching Enola consistently get the best of; Bonham Carter doesn’t get a lot of screen-time but as we’d expect she does a lot with what she has to make the practical, eccentric and unapologetically modern Eudoria thoroughly memorable, while Partridge is carefree and likeable as the naïve but irresistible Tewkesbury, and there are strong supporting turns from Frances de la Tour as his stately grandmother, the Dowager, Susie Wokoma (Crazyhead, Truth Seekers) as Emily, a feisty suffragette who runs a jujitsu studio, Burn Gorman as dastardly thug-for-hire Linthorn, and Four Lions’ Adeel Akhtar as a particularly scuzzy Inspector Lestrade. Seasoned TV director Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) makes his feature debut with an impressive splash, unfolding the action at a brisk pace while keeping the narrative firmly focused on an intricate mystery plot that throws in plenty of ingenious twists and turns before a suitably atmospheric climax and pleasing denouement which nonetheless artfully sets up more to come in the future, while screenwriter Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, The Scouting Book for Boys, Wonder) delivers strong character work and liberally peppers the dialogue with a veritable cavalcade of witty zingers. Boisterous, compelling, amusing, affecting and exciting in equal measure, this is a spirited and appealing slice of cinematic escapism that flatters its viewers and never talks down to them, a perfect little period adventure for a cosy Sunday afternoon. Obviously there’s plenty of potential for more, and with further books to adapt there’s more than enough material for a pile of sequels – Neflix would be barmy indeed to turn their nose up at this opportunity …

3. 1917 – it’s a rare thing for a film to leave me truly shell-shocked by its sheer awesomeness, for me to walk out of a cinema in a genuine daze, unable to talk or even really think about much of anything for a few hours because I’m simply marvelling at what I’ve just witnessed. Needless to say, when I do find a film like that (Fight Club, Inception, Mad Max: Fury Road) it usually earns a place very close to my heart indeed. The latest tour-de-force from Sam Mendes is one of those films – an epic World War I thriller that plays out ENTIRELY in one shot, which doesn’t simply feel like a glorified gimmick or stunt but instead is a genuine MASTERPIECE of film, a mesmerising journey of emotion and imagination in a shockingly real environment that’s impossible to tear your eyes away from. Sure, Mendes has impressed us before – his first film, American Beauty, is a GREAT movie, one of the most impressive feature debuts of the 2000s, while Skyfall is, in my opinion, quite simply THE BEST BOND FILM EVER MADE – but this is in a whole other league. It’s an astounding achievement, made all the more impressive when you realise that there’s very little trickery at play here, no clever digital magic (just some augmentation here and there), it’s all real locations and sets, filmed in long, elaborately choreographed takes blended together with clever edits to make it as seamless as possible – it’s not the first film to try to do this (remember Birdman? Bushwick?), but I’ve never seen it done better, or with greater skill. But it’s not just a clever cinematic exercise, there’s a genuine story here, told with guts and urgency, and populated by real flesh and blood characters – the heart of the film is True History of the Kelly Gang’s George MacKay and Dean Chapman (probably best known as Tommen Baratheon in Game of Thrones) as Lance Corporals Will Schofield and Tom Blake, the two young tommies sent out across enemy territory on a desperate mission to stop a British regiment from rushing headlong into a German trap (Tom himself has a personal stake in this because his brother is an officer in the attack). They’re a likeable pair, very human and relatable throughout, brave and true but never so overtly heroic that they stretch credibility, so when tragedy strikes along the way it’s particularly devastating; both deliver exceptional performances that effortlessly carry us through the film, and they’re given sterling support from a selection of top-drawer British talent, from Sherlock stars Andrew Scott and Benedict Cumberbatch to Mark Strong and Colin Firth, each delivering magnificently in small but potent cameos. That said, the cinematography and art department are the BIGGEST stars here, masterful veteran DOP Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption, Blade Runner 2049 and pretty much the Coen Brothers’ entire back catalogue among MANY others) making every frame sing with beauty, horror, tension or tragedy as the need arises, and the environments are SO REAL it feels less like production design than that someone simply sent the cast and crew back in time to film in the real Northern France circa 1917 – from a nightmarish trek across No Man’s Land to a desperate chase through a ruined French village lit only by dancing flare-light in the darkness before dawn, every scene is utterly immersive and simply STUNNING. I don’t think it’s possible for Mendes to make a film better than this, but I sure hope he gives it a go all the same. Either way, this was the most incredible, exhausting, truly AWESOME experience I had at the cinema all year – it’s a film that DESERVES to be seen on the big screen, and I feel truly sorry for those who missed the chance …

2. BIRDS OF PREY & THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN – the only reason 1917 isn’t at number two is because Warner Bros.’ cinematic DC Extended Universe project FINALLY got round to bringing my favourite DC Comics title to the big screen. It was been the biggest pleasure of my cinematic year getting to see my top DC superheroines brought to life on the big screen, and it was done in high style, in my opinion THE BEST of the DCEU films to date (yup, I loved it EVEN MORE than the Wonder Woman movies). It was also great seeing Harley Quinn return after her show-stealing turn in David Ayer’s clunky but ultimately still hugely enjoyable Suicide Squad, better still that they got her SPOT ON this time – this is the Harley I’ve always loved in the comics, unpredictable, irreverent and entirely without regard for what anyone else thinks of her, as well as one talented psychiatrist. Margot Robbie once more excels in the role she was basically BORN to play, clearly relishing the chance to finally do Harley TRUE justice, and she’s a total riot from start to finish, infectiously lovable no matter what crazy, sometimes downright REPRIHENSIBLE antics she gets up to. Needless to say she’s the nominal star here, her latest ill-advised adventure driving the story – finally done with the Joker and itching to make her emancipation official, Harley publicly announces their breakup by blowing up Ace Chemicals (their love spot, basically), inadvertently painting a target on her back in the process since she’s no longer under the assumed protection of Gotham’s feared Clown Prince of Crime – but that doesn’t mean she eclipses the other main players the movie’s REALLY supposed to be about. Each member of the Birds of Prey is beautifully written and brought to vivid, arse-kicking life by what had to be 2020’s most exciting cast – Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress, is the perfect character for Mary Elizabeth Winstead to finally pay off on that action hero potential she showed in Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, but this is a MUCH more enjoyable role outside of the fight choreography because while Helena may be a world-class dark avenger, socially she’s a total dork, which just makes her thoroughly adorable; Rosie Perez is similarly perfect casting as Renee Montoya, the uncompromising pint-sized Gotham PD detective who kicks against the corrupt system no matter what kind of trouble it gets her into, and just gets angrier all the time, paradoxically making us like her even more; and then there’s the film’s major controversy, at least as far as the fans are concerned, namely one Cassandra Cain. Sure, this take is VERY different from the comics’ version (a nearly mute master assassin who went on to become the second woman to wear the mask of Batgirl before assuming her own crime-fighting mantle as Black Bat and now Orphan), but personally I like to think this is simply Cass at THE VERY START of her origin story, leaving plenty of time for her to discover her warrior origins when the DCEU finally gets around to introducing her mum, Lady Shiva (personally I want Michelle Yeoh to play her, but that’s just me) – anyways, here she’s a skilled child pickpocket whose latest theft inadvertently sets off the larger central plot, and newcomer Ella Jay Basco brings a fantastic pre-teen irreverence and spiky charm to the role, beautifully playing against Robbie’s mercurial energy. My favourite here BY FAR, however, is Dinah Lance, aka the Black Canary (not only my favourite Bird of Prey but my very favourite DC superheroine PERIOD), the choice of up-and-comer Jurnee Smollet-Bell (Friday Night Lights, Underground) proving to be the film’s most inspired casting – a club singer with the metahuman ability to emit piercing supersonic screams, she’s also a ferocious martial artist (in the comics she’s one of the very best fighters IN THE WORLD), as well as a wonderfully pure soul you just can’t help loving, and it made me SO UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY that they got my Canary EXACTLY RIGHT. Altogether they’re a fantastic bunch of badass ladies, basically my perfect superhero team, and the way they’re all brought together (along with Harley, of course) is beautifully thought out and perfectly executed … they’ve also got one hell of a threat to overcome, namely Gotham crime boss Roman Sionis, the Black Mask, one of the Joker’s chief rivals – Ewan McGregor brings his A-game in a frustratingly rare villainous turn (my number one bad guy for the movie year), a monstrously narcissistic, woman-hating control freak with a penchant for peeling off the faces of those who displease him, sharing some exquisitely creepy chemistry with Chris Messina (The Mindy Project) as Sionis’ nihilistic lieutenant Victor Zsasz. This is about as good as superhero cinema gets, a perfect example of the sheer brilliance you get when you switch up the formula to create something new, an ultra-violent, unapologetically R-rated middle finger to the classic tropes, a fantastic black comedy thrill ride that’s got to be the most full-on feminist blockbuster ever made – it’s helmed by a woman (Dead Pigs director Cathy Yan), written by a woman (Bumblebee’s Christina Hodson), produced by more women and ABOUT a bunch of badass women magnificently triumphing over toxic masculinity in all its forms. It’s also simply BRILLIANT – the cast are all clearly having a blast, the action sequences are first rate (the spectacular GCPD evidence room fight in which Harley gets to REALLY cut loose is the undisputable highlight), it has a gleefully anarchic sense of humour and is simply BURSTING with phenomenal homages, references and in-jokes for the fans (Bruce the hyena! Stuffed beaver! Roller derby!). It’s also got a killer soundtrack, populated almost exclusively by numbers from female artists. Altogether, then, this is the VERY BEST the DCEU has to offer to date, and VERY NEARLY my absolute FAVOURITE film of 2020. Give it all the love you can, it sure as hell deserves it.

1. TENET – granted, the streaming platforms (particularly Netflix and Amazon) certainly saved our cinematic summer, but I’m still IMMEASURABLY glad that my ultimate top-spot winner FOR THE WHOLE YEAR was one I got to experience on THE BIG SCREEN. You gotta hand it to Christopher Nolan, he sure hung in there, stubbornly determined that his latest cinematic masterpiece WOULD be released in cinemas in the summer (albeit ultimately landing JUST inside the line in the final week of August and ultimately taking the bite at the box office because of the still shaky atmosphere), and it was worth all the fuss because, for me, this was THE PERFECT MOVIE for me to get return to cinemas with. I mean, okay, in the end it WASN’T the FIRST new movie I saw after the first reopening, that honour went to Unhinged, but THIS was my first real Saturday night-out big screen EXPERIENCE since March. Needless to say, Nolan didn’t disappoint this time any more than he has on any of his consistently spectacular previous releases, delivering another twisted, mind-boggling headfuck of a full-blooded experiential sensory overload that comes perilously close to toppling his long-standing auteur-peak, Inception (itself second only by fractions to The Dark Knight as far as I’m concerned). To say much at all about the plot would give away major spoilers – personally I’d recommend just going in as cold as possible, indeed you really should just stop reading this right now and just GO SEE IT. Still with us? Okay … the VERY abridged version is that it’s about a secret war being waged between the present and the future by people capable of “inverting” time in substances, objects, people, whatever, into which the Protagonist (BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington), an unnamed CIA agent, has been dispatched in order to prevent a potential coming apocalypse. Washington is once again on top form, crafting a robust and compelling morally complex heroic lead who’s just as comfortable negotiating the minefields of black market intrigue as he is breaking into places or dispatching heavies, Kenneth Branagh delivers one of his most interesting and memorable performances in years as brutal Russian oligarch Andrei Sator, a genuinely nasty piece of work who was ALMOST the year’s very best screen villain, Elizabeth Debicki (The Night Manager, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Widows) brings strength, poise and wounded integrity to the role of Sator’s estranged wife, Kat, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson gets to use his own accent for once as tough-as-nails British Intelligence officer Ives, while there are brief but consistently notable supporting turns and cameos from Martin Donovan, Yesterday’s Himesh Patel, Dirk Gently’s Fiona Dourif and, of course, Nolan’s good luck charm, Michael Caine. The cast’s biggest surprise, however, is Robert Pattinson, truly a revelation in what has to be, HANDS DOWN, his best role to date, Neil, the Protagonist’s mysterious handler – he’s by turns cheeky, slick, duplicitous and thoroughly badass, delivering an enjoyably multi-layered, chameleonic performance which proves what I’ve long maintained, that the former Twilight star is actually a fucking amazing actor, and on the basis of this, even if that amazing new teaser trailer wasn’t making the rounds, I think the debate about whether or not he’s the right choice for the new Batman is now academic. As we’ve come to expect from Nolan, this is a TRUE tour-de-force experience, a visual triumph and an endlessly engrossing head-scratcher, Nolan’s screenplay bringing in seriously big ideas and throwing us some major narrative knots and loopholes, constantly wrong-footing the viewer while also setting up truly revelatory payoffs from seemingly low-key, unimportant beginnings – this is a film you need to be awake and attentive for or you could miss something pretty vital. The action sequences are, as ever, second to none, some of the year’s very best set-pieces coming thick and fast and executed with some of the most accomplished skill in the business, while Nolan-regular cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar and Dunkirk, as well as the heady likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, SPECTRE and Ad Astra) once again shows he’s one of the best camera-wizards in the business today by delivering some absolutely mesmerising visuals. Notably, Nolan’s other regular collaborator, composer Hans Zimmer, is absent here (although he had good reason, since he was working on his dream project at the time, the fast-approaching screen adaptation of Dune), but Ludwig Göransson (best known for his collaborations with Ryan Coogler Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther, as well as career-best work on The Mandalorian) is a fine replacement, crafting an intriguingly internalised, post-modern musical landscape that thrums and pulses in time with the story and emotions of the characters rather than the action itself. Interestingly it’s on the subject of sound that some of the film’s rare detractions have been levelled, and I can see some of the points – the soundtrack mix is an all-encompassing thing, and there are times when the dialogue can be overwhelmed, but in Nolan’s defence this film is a heady, immersive experience, something you really need to concentrate on, so these potential flaws are easily forgiven. As a work of filmmaking art, this is another flawless wonder from one of the true masters of the craft working in cinema today, but it’s art with palpable substance, a rewarding whole that proved truly unbeatable in 2020 …

#wolfwalkers #wonder woman 1984 #ww84 #love and monsters #parasite #parasite movie #the old guard #mank #enola holmes #1917 #1917 movie #Birds of Prey #birds of prey the fantabulous emancipation of one harley quinn #tenet #tenet movie #2020 in movies

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captainofthetidesbreath · 4 years

Text

The Nein as quotes from Polygon’s Unraveled

Because @hit-it-or-crit-it urged me I totally should get around to doing this after our brief discussion on the Nein and Unraveled after my screencap redraw, here it is—

Beau: “Listen to these quotes: ‘All warfare is based on deception,’ ‘If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him,’ ‘Steal their hats.’”

A strong contender: “But do I regret reading the Geneva Conventions? Of course not. Knowledge is its own reward. Could I really call this an Unraveled if I didn’t spend a whole day reading 224 pages of dense legalese for no good reason? Of course I couldn’t.”

Caduceus: “And if you have bugs in your house and you make the conscious decision to WANT those bugs in your house, they aren't pests, they're pets...s.”

A strong contender was: “[authoritatively] And that is no good, is it? [earnest] Is it? I actually have... um, I'm a little confused right now.”

Caleb: “With all the spell-casting and shouting you must do as Dragonborn, who really has time to read all these books? I do. Apparently.”

I absolutely agree that “God has cursed me for my hubris, and my work is never finished.” is absolutely a Caleb quote. I hear you—I hear your questions constantly. However, is it not just the state of wizardry in which you are cursed by God for your hubris? I opted for a more specific Caleb vibe, and that is books.

Fjord: “It's very hard to cuddle with someone when there's an inferiority complex between you.”

Now, I know "But when all hope seemed lost, I had an epiphany. ‘I am going to throw myself into the sea.’" is PEAK Fjord. I even did a quick screenshot redraw for it. But, also, this choice encapsulates WHY Fjord is going to throw himself into the sea—will someone please let Fjord cuddle every single one of his friends? Also, “I fully expect my boss, Tara Long, to put me out of my misery when I stop being useful. That's good management.” and “I know how much it would disappoint my friends if I changed my appearance.” were also strong contenders. Fjord is just, honestly, a pile of BDG quotes.

Jester: “[holding cat] So, here is Zuko, Barbarian class level 63. I love him with all my heart, and he loves me just the same. [gets whacked in the face by cat]”

Folks probably expected the one about cults: “And before you get upset with me saying, ‘Brian, aren’t you just starting a cult?’, look at this question answered by cutegirlcorr! Technically speaking, religions and cults are the same thing!” But, I can never turn down a good Sprinkle joke. And it feels like it better captures Jester’s energy.

Molly: “If I can't be accurate, I sure as hell am gonna be extra.”

A strong contender: “They'll see me as an artistic genius that's right and incomparably handsome.”

Veth: “[exasperated laughter] The Red Bull's wearing off.”

Veth is just the entire video where Brian searches for the hottest Castlevania monster. Just pick any quote out of that video: “[holding up image of Slogra] If you're not attracted to this, you're wrong.”, “That hyena can get it!”, “If someone comes up to me and introduces themselves to me as Duke Mirage, my pants are already off.” But, I feel the exhausted oh shit of this choice better captures Veth outside of her being thirsty for Mr. Minotaur.

Yasha: “When I was a kid, my mom thought I had a nutritional deficit because I kept wanting to eat mushrooms so much, like I only ate mushrooms for a whole week.”

A strong contender: “And finally we are cutting all of the recipes that include monster parts because we all know the true monster is man. [long stare into camera] And cannibalism is frowned upon in New York.” I just felt the chosen more captured the almost dead-pan and strange whimsy Yasha has.

Bonus:

Essek: “Why does no one understand the time break except for me, Brian David Gilbert? Why am I the only scholar in time break studies?”

Strong alternatives are “And if you'll excuse me, I have to go do my dark bidding in these spreadsheets.” and “That starts in stage one of all villains: you have to be contacted by a future version of yourself.”

Yeza: “Acid man was meant to be a chemist. What's he good for, titrations? [beat] That's a chemistry joke.”

Trent: “Once you've got that boy under your possession, time to get real into unethical science.”

The Bright Queen: “You sweet summer child. You babe swaddled in the cashmere blanket of ignorance.”

Dairon: “‘When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life,’ but that’s bullshit. I love what I do, and let me tell you something—I’ve worked some days.”

Yussa: “Come on in. Hope you're not as big of an asshole as the past few of your friends.”

#long post for ts #Critical Role #Critical Role things #Sorry lmao it's such a long post but I didn't wanna cut down my commentary bc I'm wordy

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jokertrap-ran · 3 years

Photo

(光与夜之恋 Light and Night) Main Story Chapter 1-3: 命运的拐点 Destiny’s Turning Point Translation [3rd Beta Test]

*Light and Night Master-list is under WIP *Spoiler free: Translations will remain under cut *Game is slated for release this summer! (Estimated to be 8/8/21) *Beta Test’s main story tag will be #Dreams of Light and Night

Police: Name?

Cindy: My name's Cindy. My earrings are gone! I've spent an entire week on them. Please, you must help me find them!

The girl who was desperate to the brink of tears was none other than Cindy, the oldest contestant amongst us all.

Half an hour ago, Cindy had suggested reporting this to the police seeing as how many of the designers had their accessories go missing. Now, she was the first one to undergo questioning by the police.

Police: Earrings, you say? Alright, I've noted it down. Has anyone else lost anything?

Designer A: Me. I lost an Emerald hairpin.

Designer B: My pearl necklace is gone too.

MC: I'm (Y/n), my brooch has also gone missing.

Police: I've gotten the gist of the situation here. All of your items were found lost after less than half an hour after having been left here.

Police: My colleague went to check the surveillance tapes. There was no one suspicious who entered and left the room during that time frame.

Cindy: How can that be...

Police: But there are blind spots where the surveillance cameras cannot reach. Plus, things don't simply disappear for no reason at all.

Police: So, I'm asking everyone to think carefully about it again. Did any of you see anyone who was acting suspicious?

MC: A suspicious looking person…

The image of the figure dressed in black and wearing a mask flashed into my mind along with his skull pendant and flickering silver chains.

MC: I saw someone that I didn't recognize walk out of the room, but I thought that he was a model…

MC: But now that I think about it, no model would come here.

Police: What did this person look like?

MC: He’s very tall and looks to be around 185cm. He wasn’t wearing a staff uniform.

Police: Can you give me a detailed description of his appearance and how he was dressed?

I nodded, trying my hardest to remember what I’d seen in that split-second.

MC: I couldn’t make out his features since he wore a black mask, but I remember his clothes…!

MC: He wore a black leather jacket paired with light grey jeans and a pair of studded boots.

MC: He had a long silver necklace with a skull pendant hanging from it along with a few silver chains hanging from his waist.

MC: His countenance is hard to describe. He appears to give off a very mysterious vibe, but honestly, the design of the pants he wore needs to be optimized...

I continued prattling on, unaware of how the policeman who’d been recording my descriptions down stopped short.

Police: Optimized?

Suddenly realizing what I'd just said, my face flushed in embarrassment.

MC: Sorry, but that's pretty much all I saw…

Police: Alright. We'll look further into the matter with this information.

Police: However, considering the large number of people here, the vastness of the venue and the small number of missing items, it’ll be quite difficult to find them.

Police: You'd best be prepared.

Everyone lapsed into collective silence after the police left. The solemness of the atmosphere in here was tangible, like a heavy cloud that hung over all of our heads.

Cindy had already succumbed to despair. She silently squatted down; head buried into the crook of her arm.

★Night Choice: Settle your own problems (Didn't select)

☆Light Choice: Comfort Her

I walked up to her, gently patting her back.

MC: Don't worry, I'm sure the police will be able to help us all find our missing accessories.

Cindy: You guys are all young and talented… you'll have other ways to spring back if you fail here, so of course you wouldn't be too worried about it… but such a thing doesn't exist for me…

Her soft voice was distorted by her sniffling, so much that I could barely distinguish what she was trying to say between sobs.

I'd overheard the others talking about her before. Cindy was originally a white-collar worker who'd eventually resigned and got a loan to study design overseas. It was a do-or-die situation for her, in a way.

I didn't know what I should say to comfort her, for everything I say right now would only pale in comparison to what she was going through. All I could do was to gently pat her back.

Cindy: Why did this have to happen now…? It took me such painstaking efforts to get this far…

All the doom and gloom that she exuded was contagious, and I soon felt my heart drop along with her worsening mood.

???: What are you crying about?

No one actually expected Wu Yue, of all people, to be saying something this harsh. She strode out of the crowd under everyone's surprised gazes, walking in front of Cindy and pulling her back upright. Her expression was a tad savage.

Wu Yue: If you don't want to let all your previous effort go to waste, then you'd jolly well shut your trap and redo it. Do you really think it was all so easy for everyone to get this far!

Wu Yue: Those who whinge and always feel sorry for themselves but do nothing to fix it will never succeed.

This was the first time I've ever heard her speak off-stage.

I couldn't help but to be surprised at the look of dead seriousness on her face.

MC: There's still another 3 days before the competition, so let's hurry and start re-doing what we've lost.

Gao Cheng: I... I can help everyone fetch the materials they need. You can also ask me for help if any of you need an extra hand...

Designer A: I've already long since wanted to change my hairpin design! I'm sure the new one this time will turn out a hundred times better! You guys better watch out!

More contestants started inputting, and the gloomy atmosphere soon dissipated. Cindy had also stopped crying, vigorously rubbing at her eyes.

Cindy: You guys are right. I cannot give up here…

Despite all of us not knowing what results awaited us 3 days later, and despite all of us being fellow competitors, we were all teammates now, working hard with the same goal in mind.

After getting our moods in check, everyone returned to their own working space, making the best out of the remaining time left to continue with their respective creations.

❖☆———————————★❖

The hands on the clock had already moved past the 8 PM mark by the time if gotten up for a good stretch.

MC: The gown's pretty much good to go, and I've also finished drawing out the new brooch design. Everything's turning out pretty well~

Gao Cheng: Your design's inspired by the starry skies, right? It's really pretty…

Gao Cheng's faze lingered on the draft of my design for a while before he seemingly snapped out of it. He raised his head, frantically waving his hands in front of him with a flustered look on his face.

Gao Cheng: S-Sorry, it wasn't my intention to peek at your design. I just happened to get attracted to it when I walked past…

MC: Don't worry about it, you came at a great time. Could you tell me what you think about it?

Gao Cheng: Is the brooch meant to represent the brightest star in the sky?

MC: Yup, it represents the north star.

Gao Cheng: But Polaris isn't actually all that bright. It shines at 2nd magnitude, so you can use a darker gemstone to represent it.

It was as if he were an entirely different person when it came to the topic of stars. He gushed enthusiastically about it with unrivalled passion and seriousness.

Gao Cheng: Ah, I just like astronomy, so I know about it a little more than others. Please don't get mad at me...

MC: Why would I be mad? I'm actually extremely thankful for your input!

I'd previously searched up pictures of the starry sky up on the internet to use as reference pictures, but what Gao Cheng said reminded me once again that even though the pictures captured by a camera's lens turn out beautiful, it still isn't as real as the real thing.

Nothing beats seeing it with your own eyes and ascertaining it for yourself after all.

MC: Maybe I should go up to the rooftop and check the stars out.

❖☆———————————★❖

The cold air of the night greets me as I push open the doors to the rooftop. The vast night sky was spread out before my eyes, the many little red dots beneath it denoting lights of the thousands of households below.

I held onto the railing with both hands raising my head to inhale deeply.

It was then that my phone rang to life as messages from An'an came pouring in one line after another.

An'an (SMS): I've gotten my hands on the guest list!

An'an (SMS): You won't believe how elaborate this guest line-up is! Osborn's actually coming, you know!? His club's going to be collaborating with the Warson Group!

MC: ...Osborn?

An'an (SMS): Please tell me you still remember him. I've shown you a picture of him before! He's my favourite R1 racer who has won 4 consecutive championships!

I hadn't yet had the chance to truly think back on it when I suddenly heard a faint noise. It was the familiar sound of metallic chains clinking against each other.

There had been no one here when I came up to the rooftop.

My heart leapt to my throat as I unwittingly headed towards the direction of the sound.

There was someone hidden within the shadows, standing silently in one of the corners where the moonlight never reached.

Seemingly having noticed my gaze, the person moved forwards, stepping out of the shadows.

❖☆———————————★❖

I finally managed to vaguely make out his appearance. He was tall and intimidating even from a distance away. He wore a black jacket across his shoulders, the moonlight glinting off the skull necklace that rested upon his chest.

MC: That's the guy I saw back in the corridor!

I hadn't yet recovered from the initial surprise of seeing him here when I suddenly noticed that he was holding a red earring between his fingers.

Cindy's Earrings! So, he really WAS the thief!

The clouds blocked off the moonlight, darkening the skies as my heart raced, pounding loudly in my ears. Did I interrupt him in the middle of something? Am I going to be "silenced"?

All hesitation flew out the window the moment my thoughts stopped there. I immediately turned and made a dash for the exit.

However, just as I was about to pull the door open and make my escape, a well-defined hand pressed against the door, blocking off my escape.

??: And just where are you running off to now?

❖☆————— ⊹ Dreams of Light & Night⊹ —————★❖

Previous Part: (Chapter 1-1) | Next Part: (Chapter 1-5)

#光与夜之恋 #Light and Night #Otome #Translations #Tencent #萧逸 #Osborn #齐司礼 #Sariel #陆沉 #Evan #查理苏 #Charlie #夏鸣星 #Jesse #Dreams of Light and Night

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jumukus · 4 years

Text

A3! Translation: Muku Sakisaka’s SSR [Mankai Glitter] - To Virgo: Muku

translation under the cut.

Muku: For this part, you've gotta do it like this…

...And done! I've finished making the cat doll!

Omi: Oh, it's come out pretty well. You've improved quite a lot on making a felt doll, Muku.

Muku: It's all thanks to your teaching, Omi-san. Besides, I'm still far from good…

But I want to be as good as you and Yuki-kun.

Omi: Hey, you're fine, all right? But hmm, so you want to become better at this, huh…

That's right. I know a handicraft cafe that can help you improve your skills in a relaxed way. Are you interested?

Muku: A handicraft cafe, you say!? That sounds really fun!

Omi: Why don't you invite all the Summer Troupe guys to go with you? You can make matching things there, after all.

Muku: Together with my Summer Troupe mates… Now that you mention it…

Since my birthday is fast approaching, they told me to think of a place that I want to go with them all.

I've decided where to go now! Thank you, Omi-san.

Omi: Haha, glad to hear that. Have fun there.

Muku: Yup!

I need to think of a wish after that…

Omi: A wish?

Muku: The one that we asked to the "Hello, Celestial Sphere."

Omi: Sorry, but… what's "Hello, Celestial Sphere"?

Muku: It's one of the troupe's urban legends that Kazu-kun and Misumi-san found in the warehouse.

If you wish for something to your constellation during your birthday month, it's said that your wish will come true for a day.

Omi: Heh, I didn't know there's such a thing.

Muku: I heard the old members used this as one of their party goods, so we decided to use that during our birthday parties as well.

It's sort of become the Summer Troupe's tradition to use this thing.

...Did Banri-san not tell you, though? I assumed all troupe leaders know about this…

Omi: Nope, he didn't tell me anything. But well, I feel like he's gonna tell us when the time comes.

Hello, Celestial Sphere, huh… I hope you can come up with something good.

Muku: Yup!

***

Muku: Thank you for clearing your schedules for today, guys.

Kazunari: No biggie~! We're gonna celebrate our beloved Mukkun's birthday, after all!

Kumon: Let's celebrate your birthday splendidly!

Izumi: Is it really okay for me to tag along, though?

Muku: Totally! Rather, I'm happy that you come along with us, Director-san.

Yuki: So where do you wanna go?

Muku: You'll know once we arrive there. Let's go!

Tenma: Handicraft cafe, huh?

Yuki: The interior is cute.

Kumon: Wow! We can make things like dolls and the likes here, right!?

Misumi: Sounds fun~!

Izumi: Ah, I've come here with Omi-kun before…!

Muku: Oh, really? To tell you the truth, Omi-san was the one who told me about this place.

I heard you can both improve your skill and have fun here, so I want to come here with the rest of Summer Troupe.

Kazunari: Since this is a cafe, they should have cakes and teas here.

Tenma: Yeah, let's order something before we do the handicraft. Here, the menu.

Misumi: Yup! We're here to celebrate Muku's birthday after all~!

Kumon: IKR!

Muku: You guys… Thanks!

***

Kazunari: Our orders are all here, rite? With that said…

Mukkun, happy birthday!

Summer Troupe: Happy birthday!!

Muku: Thanks! Ehehe. This made me happy…

I love acting with you all, hanging out with you all, and spending time together like this.

Thank you for everything. Let's stay good friends.

Misumi: I love spending time with you too~!

Kazunari: Same! I really, really, really love it!

Tenma: Let's keep doing our best together.

Izumi: (The Summer Troupe members sure are close with each other, huh. Muku-kun also looks really happy.)

***

Kazunari: Alrighty! Now that we've enjoyed the tasty cakes, it's time to make the felted dolls!

Yuki: Do you have any things you wanna make?

Muku: I want to make matching items with you all.

Misumi: Whoa, I like that idea~!

Kazunari: Ah! How about we make a rival for William!? We'd have six in total then!

Kumon: That means we'll make them battle over William's girlfriend Mari?

Muku: What!? But both of them already have a happy ending during the puppet show the other day. Making a rival would be kinda…

But love comes with many challenges…

Six powerful and charming rivals are appearing before William… However, later on, they all will become the best of friends.

Tenma: You're gonna make the story be more complicated at this rate, y'know.

Izumi: Fufu. I think it's a great story, though.

Yuki: Well, putting the rivals aside, it'd be nice to make something with the same size.

Kumon: Yup! Okay, let's go ahead and make it~!

Misumi: Yup~!

Waiter: Here are the kits that we have prepared. Please choose what you like. For those who have gotten used to this, naturally, you are allowed to make some arrangements.

Tenma: Which one should I choose?

Kazunari: Prick this one, and then…

Muku: I think it goes like this...

Kumon: This is so hard!

Misumi: What should I do, after this, Yuki~?

Yuki: This one goes like this. Then, for this part…

Izumi: (Despite struggling at some parts, they all look like they're having fun.)

***

Misumi: It's done!

Tenma: Alright, me too.

Kazunari: Good job! With that, now it's all done!

Izumi: Whoa, they're all cute! You guys went with different animals, huh.

Kumon: It was hard yet so fun~!

Muku: Right? I had a lot of fun too.

Yuki: Since they're all from the series, it's become a matching set. Isn't that great?

Kazunari: It's very cwute! If you line them up like this, we can see our own personalities in them!

Muku: Fufu, you're right.

OPTION 1: Your rabbit is adorable, Muku-kun.

Izumi: Your rabbit is adorable, Muku-kun. You're really good at this, huh.

Muku: You think so? Ehehe… Thank you.

Yuki: Yeah, I also think you did great. You paid attention to the details.

Misumi: The rabbit looks like Muku somehow~. It's fluffy and smiling so gently.

Kumon: I think so too!

Tenma: It does look like Muku.

Kazunari: Down to your healing vibes too!

Izumi: You're right.

Muku: R-Really? This kinda makes me shy, but… I'm happy.

OPTION 2: I tried making this, you see.

Izumi: I tried making this, you see.

Muku: Ah, a cake! Whoa, it's so cute…!

Izumi: I found this sweet series among the kits, so I decided to choose this. It's perfect for Muku-kun's birthday.

Kazunari: Oh, yeah! Hey, let's line up our animals together and put Director-chan's cake in the middle~.

Muku: Whoa…!

Misumi: It looks like the animals are celebrating Muku's birthday too~!

Kazunari: IKR!? It's very cwute~! I've gotta take a snap and post it on the blog! Captured!

Muku: So happy~. I'll print this picture and put it in the room.

Kazunari: Sounds great! Let's write some birthday wishes too after this, guys! I'll send the photo to y'all!

***

Kazunari: Once we're home, let's take a photo of them with William!

But hey, you see, I've actually come up with this idea when making these dolls. Say, don't you think having all 24 of us William's rivals is interesting!?

Kumon: A 24-way relationship!?

Izumi: If we include William, then 25…?

Tenma: That's too many!

Muku: Whoa…! I think I've read a shoujo manga with that kind of story before!

Yuki: 24-way relationship?

Muku: Yup! The boys are competing for one girl's heart!

Each of the boys have different personalities, and the one who is chosen by the heroine is beyond our expectations…!

Misumi: Is that so~?

Muku: I'm sure it'll be great if our company members reenact that manga and become the heroes…

Yuki: Well, there are also some of us who don't look like the type to date, though.

Kumon: Ah! Speaking of, Muku, have you decided on your wish to the Celestial Sphere?

Muku: Celestial Sphere…

That's it! I've decided on my wish!

Yuki: I feel like I know what it is.

Misumi: What is your wish~?

Muku: Umm…

Tenma: You've brought the Celestial Sphere, huh.

Kazunari: Oooh! Kumon also did this before. That's our cousins for ya!

Izumi: Feel free to say your wish, Muku-kun.

Muku: Yeah!

Hello, Lord Virgo…

I want our company members to reenact "Honey Concerto in Love!"

Muku: Nnggh….

(Hm…? I feel like someone is staring at me…)

Kazunari: Good morning, Mukumi. Seeing your face first thing in the morning is truly the happiest moment in my life.

Even your sleeping face is really cute today☆

Muku: ...Ka-Kazu-kun?

Kazunari: What is it? By the way, you look so cute even when spacing out… haaah, your beauty is truly a sin, Mukumi.

Muku: (Mukumi? Is he talking about me…?)

(While I do wish to have everyone reenact my favorite shoujo manga, I don't mean it like this…)

Kazunari: Come on, it's time for breakfast. Let's go, my sweet roommate☆

Muku: Y-Yeah.

***

Muku: Morning.

Yuki: Morning, Mukumi. Did you sleep well?

Misumi: Goodness. Do you have to be that cute from early in the morning, honey?

Tenma: Well now, let's begin our "Morning Appeal Time" to Mukumi.

Muku: Appeal Time!?

Misumi: I'm going first, then.

Take this, my triangle present for today. I also include my love for you.

Muku: Thank, Thank you…

Kazunari: You like this better, right, Mukumi?

This bittersweetness of citrus… reminds me of our heart-thumping meeting in that certain country.

Muku: U-Uh… I met Kazu-kun during the Summer Troupe audition, though.

Yuki: Mukumi, I saw you in my dream last night. To think that you even visited my dream…

You sure can't stand being alone, huh. You really are adorable, my angel.

Kumon: Nice weather today, huh….During summer like this, the sun is shining as bright as you.

You make my heart heat up so much I feel like it's burning… you know?

Tenma: A day like this makes me want to go to a private beach with you. Say, baby, let's have a samba dance as we match our passionate rhythm with each other.

Muku: (Whoaaa, I knew it! I'm the heroine!)

(Now that I think about it again, there's a scene like this in the manga…)

Tenma: Alright, now that the Appeal Time is over, let's have breakfast. Sit beside me, Mukumi.

Muku: Huh? Oh, okay--.

Banri: Hey, watta minute.

Juza: You're the one who should wait.

Muku: Ba, Banri-san…!? Even Juchan…!

Banri: Mukumi will sit beside me, of course. Right, Mukumi?

Juza: The heck? Since when did we ever decide on that, bastard? Come sit next to me, Mukumi.

Muku: Whoa, whoa, whoa…

Banri: Tch… Look, bastard, you made Mukumi troubled. Guess it's faster to just ask the person in question right away.

Juza: Yeah. Mukumi, who do you choose? ***

Muku: Huh!? Ummm…!

I-I'm sorry!!

Banri and Juza: Mukumi!

Muku: (I should have made my wish pretty clear and asked the Celestial Sphere to turn Director-san into the heroine...)

***

Muku: ...Ah!!

Huh…?

It, It was… a dream….

(That dream felt very real, though. It was a little bit different from what I hoped for, but the Celestial Sphere still made my wish come true…)

Kazunari: Mukkun?

Muku: Ka-Kazu-kun…

Kazunari: Morning! What's wrong, though? Jumping out of bed like that.

Muku: (Thank goodness. It's the usual Kazu-kun…)

It's nothing. Morning, Kazu-kun.

#a3!#a3! translation #summer troupe #autumn troupe #tenma sumeragi #yuki rurikawa #muku sakisaka #kumon hyodo #kazunari miyoshi #misumi ikaruga #juza hyodo #banri settsu

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