#top ten anime 2018

[reallyhardydraws]

2023.

i hope any of you reading this will forgive the essay. i started posting to this art blog ten years ago in 2013 when i was just at the very end of high school, uploading short animations i'd made for one of my final projects, preparing myself for art school where i was gearing up to become an illustration/animation student.

i went into my art foundation course in 2014, still thinking i was going to be going into storybook illustration or with faint hopes of becoming like a concept artist for game/animation, although even then i'd started thinking about patterns...

and then in 2015 i did go into my BA, going in for that illustration with animation degree that... usually when i talk about it in real life, i say didn't really feel like the best place for me. if i think back, the best things i got out of it were two of my best friends, one of whom is now my partner. looking back on my BA era, there's some bits of sketchbook stuff...

and while i was at university my main fandoms were thunderbirds are go and x-men for a bit... these are from the end of 2015 into the beginning of 2016...

then for a little while i was doing this still sort of pastel-ish lineless situation:

and i alternated between that and this thin fineliner type work (pretty sure all of the linearted pieces were done on paper and scanned, and all the lineless were graphics-tablet-only) - it was in this style that i started to offer commissions for the first time too.

and i also had fineliner-lined work in sketchbooks that i coloured with marker and posca pens, the colours of which were generally a bit more intense just based on not being able to slide the hue/saturation around on paper:

also 2016 was when i discovered the spongebob musical just after it's trial run in chicago (which ended in july of 2016) and i started making fanart at that point... which would have the biggest effect on the way i drew (and i did end up handing in a piece of spongebob musical fanart as one of my art school homeworks lmao)

from summer 2016 until early 2017 things were still quite soft and pastelly in my digital art, colour-wise:

and then suddenly everything got whacked up to 100% on saturation. also i was using the binary tool to give everything really thin pixel lineart for some reason.

then i went on vacation in summer 2017 and didn't draw for maybe a month? just short of? and when i came back i decided to change everything up again... giving characters blobbier, more ugly-cute faces with large squinting eyes and big nostrils and i was worrying a lot less about making anything look smooth, lineart-wise. i turned off the pen stabiliser in SAI and let it wiggle.

then... the spongebob musical opened on broadway in late 2017, i went to see it live in person for the first time... and my whole brain was ENTIRELY consumed by my love of it. i was putting that david zinn inspired pattern explosion into everything, even if it wasn't sbm fanart.

as we go into 2018, i started colouring my lineart. my biggest interest was still broadway musicals (with spongebob at the top of the list)

i think summer 2017 - early 2018 is probably my favourite art era, i was at my most bright and colourful and exciting... although i know in my actual real life i was struggling a lot with my home situation and i had been for some time. art was definitely my escapism back then, and i think a lot of the time i drew really bright, joyful stuff to try and inject that feeling into myself.

as for my university work, i was putting my focus into 3D paper-mache puppets:

and i was also starting to do more repeat patterns, mostly inspired by things around me. i'd learned how to make patterns actually tile and repeat in 2017, so made a few during my time at uni just to accompany some of my projects, but never as the focus of them. one of my university tutors told me that maybe i should put more focus on doing surface pattern, and maybe applying it to textiles, but i said i wasn't interested.

i graduated from my BA in the summer of 2018, and immediately began volunteering at the whitworth art gallery doing anything i could - stewarding, helping with arts and crafts, dancing with families...

in 2019 i was still very colourful... i was trying out more chunky colouring on characters skintones that i think was def inspired by tumblr artist jadenvargen:

but the blobbyness and ugly-cute style of drawing faces was gone by here, and i think... the way i drew characters probably had better *anatomy*, proportions were maybe a bit more realistic...

in 2020 i started adding the black shading to under the chins and some other places on characters' bodies because i started watching the anime my hero academia with my brother, lmao (and i was starting to pastelise colours a bit again, these are the most pastel-ish examples) my lineart has really smoothed back out too, though i never turned my pen stabiliser back on in SAI. i think my hand just adjusted. probably seems a bit insane to miss that, but i do.

by the end of 2020, the almost-year of lockdown over cobid had... made me a bit insane, i think, and i moved out of my mother's house and into a flat with a friend from university.

in 2021 i think things were much the same... i think from this point on is where things have sort of settled. i don't want to say stagnated, but i do think things have been very... like this for a while.

2022 - got the most exciting examples out...

also i was very into these little frames in 2022.

and then on to 2023! in 2022, i did begin trying to shift gears a bit -- hoping to put more energy into sewing and making products (like my tutor has suggested back in uni, even though i'd really resisted the idea.) i sold at a few in-person markets during winter of 2022, but got disheartened by the amount of money i had to sink in up front to sign up for a spot...

which has made me VERY grateful for the people who have supported me via online sales. it has really helped me stay afloat in 2023 - AND it has felt more wonderful than i can describe that there have been people interested in my work... especially when a lot of it has been my original designs, rather than the fanart that i expect a lot of people initially followed me for.

i've also... in the past 2 years... branched out a bit more when it comes to 'being an artist' - and have had the opportunity to deliver arts & crafts workshops with local refugee & asylum seeker support charity, afrocats. it's taken me to their home base in a church to hotels across the city where asylum seekers were temporarily placed while waiting on their new homes, and of course to my beloved whitworth art gallery, where we welcomed visitors from all backgrounds: from the typical white middle class visitors the gallery usually expects, to all the refugee visitors coming into the space for the first time.

and through my volunteering at the whitworth, i showed up so often they decided they might as well pay me. so i've also become a facilitator of... creative play sessions, my favourites of which have been outdoors. monthly, year-round, we have 'outdoor art club', where i get to paint with mud and make potions from leaves with kids & families - here you can see me tell you a little bit about it in this video below with 'crempog' a puppet character that makes videos about activities for kids and families around manchester (my bit starts at 01:10 although i am in the intro and thumbnail haha)

and then of course the summer 'PLAYTIME' activities we've had the past two years: scrap studio in 2022, and play market in 2023. it's the best freelance gig ever -- just to hang out and encourage families to be creative and have fun.

in working more in these new avenues... outside of being - as i've called myself for a long time - "an internet artist"... i've found myself more interested in this sort of thing. in being a "real world artist" too. in doing surface pattern design, and being a workshop facilitator, i find myself wanting to put more energy into these sorts of projects.

in 2023 i've also dabbled a little bit more in youtube videos! i have had a channel for a while and have made videos in previous years, but 2023 has been the year i've done the most in. admittedly most of them haven't been about my art, and more just like... random things that interest me (the spongebob musical in particular) but i've really been enjoying video editing. that's kind of an art form too, so i'm including it here!

moving forward, want to keep putting even more of my energy into other things. my shop, with a bigger range of products to offer. workshops in real life, where i can make a difference.

as for my art blog... i feel like i've done the least drawing in many years in 2023, and... well, things have been weird and complicated for a bit in my real life. i hope to draw for fun a bit more again very soon, and to return to doing things in more of a wild and crazy way, to be more creative and exciting with the way i draw things. still, here's some of my favourites from 2023:

thank you so much to everyone who has borne witness to my art journey this past decade!!! i hope you will stick with me, who knows, maybe for another 10 years if tumblr holds out. especially a big thank you to everyone who has ever commissioned me, or bought anything from my store, you literally keep me able to make art at all and i cannot, cannot, cannot overstate how much it means to me.

i'm moving homes soon, possibly into very cramped temporary conditions for a little while before HOPEFULLY starting my real life with my partner. if i can take one more moment to plug my work, then [here is a link to my online shop] and [here is my ko-fi page too.]

cheers, cheers, cheers!

- LOREN 🌈🍍🎉

#also: i did post. monster high and steam powered giraffe fanart on my main blog when i was in high school #in 2012/2013 it seems like i did absolutely LOADS of fanart for both of those fandoms but didn't cross-post it to my art blog #and uh. well. i'm not about to do it now hahaha

[drivingsideways]

Year-end discussion in the Indian film space was dominated by the success of controversial film maker Sandeep Reddy Vanga's latest offering of undiluted misogyny and rage, appropriately titled "Animal"; but the best commentary I've seen on failed fatherhood and violent, toxic masculinity this year comes in a 2 minute scene in Kaathal: The Core, where a wizened old man testifies quietly in a family court that yes, he always knew that his son is gay, and still coerced him into a heterosexual marriage.

Kaathal: The Core isn't a film without flaws; one could argue that it's the quintessential film made about queer people by straight allies- actually more interested in the reaction to queerness and the adjustment to queerness by cishets, than in queer lives; that it has a one dimensional view of the reality of queer living in India. It has its moments of what I call "educational speechifying" that feel tonally at odds with the rest of it, but again, this paternalism in Indian cinema of the self-consciously "progressive" variety isn't unfamiliar.

The ending feels a little trite, and some artistic choices- an actual rainbow in the sky appears as the two lovers drive off into the sunset of their newly liberated lives-feel particularly anvil-like- much like the ending of another of director Jeo Baby's films, The Great Indian Kitchen, which was an exploration of the brutality of Indian-flavoured patriarchy. In short: a movie filled with intricately and deliberately placed subtleties that occasionally - somewhat inexplicably-loses confidence in its audience, and chooses to remedy that by being a bit over the top.

But those are minor quibbles. This movie gutted me. The story revolves around a middle-aged closeted gay man from a small close knit village community in Kerala whose life- and the lives of those around him- is thrown into disarray when his wife of twenty years files for divorce citing his gayness as the reason for the breakdown of the marriage- a step she takes just as he's nominated as his party's candidate for the local elections. With this premise, you'd be forgiven for expecting the movie to be high decibel melodrama- and possibly a tragedy- from start to finish. Instead, it deliberately chooses the quieter route, the most tender one; while not flinching away from the grim realities of widespread homophobia, it portrays both individuals and a community who , in a moment of crisis, discover that they are better than they think they are. And it does this not from a jingoistic, self-congratulatory ethno-nationalist perspective- but from a place of genuine love- as a reminder and a beacon in these dark times.

All of this is anchored in some fantastic performances- Mammootty once more showing up to remind us why he's one of the greatest living actors in the world, and Sudhi Kozhikode as Thankan in what should be a multiple-award winning performance as his long time lover. I've rarely seen an actor make so much of their limited screen time. When I say that minutes 50-52 of this film are the most devastatingly tragic-romantic moments in world cinema, you'll think I'm exaggerating and perhaps I am, but I can also guarantee that you're going to want to rewatch that sequence at least ten times and cry about two old geezers in love. Lives were changed in those moments, no lie.

My one disappointment in terms of performances is Jyothika, playing Omana, the long suffering wife. Omana is one of the stand-outs in the history of female characters in Malayalam cinema, and Jyothika is- barely adequate. When you contrast it with a similar role - say Hsieh Ying -xuan's performance as Liu San-lian in Dear Ex (2018)- the flatness is even more jarring. Still, the sheer love with which her character and her relationships, especially with her husband, are written carry the film through.

Tl;dr: watch it on Amazon Prime or at a theatre near you! You will not regret it.

#kaathal the core #malayalam cinema #indian cinema #mammootty #jyothika #jeo baby

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Andrew Doyle

Published: Mar 8, 2024

Today is the fifth anniversary of the publication of Titania McGrath’s acclaimed book Woke: A Guide to Social Justice. I created this intersectional activist and slam poet in order to satirise this new intolerant and authoritarian identity-obsessed religion and its stranglehold on society. Having seen so many posh and entitled activists berating working-class straight white people for their privilege, I could think of no more appropriate reaction than mockery. Even Harry Windsor was at it. And he’s an actual prince. 

Five years on, and I cannot decide whether I find it funny or depressing that so many of Titania’s ideas in that book ended up becoming reality. Nothing that Titania was ever able to suggest has not eventually been outdone by real-life activists. It is as though they were reading her book for inspiration. 

For instance, in a chapter from Woke entitled “Towards an Intersectional Socialist Utopia”, Titania makes the following observation:

“Capitalism, after all, is a singularly male phenomenon. The ultimate symbol of capitalism, the skyscraper, is nothing more than a giant cock on the horizon, fucking the heavens.”

Sixteen months after the book was published, this article appeared in the Guardian:

Or what about this passage from a chapter in Woke called “White Death”? Here, Titania calls out Hellen Keller for her white privilege:

“Consider, if you will, the example of white American author Helen Keller (1880–1968). Even though she was left deaf and blind following an illness as a baby, she still managed to study for a degree, write twelve books and travel the world to give lectures. This kind of privilege is staggering.”

Compare this with an article that appeared in Time magazine over a year later, in which the author writes:

“However, to some Black disability rights activists, like Anita Cameron, Helen Keller is not radical at all, ‘just another, despite disabilities, privileged white person,’ and yet another example of history telling the story of privileged white Americans.”

And how about this tweet from October 2019, in which Titania had some advice for dog owners:

The subsequent outrage ensured that the tweet went viral. And just a couple of months ago, a leading pet talent agency in the UK called Urban Paws was asking owners whether their cats or dogs identified as “gender neutral” or “non-binary”. 

After the backlash, the company claimed that it was a mistake. But the specific addition of a “gender identity” category on an application is hardly the equivalent of a typo. 

And what about this article on the website of Vet Help Direct?

And then of course we have PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the world’s leading animal rights organisation, which posted the following call to arms on Twitter to “end speciesism”:

“Evolve your language. Unlearn how we’ve been taught to think of other animals. They’re NOT an ‘it’ and should never be talked about like objects.”

It’s about time that somebody took a stand for non-binary pigeons.

This is by no means the only example of Titania’s ideas being enacted by woke activists. Here are my top ten examples of when her absurd demands became reality…

On 22 December 2018, Titania called for biological sex to be removed from birth certificates.  

On 17 December 2020, the New England Journal of Medicine concurred.

On 1 October 2019, Titania suggested that young women should be encouraged to travel alone in rural Pakistan.

On 12 October 2019, Forbes Magazine concurred.

On 15 October 2018, Titania argued that Winston Churchill was worse than the Nazis.

On 11 February 2021, Churchill College at Cambridge University concurred.

On 19 September 2018, Titania criticised Julie Andrews (aka Mary Poppins) for chimney soot blackface.

On 28 January 2019, the New York Times concurred.

On 29 April 2019, Titania pointed out that scientists have yet to discover the difference between men and women.

On 24 March 2022, USA Today concurred.

On 22 January 2019, Titania called for the Oscars to prioritise diversity.

On 12 June 2020, the Academy concurred.

On 30 January 2019, Titania accused Laurence Olivier of a hate crime for his performance as Othello.

On 9 October 2021, the University of Michigan concurred.

On 2 May 2020, Titania criticised the NHS for appropriating the LGBTQ rainbow flag.

On 6 May 2020, Forbes Magazine concurred.

On 6 June 2019, Titania demanded an option on social media to mute white males.

On 14 July 2020, Instagram concurred.

On 12 September 2019, Titania argued that scientists cannot possibly know whether ancient skeletons are male or female.

On 18 July 2022, gender activists concurred.

Titania McGrath’s Woke: A Guide to Social Justice is available to buy here. It’s also available on audio book and Kindle.

==

This ideology has become so deranged that it's not possible not parody it anymore. Anything you propose in jest today, they'll take up in sincerity tomorrow. Which shows how performative, directionless and unserious they are.

The Civil Rights and Gay Rights movements had specific aims: eliminate segregation, ensure all laws are race-neutral, that opportunities and resources are available regardless of race, decriminalization of homosexuality, recognition of same-sex partnerships the same as opposite-sex partnerships, including marriage. They were specific, measurable and could be ticked off as they fell.

Woke idiots have no damn clue what they're after. And all they can show us is the stupidest, most petty, most insane non-issues that telegraph to the world they have no real problems to complain about. Elimination of all skyscrapers? A lawsuit over who owns the rainbow? (Fundamentalist Xians would like to get in on that.)

They're just making this crap up as they go along, fighting for who can be the most offended and screaming about their imaginary hurt feelings to garner attention and control.

Why did we ever pay attention to this lunatics?

#Andrew Doyle #Titania McGrath #parody #feminism #intersectional feminism #parody account #LOL #funny #woke #Poe's law #wokeness #cult of woke #wokeism #wokeness as religion #victimhood #victimhood culture #religion is a mental illness

[threadbaresweater]

[pulls up a comfy chair and sits down after hitting the Enable button] talk to me about cowboy man

His name is Arthur Morgan. We first met in late 2018 (ignore the fact that he was born in 1863. it's not relevant). He's around six feet tall and has brown hair, striking blue/green eyes, and a voice that I can I only describe as something I could listen to all day, every day, and never ever ever tire of. It's a gravelly, rough, mumbly sort of thing with an unidentifiable accent (think transatlantic/irish/louisiana/with a little bit of the old south thrown in for good measure). I have heard him say "sure" and "boah"(boy) about ten thousand times and I could listen to him say it a million times more.

His mother died of unknown causes when he was young, and his father was arrested and died when Arthur was only 11, likely hung for his crimes. He was raised by Dutch Van der Linde and Hosea Matthew's and subsequently learned to live life as an outlaw.

He is rough and mean and dirty. He is strong and sharp and rude and cunning and smart and sexy. He cares deeply for those closest to him and lives by his own fucked up code of honor. He's charming when he needs to be and no nonsense and cutthroat when the situation calls for it. He loves animals and camping and fishing and gazing at the milky way on a cloudless night. He's a great kisser and an even better lover. Has big, thick fingers that are good for all kinds of things. ALL kinds of things.

He draws. He writes. He keeps little sentimental things like photos and newspaper clippings and letters and jewelry. I think he can be kind of a pack rat. It's adorable. I want to squish his cheeks and tell him so. He's funny and likes to drink whiskey and rum and smoke cigarettes and collect the cards that come in the packs. He's afraid of crocodiles and cougars. He likes banjo and fiddle music and takes care of his horses like they're his children and gives you hugs that make you feel on top of the world. He can make tonics and elixirs out of ginseng and yarrow, and he's great with a grill. He cleans up real nice but I like him dirty and gritty when he smells like gunpowder and campfire and the scent of the open road.

He is my special little guy.

#thank you sam for asking me i wanna talk about him all day #and paste his polaroid pictures in my locker #arthur morgan

[animefeminist]

You’re Already Doing Your Best: Healin’ Good Pretty Cure and chronic illness

Spoilers for all of Healin’ Good Pretty Cure

Healin’ Good Pretty Cure establishes three things about its main protagonist, Hanadera Nodoka, throughout the first two episodes. The first is her enthusiasm for everything, starting with her new home and continuing to every new experience throughout the show. The second is that she’s eager to help others, running through her new town to help an old woman with a heavy package, or evacuate a park when a monster attacks. The third, encountered after both of these acts, is that she tires easily and is extremely unathletic. In a season about environmentalism and illness, Nodoka is in remission from a years-long infection and doesn’t want anyone to suffer the way she did. While she’s not quite depicted as disabled or chronically ill in the show itself, her arc focuses on recovery from a chronic illness in ways that can be similar to managing one.

Chronic illness is a condition that lasts one year or more, and either requires ongoing medical attention, limits activities of daily living, or both. Often, these illnesses co-occur—the CDC estimates that six in ten adults in the US have a chronic disease (their term), and that four in ten have two or more. A 2018 article by Cother Hajat and Emma Stein estimates that worldwide, one in three people have multiple chronic conditions, though the authors point out the term is imprecise because different countries have different definitions of such conditions. These range from fairly well-known conditions like diabetes and arthritis, to diseases like cancer, to conditions like mast cell disorders that researchers are only now starting to understand. Many require complex care to manage, requiring time-consuming visits to doctors or elaborate combinations of medications. This is on top of the symptoms themselves, as many make you feel constantly tired or cause chronic pain. 

Read it at Anime Feminist!

#healin good precure #precure #pretty cure #healing good precure #nodoka hanadera #articles

[yasmini24]

TAG GAME: TOP TEN COMFORT FILMS

tagged by @psychicpinenutut!!!

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018) only the first movie 💀

A Cinderella Story (2004)

Legally Blonde (2001)

Moonstruck (1987)

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)

Clueless (1995)

The Princess Bride (1987)

She's All That (1999)

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

+ the Disney Princess Animated Films ™ ft. Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, Aladdin, Mulan and Tangled :))

tagging: @coolbeansbuddyofmine @deonideatta @toobadforthefacts @guardians-of-exo @virgodarlings @the-marathon-continues-nip @tehkatie aND ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO DO THIS!!

#i love romcoms #and disney princess movies #and the mortal instruments city of bones #tag games

[charliesinfern0]

Charlieeeee post your top ten songs!!!

um um um I’m sorry I didn’t use spotify at all this year >_< but I can tell you 10 new songs I started listening to this year! :)

Ana Ng by TMBG

I’ve Been Seeing Things by TMBG (specifically the dial-a-song 2018 version)

Mink Car by TMBG (MINK CAR MY FRIEND MINK CAR (the song and the album))

I’m Your Boyfriend Now by TMBG

Love At First Sight (2011 Fancy Studio Version) by The Brobecks (every year I listen to one (1) new brobecks song)

Sexy Sunshine by FAKE TYPE.

Hibikase by Giga-P

Hurting For a Very Hurtful Pain by EZFG

not a song but THE SPINE!! it’s so crazy I’ve only known about The Spine for almost a year it feels like it’s been with me my whole life I love you the spine by tmbg <3

also not a song but Music For Animal Cafes by Nobonoko :) it’s a very cute album I like it and a lot of their other albums a lot ^_^

#much like last year I listened to a lot of tmbg hehe ^_^

[goddesspharo]

top five fic titles you haven't used yet; top five worst adaptations or reboots

ask me my top fives!

top five unused fic titles:

click the pieces into sharp arrangements

what would an angel say? (the devil wants to know)

memories are films about ghosts

searching through thrift store jungles

your stories ring of perjury

top five worst adaptations/reboots(/remakes):

Going with the first few things that pop into my head.

 I think most reboots/remakes of horror movies from the 80s are bad and unnecessary. Sometimes it’s because the original isn’t great - Prom Night (1980) is not my jam; Prom Night (2008) is somehow worse! Sometimes it’s because the original is good enough that it doesn’t need a remake, especially one so subpar - Brian De Palma’s Carrie (1976) vs Carrie (2013); Black Christmas (1974) is great so what the hell happened with Black Christmas (2006, 2019)? And sometimes it’s because certain movies really work for that decade and either don’t translate to a modern day setting or there’s nothing that putting it in a modern day setting will add to the story - John Carpenter’s original Halloween (1978) works because it’s so atmospheric and he knew how to light a movie so you could actually SEE what was happening; Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007) is so terrible in so many ways, but mostly because I don’t need or care about Michael Myers’ tragic backstory; David Gordon Green’s Halloween (2018) reboot/remake trilogy thing said nothing new but annoyed me plenty AND killed off Judy Greer AND I couldn’t see shit so what was the point? Horror remakes: just don’t do them. 

Almost every time they take an animated Disney movie and turn it into an uninspired live action and/or photorealistic live action movie, I’m not into it. It’s never as vibrant, it’s never as fun, sometimes they miscast SO badly (sorry Emma Watson) - use your Disney+ subscription to watch 2D animation like the universe intended. The Lion King animated movie is gorgeous; The Lion King photorealistic movie looks like mud.

I’m not saying that the original Gossip Girl on the CW was a work of art (I’m not saying the first season was not a work of art either though), but it wasn’t as boring as the HBOMax reboot. Truly, no one was likable on that show and they made Luke Kirby a creep! No one asked for this!

Long before we had Marvel/superhero fatigue, 20th Century Fox made the first X-men movie with the positively inspired casting choices of Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellan and I loved it! Even X2 was fun. (X3 went off the rails and was bad.) Ten years later and a solo Wolverine movie in between, they decided to soft reboot the franchise with those First Class movies and you know what? They shouldn’t have. Except for one or two moments here and there, those movies are all pretty awful. I’m not sure how you can mess up the Days of Future Past storyline that badly or cast Oscar Isaac only to make him a member of the blue man group, but they should all be ashamed. I still maintain that the most worthwhile X-Men adaptation in media is the animated series from the 90s.

I don’t know if this qualifies as a soft reboot but when Fox brought The X-Files back in 2016, it was a lesson in “be careful what you wish for because it’s going to suck.” Except I didn’t wish for this because I watched the second movie and it sucked so I was completely fine with never getting more new episodes again. What we got was Scully whispering a lot, some half-assed search for William that I was not invested in (they spent nine seasons denying Mulder and Scully had boned even after she had his damn kid!), and monsters of the week episodes that were so uninspired that I didn’t even watch the second season of the reboot (maybe didn’t finish the first season of the reboot?). And now there’s talk of a Jordan Peele remake of the show to which I say - find something else. The (OG) X-Files worked because it was the perfect place in the perfect time with the perfect people and you’re never going to trap that lightning in a bottle twice so why try?

#ask me things

[burningexeter]

FAN THEORY

Princess Mononoke, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (along with The Sacred Star Of Milos), Baccano!, Black Lagoon, Monster, Wolf Children, Death Note, Summer Wars, Durarara!!/Durarara!! x2, Attack On Titan and Gangsta. are all set in the same shared universe as each other.

First off, to be most specific I'm referring to the animes. The english dubbed animes to be exact are the canon ones because they're just full-on 🔥 that it would be a huge disservice.

Second, the genesis for this theory is none other than Isaac and Miria's cameo appearance in Durarara!! and it got me thinking for fun could there be more. I know full well about the Naritaverse but that's the manga, I'm talking the anime.

As it turns out that there's surprisingly much more to this than you may think at just first glance —

Not only do all ten of these share very similar visual aesthetics but they also have incredibly brutal and visceral brutality, dark senses of humor that are used at the most appropriate times, storylines that keep on progressively building on each other more and more, they focus on unique and distinctive ensemble cast of characters with their own stand-out personalities and to top it all of, all ten of them are visceral thrill rides with plenty of no-holds-barred twist and turns that absolutely no one can see coming from a mile away. Each one are obviously set at different times but the most interesting one here is easily Attack On Titan.

How I see it is that AOT takes place in modern day post-Durarara!! x2, it just focuses on the Marley and Eldia conflict that the rest of the modern world have completely ostracized in absolute horror and disgust. It's then that the events of the series culminating in the Rumbling are what finally set things off with the U.S. government and others now taking full notice on both Marley and Eldia.

The universe that consists of these six is a world that's similar to ours except it's much more fantastical and violent. Other interesting details that I managed to come up with would be the following —

1). The entire cast of Baccano! are still alive to this day as they're all now immortals alongside Isaac and Miria and are now a street gang with government ties to them.

2). Since this is essentially an insane alternate history, I decided that it would make sense for this to be a world where every bad person gets their comeuppance or what they deserve. So real-life people like O.J., Trump, Cosby and even Jussie all got their brutal ends.

3). Even though he's dead, Kira's legacy still lives on as an underground following has developed with them looking to continue off where he left off.

4). There could potentially be more to this world, others that could in fact share the same universe but it's to show that there's way more going on in this 'Verse than just what's happening with these six. I would gladly include Where Eagles Dare, Overlord (2018), Breaking Bad and Sons Of Anarchy in here since they each would be able to fit perfectly.

5). Revy and Rock are currently now a married couple with three kids, the oldest is now heading off to college.

And that's just a mere few.

So give it a read and share your thoughts.

#Princess Mononoke #Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood #Baccano! #Black Lagoon #Monster #Wolf Children #Death Note #Durarara #Attack On Titan #Gangsta

[sug4rsweet]

[ KAORI ♡ DISCOGRAPHY ! ]

[ 2011 — 2012 ! DEBUT ! SELF-TITLE ]

after signing with AVEX TRAX in october 2011, KAORI’s debut single—“TREAT ME (AKACHAN O ATSUKATTE)”—was released on december 7th, 2011. the first of three singles, it was immensely popular, debuting at no. 2 on the ORICON charts and selling over 90,000 units. it also found itself on the BILLBOARD HOT 100, debuting at no. 86, KAORI’s first of many entries. the music video received over 2 MILLION views within its first 24 hours

released two months later, her debut album—KAORI—also saw success. selling over 400,000 copies, the album debuted at no. 18 on the BILLBOARD 200. it received universal acclaim, with critics lauding KAORI’s versatility and interpretation of the electropop genre. considered a classic within her discography, the album is widely loved by fans

[ 2013 ! SWEET 18 ]

returning with a slightly more mature image and a more pop rock / electropop oriented sound, KAORI’s sophomore album reflected her first year as an adult. with a darker style reminiscent of KODA KUMI, RIHANNA, or LADY GAGA, the first single from the upcoming album was an almost drastic change from KAORI’s debut. debuting at no. 1 on the ORICON charts, “BLACK NIGHT” was the first number one single of her career. it sold over 100,000 units and debuted at no. 69 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100. the music video garnered over 3 MILLION views in its first 24 hours, and the single only garnered more attention once it was used in an anime a mere month after its release

the album released 2 weeks later, and it was a smash hit with the public. praised for its stronger sound and KAORI’s subsequently stronger image, SWEET 18 did wonders for her career. it sold a little over 500,000 copies, and found itself at no. 11 on the BILLBOARD 200—one place away from top ten. with its slew of iconic tracks, the album is also beloved among fans

[ 2015 ! DRIVE MY LIFE ]

returning to the music scene after a 2 year hiatus, KAORI made her comeback with a much more polished image and sound. a combination of electropop and r&b, DRIVE MY LIFE is seen as a “turning point” in KAORI’s career. the album’s lead single had a strong edm sound, and it sold nearly 300,000 units, debuting at no. 2 on the ORICON charts, and at no. 35 on the BILLBOARD charts

being an era in which KAORI took a lot of creative control, the album itself was definitely a game changer. selling over a MILLION copies, it was KAORI’s first “million seller,” and it ended up at no. 9 on the BILLBOARD 200—her first top ten entry. DRIVE MY LIFE is often cited as her best work (if not THE best work she’s ever done), and not only is that an opinion echoed by most of KAORI’s fans, but it’s also the album that caught the attention of more recent fans

[ 2017 ! KAGAYAKU ]

after another 2 year hiatus, KAORI returned with her first extended play. a brighter, more “unique” sound accompanied the album, giving KAORI the chance to show off her vocal range. the lead single—“PINK ROAD (PINK NO MICHI)”—had a higher register than what fans were used to, and due to it’s vocal difficulty, it’s often cited as another fan favorite. the track debuted at no. 3 on the ORICON charts, and at no. 40 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100, selling a little over 80,000 units

due to being an ep, KAGAYAKU is KAORI’s second lowest selling album to date. despite that, it still received favorable reviews from critics and fans alike. the album sold over 300,000 copies, and it found itself at no. 20 on the BILLBOARD 200—her second lowest charting album on the chart so far. the album, its concept, and its tracks are all widely loved, however. it was seen as “experimental,” and many of KAORI’s fans enjoy the more psychological meanings behind each track

[ 2018 ! FEEL ]

after a year long break due to produce 48, KAORI returned with her first full album in three years; FEEL. described as more “lighthearted,” the album is a return to her more electropop and “2010s j-pop” sound. the lead single—“COME INTO THE DISCO”—is a favorite of older fans, as it’s reminiscent of KAORI’s earlier sound. the track debuted at no. 1 on the ORICON charts, her first number one single on the chart in five years. selling nearly 400,00 units, it also debuted at no. 16 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100—her highest charting single in the united states to date

fans and critics ate up this release, praising KAORI for her return to her initial sound, while also managing to make it sound more “fresh” and modern. FEEL sold over a MILLION copies, making it her second “million seller” album so far. and finally, the album debuted at NO. 1 on the BILLBOARD 200; her first number one album on the chart in SIX YEARS. the album is frequently hailed as another one of KAORI’s best works, and is praised for being a stellar comeback

[ 2020 ! L.O.V.E ]

after another hiatus spurred on by KAORI’s personal life and promotions in china, she returned after two years with one of her most critically acclaimed albums to date. capturing the sound of heisei era j-pop and riding on the wave of the “2000s revival,” L.O.V.E is certainly a more r&b centric album. the lead single—“GRLTLK”—is one of KAORI’s highest charting singles to date. selling over 300,000 units, the track debuted at no. 1 on the ORICON charts (as expected). the biggest surprise, however, is when it debuted at NO. 9 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100—her second top ten entry on the chart, and her HIGHEST CHARTING single so far. the song’s unexpected entry into the top ten is definitely what motivated fans to shoot for number one

like stated before, L.O.V.E was an immensely acclaimed album. on the BILLBOARD 200, it was her SECOND number one album in 2 years—quite the impressive feat for a j-artist. it sold nearly a million copies, and fans universally agree that the singles from this era are some of KAORI’s best. a tour to promote the album had been in the works since the start of 2020, but unfortunately, it had to be cancelled. an online concert with over 500,000 VIEWERS was held instead, and in 2022, KAORI’s annual concert in tokyo was used to promote the album

[ 2023 ! DEJA VU ]

after another hiatus and her longest one yet, KAORI made a comeback with her highly anticipated SIXTH album, DEJA VU. spearheaded by a more “sexy” image in comparison to KAORI’s previous works, the era was certainly one of her most eventful ones to date. the lead single—“WANT ME WANT ME”—was a smash hit, debuting at no. 1 on ORICON and selling over 300,000 units. in an iconic moment, the single finally debuted at NO. 1 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100; KAORI’s first EVER number one single on the chart. it remained there for 6 WEEKS, and it gave her the international attention that she had been wanting

the album also sold well, becoming KAORI’s third “million seller,” and eventually selling over 2 MILLION copies. it debuted at no. 1 on the BILLBOARD 200, the first time she had an album and a single both chart at number one simultaneously, and it stayed there for nearly 8 WEEKS. the album was acclaimed by critics and loved by fans, particularly due to KAORI’s increasingly maturing image. the singles are seen as a “highlight” of the album, and DEJA VU has gone down as one of the highest selling albums in japan, as well as KAORI’s most iconic

[ DISCOGRAPHY ♡ AS KYANDI ! ]

[ 2015 ! CANDY GIRL ]

one of the most beloved albums in KAORI’s discography, CANDY GIRL began her KYANDI alter ego. delving into the previously unheard of genres of “kawaii rock” and “r&b pop,” (which later transformed into “KAORI-POP”) the album was unique and allowed KAORI to take on a slightly “cuter” but still relatively mature image, reminiscent of TOMMY FEBRUARY6 or KYARY PAMYU PAMYU, as well as ease back into the rock genre that she took on during the SWEET 18 era. the lead single of the album—“TOKERU NO COTTON CANDY”—is another fan favorite. selling over 200,000 units, the single debuted at no. 3 on the ORICON charts, and found itself at no. 20 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100

CANDY GIRL is an iconic piece of KAORI’s discography, as it began her well known alter ego. it sold over 700,000 copies, debuting at no. 25 on the BILLBOARD 200. favored by critics for its unique sound and unconventional image, loved by fans, and coming right after the explosive DRIVE MY LIFE, CANDY GIRL is certainly era defining

[ 2016 ! SUGAR!!! ]

the second ep of KAORI’s career, SUGAR!!! allowed her to take on an even cuter image without the commitment of a full album. although it didn’t sell as high and is almost forgotten among the general public, it’s well known among fans and was still a commercial success. the first of two singles from the album—“BIRTHDAY”—is more memorable among the public, and was a hit with critics, with most praising KAORI for her ability to adapt to drastically different concepts and effectively coining her “POP CHAMELEON” title. the single sold a little over 80,000 units, charted at no. 6 on the ORICON charts, and debuted at no. 51 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100. all three are KAORI’s lowest chart placements to date, but the single was still a resounding success, and it was praised for its cuter sound and production quality

so far, SUGAR!!! is her lowest selling album, but of course, it was still successful. selling nearly 200,000 copies, it charted at no. 29 on the BILLBOARD 200—her lowest charting album ever. despite that, the album was well received by critics and is adored by fans, with many calling the singles standout tracks

[ 2017 ! KISEKI NO ICE CREAM ]

with more time to focus on her alter ego, KISEKI NO ICE CREAM came a mere couple of months after KYANDI’s last release. with a distinctive video game concept and references to shōjo manga such as CUTIE HONEY, the album and its singles were widely praised. the lead single—“PRESS PLAY”—stood out, as it gave KAORI a rare chance to display her talents as a rapper. the track sold nearly 200,000 units, debuted at no. 2 on the ORICON chart, and charted at no. 15 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100. through twitter, the single went pretty viral on the internet, surprisingly bringing it up to NO. 10 on the BILLBOARD chart, her FIRST top ten entry on the chart

KISEKI NO ICE CREAM did exceptionally well, selling over 900,000 copies—her highest selling album as KYANDI. it debuted at no. 14 on the BILLBOARD 200, and is a favorite among many people, with critics calling the album KAORI’s best work under her alter ego

[ 2024 ! RINGO ]

her first KYANDI album in SEVEN YEARS (the longest break KAORI’s taken in between releases), the release of RINGO and the return of her alter ego was highly celebrated. an (almost) drastic shift in sound in comparison to her previous works as KYANDI, the album took on a more rock / pop punk sound, reminiscent of 2000s era AVRIL LAVIGNE or PARAMORE. the lead single—“MONOCHROME RAINBOW”—was an instant hit, debuting at no. 1 on the ORICON charts and selling nearly 400,000 units; KAORI’s highest selling single under her alter ego. it charted at no. 11 on the BILLBOARD HOT 100, before rising to NO. 8 after being used as the ending theme for the anime series MY HERO ACADEMIA

the album itself performed the best out of KYANDI’s albums, becoming KAORI’s first “million seller” album under her pseudonym. it charted at no. 1 on the BILLBOARD 200, and became the HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM of the year in japan

#🍬 … KAORI ! #DISCOGRAPHY ! #kpop oc #kpop oc soloist #kpop soloist #kpop solo artist #koc soloist #fictional idol #fictional idol community #fictional idol oc #fictional idol soloist #jpop oc soloist #jpop oc #jpop idol oc #jpop soloist #Youtube

[moorheadthanyoucanhandle]

LOST ANGELA

Our dog Othello was a fan of Angela Lansbury.

My mother-in-law would often dogsit him, and she, like many people of her generation, was a devoted viewer of Murder, She Wrote, Lansbury's series that ran from 1984 to 1996 on CBS, and for decades thereafter in syndication. So she and Othello would sit happily on the couch together and enjoy the adventures of mystery novelist and small-town slueth Jessica Fletcher.

This is how many people will remember Lansbury. But her remarkable career is far from defined by the hugely successful Murder, She Wrote.

Sometimes the death of a famous person who has attained great age can be oddly more startling than that of a younger celebrity. This was the case, for me, with Lansbury, who passed on last October; today would be her 98th birthday. She was around so long, and so vitally, that she had become almost a symbol of geriatric health, agency and relevancy. She was on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in 2005, and was still acting as recently as Mary Poppins Returns in 2018; she also had a cameo as herself in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. It seemed like she might outlive us all.

A native of London, Lansbury came to the U.S. in her teens when her family fled the Blitz. She studied at the American Theatre Wing, then made her movie debut, at the age of 17, in support of Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer in 1944's Gaslight. Her role as a shifty maid in that film got her the first of three Oscar nominations. The second came a year later, when she played Sybil Vane in The Picture of Dorian Gray. 

Many other film and television roles followed, from The Harvey Girls to The Court Jester to The Long, Hot Summer to Bedknobs and Broomsticks to Death on the Nile, but in the '60s and '70s Lansbury ascended to legendary stardom on the Broadway stage, with leads in productions of Mame, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and others. She won a total of six Tony Awards, from eight nominations. In the  '90s, she provided the voice of Mrs. Potts in Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast, probably the role by which younger audiences know her the best, and sweetly sang the title song.

An impressive career by any standard. But none of the above achievements are what I think of first when I think of Angela Lansbury. No, for me her most memorable role is the one that brought her a third Oscar nomination, in one of my top ten all-time favorite movies: that of  Eleanor Iselin, mother of poor Laurence Harvey's hapless brainwashed Raymond Shaw in John Frankenheimer's 1962 political thriller The Manchurian Candidate.

Lansbury's Eleanor is the true power behind the title character, buffonish McCarthy-esque Red-baiting Senator Johnny Iselin (James Gregory), and she's more than willing to conspire with Communists and to sacrifice her son Raymond's mind and heart to steer Johnny to the White House. Her performance is hard-edged and scary and despicable, but also strong, intelligent and witty, with a touch of wry lechery toward her husband and an unsavory Oedipal undercurrent toward her son.

It's strange to think that the same Angela Lansbury who played Jessica Fletcher and Mrs. Potts could also have created one of the great villains in American movies. But watch The Manchurian Candidate and you'll see the iron behind the sweetness.

#angela lansbury #murder she wrote #the manchurian candidate #the picture of dorian gray #beauty and the beast #bedknobs and broomsticks #the harvey girls

[squideo]

Animated videos have lots of uses, from advertising to educating to entertaining. Perhaps one of its most entertaining uses is by musicians who employ different animation techniques to create their music videos. Prevalent from the 1980s onward, animation has been used in a variety of ways to strengthen a song’s narrative, reflect the personality of the artists and capture their audiences’ attention.

Squideo is going to break down ten animated music videos to explore a range of styles and genres, suitable for a range of budgets. If you are interested in creating your own animated music video, check out Squideo’s recent work for Spell With Me or get in touch with us directly for expert guidance.

01. Yellow Submarine by The Beatles (1968)

Before the launch of MTV in 1981, The Beatles created a feature-length music video with their film Yellow Submarine. The titular track was included in the film and this sequence has since been used to create an individual music video for the song. Yellow Submarine is considered a landmark in 2D animation and contributed toward the legacy of the song.

Led by animators Robert Balser and Jack Stokes, the psychedelic style of the film reflects the dreamy nature of the lyrics (Yellow Submarine was written by McCartney/Lennon as a children’s song) and the bright pop-art colours make a memorable splash. 2D animation is utilised to support the song’s narrative, as well as the film’s overall narrative of The Beatles travelling through an underwater paradise.

02. Take On Me by A-ha (1985)

Combining 2D animation with live-action, this iconic eighties track set the trend of animating music videos. The original live-action video inspired little success for the 1984 song, which caused a major rethink at Warner Brothers (A-ha’s record label) before a second video was released. Combining line animation, rotoscoping and live-action, this music video made Take On Me a global hit.

The music video for Take On Me became iconic and has been parodied numerous times in film and television, as well as by other musicians. Take On Me is considered a milestone in animated music videos and certainly inspired a trend continued by other entries on this list.

See Also: Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul (1988); Hope for the Future by Paul McCartney (2014) and; Caught in the Middle by Paramore (2018).

03. Money for Nothing by Dire Straits (1985)

3D animation, which now includes computer-generated imagery (CGI), helped Dire Strait’s music video stand out at a time when animated music videos were having their biggest moment. Trading in 2D for 3D, Money for Nothing still incorporated live-action elements to the video to showcase the artists’ skill, which were rotoscoped for added visual interest.

Its use of 3D images, particularly of human characters, was a gamble since the technology was still in its infancy but the novelty of the format is what contributed to the song’s success. While the band was initially reluctant to create a music video, its success on MTV is credited with propelling the single to No.1 and making it Dire Straits’ most commercially successful song.

See Also: Go to Sleep by Radiohead (2003).

04. Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel (1986)

This stop-motion live-action animated music video made Peter Gabriel a chart-topping artist, and it went on to be the most-watched MTV music video of all time. The use of stop-motion animation creates a visual distortion which matches the destructiveness of the titular object (the sledgehammer).

An early showcase for Nick Park, later of Wallace and Gromit fame, plasticine was also utilised for this stop-motion masterclass. While it wasn’t the first music video to use these techniques – see Road to Nowhere by Talking Heads – the deftness in which they were employed has made Sledgehammer the benchmark for all stop-motion animated music videos that proceeded it.

See Also: Road to Nowhere by Talking Heads (1985), Leave Me Alone by Michael Jackson (1989); Fell in Love with a Girl by The White Stripes (2002), and; Strawberry Swing by Coldplay (2009).

05. Innuendo by Queen (1990)

The penultimate album by Queen and the last released before Mercury’s death, Innuendo was its title track. The band’s first number one hit since Under Pressure in 1981, Innuendo’s accompanying music video was created with rotoscoped animation, live-action footage and stop-motion. Rotoscoping is an animation technique which overlays live-action footage frame-by-frame to simulate realistic movements and facial features.

This technique made the production of Innuendo’s music video a relatively simple process as no new footage was required to create the video, instead clips were taken from previous Queen music videos and spliced together with animation to create new and unique content.

See Also: Go With the Flow by Queens of the Stone Age (2003) and Heartless by Kanye West (2008).

06. Do The Evolution by Pearl Jam (1998)

Produced by comic book legends Kevin Altieri (of Batman: The Animated Series) and Todd McFarlane (of Spawn), from the moment of its conception Do The Evolution was going to be a fantastic piece of 2D animation. It ended up taking over 100 artists a month to animate the video and for their efforts Do The Evolution was rewarded with a Grammy nomination for Best Music Video (ultimately losing out to Scream by Michael and Janet Jackson).

Heavily influenced by the artistic style of American comic books, the video pays homage to several sources including Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman and animator Hugh Harman. It remains one of Pearl Jam’s most popular music videos, despite the single failing to break into the Top 30 charts.

See Also: Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me by U2 (1995); Superheroes by Stormzy (2019), and; At the Door by The Strokes (2020).

07. Move Your Feet by Junior Senior (2002)

Like many music videos created with pixel animation, Move Your Feet was visually inspired by video games of the 1980s and 1990s. This budget production was created using EA’s Deluxe Paint, proving that a music video hit doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

The video was produced by a British art collective who produced animated and live-action artwork. The video helped Move Your Feet become Junior Senior’s highest ranking hit, particularly in the UK where it ranked at No.3 on the singles chart.

See Also: Careless Whisper by Seether (2009); Wait for Me by Moby (2010), and; We Come Together by Goldfish (2011).

08. Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz (2005)

Many animated music videos featured on this list are standout videos for the artist(s) involved, but in the case of Gorillaz it is a staple of their brand. Their iconic Feel Good Inc. video merges regular 2D animated characters with live-action footage of the band’s collaborators.

Each of the band members have their own animated counterpart, with rich fictional backstories that inform the narrative of the band’s music videos. Gorillaz videos are influenced by Japanese manga, particularly the work of Hayao Miyazaki whose film Castle in the Sky inspired some scenes in Feel Good Inc.

See Also: Paranoid Android by Radiohead (1997); Feels Like Summer by Childish Gambino (2018), and; Birds by Imagine Dragons (2019).

09. Do I Wanna Know? by Arctic Monkeys (2013)

This line animated music video uses a simple black background and white line which could easily be replicated for a budget music video. Infused with 2D animated scenes, the music video for Do I Wanna Know? stylistically reflects the album cover (AM) and the consistently minimalistic style of the band’s brand.

In 2020, it became one of only a dozen rock genre music videos to reach over 1 billion views on YouTube (as of 2022). This genre traditionally sticks to live-action music videos, but the success of Do I Wanna Know? suggests that animation could be the best way to stand out.

See Also: Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park (2004).

10. Levitating by Dua Lipa (2020)

Produced in collaboration with the social media platform TikTok, Levitating’s original music video is a mixed-media marvel which includes a CGI levitating “intergalactic dance floor.” This collaboration video, in which Dua Lipa is accompanied by DaBaby, was followed by a solo video which was fully animated.

Produced in a Japanese anime style reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s, this version shows that there is still a trend for 2D animated music videos which can be traced right back to the beginning of this list. From the pop-art colours reminiscent of Yellow Submarine to the Japanese-inspired characters like those in Feel Good Inc., Levitating uses animation to create a truly memorable video.

See Also: One More Time by Daft Punk (2001) and Starlight Brigade by TWRP (2018).

Get Started with Your Animated Music Video

If you’re feeling inspired by this list of the Best Animated Music Videos and are ready to get started on making your own, watch Squideo’s video below to get a better understanding of how Squideo can create the perfect videos to suit your project brief.

If you want to discuss how one of our videos can benefit you, get in touch with the Squideo team today!

#Youtube #animated music video #2d animation #line animation #stop motion animation #stop motion #rotoscope #cgi animation #yellow submarine #the beatles #take on me #a ha #money for nothing #dire straits #sledgehammer #peter gabriel #innuendo #queen #freddie mercury #do the evolution #pearl jam #move your feet #junior senior #pixel animation #feel good inc #gorillaz #do i wanna know #arctic monkeys #am #levitating

[the-forest-library]

April 2022 Reads

Circe - Madeline Miller

No One is Talking About This - Patricia Lockwood

Assassin’s Apprentice - Robin Hobb

No Judgements - Meg Cabot

Well Matched - Jen DeLuca

Love, Hate & Clickbait - Liz Bowery

Always in December - Emily Stone

To Marry and to Meddle - Martha Waters

Payback’s a Witch - Lana Harper

Bombshell - Sarah MacLean

The Mad Girls of New York - Maya Rodale

The Sign for Home - Blair Fell

At Least You Have Your Health - Madi Since

She Gets the Girl - Rachael Lippincott

They’ll Never Catch Us - Jessica Goodman

Very Bad People - Kit Frick

For Your Own Good - Samantha Downing

Egg Marks the Spot - Amy Timberlake

Good Night to Your Fantastic Elastic Brain - JoAnn Deak

Healthy Easy Mexican - Velda De La Garza

How Do I Un-Remember This? - Danny Pellegrino

Girls Can Kiss Now - Jill Gutowitz

How to Be Yourself - Ellen Hendrickson

On Animals - Susan Orlean

The Home Edit - Clea Shearer & Joanna Teflon

Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess - Caroline Leaf

The Feather Thief - Kirk Wallace Johnson

How to Be a Good Creature - Sy Montgomery

Hormone Intelligence - Aviva Romm

Bomb Shelter - Mary Laura Philpott

Doing Harm - Maya Dusenbery

Atlas of the Heart - Brent Brown

Ten Steps to Nanette - Hannah Gadsby

Good Morning Monster - Catherine Gildiner

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts: Egg Marks the Spot was a big letdown. I loved the first book in the series, and woodland creatures and dinosaurs should be an easy sell for me, but the book was weirdly disjointed. 

Top non-fiction reads of the month were Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby and Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner (Gadsby’s book covers the material in her Netflix specials and Monster is a therapist’s memoir of working with five clients. They are both super intense and so many content warnings apply, but I found them fascinating.)

Goodreads Goal: 129/200

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads |

2022 Reads |

#2022 reads #book reviews #book recommendations #books #booklr #bookish #reading #bibliophile

[tengomilpalabrasparati]

"Secuestro en Directo"

Suele pasar: cuando una buena película extranjera alcanza cierto éxito internacional y los críticos la eligen para cualquier top ten del año, Hollywood hace una mediocre remake y convierte el formato en una fórmula.

Es lo que pasó con la danesa "Guilty" (Gustav Möller, 2018), que había demostrado que con una llamada telefónica al 911, un mínimo de recursos y en un solo escenario se puede llenar de adrenalina la pantalla. "On the Line" (Secuestro en Directo) es un intento de hacer del cine una experiencia asfixiante saturada de angustia e incertidumbre cuando un locutor de radio recibe el llamado del secuestrador de su familia.

Elvis Cooney (Mel Gibson) es el animal de radio con 40 años de trayectoria. Pero su carrera está en declive: desconectado de los nuevos medios de comunicación virtual, su programa "On the Line" ocupa la poco envidiable franja nocturna de una emisora de Los Ángeles. Es la hora de los desesperados, y el locutor cumple con una especie de función social: un gurú de consejos fáciles y estereotipados, dichos a una distancia emocional prudencial, como si fuera una biblia de autoayuda parlante.

Gibson le inyecta a su personaje una personalidad llena de ambigüedad, que puede tener actitudes de diva egocéntrica radial y un marcado desinterés por los empleados de la radio, pero también es un jefe carismático y un padre cariñoso y protector.

El comienzo de la película lo muestra con su familia, antes de ir a la radio la noche que festejará su cumpleaños al aire. Con su compañera Mary (Alia Seror-O’Neill) y el nuevo operador de sonido Dylan (William Moseley) hacen la rutina de escuchar la angustia y el desconsuelo noctámbulo de la ciudad.

Si el incipit de "Secuestro en Directo" sirve para presentar al personaje, a partir de que un hombre llama al programa diciendo que está afuera de la casa del locutor y que está dispuesto a arruinar su vida como Elvis se la arruinó a él, la película entra en estado de thriller permanente. Todo el carisma y la trayectoria se disuelven en el miedo y la impotencia, mientras el oyente -un soldado del ejército que regresó de Afganistán- revela los secretos sucios del conductor y asegura haber puesto explosivos en todo el edificio para que exploten en 40 minutos. 

Pero si las premisas responden a cierta cercanía con la realidad, lo que sigue es un descenso al nivel 0 de la verosimilitud. Es un juego de humillaciones y persecución dentro de la radio, una idea que propone el psycho para no asesinar a la familia de Elvis. Pero el guion corre los límites de la lógica. Es el problema con esta clase de películas, en las que una historia choca con lo posible. De hecho, "Secuestro en Directo" podría interpretarse como una parodia del género si no fuera porque lo hace desde la más absoluta seriedad de su puesta en escena realista para una película inquietantemente absurda.

La película acierta con su protagonista, un narcisista que ha insultado, acosado y descuidado a demasiadas personas como para recordar por qué ahora tiene que pasar por esta pesadilla. Pero hay una simpleza general llena de trucos y manipulación emocional en la forma en que el guion transcurre una vez que "Secuestro en Directo" llega a un nivel aceptable de intensidad entre Elvis y su interlocutor amenazante. 

La sobreexplotación de recursos narrativos -la voz de la niña al teléfono, los disparos que se escuchan, las bombas, los asesinatos dentro de la radio, las cámara de vigilancia que maneja el secuestrador- y la falta de un sentido realista orientativo completan un thriller exagerado y lisérgico que se perderá en el éter del cielo de las películas clase B. 

Aunque deja preguntas sin responder, es válida para pasar un buen rato 👍👍

#Secuestro en Directo #series y pelis #trailer #Youtube

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Celebrating ten years of visiting four of my favourite locations in spring and summer; Martin Down, Bentley Wood, Stockbridge Down and Noar Hill

Whilst at Martin Down yesterday I remembered it’s now ten years since we first started coming here, and three other places in a spring and summer where our butterfly interest expanded a decade ago brought to all of these sites to try and see different butterflies. So I felt like doing a post to remember and explore why I love these places and we come back to them year after year.

Martin Down has the most interesting story I think so I say a little more about it. In the ten years we have been going here, Martin Down has simply become one of my favourite places to watch nature and moved close to my heart. It has an excellent array of vibrant and rare butterflies throughout the peak season, from mesmerising Marsh Fritillary to Adonis Blues that leave me spelbound. It has also become one of our top spots to watch birds too, boasting great numbers of Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer, some Turtle Doves, Lesser Whitethroat, Hobby, Grey Partridge, the electric sound of Skylark song which often hits you on arrival and more. It’s great for flowers such as burnt-tip orchids and other insects of course, and I like nothing more than having a great walk round at this very beautiful spot.

Interestingly for such a big place for us our visiting got off to a modest start with a few visits on overcast days where we didn’t see too much as is natural for a new spot. Then just as we had a visit in June 2013 where we saw a lot our third or fourth visit I believe - namely our first ever Grey Partridges, Yellowhammer and moths including Chimney Sweeper - there was the moment where my Mum was bitten by an Adder here. You can’t hold anything against the place or the animal for that of course, it was just unfortunate but the trauma of it for us at the time (now a favourite story to tell) meant we didn’t visit again until being lured there by the promise of Marsh Fritillary in spring 2014 (which we did see, parking at the other car park to where the Adder bite happened first of all after returning for a few years). After that initial return there was no stopping us and in the years that followed visiting both car parks and walking around the site (also exploring over the road which shares a lot of characteristics with Bentley Wood) it became a staple of our butterfly watching calendar, very often needing to make several visits to this wonderful spot in spring/summer of a year to see the range of species as they came out. We got into a great rhythm here as the years went on of seeing the likes of Marsh Fritillary, Adonis Blue, Small Blue, Brown Argus, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak and Small Copper.

From 2015 to 2016 onwards it took a real turn to becoming a big birding site for us, with Whinchat and Grey Partridge coming back into our lives a bit with summer sightings in 2015 and big moments in 2016 seeing our first ever Corn Buntings something we’ve seen at the site again and again and seem to thrive here and only my second ever Turtle Doves which we’ve seen a fair few times here since one of the birds that optimizes that last refuge feel of the site for a few species. Hobby, both Common Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat, Wheatear, Golden Plover and Red Kites have been other standout and notable species of our visits here over the years. In the world of mammals we’ve seen deers and it’s been a key site for us for seeing Brown Hares. I took the first four pictures in this photoset here of a Small Blue butterfly in 2019, a view in 2016, Turtle Dove in 2018 and an early purple orchid yesterday.

In a similar way to Martin Down, Bentley Wood has been another butterfly haven for us over the years since first visiting in the summer of 2013 seeing my first ever White Admiral, with multiple visits required in the season for Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Purple Hairstreak and other more common species. This enchanted wood has been a crucial place for our dragonfly and damselfly watching over the years with Broad-boded Chaser, Emperor and others and has been good to see Fallow Deers and flowers. What I’ve really noticed the last few years as mentioned in my post about our trip there last Monday is as I’ve delved into other areas of insects how rich in life it is for things such as snipe fly, green tiger beetle and oil beetle. I got the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset here of a Small Skipper butterfly in 2019 and a view last year.

Stockbridge Down is one we tend to go in the summer, led there a decade ago by Chalkhill Blues which it is a paradise for. With the exception I think of one year where things we had on just happened to mean I saw them at St. Catherine’s Hill instead, we’ve seen them there every year since and it’s one of the finest experiences in nature watching I’ve had when you’re just immersed in clouds of these regal butterflies on hot and sunny days. Clouded Yellow and Silver-spotted Skipper were other life ticks when we first visited with Adonis Blue one on a subsequent visit that August and we’ve seen Clouded Yellow and Adonis there a fair bit since. As we bedded into visiting here nicely Dark Green Fritillary, Gatekeeper and Brown Argus have proved key species to see. You get a good range of farmland birds including Yellowhammer and can often see Red Kites here too, and I would say the big point in other areas to butterflies for this one is flowers. As in and since 2020 it’s been one of the most important places for me to develop my deepening interest in flowers with harebell and rosebay willowherb among the first things I was able to become aware of what they were which is what it’s all been about. It hosts a rich diversity of bright wildflowers. The seventh picture in this photoset is a view there and eighth a Chalkhill Blue in 2014.

Finally onto Noar Hill, and I guess the key thing all of these places share are they’re a fair journey from home hence why they were all discovered by us in a time we branched out within our county right to it’s borders in order to branch out in butterfly species to see so we only come to Noar Hill once or twice a year. This at the start of spring to look for it’s undisputed star, the precious Duke of Burgundy. In all but one of the years (when we found one in a corner of Bentley Wood) we’ve come here and been lucky to see these pearls of beauty. I am taken aback every time to revel in seeing these glorious and rare butterflies. I have said before it is our yearly pilgrimage to this hill in the South Downs to look for them. Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skipper were life ticks that day I first visited in early June 2013 too and have remained ones we’ve often seen here. This place which is also a good general spot for seeing butterflies early in the year, fits another theme of discovering these four with three in typical farmland country and something it led to. As on that first visit I finally saw what I call my lifetime bogey bird which it took me a while to see, my first Yellowhammer a bird synonymous in call and sight with this type of countryside. It’s remained something I see a lot here as well as being key to Stockbridge Down and Martin Down for us. Red Kite is another big part of the Noar Hill visit every year, alongside views of rapeseed oil fields and stunning early purple orchids. I got the ninth picture in this photoset of a Duke of Burgundy there last Monday and tenth of a view in 2020.

What a decade of discovery and wildlife wonder it has been for us. I have such a unique bond with these places as due to their distance from home and the species to look for in the birdwatching calendar and other bits in autumn and winter months taking us elsewhere we only really visit between April and August with a few exceptions of the odd earlier or later visit down the years to Martin Down particularly. So they are so symbolic of the bright, long and joyful days of spring and summer and all the song and splendour it brings which is nice. I look forward to seeing what I’ll see at these precious places next.

#photography #macro #landscape #butterfly season #birds #birdwatching #butterfly #mammals #flowers #insects #bentley wood #martin down #noar hill #stockbridge down #hampshire #wiltshire #dorset #south downs #countryside #outdoors #duke of burgundy #early purple #orchid #red kite #fields #yellowhammer #corn bunting #grey partridge #walk #walking

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Unit 01: Launching Into Nature Interpretation

My Journey With Nature and Experiencing a Sense of Place

When I was younger I wasn’t exposed to many traditional outdoorsy activities such as camping, hiking, swimming or fishing. Instead, I grew up in Vaughan, Ontario with Italian immigrant parents and the thought of outdoor activities were nonexistent unless a sport was involved. Yet, somehow I always found myself having this inexplicable spiritual connection with nature. 

I would say this past year is when I have been most in touch with nature, particularly in the summertime. I spent nearly the entire summer with my friend Miranda at her cottage where we would sit in silence for hours on her boat appreciating the environment around us. It is here where I felt most energized, being able to absorb the positive energy that engulfed me from being outside.

Boat ride with Miranda and our friends during sunset in Harcourt Park, Ontario.

 I also took time to volunteer at the Kortright Centre for Conservation, where I helped manage invasive plant species. This experience made me truly appreciate the hard work that goes into environmental education and conservation.

Although these moments were impactful, a truly defining moment for me where I found a "sense of place" in nature occurred when I took the BIOL*4410 Field Ecology Course in Algonquin Park, Ontario. After ten long days of scientific research which included nitty-gritty forms of sampling, measuring, and observing animal behaviour, our instructor rewarded us with a very long hike (which did not sound very rewarding at the time). She described how the location of this hike was limited to the researchers at the Algonquin Wildlife Research Station, and the individuals that took the BIOL*4410 course and that once we reached this top secret location, the group of us would watch the sunset together. 

Small group of us sitting and watching the sun start to set after the long hike we endured.

And so, after hiking for what felt like an hour straight up this very large hill, it was here where I saw one of the most beautiful views in my entire life. The group of us gasped in unison and were in awe of how extremely beautiful this landscape was. We were then instructed to sit in silence for fifteen minutes where we could reflect on and admire our surroundings. Altogether we remained silent, where some individuals found themselves getting emotional and others spent their time sketching the environment in their field notebooks. 

Sketch drawn by a student during the fifteen minutes of silence in the BIOL*4410 Field Ecology course.

 Within these fifteen minutes I found myself thinking about every action and decision I had made that led me to this moment, and I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. All of the hard work I had dedicated to my academic career finally felt worth it, and I felt that this was only the beginning of my career. Sitting there I studied the landscape, focusing on the leaves that were swaying in the summer breeze and the birds that communicated in between them. It was in these moments where not only did I feel such a special connection to this place, but I felt a special connection to the 16 other ‘strangers’ that I grew so close to in just over 10 shared days.

For this experience, I am extremely grateful for my instructor to have presented this “sense of place” to me and to have evoked such a strong personal connection to this landscape and lifestyle (Beck et al., 2018). She inspired me to continue my academic journey with nature and helped me see the ‘bigger picture’ of the landscape, and of the research we were conducting, and for this I am beyond grateful. 

Picture taken of Algonquin Wildlife Research Station cabins during Field Ecology course.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Venture.