#❆ ˚ critics everywhere ˚⠀⠀/ dash commentary .

[sleetkissed]

❝  I  will  never  be  nice  to  him  again.  ❞   Ungrateful  rat.

[wifegideonnav]

I'm new to Tumblr. How do Tumblr users usually engage with each other?

well first of all welcome haha. the main ways to engage with people are:

liking and reblogging. platforms like instagram and tiktok run on likes and an algorithm, but on tumblr, people almost exclusively use their dashboard and turn off suggested content, so they’re only seeing what people actually reblog onto their dash. that’s why people on this site are so adamant about reblogs, because likes basically do nothing. i saw someone say once that anything you would like on a different social media, you should reblog on here, and i totally agree. and don’t worry about how old a post is, or about reblogging something you’ve previously reblogged. there are posts from 2014 that i regularly see on my dash a decade later, so literally don’t feel awkward, it’s 100% normal to engage with old posts.

tags. there are three main ways tags are used: labeling original content so people find it in searches, internal organization systems when reblogging or posting (for instance, many people have a tag for their original posts, and will tag reblogs by fandom or character or whatever - important note that reblogs do not show up in search results), and to make sotto voce comments on a post. it’s normal for people to make jokes, add their own commentary, ramble about something semi relevant, or say something to op in the tags on posts they reblog.

reblog additions. every time you reblog, you have the chance to add something to the post, which unlike tags will be retained when someone reblogs from you. a good rule of thumb is to comment instead of tagging when it’s something you actually want other people to engage with, as opposed to tags where you’re just kind of expressing yourself lol. don’t be surprised however if you see people’s tags getting screenshotted and added to a reblog. if this happens because the screenshotter likes what the tag writer said, it’s jokingly referred to as “passing peer review.” (and of course people screenshot tags to criticize or mock them as well.) essentially, tags are like being at a big group dinner and saying something to the person next to you as an aside, and then sometimes that person goes “hey everyone listen to this”

post comments. there’s also an option on every post (unless op has turned it off) for people to comment on the post itself, not on a specific reblog. mostly this is useful for talking to people on personal posts or posts with reblogs turned off. on a bigger post, just reblog it and put your thoughts in an addition or tag.

asks. seems like you figured this one out! lmao. asks are used for a wide variety of things, but essentially it can either be a prompt for someone to make a post or a way of having an interaction/conversation with someone without dming them.

dms. these work like dms everywhere else, except the functionality is limited and it kinda sucks.

games. there are also many varieties of games that people play with each other, ranging from ask games (things like “rec me some music” or a post with prompts and people send you some from that list), tag games (typically there are questions you answer then you tag other people to fill them out for themselves) handwriting tags, follow chains, giveaways, name/url playlists, and more. with the addition of polls, brackets have gotten popular too (eg the tumblr sexyman bracket). there also used to be a lot of in-character ask blogs, where a user would set up a blog and roleplay as a specific character that people could send questions to (there still are some but way fewer and way less popular than there used to be)

to be honest i feel like i have to put “discourse” and “drama” on this list too. people on this site loveeee having the most insane arguments of all time and then everyone else memes the hell out of it. google “sonic for real justice” for an example lmao. (of course there’s also very unfunny political and fandom discourse that goes on as well. i would advise you to avoid discourse blogs as a general rule regardless of whether you agree with their position or not)

tagging people. you can also @ people in posts you think they’d like or if you feel like they have relevant input. typically this is something you would do either to people you’ve spoken to before, or a big blog with an established persona and rapport with their followers (eg if you follow a blog about snakes and you see a random post with snake info that seems wrong but you’re not sure, so you tag them to ask for their expertise).

and this isn’t a specific “mode” of communication but it’s also a thing to “interpret” (for lack of a better word) other people’s posts. for instance, people drawing a photo from the original post (i cant find it but there was a post going around recently where op posted an aesthetic photo of an egg cooking and then several people painted it), or people trying/recreating something a post was about (example). it was also a thing for a minute there where people would rewrite funny exchanges as shakespearean dialogue

those are all the ways i can think of, although im sure i’ve missed some (if other people think of any pls add on!). good luck, and i hope you’re able to meet some cool people!

[crosscut-drifter]

I don't wanna reblog a post I just saw only to bitch in the tags, and I also don't wanna reblog it with no commentary, so I'm gonna bitch here, instead, lmao

To wit, if you can't tell the difference between "best friend character who is gay" and the Gay Best Friend version of that character

(yes this is about Dorian Pavus)

then that's on you 🙄

and it isn't just a character meeting specific stereotypes that puts them in the GBF slot, that's disingenuous af. it isn't being a sidekick, or a good friend.

it's the objectification. the *accessorization*. dragging the gay guy around like a purse or a doll, a part of your/the cis girl MC's outfit. the ... voyeuristic entitlement to the GBFs every emotion and his relationships. positioning the MC(/yourself, because GBFing happens IRL!! It isn't just a literary trope issue!) at the complete epicentre of his entire existance, putting that relationship on the same level as or above any intimate relationships he can have with another queer man. the desexualizing of his sexuality (or, conversely, the fetishization of it, to the point of being literal sexual harassment). the utter flattening of character or personhood into just being a cute, funny, *sassy* (gag me, oh my god) yes-queen for the MC/straight girl. the entitlement to physical intimacy. (gods, the *handsiness*. or, re characters, portraying relatively poised or not-super-touchy characters as especially touchy-feely.)

(are people probably slinging accusations around too liberally? oh probably! i don't actually read a lot of fic, tbh, nor do I follow any dorian-centric blogs, these days. and, to be fair, possibly because I curate my dash well, I also haven't seen GBF!Dorian crop up in, like, years.)

idk shit all about OP of the post i'm reffing, so this isn't directed at them personally, but i have never -- in the near decade some DAI released -- seen major sustained or popular critique OF the GBFification of Dorian. like, I can't be everywhere of course, but the only time i have ever seen someone other than me call it out, it is always another queer man. so a post pushing back against this criticism is gonna get my hackles up, especially because *queer men* are very distinctly a minority in transformative/creative fandom.

[answrs]

#not gonna bandwagon-hate whoever it's popular to hate today just because some rando says 'didn't he do xyz?' #maybe he did maybe he didnae I don't know because no one spewing accusations bothers to cite a fucking source #nut up or shut up

(tags by @redshiftsinger - fucking preach!)

another important commentary from the notes (via @keigan-of-sweden)

#people are frothing at the bit for any reason to declare Taika ''problematic'' so that they can feel justified in cancelling him #they tried it before OMFD came out but it didn't take #and For Some Reason this always happens to celebrities of colour hmmm #they do something that's wildly popular -> get put on an impossibly high piedestal -> ''some people'' get tired of seeing them everywhere #-> and subject them to an impassable scrutiny in order to find some excuse to declare them cancelable #Taika Waititi #OFMD #fact check

literally within the first three replies on this shitty post are a textbook example with someone going "the POC guy always gave me bad vibes (which totally wasn't just racism projecting on him ha ha!) and now I have a reason to say he's evil, yay!" and another person responding "yeah it's awesome!"

editing to add @observethewalrus tags as well

bullshit #there were over 100 names on that letter and boy people sure are being picky about who they wanna cancel #the letter was tone deaf and made no mention of the literal fucking genocide #it was BAD #but compared to let’s say noah schnapp actively and knowingly posting zionist propaganda #it was pretty meaningless #if you want to take a moral stance on that damn letter that’s fine but you better be criticizing every single person on that list #I don’t see any star trek people ranting about chris pine #gif sets from nope were on my dash the other day but jordan peele signed it too #this whole thing made me even more of a fan of guz khan #I have huge respect for him #and he’s shut people down for leaving antisemitic comments on his posts #we stan a legend

literally not surprised in the slightest

[vantablade]

I don’t know who this will be helpful for, but in the interest of amplifying some black voices re: the content I consume, and anybody who might be interested in that sort of thing. Specifically I’m very interested in astrology, spirituality, tarot, as well as commentary, and I did some research into some black commentary YouTube channels if that’s your thing. Also I’m a sucker for Twitter so there’s some of my favourite Twitter personalities to spice up your feed not only with some educational content but also just... good content. 

There’s also a dash of other subjects like writers (three Tumblr writeblrs/writers, a Black-owned publishing house to keep an eye on with some new independent releases, and my current favourite author whose trilogy made me fall in love with fantasy all over again). 

Obviously it is severely reflective of my character that I did have to research certain creators because of my lack of exposure, and that does come from a white perspective in that I’ve never felt the pressure to engage with Black content the way I should haveーbut the only way to move forward from that is to actively seek them out, make adaptions, and introduce new content creators into my life. And hopefully, to my white mutuals (since I’m in no place to preach to anyone else), introduce some stuff to you guys too.

Because Black lives do not only matter when we’re mourning the lives lost, but Black lives matter when they are actively creating content we can support, across all platforms and genres. Whether it’s Black film, Black writing, Black art, Black YouTubers, etceteraー and while we should absolutely introduce more critical reading into our lives in order to develop a much more intelligent, nuanced perspective on the subject of race, we shouldn’t only view Black people as politics suppliers, but people who create content all across the board, especially when we consider that Black culture and Black creators are often the biggest influence on social media and modern culture. This is just a small, very niche list of what I have foundー and I would love recommendations! Your favourite designers, your favourite artists to follow, your favourite gaming channels (especially those who focus on thorough lets plays!), your favourite Black creator in any sort of environment. Under a read more just because this post is already long. 

Black Spiritualists/Astrologers/Tarot Readers who I really love:

Shonnetta’s Divine Tarot ~ A YouTube channel which does really long, in depth tarot readings for the signs and pick a cards if that’s your thing, she’s super bubbly and energetic and has great energy

 Itsbabyj1 ~ She does really fun but also well-researched videos, she’s super playful and knowledgeable about the subject. She has some really fun, laid back videos like how to tell if your crush likes you based on your sign, which if anything is just fun to indulge

Similarly, astrokit does really fun but also educational videos! Some based on crushes, or pet peeves, etc, but likeー she can even help you figure out your own chart bit by bit like her latest video on Moon in the houses. She’s sooo cute and has such an airy energy, I’ve spent many an hour relistening to her crush or pet peeve etc videos in the background because she has a really nice voice

If you want to learn some more advanced techniques, this interview with Darren King is really educational! He hasn’t made a lot of content yet but he’s a great speaker and his vid is so good, and you can even book a reading with him through the website

Sunshine Tarot ~ all of her readings are super accurate imo, she has such a homely vibe, she’s so charismatic that her videos feel like she’s really there with you. 

Gaialect ~ does occasional Tarot readings for the signs, she’s super kind and direct, originally quite a presence on Twitter and I feel like she really has a great camera presence and a good friendliness.

AstroDeeStars ~ again, just super good charisma & really informative videos. Not super active but you can watch her old content and be informed on the subjects!

ijaadee ~ A very advanced yet really personable astrologer who specialises in offering horary charts, and works with really detailed methodsーshe’s really interesting if you’re into that sort of thing!

Jalen Astrology ~ a black, nonbinary (and potentially gay) astrologer whose personality is stunning, and they’ve done some great threads iirc!

RetroJ ~ similar to ijaadee in subject matter and advanced subjects, but he does have some great introductory threads that you can look through. Also does a wide array of consultations if you vibe with that!

BlackWomenCry ~ A sex astrologer! They do really fun yet in depth analyses of signs and qualities, especially regarding sex and unpacking trauma. Worth a follow for sure

Misc (ASMR, Book Youtube, Publishing Houses/Writeblrs, Influencers):

LatreceASMR ~ A black woman ASMRtist for if you’re trying to relax, her stuff is super chill & she has a really comforting voice! I really like her earlier low fi stuff

Sung Mook ~ another ASMRtist! I love her character work and her roleplays so much, she has the gentlest voice you will ever here. Big sleepy I really recommend

Mina Reads ~ A booktuber! I’m still getting into the booktube scene so I’d also love recs if you’re into it as well, they’re really funny! (I believe their pronouns might be she/her but I can’t remember completely so I’d rather stay on the safe side). Also, they often review or read books focused on and/or written by Black people, which can be a great introduction to fiction by Black authors!

Yah Yah Scholfield ~ Horror writing, fantastic short stories, also publishing a lesbian horror novel this year 

Sandra T. ~ Yah Yah’s publisher/editor and a writer herself, that’s her main blog but she also posts her work here and she runs her own publishing company which currently has a poetry book, a compilation of short surrealist short stories, and Yah Yah’s novel): Oni House Press

Lydia ~ Another black writer! She posts excerpts of her writing work and I’m a huge fan of her stuff. Her writing is so... emotive, rich and inspiring.

My favourite book trilogy that I reference often is N. K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth trilogy which is an incredible fantasy series, and I really recommend it as an introduction to fantasy, right now I’m also starting her other series. TBE is notable not only for its incredible world-building and character work (I cried... several times lol) but also for its subtle, natural integration of LGBT peopleーand I mean LGBT people, not just a token gay character but also trans characters, with even minor reference to nonbinary people. She has some other series that I can’t advocate for yet, because I haven’t read them, but of course when one series is so good, of course I have faith in her other work. 

Warsan Shire’s poetry is also groundbreakingー you’ve probably already seen it everywhere, whether in snippets or in huge excerpts, and she even contributed the poetry to Beyonce’s Lemonade. I read Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth which is a super short but very rich poetry book, which is also a great entry into it. 

Rashida Renee ~ you’ve probably used one of her scans in a moodboard, or seen someone use it. A Black trans woman with a huge knowledge on fashion and fashion culture, and highly influentialー I love having her on the TL. Also was a huge Tumblr presence, I’m not sure if that’s still a thing, but I believe she was scorpioenergies and she was fuckrashida.

Silver Summer ~ also known on Tumblr as trapcard I believe (also used to be blastortoise, a huge “comedy” Tumblr acc), another Black trans woman who is just ... naturally funny, very quick-witted and livens up the TL. Also a fan of KPOP if you’re into that thing.

jaboukie ~ you’ve definitely seen his tweets screenshotted. Funny as hell but not afraid to use his account to amplify things, lost his blue tick (rip) for the cause of mocking fools. 

D4Darious ~ a film YouTuber! but not just film, the act of making film, for any aspiring filmmakers out there.

The commentary channels I found through research but have not fully immersed myself in their content yetー Kat Blaque, For Harriet, Angie Speaks, T1J, D’Angelo Wallace, Joulzey. This is obviously not a comprehensive list whatsoever so I’m always taking more recommendations <3

[newstfionline]

Headlines

UN calls for global cease-fire (Foreign Policy) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a global cease-fire in order for countries to focus on the coronavirus pandemic. “End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world,�� he said. “It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now. That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.”

Lost jobs, income, and mortgages (Wall Street Journal) Mortgage companies are bracing for a severe cash crunch when Americans who lose jobs and income because of the coronavirus pandemic stop making payments on their home loans. The companies expect a wave of missed payments from borrowers as early as next month that will force them to come up with tens of billions of dollars on short notice.

US airline shutdown coming? (Wall Street Journal) Major U.S. airlines are drafting plans for a potential voluntary shutdown of virtually all passenger flights across the U.S., according to industry and federal officials, as government agencies also consider ordering such a move and the nation’s air-traffic control system continues to be ravaged by the coronavirus contagion. No final decisions have been made by the carriers or the White House, these officials said.

Trump Weighs Rollback of Lockdown Measures as Economy Worsens (Foreign Policy) At a White House briefing yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that normal economic activity would resume in weeks, not months. “Our country was not built to be shut down,” Trump said, “This is not a country that was built for this. It was not built to be shut down.” His comments highlighted the growing friction between public health experts keen to halt the spread of the coronavirus and White House advisors who see the economy as the priority. “The president is right. The cure can’t be worse than the disease,” Larry Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council said on Fox News on Monday, “And we’re going to have to make some difficult trade-offs.” Such sentiments are not limited to the White House. There is a growing chorus among conservatives and in mainstream publications calling for a rethink.

Britain Placed Under a Virtual Lockdown by Boris Johnson (NYT) Facing a growing storm of criticism about his laissez-faire response to the fast-spreading coronavirus, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday that he would place Britain under a virtual lockdown, closing all nonessential shops, banning meetings of more than two people, and requiring people to stay in their homes, except for trips for food or medicine. People who flout the new restrictions, the prime minister said, will be fined by the police.

With live sports gone, announcer offers play by play of the everyday (NYT) Freelance rugby announcer Nick Heath is filling a sports-sized void with short videos where he provides a running commentary on regular life in London. In one clip, four women walking with strollers are suddenly competing in the “international four-by-four pushchair formation final.” Pedestrians using a crosswalk are in the “2020 crossroad dash.” Each clip is an absurd delight that’s both funny and very British.

As Coronavirus Surveillance Escalates, Personal Privacy Plummets (NYT) In South Korea, government agencies are harnessing surveillance-camera footage, smartphone location data and credit card purchase records to help trace the recent movements of coronavirus patients and establish virus transmission chains.

In Lombardy, Italy, the authorities are analyzing location data transmitted by citizens’ mobile phones to determine how many people are obeying a government lockdown order and the typical distances they move every day. About 40 percent are moving around “too much,” an official recently said.

In Israel, the country’s internal security agency is poised to start using a cache of mobile phone location data--originally intended for counterterrorism operations--to try to pinpoint citizens who may have been exposed to the virus.

As countries around the world race to contain the pandemic, many are deploying digital surveillance tools as a means to exert social control, even turning security agency technologies on their own civilians. Health and law enforcement authorities are understandably eager to employ every tool at their disposal to try to hinder the virus--even as the surveillance efforts threaten to alter the precarious balance between public safety and personal privacy on a global scale.

Pakistan moves toward lockdown (Al Jazeera) Pakistan has moved closer to a countrywide lockdown to attempt to control the accelerating spread of coronavirus cases across the country, as cases hit more than 850 and doctors complain of dwindling personal protective kits. On Monday, a full lockdown went into effect in the southern city of Karachi, home to more than 20 million people, while Punjab province--home to almost half of Pakistan’s 207 million people--also announced widespread restrictions on public movement.

India orders 21-day lockdown (Foreign Policy) India, South Asia’s largest economy, has ground to a halt since the weekend. Authorities urged people to take curfew orders seriously, shutting down domestic commercial flights and rail services. In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a strict 21-day nationwide lockdown. “If we are not able to manage the next 21 days, we will be pushed back by 21 years,” he warned. “For 21 days, forget what it means to step outside your home.”

Documents Show Modi Govt Building 360 Degree Database To Track Every Indian (Huffington Post) The Narendra Modi government is in the final stages of creating an all-encompassing, auto-updating, searchable database to track every aspect of the lives of each of India’s over 1.2 billion residents, previously undisclosed government documents reviewed by HuffPost India establish.

Reducing Afghan aid (NYT) The State Department said it was cutting $1 billion to Afghanistan this year, and potentially another $1 billion in 2021, after rival Afghan leaders failed to support a unified government. It’s a condition that U.S. diplomats consider crucial for peace talks.

China ends Wuhan restrictions (NYT) Officials in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak started, said today that public transportation would resume within 24 hours and that residents would be allowed to leave the city beginning April 8, as infections appeared to be dwindling.

Tokyo Olympics postponed to 2021 (AP) The IOC announced a first-of-its-kind postponement of the Summer Olympics on Tuesday, saying that the Tokyo Games “must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020, but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community.”

Libya becomes theatre for drone combat (Guardian) The blind eye the western world is turning to Libya has allowed it to become the world’s main theatre of drone combat, with the UAE and Egypt introducing Chinese-made drones to the field of Middle Eastern warfare. Not only does this undercut America’s short-lived monopoly on military drone technology, it has also shown the world that Chinese drones, as well as other equipment such as guided artillery, are the cheap and effective alternative for proxy warfare. It is a foreboding symbol of the future of arms proliferation and the technological upgrade that smaller, regional conflicts are set to experience.

African finance ministers call for debt waiver (Foreign Policy) In a joint statement, African finance ministers called for $100 billion in stimulus to allow the continent to weather the dual storms of coronavirus and falling oil prices. The statement calls for a waiver on interest payments on public debt and sovereign bonds--a move that would free up $44 billion and “provide immediate fiscal space and liquidity to the governments in their efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the ministers said.

South Africa imposes lockdown (South China Morning Post)​​ South Africa will impose a nationwide lockdown for three weeks as it tries to contain a surge in coronavirus cases, which on Monday jumped from 274 to 402 in a day. President Cyril Ramaphosa said it was “a decisive measure to save millions of South Africans from infection and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.” The country’s 56 million people have been told to “stay at home” from midnight on Thursday until midnight on April 16 “to prevent a human catastrophe of enormous proportions in our country.”​

[purple-spring]

Why do people act like CM is the ultimate milestone? Movie felt so flat to me. Alita and Wonder Woman are better movies showing 2 woman being strong and compassionate without letting audience know every 5 minutes they are women. Unfortunately since both don't have the Marvel stamp on it they're ignored while the former is put on a pedestal.

Before we begin, can I just say how freaking great it is that we can have this conversation? That we can actually compare these female-led superhero movies because there are more than one? What a time to be alive. Because regardless of whether we agree on this or not, the fact that we are having dialogue about this is progress. People might say that we shouldn’t have competition between these films, but you know what? Competition is a healthy indicator of quality. It means there’s more than one. It means that we can hold onto one more interpretation of the female experience. It means that there are diverse and excellent representations of womanhood within the current superhero framework that are courting the favour of cinema goers everywhere. So, I’m leading with that. I’m excited I got this ask, anon!

But anyway - on to the main points of contention.

I can’t speak on behalf of Alita, but I find it very difficult to believe that Wonder Woman was ignored and didn’t get the hype it deserved. Before Aquaman came out and smashed the box office, WW was DC’s biggest critical and commercial success. It was EVERYWHERE. It’s been two years since its release, hence the hype has died down, but for a moment there, it was The One. I blame clunky follow-up storytelling on DC’s part for the disruption to WW’s momentum (i.e. Justice League, but that still did well at the box office), but nevertheless, Wonder Woman is still a big-ass deal, and the second film is going to melt everyone’s faces off. #BringBackSteve

So, anyway, why is Captain Marvel being lauded as a huge thing? I feel like there are a number of factors that are conflating to make it a Milestone Moment™. Here are a few:

Our current socio-political climate means that we’re hungry for a Fearless Girl. We all want representation. Supply and demand. Simple. 

Marvel is currently hot shit. The Marvel base is huge. HUGE. I’m mainly a Riverdale blog and I mostly follow RD/aesthetic blogs, and Marvel still manages to cross over onto my dash. My friends aren’t “fandom fans” by any stretch, but they are constantly talking about Marvel theories. Now why is that? I’d have to say a lot of built-in public goodwill. There’s real trust that Marvel knows how to build a narrative and a universe with tight storylines and excellent marketing. DC is great, but doesn’t quite have the same track record. 

We all hate Thanos and want him to be punched with thunder girl fists. Captain Marvel is sandwiched between Infinity War and Endgame - an intense period of superhero angst. It’s riding on the anticipation building between those two, but it’s also setting up a new era for Marvel as a whole bunch of fan favourites prepare to bow out. The fans are hyped, and for good reason. Also, we just want all our faves to be okay. Captain Marvel has been set up as the answer to Thanos’ stupid face, and that’s awesome.

Brie Larson is an actual icon. When a woman uses her influence and platform for good, publicly shading an actor at THE OSCARS to show him and everyone else that she refuses to court the favour of someone who’s been accused of sexual harassment, I’m gonna stand up and cheer for that. The utter disdain she gave Casey Affleck was the greatest. And now I get to look up to her as an iconic superhero, one of the strongest in the MCU? *grabby hands* Give me more.

Actual, nuanced asylum seeker commentary in the guise of alien refugees vs. space colonisers? Uh, yeah. Yes please.

(Now I’m gonna backtrack a little bit here and say that between the two, Wonder Woman is actually the better film. Captain Marvel IS flat in parts. BUT. Audiences are now familiar with Marvel’s MO. They know that they’re playing the long game here. Captain Marvel is our orientation and introduction into the Carol Danvers story, which means that it’ll only build up from here.)

And now to this point: “Alita and Wonder Woman are better movies showing 2 woman being strong and compassionate without letting audience know every 5 minutes they are women.”

Can I ask, honestly, why we would assume that this is a problem?

Carol’s gender is central to her struggle. She stands in for the many women who are gaslighted into thinking that they need to hold themselves back in order to be legitimised by the patriarchy. As Sarah from LaineyGossip put it, “The villain in Captain Marvel is not who you think, and really, the biggest villain is just the assumption that Carol, on her own, isn’t good enough for, or worthy of, the opportunity she’s been given.” That is a very female experience. So if I’m reminded every five minutes that Carol is a woman - which, to be honest, I didn’t really get - I have no problem with that. The film isn’t making any apologies about what kind of message it’s sending across, and judging from the current box office intake, I’m guessing it’s a popular message.

This is probably a much longer answer than you were expecting, anon (lol), but I’m glad I got the opportunity to discuss it. I think this dialogue is important, particularly as films and television are experiencing the growing pains of wider representation and changing audience demands. 

Thanks for this ask! I hope some of this made sense. 

[blockpaths]

Blockcast.cc Chats with Deep Singh Cheema “Invest in money that you can lose.”

Can you tell us more about yourself, your education, business, your life?

Deep: My Name isDeep Singh Cheema. I m From Chandigarh, Punjab in India. After I have completed My M.Phill and I had to drop out from my PhD due to family issues. Right now I’m settled in Australia, where we run our restaurant business. I am also a full-time professional Cryptocurrency Trader.

And 2 months ago, I am engaged. My wife’s name is Neetu Ghai and I love her alot.

Blockast.cc: I understand you are a book author too based on your profile, can you share with us what did you write about?

Deep: I am writing my biography. I started my life from zero and worked my way up to where I am. You can also see my work on social media pages. I am a critic where I take on virtual debates. I have written a lot of songs in Punjabi too.

The name of my book is “Zero To Millionaire “. It will be published in the market very soon.

Blockast.cc: @Crypto_Discuss is your handle on Twitter. What do you want to discuss?

Deep: I have been working in the cryptocurrency field since 2013. I remember at that time the rate of bitcoin was $ 130- $ 135. I bought my first Bitcoin through Payeer USD.

But at that time we did not have much knowledge of bitcoin. After that, I started learning and earned a lot of money today. I was also found many scammers in this industry, they stole a lot of our money and bitcoins. I want to keep learning from past mistakes, move forward positively and never give up. I want to share my formula of success to everyone around me.

Blockast.cc: What do you really believe in for blockchain/ crypto space?

Deep: Yes I do. Blockchain is a shared, immutable ledger for recording transactions, tracking assets and building trust. Each blockchain system requires cryptocurrency to run.

In 2008 when Satoshi Nakamoto made bitcoin. The blockchain was used to create that cryptocurrency. After that, a lot of cryptocurrencies continued to come in the market and still coming. Right now 98% cryptocurrencies are scams. We should avoid it and people should invest their money only after analyzing them thoughtfully.

Blockast.cc: Scams are everywhere. Since you believe in the space, how do you see the future of this industry?

Deep: The future of Blockchain and cryptocurrency is bright and tremendous. The government of every country wants to adopt blockchain. By regulating, it protects against the misuse and possible frauds. I attribute this technology to the great technology of the 21st century.

Blockast.cc: I think you believe in Bitcoin, what do you believe in it? Apart from Bitcoin, which other coins do you think there are potential when it comes to speculation.

Deep: There is a lot of trust in the bitcoin. Because Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency in the world. When bitcoin was introduced in 2008 it was only 0.03 USD. And today, Bitcoin is USD8800 and with only 21 million left in the market. The potential is tremendous.

My personal opinion is that bitcoin will beat the gold into the reserve currency in the market. According to my analysis bitcoin will be $ 50000 from December 2020 to Q1 2021.

Top Altcoins Like ETH. LTC, XRP. Tron, Basic Attention Token, Dash (Most Potential Coin ), Nano, NEO, ICX, WRX, Matic, Cardano, Tezos, IOTA, DGB, Vechain, Lisk are some we can study and spend some time on. These are safer compared to others.

Remember! Do not invest in any coin without analysis. Do your own research first.

Blockast.cc: If we were to ask for your advice on the blockchain and crypto market, what is advice you would give?

Deep: Same thing. Do your own research first on which will be your crypto investment. Invest in money that you can lose.

Original Source: https://blockcast.cc/interviews/chit-chat-session-with-deep-singh-cheema-song-writer-blockchain-believer-investor-blockchain-is-constantly-growing/

The post Blockcast.cc Chats with Deep Singh Cheema “Invest in money that you can lose.” appeared first on BLOCKPATHS.

source https://blockpaths.com/commentaries/blockcast-cc-chats-with-deep-singh-cheema-invest-in-money-that-you-can-lose/

[scifigeneration]

Blade Runner 2049: No hope in this dystopia

by Ron Burnett

Editor’s note: This article contains spoilers.

I went to see Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve, with great anticipation. The original was so unique and although I was ambivalent about the film’s story and politics, many of its images have stayed in my mind for over 35 years. I have even used Blade Runner in my film studies classes. Yet, I left the theatre severely disappointed. Blade Runner 2049 represents a failure of the imagination. The film is a series of vignettes strung together and is the definition of solipsism — steeped in narcissism, excessive self-absorption, isolation and regressive politics.

The set up for the original film was brilliantly articulated by critic, Pauline Kael in a 1982 New Yorker review. She wrote that Ridley Scott, director of Blade Runner, “sets up the action with a crawl announcing the time is early in the twenty-first century and that a blade runner is a police officer who ‛retires’ — i.e., kills — ‛replicants,’ the powerful humanoids manufactured by genetic engineers.”

To varying degrees, the original Blade Runner anticipated numerous contemporary debates about artificial intelligence and robots. Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, on which so much of the original film was based, is a profoundly dystopian yet ultimately hopeful novel about human engagement with artificial life.

The dystopia cityscape from Blade Runner 1982. (Handout)

Dick’s book can be despairing and hopeful at the same time, and it is this tension that actually turned the novel into a rich piece of science fiction. Because in spite of the many challenges they face, the characters actually learn both from each other and from the replicants. They learn that power corrupts and it doesn’t matter whether you are human or robot, but feeling emotions of varying sorts makes the difference between a meaningful life and one that has no meaning.

While the original Blade Runner provides some insight into artificial life, and the book makes profound comments on power and human relationships, Blade Runner 2049 has none of that. Crucially missing from both the new and the original film, is some history and context. Why are we in such a mess? Why has society degenerated to such a degree?

As if the back story doesn’t matter, Blade Runner 2049 is not really set up at all. Audiences are shown that replicants are everywhere, integrated into society, that blade runner police are ubiquitous and that some of the older versions of the replicants are, as before, still unruly and therefore need to be killed. Society is dominated by a seemingly endless horde of people going nowhere in particular and buildings are rotting in the rain.

The story is strung together

As the film opens, K, played by Ryan Gosling, a programmed blade runner, is asleep at the wheel of a vehicle he later calls a car, that is flying through the darkness towards an unknown destination. All of this is covered in the one of most expensive fog-and-mist scenes ever produced for a film (the production rings in at just over $150 million).

The wasteland is interrupted when K reaches his destination and encounters a replicant who is targeted for death and who says before he is killed, “you don’t know what a miracle is.” The miracle he is referring to is clarified a bit later on in the film as the birth of a human child, which he witnessed.

The entire film then circles around the search for the miracle child with K discovering that he himself might be human, then watching his hopes dashed but not before he meets his supposed father, Deckard, played by Harrison Ford who reprises his original role from 1982.

Deckard and K develop a relationship and Deckard, of course, becomes a paternal figure to K. Deckard has apparently been living alone for an untold number of years in the remains of Las Vegas. In the portrayal of Vegas lies an implied critique of the reasons for the decay of humanity with Las Vegas representing all that is superficial and wrong about humans. The film does not explain this, it just alludes to the fall of humans as if, because of our past hedonism, we deserve to live in misery, a common theme in dystopian films.

In this vision of the future, we repeat all the clichés of voyeurism that dominated the previous century. (Handout)

Like the original, the story is unimportant and the approach is also derivative relying on the clichés of dystopias drawn from dozens of similar films. Blade Runner 2049 also suffers from a bad script and some odd stylistic filmmaking choices. It is essentially a series of events, strung together within a special effects universe, that Villeneuve thinks represents another world or another phase of history. Do we care about flying cars and exploding buildings and robots who fight each other shattering into pieces that fly off into the dark landscape? The fetish for special effects is killing the storytelling in Hollywood.

The opportunity for social commentary is lost. How does industrialist Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), maker of replicants, come to have such enormous power? He determines whether real humans should be killed — to preserve, what exactly, his business? His supremacy? The corporate entity over which Wallace rules is so sophisticated that it knows everything about everybody — a not so subtle variation on the original film and a banal reiteration of endless variations on the themes of absolute power and the human response to fascism. Niander Wallace’s actions may lead us to hate him but we don’t understand his motivations and even if his lack of motivation is a shallow critique of industrial capitalism - is it enough to make us care?

All life leads to death

All the characters, even the holographic ones, live in isolated circumstances with no social encounters of any value. If we accept that it is 2049, then why are women portrayed as sex objects? Why do their nude bodies appear everywhere? In Villeneuve’s dystopia, sex is provided through an illusory construction of desires that are mechanical and mechanized. Yet, even if this were seen as a critique of the society Wallace and his fellow industrialists have invented, it remains a fact that we have screwed ourselves and our planet and how we decide to survive is to repeat all the clichés of voyeurism that dominated the previous century.

Blade Runner 2049 has successfully created a solipsistic universe - where humans are isolated from real feelings, celebrate selfishness with gusto and are completely involved with their own needs, so self-centred that it matters little whether reality or illusion are the guideposts. Either will do because both will lead you nowhere. The overarching principle behind this film is that life is ultimately going to lead to death and all people and robots have to do is survive all the crap in between.

Here K, the male hero, suffers for the good of others as a consequence of a semi-religious conversion, which means he must make the ultimate sacrifice - his own life. Sound familiar? K’s death solves nothing - and brings no hope - unless the hope is hinting at a sequel. Perhaps Harrison Ford will play God in the next film. Kael suggests that the original Blade Runner was a victim of its own depiction of decay suggesting that it has “nothing to give to audiences,” and this, Villeneuve has succeeded in replicating.

“Every civilization was built off the back of a disposable workforce.” Blade Runner 2049 Trailer (Warner Bros. 2017)

Ron Burnett, President and Vice-Chancellor, Emily Carr University

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

[zombieheroine]

A mediocre swordsman and a lousy sniper [Overwatch, gen, T]

Rating: T for violence Characters/Relationships: Hanzo Shimada & Genji Shimada

Summary: A diplomatic dinner between yakuza families goes haywire and Genji’s evening is ruined. Words: 2073

A/N: @floweryhanzo who plays Hanzo with at least two (usually three) gold medals per match and who steals the play of the game with or without his ult while still complaining all the time how useless he is. Screw you, dude. 

[AO3]

*

If there was something that Genji hated it was trashing a nice restaurant, but so far he seemed to be the only one with that particular concern. If others were as considerate about glass floors and furniture, fine fabrics or exotic plants in clearly valuable porcelain pots, he wouldn’t be jumping over tables and water fountains and dance platforms with his katana in hand and fighting for his life.

So the peaceful, diplomatic dinner had gotten out of hand, sure. Father wouldn’t be pleased when they showed their faces to him again, but Genji would argue that the other clan had come here with their minds already made up. Why else would all of them be armed? 

The old temple turned tea house turned modern restaurant was suddenly a stage for a carnage, and Genji’s ears were ringing with gun shots. He jumped from a table top to table top knocking over glasses, bowls and sake bottles, then sprang over a stylish bamboo wall separating a booth from a small patch of an indoor garden. He dived down and rolled over in the small, meticulously arranged pebbles and behind him heard the bamboo shatter when bullets hit it. He had enemies waiting for him on this side as well with their guns pointing at him from the higher ground of the lifted dance floor. The pink lights shone from beneath the see-through floor, making the blood running down the steps in streams gleam in a strange way. Genji felt his dragon growl from within the blade as he stared at the enemy for a fracture of a second when he aimed his gun at him, a red oni glaring back at him from his chest, peeking under the man’s half-open dress shirt. The gun went off with an ear-shattering bang and a flare, and a bullet too quick to be seen came out. Genji’s thoughts couldn’t humanly keep up but his body was beyond that, and he already had his katana in front of him, the blade turning to reflect the bullet. He felt the impact in both of his arms down to his bones, but the bullet changed its course and his opponent dropped down before him. Genji was just about to cheer for himself for a job well done, but as the man before him fell on his front Genji saw an arrow sticking out of his back and his smile dropped. A sigh made Genji’s ear-piece spit out white noise. “I am such a lousy shot today. I’m sorry,” said Hanzo. Genji glared upwards at the wide balcony level, searching for his brother but didn’t see him. The three other men before Genji were getting over of the abrupt hall of their comrade, and three guns were re-aimed in Genji’s direction. Hanzo spoke to his ear: “Well… Since I am apparently under-performing today, please excuse me this method.” It took Genji a second to realize what Hanzo meant, and when he did his eyes widened and he yanked his katana closer to him and furiously searched for his brother’s sniping spot in order to reflect to the right direction. “Hanzo, don’t you dare – “ he snapped into his ear-piece, but too late. Another arrow dashed down from the upper level, hit the floor between Genji and the three men and broke into several smaller pieces that shot everywhere. Genji yelped and swung his katana gracelessly as the pieces swished around him, all past him but close enough to scare him. One of the pieces ended up piercing the man standing in the right from his jaw to the back of his head making him drop instantly. The man next to him got another piece in his gut and dropped to his knees, all air leaving his lungs as the colour did his face, and the third one stumbled back further away from Genji as if he was the cause of this.   Genji felt his knees shaking when he stood up straighter. “I told you to not fucking do that! I hate that arrow of yours! You could have hit me!” he yelled into the ear-piece. Hanzo scoffed. “Nonsense. It’s simple geometry, brother. You were not in danger.” Genji snarled back and moved. The garden was thoroughly messed up and one valuable vase had shattered. The glass floor was slippery with blood and Genji’s clawed climbing shoes scratched the smooth surface, ruining it even further. The lights under the floor flashed from pink to blue and Genji raised his katana into a better position. Most of the low, dark wood tables were either kicked over or shot full of holes, and some of them were used as barricades in fire-fights. Even the most of the Shimada-gumi men present carried fire-arms along with their wakizashi, and almost all of them lacked the skill to get close enough to use them when the opponent had a gun. Not Genji. Genji didn’t carry anything besides his katana and his wakizashi, the latter still sheathed on his belt. Genji jumped from the platform high in the air and with a battle cry dashed straight into the fire-fire, disrupting its rhythm and positions by slashing through a man who ended up on his path and jamming his blade into the nearest bystander’s chest. He spun around, the katana light and nimble in his skilled hand and so sharp he barely felt any resistance when he cut flesh and bone.   With their hiding place behind a table invaded the enemy clan’s men scattered and the battle became chaotic once more. Genji yelled and cried out as he slashed with his blade, his dragon roaring with him, and just when his enemies were beginning to get him surrounded he sprang up again, tossing over in the air and dashed across the room. The floor was cluttered with glimmering shards of glass and porcelain that were stomped into almost fine powder by now, and Genji heard the crunching under his feet as he danced across the floor, the tables and the scattered seat pillows while swinging his blade. Wherever he looked he saw arrows raining down, sometimes one at a time, sometimes several, and every once in a while that accursed scatter one breaking apart and swishing in every direction. “I wish I could be some use to you down there,” Hanzo spoke to Genji’s ear again with a suffering sigh. “But I’m hardly that even from up here. I simply cannot hit the mark today.” “Oh bull,” Genji snapped as he reflected a bullet meant for him to the floor and cut the gun and the hand holding it off the man before him. “No, I mean it. I’m a lousy shot. I wish I wasn’t, but I can’t seem to help it,” Hanzo sighed, clearly frustrated and disappointed in himself. Genji climbed over a bamboo wall between booths again and jumped from table to table again. The floor was messy and slippery with blood, and Genji paid a passing thought to his shoes and his future-self who’d have to clean them. Hanzo continued to mutter into his ear about bad shots and disappointments, and before him Genji saw an arrow through the head saving the life of a Shimada-gumi’s man who didn’t even notice it. “That was right between the eyes! Stop complaining!” Genji snapped at his brother through his heavy breathing. “No, that was an accident!” Hanzo argued. “And I’m all out of arrows now. On your left, little brother.” Genji turned his head just in time to finally see his older brother jumping over the railing and climbing down a large synthetic cherry tree, making the wind-chimes in it ring and the hard-light petals rain down and vanish as they touched the floor. The brothers met and Genji joined Hanzo as he dashed from body to body, yanking arrows out and stuffing them back into this quiver, even though following him meant that Genji had to listen to Hanzo’s commentary on his own work. “Such a sloppy mark, this one. And this too. A gut shot, how barbaric! Unacceptable,” he grumbled as he went, while Genji watched his back and reflected the bullets aimed at them back at their shooters, with mixed results. “Will you ever stop complaining, big brother?” Genji snapped as he watched the third bullet miss its mark and hit a wall. “Opening oneself for criticism is the path to bettering oneself,” Hanzo answered to him, suddenly serene when he got to lecture his brother, and Genji rolled his eyes. The fight was starting to turn to the end, one could tell by how many were laying on the ground and how the few remaining were continuing on with desperate fury. The Shimada-gumi was about to take the battle.   “Only a little bit longer, brother,” Hanzo said to him with a pat on the shoulder before dashing off and climbing up to the second level again, and Genji was on his own again. His katana felt light and electric in his hold, and he knew they were almost through. “The dragon becomes me,” he whispered to himself and let the ancient creature come forth before leaping towards his hastily scattering enemies. The battle fury on their faces quickly turned into horror as the maw of the beast opened, and Genji roared in cruel delight as the dragon consumed. One fell on his sword, then another, and all the while he heard arrows swishing past him, finding the targets Genji couldn’t reach or finish. It was almost time to end this, and that moment was marked by Hanzo’s battle cry from behind and the twin dragons roaring to life. Genji closed his eyes and smirked as the beasts flew past him, claiming one, two, three, four enemies from their path while Genji bathed in their light and energy. Having a sniper watching your back was nice even if they were a talkative one.

There was barely anything left of the niceness or the charm of the restaurant once they were done. Shimada-gumi had claimed victory and the entirety of the enemy clan’s task force had been wiped out. It wasn’t the outcome they had hoped for and they had suffered some losses themselves, but it was what it was and that was a part of the lifestyle. Genji mourned the restaurant more than anything else though. The building still stood as it no doubt had since the Edo-period, but the indoor gardens had been destroyed and so had pretty much all of the furniture and tableware, the floor was red and brown with blood and the fountain and the decorative ponds were murky red now. Genji looked mournfully at a carp floating in the pond with its belly up. He had fed it scraps of his meal earlier tonight before the dinner had gone to hell. Hanzo strode back from the kitchen and ordered their men to take both the wounded and the dead with them, pack up and prepare to move out. Their fallen were to be wrapped in tablecloths and put in the trunks of the cars in the next half of an hour, and everyone needed to clean their blades and wash up before taking off. Then Hanzo walked to Genji who was still moping by the small pond and feeling sorry for the fish. “Here,” Hanzo said and pushed a small bottle of sake to Genji’s chest. Genji raised an eyebrow but accepted the bottle altogether. “We’re going to get the bill for this, so we might as well drink,” Hanzo explained with a bottle of his own in hand. Genji opened the cork and took a swig out of the bottle, the dead carp already forgotten. Hanzo put an arm around his shoulders and squeezed him against his side. He turned them around and led them outside to the cool night air. “You did well today, little brother,” Hanzo said between sips of sake. “I did?” Genji asked. “You did. Thank you for manning the floor. No one else seemed to know where to stand,” Hanzo continued and gave the younger’s shoulders a squeeze before laying his cheek against the top of his head. “Thank you for your hard work today.” Genji relaxed in his brother’s hold and felt warm, the post-battle tremors eased by sake and comfort. “Thanks,” he muttered against the bottle. “You were great.” Hanzo scoffed. “I was useless.” “Shut up,” Genji groaned. “Just. Shut up.”

[sleetkissed]

    ❝   FINALLY   !   My  soul  will  soak  in  that  cur's  desperate  little  squeals   !   ❞    Godhood  here  she  comes  .  .  .

@bloodtwin

[tessatechaitea]

Teen Titans Spotlight #7: Hawk

I finally found Rob Liefeld's reference for drawing guns!

This was the airport in Denver before it was replaced by the Illuminati.

I thought this scene was going to instantly morph into the cover. Stupid airports and their no guns policies! Although this was 1987. Couldn't you bring anything you wanted onto a plane in 1987?! Maybe I'm thinking of flying in the seventies. Once when I was seven, I remember sitting next to a guy flying with fifteen goats and a keg of sulfuric acid while I let the tired Catholic priest seated next to me rest his head in my lap. Excuse me while I draw a MAGA cap onto Hawk in every panel of this comic book so it reads more like 2019. He's got their philosophy down pat on the first page! "I love everything lefties hate even if I don't know anything about those things! At least I fucking know what the 'AR' in AR-15 stands for! Idiots!" The only problem with this initial scene is that the anti-nuclear canvasser puts his hands on Hawk and then security proclaims there was no provocation. No wait. I used the phrase "the only problem" wrong because there are multiple problems with this scene. One of the problems, I admit, stems from me reading this in 2019. When I first read the panel with security saying, "Let's go," I didn't read it as security breaking up the fight. I read it in the voice of every fucking kid on Twitch or Mixer ready to escalate some shit. I thought the fight was just getting started! Another problem because I should probably wring out more than one extra problem after saying this scene had more than one problem with it is that the canvasser even continues to argue his point with somebody who threatened to give them a fat lip. He's never going to get any signatures from willing people if he spends all his time arguing with people who are obviously not into his groove. Canvassers need way thicker skin than this guy has! Just say "Have a nice day!" and move on!

I didn't know that stripping down to your underwear was a valid defense for violently going apeshit bananas in public.

It's actually worse than stripping down to his underwear. Hawk actually had to unpack his costume and get into it to prove that he had the right to punch a hippie. Security is all, "Well, since you got the Twinkie product placement in, I guess we have to let you go. But don't go punching anybody who isn't a terrorist from now on, you got me?!" The Stapleton Airport Security team have ferreted out a plan by "one of these Middle Eastern terrorist gangs" to sabotage the Crow Mountain Nuclear Power Plant. Hawk pulls his mask down and screams, "Not Crow Mountain! Nuclear is my favorite!" The Security Chief says, "Hopefully the guy you punched was actually one of the terrorists because that would make your actions seem less crazy in context later (even if you didn't actually know he was a terrorist) and also make our story seem less bigoted by making the terrorists white guys." Hawk responds, "Why isn't anybody biting my Twinkie? Don't you understand what an imperative is?!" Now I wish Hawk was a violent, short-fused asshole who was only concerned with proper grammar. Hawk tells the security guys that he'd love to help kill a few terrorists so call him if some shit goes down. Security is all, "Apparently we can't charge Teen Titans with assault so, um, enjoy your stay! Try not to punch too many Coloradans!" But they seemingly come to their senses when Hawk is out of punching range.

With all these snack references, I suspect the terrorists will be stopped by their love of fruit pies.

Hawk is in Colorado to attend an anti-terrorism seminar at a corporate funded think tank called the Kellogg's Group. Why is this comic book insisting on making my mouth water?! Does it know I'm currently not eating sugar?! Hawk is the only hero to attend this anti-terrorism seminar because the other Teen Titans, the Justice League, and the Outsiders declined because they didn't want to be seen endorsing any particular group. Infinity Inc. wasn't invited. Hawk makes a huge splash at the seminar with logical statements and incendiary truth bombs.

Almost got that terrorism sorted! Time for a Ding Dong!

Hawk leaves the meeting to go look at Colorado's natural beauty while fuming about wimps and losers. I'm sympathetic to writer Mike Baron's leftist viewpoints so I'm not going to start calling Hawk "Strawman" during this commentary. But, I mean, he's really quite the caricature of the super-patriotic, support-the-police-at-any-cost, hippies-fucking-suck redneck, isn't he? I probably didn't use dashes correctly in that last sentence but I felt it made it somewhat clearer. For the layman! I know grammar nerds are going all Grammar Hawk on me! "You wimp! You loser! You should be gunned down the Israeli way!" The National Guard stops by in a helicopter to tell the Kellogg's Corporation that they need to evacuate. The Stapleton Airport Security Guard Detectives were right! Terrorists have captured the Crow Mountain Nuclear Plant! Hawk watches from his idyllic perch on the mountain and thinks more of his profound thoughts.

MAGA!

What the fuck is Hawk toting around in that ginormous case? Is it Mike Brady's architectural designs for a new theme park? Or is it a Banana Splits poster?! I'm only five pages into this comic book and I don't think I've ever been so entertained. Hawk is fucking nuts. Is every character with "Hawk" in their name a ranting aggressive conservative bastard? Maybe it's characters with "Hawk" in their name or characters whose names begin with "H" and end with "K"? Is that what made Hulk so angry? Was it welfare queens, immigrants, and the estate tax? Inside Hawk's gigantic tube is the Hawkglider. That's just a hang-glider made from PVC pipe and a re-purposed parachute.

"If you want something done right wing, you've got to do it yourself!" is the original Ayn Rand quote.

Hawk is a big dumb fucker. He might be the anti-Batman. He glides into the power plant to discover a guard unconscious on the ground. In one panel, he notices the guard has an insect bite on his neck. In the next panel, Hawk gets big by an insect and doesn't make any kind of intuitive or logical connection between the two. Instead he just explodes again, calls the bug a wimp and a loser, and rushes inside to kill some terrorists.

For such an angry guy, he sure sneaks comically.

Hawk discovers more guards out cold with bug bites. That makes him think, "More bug bites...what the heck...they should have called Orkin." Immediately followed by this panel:

"Gah! Where's my gun?!"

Hawk needs to stop being so comically angry, conservative, and stupid or I'm going to scan every panel in this issue.

Now I need to add misogy...wait. Is her name "Stupid Broad"?!

Hawk recognizes Stupid Broad because she was with Jerry, the hippie trying to stop nuclear power. She was outside protesting when the terrorists took over and since she had a wrench on her, she thought maybe she could stop them. Stupid Broad introduces herself as Bonnie so I guess Stupid Broad is her superhero name. Hawk continues to curse the bugs and tells Bonnie to keep her wrench handy. At least he recognizes a superhero team-up when it's happening. How long before he accidentally calls her Dove?

Now I'm imagining Batman hunting The Riddler with some Gotham Police while he mumbles, "Never let it be said that Doctor Wayne's little boy was stupid!"

Christ. I'd forgotten just how long we've been dealing with this whole "leftist media" bullshit. But it fucking worked. The media was so fucking upset that they kept getting called biased that they simply stopped actually reporting on news and just became parrots of right-wing talking points. It's no surprise that I probably have spent more time shitting on journalists and newscasters in these comic book commentaries than I've spent shitting on Republicans. Because the journalists should know better and have instead chosen the easy, cowardly way of avoiding constant criticism. Hawk continues to ignore the bug situation until a giant Preying Mantis made out of bugs approaches. It calls itself Arachnid and it wants an end to all sort of fun things: nuclear power, the destruction of the rain forest, the use of chemical pesticides, the production of acid rain. It's practically asking for an end to humans! I hope Hawk kills it! At one point during the confrontation, Bonnie asks about the Arachnid, "What is it?" This is how Hawk responds:

At first I thought he was being controlled by the bug bites. But, no, this is just his standard demeanor.

After Arachnid states its grievances, Bonnie shouts, "Right on!" Hawk yells, "SHUT UP!" Is this the kind of comic books Comicsgaters are dreaming of going back to? Except for the part where the audience understands Hawk is a huge asshole. They probably read this and, every few pages, rush out into the street to find another guy to high five. Bonnie starts talking about some Frank Herbert book while Hawk asks out loud, "How does a bunch of stupid bugs expect to destroy a nuclear power plant?" Luckily, Arachnid is a helpful bug golem. It's all, "Termites!" Hawk should have saved his Orkin line for this moment! There's only a few pages left so when do they introduce the Fruit Pie Wizard and his magic wand of fruit pie creation? Arachnid disappears into some cracks while the nuclear plants alarms go off, warning of an imminent meltdown. Hawk's plan is to randomly throw switches hoping to get lucky enough to stop the meltdown. Bonnie's plan is to look disaster in the face and find the silver lining.

So every thing he said up until this point was supposed to be encouraging and complimentary?!

Before Hawk can start throwing switches and writer Mike Baron has to do some actual research on what effect that might have on a nuclear power plant beginning to meltdown, Hawk notices an organ in the control room. Hawk's new plan is to hook the organ up to the PA system, play some screechingly high notes, and drive the bugs away! If this works, lawmakers will probably introduce a bill to put organs into every public space, just in case of another terrorist attack by insects. Hawk's plan works and the police thank him for saving Colorado. Then they immediately turn on Bonnie and threaten to arrest her for trespassing. She doesn't strip down to her underwear to prove she's a Teen Titan though, darn it. Instead, Hawk uses his pull as a Titan to get her off the hook. The cop doesn't appreciate it but what can he do? This is Teen Titans Spotlight On: Hawk, not Teen Titans Spotlight On: Podunk Denver Police Officer. Later, Hawk returns to the anti-terrorism seminar and basically proposes organs in every public place. What a fucking douche. The issue ends with Arachnid extending an invitation to Hawk to meet with its queen to discuss negotiations of peace with the insect kingdom. Or maybe it's just Queen Bee behind this all and she's in some serious need for an angry fuck. Teen Titans Spotlight #7: Hawk Rating: B+. Fuck, I was entertained. No wonder all these assholes love Fox news. It's fun having people tell you that what you think is right and confirming your beliefs that the people who think differently are angry fucking dumbies.

[chicagoindiecritics]

New from Jonita Davis on The Black Cape: TIFF Reviews: From Romance Fizzling ‘Mondays’ to Historic Bros in ‘One Night in Miami’

The Toronto International Film Festival Kicked off on Thursday, September 9th with a film that so many Black critics were waiting for, Regina King’s directorial debut One Night in Miami. The film is as of press time, the best film of the fest for me. That does not mean that TIFF2020 is devoid of stories. There are so many tales from so many perspectives that this year’s festival has me watching films until the wee hours of the night. I ended last night with The Third Day, at about midnight–after doing some anxiety baking (peach cobbler). The series is a thriller that will really make you anxious and unable to stop watching at the same time!

Yes, I said baking. TIFF this year is a virtual affair that has most critics taking in the fest from home or wherever they can comfortably view them. My family has been tolerating me roaming the house with noise-canceling headphones on my ears and my eyes glued to the film on my tablet or phone. Here are capsule reviews for the films I viewed at the virtual TIFF over the first two days of the fest.

One Night in Miami

I’ve read countless accounts of the friendships that our most legendary figures formed while fighting for the rights we take for granted today. Regina King brings this musing to life in her directorial debut film One Night in Miami. In it was Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), as four best friends who come together to celebrate a monumental win.

One Night in Miami is not set up like a biopic or historic narrative this is not. King pulls these four off their pedestal and drops them into a moment that is reminiscent of the Big Chill. She shows us their stark realities in conversations that you will only hear Black people speak amongst themselves. Then she takes us to a hotel room where some of the most explosive action happens, along with the most quotable phrases (“most people want a piece of the pie I want the whole damn recipe”), and raw revelations (Malcolm X realizing that the Nation was corrupt and he recruited Clay to help him leave without incident). The most powerful men of the movement are thus reduced to the human men they truly are, frustrated about their past and petrified of their future.

King’s (and Kemp Powers’s script) depiction is fun and thoroughly entertaining. Audiences will feel like they are a part of the moment. Just prepare tissue for those closing credits.

One Night in Miami premiered at TIFF on September 9. It will be released on Amazon Prime at a later date.

Rating 5 of 5

Penguin Bloom

A traumatic event can change a person’s life, but what about the rest of the family? In Penguin Bloom, we follow the Bloom family of five as they try to adapt to a new life after an accident that changes the way they live and love forever.

The oldest child Noah, played by (Griffin Murray-Johnston and Essi Murray Johnson as a younger Noah), narrates the tale of a family vacation gone tragically wrong. Noah, his mother Sam (Naomi Watts), father Cam (Andrew Lincoln), and brothers Oli (Abe Clifford-Barr) and Rue (Felix Cameron) are an Australian family that loves the outdoors. They are very active until Sam leans on a fence of a rooftop overlook and falls to the ground. Her injuries leave her in pain and two-thirds of her body paralyzed. At home after all the surgeries, the family tries to adjust to the new way of life, but Sam has the hardest time. Without her, the family seems helpless, until a broken baby bird comes into their lives.

Suddenly, Sam has somewhere to put her energy, a place where she can’t fail (as she feels she is doing in caring for her family). As the bird becomes a part of the family and heals from its injuries, Sam and the rest of the Blooms find their way out the darkness of trauma. Penguin Bloom is more than a saccharine story of a woman’s resilience. It’s about an entire family damaged by trauma and how the healing must include everyone, even those who don’t wear their injuries on the outside.

Noah’s narration drives this home, meanwhile, the cast, which includes Jacki Weaver who plays Sam’s annoyingly cheerful mom, all deliver stellar performances. This is important because Penguin Bloom, despite being a true story, treads the dangerous line between a feel-good drama and a corny Hallmark movie.

Rating 3.5 of 5

Akilla’s Escape

Akilla (Saul Williams) is a grown man in the drug business, just as the government comes in to legalize things. He’s been in the illicit business all his life, so he knows a boy in trouble when he sees Sheppard. The boy is part of a team that robs Akilla. So, he keeps Sheppard in an attempt to track down the cash. Along the way, Akilla goes back over his own life and remembers how the cycle of trauma is manifesting before his eyes in Akilla.

Charles King’s use of this noir story of drug dealers and gangsters isn’t the type of film the audience will expect. The film is actually a commentary on multigenerational violence and toxic masculinity. Both take a toll on Black men everywhere. The international setting will give Americans a new perspective on a topic that has tackled for far too long. Watch out for Thamela Mpumlwana, the young actor who plays young Akilla and Sheppard. He carries the film well, easily sliding between roles. Audiences will also appreciate King’s depiction of violence as it is more implicit than we are used to from films that delve into the drug trade and gang violence. Akilla’s Escape is a movie that may end up being an education for us all.

Rating 4.5 of 5

Monday

Sebastian Stan and Denise Gough are Mickey and Chloe, two people who fall hopelessly in love after a Friday night together in Athens, Greece. They are passionate and so deeply in love that by Monday, Chloe decides not to fly out to take a job in the US. That weekend was her last one before the big move. After falling for Mickey, Monday brings a whole new life for her. Monday picks up at the place where most romances end, right after the moment that true love is confirmed, and the couple commits themselves to be together. What ensues is the reality of loving a person you hardly know. For Chloe and Mickey, this also means asking if that first romantic feeling is really enough to keep a couple going after the lust has rubbed off.

Monday offers the stark reality of romance, something that fans of the genre will find interesting. The beginning is shot so well and feels so rich that it feels like enough. The second act, however, flips the entire script onto its head as we see the chemistry influence some very misguided choices that both end up having to live with if they ultimately stay together. There’s a drugged, drunken, desperate dash to rekindle things in the end that may end up making this situation monumentally worse.

Rating 4 of 5

The Third Day

Jude Law, Naomie Harris, and Katherine Waterston lead this cast of an HBO miniseries about a curious little island that can only be reached by a road that appears in low tide. The Law is Sam, a father, and a husband who goes into the woods on a serious sentimental mission. There he finds a girl attempting suicide. His day ends at this little island where they are preparing for a music festival. However, all signs point to shenanigans afoot. Viewers won’t be able to shake the feeling that Sam should’ve gone home when he had a chance. Not the tide is in and the road is gone until morning. He meets Jess (Waterson) who is there for the festival too, but also well aware of the ancient, Celtic rituals that the island residents are so proud of. They come in Summer.

Winter is Helen, Naomie, is a mother of two biracial girls who come to the island on an outing. She booked the Air BnB, but now no one wants her and the girls in their place. Everyone is inhospitable and they really should leave. However, that means getting to the causeway before the tide comes in. Their stay on the island comes after Sam’s, after the festival. The vibrant, charming community is now ravaged, feral, and the site of a gory happening that may not be over.

TIFF showcased two episodes of the show that were definitely not enough. This eerie show has the feel of that old FOX series Wayward Pines. Nothing is as it seems, and a sinister power seems to be in control of things. These two visits prove that. What is going on and why are two things we must figure out when the show airs on HBO.

The Third Day premieres on HBO September 14, 2020.

Rating 4.5 of 5 

Holler

Ruth, played by Jessica Barden, is a girl living in the Rust Belt, in Ohio. Her mother is struggling with opioid addiction, and her brother is a high school dropout. Blaze (played by Gus Halper) is struggling to keep himself and his sister from being hungry and homeless.

The factory that is the only decent workaround has no room. Worse, Ruth gets accepted to college and needs to pay the bill. She and Blaze team up with a no-good scrapper to do nightly raids on construction sites of their precious metals. This illegal job is bringing some real cash and also some danger. Can Ruth get her money and get out safely?

The story is one by the director, Nicole Riegel. I can’t help but wonder why she made Ruth so ambivalent to all the people trying to help her. Blaze even says at one point “I am getting tired of being the only one sticking up for Ruth.” This hints at his annoyance with her ambivalence. I am not sure if it’s a survival mechanism or something more. I also had a tough time getting into this film because it triggered me a bit on a story from earlier this year. Ahmad Arbery was run down by two white men who saw him coming from a construction site. They accused him of doing what Ruth nonchalantly calls work. Ruth and a whole crew of white men and later a woman. The girl’s ambivalence comes off worse with this knowledge on my mind.

Holler is an interesting look at white America in the Rust Belt, their struggle. It drags a bit and is sometimes tedious. However, they do offer a message of struggle to get out of poverty that some may find intriguing.

Rating 3 of 5

  The post TIFF Reviews: From Romance Fizzling ‘Mondays’ to Historic Bros in ‘One Night in Miami’ appeared first on The Black Cape Magazine.

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Incredibles 2 Is Here and It's Excellent

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Incredibles 2 Is Here and It's Excellent

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It’s been a while since we first met the Parr family of five in The Incredibles. Fourteen years, to be precise. The landscape of superheroes has been littered since, mainly thanks to the prolific nature of the Marvel machinery. But despite the boom in such stories, there isn’t anything exactly like the Incredibles, a family that fights crime together. The closest thing to it would be the Guardians of the Galaxy, but even it can’t match the unique dynamic. And that’s why Incredibles 2, even after all this time, is still very much its own thing.

Moreover, writer-director Brad Bird – best known for Pixar’s Ratatouille and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – who returns to the medium of animation with the sequel and in the same capacity as the first film, retains his superb command on pacing and staging. That results in a dazzling kinetic adventure, one that blasts out of the gate with the acceleration of the Incredibile, and never slows down. One action set piece early into the film has more ingenuity than most superhero films do in their entire runtime.

Of course, Bird is helped by the fact that his sequences are made entirely with computers. But that doesn’t take away from the sheer creativity that goes into conceptualising and executing them in a fitting and stylish manner. Alongside that, Incredibles 2 supplies all sorts of laughs, with the baby Jack-Jack being at the heart of many, owing to his obliviousness and a list of powers that seems to have no end, giving us hilariously absurd situations one after another. It’s a testament to Bird’s script that he brings action and humour together with such ease and brilliance.

  Incredibles 2 picks up right where The Incredibles left off, with everyone as they were: there’s the super-strong father Bob aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), the super-stretchy mom Helen aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), the eldest teen daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell) who can become invisible and project force fields, the younger super-fast son Dash (Huck Milner), and the infant son Jack-Jack. “Supers” – as people with abilities are known in its alt-1960s world – are still illegal, and their attempts to do any good only gets all the blame of the collateral damage thrust upon them.

After a new incident makes life financially difficult for the Parrs, they are offered a way out by a silver-tongued owner of a telecommunications giant named Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) who wants to change public perception and make superheroes legal again. He picks Elastigirl to lead the effort, which means Mr. Incredible has to stay home and watch the kids. The latter isn’t exactly pleased with the idea because he thinks he can make a bigger contribution out there, while the former doesn’t want to leave the family and break the law.

But the two are united by a common goal, in that they want to see the law changed so their kids aren’t forced to live in hiding – there are easy parallels here for communities to fight injustice – and in turn leave the world a better place for the next generation. Helen realises she must leave the family to save it, and Bob accepts his new job as a responsible parent of three, which includes having to deal with Violet’s adolescent outbursts, Dash’s homework, and Jack-Jack’s refusal to sleep.

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Photo Credit: Disney/Pixar

That puts a spin on the dynamic from the first film, and it allows Incredibles 2 to comment on several things. For one, it’s now Helen getting the spotlight while Bob has to deal with the more mundane, yet equally important task of raising the children. Through it, the film brings about their respective shortcomings, and deals with their opinions of each other and how they see their kids. And while Helen is doing her best professionally in dealing with a new villain called Screenslaver, it’s Bob who struggles back home and learns by failing repeatedly.

The villain seems to be an attempt at modern-day commentary by Bird, given he uses flashing screens to hypnotise people and will them to his way, a metaphor for people addicted to their devices. And if that’s not clear enough, there’s an extended monologue midway through the film where Screenslaver explains why he detests superheroes, blaming them for turning the rest of mankind into passive creatures, swapping real things for their simulated versions. Elsewhere, Bird has much to say about people with extraordinary powers living amongst us, but the film doesn’t have the time to unpack any of it.

Incredibles 2 is better off when it’s focused on the family side of things. Bird said as much in a 2015 interview, remarking he wanted to stay away from superhero genre tropes and focus more on what it takes to be a family, which he felt was more timeless. And the film excels in that regard; in the beginning, Bob wants to be leading the charge, Helen is ready to drop everything and come back home at the slightest sign of trouble, and both children don’t wish to babysit Jack-Jack. Over time, they discover that family is about chipping in, while Helen finds she can’t be everywhere.

Photo Credit: Disney/Pixar

That the film manages to convey all that while being a rollicking memorable ride – action sequences with Elastigirl are awe-inspiring, while Jack-Jack steals every scene he’s present in – is what makes it great. Its frenetic pace masks the well-constructed screenplay that must have been a pain to write, and makes it seem effortless. Add to that the terrific work of composer Michael Giacchino, who came up with new ’60s-inspired jazz-orchestra themes to match the changed family dynamics of Incredibles 2, rather than riff on his well-known original tunes.

Ever since The Incredibles’ critical and commercial success in 2004, Bird had been pestered about a sequel, to which he never fully committed and never fully shied from. Part of that was because he had certain story elements in his mind, and part of it was because he was too busy working on other projects, such as the aforementioned Ratatouille and Mission: Impossible, and overseeing other Pixar projects. But if this is what he can deliver after so many years with Incredibles 2, then Bird should feel free to take as much as time as he wants.

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BBC 100 books (with commentary)

thanks for the tag @thegreatorangedragon  As an English major I was compelled to read a lot of these, and I may only have skimmed/read chunks of some of them if I could get away with it....

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen: not my favorite Austen, actually (Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility are 1 & 2) The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien - OMG, SO many times. My siblings and I had rituals around the reading of LOTR.

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte.  Yes - it’s OK Harry Potter series - JK Rowling - Yes!  My kids grew up to them and the experience was almost as good as the books.  But I also really enjoyed watching Rowling mature as a writer over the course of the series.  I don’t ask for perfection from my writers, but warmth and growth.  :-)  Also, they got my stubborn non-reader sons to READ. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee  - like probably every other person who went to MS/HS in the US. The Bible - yes, and twice all the way through.  once at about 10, and then more recently along with Slate’s Blogging the Bible (ok it was just the Old Testament).  That was a stage on my journey to my current fallen-catholicness 
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte - yes, but prefer the Pat Benatar song :D Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell - yes and really need a re-read 
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman - No, keep meaning to. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
.  Yes, and can I say I love Dickens - LOVE Dickens - but I hate this book.  I think it’s always assigned because it’s shortish.  I regularly reread the glorious messes that are Pickwick Papers, Bleak House, A Tale of Two Cities, and my fav, the insane Our Mutual Friend (but ONLY the Lizzie Hexam/Eugene Wrayburn segments). Little Women - Louisa M Alcott - and the sequels.  I think Jo’s Boys might actually be my favorite. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
.  yes - I am pretty sure??? Catch 22 - Joseph Heller.  read enough of it to count Complete Works of Shakespeare - William Shakespeare; yes! my mom was a Zefferelli Romeo & Juliet junkie - we had the album of the film - and I must have heard it 3 dozen times before I was 7.  She bought a complete works and I read all of it over the years. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier. No 
The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien - Yes.  My husband’s favorite book.  And I really liked the Rankin-Bass film, when I was young.  Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk  No Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger - yeah The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger  Realllly?  This is a good book but I’m not sure it belongs on this list.  First novel and feels fresh out of an MFA program.  My other complaints I won’t say here because I tend to get very snarky about this book. (Another book I read around the same time [mid-oughts] was Then We Came to the End, the debut novel of Joshua Ferris - much better, like DeLillo without the air of self-importance.) Middlemarch - George Eliot; love me some Eliot (but prefer Silas Marner, mainly because of a very good tv adaption). Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell - Again: really?  I read this book because I spent the summer between HS and college in a really small town with a teeny library and I basically read my way through the fiction stacks.  Won’t say more than that, because I would get political. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald Yes, but not a favorite. Bleak House - Charles Dickens. A great, great book for which two amazing miniseries have been done in my lifetime.  But rightly criticized, IMO, for the annoying tone of its first-person narrator, Esther.  Dickens was dazzlingly, spectacularly wrong in writing about women.  Not to mention other groups.  But my god did he skewer institutions on behalf of the (British) poor - none better. This book wins for the Jo’s death scene and its sweeping, bitter, critique of church and state and society and everything - and so human.  “Dead!  And dying thus around us, everyday.”  I was 12 when I first read that, recovering from chicken pox, and I sat straight up in bed.  This is the book that made me a socialist. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy This is so horrible, but I haven’t! The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams.  Yes, fun, but not a favorite. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh - No.  I started to and have a copy at work, for some reason I don’t even remember.  But not enough to county Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky  No :( Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck.  Yes, oh and my grandma’s family were Okies.  Everyone in my family has a copy of the Sacramento Bee front page story sneering about the dust bowl immigrants arriving in town and my great-grandmother is mentioned by name (though they mistakenly think she is her widowed father’s wife).  I love Cali, and Sactown, but we have a long history of being not-so-welcoming to everyone at certain times (was it in the 80s where the “Welcome to California, Now Go Home” bumper stickers were everywhere?).

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll - yes The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame - yes but so long ago I don’t remember it at all Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy yes. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens.  Yes, not his best by far.  Another “easy” read like Great Expectations Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis - and many other of his works, when I was trying NOT to be an atheist - Mere Christianity, his sci-fi trilogy and Til We Have Faces, a retelling of my favorite myth, Psyche and Cupid.  I like the more obscure books in this series best - The Silver Chair and The Horse and his Boy. Emma - Jane Austen Persuasion - Jane Austen - oh, here it is!


The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis .... uh, yes The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - was a group read at work a couple of years ago.  recommend. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres 
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne - yes Animal Farm - George Orwell - another book I want to re-read. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - nope 
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez; YES A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving 
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins ... did I?  I’m pretty sure. Or was it The Moonstone? Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery.  YES.  Anxiously awaiting the new adaption.  Why is it so hard to get Anne of Windy Poplars on kindle?  That is the funniest one.  And Rilla of Ingleside so heartbreaking 
Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy 
The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood, yes and ever so long ago.  Another book to re-read soon (haven’t started watching the series yet) Lord of the Flies - William Golding Atonement - Ian McEwan; LOVE this book and his writing in general.  He also wrote the screenplay, and the movie and the book are a perfect match in tone. 
Life of Pi - Yann Martel No, but on my list Dune - Frank Herbert - no Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons - yes, Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen - yay! 
A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon 
A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens - my intro to Dickens, though not his best Brave New World - Aldous Huxley - starting to get depressed at all this dystopian fiction that needs to be re-read as a primer for the present times 
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - lives at my desk at work.  Not even a favorite book of mine, but I love diving into his words every once in a while Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov The Secret History - Donna Tartt The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold  - when I saw the movie it reminded me why I wasn’t into reading the book Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas - plot better than the story 
On The Road - Jack Kerouac Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy - yeah, I had to read so much Hardy Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie - no, want to though 
Moby Dick - Herman Melville; I can’t even think about this book without remembering our class discussion of the “circle jerk” chapter.  I remember literally nothing else. 
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens - meh Dracula - Bram Stoker 
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett  - an ALL-TIME favorite Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson Ulysses - James Joyce; all hail the master, and the bastard responsible for my sick dependence on the em-dash The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome Germinal - Emile Zola Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray - unfortunately, yes Possession - AS Byatt A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens; of course Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell The Color Purple - Alice Walker - excellent The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry Charlotte’s Web - EB White: yes The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes.  I prefer Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter series hands-down, but despite her association with Tolkien, Lewis, et al, she got squashed between Conan Doyle and Christie.  Her Gaudy Night is one of my top five books.

The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - yeah The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery heck, yeah The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks Watership Down - Richard Adams yes A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole - my kids read this book in HS, so I have a copy lying around, but have never read it A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas Hamlet - William Shakespeare - yes, probably too many times.  What are my favorite Shakespeare dramas?  Maybe King Lear, Richard III? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl. yes 
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

[sleetkissed]

@zalimbane

    ❝ Someone  is  getting  so,  so  brave  right  now,  hm   ? ❞