#2021 animal sign prediction

[delphinidin4]

Some interesting things have been happening lately...

I decided to take the title of witch in 2021, but I've still never managed to reconcile my thoughts with my feelings. I was raised to consider magic just an illusion that people convinced themselves was real, a placebo. I was raised to mock people who believed in it. So despite the fact that I wanted that magic spirituality so bad, I couldn't let myself have it.

No matter what, I was always looking at myself from the outside, judging my behavior, judging my fellow witches' behavior. I felt that to really believe in magic would be cringe, but at the same time I WANTED to believe in it. It made it difficult to talk about magic, even with my closest witch friends. There is no cringe as strong as the cringe you give yourself.

And what's funny is, when I was a Christian, I didn't have this constant battle in my head between science and religion. I fully believed that the two could coexist comfortably, and I didn't have a problem believing in miracles or the power of prayer, just like I didn't have a problem believing in evolution or the big bang. I had faith in them both.

But I left Christianity because I lost faith in it. I learned that the overarching story of the Old Testament was a tissue of lies, much of it reworked and threaded together in the reign of Josiah to further particular political and religious ends. And if my faith was based on the Bible, and the Bible was mostly fiction, I felt I couldn't believe it anymore. And in that light, Jesus stopped looking like the son of God and started looking like cult leader, like so many I have learned about.

This broke not only my faith in Christianity, but my faith in the spiritual and divine. I naturally yearn for spiritual experience, but I kind of threw the baby out with the bathwater: I came to believe that all those voices I had always heard against Christianity was right, and that there was nothing spiritual out there, and science was the only truth. And that I was fooling myself to think otherwise.

--Which was also funny, because I still believed in God and practiced magic. (It's hard to let go of a relationship when you've been talking to a loved one daily for 35 years.) Anyway, I was in this painful place for a long time where I wanted to believe in magic but couldn't.

Last week I was reading What Would Plato Think by DE Wittkower, PhD. It's basically an introduction to the various questions that philosophers struggle with, such as, "Do animals have the rights that humans do? Do we always have free will? Is science able to explain everything?" I was reading the section about science, and it started talking about the Victorian novella Flatland, which takes place in a two-dimensional world. And I had an epiphany.

Scientists tell us that there ARE other dimensions out there, but we only perceive four of them. That means that there are likely things happening in the "outside world" of the higher dimensions that we are not aware of. Sometimes we see signs of them in our 4D world, but we can't fully perceive what they are. For instance, if a sphere passed through 2D Flatland, they wouldn't perceive a sphere: they would perceive a dot which grew into a big circle and then shrank away again. And the scientists of Flatland would have understanding of these circle phenomena and could predict them from other causes in Flatland, but couldn't truly understand what they WERE in the higher dimensions or what was REALLY going on.

There is likely higher-dimensional interaction happening in our 4D world all the time, but we can't tell that that's what it is. Science explains these phenomena through the lens of our 4D senses, but is completely unable to access capital-T Truth.

Suddenly, I began to see the world differently. Perhaps human intuition of the numinous was a sign of interaction with higher dimensions. Maybe life and consciousness were interactions of higher dimensions with ours (the idea that our "soul" is bigger and more complex than our being in this plane). That maybe magic was a recognition of this fact, of the existence of things beyond, and an attempt to consciously interact with it.

This finally reconciled my true belief in science with my true belief in the spiritual and numinous. It gave me a way to see that they CAN coexist comfortably, even if I had come to the conclusion that my old understanding of how the spiritual works was false and inadequate. I was finally able to embrace my magic beliefs and practices without cringe. I had resolved my cognitive dissonance.

So that has been ABSOLUTELY wonderful: freeing myself from my own judgments and embracing the spirituality I wanted so badly. And it opened me up to spiritual experience almost immediately.

So, I have communicated with and "worked with" various deities before, all of whom sort of end up in my collection of favorite deities: I have more than a passing connection with them; they become connected to my identity. But over the weekend, I had a clear call from Hermes, whom I had never connected with before. (Saw a statue of Hermes' talaria, then some coincidences with dimes, which are symbols of Hermes because of the old "Mercury dimes".) He is also one of my friend L's two major deities.

So I felt called to use a particular Lenormand deck to talk to him, which I did. His answer was a little fuzzy (partly because I'm not used to this deck), but something about a loving message, and that my parents (?) would be sad about something, but that I should just carry on peacefully and not let it bother me. Because I've been posting more openly on my public social media recently about my witchy stuff (though I haven't just openly declared anything yet - just sort of sticking my toes outside the broom closet), I think it means that my parents are going to figure out that I left Christianity and became a pagan and a witch, and they are Not going to be Happy about it.

I contacted L and told her that Hermes had been in contact, and to be on the lookout for any info (though I didn't tell her anything about the message I had gotten through the cards). She got back to me later and said that she thought Hermes was saying that I was going to be outed to my parents. Which I knew was going to have to happen sometime, and probably won't be nearly as big a deal to me as to my parents, so now I'm forewarned.

I kept the deck out in case Hermes came knocking again in the next few days, and weirdly, he did not. I didn't feel any particular connection to him or anything. This is the first time a deity has made a connection with me, done one thing, and then fucked off lol But then again, that sounds VERY par-for-the-course for Hermes!

Anyway, one thing I noticed was that I didn't feel self-conscious discussing this divine interaction with my witch friends. I really am becoming comfortable with myself, and it's a great feeling.

[head-post]

Brexit cost UK £27bn of trade losses in its first two years

Despite the decline in trade volumes, London School of Economics (LSE) research shows that the overall effect has been more limited than originally predicted by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The damage from Brexit to trade links with the EU totalled £27bn for the UK in the first two years, but the overall effect was more limited than analysts originally predicted, according to the most comprehensive review of the issue since Britain’s full exit from the bloc in early 2021.

Researchers from the London School of Economics found that trade barriers have been a “disaster” for small businesses and have forced thousands of companies to stop trading with EU countries.

Academics from the Centre for Economic Performance looked at evidence from more than 100,000 companies and found that by the end of 2022, two years after signing the Joint Trade and Co-operation Agreement (JTA) with Brussels, total exports of UK goods had fallen by 6.4 per cent and imports by 3.1 per cent.

The OBR estimate predicts that in the long term the UK will face a 15 per cent fall in trade, leading to a 4 per cent drop in national income. Despite this, researchers at the Centre for Economic Performance said the UK could experience a fall of the magnitude predicted by the OBR if trade relations with its largest trading partner deteriorate further.

Thomas Sampson, one of the report’s authors, said that by the end of 2022, the JTA had reduced trade in goods by less than half of what the OBR had predicted. However, the OBR figures are long-term projections and only the first two years of the JTA were studied. Further reductions in trade would be required to match OBR’s projections.

Rachel Reeves is likely to welcome the findings, which show the resilience of the economy in the face of a major trade shock. However, it will also create pressure on the finance minister to support efforts to reduce trade barriers over the next few years to prevent the situation from getting worse.

The UK plans to start negotiations next year on the next phase of the JTA. Ministers are expected to resist demands to open up agricultural markets to competition from EU farmers and fishing vessels in return for greater market access for British goods in the bloc.

Trade continued at the same level

The study’s authors noted that in the first two years of the JTA, large companies largely continued to trade with their EU counterparts at the same level. However, smaller exporters, those companies with fewer than 100 employees, suffered significantly. More than 14,000 of the 100,000 companies studied stopped trading with the EU completely, and almost all of them were small businesses.

Imports showed resilience compared to exports as large companies found ways to buy components and raw materials from outside the EU. Thomas Sampson also emphasised that the JTA was a disaster for small exporters, many of whom simply stopped exporting to the EU. However, large companies have adapted well to the new trade barriers and consequently overall exports have so far fallen less than expected.

The study was the first to analyse the impact of Brexit on trade using customs data collected by HMRC. The researchers said the data allowed them to look at individual business relationships and “highlight how large companies adapted better to the new trade regime than SMEs.”

The JTA did not include tariffs, but did introduce barriers to trade such as customs checks and paperwork, origin requirements, excise duties, sanitary and phytosanitary checks on the movement of animals and plants, and the need for exporters to prove that products meet the requirements of the target market. However, many of these checks have been repeatedly postponed and further measures are still due to come into force next year.

The study only looked at trade in goods and did not cover imports and exports of services, which largely fall outside the single market and customs union. Kalina Manova, co-author of the study and professor of economics at UCL, said the long-term productivity of firms will depend on their ability to maintain supply networks and diversify export demand in the face of higher and uncertain non-tariff barriers to trade with the EU.

The report shows that the UK’s exit from the EU’s single market and customs union in early 2021 resulted in an immediate decline in exports and imports with the EU. However, it also shows that companies responded to this shock in a way that mitigated the fall in overall trade.

Large companies did not experience a decline in exports, while importers partly compensated for the decline in imports from the EU by purchasing from other countries. Thus, at least in the short term, aggregate trade proved moderately resilient to the disintegration.

Read more HERE

[kajaono]

Will Netflix greenlight a Six Of Crows Spin off?

An analysis of the current situation

1. interview with EW

The showrunner of SaB being allowed to make an official statement when EW reached out to him is a good sign. It means Netflix wants to test the water and get people hyped for a potential spin off. Also EW! This shows how high the demand is for that show.

But more importantly:

They wrote the whole script already two years before season 2 aired. That means Netflix has really high hopes for a potential spin off.

Netflix is really well known for renewing and cancelling shows not based on actual viewing data’s but based on calculated viewing forecasts. Meaning: Netflix commissioning a spin off two years before season 2 was aired means they predicted a really high demand for a spin off. Now our views only have to match their forecast

2. the Witcher struggling, Stranger things ending

Every streaming service has one, really high in demand fantasy show, that is appealing for a mass audience. This was first Stranger Things, but Stranger Things is ending soon. The next big hit was The Witcher. They gave it an animated spin off, a real life spin off, announced seven seasons at once etc. This was HUGE! The Witcher was their show that Netflix used to compete against other players on the market, especially The Rings of Power. But now the Witcher is struggling a lot. Recasting the main actor, blood origin being badly received by the fans, Cavill and LSH bitching at each other, the whole fighting becoming an online meme. And at this point no one knows if people really want to watch an Australian Geralt. So they need another big fantasy show. And while shadow and bone is not doing as good as the Witcher, it is still doing completely solid. For them, SaB and especially the crows are a safe harbor.

3. The promo

The promo for the second season is insane. The promo is rolled out on every social media channel, even on Netflix Gold and the MOST. Season 2 is out since one week now and they are still releasing new promo content every day. All hapa Asian cast members together, a wesper BTS tour? This is insane! Netflix wants this show to be their next big hit! They want a big fanbase, so people stick to netflix. Because soon the Witcher 3 will be released and I think Netflix is really afraid that many people will cancel their subscription after it. A Six of Crows Spin off will bind viewers to the Netflix for the next… 2/3 years and help them in a really difficult time. Because building up a new fan base that is so big like the SaB is not easy

Like the crows always being put together in the promo is not a huge bait to see fans reaction towards them, come on, is super obvious

4. the new intro for season 1

Netflix making a new intro for the first season shows that Netflix is ready to invest money into the show. Not only in the new season but also in the old season. Also it was really clear that season 2 had a way bigger budget then season 2. look at the different intro cards. They are ready to invest money. And they are ready to invest even more money IF it pays off, meaning: if enough people watch season 2. and hype it up online. Because what Netflix wants is new people subscribing and everyone online taking about the show

5. six of crows being listed by PW

Yeah it is only listed as „in development“ but if you think about it, this is actually a huge deal. They have been quietly developing a spin off since 2021, told no one about it, and now season 2 is released since ONE WEEK and suddenly it is listed in PW? They could have also waited the first month, to have all numbers. But nope, one week and they said: put it in there“ this means they have really high hopes for it and are really optimistic.

So i would say we have a really good chance to get that show IF we keep it trending, keep up the hype and keep on streaming and recommending it to friends

So in conclusion: stream, recommend, like and tweet. Like this we will steal us a spin off

[owlkhemy]

Because I was... gullible...

The Dumbest Things I Believed As A Kid

Uh, probably under the cut for length.

- That I could fly. (I watched too much Wonder Pets and jumped out of my crib once. Hurt my wrist on the way down. That may actually be one of my earliest memories...)

- That all animals laid eggs. I saw a robin's nest once and it changed my brain forever. I lied my kindergarten ass off about finding a mouse nest once... with bright blue eggs in it. I'm surprised my teacher didn't question me on it. (Maybe she thought I meant titmouse eggs, and that the blueness was a weird attempt at speckled white?)

- That I actually levitated once. No, past me, a random kid just picked you up and dumped you on the concrete, you just didn't see them coming or leaving.

- That Maria was real. If you're in any way familiar with my old writing (in which case, if you've found my writing blog, no you haven't /lh), you might or might not have a vague awareness of Maria, the spirit of my one character's sister. Well, when I was younger, I convinced myself and a friend that Maria was real, and we decided to do a whole fricking study on her. It was like a club, almost. I almost started a séance in the school library. Over a fictional mouse ghost.

- That I was ever alloromantic or allosexual. Most people don't use a shitty mood ring to choose who they have a crush on, or choose to be conveniently unlikely to be asked about it, or to not be crushing on anyone else's crushes, past me.

- That "ally" was basically whatever the opposite of your moral alignment was. I promise I had good reading comprehension and did not piss on the poor as a kid. But when your first encounter with the word is a video game manual that mentions an "enemy turned ally", with no prior knowledge of what an "ally" even was, you're going to have some preconceptions about its use.

- That the religion from my books was real and The Correct One. I feel bad for those people in Bancroft, Ontario, Canada who got to hear fifth-grade me shout "OH MY HYROSHIA" at a chunk of sodalite beside the only other friend I convinced to join me in The Way of the Author. I was basically a mini cult leader, which is really funny to think about. I obviously wasn't being a piece of shit about it. But it was definitely a cult. I still have the occasional trinket that reminds me of said fictional religion, like my red egg on a stand. But I'm definitely not religious. Pastafarian, at worst.

- That I could ever predict the future with dreams. Not only have my déja-rêvé moments gotten a lot less frequent (compare my seventeen in 2019 to my one in 2021), but I'm pretty sure the only really "solid" one I had was because I'd watched a rerun of a show and just not remembered the first time. Besides, my memory is a bit selective at best and actively hiding stuff from me at worst.

- That the world was ending, and more specifically, that a 22° halo was a sign of the end times. No, this wasn't in 2012.

I keep hitting "post" by accident on this, so I'm just going to leave it there. Expect a part 2, if I ever get rid of my butter fingers.

[pickceldigital]

Top 12 Benefits of Using Digital Signage For Your Business

Digital signage is a brilliant addition to any business, regardless of the type of business it serves. Traditional print signs have been a pillar of advertising for generations. However, in the last decade, companies are increasingly employing electronic media to up their marketing & advertising outcomes.

The Top Benefits of Digital Signage Over Traditional Signage

Print advertising no longer has the attention-grabbing appeal it once did because of so many distractions. People are tech-savvy these days. They are far more likely to notice a high-resolution digital display than an outmoded and dull static signboard.

Electronic signage can provide far more vibrant colors and motion than other types of advertising. The digital signage industry is predicted to grow to $27.8 billion by 2026, up from $16.3 billion in 2021, according to MarketsandMarkets.

The most adaptable banner in the world is a digital screen. Any business can use digital signage to easily display their products, services, or other material, allowing them to stand out and engage with more customers. One can choose from a single big-format screen to multi-screen video walls, freestanding kiosks, shelf-edge displays, and tablet devices in a variety of sizes and styles to meet your objectives.

The advantages of digital signage are clear on the surface. The technology helps improve the appearance of your workplace, business, hotel, or retail store. It increases brand awareness and helps keep up with the changing landscape of markets.

Signage technology, however, does considerably more than provide a positive first impression.The advantages of digital signage extend beyond improved communication and visitor empowerment to increased revenue and cost savings.

Here are the twelve of the most undeniable advantages of using digital signage for any business.

Irresistible Visual Appeal

The power of digital signage to captivate attention and entertain an audience is one of its most well-known applications. This can help a company in a variety of ways.

1. Stand out in a large pool of advertisements

Imagine yourself as a passerby who comes across hundreds of billboards and advertisement banners each day, showing various product promotions, offers, and everything in between. At one point, people will stop caring. What is the way around that point?

Since people are visual learners with short attention spans, bright screens playing HD or 4K graphics will always have a ten times higher recall rate than a conventional ad poster.

Video content’s potential is exploited in every business nowadays as it immediately commands people’s attentiveness. Companies, big or small, can profit from an incredible variety of dynamic content ideas for digital signage.

2. One medium for all forms of content

Digital signage is, in fact, a one-size-fits-all solution. It lets you show movies, text, photographs, animations, social media, live news, emergency alerts, event listings, and an unending list of media formats.

Following the traditional signage model, businesses are making scattered investments in advertisement designing, printing, logistics & service. On the surface, it looks like they are spending less than those investing in digital signage. But, that is nothing short of a delusion.

Continue Reading

[nataliefay97]

Why was this media particularly meaningful to ‘younger you’?

The two films I selected share a common plot theme - young characters face adversity and ultimately achieve success or fulfillment in their own unique ways. The plotlines in these films deviate from conventional happy endings, as neither character attains what the audience initially expected. These realistic stories resonated with me as a young person who was experiencing adversity in her own life. I also favored media depicting teenage protagonists experiencing their lives real-world settings, rather than fantasy or sci-fi genres. I appreciated stories and settings that directly related to my own life experiences, such as Centre Stage. Watching these stories unfold on screen felt like watching my own life, and I frequently rewatched these movies, possibly using them as a way to better understand my own life.

"Spider-Man" was the first feature-length film I ever watched. I was first introduced through the 1967 animated Spider-Man television series by my father. The live-action film became one of my favorites, leading to a Blu-Ray purchase! I cherished this film from childhood through to my adulthood, deeply connecting with the character and the story.Spider-Man undergoes various challenges and life lessons in the film, including grappling with his dual identity, grief, relationship issues, bullying, and the transition from high school to university. I can relate to these struggles, having experienced similar issues during my tween to teen years to varying degrees.

In my childhood, I yearned for superpowers like Spider-Man, expecting to acquire my powers eventually. However, I began experiencing early signs of an anxiety disorder instead. To cope, my father suggested viewing my anxiety as  "spidey-sense," providing yet another comforting link to my favorite superhero film (while also seeking professional help).

"Centre Stage" holds a special place in my heart and was a significant piece of media for my tween self. This film delves into themes like rejection in ballet, navigating relationships, eating disorders, and the struggles faced by dedicated artists. Its portrayal of ballet feels exceptionally authentic compared to many other dance-focused movies. Unlike many dance films that often follow a predictable plot of a ballet dancer longing to break free from ballet, "Centre Stage" stands out because its main character, Jodi, actually aspires for a career in classical ballet and heartbreakingly realizes she needs to transition away from it at the end of the film. Her journey involves struggling with her technical abilities and confidence, a storyline that resonates with me as a dancer who had her own insecurities. Unlike other ballet-focused movies such Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan or Netflix’s Pretty Little Things, "Centre Stage" focuses on ballet without the need for extreme drama or psychological thrills, making it suitable for teenagers.

This film served as a precursor to my eventual decision to step away from my own aspirations of a professional ballet career. In the final scene, Jodi is shown confronting the School of American Ballet's program director, bravely asking him to not tell her if she was accepted into the company or not, realizing that her unique talents wouldn't be fully recognized in a classical ballet setting. She reclaims her agency by choosing a smaller contemporary dance company where she can thrive as a top-ranking dancer. This powerful moment resonated with me, helping me appreciate my own unique strengths as a dancer and come to terms with my shift away from pursuing ballet professionally.

Ryan Higa was one of the first YouTubers I ever watched. Following the linear-television-to-online-videos pipeline (Steemers, 2021), I became less interested in my usual TV programs and borderline obsessed with YouTube videos around the years 2007 and on. As a teenager, I found traditional TV less engaging and was drawn to the relatable content created by young YouTubers like Higa, who was about 17 at the time he first started posting videos.  Unlike typical television content made by adults portraying their childhood and adolescence fantasies, Higa's videos were refreshing and relatable for young viewers like me (Steemers, 2021). His fast-paced, absurd, and occasionally inappropriate parodies provided a level of humor and relatability that traditional TV lacked. Higa's content became a significant part of my conversations with friends, leaving us with memorable quotes and catchphrases like "Sham-woo-hoo!"

[latestmoviesblog]

Sony Pictures Movies Coming to Netflix in 2023 & Beyond

From 2022 onwards, Netflix (in the United States) has been getting brand new animated and live-action Sony movies, which will continue into 2023. Here’s a roundup of all the new Sony movies that have hit Netflix and what’s coming up alongside Netflix’s predicted release dates. For those unaware, Netflix and Sony signed a landmark deal in April 2021 to bring Sony’s feature films to the service in…

[your-astrology-language-review]

Your Astrology Language Review - Does It Really Work, Legit or a Scam?

Your Astrology Language Review – Do We Recommend It?

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By Taylor Morris on October 26, 2021 in Spirituality

Contents

Your Astrology Language is the title of the program by Sarah Lee that provides insightful, life-altering knowledge through the popular medium of astrology. It enables you to enrich the soul, body, and mind. And it tells you how to approach your professional and personal relationships. Therefore, it will allow you to unravel the mysteries of your past, present, and future. Moreover, it has at its base the Imperial Zodiac Metal Rat Guide. This will provide you with the necessary guidance that you need in the different areas of your life. Further, it will let you have a deeper understanding of yourself.

In our current market, there are various kinds of astrological programs. Thus, choosing one among them is a difficult process. That is why for helping you out, we recommend Your Astrology Language. It is because it is both affordable and reliable. Below, you will find the full Your Astrology Language review.

What is the Astrology Language about?

As the title suggests, Your Astrology Language provides you accurate and detailed interpretations with an emotional and scientific base. It does not make random predictions.

Master Sarah Lee is the inventor, and she specializes in Feng Shui. She mainly reviews your birth date and tells you about your personality. And, she does this analysis of personalities by studying the eastern zodiac and astrological positions of the constellations.

If you feel overwhelmed about your goals, Your Astrology Language will help you with their expert advice, and her guides will manifest your dreams. It will enable you to restore your Chakras and find your purpose. Finally, you will be able to review your inner potential and development through life.

How does it work?

“Your Astrology Language provides you the proper tools to deal with everyday mundanities that take away our energy”.

Some of the tools feature talismans and Lucky Feng Shui Charms. Feng Shui means “water” and “wind.”

Furthermore, it is a traditional Chinese belief of calling energies for creating peace between the environment and an individual. You can achieve this harmony with the strategic placing of natural elements. Our Your Astrology Language review includes Water, Earth, Fire, Wood, and Metal.

Lee introduces you first to the concept of “Flow of Qi.” Popular reviews align your flow with the zodiac sign that will rule in the upcoming year. This will ultimately lead you to success and good health.

Master Lee will assign you a specific animal of the Chinese Calendar based on her reading of your natal chart. She will then use the animal’s elements to reveal important details about you.

What are the advantages of the Your Astrology Language?

It helps to restore the balance of life.

Based on Your Astrology Language title and review, it will help you restore the balance of your life through Yin and Yang. As a result, your health will improve. Furthermore, Sarah Lee in Your Astrology Language includes a review of your Personal Zodiac Imperial Guide. In addition, she gives six bonuses for free reading. They are –

Feng Shui Fortunes.

Secrets behind a Dream.

Art of Balance.

Born Under Lucky Stars.

Meditation.

The Decluttering Magic.

Easy to use and affordable

It is easy to read and use. Also, it improves relationships and is quite affordable. Moreover, the fact that it is accessible from the official website makes it convenient.

Also, it will allow you, someone, to revive their energy. Master Lee, in her Imperial Zodiac Guide, will review their characteristics for giving them an intricate piece of your information.

What expectations must you have from Your Astrology Language for your Zodiac Metal Rat guide?

According to Your Astrology Language review, you can expect the following things from your Imperial Zodiac Metal Rat Guides.

How you can align your zodiac’s Qi flow to the Metal Rat and review the infinite power that lies within you. And how it attracts everything that is meant for you.

How you can tap the inner reservoir of wisdom for getting assurance and certainty of the future.

How you can review and reveal your auspicious and inauspicious cycle in 2021 and decide when to make an important decision.

What to do for preserving wealth and letting prosperity into your life.

Why do you face all misfortunes, and how to prevent them.

How to align your center and accept your body for getting ready in the next personal evaluation level.

The twelve small secrets behind “Zodiac Compatibility” and how to bring a spark of joy to your relationship.

The trick of “Fashion Wonder” and how to enhance your attraction, charisma. And how it can charge the power of sexual attraction in a short amount of time.

Few other things that it teaches us

How a little shift in the placement of your furniture can overnight triple your fortune. The Luck Analysis of the Facing Direction of your House according to your lucky flying star.

A set of a handpicked lucky numbers for every month enhances the lottery chance in business investments and dealings. Also, it teaches us to review and banish your “Soulless Life” for all eternity.

What can you learn from the Your Astrology Language?

With the help of Your Astrology Language, you can manifest your dreams. You can find the remedies for all your discerning concerns with certain tools. These powerful tools include crystal stones, feng shui charms, and bracelets.

They contain bass frequencies that remove negative elements. Thus her readings, along with these tools, will let you show you the way of attaining health and money.

You will inevitably learn to self-love after identifying the part of your life that requires work and reviewing the good parts. Your Astrology Language creates energies that give you empowerment for leading a fulfilling life.

How much does Your Astrology Language Cost?

Your Astrology Language has an E-commerce store website where you can find lucky Feng Shui charms. You can also get talismans such as amulets, wind calming chimes, chakra bracelets, and crystal balls.

The price varies between $10 and $50 based on the product. Everyone always raves about their Your Astrology Language review and has noted changes that affirm them visibly.

Where to buy the Your Astrology Language? How to avoid scams by reading Your Astrology Language review?

You can only find the Your Astrology Language in their official stores online, where you can browse through many different options. You can also get discounts on the official website exclusively, which will cover the return policy.

First, you have to register on Sarah Lee’s official website. There are many fake websites. Besides, the main reason behind these frauds is the success of the Your Astrology Language. As a result of this, many customers have lost money. Therefore, before joining, go through Your Astrology Language review and read posts.

A fraudulent website has unreadable content created by some software, and it spams. You must avoid joining a site that is not official to avoid a scam.

On the real website, you can find the Imperial Zodiac Guide 2020 and the 2021 edition. The 2021 edition will help you learn about the upcoming year. These will prove it is not a scam.

Final Verdict

Your Astrology Language is a program that helps you to know yourself. Before making payment, Lee offers a free report. Its price is quite low to encourage its users to purchase its program. Its price may not always stay this low. It is because of its popularity.

Your Astrology Language posts review experience that customers share on her Facebook page has always been positive. People have recommended it to friends for the kind of service and the reading it provides. Someone like you can rely on the Astrology Language Review posts on the landing page of her Facebook. Such reviews and posts prove her authenticity. You can also write your review posts on her Facebook page and change lives. Thus, people write about manifesting all their dreams and the way they changed their lives. Additionally, the site offers attractive bonuses. Overall, it is a risk-free investment for consumers.

learn more: https://manifestationmagicalexanderwilson.com/YourAstrologyLanuage

[i-windwater]

2021 Ox year Chinese Zodiac Analysis - Part 1 of 4: Rat, Ox, and Tiger

2021 Ox year Chinese Zodiac Analysis — Part 1 of 4: Rat, Ox, and Tiger

In a previous post, we talked about the 12 major stars and the 12 Chinese animal signs in 2021. In this post, we will look closer at different stars on each sign for the year of the Ox. Part 1 of the 4 part series includes the animal sign of the Rat, Ox, and Tiger.

Check out the previous post of the 12 animal signs and the 12 major stars by clicking Part 1 and Part 2.

Watch our video of the 2021 Chinese zodiac analysis — Part 1: Rat, Ox, and Tiger

The starting date of the animal sign

Most of us know the Chinese animal sign is based on your birth year. For the purpose of the Chinese metaphysics and fortune-telling, the starting of the animal sign is based on the “Li Chun”, or “the start of the spring” on the lunar calendar. This is one of the 24 solar terms used in the old Chinese calendar to identify the change of the weather and the best time for farming. This is different from the Chinese new year (January 1st on a lunar calendar). So I listed the dates and years below for easy reference.

The animal sign of Rat in 2021

Birthdate chart of the Rat sign

The 2021 Ox year forecast for the animal sign of the Rat

The Rat is one of the most auspicious animal signs in the 2021 year of the Ox. The major star “Tai Yang” brings positive energy and a bright future. You will have steady progress in most areas of your life including career and finance. Watch for minor health and relationship issues this year.

The best and worst months for Rat in 2021

The animal sign of the Ox in 2021

Birthdate chart for the sign of the Ox

The 2021 Ox year forecast for the animal sign of the Ox

Since 2021 is an Ox year. The “Tai Shui” star affects the animal sign of the Ox directly. It can bring stress and unexpected changes. There is a minor star related to fighting and injury. Watch your health, avoid any argument, or getting involved in any risky business. Stay conservative and prudent for a safe and healthy year.

The best and worst months for Ox in 2021

The animal sign of the Tiger in 2021

Birthdate chart for the sign of the Ox

The 2021 Ox year forecast for the animal sign of the Tiger

There is an Illness star in the sign of Tiger during 2021. Maintaining good health is your priority this year. There is a minor star related to conflict for married couples. Besides those issues, Tigers have peach blossom luck and helpful people this year. Single tigers have good chances of meeting the right person or getting married this year. Business is going well and money luck is on your side in 2021.

The best and worst months for Ox in 2021

[artemistorm]

I posted 961 times in 2022

That's 961 more posts than 2021!

176 posts created (18%)

785 posts reblogged (82%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@factorialsfandoms

@linked-maze

@anadorablekiwi

@enjolras-out

@chibanova

I tagged 578 of my posts in 2022

Only 40% of my posts had no tags

#linked universe - 171 posts

#lu wild - 48 posts

#save for later - 46 posts

#an unexpected ask - 45 posts

#lu hyrule - 40 posts

#lu legend - 39 posts

#fanfic - 36 posts

#around the campfire - 31 posts

#lu wind - 27 posts

#lu sky - 23 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#tldr: lack of kudos/comments/interaction on ao3 fics leads to writers being discouraged or discontinuing their fics or deleting their fics

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Random LU Headcanon Dump

Twilight keeps a stash of hair ties for Wild somewhere within easy reach.

Warriors keeps a stash of candy he feeds to Wind if Wind is a good boy.

Wind HATES eating the bruised parts of bananas and apples. Says they’re rotten and gross.

Twilight can’t have chocolate, grapes, or onions or garlic due to his wolf side.

Legend and Four are the cleverest members of the chain. Wind’s up there too.

As King of Hyrule, Sky taxes the other Links when he wants something from them.

Hyrule knows how to predict the weather and navigate using only nature’s signs, like the stars, animal behavior, and plant growth patterns.

Time secretly visited Kilton while in Wild’s Hyrule because he was interested in Kilton’s masks.

Four prefers to eat vegetarian if at all possible. [I don’t know why. He just seems like a conscientious vegetarian kind of person.]

Wild uses chopsticks because that’s what the Sheikah at Kakariko taught him. The other Links use forks and spoons.

Warriors unexpectedly has a lot of babysitter knowledge, like how to change diapers, swaddle babies (or misbehaving Links), and play with small children.

363 notes - Posted July 6, 2022

#4

How to Curse a Geologist

- May all your volcanoes remain dormant, unchanging and utterly boring.

- May every interesting rock and mineral elude you.

- May your field work yield nothing but unlayered mud and sunburns.

- May all your seismographic sensors mysteriously break in the middle of winter

- May your rock hammer fall in a crevice in the rock never to be retrieved again

- May your geophysical computer models yield nothing but unintelligible chaos

- May all your maps and research notes be eaten by mountain goats

433 notes - Posted May 29, 2022

#3

LM Hyrule is a chipmunk

433 notes - Posted September 29, 2022

#2

Wind: Fucking bastards.

Wind: What a bunch of scurvy-laden turd bucket bilge rats.

Wind: I can’t believe those asshole moblins shredded my best lobster shirt!

Twilight: You’re lucky you didn’t get hurt more than a few scratches.

Wind: F U C K.

Wind: What am I supposed to wear now? Just go shirtless? What if we get in a fight?

Wild: What’s wrong with fighting naked?

Twilight: Wild! Don’t encourage him.

Sky: I’ll mend your tunic, Wind, don’t worry.

Twilight: I’m sure one of us has a spare tunic you can borrow—Wild, don’t you have some extra clothes?

Wild: Oh! You’re right! I have just the thing!

Wild: *digs in bag, pulls out the DLC lobster shirt*

Sky: …wait… what?

Twilight: …How…?

Wind: How do you have my shirt when I also have my shirt?!

Wild: Um…

Wild: I can explain.

Wild: Actually, no I can’t.

Wild: Let’s just chock it up to timeline shenanigans. Anyways, here you go.

573 notes - Posted May 30, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Hyrule: What’s the weirdest situation you’ve ever found yourself in?

Legend: Once I was a painting.

Time: Once I was a tree. I had to fight the moon.

Wind: Oh man, there are so many crazy things I’ve done, how can I pick just one? For starters, there was the time that I got shot out of a cannon, and then the time I was rescued by a talking boat, and then there was the time I—

Wild: I got dead and then I got un-dead. Multiple times...

Twilight: Uhh… my whole adventure…

Four: That time my personality got chopped up into pieces.

Sky: Honestly, I’d have to go with the very first day of my adventure—when Sun got knocked out of the sky by a tornado and later a magic sword woman told me I was the Chosen One—it caught me so off guard I didn’t believe it was real.

Warriors: Some lady fell in love with me and it broke reality.

Hyrule: …

Hyrule: Uh…

Hyrule: Can you guys say all of that again? My brain got stuck on that first one—did you say you were a painting?!

726 notes - Posted May 29, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[nikadoesanart]

My predictions on BSD getting animated going forward

I’ll be taking a look at the novel page counts (Japanese and English) and comparing them to the screen time they’ve gotten so far and then using this to predict how long the remaining light novel adaptations will be (approximately). At the end will also be my rough prediction/hopes for the order of some of these being adapted. I say some because I have yet to read what there is so far of the gaiden novel translations, the main story manga has essentially still been on the DOA arc almost since where the anime left off, and I personally think that it’s currently too soon for Storm Bringer (aside from money purposes).

Note, most of this was written well before the anime 5th anniversary livestream but the announcements wound up not affecting it. I then of course made adjustments as needed account for the novel content we do have so far, both in Japanese and in English (officially).

Page to Episode Count

Not counting the afterward, ads, etc for the English/US copy, Japanese is including it

Also all eng page counts are using the Yen Press release and jp page counts are taken from the fandom wiki

*148 is purely counting the Untold Origins portion of the novel. If we also count the A Day at the Agency short story that’s included before it (56 pages), then we get the full 203

Also the English page count for BEAST was noted before the English release date but after page counts have been posted by affiliated retailers, so subtract a couple pages from the written count of 176 for the time being to account for the afterward and possible character sheets being included

Now that we have our page to episode counts (as of April 5th, 2021), let’s find the actual content run time of what we do have animated so far.

Seasons 1-3 and the OVA all have the same episode length/duration. Each episode is 23 minutes, and we can subtract 3 minutes on average from that to account for the OP and ED being played. This leaves us with an average of 20 minutes of BSD story content per episode. So on average, each of the first 3 seasons contain 240 minutes, or 4 hours, worth of story content.

Dead Apple’s total run time is 91 minutes, with the OP and ED making up 9 of those minutes. However, we do have a bit of the story content being played while the ED is playing (as sometimes happens in the anime as well). To keep the math simple, I’ll be approximating story content time at 82 minutes.

Apply these numbers to the novels that have been animated so far and this is (approximately) what we get:

Now let’s use these numbers to predict the screen time needed for the other novels

Note that we can’t really use Entrance Exam as a fair measure because of how much got cut out (just compare the run time of it to Dark Era and it speaks for itself). However, the numbers for Dark Era and Dead Apple are the best ones to use, as they both have minimal changes between anime and novel and both have official English translations currently available. Take out the approximate time taken up by OP/ED and and the numbers pretty much match up.

So with that being said, we can estimate Untold Origins (only) at approximately 3 eps/60 min and 55 Minutes at 1h 40-55min/100-115 min or 5-6 eps if it doesn’t get a movie. We can also estimate the A Day at the Detective Agency short story at the beginning of Untold Origins to take up about 1 ep, probably even a bit less.

1+ 3 + 5-6 = 9-10 episodes which isn’t enough for a full single cour season unless they all get put into one big OVA season, but also 10-11 eps (or less) seasons are a thing (ie. Fugou Keiji: Balance Unlimited, Blood Lad, Black Butler: Book of Circus, The Seven Deadly Sins: Signs of a Holy War, FLCL)

My personal predictions/hopes for the anime adaptation timeline going forward

This is considering the manga content, current “pausing/stopping points” what wouldn’t be too awkward, each of the novels relevancy/necessity to the main story manga, and assuming we continue with single cour (12-13 ep) seasons

Hopefully/ideally a 55 Minutes movie

S4: ch 54-70

Early S5 (preferably) or end of S4: Untold Origins or A Day at the Agency

S5: ch 71-88/around where we are now?

A Day at the Agency can, in my opinion at least, be chucked in at any point either as a single episode OVA or as the light novel content for s4 (maybe not even taking a full episode and then starting ch 54 in the last few minutes for example). Keep in mind that the current DOA arc is a long one and has plenty to it, so personally I think it may even be better to not include a novel adaptation in a future S4, as it would likely already be a right squeeze content wise. Remember, we also have a few XX.5 chapters that are continuations of the chapter directly before them.

I still need to read what’s currently available of the gaiden novel fan translations but it can probably be adapted at any point as well. I’m estimating approximately 5-6 eps as an OVA series. I don’t really think it would get a movie, partially because you can make it only so long, especially since it’s an anime movie and unlike Storm Bringer, it doesn’t have Chuuya to practically guarantee the profit.

BEAST also doesn’t directly impact the main story and can be adapted at virtually any point. However, seeing as we do have a live action confirmed for it and it’s page count lines up very closely with Dark Era, it can be either 4 eps or (more likely in my opinion) a movie, as it can be considered almost stand alone content.

Personally, I believe it is currently way too soon to animate Storm Bringer as it came out only a little over a month ago (as of writing this) and has minimal plot necessity as of ch 91, but I do believe it should be either split into 2 movies (a part 1 and part 2) or it would need 8 episodes, likely as an OVA season. If it were to get animated sooner than 55 Minutes or Untold Origins, which I believe to be very unlikely, I feel that it would almost certainly be driven by the financial gains of Chuuya being included, and his popularity alone. Reminder, SB is about Chuuya and not SKK. Dazai’s appearance in SB is proportionally a very small percentage and he’s not even mentioned in the official plot summary.

However, you can argue that SB is starting to have some relevance now, with the recent mention of the Order of the Clock Tower in ch 90 and the increased relevance of sealed ability weapons in ch 91. However, I really do believe that you can’t adapt Storm Bringer before 55 Minutes because of Standard Island and its treaty, it also talks about sealed ability weapons, knowing who Wells is, and 55 Minutes canonically takes place during the “downtime” portion of S3. In fact, here’s Asagiri’s words directly from the Afterward (translation by Yen Press):

“this volume didn’t take place in the past, but rather sometime after the tenth volume of the manga. In other words, it’s a tale about the ‘usual’ detective agency in novel format.” (55 minutes, p 237)

Untold Origins also should be adapted sooner rather than later (at least compared to SB in my opinion) because it’s about Ranpo and Fukuzawa’s shared past, which becomes increasingly relevant ch 70 onwards, as well as the need for the ADA being founded (which ties in with Yosano’s backstory in ch 65-66).

In regards to whether I think each of these would be better suited to a movie adaptation or as multiple regular length anime episodes, it’s mainly due to page count and partly due to the budget difference between the two, as well as how difficult I think it would be to animate each of these based on what needs to be drawn. The anime industry isn’t the fastest to switch to newer technology, hence why we see issues with 3D blending sometimes. I really do think that at the very least, 55 Minutes deserves the movie budget because of how detailed and complex the architecture of Standard Island is described as, as well all the mechanical parts needed for the final battle of the novel. Hate the lizard mouths introduced in Dead Apple all you want, but you can’t deny that the 3D cgi was blended very smoothly. For any of the other novels to be movies, it’s more so because gaiden and BEAST can be considered their own stand alone stories that don’t rely too heavily on the main story in terms of when they take place and get adapted. I feel that SB is more likely to get its own season or an OVA season more so due to its length, but multiple part anime movies have also been done before (ie. the Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel movies), so it’s not entirely impossible. Especially considering that merely having any Chuuya screen time means that you can expect the profit and popularity to really go up, especially with SKK being on screen together (regardless of whether you love or hate how the fandom tends to push a shipping POV on them).

These are all of course just my hopes and predictions and estimates based on information currently available, so take them with some salt. I’d love to hear opinions on how, when, and why each of the currently non animated novels should be adapted going forward. Also please stop begging the relevant BSD official Twitter pages for SB to be animated next and go read the other light novels you Chuuya simp

[grigori77]

Summer 2021′s Movies - My Top Ten Favourite Films (Part 1)

The Runners-Up:

20.  LUCA – I’ll admit I really wasn’t sold on Disney/Pixar’s coming-of-age fantasy comedy, which revolves around a pair of young sea monsters living off the coast of the 1950s Italian Riviera, who discover they can assume human form when they dry out and go on land on a quest of discovery.  Thankfully the strong reviews convinced me to give it a chance – this is a frothy and irreverent romp through an exotically nostalgic world filled with Vespas, pasta-eating contests and found families that’s fun for kids of all ages.

19.  FAST & FURIOUS 9 – the high concept action franchise may be bursting under the ever-increasing weight of its own ludicrousness, but it’s still TONS of fun, packed with stunning over-the-top action, colourful globe-trotting and a loveable bunch of misfits we’ve grown incredibly fond of over the past TWENTY YEARS.  This time Dom (the irrepressible Vin Diesel) and the team are up against ruthless hi-tech mercenary Jakob (John Cena), a lethal jack-of-all-trades with a dark connection to the Toretto name.

18.  REMINISCENCE – Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy’s attempt to make it on the big screen looks set to go down as one of the biggest cinematic flops of 2021, which is a shame because the feature-debuting writer-director has crafted a genuinely fascinating speculative sci-fi noir detective thriller.  Set in a darkly dystopian future in which Global Warming has caused the sea levels to rise and society to start breaking down, it tells the story of Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman), a former soldier who ekes out a living using revolutionary tech to help the idle rich relive their fondest memories, until a life-changing mystery from his own past resurfaces, threatening to tear his whole world apart.  Frustratingly, it looks like most audiences are going to bypass this, which is a criminal loss.

17.  FREE GUY – after a seven year hiatus, Night at the Museum director Shawn Levy returns to the big screen in fine form with this deliriously inventive fantastical comedy adventure about Guy (a typically on-fire Ryan Reynolds), an NPC in an anarchic, Grand Theft Auto style MMORPG called Free City who discovers his own sentience after falling in love with Millie (Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer), a player with a hidden agenda that puts them both at odds with the game’s nefarious creator, Antwan (a thoroughly hilarious Taika Waititi).

16.  EVANGELION 3.0 + 1.01: THRICE UPON A TIME – visionary anime creator Hideaki Anno brings his long-running sci-fi saga to a close with this fourth instalment to his wildly ambitious cinematic “Rebuild” of cult TV series Neon Genesis Evangelion. It’s as frothy, melodramatic and bonkers as ever, packed full of weighty themes and crazy ideas, while the animation maintains this series’ ridiculously high levels of quality and the action is as explosive as ever, and Hideaki brings the whole mad mess to a climax that’s as rich, powerful and thoroughly befuddling as the saga deserves.

15.  THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD – Sicario writer Taylor Sheridan returns to the director’s chair (after impressive debut Wind River) with this intense and enthralling suspense thriller adapted by bestselling author Michael Koryta (along with Sheridan and Blood Diamond’s Charles Leavitt) from his own acclaimed novel. Angelina Jolie is (ahem) fiery but fallible as haunted smokejumper Hanna Faber, whose PTSD drives her to protect a desperate boy (Finn Little) who’s being hunted through the wilds of Montana by a pair of relentless assassins (Aidan Gillen and Nicholas Hoult).

14.  CRUELLA – far from the clunky cash-in retcon many were predicting, Disney’s ambitious black comedy crime caper does a thoroughly admirable job in delivering this fascinating and deeply compelling reimagining of the story of rogue fashion designer Cruella de Vil (one of the best performances I’ve ever seen Emma Stone deliver, hands down), the dastardly villainess of 101 Dalmatians. She’s certainly far more complex here, no longer a raging monster, but far from a whitewashed PC apologist, either, much more of a morally grey antihero with a very wicked dark side – then again, with I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie at the helm it’s not really a surprise.  Richly designed and dripping in spectacularly adventurous period detail, this is an divine romp from start to finish.

13.  THE GREEN KNIGHT – the latest feature from writer director David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saits, Pete’s Dragon, The Old Man & the Gun) is as offbeat and unusual as you’d expect from a visionary filmmaker with such a wildly varied CV.  Adapting the fantastical chivalric romance Sir Gawain & the Green Knight, he’s crafted what’s surely destined to be remembered as the year’s STRANGEST film, but it’s a work of aching beauty and introspective imagination that sears itself into the memory and rewards the viewer’s patience despite its leisurely pace.  Dev Patel is unbearably sexy and wonderfully complex as Gawain, while Sean Harris delivers show-stopping support with stately charisma and world-weary integrity as King Arthur.  This film is sure to divide opinions as well as audiences, but I think it’s a bona fide masterpiece that must be seen to be believed.

12.  CANDYMAN – after watching this wildly imaginative and frequently gut-wrenching soft-reboot/sequel to Bernard Rose’s acclaimed adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story The Forbidden, I feel supremely confident about emerging writer-director Nia DaCosta’s coming MCU breakout with The Marvels.  Wisely papering over the clunky previous sequels, this streamlined trailblazing deep dive into the pure horror of the legend of the righteously mad spectral killer haunting the Chicago housing ghetto of Cabrini-Green sees a daring modern artist (Aquaman’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) find his latest project turning into a dangerously self-destructive obsession. Writer-producer Jordan Peele’s fingerprints are all over this, but DaCosta clearly shows signs that she’s going to be a hell of a talent to watch in the future.

11.  THE WITCHER: NIGHTMARE OF THE WOLF – I wouldn’t normally shout about an animated spinoff to a TV series like this, but I was SO INSANELY IMPRESSED with this brilliant prequel to Netflix’ popular fantasy show (which clearly intends to lay some origin story groundwork for the impending second season) that I just can’t help myself. Recounting the backstory of Geralt of Rivia’s own Witcher mentor Vesemir, this beautifully expands on the already compelling universe the series has created, as well as delivering some breath-taking thrills and chills through some of the most exquisite cell animation I’ve ever seen outside of the greats of anime.  A must-see for Witcher fans, then, but one I’d also highly recommend to anyone who likes their animation a bit more grown-up and edgy.

[nclkafilms]

My 2022 Oscar Predictions

Cinema is back! The last year since the 2021 Oscars were handed out in April 2021 has given us big blockbuster experiences: “Dune”, “No Time To Die”, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and latest “The Batman”, which of course will have to wait until next year’s Oscars to fight for the awards. While the three aforementioned 2021 Blockbusters are all up for Oscars, it is only “Dune” that really is part of the biggest races with no less than 10 nominations only surpassed by Netflix’ “The Power of the Dog”, which highlights another trend of 2021: the atmospheric slowburner. Apart from Jane Campion’s take on the West, we were given beautiful slowburners such as “Drive My Car”, “Nightmare Alley” and “Mass” (which sadly hasn’t been nominated for anything). Other trends were the comeback of musicals with films like “In the Heights” (not nominated), “Cyrano” (one nomination) “Tick, tick…BOOM!” (two nominations) and of course Spielberg’s long awaited remake of “West Side Story” (7 nominations) and some true feel good stories as we got in “King Richard” (6 nominations), “CODA” (3 nominations) and “Licorice Pizza” (3 nominations). Finally, as a Dane, I of course HAVE to highlight the historic presence of “Flee”, which is the first film ever to score trio nominations for Best Animated Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature Film. 

All in all, however, I personally find last year’s slate of films to be stronger. There were simply more films I loved last year. Although, I still like a lot of the films from this year, “Flee” is actually the only one of them all to get a 5/5 score from me on Letterboxd. In all 53 films were nominated and I ended up seeing 50 of them with only a couple of short films sadly missing from my watchlist. In no way a sign of devaluing the shorts, unlike what The Academy has done to those three categories along with Film Editing, Make-Up and Hairstyling, Production Design, Score and Sound. A shameful decision forced by ABC’s negligence of the crafts without which there would be no films to celebrate. I hope to see plenty of artists, presenters and winners protesting this decision on the red carpet, during the show and after the show, so the decision will be rolled back before next year’s awards.

So who will win? Here are my predictions: (In parenthesis are my personal ratings of the films from 1-5)

Best Picture

Belfast (3,5)

CODA (4,0)

Don’t Look Up (4,0)

Drive My Car (4,5)

Dune (4,0)

King Richard (4,0)

Licorice Pizza (4,5)

Nightmare Alley (4,0)

The Power of the Dog (4,5)

West Side Story (3,5)

It started off as being Belfast’s to lose. Then that slowly disappeared out of the race and for a long time it looked like it would be a one horse race with The Power of the Dog as the obvious winner. However, that only until the entire cast of CODA hit the stage at the SAG Awards to collect their SAG Ensemble award. Since then CODA has taken home adapted screenplay at BAFTA (ahead of British Belfast) and WGA as well as PGA. Some heavy weight awards to walk into the Oscars with. And it looks like it very well could be enough for CODA, who might also have an advantage in the preferential ballot system. I have a clear idea that CODA is easier to love and it is to hate, whereas The Power of the Dog might be hard to love and easier to dislike. I doubt many people will have The Power of the Dog in the middle of their ballot - it will either take a top spot or a bottom spot, whereas I think CODA will take top spots and middle spots as people tend to put their hated or disliked films in the bottom. Ultimately, however, I think - right now - that The Power of the Dog still have the widest support within the Academy, although I might very well change that five or six times in the run in to show start. It is that close!

Personally, I didn’t directly dislike any of the ten nominees. I was truly impressed with the visual and sonic work in Spielberg’s West Side Story, but I simply never bought the central love story making it a somewhat cold experience for me, which I was surprised by. Maybe it will change on a rewatch. I rated a lot of the films 4 out of 5 stars of which I want to highlight Dune, which I was truly impressed by, but I couldn’t stop feeling it was a long trailer for a much bigger film; awards will rain on the sequel, I’m sure. Nightmare Alley is beautiful and atmospheric but a bit too slow in its second half, and King Richard is one of the best biopics of recent years. CODA is as heartwarming as it gets and a truly well-acted audience pleaser with some much needed and important representation! On a rewatch I changed my score for Don’t Look Up from a 4,5 to a 4, but McKay’s furious bulldozer subtle satire still works surprisingly well for me, although it is still clearly far from the masterpiece The Big Short. Belfast is a nice and lighthearted depiction of war through the eyes of a child featuring some stunning acting and a super interesting sound design, but I lacked some character development and a deeper connection to the story to appreciate it further. The Power of the Dog is in many ways a masterful film, although it might suffer a bit from the same limitations as previous Netflix films from masterful directors such as Alfonso Cuaron (Roma), Martin Scorsese (The Irishman) and David Fincher (Mank) in the sense that it is  a bit closed, albeit nowhere near as much as the other films mentioned. With 12 nominations it clearly has widespread and well-deserved support and it grew on me on a rewatch too, taking my third place. My two personal favourites, however, are Drive My Car, which really moved me on a deeper level and was a truly impressive adaptation from Hamaguchi, and Licorice Pizza, which simply is one of the best times I have had in a cinema the last year. Neither of the two stand a chance, though. Personally, I would have loved to see at least one of the following: Flee, Spencer and/or The Worst Person in the World.

Who will win: The Power of the Dog

Potential spoiler: CODA

Personal favourite: Licorice Pizza

Should have been there: Spencer

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos (2,0)

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Andrew Garfield, Tick, tick…BOOM! (4,5)

Will Smith, King Richard (4,0)

Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth (4,0)

The category that deflated the finale of last year’s Oscars with Anthony Hopkins’ extremely deserved, yet clearly unplanned win, is back with another seemingly clear cut winner in advance this year. Last year, Chadwick Boseman was on everyone’s lips and this year Will Smith’s name is as good as already engraved in the Best Leading Actor Oscar. He is charming and inspiring in King Richard; his best performance since The Pursuit of Happiness and perhaps his career best. The only possible challenger for him seems to be Benedict Cumberbatch who might also give a career best performance in The Power of the Dog; he is as vile as he is fragile and his performance is constantly unnerving. My personal favourite, however, is once again out of tune with the consensus: Andrew Garfield broke my heart in Tick, tick…BOOM! where he sang and performed with all he got as Jonathan Larson. Another career best? The three of them are outstanding! Washington is always good, but yet, to me, he never managed to make The Tragedy of Macbeth more than a(n extremely stunning) visual showpiece. The inclusion of Javier Bardem is honestly insulting to quite a big bunch of actors who gave beautiful, layered performances. Personally, I would have loved to see Nic Cage for Pig, Hidetoshi Nishijima for Drive My Car or one of my personal favourites of the year Peter Dinklage for Cyrano who simply broke my heart with his performance as the titular character; he is one of the most charismatic actors to see and was probably the one closest to getting the nod.

Who will win: Will Smith

Potential spoiler: Benedict Cumberbatch

Personal favourite: Andrew Garfield

Should have been there: Nicolas Cage / Peter Dinklage

Actor in a Supporting Role

Ciaran Hinds, Belfast (3,5)

Troy Kotsur, CODA (4,0)

Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog (4,5)

J.K. Simmons, Being the Ricardos (2,)

Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Another two horse race involving The Power of the Dog and another two horse race where it looks destined to lose. Kodi Smit-McPhee started award season in a strong way, but - as with Best Picture - the moment Kotsur and the CODA cast took the stage at SAG changed everything. Kotsur has won everything since then and he would be a well-deserved winner as his performance in the film is both extremely funny (completely relying on ASL for the laughs) and heartwarming. Add to that his extreme likability when entering the stage and you have one of the most certain winners of the night. I would not complain with a Smit-McPhee win either, though. Plemons is the least showy in The Power of the Dog, but it was still a nice surprise to see him on nomination morning; he will get a lot closer to an Oscar win in the coming years, I’m sure. Ciaran Hinds is extremely charming in Belfast and creates a lovable character. The inclusion of J.K. Simmons, much like that of Bardem in leading actor, is a disaster; his character was one-dimensional and uninspired. Considering the amount of beautiful supporting actor performances we have had this year, his inclusion could only have been topped by the inclusion of Jared Leto for House of Gucci. With all this being said, I have to highlight Jason Isaacs in Mass - it is a crime that he wasn’t nominated. Heck, I honestly think he should be winning. Mike Faist for West Side Story could also have deserved a nomination here and so could Anders Danielsen Lie in The Worst Person in the World, although you could argue that he balances on being a lead.

Who will win: Troy Kotsur

Potential spoiler: Kodi Smit-McPhee

Personal Favourite: Troy Kotsur

Could have been there: Jason Isaacs (Mass)

Actress in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye (3,5)

Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter (3,5)

Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers (3,5)

Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos (2,0)

Kristen Stewart, Spencer (4,5)

Just as last year, this category is all up in the air! Before the awards season started everyone had Kristen Stewart as a clear winner, then she lost Golden Globe to Nicole Kidman who took the favourite tag especially as Kristen Stewart missed several nominations. Then Lady Gaga took over for House of Gucci only to not even get an Oscar nomination allowing Chastain to take over  with wins at SAG and Critics Choice. And now, after the release of secret Oscar ballots, Penélope Cruz looks ready for a last minute surge. Who will win??? It looks like Chastain, who I really liked in Tammy Faye, but look out for Cruz or Colman! Both of them deliver amazing work in their films and they are extremely well-liked in Hollywood and I might very well end up going with a surprise last minute win for Cruz. Stewart’s performance in Spencer is in my eyes easily the best performance of the year, but the general lack of love for the film makes it hard to imagine a world where she wins, and Kidman seems to be out of the race again too. Renate Reinsve should have been here for The Worst Person in the World and so should Alana Haim for Licorice Pizza.

Who will win: Jessica Chastain

Potential spoiler: Penélope Cruz

Personal favourite: Kristen Stewart

Could have been there: Renate Reinsve and Alana Haim

Actress in a Supporting Role

Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter (3,5)

Ariana DeBose, West Side Story (3,5)

Judi Dench, Belfast (3,5)

Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard (4,0)

One of the easiest categories to call of the evening. If Ariana DeBose doesn’t win for her scene stealing performance in West Side Story then it is easily one of the biggest shocks in recent Oscar history; she has won EVERY important award until now. While she is very good, my personal favourite of the five nominees is Jessie Buckley who simply gets better and better, and for me, she stole the show in The Lost Daughter. Ellis has some stunning scenes in King Richard and Dunst has rarely been better. Dench is biggest question mark here - she’s just here on merit, right? The fact that she was picked ahead of Caitriona Balfe for Belfast has been widely discussed and righly so - Balfe is the heart of that film and the only possible explanation is that many people placed her in lead… Anne Dowd and Martha Plimpton in Mass really should have been in contention here, albeit Plimpton could have been placed in lead.

Who will win: Ariana DeBose

Potential spoiler: None (but Dunst if I have to pick one)

Personal favourite: Jessie Buckley

Should have been there: Anne Dowd (Mass)

Animated Feature Film

Encanto (4,0)

Flee (5,0)

Luca (4,0)

The Mitchells vs the Machines (4,0)

Raya and the Last Dragon (3,5)

The Disney category is more Disney than ever this year with three of five nominees. Flee is the only masterpiece of this year’s nominees in my opinion, yet I don’t think it will take home any Oscar, because the love for it will probably be split between categories. It’s not my personal favourite in this category either. Encanto looks destined to win with its stunning animation and record beating soundtrack, however The Mitchells vs the Machines is the most playful of the films and Luca packs the most moving story. Raya and the Last Dragon is the weakest the category has to offer, although it in no means is a bad film.

Who will win: Encanto

Potential spoiler: The Mitchells vs the Machines

Personal favourite: The Mitchells vs the Machines

Cinematography

Greig Fraser, Dune (4,0)

Dan Laustsen, Nightmare Alley (4,0)

Ari Wegner, The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Bruno Delbonnel, The Tragedy of Macbeth (4,0)

Janusz Kaminski, West Side Story (3,5)

Perhaps the best line-up of any category this year. Five amazing examples of cinematography. Fraser’s work in Dune is otherworldly and stunning in its many sci-fi vistas, Laustsen continues his atmospheric and dark collaboration with del Toro in Nightmare Alley, Wegner’s grand vistas in The Power of the Dog makes it one of the most stunning films of the year, Delbonnel creates some fascinating images in The Tragedy of Macbeth and Kaminski’s opening scene in West Side Story makes his nomination well-deserved for a film that packs plenty of cinematography magic. I honestly will not complain no matter who wins, but Fraser walks into the night as the favourite perhaps strengthened by people’s admiration for his current work on The Batman. Look out for Wegner, however, as her work is equally stunning and she has picked up a couple of wins. I would have loved to see Claire Mathon recognised for her work on Spencer, but I don’t know what to kick out if I’m honest.

Who will win: Dune

Potential spoiler: The Power of the Dog

Personal favourite: The Power of the Dog

Could have been there: Spencer

Costume Design

Cruella (3,5)

Cyrano (3,5)

Dune (4,0)

Nightmare Alley (4,0)

West Side Story (3,5)

If a film about two fashion designers battling against each other with two very distinct styles, which features a ton of costumes should not win this category, what should? And so it will be; Cruella is destined to take this home and it would be well-deserved. 

Who will win: Cruella

Potential spoiler: Dune

Personal favourite: Cruella

Directing

Kenneth Branagh, Belfast (3,5)

Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car (4,5)

Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza (4,5)

Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Steven Spielberg, West Side Story (3,5)

Last year was a historic year for this category; the first time that two female directors were nominated in the same year. This year we only have one, but she will undoubtedly win. Jane Campion’s admirable work with The Power of the Dog looks unbeatable and she could have gotten well-deserved female company from Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter) or Julia Ducournau (Titane). However, the biggest snub here is the omission of Denis Villeneauve for his work on Dune; a work often labelled un-adaptable that goes on to get 10 nominations but not for directing? Get out! Hamaguchi’s work is beautiful, but his screenplay is even stronger than his directing. West Side Story and Belfast are clear passion projects, but I definitely think that Spielberg’s direction is the strongest of the two. Finally, PTA just knows how to set up memorable scenes.

Who will win: Jane Campion

Potential spoiler: Steven Spielberg

Personal favourite: Jane Campion

SHOULD have been there: Denis Villeneuve

Documentary (Feature)

Ascension (4,0)

Attica (4,0)

Flee (4,0)

Summer of Soul (…or, when the revolution could not be televised) (4,5)

Writing With Fire (3,5)

If Flee had only been nominated in this category it would have won and frankly, it should win! One of the best documentaries of recent years. However, Summer of Soul looks like the winner, and to be fair it is brilliant film that flawlessly manages to mix the stunning concert footage into a socio-political context to make a both entertaining and thought-provoking film. Ascension was deeply fascinating, Attica was a hard watch and Writing With Fire was deeply inspiring, albeit a bit uninspired film-wise. But a great year for documentaries!

Who will win: Summer of Soul (…or, when the revolution could not be televised)

Potential spoiler: Flee

Personal favourite: Flee

Documentary (Short Subject)

Audible (3,5)

Lead Me Home (2,0)

The Queen of Basketball (4,0)

Three Songs for Benazir (3,5)

When We Were Bullies (have not seen this)

A category that is historically difficult to predict. However, this year The Queen of Basketball seems like quite a good pick in a somewhat disappointing year. Audible is its closest competitor as Three Songs for Benazir felt a bit too short and something felt off with Lead Me Home’s stylish take on its deeply sad focus.

Who will win: The Queen of Basketball

Potential spoiler: Audible

Personal Favourite: The Queen of Basketball

Film Editing

Don’t Look Up (4,0)

Dune (4,0)

King Richard (4,0)

The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Tick, tick…BOOM! (4,5)

We have all the different types of editing in place here. The fast-paced, playing-an-active-part-in-the-film editing of McKay’s satires in Don’t Look Up, impressive action editing in Dune, fast-paced sports and montage editing in King Richard, seemless editing in The Power of the Dog and the more artistic and musical-based editing of Tick, tick…BOOM! A good thing to have in mind when predicting here is the obvious editing for the naked eye. King Richard or Tick, tick…BOOM! look like good bets then, but I have an idea that Dune will come close to a technical sweep and as such it needs this as well, but look out for the two others. West Side Story could have been in the mix here!

Who will win: Dune

Potential spoiler: King Richard

Personal favourite: Tick, tick…BOOM!

Could have been there: West Side Story

International Feature Film

Drive My Car (4,5)

Flee (5,0)

The Hand of God (3,0)

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (3,5)

The Worst Person in the World (4,5)

Drive My Car is up for four Oscars including Best Picture. This race is looking like a non-brainer. Flee is deserving and so is The Worst Person in the World, but they don’t seem to stand a chance. Lunana was a nice surprise and it will get a well-deserved attention boost thanks this nomination. I didn’t care that much for The Hand of God and would have liked it (VERY MUCH) if Titane had taken its place.

Who will win: Drive My Car

Potential spoiler: The Worst Person in the World

Personal favourite: Flee

Should have been there: Titane

Makeup and Hairstyling

Coming 2 America (1,5)

Cruella (3,5)

Dune (4,0)

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (3,5)

House of Gucci (2,0)

The only nomination for the travesty that was House of Gucci and it will not get close to winning it despite its prosthetic work. Prosthetics were done better in both Dune and especially Coming 2 America. I think The Eyes of Tammy Faye will ride on the possible win for Chastain, but look out for the transformations of Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall in Coming 2 America. Cruella is here for the hairstyling but it will settle for its costume win. Again, Titane should have been there!

Who will win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Potential spoiler: Coming 2 America

Personal favourite: Dune

Should have been there: Titane

Music (Original Score)

Don’t Look Up (4,0)

Dune (4,0)

Encanto (4,0)

Parallel Mothers (3,5)

The Power of the Dog (4,5)

Some strong scores here, with Zimmer looking like the clear winner for his loud, ominous work on Dune. Iglesias’ score for Parallel Mothers is brilliant and controls the film like no other nominee. Greenwood comes closest to doing that with his work in The Power of the Dog and he should have been here for Spencer as well. However, the scores of Britell and Franco in Don’t Look Up and Encanto are the most listenable outside of their films. 

Who will win: Dune

Potential spoiler: Parallel Mothers

Personal favourite: The Power of the Dog

Should have been there: Spencer

Music (Original Song)

“Be Alive”, King Richard (4,0)

“Dos Oruguitas”, Encanto (4,0)

“Down to Joy”, Belfast (3,5)

“No Time to Die”, No Time to Die (4,0)

“Somehow You Do”, Four Good Days (2,5)

Disney are hating themselves for not letting “We don’t talk about Bruno” compete, although “Dos Oruguitas” is a stunning song that might just ride on the back of the record beating hit to give Lin-Manuel Miranda his EGOT. However, Billie Eilish and Beyonce would want a word in that fight with Eilish looking like the winner. Diane Warren is here again, because you know - apparently she has to, and “Down to Joy” is bland, although it is a plus that it is featured in the actual film. “Just Look Up” should have been there, as should “Beyond the Shore” from CODA.

Who will win: “No Time to Die”

Potential spoiler: “Dos Oruguitas”

Personal favourite: “Dos Oruguitas”

Should have been there: “Beyond the Shore”

Production Design

Dune (4,0)

Nightmare Alley (4,0)

The Power of the Dog (4,5)

The Tragedy of Macbeth (4,0)

West Side Story (3,5)

Five stunning films here highlighted by their corresponding cinematography nominations. While I think Dune will get that one, I think it might just lose this one to Nightmare Alley. Will the Academy go with the extremely impressive world building of Dune or the atmospheric del Toro magic of Nightmare Alley? It will be very close. Cyrano and Spencer could have been there, but who should they replace really?

Who will win: Nightmare Alley

Potential spoiler: Dune

Personal favourite: Nightmare Alley

Could have been there: Cyrano/Spencer

Short Film (Animation)

Affairs of the Art (2,5)

Bestia (3,0)

Boxballet (have not seen it)

Robin Robin (3,5)

The Windshield Wiper (4,0)

The most adult line-up in this category for years. Affairs of the Art and Bestia are quite disturbing, while The Windshield Wiper is stunning and fascinating. Robin Robin looks like the favourite and it is extremely charming and cute, but I am going for a surprise win for The Windshield Wiper.

Who will win: The Windshield Wiper

Potential spoiler: Robin Robin

Personal favourite: The Windshield Wiper

Short Film (Live Action)

Ala Kachuu - Take and Run (4,0)

The Dress (3,0)

The Long Goodbye (4,0)

On My Mind (2,5)

Please Hold (have not seen this)

The Long Goodbye is hard-hitting and can feel slightly un-finished, but it is strong and has the star factor of Riz Ahmed, although that didn’t help The Letter Room (Oscar Isaac) last year. Danish contender On My Mind felt way too constructed and managed to feel overlong despite its 18 minute runtime. Finally, Ala Kachuu and The Dress are hard to watch, but Ala Kachuu seems to have a lot more heart and sympathy for its subject and, thus, it looks like the one to beat The Long Goodbye if one has to. Unless it will be the Black Mirror-ish Please Hold, which I sadly have not seen.

Who will win: The Long Goodbye

Potential spoiler: Ala Kachuu - Take and Run

Personal favourite: The Long Goodbye

Sound

Belfast (3,5)

Dune (4,0)

No Time to Die (4,0)

The Power of the Dog (4,5)

West Side Story (3,5)

Belfast has an interesting sound design as one of its strongest assets and the sound design of The Power of the Dog really helps build its atmosphere. However, it seems like it will be between the remaining three. Of them Dune seems like the strongest, but look out for West Side Story. If Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho should have been anywhere, it probably should have been here.

Who will win: Dune

Potential spoiler: West Side Story

Personal favourite: Dune

Visual Effects

Dune (4,0)

Free Guy (3,0) 

No Time to Die (4,0)

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (3,5)

Spider-Man: No Way Home (4,0)

Last year I wrote: “A category that would probably have been dominated by films such as Godzilla vs. Kong, Dune and Black Widow in a normal 2020.” Of these, only Dune made it into the category in the end. Free Guy is the surprise addition here with is playful effects, and also this is the only option to give Spidey an Oscar, although Shang-Chi arguably had better special effects. However, Dune looks destined to win this as its effects played an integral part in its world building.

Who will win: Dune

Potential spoiler: Spider-Man: No Way Home

Personal favourite: Dune

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

CODA (4,0)

Drive My Car (4,5)

Dune (4,0)

The Lost Daughter (3,5)

The Power of the Dog (4,5)

While I really liked CODA, I think it is wild that it might just beat (in particular) Drive My Car in this category. That ought to be winning, but The Power of the Dog looks like the one to beat for CODA as in Best Picture. And I actually think it will, even though it might just be the weakest of these five screenplays. 

Who will win: CODA

Potential spoiler: The Power of the Dog

Personal favourite: Drive My Car

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Belfast (3,5)

Don’t Look Up (4,0)

King Richard (4,0)

Licorice Pizza (4,5)

The Worst Person in the World (4,0)

I thought this would be Paul Thomas Anderson’s spot for finally winning an Oscar, but him losing the WGA to Adam McKay for Don’t Look Up was quite the curve ball. Maybe Branagh will take it home for Belfast, although I did have some issues with his writing here. Can McKay do it with Don’t Look Up? It seems too divisive, but it is in no way impossible. The real winner, however, should be The Worst Person in the World and I would love for it to win! Fran Kranz’ screenplay for Mass should have been here easily knocking King Richard out of the five.

Who will win: Belfast

Potential spoiler: Don’t Look Up

Personal favourite: The Worst Person in the World

Should have been there: Mass

I wish everyone the best of Oscar nights! May the best films win!

[just-like-playing-tag]

A totally self indulgent compilation of my favorite works on this blog of the year June 13, 2020 - June 13, 2021

2019-2020

The following lists are all in chronological order according to the date each post was first published.

Top 10 panel edits:

#1: It's our first morning

Date: Aug 20th, 2020 Time: ~ 2:18 h I really like how this one turned out!!! The 2020 Emma b-day edit has a lot of major panel redraws, but this is probably my favorite. I I really enjoy how I made the shadows work!! And the ear banfage looks pretty neat. Nice!!! Immagine

#2: Norman birthday edit 2021

Date: Mar 20th, 2021 Time: ~ 2:21 h Awww, soft Norman :') There was a bit to redraw, but I think everything turned out pretty neat!!! I believe everything works out fine. Though looking back at it, the part of the ID I added is definitely top small :')

#3: Manga dub: Yuugo gets knocked out

Date: Mar 27th, 2021 Time: ~ 5:05 h Here start the Manga Dub redraws to which I gave my everything ahah. This one turned out nice! I think the shoes turned out particularly good eheh. I like how Yuugo's clothing lineart- for the texture, I wanted to go for something heterogeneous, but I'm not fully confident in the final result. Gilda looks very rushed but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#4: Manga dub: Yuugo makes his dramatic entrance

Date: Apr 5th, 2021 Time: ~ 4:02 h This is pretty cool!!!! The coat took ages to redraw, but sis it turned out perfect!!! I'm very proud of this.

#5: Manga dub: RayGildEmma hug!!!

Date: Apr 9th, 2021 Time: ~ 1:31 h Awww, a beautiful panel I was really happy to have the chance to redraw. Taking into account what there was to redraw, I'm actually surprised with how little this took! Ray's backpack was a pain to make, but I think it turned out fine. I'm very happy with Emma and Ray's heads!!

#6: Manga dub: Formalities

Date: Apr 12th, 2021 Time: ~ 5:31 h It is not always easy to give sense to Demizu's perspective, but I do my best!!! In this I am *so* happy with how Don and Ray turned out, they look neat! The background on the other hand... It took hours to make ahah. I'm not fully confident in the perspective, but I'm happy with the details I've added- I really did my best to make it look like athe other manga panels and I think it paid off!!!

#7: Manga dub: We may be weaklings, but we're still alive

Date: Apr 30th, 2021 Time: ~ 1:37 h This little Emma is so cute!!!!!! I think the redraw turned out pretty perfect. I'm really satisfied with how this one turned out, and it's such a cute little Emma!!!! She's so brave and optimistic, I love her. It's a shame this panel didn't make it to the episode :')

#8: Manga dub: Goldy Pond Gang

Date: May 7th, 2021 Time: ~ 8:44 h lmao This is probably the panel redraw I'm the most proud of ever :') Just think everyone turned out very nice!! The ceiling is not exactly perfect, but it still works somehow. I'm very happy with how Gillian's back turned out!! I don't really like the fading effect on the right, but 8h in I got pretty tired of working on this ahah

#9: Manga dub: This is Goldy Pond

Date: May 21st, 2021 Time: ~ 1:29 h I'm very glad for how the Manga dub has been challenging me to learn to redraw backgrounds, something I had quite literally never tried before. It can be a little frustrating, but it's so satisfying to see the final cleaned piece!! With this panel, I also learnt to use copy and paste, which is something I had never done before beyond texture

#10: Manga dub: Good morning doctor

Date: May 21st, 2021 Time: ~ 3:42 h This is another background that turned out pretty good!! That one Norman is one I knew I would have had to fully redraw sooner or lager- the background was a bonus ahah. I'm very happy with the final result!!

Top 5 edits as whole:

#1: The Promised Neverland manga ending edit

Date: Jun 14th 2020 Time: ~ 12h 41min (5h 45min of cleaning panels in the edit + 5h 37min of cleaning panels that didn't make it to the edit + 1h 19min of resizing) + time spent cleaning panels I've deleted the file of so I can't see lmao This is overall very nice!!! The concept of an Emma evolution through her back is cool, and I think overall the edit turned out very aesthetically pleasing. The concept idea came to me while I was working on the 2019 Emma's birthday edit, a long time before the manga ending announcement- back then I wouldn't have imagined using it in occasion of the manga ending, but I think it ended up making a nice tribute. The colors add a nice touch, since so far my edits had always been black and white- it makes a sweet closure. To make that edit I selected 76 panels of Emma framed from her back; I plan to make other versions of that edit using the discarded panels eventually!

#2: Emma - Chapter 181: Beyond Destiny

Date: Jul 12th 2020 Time: 2h 57min My last edit for the manga 🥺🥺 I think this one is my very "manga ending edit" because to me it really signed the ending of weekly chapters and their weekly chapter edits. It makes me a little sad to look at it, but it's also, I don't know, kinda sweet to see how I grew both in my panel cleaning and as a person since I first started my blog. I'm glad I got into TPN!

#3: Emma birthday edit 2020

Date: Aug 22nd 2020 Time: 8h 54min This one turned out so well!!! Though I used the same concept for all the trio edits, I think this one is the best one. The two panels on the left / two panels on the right alternation combo never fails ahah. The colors are nice (shout-out to my sister for making me a palette), despite the fact that it was hard for the lighter ones to make them work with the images without having those disappear. I'm very satisfied with the panels I chose for this, I think they work really good together! Also, it got me very happy to read everyone's comments saying they liked the fading effect in the last panel :)

#4: Emma + Eyes Close Ups [1/?]

Date: Jan 24th 2021 Time: 5h 55min This one was really nice!! Another idea I got when working on the 2019 Emma birthday edit I was glad to finally execute. Started the edit in September, finished it in December. I'm overall very happy with how it turned out... I hope I will be able to make more in the future!

#5: The Promised Neverland Parallels → (9/?) » 114 // 122

Date: Feb 23th 2021 Time: 5h 7min (panel cleaning only) Aaaaahh I really like this one!!!! A parallel I love very much, and I'm really happy with how the edit turned out. All the hair redrawing looks neat!!!! The gif is maybe a little excessive, but I think overall it's a nice edit. I like it!!! Fun fact, I completed it on August 26th 2020, but I couldn't find the right moment to post it ahah.

Honorable mention: The Promised Neverland Parallels → (5/?) » 08 // 16

Date: Aug 30th 2020 Time: 2h 52min (Second picture cleaning only; I deleted the first picture art file so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) I don't have much to say about this one except!! It turned out very nice!!!!! Love the pen lmao.

Top 10 analysis:

Too many analysis,,

#1: Post chapter 181 Emma analysis

Date: Jul 9th 2020 Mmmh a nice analysis. I think it was important for me to put down in words what I think of Emma's characterization and the manga ending, so I'm happy I did it!

#2: A long Oliver analysis because I love him very much

Date: Dec 6th 2020 What can I say I just love Oliver tons 😔😔💕💕 This was very fun to make!!!

#3: TPN s2 previsions

Date: Jan 14th 2021 Really love the effort that went into this + me proving that 11 episodes GP could have possibly worked + it's just a lot of fun to read again after s2 ended pffft

#4: More s2 delusional previsions lmao

Date: Jan 27th 2021 I think the points and previsions I made where pretty neat!! In my defense, it was pretty impossible to predict the anime would have ended with this season. I always feel honoured when friends and Anon ask for my opinion, I'm like "you wanna know what I think? Wow. I'm flattered (◍•ᴗ•◍) " Thank you to anyone who ever sent me an ask!!

#5: Why Emma not wearing pants is 𝕨𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕘

Date: Jan 29th 2021 Really proud of this!!! Pants Emma is important!!!!!

#6: Post episode 5 manga Emma analysis

Date: Feb 4th 2021 A depressed analysis, but a necessary one 😔

#7: Norman analysis

Date: Feb 12th 2021 I love him!!!! And I'm happy I eventually got to put down in words what I love about his character. The day I posted this ww3.readneverland was in maintenance so I couldn't use the volume scans for it- the thought of that post having fan edited and fan translated scans still haunts me

#8: RayDon rambles

Date: May 12th 2021 I had a blast writing this and like. It's likely the post of mine I reread more often of them all. I love this ship tons!!!!! I'm satisfied with how I put down in words what I like about them. I LOVE THIS SHIP

#9: Chapter 58 analysis

Date: May 23th 2021 I've wanted to express this concept since like the first time reading the manga- I'm so happy I finally did!!!! This concept is one of my absolute favorite things about tpn- the feelings that people are good. The concept that kids who got to live in an healthy and supportive environment will always be inclined to kindness and altruism, because humans are just inherently good. From the Three Character Classic: “people at birth are inherently good”. I want to have faith and courage to hold on the goodness in myself, and to hold on the goodness in the world, no matter how difficult it to do that (Chloé Zhao).

#10: Norman and Lambda squad relationship analysis

Date: May 24th 2021 I think this was a pretty sharp analysis and I like what I did with it!!

Other stuff:

#1: Krone birthday edit

Date: Jul 15th 2020 This edit is so good ;; Like not perfect since it was my first attempt at coloring gifs but still I believe it turned out so good ;;;;;; The time and effort that went unto this is crazy, but... Maybe I'm happy to have dedicated time to something I like for a satisfying result.

#2: Get to know my ship- Wolfpack Trio

Date: Aug 24th 2020 Uuuh a good post. A good ship.

#3: Gilda + blank glasses

Date: Aug 27th 2020 This is such a cute nice compilation!!! I love looking at it. A few panels are missing but still :')

#4: Apollo Ray AU

Date: Sep 7th 2020 (Though it was written Sep 2nd 2019 lmao) I'm so happy I finally gathered the courage to post this 😭😭 I really enjoy what I did with this AU, so this one and its other installments are all posts I have a lot of fun rereading. More than everything, I was astounded and overjoyed by the positive response it got: that gave me tons of confidence to put my ideas out there, no matter how unique they sound!!! Here's to hoping I will be able to post my RayEmma Hadestown AU, by other big AU from late summer 2019 :')

#5: TPN timeline project

Date: Dec 2nd 2020 This is like. I don't know it's a lot ahah. Arguably the project I'm the most proud of ever making. I'm just so happy of all the months long hard work and of the final result!! The post didn't receive much response (though the ones I got were extremely kind and sweethearted so that totally makes up for it), but in the end I don't really mind? I'm just so proud I accomplished that idea :')

#6: TPN calendar

Date: Jan 4th 2021 A nice sum of the tpn timeline + everyone's birth dates!!! I really like how it turned out visually. It's a cute little tpn calendar!!!

#7: Ray smiles compilation

Date: Jan 17th 2021 Ray's smile. That's it that's the post :')

#8: Trans Oliver headcanons

Date: Jan 24th 2021 MMMH really like this headcanon I think about it a lot

#9: Thoma and Lani theory

Date: Jan 28th 2021 I really don't want to brag but this is the best joke I've ever made :')

#10: My TPN AUs

Date: May 10th 2021 Ok you gotta admit those are very good AUs, I'm glad to have made a list out of them!!!

#11: Ranking Emma promotional art outfits

Date: May 16th 2021 This is one people seem to have liked a lot which makes me happy ahah. I'm glad to know we can all agree Emma deserves more pants outfits!! Please stop it with the gendered clothing :') This is the post I want to be remembered for

#12: TPN musicals AU part 2

Date: May 20th 2021 A GREAT POST I can't stretch enough how happy I am with those character-song associations. I hope I have time to make a part 3 in the future!!

#13: TPN Drive folder

Date: May 30th 2021 This was born as a way for me to have all the tpn extra contents easily accessible, but I'm happy to have shared it with people- I hope it will turn out to be useful to others too!

#14: TPN s2 recolorings

Date: Jun 12th 2021 A more diverse children cast is good for the soul :')

That's it, this year was really fun!! Thank you to everyone who supported me through it, I can't express how grateful I am for all the kindness and validation I received. Here's to many more months in the fandom!!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*.✧

[dweemeister]

NOTE: Because moviegoing carries risks at this time, please remember to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by your local, regional, and national health officials.

CODA (2021)

CODA, which stands for “child of deaf adults”, is the first Academy Award winner of Best Picture to be distributed by a streaming service. Apple purchased the film for a record $25 million at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival for its Apple TV+ streaming service, barely allowing a traditional theatrical run outside of major North American cities. Does this development hasten the exodus of low- and mid-budget movies away from Hollywood’s established studios for awards season? Is CODA’s success a harbinger for low- and mid-budget movies retreating from theaters altogether, leaving them increasingly to mainstream animation and superhero movies? History will write itself with time, as the COVID-19 pandemic – which accelerated these changes in the film industry – hopefully subsides.

For CODA itself, director Siân Heder’s film contains aggressively pedestrian filmmaking inside a heartfelt story. CODA – even though it was not originally intended to appear on a streaming service – suffers on a larger screen (I saw this in a theater), its lack of interesting cinematography and ordinary editing plain to see. Nevertheless, CODA’s narrative, however predictable and unrealistic, worked its way past most of my cynical fibers, moving me multiple times throughout. A solid ensemble performance can patch up numerous, though not every, imperfection, as CODA exemplifies.

Gloucester (GLAA-stir), Massachusetts is in the state’s northeastern corner, just under an hour’s drive from Boston, and jutting out into the Atlantic. That is where we find the Rossi family: daughter Ruby (Emilia Jones), older brother Leo (Daniel Durant), and parents Frank (Troy Kotsur) and Jackie (Marlee Matlin). Ruby, the main character, is the only hearing member of the family. She wakes up daily at 3 AM to help with her family’s fishing business, balancing fishing with her high school studies. She is a senior in high school, but she does not see herself going into higher education, but will instead continue to assist her family. As the high schoolers sign up for electives, Ruby – her mind distracted by her crush, Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), as he signs up for choir – signs up for choir. No sane person has ever signed up for choir for the first time during their senior year in high school (raising questions about what semester this is and whether this high school has music programs year-round). The choir director, Bernardo “Mr. V” Villalobos (Eugenio Derbez, who acts mostly as if from another movie), quickly identifies Ruby as a natural, raw-talent singer. CODA’s primary conflict surrounds Ruby’s familial commitments and her newfound passion for music.

If you, dear reader, have seen a movie in your lifetime, you probably can predict the narrative beats as they appear. You do not need to personally know any deaf or hard-of-hearing persons to guess how Frank and Jackie receive the news that their daughter is drawing up new life plans. Heder, who wrote the screenplay, makes CODA squarely Ruby’s story. Her successes are framed too often as if they are hers and hers alone to enjoy. In this interpretation, Frank, Jackie, and Leo are obstacles to overcome. CODA too reactively positions the Rossi family as unable to partake in Ruby’s artistry for the sake of generating maximal drama, as well as unrealistically portraying them as overly dependent on the youngest child.

This dilemma of Ruby’s desires clashing with her family rears its head multiple times – something the viewer expects. But too often, this primary source of conflict arrives in situationally manufactured moments. Most notably, Ruby’s duties as her family’s interpreter seem out-of-place in two critical scenes: serving as an ad hoc legal representative during a U.S. Coast Guard hearing after an accident involving the family boat and on a day when a local television news station prepares to shoot interviews with her parents. At some point in their lives, Frankie, Jackie, and Leo all had to reckon with life’s inconveniences without an interpreter – and I imagine they did so successfully, justifiably glad that they overcame an actual or potential misunderstanding. That all three seem so helpless almost all the time makes their deafness more of a shortcoming than should be portrayed. What about actual human shortcomings? Like jealousy, possessiveness, and pride.

Despite the writing framing the Rossi parents’ deafness as an obstacle, two solid character performances from Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin patch up some – though not all – of the flaws in the parent-daughter conflict scenes. Kotsur (2008’s Universal Signs, but principally a stage actor), in particular, effuses an animated warmth even when saying the dirtiest things in the least appropriate setting. By CODA’s closing minutes, one senses Frank’s growth the most – from his initial bewildered dismissiveness of Ruby’s plans to a starry-eyed acceptance of her daughter’s growth. Matlin, too, gives a similarly animated performance, but has fewer moments of emotional epiphany than her co-star. The two veterans steady scene and tonal transitions more ably than any of their co-stars. By virtue of his considerable lack of cinematic experience compared to Matlin, Kotsur’s achievement is all the more impressive.

A lack of thematic and narrative focus also hampers CODA. Beyond the principal plotline of Ruby’s musical dreams, there are subplots aplenty – her “will they or won’t they” tug-of-war with Miles, the Rossi family spearheading a new fishing collective to counter the low prices offered by their previous collective, and insensitive schoolmates who mock Ruby for being the child of deaf adults. Too few of these subplots appear or resolve organically in respect to the remainder of the film. One can already guess what happens between Miles and Ruby, so I will not waste any further space other than to say that the character of Miles has barely any personality in Heder’s screenplay. The issues of fishing pricing collectives and coercive business practices offer a fascinating glimpse of how small-time fishers in the United States conduct their operations, perhaps allowing the audience an understanding of how coercive pricing harms these blue-collar communities. But CODA abandons this touchy subplot – central to the Rossi family’s wellbeing, as well as their fellow fishers – almost as soon as it can in favor of teenage romance and more musical moments.

It also appears that Ruby’s troubles of being The Girl with the Deaf Family are no longer a concern after she joins choir and reveals her wonderful singing voice. A lifetime of bullying that extends into one’s high school senior just does not disappear because of the revelation of a great talent. Discrimination follows her parents and brother into their adulthood, and Heder’s screenplay does the bare minimum to address this. However, the bullying that Ruby faces in the film’s opening third and in the many years before the events of the film mysteriously become a non-issue once everyone learns she is one hell of a singer. I can’t help but think there is a missed opportunity here for the film to say more about how this impacts Ruby’s life and how she responds to it.

CODA also appears to be the sort of film meant to be watched – no, consumed – on a television screen, computer, or phone (yuck!). The paint-by-the-numbers cinematography by Paul Huidboro (2014’s Million Dollar Arm) resembles the unimaginative camerawork seen in almost every television show (TV, even in the best series of the last decade, remains a writers’ medium, not so much one for visualists). With the exception of perhaps the odd shot of the Atlantic horizon, there are few shots in CODA that benefit at all on a larger screen. At times, I felt like I was watching the best-produced Disney Channel Original Movie in a theater. My apologies to those who enjoy more than a handful of Disney Channel Original Movies. The film’s almost-total lack of visual imagination means that it relies almost entirely on its acting ensemble and writing to keep interest – which the former accomplishes, just. And despite my misgivings about Heder’s screenplay, I found myself moved multiple times in CODA. Memories of high school orchestra, though not completely analogous to high school choir, flooded in. As did the general awkwardness of being a teenager once. CODA nails those basic emotions through film’s end.

Upon viewing the final product, one has to ask who is the target audience for CODA? Its intentions are genuine, its representation of deaf and heard-of-hearing people worthy from a basic need for representation. Putting just the simple fact of representation aside, CODA adopts Ruby’s story and needs – arguably coming dangerously close to otherizing her parents and older brother. I am not sure a deaf and hard-of-hearing audience is necessarily as interested in her story alone, and would rather see a more balanced family narrative among our four principal characters. CODA’s unconcentrated screenplay seems to point towards its intentions on providing a storytelling balance – especially regarding the fishing collective subplot. That balance never materializes.

There is a better, more interesting version of this film that might exist. CODA is no film to begrudge on a surface level, yet its artistic choices are without much risk. That sounds like most original films from a major streaming service, unfortunately. Elsewhere, CODA’s producers are – as of the publication of this write-up – in talks to craft a stage musical version of the film in collaboration with Deaf West Theatre (a non-profit whose productions Kotsur has starred in). If it is CODA’s legacy to inspire deaf and hard-of-hearing artists to find avenues of artistic expression in their chosen mediums, what sweet sounds they will make. Cinema would be better for it.

My rating: 7/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[wolfliving]

‘The Postdigital City for Post-Pandemic Times’

*Not a word left to say about “smartness.”

Attendance is free and all are welcome, but please register here: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/about-us/research-events/2021/the-postdigital-city/

Organised by The Centre for Postdigital Cultures, Coventry University, UK.

‘The Postdigital City for Post-Pandemic Times’ will take place online over the course of two days:

Tuesday 15 June, 2021 (12:30pm – 6:20pm BST)  

Wednesday 16 June, 2021 (10:30am – 2:50pm BST)

https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/areas-of-research/postdigital-cultures/cpc-2021-conference/

Keynote speakers:

Binna Choi - director of Casco Art Institute: Working for the Commons

Leslie Kern - Mount Allison University, author of The Feminist City (Verso, 2020)

‘The Postdigital City for Post-Pandemic Times’

All cities can now be said to be postdigital since digital information processing has permeated nearly every aspect of their existence: communication, entertainment, education, energy, banking, health, transport, manufacturing, food, water supply. Yet cities today also face numerous predigital problems: poverty, population density, unemployment, racist state violence, segregation, social inequality, violence against women, climate breakdown and threats to public health posed by novel viruses. 

Given the funding cuts imposed by governments in the name of ‘austerity’, a lot of cash-strapped cities have been forced to reduce their public infrastructure budgets. Britain has closed 800 of its public libraries since 2010, for example – that’s almost one fifth of the total. The coronavirus pandemic has only made the situation worse, and not just in the UK. 

A survey of 760 museum directors by the American Alliance of Museums found that one third of their institutions may not reopen after the outbreak. As a result, the path has been left clear for private providers to enter spaces long considered the domain of the public sector. That many cities are planning for their post-Covid future by looking to for-profit businesses for investment and infrastructure, often partnering with multinational data surveillance companies such as Amazon, Google and Uber, is all the more surprising given the virus has clearly exposed the danger of relying on the private sector. Doing so led to vaccines for diseases with pandemic potential not being developed in advance as businesses perceived them as having insufficient potential to generate profits for their owners, shareholders and investors. The fight against a pandemic only works if everyone everywhere is vaccinated, not just those who can afford to pay for the privilege. The same can be said of other aspects of municipal health and welfare. Cities are only really fit to live in if they provide all of their human and nonhuman inhabitants –– people, animals, plants – with a decent quality of life. The climate and environmental crises have made this clear.  

How can we reimagine our cities for post-pandemic times? And what role can postdigital media, from AI and FemTech to augmented reality and 360 video play in such public placemaking? This conference will examine how artists, activists, designers, theorists, practitioners, publishers and writers can work together (albeit not necessarily without disagreement and dissensus) to intervene in and transform cities for the 21st century world after austerity, the Covid outbreak and the recent Extinction Rebellion, Black Lives Matter and violence against women protests. 

It will explore how postdigital cities, and the cultural institutions within them, can be reshaped, including through the provision of a diverse range of co-created and co-curated alternatives to those currently being offered by the state and corporate realms. It will show how urban citizens and communities can use the infrastructural tools and resources generated by advocates of open access, free and open-source software, p2p filesharing, copyfarleft, ‘piracy’ and the anti-privatized knowledge commons; and how they can build their own anticapitalist, antiracist or antiheteropatriarchal versions of galleries, libraries, archives and museums. By cultivating conditions for a wide range of situated ideas, initiatives and projects, the conference will look to generate a nonharmonious pluriverse of more socially just and environmentally sustainable ways of living and working in the postdigital city.

The conference includes panels on:

Being Public: placemaking with the whistle-blower, the heckler, the killjoy and the protestor / 'She Was Just Walking Home': on violence against women / Publishing and Place: situated knowledges in art and academia / The Immersive City: co-creating with 360 video, augmented and virtual reality / AI and Algorithmic Cultures: from predictive policing to intelligent assistants on phones and in homes.

Participants include:

Adrienne Evans, Debra Ferreday, Devi Kolli, Gary Hall, Ian Bruff, Ian Forrester, Jacqueline Cawston, Janneke Adema, Kevin Walker, Lena Wånggren, Lindsay Balfour, Maria Economou, Matt Davies, Mel Jordan, Nathan O'Donnell, Priya Rajasekar, Ravin Raori, Sylvester Arnab, Vidushi Marda

Find out more and sign up here: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/about-us/research-events/2021/the-postdigital-city/

The conference webpage is here:

https://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/areas-of-research/postdigital-cultures/cpc-2021-conference/

-- Gary Hall Professor of Media Director of the Centre for Postdigital Cultures, Faculty of Arts & Humanities, Coventry University: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/research/areas-of-research/postdigital-cultures http://www.garyhall.info Latest: Book (open access): A Stubborn Fury: How Writing Works in Elitist Britain: http://www.openhumanitiespress.org/books/titles/a-stubborn-fury/ Chapter (open access): ‘Postdigital Politics’, in Cornelia Sollfrank, Shuhsa Niederberger and Felix Stalder, eds, Aesthetics of the Commons: https://www.diaphanes.com/titel/aesthetics-of-the-commons-6419 Video: 'Can We Unlearn Liberal Individualism: Gary Hall in Conversation with Carolina Rito About A Stubborn Fury: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CQiRCib_AU Blog post: 'Combinatorial Books - Gathering Flowers', with Janneke Adema and Gabriela Méndez Cota: https://copim.pubpub.org/pub/combinatorial-books-gathering-flowers-part-i/release/1

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