#BEST TOP REVIEW

[absolutebl]

MY BEST & WORST BLs of 2024

My Top 10 BLs of 2024 are (in order)

1 Cosmetic Playlover

Japan Gaga

I love this little show. It's a classic office BL about the older workaholic who loves his job and the younger upstart who unexpectedly loves his boss.

It’s a hyung romance where everybody is extremely earnest and sweet and pretty about everything. Except our seme, who is slightly unhinged and a little obsessed in all the ways one likes best from Japan. Utterly charming unexpected gem of a show. What fun!

Already in hard rewatch territory.

2 Love For Love's Sake

Korea iQIYI trigger suiside

KBL isekai about a man who must win a game by convincing a reserved teen outcast to fall in love with him. Of course, that teen represents himself and his own unhappiness. Like many queer narratives, this show is actually about self worth, trust, and found family, and it is VERY on the nose. But I don’t expect subtlety from my BL and I enjoyed it's truly lovely redemption arc and earnest performances. The narrative tension is tight, and the pacing is killer.

That said, I did find the flow a touch disjointed with overworked filming angles and poorer than average captions, but the consistency of tone, script, and immersion is spectacular, beyond the norm for BL (even KBL). You will drown in this show and like it that way. The leads have fantastic chemistry and it's ultimately highly rewatchable and utterly charming, which counts for a lot.

3 Unknown

Taiwan YouTube

Unknown is a wonderful BL with a pitch perfect portrayal of long term pining, age gap, and the stepbrothers trope. The acting and chemistry are ON POINT (especially from the leads) which made the resulting characters very believable.

When it dwells in intimate family drama, it's stunning. It's slightly less successful when it leaves the home and goes gritty. It's few flaws are the result of curtailed length. It could have used more breathing room to deal with side plots, characters, and companion character development. The editing was occasionally choppy and packed with flashbacks that broke the emotional tension. Still, those are mere quibbles for me. This is an excellent show based on one of my favorite old school BL tropes that I know I'm going to be recommending for a long time.

4 We Are

Thai iQIYI

I unabashedly loved show. It was slow to find its stride (I didn’t get into it until ep 6!) but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. It’s a soft ensemble piece with multiple couples and very little plot, but I didn’t care because it’s not trying to be anything more substantial.

Essentially, this was a series of vignettes covering one year of uni for a queer friendship group finding love, new friends, and laughter. It’s not being harsh with us or it’s characters the way some offerings of this ilk have been (side eyes Friend Zone and Only Friends) nor did it tumble into Gen Y chaos. In fact, this reminded me more than anything of a refined Love Sick - just with older characters and occurring within a genre that has matured over this last decade. It has that close queer friendship group meets earnest gentleness that made me adore Love Sick and Make It Right so much.

In other words, this was Thai BL at its finest, finding it roots again 10 years on, but also stretching upwards and showing us what it could do with that original seed. So? I adored it. Did it blow my mind? No. But it left me smiling and made me belly laugh quite a bit.

5 Cherry Magic (Thai remake)

Thai grey

A soft charming warm hug of a show about crushes and mind reading and self worth that really worked for me. With no-fuss execution from a consummate team and an OG lead pair (proving why they remain eternal and deserve to grow up).

Look, here’s the thing, Cherry Magic is a great Thai BL in its own right - not comparing it to any other iteration. But even when I do compare (and I've seen all the Cherries and read the manga) it stands strong.

I, personally, like the Thai BL slightly better than the Japanese live action yaoi, but I think that’s because I just really enjoy Thai BL's style and I LOVE TayNew (who may be my favorite OG branded pair still in operation). Also all the kissing was both present and better in this version. As it should be from Thailand.

Highly recommended.

6 Wandee Goodday

Thai YouTube

Such a FUN show. A charming quintessentially modern Thai BL about a doctor and a boxer who start as a one night stand and then fall in love. Great rep for everything from Muay Thai, to safe sex, to FUN sex, to ace, to bisexuality, to smiley kisses, to the first legal gay wedding in a Thai BL.

It’s a delight and I enjoyed (almost) every single moment of it. With out question it's best traits are active positive representations of green flag boys, communication, and grown-up relationships but the chemistry is ALSO on point. I personally can't (and don't) ask for much more than this from my BL.

Highly recommended as one of 2024's best pick-me-ups.

7 The Sign

Thai YouTube

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it.

Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was.

Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not.

Was it also a charming, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing.

I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired.

Is it perfect? No. But it was balls to the wall FUN.

Emphasis on balls.

8 Century of Love

Thai Gaga

This is a very pretty drama about a young man who fell in love with a nice girl 100 years ago, and when she died in his arms, he was cursed to live until he could meet her reborn self. Only this time around, she’s reborn into the body of a man. Or is she?

I love it when Thailand gets all up in its own historical business and reincarnation and shizz. I like this pair (it’s not DaouOffroad’s fault I didn’t enjoy their first series.) Daou’s wushu is snazzy and we got a unique meet cute. (Erm… Remeet cute? Meet cute 2.0?)

Ultimately, this is I Feel You Linger in the Air + First Love Again, rather than (as one might expect) Until We Meet Again or The Director Who Buys Me Dinner.

The leads turned in great performances, although Daou outclassed everybody else on that screen by making us really believe he's over 100 years old.

It’s a good story and a great BL and I can’t find any major faults with it beyond a certain level of camp that is sadly endemic to lakorns. I’m going to give it credit as the kind of BL that one could safely recommend to lovers of melodrama and historical romance, without having to qualify it as “good for a BL.”

It was, to put it succinctly, a VERY ENJOYABLE show.

9 Sugar Dog Life

Japan grey

This is a phenomenally charming and adorable little romance about a forlorn university kid and the police officer who adopts him. They are relentlessly kind to each other, in fact it’s an extremely kindly show over all (everyone in it is so nice to everyone else including us) so there’s very little tension. But what it lacks in drive, angst, and complexity it makes up for in earnest acts of service and simple affection.

These two are basically boyfriends from the get-go, it’s just one of them acts like it and doesn’t realize it and the other one realizes it and has to figure out how to make it a reality. It’s incredibly sweet and incredibly wholesome, nourishing but delicious.

Everybody who can, should watch this show. It will make you feel better about life.

10 The Rebound

Thai iQIYI

I am well aware that objectively this show was, erm, NOT good. But this was a sports romance Thai BL pulp with everything I could have asked for given this sub genre. More, actually, since MeenPing are both great basketball players and the team component really did form part of the connective tissue of the show (vital in a sports romance IMHO since these are band-of-brothers narratives).

Meen has his shirt off within the first two minutes which is all I needed but he's still pretty great as the sullen secret-keeper against Ping's cheerful survivor - childhood sweethearts torn asunder and now reunited. Then Frank sweeps in to give everyone a bad case of second lead syndrome.

I always try to judge BL for what it is AS BL, and what it’s trying to do within its own territory and purview. This did exactly what it claimed on the tin: gay boys play b-ball and fall in love. That was all I wanted from it. Sure there was random kidnapping and a light bought of mass murder, but what’s a BL in 2024 without a touch of the mafia? You do you little pulp, I’m disposed to be pleased.

These BLs all got 9/10s from me. Unlike in 2023, I did not hand out any 10/10 to any BLs in 2024.

The 13 BLs That I DNFed in 2024

(no particular order)

7 Days Before Valentine

Bad Guy My Boss

Bad to Bed

Beside You

Close Friend 3 Soju Bomb

Happy of the End

Kiseki Chapter 2

My Universe: Refund Love

Ossans Love – Season 2 (5 years later)

Playboyy

The Hidden Moon

The Whisperer

Time the series

You can consider these my "worst BLs of 2024." I am no longer a BL completest, too many aired in 2023 and it broke me. I now DNF all whenever I feel like it.

Codicil

I only carefully track/watch Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Other countries are not fully represented.

2024 - My Numbers

So my spreadsheet chronicled 109 BLs that finish airing in 2024 (down substantially from 138 last year). Japan has increased production slightly (length and consistency), Taiwan stayed steady, but Korea cut back - as did Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.

73 = watched & reviewed (almost 30 less than 2023! I fell off the wagon in a big way)

3 = I'm still thinking about watching/finishing (4Minutes, Blue Canvas of Youthful Days, Spare Me Your Mercy)

20 = CNF (could not find)

13 = DNF (which accounts for how few very low scores I handed out, I just stopped watching). Speaking of which...

Ratings spread

(# of stars. & # of BLs given that rating)

0 (see DNFs instead)

1 - IT'S DEPRESSING they killed the gay, save yourself

1 - I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM WATCHING AND NEITHER DOES IT

3 - FATALLY FLAWED but still basically BL, however… do we want to support this kind of behavior?

3 - WATCH IF YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO but don’t expect much, it’s a total hot mess

9 - WORTH WATCHING BUT FLAWED probably around the ending or in narrative structure/cohesion or censorship

24 - RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS i.e. isn’t quite BL, convoluted, not strictly HEA, too short/long, or chemistry issues

22 - RECOMMENDED some concerns around tropes (like dub con) or story structure but still satisfies as BL

10 - ABSOLUTELY RECOMMENDED probably a few pacing issues or one flaw

0 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED faithful to tropes, happy ending, good chemistry, few flaws, high rewatch potential

Favorite 2024 call out?

The Sign's nod to UWMA

Most adorable meta moment of 2024?

Wandee Goodday

Most stunning execution of a traditional trope in 2024.

Began Beginning (the shoulder lean)

(source)

[threestarsinline]

The fact that Jason Todd has made it to the top 24 of 2024 on Tumblr is so iconic

[spiltcandycoatedpunkblood]

so was that legitimately fake outrage at Watcher being "greedy capitalists" that people are now gonna go watch the try guys who are doing the exact same thing?? where's the outrage at their wealth and how they spend their money? why does Keith get people just watching him eat at expensive restaurants, but it's terrible seeing Steven go to expensive restaurants to eat food? it's got nothing to do with "the try guys did it better!!!" it's the fact that you got so outraged because of how much the economy is in shambles and people can barely afford food, let alone another streaming service, and now suddenly it's a great thing seeing the try guys be able to improve their situation with one!! I thought the whole point was that we didn't need another one!! what is it???

it's just obvious that they've both done similar things, but people are taking more issue with the creators of colour for daring to grow and move forward. EVEN AFTER THEY ALTERED THINGS AND GENUINELY APOLOGISED even whilst being fucking eviscerated online. and instead of being helped and understood by their white friends, they get fucking shaded by their friends with a sofa joke and "not to name names" bullshit

what is it with people of colour being left in the dirt by their white friends and/or costars???

[leupagus]

Poll time! Since Dragon Age: The Veilguard is only about a month away, I need to gird some loins. So please answer as best describes you.

And finally if you did play any of them, please tell me if/who you romanced in the games (yes that's a big part of the games, yes it's amazing) in the replies.

[lighthouseshepard]

I know you just had top surgery - how was it? How was the healing process? I’m scared to death of surgery but I desperately need these off

HI NYX!!! ok im gonna try and be as brief and concise as possible because theres honestly quite a lot i could talk about but! heres some thoughts under the cut

so honestly as someone who has had a few surgeries in the past for other medical issues - this ranked VERY low on the pain scale. maybe a 4/10 tops at its worst (although i do understand everyone is different). the surgeon kept telling me "many people do not find this operation particularly painful" and i did not believe him one bit until afterwards. i had prescription pain medicne and antibiotics to take, but honestly i only needed the prescription medicine for about 3 days, and then after that i was fine with tylenol. after a week really i didnt need to take anything consistently, it was here or there if i happened to start moving around too much.

the worst part for me overall was the BANDAGES. after you wake up youre gonna be wrapped within an inch if your life with ike 2 inches of gauze and tape and an ace wrap holding it all together. if you have drains (which i did) you can't shower until they're out and the bandages come off, anywhere from 5 to 7 days usually. mine was 7 days and i was miserable. the drain emptying wasnt that bad tbh, someone helped me the first 2 times and then i was able to do it myself afterwards. if youre bad with blood or bodily fluids then youll def need someone to help you there. the drain removal process, to be completely honest, was. also bad. it lasted maybe five seconds per drain but i didnt breathe right like they told me to and had a vasovagal reaction and passed out. i dont say this to dissuade you! but it was not pleasant

the main thing probably is gonna be stiffness and soreness. you literally won't be able to do anything with your arms for at least a few days - its bordering on 2 weeks for me and im just now able to pull a shirt over my head without stiffness. you DEFINITELY will need someone to help you with basic tasks those first few days, getting food, getting dressed, etc. some ppl get bruising on their chest just from the skin being manipulated and etc but surprisingly i havent had any bruising yet?

also!! again some places differ, but mine was a same day surgery. after a few hours of waking up i was able to be bundled into the car back to the hotel. youre gonna be really groggy but i was able to walk just fine, albeit very slowly with help. the surgery itself was the blink of an eye to me. i remember them putting an o2 mask over my face and then i was OUT. seconds later i was being dragged up out of unconscious well by the nurse's voice.

ill say too, i 100% understand the nervousness and fear. the 2 weeks leading up to the surgery were like. awful andnsnjf. i was so anxious and terrified of the pain only to find it genuinely was not that bad at all. you know the this too shall pass lighter i have. i slept with that clutched in my hand the entire night before surgery. it was very much a "do it scared" situation and having those things of comfort and reassurance whatever they are to you can help immensely. and i did do it! and the relief i felt a week after when i finally got to see made literally all of it worth it. theres still healing to go (i took a month off work also) but im taking it very slowly and trying not to rush enjoyment of this body c: most of the healing process has been letting the body do its natural work and being patient with it, a thing i am usually not. i still have to dress the area for another 2 weeks maybe, but then i can start scar care!!!

[halastar05]

Thoughts on Mastermind

(So yeah spoilers ahead)

So after letting my thoughts on the episode settle a bit and giving myself time to analyze, I have a LOT to say.

So first of all… yeah I think this is officially my new favorite Helluva episode.

I think this episode was pretty well paced (a little fast, but there was a LOT to cover) and also did a surprisingly good job at balancing the drama and humor. Also obviously ADORED the IMP found family showcased in this episode, they were entertaining in the first scene, and heart wrenching at the court.

Now for a bit more analysis, the way they handled the writing was REALLY interesting here. While first watching the episode, I was a little confused about Andrealphus’s plan, but after thinking about it… it’s scarily clever.

He knows that Stolas is smart in his own right, if he straight up brought him to court, he’d find a good way to argue. He knows how to work this type of stuff as shown in Oops. But if they brought in only Blitzø, they knew Stolas wouldn’t see until the broadcasted execution. He would have no time to form a concrete rational plan, Andre wants him to either act irrationally, or make himself look like a fool and incompetent. No one knows exactly what he’ll do, but Andre is giving Stolas as little time as possible to think it out. The hope is that he acts as irrationally as he has before.

And even if Stolas didn’t come, Andre purposely tries to make Stolas seem weak and somewhat helpless, incompetent. All the while he makes himself look an almost better version of our favorite bird. His backup plan is to make Stolas look incompetent and vulnerable, while it may be less immediate, with Stolas’s already somewhat declining reputation, this would make it easier for him to take Stolas’s title.

And despite being EXTREMELY irrational, Stolas did a pretty good job with his plan in my opinion. First of all, he brought ALL the theater kid energy in the song (which was an absolute banger by the way, I don’t care how cheesy the Stolitz part was I LOVE CHEESY) and did a great job playing the part. To me, this is proof that he had finally started to realize the classism. This is the type of part you can only play by understanding it even if you don’t necessarily believe it. He plays up the the classism and distaste for imps, he uses the fact that the other royals see them as useless and incompetent. And honestly, I think it was smart of him to be so vague in the song. Once again, he didn’t have a lot of time to think this through, and he somewhat used this to his advantage. Being vague added an air of mystery and made it seem like more of an unpredictable threat. He’s building up the fact that this mastermind has a dangerous plan, something possibly having to do with taking over the mortal realm. And then when he reveals himself to be the “mastermind”? Well of course he wouldn’t expose any of his “future plans”, Stolas is playing as someone who just wants the recognition and to be feared. Someone arrogant, feeling offended that an imp was getting the credit for his crimes. Claiming he has more planed while not naming those plans makes him a threat and will draw away almost any blame from Blitzø.

And of course this plan is impulsive, but he barely has any time to plan. He arrives right before the axe is about to come down on his lover’s neck. His only goal right now is making sure Blitzø stays alive. In the song he even acknowledges how impulsive it is to throw everything away for this idiot he is still frankly mad at. But he’s learned he can choose his fate, and that’s exactly what he’s doing.

And of course I ADORED the Stolitz in this episode, they were both so perfectly dramatic and the absolute SOFTNESS in the last scene had me making absolute demonic and feral noises. But, despite this somewhat being a closure to the season 2 Stolitz drama (however we do still have Sinsmas) I’m happy they’re still leaving room for more angst even with them now being able to properly blossom. This episode did an EXCELLENT job at showcasing the classism via the unfairness of the court case, so it feels fitting that at the end the power dynamic almost switches. Blitzø is now a celebrity amongst imps and lower class demons, while Stolas essentially lost everything, including his daughter. And while I definitely think this is setting up for angst in at least the next episode (in which I very much think they’re going to go and try to save Octavia from her bitchy mother), this power dynamic is going to feel different, because while there is still somewhat a power dynamic now, there is also a much larger level of understanding between the two of them. They now feel more capable of facing this together, there is less doubt of feelings. I’m REALLY excited to see how they handle this, and yes I also am an absolute sucker for hurt/comfort.

Those are most of my major thoughts in this episode. I loved every single part of this beautifully dramatic episode (yeah I expectantly loved Vassago) but most of the other things I would bring up have already been said. Plus this post is too long so yeah that’s it for now.

[emilyscastlevania]

Rite Here Rite Now (2024)

[agentnico]

Top 10 Best Movies of 2024

Happy New Year everyone! Thank you to the two or three of my blog readers or the random Tumblr users who come across one of my reviews - always appreciate you spending your time reading my gibberish. 2024 - what a disappointing year for cinema. Naturally a primary cause for this was the SAG-AFTRA artist strike in 2023 that has had a ripple effect, however another reason would be that Hollywood is more-than-ever running out of ideas. It’s not that there were particularly bad movies, but more so okay films that left one underwhelmed. From big budget fare such as Gladiator 2, Moana 2, Deadpool & Wolverine, Argylle, The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim offering limited but forgettable entertainment, and even the indie market struggling, as I found myself hardly captivated by the likes of Longlegs, Drive-Away Dolls, The Vourdalak, MaXXXine and The Return, to name a few. It’s been a very so-so year. Nevertheless there’s always some movies that manage to offer that element of escapism we all seek from the theatrical journey, so here are my picks for my favourite films of 2024 (in my humblest of opinions of course)…

[DISCLAIMER: I have not yet seen A Complete Unknown and The Brutalist, so those will not be considered on this list, though I am very much looking forward to seeing both, especially The Brutalist]

HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Juror #2; The Last Stop in Yuma County; Challengers; The Beast; A Quiet Place: Day One; Late Night with the Devil

10 - WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL - “He’s back! Again!” So I have been absolutely sleeping on these Wallace & Gromit joints. Me and my wife were in stitches after watching this new Aardman stop motion with its irreverent humour and wacky hijinks. Wallace is a self-absorbed prick, Feathers McGraw is one of the best silent villains in cinematic history and Gromit is bae. After seeing it we have since been on an endless binge of all the Wallace & Gromit shorts and films on BBC and have fallen in love with this cheese-loving mongrel of an inventor and his loyal friendly doggo. Yet Vengeance Most Fowl I still believe is maybe their best outing yet, as it takes everything that is great about this franchise and delivers it in one entertaining hilarious package. Also I can only imagine how much time it takes up for Aardman to do all the stop motion animation, with it taking weeks to make maybe only 30 seconds of footage. It’s impressive, and the result is one of the most heartwarming comedic gold features of 2024. Oh, and those Peter Kay one-liners are on point!

9 - FLOW - The Robot Dreams of 2024. A wonderful, beautiful and immersive experience- a true vibe of a movie. Still questioning how these animals know how to drive a boat, but I’m happy to suspend my sense of disbelief and assume these creatures went to boat school in favour of admitting that this is my favourite animated feature of this year. Great for cat lovers too!

8 - WICKED - Look, I’m as stumped as anyone about the fact that Wicked is on my Top 10 list. I’m trying to let that sink in…. Wicked in my Top 10… Wicked in my Top 10… Ugghh it grinds my gears it does!! Nevertheless, it’s a perfect adaptation of the musical stage production with catchy songs and superstar turns from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. My wife has also been non-stop singing “woooooo” from Defying Gravity ever since, so she evidently approves too. Now leave me be, I simply must be loathing… unadulterated loathing… For your face, your voice, your clothing… Let's just say, I loathe it all!!

7 - HERETIC - I shall never listen to “All the Air That I Breathe” by The Hollies the same again. Hugh Grant delivers the most entertaining and uneasy religious studies lecture in history, by comparing the Bible and Quran to Monopoly - baller ass move, and a most entertaining little thriller.

6 - CONCLAVE - In my eyes Conclave is a stunning piece of work. It manages to take what one would assume as such a simple premise, yet manages to entangle it with so many threads of twists and turns, as such turning a political and religious drama into a true mystery thriller, with Fiennes character acting as a detective, unravelling the dirty secrets of all the Pope candidates. Partner that with the great acting, sublime cinematography and a slow but engaging pace with a script filled with wit and realism, and we have ourselves one hell of a motion picture! Oh, and less one forget about the most diabolical vape hit ever!

5 - THE SUBSTANCE - Conclave may feature the most diabolical vape hit of the year, however The Substance takes the win for the most obnoxious chewing of shrimp ever put to screen! The Substance is the type of movie that is made to shock and unsettle an audience. There’s a lot of disturbing imagery, with blood and gore and body horror, very reminiscent of horror films of David Cronenberg like The Fly and Naked Lunch. The final 30 minutes especially are so fun to watch with a crowd of people in a packed theatre, as it’s the kind of visceral and grotesque experience that is at the same time disgusting, horrible yet funny. Let’s not even sugarcoat it - the final 30 minutes are so f-ed up and it was a thrill to experience that with an audience, hearing the gasps and squirms from fellow moviegoers. Definitely up there as one of my favourite cinema trips.

4 - THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO - Some stories a worth retelling. The sets are great and really invoke the post-Napoleon era of France; the costumes are gorgeous; the music score is grandiose and epic, really engrossing you in this decade spanning saga of revenge; the classic Alexandre Dumas story is reinterpreted so well with the themes and the emotion, and the acting across the board is superb.  Truly grandiose in scale, and Pierre Niney is effortlessly cool as the titular count, playing him off as a, dare I say, French Batman. So cool, so awesome, so very French.

3 - HUNDREDS OF BEAVERS - Hundreds of Beavers is one of the most creative, inventive and entertaining comedies of the last decade, and I had a smile on my face from start to finish. From the punchy editing, funny music cues, well-timed cutaway gags, goofy costumes or the endlessly creative deaths, this thing has so much unhinged energy it’s unreal. This slapstick comedy offers the perfect rebuttal to “they don’t make them like they used to.” 

2 - FURIOSA - It was upon my second viewing, with an avid pairing of a glass or two of gin mind you, that I really accepted how spectacular this movie is. It’s a fricking sin that Chris Hemsworth is not getting any awards recognition for his turn as the diabolical Dementus - he bloody OWNS this role! Anya Taylor-Joy comes late in the game but does rule as a revenge stricken Furiosa, but I’d actually say that Alyla Browne deserves more praise as the young Furiosa, giving one of the most raw and bare bones child-actor performances of the last decade! The scene where her mother gets crucified…. this kid felt it and WE felt it! CGI is tacky at times; but to counteract that there are some ace action scenes…. dudes parachuting off motorbikes whilst blazing in fire is so METAL! I usually hate prequels as I don’t see the point in them, but this is that one rare exception where it truly allows one to unravel more of The Wasteland through the lense of a fantastical and engaging narrative. Sad to think this may be the last Mad Max flick due to the box office failure. Shame -I’d happily dig another! 

1 - DUNE: PART TWO - To use The Lord of the Rings terminology, and boy am I happy to refer to the dear-to-my-heart Middle Earth whenever I have the chance, then Dune: Part Two holds the scale of The Two Towers. I may not agree with all of it, and there are still some moments I believe drag, though The Two Towers is also guilty of that - I’m looking at you Treebeard! But overall this is one hell of a cinematic experience and achievement. I heavily disliked the first movie, so going into this one I was prepped on hating it too. However Dune: Part Two is a masterclass of science fiction storytelling. No other movie in 2024 has provided me with such a visceral and invigorating feeling of cinematic experience. I was completely lost in the deserts of Arrakis, enamoured in the rise of the Lisan al Gaib. Oh, and that Hans Zimmer’s music score - electrifying!!

In conclusion, 2024 excelled in the horror genre, while the two best films are both set in the desert. Take that as you will. Anyway, onwards with 2025! If you liked this, please follow me on Letterboxd for my immediate reactions: https://boxd.it/9wQGT

[puppppppppy]

if escape rooms as team building exercises became popular im not sure if id be more excited or terrified

[freshthoughts2020]

[absolutebl]

Quick Pitch

It happens so rarely, but guess what? New member of the 10/10 club!!! 

Our Dating Sim

South Korea 2023 - on Viki 

Tropes: second chance AKA reunion romance, office setting, nerds in love, sunshine/tsundere

From production house Heavenly (and it was). Where did this BL come from? Well Korea, but seriously. I had no idea it was happening until it started dropping and then I was ALL IN. It’s so stinking cute. 

I loved this little gem of a show. 

This is my ideal BL! A classic second chance romance of two nerds in love with a workplace reunion and good kisses. I’ve been waiting for KBL to give us exactly this for a long time. 

I enjoyed every aspect from the casting to the very simple premise to the quietly smooth execution. Sure it’s very low stakes, but that makes it high domesticity and extremely warm and gentle. This is a fuzzy blanket of a story. The thing it reminded me of most was To My Star. 

Do we call this cozy BL? Why not? This one is going to live in my rewatch pile, I can tell already, and you know what’s best about it? Every single episode is in that pile. There’s no skipping episodes with this one. It might be good natured and calmly sweet but it’s tight and the pacing is excellent. It perfectly suited KBL’s short-length tendencies. 

10/10 

I cannot recommend this show highly enough. 

(source)

[shiftingh001]

Porsche GT3 RS

The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a high-performance sports car renowned for its exceptional engineering and track-focused design. Part of the iconic 911 series, the GT3 RS boasts a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine, delivering impressive horsepower and a distinctive, high-revving sound. With a lightweight construction, advanced aerodynamics, and precision-tuned suspension, the GT3 RS offers an exhilarating driving experience both on and off the track. Its aggressive styling, characterized by a prominent rear wing and aerodynamic enhancements, underscores its racing pedigree and commitment to performance.

[thereadmind]

If you’re on a journey of self-improvement like me, you’ve probably come across Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset. It’s one of those reads that really makes you stop and think about how you approach life, challenges, and even your own abilities.

Read the summary, follow and reblog if you enjoy the content 👇🏼

[br1ghtestlight]

NOT THE ENGAGEMENT RING STILL BEING IN THE BIRD NEST LMAO

loving this morning routine so far. we rarely get to see into characters lives outside the belcher family (obviously i mean. its their show) but this morning routine feels both painfully awkward and Very real in a way that we don't see with the belcher family in the same way?? their house is always so chaotic and LOUD with so many people and siblings but this is just rudy and his dad. its not exactly missing the love and warmth but its very intentionally different vibes

god rudy's dad is trying so hard :( compared to the natural and fun interactions of the belcher family this is just.... a very stark contrast with rudy's dad trying and failing to relate to rudy on his level

RUDY THINKS HIS DAD IS EMBARASSING OHHH :(

assuming that this Fancy dinner is rudy and his parents getting together every weekend (with tonights dinner being with his mom's new boyfriend) and CLEARLY does not enjoy it and finds it awkward its kinda funny that they keep doing them. like his parents probably don't like each other very much AND rudy hates the dinners and its awkward and uncomfortable like do we really need to keep doing this. is it worth it. are they trying to stay connected like a normal family while also very clearly disliking each other?? who knows im excited to find out

like "you've always been a trooper" IF THE DINNER ISNT FOR RUDY THEN WHO IS IT FOR LMAO???

and we all love you so much 😭😭

love seeing the belcher family in a non-focused setting like you can tell this episode is about rudy so it makes seeing the belcher family feel almost like?? like WE ARE rudy seeing a friend at the mall rather than them being the main characters. very interesting creative choice

gene is such a sweetie in this scene <3 him walking on the fountain edge

ROUDATHAN

gene got a B- special dinner..... god im sorry his family loves and supports him so much its so sweet :( like gene NEVER questions that he's adored by his family and they think he's amazing. they celebrate all his accomplishments no matter how small uhfghh i need a minute

its his day dad. tina is such a good big sister 10/10 love their relationship

"rudy you should come over for dinner!!! i think its gonna be one of the WORST foods we've ever tried" the belchers are so funny and sweet in this episode bcuz the conflict isn't really about Them and its very enjoyable. like they're just hanging out & having fun

our monthly We're Still A Family dinner with your mom. like SURELY there is a better way

MY MOMS NEW FRIEND ALLEN HES OKAYY 😭😭🤘🎶🎵

ohhh rudy's dad passing his own insecurities onto rudy :( this is so fucked bcuz he doesn't MEAN to do this but he ends up passing on his anxiety and neurotic tendencies onto his son and he doesn't build up his confidence like he should vs the belcher family where they hype each other up to an almost dangerous degree and they're all so happy and confident..... the parallels they are paralleling And it makes me upset. painfully real dysfunctional family relationship

you're the guest of honor....... :( BUT NOT A GUEST BECAUSE YOURE OUR CHILD :(

how on EARTH does this boy end up at the belcher's house for dinner 😭😭

I WAS BORN IN 2002 okay this confirms that louise was definitely not a 2002 baby unlike when the show started because that is a Grown woman and louise is nine. we have figured out some kind of timeline here and for this season louise was canonically born in uhh 2014 OH GOD DHES SO LITTLE. what the fuck gene was a 2012 baby

you know who would liven this party right up?? Louise belcher

BABBBYYY RUDY COMPILATION WITH HIS PARENTS WAHH i dont care that its awkward because he is so small. from this compilation i would guess his parents got divorced when he was around six or seven

rudy using his magic tricks to help the awkwardness of the dinners when that was never his responsibility as their kid... wahh

OHH NO RUDY 😭 this poor boy is having a panic attack somebody needs to save him. but honestly he's the sweetest kid im sure nobody is angry at a nine year old

RUDY IS GOING TO THE BATHROOM AND FULLY RUNS AWAY TO THE BELCHER HOUSEHOLD LMAO ZERO THOUGHTS HEAD EMPTY no plan just vibes. louise is his safe space which is not something i want to think about right now because its too much for my tiny heart. god

(fanfic where rudy has a panic attack and louise helps him through it will be incoming shortly)

rudy crying is going to make ME cry 😭😭

okay gene kissing the ketchup bottles goodnight is very funny that got me to laugh. what is bro DOING

rudy's parents about to file a missing person's report and he is FULLY commiting to the disgusting terrible lasanga dinner good for him!!!! BECAUSE ITS WITH A HAPPY FAMILY THAT FEELS SO COMFY AND SAFE GIVE ME A SECOND.... JUST GIVE ME A SECOND

gene saying he loves rudy. great moment

"rudy are you sure your parents know where you are" is the CORRECT reaction thank you linda lol This boy is very clearly not somewhere that his parents know about and she's being a responsible adult. obviously she would but its just nice that they're treating this situation somewhat seriously. good mama <3

EVERY GENE LINE IN THIS EPISODE MAKES ME LAUGH

rudy in this episode is gonna make me CRY he's so anxious and sensitive and they all love him so much god. like linda and bob are such good parents in this episode and louise is a great friend too. he's so so loved by everybody around him not just his family. and of course he is crying again

LOUISE AND RUDY ARE THE SWEETEST SHES SUCH A GOOD FRIEND SHE CARES ABOUT HIM SOO MUCH her staying for dinner so he feels less awkward and uncomfortable because he always feels safe with her :( what the hell

rudy and louise dinner date!!!!

SWEET GIRL WE GOT THERE SHE IS SOMETIMES ISNT SHE louise is literally the best i dont care if people think she's overrated or too many episodes focus on her. she's amazing and so incredibly sweet and she loves rudy more than anything

ngl when louise smiles and nodded i did think she and rudy were going to hold hands for some reason. roudise week got to me

LARRY MURPHY AS PAUL i knew they would find a way to squeeze him into the episode because he has one of the main credits he has to be in every episode. which is kinda funny tbh Legally contracted to make an appearance as at least one character per episode doesn't need to be teddy

OKAY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE I DIDNT EXPECT THIS TO BE SO LONG this episode was adorable and very stylistically different in a good way?? i loved having a small peak into rudy's home life and his relationship with his parents. loved seeing rudy's mom she seems really sweet and supportive of him :) louise was the BEST in this episode and gene was hilarious as always. bob and linda are great parents and brian huskey did great considering he was voicing about 80% of this episode completely by himself. GREAT episode and a strong start to the season along with episode one!

[theconnoisseurreviews]

Here is my long awaited Top 10 Films of 2024. It's not like any other lists, but it's a crop of films that are important and people need to check out, if they haven't already.

Follow me on my various social media sites @AwesomearnoldK

Or My Tumblr @theconnoisseurreviews