#But then you forget how bad the song is lyrics wise and then they all slow turn to you as if you wrote them?

[indieyuugure]

(For those who don’t know, the song is “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails)

This was probably funnier in my head…

(Please excuse my awful handwriting)

[buff-electra-truther]

I've alluded to the concept a number of times, but here's my redesign for OLC Belle the Sleeping Car wildly roleswapped into a Momma/Poppa figure for Electra, as Belle the GG1. You could probably give her a better name, but Belle is passable enough since all locomotives in the US have bells, I mainly kept it to preserve the flow of her song (see below cut for her version!). Based on their status and appearance in their absolute final running days in 1984. They may look glossy and pretty (if a WILD time warp) but they were on their absolute last gasp physically at this point after running for nearly 50 years, due to a lack of suitable replacement. Her dress follows a similar logic to Greaseball's outfit in that it represents the streamlined cowl, which is why she's less mechanical than most.

Personality-wise, she's also oooooold and based on Ella Fitzgerald, even more heavily than OLC Belle since she's fits perfectly with the time/place/personality of the GG1s. Both started in the mid-30s in New York City, and were noted for being "effortless" and almost unparalleled in their field. I tend to imagine her playing more on the "cute, humble, and improvisational" side of Ella, entering the big race just to have one last good run before she retires, and forgetting lyrics and making up something that sounds natural. In my mind she wins because the tracks are rough and winding, which she's far more used to that the other Nationals, with how decrepit parts of her Northeast Corridor were in the 80s and still are now- experience is a quality that counts for a lot!

She toes the line between OC and AU since she's such a twist on the original but stays largely true to her general concept. I'll call her more of an AU and say anyone is free to use this interpretation if they want, I'm not possessive of it at all.

Realistically she'd be dead as a doornail after 1984 (GG1s will just never run in preservation, they were in such bad shape and would need so much work to function on modern systems you may as well build a new replica). But make a cheeky joke about Controls' mom "sticking the old shell on a new body and not telling the kid" and she can come back. I like to think she'd have a flirty, playful rivalry with Momma/Poppa, she'd make Light At The End Of The Tunnel a duet about how steam is great.... for power plants! The Pennsylvania Railroad just stopped getting more steam engines when it electrified lines vs axing them so she wouldn't have any historical antagonism with them.

Here's my rewrite of Belle's Song largely following the original format, but now about the real history of the GG1s

Speed and youth ain't everything

Experience is a quality that counts for a lot

The sad thing 'bout experience is

By the time you've got it

It's usually all you've got...

I'm Belle, Belle, Belle, the GG1

Had my fifty years of fun

My frame is cracked, I’m almost done

Though in my heart, I long to run

I hauled the folks, I hauled the freight

I made good time, no need to wait

Just couple up and ride with me

I’d get you where you want to be

Once I was the hope for the future, wires run from coast to coast

Service every hour, to everywhere, hauling the post!

Now it’s just tragic…

The war then came, it all fell down

Restriction made the new tech drown

Let autos win, pave over it all

Watched the railroads slowly fall

Still I was a real mainliner, they struggled to replace me

Ran commuter trains into the ground

Down by the sea…. At least it was scenic

Oh, Belle, Belle, Belle, the GG-LOST

I’m worn down, yet I’m still boss

I may not be first class, but I'm not yet worst class

I can still take you when the night is dark

I’m withered, but I ain’t lost my spark

[acaplaya-musings]

VoicePlay 'Zat You, Santa Claus? - thoughts/commentary

Oh I loved this so much! Over on my "main" blog, BismuthBookshelf, I made a post like a week ago (about my favourite non-VP/Geoff Christmas music videos) where I mentioned how I was wanting more jazzy Christmas music, and this might not be the same sort of vibe as Man With The Bag or I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, but it's still great! And of course it's wonderful to see J with the group yet again!

Okay so starting off with the set design: Filmed at Pattycake, duh, and the brickwork kinda looks like a set that VoicePlay and/or Geoff have used before (like Geoff's Shenandoah video kinda?), except for the windows and the vertical wood planks. Idk, I'm writing this before the BTS video is out but I'll update it if I figure anything out (EDIT: yeah the woodplanks were added in for this shoot, and maybe the windows too, as the "bricks" aren't actually bricks)

Love all the Christmas decor, like the carousel and the felt/fabric Christmas calendar(?) thing hanging up, and the tree! (How long did that take to set up and decorate? EDIT: actually Layne's wife Cyndi helped a lot with set design!)) And of course the Voiceplay logo symbol on top of the tree is brilliant. At least a few Patrons have already been wishing for that to be an item in VP's merch store. Also the five stockings hanging up have each of the guys' first initials on them! <3 (From closest to camera to furthest away, it's G, C, J, E, & L).

The guys are all looking very snazzy in this video. Love Cesar's scarf, love Layne's red sweater(?) (the most colour that any of them are wearing in the video), and honestly Geoff is really working that long-sleeve black turtleneck, man! 👀 (And obligatory shoutout to Geoff's hair, of course, *chefs kiss*)

I'm of course just typing this all from the Patreon early access thing, but fun fact: this is both the second Christmas video and the second consecutive video of this year to be filmed without an actual cameraman! But unlike using an iPhone like in the previous cases, this was filmed using a robotic camera arm, fully programmed to the music, able to repeat precise movements with each take! I highly doubt Voiceplay are gonna give up on using human camera operators completely, but this is still a cool thing to have as a potential option for video shoots! (EDIT: it's called "Cinebot", and a guy called Ben Meyers helped out with programming/operating it!)

Right, now time to talk more about the vocals and the song arrangement itself!

As per with previous thoughts/commentary posts, most of these notes are after a second watch, with a few extra thoughts mixed in from additional watches, because as I've said before, the first-time watch is just for the vibes

Y'know when I listened to the cover of Zat You Santa Claus on the Peppermint Winter album, I was like "eh it doesn't really have much of a Christmassy vibe imo, gives me more spy movie vibes?" but like with this version I don't even care (the video makes up for it, it's fine), and by the the time you're reading this post, this song will have replaced the old version in my Christmas Spotify playlist!

On my second watch-through, I had the song lyrics up on my phone (while the video played on my laptop), and that made me realize that a few lines got slightly reworded, and then there's a whole section that's not in the original! The bit where they're singing "he's coming for you/hope you've not been bad" or something like that is definitely new, but not new for VoicePlay, because I went back and relistened to the 2012 Peppermint Winter cover and that section is in there as well.

Doing a relisten of their previous cover also made me realise that this arrangement really is different to the older one, even genre-wise, and I like this one more!

Okay I'm gonna do a third watch-through, pausing to take notes as I go, just to make sure I don't miss anything or forget to mention anything here!

A nice bit of whistling from Cesar at the start! (Seriously can everyone whistle except me? 😅)

"Is that you, Santa Claus?" pfft I love the little bit of dramatic flair Geoff put on the delivery of that line 😁

"Are you bringing a present for me?" ooh that harmony at the start of that line! I don't wanna say it's dissonant, because I'm not a music expert and I really don't know, but it sounded "different" and I liked it!

"Something pleasant that you can present; a present for me" this is one of the main line changes, because in the original (and in their 2012 cover as well, in fact), it's "something pleasantly pleasant for me". But sure, why not change it up a bit?

Eli killing it as always!

Oh man I'm almost tempted to make a screenshot compilation just for the "he's coming to get ya" section alone ngl. All their facial expressions are just so great! I feel like I gotta watch this video five times and just focus on a different person each time!

I'm assuming the YouTube description will confirm it (and/or the BTS video), but Patrons are guessing that "Santa" (the one handing over the present) is Tony, which'd make sense (though I'm also guessing that the voice of Santa would be Eli, since he did the same thing in Mission Jingle Bells and Oogie Boogie's Song, and was "Sandy Claws" in Jingle Bell Rock last year.

UPDATE TO THE ABOVE: Nope, that was actually Bucky as Santa Claus! Or as the YouTube description puts it: "Zat Ur Hands? - Bucky Claus" 😂

Omg now I'm just thinking that it would've been really funny if Geoff had subtly sang "Is that you, Sandy Claws", as a fun little double throwback, lol.

Not sure what I love more - Eli killing it on lead vocals yet again, or Geoff just fully grinning as Eli does so 😄

"Who's there, who is it? Are you - stopping for a -" Layne!!! I love him honestly, and it's always great when he gets a little bit of lead vocals.

J's Louis Armstrong impression was freaking amazing, and so was the scatting!

Yeah I love this song and video so much - it's so fun, they all look like they had a great time filming it, and it's such a freaking vibe!

And that's VoicePlay's final song of 2024 (SIKE! We still got Party Of Your Lifetime to come, but hey, I didn't know that when I was first writing up this post!) other than some VoicePlay Minis and stuff (and Party Of Your Lifetime!). I of course have not a single clue what VP has in store for 2025, but that's just part of the greatness of VoicePlay! You never know what you're gonna get next, but it's always gonna be amazing in its own way.

Happy Holidays, and see you soon for both some 2024 roundup posts from me, as well as whatever Voiceplay has been cooking up next! ;)

[pop-pop-pop-popculture]

WICKED: PART 1 REVIEW 🧹🫧

Oh my GOD. I...I actually... loved this????

Songs/Singing

"No One Mourns the Wicked" - I rate this song a 5/5

"Dear Old Shiz" - I don't really care about this song

"The Wizard and I" - I loved the sense of optimism and excitement in Cynthia's singing, which was important to me (and obviously the character considering the reason for Elphaba singing this), as well as her facial expressions. Honestly... this song ended up being cute. I rate this song a 4/5.

"What is This Feeling?" - I rate this song a 4/5

"Something Bad" - Peter is not the best singer but he's not the worst. Regarding the soundtrack, I love how context was provided before he proceeded to sing. Some of the lyrics and the setup of the song were changed, and I really liked it. Instead of beginning the song in class after everyone except Elphaba leaves, Doctor Dillamond is talking to the remaining animal professors, and that's when the song comes in. I love how eerie and dark it was compared to the Broadway version. I rate this song a 3/5.

"Dancing Through Life" - Regarding the soundtrack, I'm surprised the 'What's the most swankified place in town?' conversation was cut. Anyways, this was such a joy to watch despite the song being almost ten minutes long! Jonathan's tone of energy while singing wasn't steady in my opinion, but that didn't make me like this song any less. His version was good! I rate this song a 3/5.

"Popular" - You know what? Ariana went hard with this one and I was pleased. Her singing was pleasant to listen to compared to how she usually sings as well, and I can tell she took inspiration from Kristin all the while adding her own spin. She clearly had fun singing this one. I rate this song a 5/5.

"I'm Not That Girl" - I don't really care about this song, but I still want to add this: Cynthia has such a beautiful singing voice. I rate this song a 5/5.

"One Short Day" - I like how it started slow and then the energy in all of the citizens singing gradually increased as well as the pace of the song. It's different from the Broadway version and I don't know which one I like better. Now, I simply cannot forget to mention the 'The Wise Ones' interlude during Wizomania... . My heart, man. My fucking heart. 🥹 I’m writing a separate post on the interlude, because it was a lot for me to take in. I rate this song a 4/5.

"Sentimental Man" - I don't really care about this song

"Defying Gravity" - OH. MY GOD. I can't even write out my thoughts on this one (maybe I will another time)... . For now, I'm just going to say that I rate this song a 5/5.

Cynthia and Ariana are good at singing, and they don't sound bad together. I still, and will always, prefer Idina and Kristin, though. However, they made a good duo. Surprisingly, I was impressed, and the two actresses plus the film in general exceeded my expectations. Also, regarding the songs, I have to applaud Stephen Schwartz for rewriting some (if not all) of them to fit the film.

Acting

Most everyone did a wonderful job at bringing their respective character to life! Everyone's chemistry, which truly felt authentic, transitioned well onto the screen. I honestly couldn't tell anyone was acting! It’s clear everyone enjoyed filming this, and you can tell in their performances. The only one whose acting fell a bit short was Jeff Goldblum. Ariana fell flat a few times as well, especially when it came to facial expressions, but she was still tolerable to watch. Her ability to be comical was not that bad either. She clearly took the role seriously and put her whole heart into it. Singing, dancing, acting, etc.

(I decided to write a short summary instead of point out every actor)

Other Notes

I still wish unknown, aspiring actors between 15-19 were casted since Elphaba and Glinda teenagers in act one, but, despite that, Cynthia and Ariana ended up being slightly believable college students

I like the idea of adding new content only if it helps move the storyline forward and/or clear up confusion from the original source, but some of the new content in this film adaptation was unnecessary

Regarding the previous bullet point, there's two that come to my mind: The hot air balloon scene that happens before "Defying Gravity", which literally felt like it went on forever but in reality was maybe 10 minutes at the most, and the part where Elphaba sees her younger self as she's falling. Both parts slowed down the momentum of the song as well as made it longer than it had to be. I'm all here for drama and build up in a song, especially for one like "Defying Gravity", but that was too much. I liked the moment between Elphaba and her younger self, but that should have been placed somewhere else instead of during the song.

Elphaba's outfits: Why was she wearing black the majority of the time? I did not like that. Where was the monochromatic blue outfit in the beginning when we first meet her? Unless my memory sucks, her outfits gradually become darker and then, by the end of act one, she's wearing the black dress. We first see the dress in "One Short Day", but in the film, I think she wore black most all of the time. In the stage production, there is definitely some sort of symbolism with her outfits in act one, but the opportunity was not seized in the film.

I loved Elphaba's hairstyles

Going back to Elphaba's outfits, in order to emphasize her age, which was 17 (as stated in the book), the costume designer should've had her outfits be inspired by things teenagers wear. What even did teenage girls wear in the 1800s, though? Anyways, I know Cynthia isn't a teenager in college and neither did she pass for one, but the CGI kind of (KIND OF) helped. Her outfits, though, did not.

Glinda's outfits: I disliked how the costume designer limited her color palette to just pink. This is Galinda Upland, dude, not Barbie! On Broadway, she wore different colors (my favorite one was the yellow dress, which is worn during "One Short Day"), and as she got older, the colors became less vibrant and more monochromatic, which symbolizes her growing up. Maturing. The second part of this film comes out next year, though, so we'll just have to wait and see if the costume designer recreated the Broadway outfits from part two or not...

Regarding the soundtrack, the original "Dancing Through Life" song is seven minutes long. The length of the one in the film is nine minutes. I'm sorry to admit this, but, eventually, I got bored...

As far as the lines go, the film actually stood pretty true to the script/lines of the stage performance, so that made me happy

Regarding the previous bullet point, a few lines were either changed up, "placed" at different times, or not in the film at all

After everyone was on the boat to head to the Oz Dust Ballroom, Fiyero's face lit up when he saw Boq and Nessarose coming, and I found that so adorable

Speaking of D.T.L., the entire part when Elphaba showed up to the party and everyone laughed at her almost made me cry. Glinda deciding to dance with her and then them two dancing was so intimate and beautiful. 🥺 Ariana and Cynthia really delivered on that part!

Me, whispering out loud under my breath during this part: "A bear raised Elphaba????" 🤨😶 They really should have had the novel character, Cattery, who was the Thropp's nanny, instead, and I know exactly who the actress could have been. Obviously, she'd be a hell lot younger (and prettier).

I appreciated the emphasis on where animals who can talk like humans stand in Oz. Spoiler Alert: They're not on the wizard's good side.

I like Joel Grey better

I didn't care for him too much in the stage performance, but I liked Doctor Dillamond in the film. What a sweet little goat.

The way the Oz guards just carelessly grabbed Doctor Dillamond by the antlers...

Madame Morrible gaslighting Glinda by telling her if she wants to prove her worth and be good (or something like that), then she needs to bring Elphaba back to her and the wizard

Madame Morrible hugging Glinda towards the end of "Defying Gravity"

The entire scene with the lion cub from when we first meet him to Fiyero leaving in the woods with him. So adorable!

Elphaba literally lifting her sister in the air…! I honestly had no idea that that was being insinuated on stage, so I'm glad the film made that part clearer for me.

The poppies Elphaba casted a spell on made the entire class fall asleep. That was such a clever idea and a nice homage to the 1939 film (The Wizard of Oz)! This is not what happened in the stage production, and I didn't mind. I like the film version better.

The part where the wizard was showing off the model was unnecessary and, if I'm being honest, slowed down the pace of the film

Jonathan Bailey can dance, man. Holy shit.

I loved Nessarose’s burning desire to be independent. Another detail I thought was a nice addition to the character was her not wanting anyone to touch her wheelchair without permission.

I love that Nessarose and Boq first met each other on orientation day instead of during "Dancing Through Life", because doing this allowed them time to become friends

I honesty can't wait to see how Marissa handled the transition of portraying a sweet and loving girl who wanted nothing more than to make friends to becoming an insufferable tyrant

The look on Fiyero, Boq and Nessarose's faces when they heard on the radio what Elphaba did was heartbreaking 😢

The way Fiyero and Elphaba met for the first time was great. "Get stuffed!" -Elphaba to Fiyero

Nessarose saying she couldn't watch her sister being laughed at. 😢 I wish, though, that Boq was scripted to say something supportive.

After Glinda said "That’s not fair, I told you a really good one.”, she flopped face down on her bed like she was pouting. What made me laugh, though, was the camera going back to her just for the audience to see that she was still in the same position.

Doctor Dillamond telling Elphaba she has one friend after she told him she doesn’t have any friends. Spoiler: It’s him 🥺.

Jonathan should've been more comically dramatic with the delivery of "...I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow" and Ariana should've been more comically dramatic with her delivery of "The artichoke is steamed".

Although it was cool having a prince bring his horse to university, I still wish Fiyero's grand appearance stood true to the musical. It was honestly so iconic and on-brand for that scandalous, genuinely self-absorbed prince!

The way Fiyero got offended over Elphaba rolling her eyes at him after he waved at her during "Dancing Through Life"

Glinda hesitating to set the humongous straw statue of the Wicked Witch of the West on fire during “No One Mourns the Wicked”

Overall, I give this film a 8/10.

🍁 November 22, 2024 🍁

[invece-sto-sdraiato]

Rant about everybody’s waiting (and some general fandom stuff) cause I finally found words to my feelings:

tw// mental health struggles, anxiety (can you notice that I’ve never done this before 🥲)

Yes, okay at first I was skeptical about the song. Reasons? I’m not entirely sure (yet) but once I heard the whole thing, I was like, “ok, not as bad as I thought, kinda my taste but will take time to grow on me…” by now I can definitely say that it’s super experimental and brave of them to do something like this, so props to that! I think the second half of the song is what really convinced me.

Lyrics-wise? As much as I understood the meaning, the importance they held for bojan, I didn’t see myself actually “getting” them, if you get what I mean. I didn’t understand what they even meant, at first. (well, I couldn’t hear some words in the song properly)

But now these-

What a wonderful life, panicking

A perfect time to get lost in deep, unoriginal line

There’s nothing left, just flight or die

Lonesome and run down

Can’t tell the sky from the ground

Turning around

Okay now… this hit me straight in the gut. (not sure if these are accurate, feel free to correct me) This… doesn’t exactly explain my feelings, but they sure do come pretty close. This made me realise certain things about my personality which I never thought about before. I was never the “take it easy” type and these words…somehow remind me to slow down sometimes… (I’m just rambling here atp)

I’ve always, ALWAYS been a nervous wreck, since maybe I was ten? And I’ve always gotten anxious about so many things (whether they’re in my control or not) for so long, that I just thought it was human nature to feel so much, and I thought everyone else was just better at handling it than me. I’ve never thought to label it or even address it, cause it was so ingrained in my unconscious, to know that it isn’t normal.

So, seeing how important it is that bojan is addressing this issue is not only a big deal for Slovenia, it is for me too. Joining this fandom, I see so many of you being so open, so vocal about things I generally would’ve never dreamed of admitting (it also does NOT help, the fact that I’m from an extremely conservative country 🥲)

The first time I ever felt accepted, or seen was here. People in my life till this point, have shared similar opinions with me, but no one actually got to know me, the real me because there was always that disconnect that somehow made me distance myself from them. Obviously this is all online and I don’t know any of you personally, but y’alls sheer honesty just makes me go waaaahhh (the only word I can think of rn)

And I think, the real therapy for me was talking to @da-proti-toku-grem and @paperphilia thank you so much for your kindness and acceptance. It means the world to me 🥹

(especially the fact that @paperphilia you asked me “are you ok?” after seeing my rant about the jance photo shoot. That is something I will not forget for a long long time.

And maca, obviously our long conversations will always have a special place in my heart (love you!)

Huh, okay this is getting too long. Anyways whomever of the baby boos reads this, just thank you so much for being there, a part of the reason why I’m happier now. This song ended up being therapeutic for me, who would’ve foreseen that lol.

[bulbabutt]

listen im not trying to be a hater i just think tf prime represents something of the moment in time it was made and i dislike it a lot. it clearly is trying to be like the bad movies, stylistically and character wise. it loses its own identity in trying to make a cartoon out of that concept, because it cant.

its full of so many words that it tries to give meaning to, all being names or objects from previous shows, even using song lyrics from the 86 movie, while its central conflict becomes about politics it barely understands. trying to make me care if the decepticons or autobots press the magic button that will restore their home planet because whoever does so will have a POLITICAL edge when the other cybertronians return home (they never do)

it barely grasps what the source of the war was. what starts as revolution against an oppressing class became a war between two guys with differing beliefs on how to achieve justice. but when the difference in their politics is literally 'i will get justice even if it resorts to violence' vs 'i dont believe in violence' and then you HAVE A WAR SO BAD IT CAUSES YOUR PLANET TO DIE you need to grapple with the consequences of that. the characters should bring that up. the vibes between optimus and megatron should be more familiar than they are. like a magneto and professor x thing, a former brotherhood turned sour, but knowing each other better than anyone despite their opposing views.

(rambled on for a while so cut)

in other shows we're left wondering what the history is, seeing these two titans who have been fighting for millions of years, we rarely see any specifics and so we're left to make our own conclusion based on the relationship we see. here its more about making the lore heavy than it is about how the characters back story relate to how they act.

to get into how the characters as a whole interact it seems less interested in making characters seem like real people than the g1 cartoon, which by all accounts was just a silly toy commercial. there is no sense of brotherhood among the autobots and no real love for earths living creatures outside of these 3 children (and the us government). none of the autobots feel like characters, they have no real personality or individual quirks (besides ratchet) and optimus most of all feels like he is just here to stand in the corner of a scene and give a good soundbite line. something vague that somewhat relates to whats being said, it feels like 'well we have peter cullen lets let him say something cool'. style over substance.

meanwhile the decepticons despite being so bloodthirsty and brutal, constantly forget and forgive each other for literally attempting to kill each other every episode. in one episode megatron tells starscream if he doesnt find him worthy of rejoining the decepticons that he will kill him. then we see him watch all of starscreams betrayals from over the course of the entire show, we see no reason he should ever forgive starscream and then at the end he simply.... doesnt kill him. he forgives him and keeps him around. this is supposed to be the scary bloodthirsty megatron who was a gladiator and has no problem with violence, yet he lets the character who stole victory after victory from him live. it makes no sense in this 'the more serious show'. but then it works out cuz starscream just stops being who he was and then just genuinely follows megatron. so. idk i guess the goal was scare him. thats the end of that whole plotline then.

starscream specifically seems too goofy here because he constantly fails at everything. theres a part of how you make this character work thats fully missing here, and thats his sense of self preservation. he doesnt have one. he makes decisions that make no sense, he betrays everyone and walks into traps set by them despite knowing they want him dead just to make him as pathetic as possible. when he loses his t cog its especially apparent because he just. went to the guys that wanted a t cog after destroying bumblebees and hes like "whoopsie oh well" and then is surprised they turn on him and take his. comparing this to the g1 version and saying 'this one makes more sense' kills me. it doesnt. g1 knows when to fold. thats why it feels like knockout feels more like starscream to me, hes the only one calculating and staying quiet until he sees the power shift.

the show is frustrating to watch because it just seems like characters waiting around doing nothing but reacting to things, but in the meantime theyre not really being characters at all, theyre not being enjoyable or lovable to watch outside of their names reminding you 'they are iconic IP, please buy these toys.'

and they dont look very good either, clearly trying to mesh together the overly complicated ugly mess that is the b*yverse with cartoon proportions. specifically anyone designed in that first 5 episode. the designs are all top heavy, their faces so flat mouths so plain, but everyone has these very detailed eyebrows to emote with. in arcees case she even gets detailed eyelashes.

and dont get me started on the 'arcee cant be pink cuz thats a girl colour and shes a girl but shes not a GIRL' problem. you put pink on her as her secondary colour. you put pink IN HER EYES. she has a skirt. she shows off an insane amount of robot midriff (somehow, cuz they painted her like that) her flat face for some reason has lips (which dont even look good, like warped metal around her mouth). so are you trying to design a girl character or not? be fucking honest about it. youre both embarrassed of pink arcee while also doing the same thing, making her small making her clearly the feminine one. and narratively ohhhh dont get me started (also this show decided to keep saying two wheeler in a way that meant girl and thats......ugh)

basically i just think when you try so hard to be so serious you end up being sillier than things that know theyre silly. if youre embarrassed of the media that came before you why even make it?

oh right. brand synergy. to advertise your new streaming network. to show off what cartoons can REALLY be like now. SUPER SERIOUS. SUPER CINEMATIC.

but i think it just didnt say anything about anything. it didnt represent anything. didnt make me care about anyone or any plight. any stakes it tried to add didnt matter. didnt do anything new, didnt really understand anything that came before. threw out ideas stolen from better shows. threw a new paintjob on hotrod, called him smokescreen, but then didnt have the balls to kill off optimus to make that character matter. kinda represents a lot of what i mean just in that regard alone.

i just think ive seen a lot of these shows now and this one has made me the most mad, cuz it is so 2010, its so cynical and mean spirited, its so lazy and cash grabby, its full of in name only references to make you point at the screen and go I KNOW THAT THING! without knowing why you ever cared about that thing.

and while im not trying to say its the worst one objectively (i dont rank shit like that) i am saying at least when it comes to something the masses would consider a 'worse show' like energon or bm or rid, at least all of those have their own identity and theyre not pretending to be something theyre not. theyre not trying to be cleverer than they are.

basically the people who wrote this are the people that wrote the first transformers movie, and that is where this plague of creating soulless reboot/remake/sequels to your favorite nostalgic media that hollywood has been stuck in ever since started, and you can TELL.

[saint-starflicker]

Spring Awakening Fandom Tag

(By @winter-asleepening )

1. How were you introduced to the show?

2007(?) OBC sountrack on compact disk gift from a friend.

2. Seen a production live?

My honest answer is going to get me in trouble around Question 17, isn't it.

3. Dream role/character you relate to most

Ilse Neumann.

4. Favorite male character

Moritz.

5. Favorite female character

Ilse. Is that redundant with Question 3? Martha, then.

6. Deaf West Revival or Original Broadway Cast?

The OBC soundtrack got me through a very rough time in my life, but as far as the cast goes I'm going to say the Deaf West revival cast. I'm glad it was revived, I'm glad that cast is cast in that cast, and I'm glad they're the introduction for a new generation of Guilty Ones.

7. Favorite song

I love them all equally.

8. Least favorite song

...I don't care for Mirror Blue Night.

9. Favorite quote/line

I'm more of a melody person than a lyrics person.

10. Favorite TV performance

Deaf West Touch Me THEY TURNED INTO A BOAT

11. Favorite cast member(s)

I don't really play favorites with cast members, I just try to find what each new actor brings into the role.

12. Favorite cast member moment

I don't really follow the behind the scenes anecdotes either, but Jonathan Groff forgetting the lyrics to Left Behind except for "all things" is as inspirational as it is horrific to imagine going through. If he can get through that and live to tell the tale, then I can get through a bad day.

Also every time Michael Arden says, "All my best ideas come from [ Andy Mientus ]" is like d'aww they're cute together.

13. Do you write fan fiction?

In this fandom, no, I'm more of a reader.

14. Do you make fan art?

I could.

15. Do you cosplay?

Not really...I don't like the late 19th century fashions? I'm more of a Merveilleuse type (no bra no corset just Spirit Halloween chiton).

16. Don’t do Sadness or Blue Wind?

Those are two halves of a whole song!

17. Word of your body or the Reprise?

OBC I did not like the Reprise because even through the Discman (... that's a Walkman for CD's) I had the sense that it was a "comic relief" moment that relied on the existence of gay boys as the joke.

The Deaf West production kept a sense of respite and relief, and some comedy in the relationship dynamic between Ernst and Hanschen rather than playing on preexisting stereotypes...even though it didn't change a word of the script in that scene, which is amazing on a text analysis level like what happened who used the Captain Planet power ring with the power of heart in this scene, what sorcery is this?

So it depends, because the non-reprise Word of Your Body does a narrative job—Melchior haters can feel free to hate, but I can understand what the musical version was trying to go for with his character, and Word of Your Body was part of that.

Groff's Melchior came off more smarter-and-better-than-you but sort of giving up his pretensions in the process of seduction, and I can understand why that aspect might look appealing.

Doyle's Melchior doesn't have that "he's a ruthless boy but maybe i can change him"—I think he plays Melchior as more sad and desperate, and putting that energy into studying is how his Melchior thinks he gets a handle on his own feelings.

McKenzie's Melchior is an oafish, bookish 14-year-old boy trying to act smooth as he condescends to a Deaf girl. He has as much primal sexual energy as a newborn beagle puppy, which to be clear is none at all. I think that can be endearing, that he doesn't really know what he's blathering about in terms of life experience.

Wendla's a consistent constant performance-wise, all three versions I think balance out to a constant average...so it's really the Reprise that determines which one I like better.

OBC Reprise was very much worse than OBC Word of Your Body...but, Deaf West Reprise was a little better than Deaf West Word of Your Body and a lot better than the OBC Reprise. But I like the OBC Word of Your Body better than the Deaf West Reprise, at the same time that I like the Deaf West Word of Your Body an equal amount as the OBC Word of Your Body, contextualized comparatively being different than the chronological context that defines its vibe in an individual show's run time.

18. Touch Me or My Junk?

My Junk as a tune — but the Deaf West Touch Me did turn everybody into a boat, that was kinda cool.

19. Explain the song of purple summer.

Ilse recovered from her trauma and now owns her sexual identity, despite the history of everyone in her home and community doing their worst to her in ways that directly targeted that very intimate part of her. Her story is not the main plot of the show, but the fact that she survived and found personal definition means she now has her own voice on which to carry the wisdom of her life. That will be what heals and inspires others. Red or pink sunsets plus blue evenings make the sky in summer purple. At the end of the day, there still is beauty in living.

20. Explain the song of purple summer (wrong answers only)

Butterflies scatter ergot fungus while they fly around, so everybody thinks that everything looks purple this summer. The sky is purple. The rain is purple. The corn is purple. The horses are purple. The fungus is eating everybody's brains. They're all going to die.

[clarabowmp3]

Top 13 TTPD lyrics this week?

JUST SAY WHEN ID PLAY AGAIN HE WAS MY BEST FRIEND DOWN AT THE SANDLOT I FELT MORE WHEN WED PLAY PRETEND THAN WITH ALL THE KENS CUZ HE TOOK ME OUT OF MY BOX!! STOLE MY TORTURED HEART!!! LEFT ALL THESE BROKEN PARTS!!!!!! TOLD ME IM BETTER OFF!!!!!!1 BUT IMMMMMM NOT

swirled you into all of my poems..................

and all at once,,the ink bleeds,,,,,a conman sells a fool,,,,a get-love-quick scheme,,,,

crashing into him tonight hes a p a r a d o x, im seeing visions am i bad?? or mad??? or wise???? / i Keep recalling Things we Ne ver did messytoPliPkIss howilong for Our Tryst, without every touchingHisSkin how can I be guilty as sin 🙈🙈🙈

the whole of tsmwel bridge but esp in plain sight you hid...but you are what you did......and I'll forget YOU but I'll never forgive the smaallest man...who ever......lived

light camera bitch smile in stilettos for miles! He said! He'd love! Me for! All time!!!!!!!

I crashed into you like so many wrecks do! too impaired by my Youth! to know what to do.....

i just don't understand........how you dont MISS ME, in the SHOWER, and RMB, how my RAIN SOAKED BODY was SHAKING, DO YOU HATE ME, was it HAZING for a CRUEL FRATERNITY i pledged...and i stilll mean...it...... (obligatory 'were you making fun of me with some esoteric joke 😞😞)

and it was written...i got cursed like eve got bit ten, oh......was it punishment...............

andyou said you'd come and get me! BUT you were 25,,, and the shelf life of those fantasies has expired........

breath of fresh air through smoke rings 😊😊

the whole of how did it end. i cant pick 😭

not that i like this song much but....no one's ever had me...not like you......................

[babacontainsmultitudes]

Taylor Playlist :]

Cause if you haven't noticed I've been a bit fixated on my little guy recently and I meant to share this one forever ago anyways. I'll be real, I really didn't bother to figure out the song order for this one.

Track list below the cut + annotations and relevant lyrics :)

(slightly long post you've been warned!)

>> Here you go bestie <<

Seeya (by deadmau5 feat. Colleen D'Agostino)

“Don't wake me up, I'm winning wars inside my head

And maybe I'm weak, but not beneath the covers of this bed

Asleep, I'm undefeated in this world of mine

So, let me stay inside this dream and keep me from the light

(…)

I've built this place, behind my eyes, you'll never see

And you can move my body, but please keep my mind asleep

Beyond the galaxies, where there's no space or time

I will transform, I am reborn to rule over the skies

(…)

Escape the world I know, it's all in my control

I, I just wanna stay this way

(…)

Don't try to save me when my mind is finally free

'Cause I'd rather run my own world, than face your reality”

The Main Character (by Will Wood)

I don’t think I have to explain this one.

World Is Mine (by Hatsune Miku)

Lol

Life Is Fun (by Boyinaband feat. TheOdd1sOut)

Well this one for me is basically an interaction between Taylor and Scary haha.

Cloudbusting (by Kate Bush)

Largely about Nicky! But in a way that is like… From Taylor’s perspective? Maybe also the reverse. A bit hard to explain exactly but maybe I’ll just share what sticks out to me and you can come to your own conclusions.

“You're like my yo-yo

That glowed in the dark

What made it special

Made it dangerous

So I bury it

And forget

(…)

On top of the world, looking over the edge

You could see them coming

You looked too small

In their big black car

To be a threat to the men in power

(…)

I hid my yo-yo

In the garden

I can't hide you

From the government

Oh, God, Daddy

I won't forget

(…)

And every time it rains

You're here in my head

Like the sun coming out

Look, your son's coming out

Ooh, I just know that something good is going to happen

I don't know when

But just saying it could even make it happen, oh

Ooh, just saying it could even make it happen”

Chosen (by The Living Tombstone)

Hm how to put this… It’s like, one part “Taylor seeing himself as some kind of chosen one”, one part “Taylor unlocking his inner demon” and one part “Taylor being along for the ride- potentially at his own expense/risk”

“A mind without a home

Leaving behind, the comfort that I've known

Where do I roam? A stranger to myself

Born to be here, but living somewhere else

And I'm searching for the reasons I've been

Chosen by a force beyond control

Beyond remorse and I don't know

If I will make it through this

Losing who I am

(…)

Losing everything I called "human"

Free will is miles away

I heard you play

In the digital cabaret

But I'm okay

I won't disobey

If you take me by the hand and make me

Chosen by a force beyond control

I'll play a part, you'll make me whole

You'll be my voice, I'll be your soul

You'll take my choice and I don't know

How you will make me new but

This is who I am”

Open Up Your Eyes (by Tempest Shadow)

Like this could have gone in a Nicky playlist cause this is literally just Nicky talking to Taylor and warning him of betrayal but it’s a MLP song so ultimately Taylor won out lol. Also someone please make an animatic of this I want it so so bad.

“It's time you learned a lesson

It's time that you understand

Don't ever count on anybody else

In this or any other land

(…)

I once hoped for friendship

To find a place among my kind

But those were the childish wishes

Of someone who was blind

Open up your eyes

(…)

Give up your sweet fantasyland

It's time to grow up and get wise

Come now little one

Open up your eyes

(…)

We all start out the same

With simple naïve trust

Shielded from the many ways

That life's not fair or just

(…)

But then there comes a moment

A simple truth that you must face

If you depend on others

You'll never find your place

(…)

And as you take that first step

Upon a path that's all your own

You see it all so clearly

The best way to survive is all alone”

Pretty Little Head (by Eliza Rickman)

It’s mostly:

“Boy, where's your mother? Fall down dead

Dirty mind, dirty mouth, pretty little head

I wish you were here, I wish you'd make my bed

Dirty mind, dirty mouth, pretty little head”

Mama (My Chemical Romance)

Heheh.

“Mama, we all go to Hell

I'm writing this letter and wishing you well

Mama, we all go to Hell

Oh well, now, Mama, we're all gonna die

Mama, we're all gonna die

Stop asking me questions, I'd hate to see you cry

Mama, we're all gonna die”

In light of recent episodes maybe even

“Mama, we all go to Hell

It's really quite pleasant except for the smell

Mama, we all go to Hell”

Takes on a funny little meaning now.

Holding Out For A Hero (by Frou Frou cause I really like this cover)

Partially an antihero goof, but there’s also a bunch of lyrics that are funny/interesting to me if you remove the intended context and think about Nicky instead. Perhaps especially:

“Up where the mountains meet the heavens above

Out where the lightning splits the sea

I could swear there is someone somewhere watching me

Through the wind and the chill and the rain

And the storm and the flood

I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood”

Heads Will Roll – A-Track Remix (by Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

Because it makes me laugh and I couldn’t resist.

Special (by Shinedown)

“Stop waitin' on your fifteen minutes of fame, 'cause you're not special

I'm not tryin' to rain on your parade, but you're not special

I'm not tryin' to bring you down, I'm not tryin' to sound so ineffectual

But you're not special

(…)

We all live to love, we all fall apart

We'd all go to war for the faint of heart

Instead we're condescending

There are no happy endings

I won't hold my breath, I won't cast a doubt

I'd never sell you out

But I'll give you one last chance to own it

'Cause you're not a god or a poet, so...

(…)

Stop waitin' on your fifteen minutes of fame, 'cause you're not special

I'm not tryin' to rain on your parade, but you're not special

I'm not tryin' to bring you down, I'm not tryin' to sound so ineffectual

But you're not special”

^ Anthony probably lol.

:) Okay that's it thank you for entertaining this besties!

[worstlovesong]

asks for distractions: what are your favourite lucy lyrics? (solo + boygenius inclusive!)

Thank youuu <3 I apologize in advance for anyone who thought I could be normal about this because I am simply Insane about Lucy’s writing <3

“We had a lot to measure / We had more past than pleasure / And time grows deep like weeds” - Dream state…

This song hits me hard post-bad-friendship but this lyric sticks with me. Realizing that even if there was a lot of memories built with someone, they may not be Good Ones. Realizing after the fact that perhaps the time spent together wasn’t as good as it once seemed. Time is always moving forward and now that you’re away from them, you’re left with a mind full of invasive weeds to pluck through in search of new growth.

“If beauty is the only way / To make the nightmares go away / I'll plant a garden in your brain / And let the roots absorb the pain” - Trust

This chorus makes me so !!!!! Like oh my god. It’s just beautiful, it’s a promise of a loved one wanting to ease your pain and soothe your fears in the gentlest way. It’s a promise to yourself, to find beauty in the world and hold onto it because then there’s a reason to keep going.

“Don't hold your breath, forget you ever saw me at my best / You don't deserve what you don't respect / Don't deserve what you say you love and then neglect” - Night Shift

This song in its entirety is just a fucking masterpiece. I love it so much and I struggle to express why. This part specifically gets across exactly what I want to say to someone who hurt me and it honestly helps me reframe my thoughts because No this person does not deserve me at my best or at all because they did not respect or love me like they said they did ‼️

“Believe me, I'm speaking plainly and painfully/Trying to stay elegant, eloquent and delicate to you” - Body to Flame

This one just scratches my brain tbh. This whole song is beautiful and just the very human concept of knowing someone so well and yet somehow not fully understanding them because we are all so unpredictable

“The future isn't worth its weight in gold / The future is a benevolent black hole” - Cartwheel

Not being ready to face the future, especially when it takes things and people away from you. Change is hard, change is scary, change is autism’s worst nightmare (and therefore mine). Yet she also implies that the future, while vast and unknown and forcing change, is not inherently evil. The future can bring good things, even if you’re not ready for it.

“I wanna run my fingers through you / You say nobody understands you like I do” - Partner in Crime

Once again this just makes my brain go ‼️

“You called me cerebral / I didn't know what you meant / But now I do, would it have killed you / To call me pretty instead?” -Brando

This line and I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore hit me for the same reasons. Growing up being forced into the role of the funny one or the smart one but I was never pretty. It’s just that frustration with people who can’t even bother to give straightforward praise/compliments, calling you an old soul or wise for your age or cerebral. What does that even mean, when you’re 10 years old and just like to read books but they paint you as a scholar or you’re 15 and you’ve never had someone other than your grandmother tell you you’re beautiful. Like goddamn just let me be pretty for once.

“I'm staring at my hands / Red, ruddy skin, I don't understand / How did they betray me? What did I do?” - Triple Dog Dare

After I came out to my family at 15 years old I wasn’t allowed to see my friends outside of school for months. I internalized it, I mean I was still dealing with severe internalized homophobia from the church and I thought it must be My Fault. I remember apologizing to my friends, crying, because I wasn’t allowed to come over or hang out with them. As if it was my fault. I would spend hours regretting coming out, wondering what I did that was so wrong. This line just sits in my brain and wow Lucy Dacus is just like me fr

“I want you to tell me that you miss me / Want you to hold and hurt and kiss me / I wanna run away and live on your family's boat” - Triple Dog Dare

As you can tell by my pinned post I have Feelings about this verse. I’ve posted about this before but this song is the perfect example of young queer love and how adults interfere and see it as impure. This line specifically just highlights that need to be with that person, for them to hold you and kiss you and even if they’re hurting you at least it’s proof they’re there. The need to to run away with them because even if you’re missing at least you’re together in the end. God this song makes me fucking feral.

“But it feels good to be known so well / I can't hide from you like I hide from myself / I remember who I am when I'm with you / Your love is tough, your love is tried and true-blue” -True Blue

I’m really gay and I love my girlfriend <3

But also like this song just fucking hits oh my god. Being known and loved by someone in a way that is so genuine, so honest, so raw. The parts of yourself you are ashamed of they embrace openly. A dependable and honest love that makes you remember yourself, truly see yourself.

“I wanna live a vibrant life / But I wanna die a boring death”

AND

“Oh, it hurts to hope for more / Oh, it hurts to hope the future / Will be better than before” - Afraid of Heights

I remember after my first listen of this song I just sat there stunned, crying. This song is so dear to me and Lucy has my entire heart. I relate to the concept of a toxic friendship in which the person pushes your boundaries and shames you for them. Every word of this song resonates and I’m so tired so I don’t think I can do it justice but I truly have many thoughts on it.

The wish to just live a bright and exciting life but not die in a risky, stressful, painful way. The pain of the unknown, of the future, once again going back to the benevolent black hole. Just hoping that one day things will be better because it’s all you can hold on to but it hurts so much some days

This got so long 🫠 I recognize I have a problem and I just want y’all to know I love Lucy Dacus she’s everything to me <33

[faceglitchsworld]

It's the 13th of March here, which means one thing... it's Beomgyu's birthday! 🥳

Here's the collage I made for him ☺️

Very, very proud for this, capturing every side of him was very simple this time. As always the selcas have two of my weak point, glasses and hairbands, even tho I fought with the photos this time, zooming wise. I'm very sorry, but believe me, Beomgyu is wearing an hairband in the right middle.

Outfit wise, I decided to put in the middle my favourite TxT era + the song which made me fall in love with them. Probably I'll do this for the other members too maybe 🤔

Time for the little letter now.

Before becoming a full time OT5 stan, Beomgyu was my first and only ultimate bias at the time. There were many reasons for this.

First and foremost I think that the main reason why I fell in love with him was his fun personality. I clearly remember the first time I tried to see an interview TxT made for a magazine (must admit, I checked those because of the subtitles 😅) and how Beomgyu immediately stood out during it. And from that video I became literally obsessed with how he acted towards the members especially towards Yeonjun. My gosh, you don't have any idea how much I laughed while watching compilations of Beomgyu and Yeonjun being literally Tom and Jerry every second. And not let me start talking about every time I tried to watch a To Do Episode and I needed to stop for a second because of Beomgyu. This boy was meant to make me laugh.

I also want to talk about another wonderful thing Beomgyu did when I started my entire K-pop experience. If you've followed me for a while probably you know that I go completely crazy when two groups interacts together or even make collab (cough*theWeUsfamily*cough *theBTXTcrumbs*cough). Sometimes I even think about how collabs between my faves might work. The reason why I'm like this is thanks to Beomgyu. It's 2021, I finally added Stray Kids into my stan list with TxT and Monsta X. I'm minding my own business when I receive a notification about a TxT update. I click on it and I discover that Beomgyu made a selfie with I.N. I've been stunned for five minutes. And then my heart was overwhelmed of joy. It was the first time where I saw two of my faves interact to each other. Ok, ok, I admit it, I didn't know at the time that they were friends already. My bad. But I will never forget how I was relieved at the time. Seeing what seemed to me a genuine friendship into this competitive industry made me really happy. It was a ray of light for me, really.

And now, I think it's time to talk about something that is connected to him in a very special way: Maze in the Mirror. Ok, little story time. I was doing a little TxT marathon through their discography, I reached The dream chapter: Eternity and I started to listen to it. Everything was pretty normal until Maze in the Mirror started. I don't know what happened to me but I felt something different. I noticed that all the members were shining differently. It was like that song was more...personal to them. I stopped listening to the album and I searched the translated lyrics, which is something I rarely do, and I searched the credits. And once again I thanked my instinct since I was right. This was a song where they worked on.

But what caught me off guard was noticing that Beomgyu helped in the production too. I think it was that moment where I understood him a little better. I've understood that the same member who made me laugh and brighted my days was the same one who decided to hide his insecurities and fears with a smile. And I've understood that the minimal melody I loved so much in Maze in the Mirror was his personal way to communicate with us those insecurities. Yup, I think you've might understood it now, the reason why I love this song so much is thank to him and I'll be always be grateful for that.

My dear Beomgyu, thank you for being the kind friend who always looks up to the other members every time. Thank you for making my days a little more better with your effortless comedy. Thank you for just being you. Probably you don't feel the same insecurities you had while writing Maze in the Mirror anymore but, if there will be a moment, any moment, where you'll think that your efforts aren't enough remember that you have four amazing friends who'll always be with you. And remember that MOAs appreciate you in the way you are, always.

Hope you'll spent a great and funny day with the members and that you'll receive amazing gifts from them and your family too.

Happy birthday, teddy bear 🧸

[shortkingshapeshiftr]

Ok, So I Rewatched Brother Bear II - Let's Talk About It!

Alrighty, so I just finished re-watching Brother Bear II. I recall viewing it almost a year ago, but I didn't have many positive things to say about it. But what do I think about it now that seen both the first and second movies recently? Well, let's get into it! It's gonna be a long one, lol.

Starting off simple, I'd say the animation is decent enough. The backgrounds are, arguably, the closest to the original movie. There are some moments where the character models do look off, giving that sense of "direct-to-VHS Disney movie vibe." When comparing it to other low budget Disney animated sequels of the 90's to 2000's, it doesn't look half bad. Not as pretty as the original, but still good-looking!

Music-wise, I found the discography to be rather forgettable and disappointing. Perhaps this is a hot take, but I wasn't entirely a fan of the soundtrack in the original, either. Now, that isn't to say that the first didn't have fantastic songs! The song "Transformation" is easily one of my favorites, and I find it to be emotionally very moving. It just feels like some of the songs, even if they mean something to me, are under-cooked. And maybe this is another hot take, but I'm not big on Phil Collins music, either. No hate to Phil! Getting back to the soundtrack of the second movie, I can't really say that much about it. It's rather boring in my opinion, and I find myself not resonating with it. The first movie had songs that meant something to me, but I do acknowledge could've been tweaked more sonically or lyrically, "Welcome" being an example of this. Brother Bear II's lacks any bite. So in short, the OST for the sequel is pretty mediocre and didn't spark much in me. Definitely a downgrade compared to the original.

Next up is the story/plot elements. Maybe this is just bias, but I personally didn't find the story or plot to be that interesting. It is a rather generic love story; one about two long-lost lovers who start off disliking each other, only to get together in the end. Many of the plot elements felt more like mindless filler than intentional story/character development. The scene with the raccoons being the prime example of this. In general, I would say this is much more of a "silly" movie compared to the original. This film is definitely marketing towards a younger audience, but in a rather cheap, half-baked kind of way. Now I do understand why scenes like the raccoon scene exist, it gives a reason for Kenai and Nita to bond with each other and eventually fall in love. My issue is just how it's handled, that's all. It feels... disingenuous? Forced? I'm not sure how to describe it, but Kenai and Nita's relationship and how it's handled leaves me feeling... odd. I don't know, just in general I feel like it could've been fleshed out more and, again, have a little bit more bite like the original.

Onto the character stuff! Again, similar to my previous talking points, the characters just didn't live up to the original. Throughout the movie, I just kept yelling in my head: "JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER ALREADY, COMMUNICATE!" That happened a lot in this movie, moments that easily could've been solved if you just... talked honestly for like two seconds. It was a smidge frustrating, given how easy some of the tension could've been lifted. I also feel like Kenai's constant flip-flopping between Nita and Koda to be a bit off as well. In the beginning, Kenai is clearly jealous that Koda is getting along with Nita (Nita isn't romantically interested in Kenai, which Kenai is upset about.) Later on in the film, this is flipped, so now Koda is jealous/upset that Kenai is hanging out with Nita. My issue is how quickly Kenai forgets about Koda, given what happened in the first movie. Kenai is responsible for the death of Koda's mom, Kenai knows that Koda looks up to parental/familial figures in his life. Kenai understands that he owes Koda so much and has to look out for him, but in a short span of time practically ditches him. It just felt kinda of off, given that the end of the movie was literally about Kenai becoming the titular "brother bear" to Koda and being responsible for him, loving him. That massive element of Koda's character, his emotional attachment to a parental figure, really only comes up later in the movie. I felt like this could've been expanded upon a smidge more, perhaps through... communicating with the other characters. As a side note, I also find the moose characters to be kind of unnecessary. To me, the comic-relief moose in the first movie were one of the weaker parts, so considering they got significantly more screen-time in the sequel just made it a bit more annoying. In the end, they get the girls who magically lose their self-awareness, regardless of how manipulative they were. It's ok, the story and plot is ok. Nothing to ride home about.

It's all just middle of the road, that's the best way I could describe Brother Bear II. It's not as good as the original, and I feel like it has many pitfalls. It doesn't really expand much on the world of Brother Bear, and it is rather generic. Again, it's just an inoffensive, mid movie that I can't bring myself to get that mad about. Not much else to say about it.

That's all I got for now. Thank you for toiling through my long-ass, late-night post. There will be more bear stuff to come! 🐻

[stinkyhyena9000]

Screw it, I'm forcing you all to listen to my video ideas. And by forcing you to listen, I mean allowing you to read at your own leisure. Please note that everything audio-wise and more will be spoiled.

So, the Mike music video was actually an idea from a very long time back, and only just thought of again due to a friend of mine *ahemhem* and yeah. Mike is a super funny guy, and I got the idea from this one edit for a game I can't seem to remember. It looks Sega-y idk. Anyways, the song used will be this the B52's cover of Bad Guy - Billie Eilish [ x ]. A silly song for a silly man.

So you're a tough guy Like it really rough guy Just can't get enough guy Chest always so puffed guy I'm that bad type Make your mama sad type Make your girlfriend mad tight Might seduce your dad type I'm the bad guy, duh -------------------------------

The Ash music video is based around my transfem headcanon of her, which is based off this one scene in Sing 1, where after auditions, Buster asks "which one is the girl" when trying to recruit Ash. I interpreted it as her struggling to pass. Yes, Lance does know shes trans and supports her. He's just a total douchebag. He's a dickbag, not a transphobe asdusahdsau. Anyways, the song being used will be Transgender Dysphoria Blues - Against Me! [ x ]. A song whose still I think fits her very finely.

Your tells are so obvious Shoulders too broad for a girl Keeps you reminded Helps you to remember where you come from

You want them to notice The ragged ends of your summer dress You want them to see you Like they see every other girl They just see a faggot They hold their breath not to catch the sick

Rough surf on the coast, I wish I could have spent the whole day alone -------------------------------

The Marcus music video was an idea I got indirectly from a friend of mine, and will focus on the troubled relationship between Johnny and Marcus in Sing 1. The song would be Little Soldiers - The Crane Wives [ x ] In this context, the song details how he has always loved his son, even if there is a lot of trouble between the two of them.

On the broken backs of all the words we spared Like little soldiers in the trenches It was a march we made towards ruin and despair But we held hands all the while

I swear that I loved you I swear that I loved you I swear that I loved you I swear, I swear

Personally I think the next following set of lyrics fit more closely to the story here, but I wouldn't be able to make it outside of an AMV in my head.

(Btw the AMV in my head is Marcus returning to jail, and getting letters from Johnny while in prison)

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Buster dance comp is kinda self explanatory. Someone did request me to do it alongside the hop comp, but I opted not too due to the large ratio between dances and hops

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Okay so like, the Noodlemoon meme vid is basically me trying to take a crack at this one TikTok animation meme but without animating? I don't know how well it would go, but it's too cute not to give it a try! Here's an example of one of the meme! [ x ]. In here, Knuckles would be Buster, and Sonic would be Eddie.

Buster: I'm going to confess to you at the reopening! Eddie: Eh?! Buster: Will you be free after lunch? Eddie: Hm! (Yes) Buster: So be prepared! Eddie: Okay Buster: Why is your face all red? Eddie: Because you basically confessed Buster: Forget what I said

[yukiakaren]

Kpop title track ranking: VIXX

In this series I’ll be ranking kpop groups/soloists title tracks based on my taste.

VIXX is one of my ult groups. This is very much backed up by the fact that my tumblr archive tells me that VIXX is my second most used tag of all time. Now having this Leo&Ken&Hyuk MNET reunion stage made me listen to VIXX a lot after a while and reminded me that I could do this ranking thing for their songs too, so here we go! (I basically love them all so this is going to be both pointless and extremely difficult xD) 

Eternity - My true love. This was the first VIXX song that heard a snippet of and I had to go and listen to the full song. That was the most right choice ever made. I loved it immediately. And after all these years my love for this song just keeps on getting stronger. It’s a masterpiece and I love it to bits. Also just the instrumental version of it gets me all emotional. It’s incredible.

Error - Another tear jerker (next to Eternity). My first ever comeback as a Starlight and they delivered. I love this to bits too, Eternity just has even more special place in my heart.

Scentist - Mature masterpiece. Damn it’s just awesome. I wish we could have gotten even more of this mature and gorgeous VIXX.

Shangri-La - It’s so gorgeous! Just all about it. It’s just so pleasing to listen to.

Voodoo Doll - After that Leo&Ken&Hyuk reunion stage I’ve been stuck on Voodoo Doll! Usually I would probably not put it before On and On but right now yes I will!

On and On - And the concept kings were born! I had a period when this was my favorite VIXX song. It’s still great as ever and I can’t help loving it.

Hyde - I love the duality concept so so much!!! Those stage outfits being split 3-3 was so cool. Truly I love these songs so much and it just depends on my current mood how I rank them.

Fantasy - I have to say hearing this now, after quite a few years, I realize that I have not given this one enough credit. It’s incredible!! I’ve always liked it, sure, but somehow I’ve never given it much thought other than that. It still ends up in the middle of the pack as I have too much nostalgia-driven love for the other before it but oh my I’ve been wrong here!

Rock Ur Body - It’s such a cheerful one! Okay, I have to admit that when I first got into VIXX I didn’t like this one immediately but I grew to like it too. But I have to say it’s so catchy and cheerful I can’t help nut think fondly of it.

Super Hero - Another such cheerful one! The styling in the music video has seen better days (I mean maybe it did) but other than that I don’t think it has aged badly. It’s cute and bubbly and I’m here for it!

Chained Up - Oh boy oh boy Chained Up. There are layers here, aren’t there? The concept. Anyway. It is so so catchy, and there is no way to deny that. Also SBS Gayo Daejun 2015 performance, the noise that added to the chorus. I’m obsessed! Why doesn’t it belong to the original version, I’m so bitter xD

Dynamite - Cheerful but more grown up than the first two. Groovy? Very enjoyable but I have to say I quite rarely find myself wanting to go for Dynamite specifically.

Love Equation - This is such a special case as it actually is a remake. Counted it in because they performed it on music shows. Good that they did as they ended up winning so much with it! Happy and proud Starlight here. As a song it’s cheerful sound-wise and then you read the lyrics and you go “Oh it’s a breakup song!” Lovely but I personally usually go for the others instead.

The Closer - I admit it. I never quite got The Closer. I don’t know why but it never clicked with me. I don’t actively dislike it but I don’t get anything out of it either. And that’s just too bad. AND can we talk about the video? Poor N - who’s terrified of heights - you made him hang of that edge... Poor thing ;_; 

G.R.8.U - I didn’t even remember that this was actually a title track, oops. It’s cute and fun but I guess me forgetting that it actually is a title track tells all that needs to be told xD 

What can I even say? VIXX is amazing. Their music is amazing. I still love them dearly and have a glimmer of hope that one day we could get a proper VIXX comeback.

[mainepdf]

fave evermore lyrics for it's birthday?

i'll do one from each song.

willow: lost in your current like a priceless wine

champagne problems: "this dorm was once a madhouse", i made a joke, "well, it's made for me"

gold rush: i don't like that falling feels like flying 'till the bone crush

'tis the damn season: and wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles i'm faking

tolerate it: took this dagger in me and removed it

no body no crime: the entire bridge just because i like how it's sung

happiness: when did all our lessons start to look like weapons pointed at my deepest hurt?

dorothea: and if you're ever tired of being known for who you know, you know you'll always know me

coney island: will you forgive my soul when you're too wise to trust me and too old to care?

ivy: i wish to know the fatal flaw that makes you long to be magnificently cursed

cowboy like me: and the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to fuck this up

long story short: i always felt i must look better in the rear view

marjorie: never be so polite, you forget your power

closure: don't treat me like some situation that needs to be handled

evermore: motion capture put me in a bad light

right where you left me: trends change, rumours fly through new skies but i'm right where you left me

it's time to go: now he sits on his throne in his palace of bones praying to his greed

[impablohurtado]

August 14th

I like to think of all the people poems have been written for.

Every classic love ballad,

Every sonnet,

Every verse,

A lyric in a song,

Every turn of phrase chosen carefully,

Tucked between words trying to find new ways to describe how someone makes the writers heart flutter and grow.

All those emotions that would've been other wise lost,

Recorded for history,

Because love sometimes is greater than time,

Maybe the only idea that can travel along side the years,

Not pausing or failing,

Existing because it did once so strongly that it was enough

When Pablo Neruda wrote,

"I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.

Love is so short, forgetting is so long."

Who was he trying to forget?

Did she know he'd affixed a part in his poems just for her,

That for generations people would read of his soul being unsatisfied for having lost her.

Mary Oliver once wrote of how she enjoyed being in the woods alone,

Talking to the birds, hugging the old black oak trees,

To become invisible amongst the roses singing.

She said,

"If you have ever gone into the woods with me, I must love you very much."

Who did she let accompany her,

Did they know what it meant to be there by her side?

For every one written,

On the opposite side of the text stood a person,

A face in the mind of a writer.

How do you convey the way someone fills the days up in such a way they would feel empty without them,

And in feeling empty, be lesser and feel longer.

It seems impossible to fit the whole of a person within a few lines.

Maybe it's why writers can't stop writing,

Maybe it's why I still find words for you.

I think of how someday mine could be read,

How people may wonder over time...

How many people occuppied the space for him to write for them?

When the truth will be, they were mostly ever for you.

I once found an envelope filled with words my dad wrote to my mother,

When I was still a baby and he was locked away for a short while,

Some poems,

Others just letters,

But I did not read them,

Because they were for her and not for me.

Now others may read these poems I've written,

But only you know they are for you.

Time makes us all fade,

We grow old,

Our bodies betray us,

But life goes on.

New people will love,

We'll turn to memories,

Most things will change,

But the words shared,

They always stay the same after they are put down.

I hope that when you are feeling low,

When the days get long and you find it hard to catch your breath,

When you feel less than enough,

That you can read these and know you are more than the sum of your parts,

The good and the bad,

That the love in your heart is so strong it grips those around you,

It makes them better people,

That there's a goodness in your smile that catches everyone,

The way it found its way to me and hasn't left all these years later.

In being friends, in being anything more,

Through it all, the constant was comfort,

Not just in my life, but all of those you touch.

Special doesn't seem enough of a word,

But for now, *

For this poem it will do,

It's exactly what you are.

You once told me if I'd never met you,

I wouldn't know the difference of you being in my life or not,

But I think in some way I would,

That quality in my day would be missing,

The feeling in the air I couldn't quite put my finger on,

The lingering thought that there's something wonderful missing in the world.