#Campus Movie Fest

[rendy-a]

Hi! Apologies if this request is too vague or specific but can I request a fic of Jack Howl x reader who’s a night owl kind of person and is much shorter than him, thank you!

Thanks for requesting. I don't get a lot of asks for Jack, so its a nice exercise to write something for him. I hope I captured him correctly.

‘Crazy,’ Jack thinks for the hundredth time after befriending the strange Prefect of Ramshackle dorm.  You can see this thought pass through his face, but it only makes you laugh more.  “Come on, you know you’ll enjoy it.”  Jack sighs, “Why can’t you ever pick anything to do that occurs during a normal person’s day?”  You lift your hand high to pat your tall friend on the shoulder and laugh, “I’ll convert you eventually,” and chuckle at the resulting scoff.

It is said that opposites attract, and nothing could be more fitting to describe the closeness that has developed between you and Jack.  You were short and he was tall.  You were always laughing, and he was so serious.  The point that seemed to cause you the most contention was that you lived for the late evening hours when the darkness crept in and the sky awoke with stars.  You loved the way the insects would sing in the night and the dampness of the coming dew that settled over everything.  Jack, on the other hand, went to bed early and woke up at some god-awful hour in the morning.  He would tell you any time you brought it up why he liked it, but you just didn’t see it.  Noisy birds chirping?  Bright and garish sunrises?  Having the whole campus to yourself for a jog?  What was the charm in that?  So, you’d taken it upon yourself to show him the beauty of the night whenever you could.  You’d change his mind eventually or at least have fun trying!

“Tell me again why we can’t just watch these movies on the weekend?” Jack asks with a hint of annoyance in his voice.  You grab his arm and lay your head pleadingly on his bicep, “Awe, come on!  Late night movie marathons are the best!”  When you see him turn away as though he can’t meet your eye, you know you almost have him.  Time for your most convincing argument.  “Please, please, please, please, please!!!”  Jack sighs with a huff and gives in to your demand but makes you promise to at least have something healthy for a snack.  “Ok, fine,” you offer conceding, “I’ll even prove my commitment to healthy snacks by asking Vil for some suggestions.”  Jack thanks you for going so far out of your way for him and gives you an approving pat on the head.  Finally, your late-night horror fest with your best pal Jack is a go!  And you got a head pat; way to go you!

You were halfway through Horror from the Deep when you could feel the sleepiness creep up.  Jack had fallen asleep twice, for which you teased him relentlessly, and so you were determined to make it through the entire retro horror movie marathon without missing a second.  “Should we call it a day?” asked Jack with a raised eyebrow.  You force your fluttering eyes to full-open and ask, “What?  Why?” as though you didn’t know the answer.  He huffs at your ridiculous defiance and remarks, “You’re no better than my kid brother at admitting when you are tired.”  You frown, “So what, I’m like your sibling now?”  Jack seems disturbed by this suggestion and lowers his ears as he stammers an apology.  Well, this was awkward now.  You turn your attention back to the movie, forcing yourself to focus on that instead of the warm (and firm) arm you are leaning against.  Just like friends.  Only friends. 

By the time the monster emerges onto the beach, you are sleeping deeply while pulling Jack’s arm into a hug.  He gives a half-hearted tug before deciding to abandon the effort and leans to rest his head on top of your own.  Sleeping like this won’t be so bad.  But only because he has too, not because he’s been dreaming about this.  No, certainly you didn’t have a friendship like that.  Of course not.

In the deep hours of the night, when you’re not quite sure if you should refer to it as night or morning, you awaken.  Your sleepy noises bring Jack to alertness before you can really take in how close you were.  You sigh and look at your movie partner bashfully, “Guess we will have to rewatch that one later, huh?”  Jack gives you a smug smile in response and suddenly you are laughing together.  There is a strange magic to the twilight and perhaps that is why Jack suddenly asks, “Walk me home?”  You smile at him, glad to have an excuse to drag this time out, “Sure.” 

You walk side by side in the misty fog that rolls off the grass during the pre-morning hours.  The effect was mysterious, like the setting of those late-night horror movies you’d watched.  You decided that you liked it.  You lean toward your companion to share your insight, “See Jack, this is exactly the sort of reason I love the night so much.”  Jack gives you a bit of side-eye and dryly remarks, “That fog is there because its nearly morning.”  You are startled by his comment, “Wait, what?”  Looking around, you realize he is right, it has grown so late that it was nearly morning.  The stars still gleamed in the sky, but you couldn’t deny the hint of brightness that was creeping from the horizon and the music of insects was slowly intermixing with the earliest of bird calls. 

You look around, taking in the atmosphere of the hour, “So this is the death of night, huh?”  Jack scoffs, “So dramatic.”  You smile, secretly pleased at getting such a response from him.  “Is it always this…fresh smelling?” you ask him pensively.  He takes a deep breath and lets out the most satisfying exhale, “Yeah, it is.”  You continue watching him with a smile, “I kind of like it.”  Jack’s ears twitch as though thinking something over, “Yeah but sometimes it’s too bright.  This is nice too, easy on the eyes.”  You give his arm a tap with your elbow, as though to let him know you’d noticed what he did there.  Jack was always fast to reconcile with you when you argued, especially if you admitted you understood his side.

You execute a little hop step and remark, “We should get moving, I don’t want to get any of your morning cooties on me.”  Then you set off in a mild run, laughing as you go.  Jack quickly catches up to you with a smirk, as though to remind you here is a far better runner than you.  You don’t mind, in fact, this is nice.  You reach out and grab his hand, pulling him along after you.  You feel him squeeze your hand but aren’t brave enough to look back and see what expression might be on his face.  You didn’t really need to though.  You went together like morning and night.  They were both great apart but when you combined them, like fog rolling off the grass, it was magic.

[jjcanshift]

some things I've scripted in my mha reality ｡𖦹°‧

personal things (?) ── .✦

I do my internship with Miruko and my work studies with my dad (who will be the #3 hero when the time comes around)

I win 1st place in the sports fest (cuz I can)

I get kidnapped with Bakugo during the forest training arc (I might change this honestly)

Endeavor's agency and my dad's agency team up during the work studies arc just to get things done swiftly (they were pretty close during their time at UA and still are)

There's a lot more but I don't really wanna type them out

miscellaneous ── .✦

MINETA. DOESN'T. EXIST.

There always have been dorms at UA and students go home during the weekends or holidays (they keep everyone on campus after the whole kidnapping thing, though)

The final war arc happens in our second year (everyone is a lot stronger at this time. AFO's plan for Shigaraki backfires which makes things a lot easier for us)

Izuku doesn't manifest the other OFA quirks, doesn't go vigilante, doesn't lose OFA, and becomes a pro like everyone else

Todoroki doesn't have massive daddy issues (he doesn't deserve the trauma)

The most serious casualty during the war is severe broken limbs (which happens to none of the main cast)

Japanese is a minority language; it is taught in schools and spoken by the senior population, but most people speak English

EVERYONE GETS STEALTH SUITS DURING THE WORLD HEROES MISSION, NOT JUST TODOROKI, DEKU, AND BAKUGO (they had cold asf fits for the first 2 mins of the movie and they were never seen again it was so unnecessary)

school ── .✦

School website

provides details for events, staff members, student interviews, and any news released to the public as well as the school newspaper

Has a separate tab on hero course students and a 360 profile view of their hero costumes and overall stats (is this an excuse to see microwave edits of myself? Yes. But villains can see our capabilities? Also yes. It gets shut down when the LOV starts its rise)

Brand deals

UA is the #1 school for heroics, so brands have the chance to negotiate deals near the sports fest to gain publicity. Sponsors are posted around the stadium and students (particularly with a large social media presence) have the chance to become ambassadors (I eventually model for Nike's newest comfort line)

Rankings

At the end of every year, UA releases a data sheet on top-ranking students within their classes and their year (includes the hero, support, general studies, and business courses)

Timetables

The time spent after lunch is used for training for students in the hero course

Fridays are half-days; hero course students spend that time only on training

That's all 🤗

[bisexual-horror-fan]

"Tilt Shift." Jason Carvey X FEM! AFAB! Reader.

Alright Bloodfest week two is in the bag! And who do we have but our limited screen time shitty film bro Ghostface Jason Carvey! I dunno why, but I really like him, he’s entering into the rotation. Buckle up guys, this is a pure hate fucking piece. Let’s go. 

—

Rating. Explicit. Length. 4K. Jason Carvey X FEM! AFAB! Reader. She/Her Pronouns. Warnings: Jason Sucks. You Kinda Suck. Enemies To Fuck Buddies. Arguing. You And He Hate Each Other. Raw Sex. Vaginal Sex. Eating Out. Man Handling. Some Dominance. 

—

You don’t think there is a single human being on Earth you get along with less with than one Jason-Who-Gives-A-Fucking-Shit-What-His-Middle-Name-Is-Carvey. He fucking sucks. He always wants to play devil's advocate, he always seemed to think your opinions were less than and had always had some smart comment to make to whatever you attempted to add to class discussion, he was a typical, shitty, film bro asshole. You avoided him whenever possible. You reluctantly had to see him multiple times a week in film class, and bumped into him around campus far more often than you’d like.

Getting paired up by random number lottery to do a duo project was the worst possible thing that could happen, there is no one that you would have liked less than him to be partnered with. A heavy sigh and your head dropped to your desk, he immediately launched into complaints and the class laughed, yeah it was real fucking funny how you were going to be tied to him for the end of semester project. 

This is your nightmare, you mused, this is Hell. 

The idea was that you are supposed to take a movie trailer and edit it, so it looks like it fits into a different genre, a great project you would have normally jumped at were you put with anyone else. The first three days were spent arguing over which trailer from the list to go with, you took so long that all the other options were snapped up, and you were left with the last one, forced to take it, and Jason didn’t take any blame for the fact the slim pickings you were saddled with were his fault. He said, “We gotta make it look like a horror film-”

And you were so tired of his crap already that you conceded. 

“Fine, whatever you fucking want, Jason.” You sighed, and he asked, clearly not buying that you would give in first, “Wait, really?”

“Really, let’s make it look like the dumbest, cheesiest, shlockiest 80s gore fest we can.” Even with your flat and less than impressed tone, you thought he would be all about it, but in typical Jason fashion he took offence. He started to say that you could make it look much better than that, and you wanted the ground to open up and swallow you whole. 

The guy was always so busy, you had limited time to do this and as much as you didn’t want to work with him, you had to get this done, intent on getting a good grade. Turning in late would cut into your mark's considerably. After a pile of texts and no less than five voicemails, you finally get a curt, “I booked the editing room at 10 PM, see you there.” 

You had plans, but you needed to get this project done, so you cancelled the evening's activities reluctantly and made your way over. You had already gotten ready to go out tonight when he messaged, gave you less than two hours notice. You’d had just enough time to finish your food since you were out at dinner and make it back, run in and get your shit before you had to depart for your meeting with your less than stellar partner. You make it there five minutes before ten pm, you find the room empty, of course he got the last slot, no one wants to be editing this late on a fucking Friday night. Everyone else with good sense had gotten everything else done before now. 

You slump down in a chair, drop your bag and take out your flash drive with the work you’d put in thus far, you plug it into the computer and cue it up.

And then you ended up waiting for half an hour for Jason to stroll in, far too casually considering how late he was. He took the chair next to you in front of the computer, setting down a bag of fast food, a soda before he shrugged his bag off his one shoulder and set it on the ground in front of the desk. He hadn’t said hello, he hadn’t even looked at you, arms crossed as you observed him in pure disbelief. 

He was getting his stuff set up, taking his video camera out of his bag, getting the cord to attach it to the computer you’d claimed, a notebook, a pencil, he was eating a few fries in between. Fuck, he is the actual worst, while he is still setting up you cut in and say finally, “Hello?”

He stops, a look over to you, expression showing he was totally fucking confused why you were greeting him in this way, or greeting him at all, he says, “Hey?” 

You laugh, eyes rolling as you lean back in your chair, “Are you fucking serious?”

“What? What did I do now? I just got here!” He sighed, turning back to his bag, and you tell him, “That is exactly the problem, Jason! You tell me, not ask, TELL me to show up here, no regard for my Friday night plans, and I don’t fight you on it! I show up, early, and you stroll in a half hour late with fucking McDonald's and not so much as an apology for being late! You are unbelievable.” 

He shakes his head as he sighs, “Jesus, you are sensitive-” 

“Jason!” You bite out, upset at the very idea you are sensitive for being upset at this, and he scoffs, “Fine, fucking sorry for being a little late-” He said it mockingly, it could turn your stomach. You wanted to fight him further, the idea that he was “a little late” was pissing you off, him acting as if he was just a touch behind schedule, but you didn’t want to be here all night. 

“Whatever, can we get started?” You asked, and he said, “Yeah, so long as you are done being a bitc-”

“Do not finish that sentence, Carvey.” 

He looked over at you and upon seeing how serious your expression combined with your downright venomous tone, he bit his tongue with a muttering of the word, “Fine.”

Thank the Lord, he was dropping it. Maybe now you can get some actual work done-

“Why are you wearing that?” He was staring at you, brow creased in question. You looked down at yourself, heeled boots, short skirt, low cut top and made up, you’d planned to go to a party with friends and due to his fucking shitty timing you didn’t have the chance to change. 

Your eyes draw back up and meet his as you inform him, “I was planning to go out tonight until someone texted me to come do the work I’ve been begging to do for weeks, and I figured I better jump at the chance cuz who knows when I’ll get it again.” 

He smiled, that stupid self-satisfied smile, he had his soda in one hand and a few fries in the other as he tells you, “Yeah, sorry about that, I’m a very in demand kinda guy.” 

“Yeah, I am so sure.” You sigh, and you lean forward, “Okay so here is what I have so far-” You click the space bar and let what you had gotten done solo play out. 

He, of course, hated it. 

Endless criticism with no real praise to be found, he was going on and on, spewing his usual bullshit, “This is a joke! Total amateur hour! Did you even follow the story board we drew up?”

“Yes, I fucking did! Look-” You hold up your sketchbook and go through the shot he was current critiquing and pointing out, “See?! These are all your stupid angles and notes, I fucking did it-”

“No way, if I handled it, it’d look much better-” You groan, a hand combing through your hair, dropping your sketchbook into your lap with your other hand, “You are impossible to work with Jason!”

“I’m not asking for much here! It isn’t difficult.” He insists, gesturing with his half empty soda, and you say with raised brows, “Taking a beloved rom com trailer and editing it to look like a horror film isn’t hard?”

He groans, and you swear he might just stamp his foot in indignation, “No! You just gotta do it with care! See the love interest is supposed to be the monster, the villain, he is a ravenous beast seeking to corrupt her, and you are not conveying that right!”

You don’t know why you ever agreed to this. You should have fought him harder on the genre.

“If it is so bad, why don’t you show me what you have so far?” You ask, and he says, “Gladly.” 

He pulls up what he has so far, and it isn’t much of anything, it’s a few disjointed shots, some cobbled together audio and music, and you say, “You’ve hardly done anything, and you are criticizing me?!”

“My vision is clearer than yours is thus far-” He defends, and you cut in, “What vision? I can barely see anything!”

He takes a deep breath to calm himself and instead of pushing further he offers,“It’ll take me like thirty minutes to get it together, just give me what you have so far, and I’ll fix it.” 

Your mouth gapes, jaw drops, “You want me to just let you do all of it? Trust you to do this solo? Fat fucking chance!” 

“We are gonna be here all night then.” He says firmly, and you sigh out, “Fucking fine, I guess so.” 

You both set to work in relative silence, you agreed to do the front end and him to finish it up, you and he steal glances at the others screens and more comments and barbs fly. You and he have this terrible habit of riling each other up, he just annoys you so much, it’s so hard to play nice and take the high road when he is like this.

“Really? You are using that as your transition-” You start, and he bites, “And what would you do? A fucking flash to black between shots bracketed by a sting of violin music?” 

You make a sound of pure disgust, “You think so fucking highly of me.” 

He spins in his wheelie office style chair and turns to look at you, he tells you, “Sweetheart, I don’t think of you in any way.” 

You spin in your chair to face him better, arms crossing over your chest, “Thank God for that, otherwise I might vomit, I’d hate to ruin the carpet in here.” 

Next you are up out of your chair, and you stretch your arms above your head, your eyes are closed, head back, so you miss the small detail of Jason’s eyebrows raising as the hem of your shirt does, enjoying the bit of skin you revealed with the action. Your arms come down and so does your gaze, his expression schools back into something more akin to hatred, and you say, “I’m going to the bathroom and gonna hit the vending machine.” 

“Yeah whatever.” He shrugs and turns away, you make your move to walk out and tell him, “Be right back.”

He was less than subtle this time around when checking you out, blatantly staring at your ass through the glass window of the editing bay, you weren’t going to call him on it. Walking down the hallway it made you laugh with a shake of your head, you were musing, “Mmmhm, he totally neverrr thinks about me.” 

You are still thinking about it while you are washing your hands, “Is this why Jason is such an asshole to me? Because he actually wants me? Shit, be more fucking cliche’.”

After leaving the bathroom and finding yourself in front of the vending machine, considering your options, maybe you were imagining things, maybe he wasn’t looking at you like that.

You put the money in and make your selection and watch the metal spiral spin and twist till the small bag of chips and the candy bar you selected fell. You fished them out and slid to the next one, keying in to get a can of something cold. Even if he was looking at you like that, who says you should do anything about it, maybe you could let ol’ Carvey suffer and stew. 

Once you were back in the room you open the can, you stride to your chair and sit yourself down, you are mid-sip and putting the food on the desk with your other hand. The way you sat made your skirt rise up a tad, your legs cross, the can comes down and your opposite and free hand smoothed the material down over the curve of your thigh and that is when you notice it, he’s looking again. 

Oh, he did want you. This was no wandering of a wild imagination, Jason actually was “taking in the sights”. You wanted to laugh until you realized something crucial. You’d swapped seats, you took the empty one without thinking, but this was his old chair, the crumpled McDonald's bag is what made it click. He was seated in yours now, meaning that he was editing your shit. You look over to the screen where his attention was fixed once more, and you see him doing some serious damage, you slam the can down and stand up, hand pushing on his shoulder as you exclaim, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

He half turns in the chair, the violent jerking of his body from the force of you putting your hands on him, his own hands up and away from the keyboard, he looked shocked you touched him in such a way, so sudden and violent, “What?!”

You point at the screen as you ask much too loudly, “Why are you in my chair and what the fuck are you doing?!”

“I didn’t know if you were actually coming back, thought I should help you out since you so clearly need it.” He spits, and you scoff, “My bag is still here Jason, like I’d leave my shit in the editing bay alone all night with you, it’s bad enough I have to be here.” 

“Again, you could let me handle it and you could go. I want to go a more found footage angle than you do anyway-” You suck your teeth indignantly, “You actually like that found footage shit? And how are you gonna make this look like that? Tilt shift it in after effect and slap some fucking filters on it?” 

He leaned in closer as he spoke to you in a harsh tone, “What did you say before? Accusations of me thinking highly of you? Why don’t you flip that mirror back around to look at yourself.” 

He was still looking at you in that annoying way that told you he was checking you out, and so you say, “No, I don’t think I’ll do that, I think you are looking at me enough for the both of us.” 

The word was almost coughed out, “What?”

And the word of the day is. You stare him down as you say, “I see you fucking staring at me, you son of a bitch. I’m not as stupid as you treat me.” 

“Are you sure about that? Because right now it sounds like you are delusional and convinced I want to fuck you.” He laughs but there is no bite behind it, he is trying and failing to cover himself up, he is struggling to meet your gaze. 

“I don’t think I am that delusional.” You state simply, and he questions, “Oh no?”

“No. In fact, I am sure you want to fuck me so badly that I could ride you right here, and you’d more than let me, I think you’d love it.” 

You decide not to let him get any more chances to argue, you reach down, fingers slip up your skirt, thumbs hook in your underwear, and you drag them down, stepping one leg out you said, “Get your stupid jeans open, right now.” 

His expression is confused, eyes are wide, but his hands scramble, belt open and undone, pants unzipped he is shuffling them down his thighs before sitting back down, now you take in the sights, and he isn’t a bad size, this could work. You certainly aren’t going to give him the satisfaction of complimenting him, he speaks up, half cocky smile, with a hand around the base of his shaft, “You like it?”

You swing one leg over and sit in his lap as you sigh, “It’s passable, I suppose it’ll have to do.” 

He frowns at that, and you grind yourself against him, hands coming to rest on his shoulders. Fingers curl in the material of the college branded shirt he wore, and you rolled your hips, dragging yourself against him, causing the head of his dick to bump over your clit making both you, and he shared a sharp inhale. You already hated this simply because that one simple move felt far better than it should, it pissed you off. You tested it again, you repeated the action, and it was better than the first pass, another proved to increase the feeling and so it goes and that just serves to fuel the fire of both rage and lust inside of you. 

“What the fuck-” You breathe out, head tipping back, hips rolling, and he ruts up into you, providing extra friction and asking, “What? What are you going on about now?” 

“This-” You grind again and let a breathy moan slip out, and he then moves again, matching you move for move, and you grit out, “-it’s too fucking good, it shouldn’t feel this fucking good, and it’s-”

You moan louder, “-it’s pissing me the fuck off.” 

It's honest and raw and vulnerable and, above all else, very fucking true. His hands are on you, one on your hip to help control pace and another on your back, under your shirt, fingers on bare skin as he ruts up into you as he stares up, meets your gaze as he says, “Take it out on me.” 

Now it was your turn to use the word of the day, “What?”

He moves slower this time, more purposeful, it makes you choke back a moan, and he reiterates himself, “Take your anger out on me then.” 

You think that is the first smart thing he has ever said. 

Enough is enough, and you figure that you should take him up on his offer, you raise yourself up, hand comes down behind you, fingers lock onto him and position him just so, you angle your hips, and then you do the most natural thing possible at that moment, you sit down, sliding him deep inside in the process. 

Your hands move, one remains on his shoulder and the other slides into his slightly too long black hair and threads, you pull as you soak in the feeling of him stretching your walls, a deep sigh leaves you, satisfied in some regard simply from being filled. You revel for a moment until he shifts below you, eyes flick down, and he is staring up at you still, brows pinched together as he insists, ���Move already.”

You scoff and tug harder on his hair, force his head back as you tell him, “Shut up.” 

“That hurts-” He groused, and you roll your eyes as you start to move, heeled boots on shitty carpet you start to ride him, asking in a breathy but ultimately teasing tone, as if the question was rhetorical, “Better?” 

The shaky moan he let out, while incoherent, told you very much so yes. 

You start to find your rhythm with riding him, enjoying yourself, angling your hips to grind your clit and that sweet spot inside to get what you wanted out of this sooner rather than later. As his eyes slip closed, and he lets you do what you wanted, allows you to take your anger out on him, you have the thought that like this? When he isn’t running his mouth and when he is letting you ride him as if it is the only thing he was ever good for, he’s actually pretty attractive. Even if he could stand for a haircut. 

You wouldn’t tell him that though, again, why give him the satisfaction, especially when you are so concerned about your own pleasure. 

Mean jabs and hurtful words left you now, just laboured breathing and moaning as you rode him, intent on seeing to your own end, and he was doing a lot to ensure it actually, moving with you, rocking up into you, seeing to your satisfaction and enjoyment in a way you’d almost call uncharacteristic of him. After two seconds of thought, though, it’s obvious he was getting just as much out of this. 

The build of it isn’t quick per se, but it’s steady, one of those orgasms that builds in almost a steady arc, not really any valleys, just a consistent climb, up and up, until your pace becomes a bit uneven, thighs shaking, breath stuttering until it culminates and you cum. Your fingers are still in his hair, but there isn’t any serious tension there, no longer holding taut, grinding down onto him, shallow, fast thrusts of him in and out halfway as you ride out your bliss with a quiet and singular, “Yes.” on your tongue. 

You squeeze all you can out of your orgasm before you slow to a stop. Your eyes open, and you huff out a, “Fuck, I needed that.” 

And next? You get up. You stand, slip him out and swing your leg back over, getting off of him and breaking away. 

You are reaching down, going to fix your underwear and slide it back up, and he asks, “Uh, what are you doing?”

Eyes flick to him, a confused look on his face and his dick still out, painfully hard and soaked from you, “Well we still have a project to finish, I was gonna get back to work and then hopefully go back to my dorm to crash.” 

“What about me?” He asked, and you respond with a smile, a slight cock of your head, “What about you Jason?”

Your eyes drop, you are pulling your underwear back up when you feel it. His hand locked on your bicep and then him yanking on you, pulling you over to the desk, and then he pushes you down, hands finds your hips, and he moves you to his liking. One is on the back of your thigh and pushing your leg up, knee finds purchase on hardwood, and he is leaning down, his chest to your back, you feel his hair on the back of your neck, lips brush by your ear, “Yeah you are not gonna leave me with blue balls sorry.” 

He is slipping back inside, and you arch back into him, a shared moan spills forth, “You took your anger out on me, so now I’m going to do the same.” 

Second-best idea he’s had all night. Well you thought that until later on he was going down on you post fuck, making you cum on his tongue until you were almost sobbing, but that is something else entirely. 

You ended up staying in the editing bay all night but by the end of it you had the project done and, reluctantly, a new fuck buddy. At least Jason Carvey turned out to be good for something. 

[hezuart]

Why did you switch from animation to reviews? Also, do you still plan on doing CGI like you mentioned multiple times?

oH BOY..... you may need to sit down for this one

So it all started back in 2012. I was around 14 years old and just saw Rise of the Guardians and Wreck it Ralph. The stories, the characters, the world-building, the animation... now I never really went to movie theaters as a kid, but as a teen I started going and I instantly fell in love.

I went to community college for a few years and made some amazing friends. Loved some of my teachers and we participated in fun events like the 24-hour challenge and Campus Movie Fest. I had gotten in the top picks for Campus Movie Fest at some point and was supposed to go to the Cannes Film Festival in France to showcase my short film, but then the pandemic hit and it got canceled indefinitely.

So get this, for community college, I got a certification in 3D Animation and Video Game development. It's basically an AA degree but without general ed. (Why do you need general ed to get a degree in something? Math and PE have nothing to do with Animation. College is ridiculous. People have to pay you more simply because you were forced to spend more money in college. Wild.) Out of the 20 classes I had taken to get this certification, only 3 of those courses were hands-on 3D animation. And only one of those courses was hands-on video game development and I dropped out of that class because it was PC only and I only had a Mac at the time. I applied to the class without realizing it was accommodating only to PCs. So even my certification is barely reaching the basics for the title of it, but I did take another online course or two for 3D animation which I have a different certification for.

Now even with my 3D animation, I was never taught the physics engine. I was never taught hair or cloth simulation, but I do have modeling, rigging, animating, and texturing experience. For gaming, I have very little experience. I've only modeled things and found my way around Unity, but otherwise, I suck at coding. I hate coding with a passion. Making a video game without coding isn't really possible.

Now, when the pandemic hit, a lot of things were shutting down. I had no idea where I wanted to go next. People kept asking me where I was going for my higher education, but I kept getting warned not to waste money on college if you're trying to become an artist, especially at University. It's a money pit, and competition is so high, you're not guaranteed a job, you're just gonna be in debt. Even colleges like Cal Arts, who charge over $1K per class, I've been told are a "Pay to get in" kind of place. Where the money is used to nab professionals from their work to teach students or talk about their company or programs, and through that, you get a bigger chance to get your foot in the door because you know someone. I've unfortunately been told that's the more realistic way to get into animation: networking. If you're a shy introvert who doesn't know any famous people, you need to be extremely talented and unique to stand out to get the chance of being noticed. I don't really want to suck up to people nor do I want to waste thousands of dollars and 5 more years on college that I may not even need (let alone be able to afford) especially if there are online classes that may be even more valuable.

Now after I got out of college and started applying a few places, I discovered a LOT of unfortunate information.

Most animation these days is done overseas. South Korea, India, Japan, and Canada are the big ones.

Invader Zim, Steven Universe, Miraculous Ladybug, The Simpsons, OK KO, Star vs the Forces of Evil, Kipo and the Age of the Wonder Beasts, Adventure Time, Twelve Forever, and the Powerpuff Girls Reboot were animated in South Korea. The Ghost and Molly Mcgee is animated in Canada.

(The first four seasons of the Simpsons were animated in America until it switched to South Korea and India.)

2D traditional animation is no longer viable. Puppetry is the industry standard because it's the cheapest. Luckily, Toon Boom Harmony has allowed us to push the boundaries of 2D puppetry. Puppetry these days, if done well, can look really great, like Tangled the Series, but if you don't have Toon Boom Harmony, you're probably not gonna be hired.

Not even all 3D is made in the USA. If it's Disney, Dreamworks, or Pixar, then it's usually USA. But streaming service movies, like Sea Beast, Kid Cosmic, The Willoughbys, and Klaus, while they claim to be a "Netflix Original" that "Netflix Animation" animated, that's a lie. Klaus was animated by Yowza! Animation in Canada. The Willoughbys: Bron Animation, Canada. Kid Cosmic: Mercury Filmworks, Canada. Sea Beast: Sony Pictures Image Works, Canada. (X)

Go Go Cory Carson is written and storyboarded in America, but the animation is shipped out to be done in France. Sonic Boom is also French Animated.

Even Sony Pictures? Open Season, Surf's Up, Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, SMurfs, Hotel Transylvania, Over the Moon, The Angry Birds Movie, Sea Beast? Sony Pictures Imageworks is based in Canada. They're doing all the animation for them. It's not animated in America, it's merely funded by them.

I should also clarify: I only want to participate in stylized animated media. I don't want to do CGI for hyper-realistic films, which eliminates most of the animation jobs out there these days. It's just not my thing. The insane amount of details and uncanny valley are just so unappealing, I can't do it.

The closest animation studios are still far away. Most companies are located in LA. I'm over 7+ hours away from there. LA also has a high poverty rate, terrible air quality, is overcrowded, and is just generally not a good place to live, especially if you're low middle class. You're not gonna survive there.

Pixar is located in Emeryville, a few minutes north of San Fransisco city. Emeryville is the most crime-ridden city in that area. They tell you not to walk home alone at night. You're more likely to get robbed there than anywhere else according to the population ratio there. There are a lot of gangs that hide up there, and there's a lot of poverty there, even outside of San Fransisco. It's basically a trash pit. Not an ideal place to live, and commuting through 3-hour SF city traffic is also not gonna work. (X)

I have also been informed some people who work at Pixar are petty that the interns use their facility. Pixar has a heated pool, soccer field, gymnasium, and a few other nice things on their property. I was informed there was a person or two who got mad that an intern was using their basketball court.... when the intern was on break. As though they weren't part of Pixar, as though they had no right to touch the property. Apparently, they also used to make the interns push around little tea carts to serve refreshments as a way to "talk to the fellow animators" to probably get them interacting, but hearing that the interns were basically chored with butler duty to bother the animators hard at work seems like such a forced thing. That makes me uncomfortable. Of course, the person who told me these stories has been working with Pixar for over a decade or two now, so things could be very different as the years went on. Pixar itself on the inside of the animator building is gorgeous. They all decorate their office spaces in crazy ways, it looks like a movie set. But they have a bar and "whiskey club". They're apparently allowed to drink at work and have often had parties that got a little out of hand. There's also an old chain smoker room where the founders used to play poker and spy on people outside of their room with hidden cameras; I've even been inside. I don't think they use it anymore, though I'm not totally sure. Some of this info was fascinating, but the drinking made me uncomfortable. I kinda want to work with sober people here.

The sex ratio in the animation industry is also interesting and unfavorable. 70% of the animation and art school ratio is women, but only 34% of the actual animation workforce is women. 34% female to 66% male. More women study animation than men, but more men get hired and hold positions than women. Animation, ironically, has always been a male-dominated workplace. This unfortunately contributes to the "you have to know someone" or "be rich" to get-in situation. Men know a lot more men and not as many women. So the 30 to 40-year-old guys hire the other guys they know rather than a young poor girl with a passion. This makes it even more difficult for me to get in. (X)

20th Century, Netflix Animation, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Bento Box, Vanguard Animation, Universal Studios, Titmouse, 6 Point Harness, ShadowMachine- all LA / South California.

There are a few places I could apply to, but what they do, I just don't care for. Niantic(Pokemon Go), Lucasfilm(Effects), Whiteboard Animation(Marketing), Sharpeyeanimation (Marketing), EA games (Mass Effect, Battlefield, Dragon Age 2, all those hyper-realistic war, sports, or fantasy games.)

So whether it's outside of the USA or within the USA, I need to move. I don't have the money for that yet.

Just find a company that does remote work, right? It should be easy, especially in pandemic times! Wrong. Most animation companies don't permit remote work. It's probably a security issue. But I've done research on this. The only big animation company I've found (so far) that allows remote work (or is HIRING for remote work) is Mainframe Studios in Canada. They have a 3D animation job list, and I guess they focus on animating Barbie movies(???). (X) But that's about it. And even if you're a remote worker, there's a high likely hood you still need a Visa to be allowed to work for a company belonging to another country. So that's a whole other legal process to deal with.

Disney is becoming a huge corporate monopoly over American animation. They bought Blue Sky only to kill them off. (Disney also just recently laid off 7,000 people due to their stock price drop and failed movies they released the past year with deliberately bad marketing for political reasons. (X) Disney also bought Pixar and is pushing for sequels because weird or bad, sequels and terrible live actions make them a LOT of money. Did you know Disney's terrible Lion King CGI remake is amongst the top 10 highest-grossing movies ever made? It's criminal. (X)

Because Disney is such a big name in the USA, there's a huge association of animation = children's media, which is not true. Animation at the Oscars also has its own category, when it's not a genre, is a medium. Disney often wins at the Oscars too because no one sees the other animations. Granted, Disney has an insane marketing budget in comparison, but it's clear no one cares to seek out animation outside of heavy CGI live-action these days. No small-time studios, no limited releases, no anime. The fact that Disney also now OWNS the Oscars is SUS as hell. (The fact that Disney-owned ABC threatened the Oscars, forcing them to cut 8 categories or else there wouldn't be a show that year is wild. There isn't even an oscar for stuntmen. What the fuck, Hollywood?) (X)

Dreamworks nearly went bankrupt and sold itself to Comcast back in 2013. Comcast also owns Illumination. Dreamworks has been focusing on making bad tv show adaptions of their IPs. So yes people, Jack would sooner meet the Minions than meet Elsa. Disney is the biggest corporate monopoly, but it's definitely not the only one. The animation industry in America is snuffing out its competition by buying it out for itself. It's insane the kind of power they have.

Competition is HIGH. Because of this, the only ways to get in? If you're rich or you know someone. Pixar gets over 3,000 intern applications every summer. Less than 100 are seen by actual hiring managers. The most interns Pixar has ever taken in a single year were 12. The least they ever took in a single year was two. A 12 to 3,000 ratio is not favorable. That's a 3% chance to get into a big-shot animation company.

And again, because remote work isn't permissible to new hires, you need to live in the area to commute to the campuses. This is one of the reasons why LA is so crowded.

If you get into an animation company purely remote and maybe even for a different country? You are the luckiest person alive.

Programs are expensive. The animation industry is very strict on what programs they use. The industry standard for 2D puppetry is Toon Boom Harmony; the industry standard for 3D animation is Maya, and the industry standard for video game development isn't as clear but Unity is one of them.

Some of these programs are free, as long as you are a student. If you are attending college or a certain online program, you can use your school-issued email through them to apply to get the program for free for about a year. Otherwise, if you're using it to make your own animations solo?

Autodesk Maya: $225 a month or $1,785 a year (X)

and guess what? Maya removed its free render service. Arnold is now built in by default, however, if you want to BATCH render (Meaning render a full scene or several slides) it will slap it's ugly watermark over it.

Fun fact, this very rendered watermark can be seen accidentally in a single frame for the Kingdom Hearts Frozen cutscene

Well, you need to batch render if you're trying to animate so let's see what Arnold costs- $50 monthly to $380 annually.... are you kidding me?! The rendering PLUG-IN BUNDLED TO MAYA COSTS MORE TO USE THAN THE OWN PROGRAM?! (X)

Now, there are other rendering plug-ins you can probably use with Maya. But they all have their ups and downs and their own costs as well. (X) Pixar's Renderman is $595 per license. I can't seem to get info on Octane. V-ray solo is $39 monthly while premium is around $60 monthly.

Now there IS Blender, an alternative to Maya. It is free and I have it. That is ideal to work in for people like me. I tried it a while back, but I hated the interface windows. It was hard to work on it when you can't close them properly. It's possible they've fixed this in an update, but I haven't touched the program in over three years so I wouldn't know. It's different from Maya a little, so it has ups and downs in comparison too. But Blender is a savior to 3D artists everywhere.

Toon Boom Harmony isn't as bad but still high: Lowest price is $27 monthly / $220 annual and the highest is $124 monthly / $1,100 annual (X)

Unity has a basic version that is free, but Unity Plus is $399 yearly while Unity Pro is $2,040 (X)

So some programs are clearly more viable than others. But imagine you're trying to model, texture, rig, animate, simulate, and render a short film all by yourself in Maya. That's gonna take you over a year or two, and you'll have several thousand dollars out of your pocket by the time your free trial ends. And might I say, for an industry-standard program, Maya sucks. It's almost unusable without those plug-ins for not only rendering but also for the models to even be able to SELECT their BONE rigs.

Do you want to practice on your own when school is out of session? Fuck you! Fuck subscription services! Welcome to capitalist hell, baby!

Again, using Blender is more viable, but you're still going to be basically doing everything yourself. That's gonna take years. Do you have the patience for that? Do I?

Because of the pandemic, movies aren't even hitting theaters anymore. They're going straight to streaming services. Streaming services of which, gain sole rights to and can take media off their platforms at any time without warning. Thanks, Discovery+ ! Does everyone remember the HBO Max Animation & DC purge? It could happen to other streaming services too. Piracy will save the future of animation at this point. (X)

And again, Streaming services like Netflix will purchase films and claim they made them by slapping their logo over it; but no, they either bought the distribution rights or produced them through funding and maybe storyboarding. Often times from a Canadian film studio. (Link again X)

Even stop motion companies like LAIKA are losing money and may have to shut down or be bought out in the future, especially considering how much work and money they put into their films vs. how much money they actually make. (X)

All of this? Naturally made me fall into a depression. My god, the layers of hopelessness. My animation and modeling is pretty average too. I'm decent. I can maybe make a good shot. But I can't blow people away like James Baxter can. I mean, I shouldn't compare myself to people. If I worked really hard, maybe I could get into a good company. But again, I have to move! A part of me gave up. I don't really do 3D animation anymore, though part of me misses it.

I still 2D animate. I'm trying to make a short film and though my college friends who were working on it with me have given up, I have done my best to keep going. Even if it has been produced at a snail's pace for the past three years, I still intend to finish this animation. It's gonna be beautiful when it comes out, and it will be a wonderful portfolio piece regardless.

So with nothing else to do and no other kind of job experience really under my belt(plus my family is prone to covid so getting a job in the pandemic was just kind of out of the question) I decided to go to youtube. I heard some people can make a little money on there, but the truth is I had actually wanted to become a youtuber for a few years prior. I've always looked up to animators and reviewers on youtube, I've loved the stories they tell and their incredibly detailed analysis essays on movies, tv series, books, etc. I wanted to be one of them. I wasn't sure exactly what I'd do, so I just followed the Youtube Partnership program set up which took a few months, and then jumped in! I found I only had the time to upload once every month or two. I had a ton of audio issues and I'm not outputting at the proper 1920 x 1080 quality that I should be doing either. It's a huge learning process that I still haven't perfected, but I'm taking notes to try and get better.

Even though Youtube is fun, I only make $300 a month, and that isn't even consistent. With patreon, I make maybe another $80 or $100 on top of that, so overall $400 a month average. That's really nice and pretty cool! But it's not enough to survive.

Now I work part-time at a coffee shop. My mental health is a lot better and I love my coworkers. I make roughly $400 a week in comparison to the $400 a month. It's still not enough to live off of (the cheapest rent around is over $1,000 a month, not ) and it's still a temporary job in the long run. I intend to work here for maybe another two years to save up money.

But what do I do now?

Am I welcome in animation spaces anymore?

As a critic of popular media, it could be likely that they could fire me or deny my application because of my critique of their past films or tv series. They could see my youtube persona and assume I'm a raging untrustworthy nitpick instead of a passionate, kind person.

Vivziepop's Spindlehorse company? What Viv was doing was a dream. I was so inspired by her. She made her own company, made a super successful pilot, and was even creating more jobs for traditional, high-quality animation. However, for Hazbin Hotel, she required more funding, which is why she sold it off to A24, who now has corporate say in the show. A24 is known for letting creators be more lenient, but otherwise, Viv won't have full control over it anymore unless she managed to get them to sign something over to her; but with the rumors of her being kicked off season 1? I don't know anymore.

Her own company Spindlehorse; they rely on youtube revenue and/or merch sales to fund Helluva Boss. That's a tricky business practice, but it's kept them afloat so far.

However, Spindlehorse is hiring a lot of people as of late. This could be a bad sign; that people might be leaving the company due to potential mistreatment or unhappiness. With the way the show is going, I don't really want to be part of that company regardless, but maybe before season 2 of Helluva Boss, I would have considered applying. Had I made any critique videos prior, there's no way they'd accept me. "Aren't you that one YouTuber that said my writing is bad for season 2 episode 2?" And you expect me to hire you?" Like yeah, that application process would go down well. Not. By critiquing artists' work, some of them are very sensitive. I'd be kicked out for a lot of things, when really, we artists should be critiquing each other all the time, trying to improve. That's how the writer's room always is, ahaha... hours of fighting goes down in those meetings. It's intense, but fun.

But yeah, it's such a shame. Even small companies need to sell out to corporate to survive. Either that or be HEAVILY crowd-funded, which again, can be a slippery slope.

I see a ton of small projects on Twitter looking to hire people, or looking to become a big studio to release a pilot or game. I've joined a few of them, but most are unpaid because of COURSE they are, and then these projects?? Just don't go anywhere. Because it's unpaid. Because we can't afford to work on a project for free. IRL comes first. Some of these projects seem so great but they don't go anywhere, and it's hard to have faith in start-up studios anymore. (Game creators might have a chance, but tv series or films? Good luck, folks.)

At that point, should I just make my own company? I don't have the money or knowledge for such a thing! It's insanely expensive to start a business and get licensing. So much paperwork, so much everything! And the USA Government is so behind in understanding technology. If you want to create a remote business and/or copyright something, you're still required to put an advertisement in a local newspaper about it, even if your business isn't selling to locals. 💀 The number of fees and ridiculous legal hoops you need to jump through... it's a ridiculous waste of time and money. But you need to do it. The question is, am I willing to do it? Am I willing to tackle such an insane thing by myself?

I want to keep my internet persona and IRL persona separate, but can I? I value having a private, quieter life away from the screen. I worry about getting doxxed one day because of the nature of the internet. I worry about people finding my IRL resumes or profiles for work I want to do outside of youtube for security's sake. My art style is unique and very recognizable. I don't have a lot of private art that is worthy of being in a portfolio. But for absolute safety, I'd need to password-protect my websites or portfolios so the public doesn't have free access to them; only companies I'm applying to. But at that point, does password-protecting my resume and portfolio make it less likely I'd be hired due to the inconvenience? Due to the private, hard-to-find nature of my work? Being a YouTuber with great story skills and art skills with a fanbase could be a big plus to getting hired somewhere, but it could also be a horrible disadvantage that would get me fired. It's a double-edged sword that I cannot work around and I don't know what to do.

I've considered the video game industry, but even that isn't ideal. A lot of the indie ones I adore aren't made in the USA. Gris and Monster Camp were made in Spain. Ori and the Blind Forest: Austria. Hollow Knight: Australia. Little Nightmares and Raft: Sweden. LIMBO & INSIDE: Denmark. Outlast, Don't Starve, Spirit Farer, Bendy and the Ink Machine: Canada.

SuperGiant Games did Hades, Transistor and Bastion and is located in SF, but they're not hiring. Janimation, a multi-media company located in Texas isn't hiring. Frederator in New York isn't hiring.

I don't want to work for a studio that does nothing but first-person shooters or sports games. If I want to get into the gaming industry, I probably need to crowdfund and make a company to make a game myself.

If I make my own game, which I've wanted to do for a long time now and still want to... I can't code. I guess I could try to hire someone that could? But a game to the extent I want... I'd need to start small. I'd need to practice. It's several years of work. Will it even be worth it? I don't think I can do it alone. I'd need crowdfunding and workers; which again, here comes the "make my own studio" issue...

Do I even want to animate anymore? I prefer traditional animation in comparison to puppetry. I prefer 2D animation to 3D animation simply because it is more accessible. But even then, I'm finding myself drawn more and more to writing, storyboarding, and character design. If I were a 3D animator, this is mostly what I'd be working with all day: Naked models in an empty room. I'd do none of the physics simulation or texturing or lighting.

Animating naked & bald people all day... I don't know... 3D Animation kind of lost its appeal. You only work on such a small portion of a film, you almost never have the bigger picture. You won't see the final result until the film is done. As an animator, you're almost kept in the dark. Maybe that's how they want it anyway, since leaks are a huge issue they keep quiet under strict NDA.

But yeah, anyway... I'm an artistic digital generalist. I can do almost anything. 3D animation, storyboarding, writing, photo editing, illustration, rendering, modeling and so much more. It's hard to choose what you really want to be in this industry. I feel like Barry Benson dfklgjdflkjg

I don't know what I'm gonna do anymore. There's gotta be a solution to this but I just can't figure it out. I don't want to give up my youtube channel so I can be an animator. I don't want to give up a safer, quiet countryside house to be able to survive financially. Am I even willing or able to move countries? Is my career more important than friends and family?

I think I'm thinking too much about everything. I should start small. Move less than an hour away first and move in with roommates to get a feel for independence instead of jumping into it immediately. Get a job at a small time company, maybe not for what I want at first, but it'll get me some experience and maybe I'll learn some things along the way to understand where I can go next. Take it slow and don't panic too much over trying to be a young big shot. Take things one day at a time? That's my current goal, I suppose.

So you know... to answer your question... why did I switch to youtube for a current career? Because of a classic existential & career crisis in my 20s. Will I ever go back to 3D animation? Maybe. Maybe one day.

[agentnico]

The Holdovers (2023) Review

Gosh, I do miss snow. Not something we get much of here in the dreary old UK. So thank you Alexander Payne for really rubbing it in our face.

Plot: A curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school remains on campus during Christmas break to babysit a handful of students with nowhere to go. He soon forms an unlikely bond with a brainy but damaged troublemaker, and with the school's head cook, a woman who just lost a son in the Vietnam War.

Payne’s last movie 2017’s Downsizing was an underwhelming mess, with an interesting concept that is dropped within the first half hour, and instead of the fun science fiction/biting social satire we get a movie dealing with real-world dangers and a random apocalypse for reasons I don’t believe even Alexander Payne knows. It was very much a movie that was not conceived or thought out properly, hence why it was a flop financially and critically. And I didn’t like it myself, which is the worst of it all. So many may be doubting checking out Payne’s new film The Holdovers, however luckily this is a return to form for the talented scriptwriter/director, as pushed aside are any high concepts and instead we get a simple premise, yet it’s one that’s delivered in such an entertaining and heartwarming way.

The Holdovers is very much a vibes movie. It has that old-timey retro feel to it from how it is shot to make it look like it’s from the 70s (reminiscent of John Hughes films and Dead Poets Society). You also have the constant snow falling and the Christmas music just really delivers that cozy winter feel. It’s a wholesome Christmas movie through and through. Which is ironic due to two of the three main characters being absolute asses, but it’s the way the narrative forces these three characters to be stuck together by themselves over the holiday period, and how they develop from this that results in a very delightful little film. Also, having your main characters have flawed personas doesn’t always work with certain films, for as an audience it is easy to disconnect if you don’t at all sympathize with the characters you follow, however here Alexander Payne successfully manages to make you care about them by showcasing that at the end of the day, they are all just human, and through their dickishness they do still have some redeemable qualities too. Boasted by David Hemingson's very well-written script - some good wit and humour throughout, but also it’s the emotional backbone with the film reflectively diving into themes of grief and loneliness. It’s a dialogue-centric feature but one that easily wraps itself around you as you enjoy spending time with these characters.

Paul Giamatti is fantastic here. Giamatti always delivers a great performance, heck, even in the forgettable disaster CGI fest film San Andreas he managed to somehow deliver a solid turn as the climate professor, delivering endless exposition and science mumbo jumbo with such passion and vigor that one wouldn’t have questioned it if he got nominated for a Noble Prize. But with The Holdovers he finally gets to take on a lead role and he’s phenomenal. He’s very reserved as this Scrooge type who’s very bitter at life and life is bitter at him. Like it’s still Giamatti being Giamatti, yet you truly buy into his performance. Dominic Sessa as the troublesome kid too plays his part well, and in fact his performance mirrors a lot of what Giamatti is doing with that feeling that he is willing to help others, but he is also so stuck in his own ways and pissed off at the world that he constantly makes bad decisions. Da’Vine Joy Randolph brings so much to her role as a grieving mother and as such I do wish the movie did more with her character. There is only one real scene where she’s given rein to really portray the grief, anger and distress of her character but otherwise is written a bit one note, so I do wish Payne gave her more to work with as Randolph really brings it, but I also understand the movie’s intentions and focus were more on the professor and the student. That being said for Randolph to go from the crude Christmas comedy Office Christmas Party to another Christmas movie but one where she really brings her dramatic chops is very impressive. Now all she needs is to appear in a holiday-themed horror flick and she’s fully become the holiday movie queen!

In terms of negatives, there aren’t many. As I mentioned, Randolph’s character could have been explored more. Also, the film’s narrative is very predictable; again, just think of Dead Poets Society. However, Payne so successfully tells this story and delivers a heartwarming nostalgic experience that it’s hard not to love. It’s been a while since we’ve had a perfect old-school well-spirited Christmas movie, and luckily The Holdovers is destined to become a holiday classic.

Overall score: 8/10

[ateezscupid]

ATEEZ PROMPT FEST

hosted by @tinycupids-world hello everyone! i know I haven't posted in ages, and it's mainly because I don't have any ideas on what to write and because I'm working on requests that are taking forever to write bc I'm lazy

SO, to have myself working, im giving yall a list of prompts to choose from if anyone wants to request something!

all of these prompts are just, like, the base. you can change anything up if you want to! just make sure to tell me which member you want it to be and what the genre is. this event will only last 2-4 weeks!

ALL PROMPTS ARE FROM SERVICESCAPE AND TUMBLR.

Story Prompts:

Yes, you used to be in love with a vampire, but you were just seventeen, and emotions were running high. You broke it off with him before you left for college, and although it was weird to go back to the real world, you knew it was the right thing to do. But then students at your college begin to go missing. Bodies are found on campus drained of blood. You've had enough when your roommate and your new boyfriend disappear. It's time to put on some garlic, grab a stake, and end this relationship. You just hope you can resist his irresistible charms.

Your life was uneventful until New Year's Eve, 2019, when a strange portal opened before you and a panicked figure ran out, claiming to be from the future. They said they wanted to save you from government agents from their time, who were about to travel here to kill you. They explained that, sometime in the future, you will create a technology rendering all other energy sources useless. You laughed, telling them you are a broke college student who eats ramen thrice daily. Before you could convince them they had the wrong person, another portal materialized.

A handsome stranger moves to your small town, and all the single women are desperate to impress them. As a shy bookworm, you work at the local library and read the classics. You are surprised when the newcomer frequents the library daily, reading old journals. The two of you bond over your love of books, and something different about him makes you fall for him. One day after they leave, you chance upon one of the books they have been reading, which details the town's history. You are shocked when you look at a picture of the town's founders and see someone who looks identical to the newcomer.

Two star-crossed lovers from warring planets fall in love on a peace-seeking mission that goes awry. They secretly stay in contact, although their governments are at war. They must choose whether or not to prove that peace can be reached by exposing their relationship to the world at the risk of losing everything, including their lives.

Growing up, there was a knock on the door every year at midnight on your birthday. With everyone sound asleep, you would always check who's there, only to be met with nothing. On your 20th birthday, the knock happens as usual, but someone is standing before you this time. The handsome person from your night's nightmare wielded powerful magic and saved you from a dark being during your dream. You hope that your dream was not a premonition.

You're just enjoying your day off from work, thinking about maybe watching that new movie that people keep talking about, when the literal air splits around you, and a person appears out of nowhere. They're tall and handsome and tell you they've been sent from the future to protect you. You think they're crazy, but you saw them come from nowhere. When they grab your hand, you feel a spark. This person is here to save your life—and change it forever.

Raised in an orphanage, you know nothing of your magical heritage. However, when you reached the age of maturity, you discovered that you possessed the powers of both the light and the dark. You don't know how your dark powers came to be, but they could get you killed by the magical enforcers: a group sworn to remove black magic from the world. That's why you fled the orphanage in the dead of night and never looked back. You survived on the streets, using your wit, grit, and a few of your dark powers, but only when absolutely necessary. Now an adult, you remain in the shadows, keeping to yourself. One fateful night you stumble across an attempted murder. You refuse to watch an innocent man be killed. You save their life with no choice but to use your dark powers. Little do you know that the handsome person you saved is, in fact, a magical enforcer.

"Speak softly love," he whispers in your ear. But when you turn in surprise, there is nothing there but a bust of a handsome young man staring back at you. You continue walking down the dark corridor.

You are a young person on a student scholarship at a high-profile British university. One day at the uni pub, you meet a handsome young man with whom you fell in love at first sight. The next day, you open the newspaper only to discover you have been out with a crown prince.

Your lover leaves you for somebody else, but you can't live without them. You find a way to travel back in time to discover what you did wrong and figure out how you can make things right. You can control time. But can you control free will?

You whisper to him that he is the love of your life. He backs away, looks into your eyes, and tells you that no one has been alive here in over a hundred years.

As a senior detective in the special victims crimes unit, you are hunting down a serial killer who targets young college students. The clues lead you to a reclusive billionaire with a "devil-may-care" attitude. But something is off. It's just too neat when all fingers point to him. However, you can't help but question your motives as you find yourself drawn to him in ways you've never felt before. Can you put aside your desires to find out if he's a serial killer, or will your passion get in the way of doing your job?

They say that these old ruins are haunted. That no one should ever go there at night. Well, after your partner goes missing, you go to that place. The one place that everybody said was the last place you should look for them. You hope to find your love but may find more than you bargained for.

Androids live among humans and perform a wide variety of tasks. As an android built to be a butler, you enjoy your work and are satisfied with your role. However, after a few years, you begin to experience what can only be called love for a human being who lives next door. As you diligently wash the dishes, longingly looking through the window at your crush, you decide to prove worthy of their affection. Little do you know that your love interest thinks of you as more of an appliance than an individual.

You are a time traveler, and on your latest journey, you meet and fall in love with a beautiful but mysterious person. When your lover suddenly vanishes before your eyes, you realize that they're a time traveler as well. You move through time again and again to find them.

You are new in town and determined to blend in and keep a low profile. After securing a job at a local coffee shop, you convince everyone that you are an average human, not an incubus with a dark past. When a human regular at the coffee shop starts taking an interest in you, you can't help falling for them. When you become comfortable in your new routine, an unwelcome reminder in the form of your succubus ex struts back into your life. Before they can blow your cover, you must reveal the truth about yourself to the person you love.

You are a jewel thief trying to get out of the business, but you agree to take one last job before going straight. The money seems too good to be true—enough to set you up for life—so you can't turn it down. However, there's a catch. You need to steal the jewels from an auction house where your former lover is the head of security. It's been more than ten years, but the pain of his betrayal is still very real. You plan to get close to him again to learn the ins and outs of the auction's security system. You didn't plan on falling back in love with him.

Other prompts: Angst:

“I didn’t want to hurt you. But I also couldn’t stop.”

“Just let me go. Please, I want to leave.”

“Pushing me away will not help you.”

“I don’t feel safe with you anymore.”

“Did you really believe I cared for you?”

“You deserved everything that happened to you.”

“I know you don’t want to do this. But I’m afraid you must.”

“You can’t even see how much you hurt me.”

“Stop giving me hope. It hurts so much more.”

“Our forever seems to have been short-lived.”

“I’m done. Do whatever you want, but do it without me.”

“Stop trying to make it up to me, you can’t!”

“Ignoring the problems will not make them go away.”

“How could I ever trust you again after this?”

“You’re not deserving of me.”

“You always knew me better than everyone else, so it will probably not surprise you, that I have to leave.”

“Without you here, I don’t have enough left to stay.”

“This will be our last conversation for a while. But it will never be the last.”

“I have to leave, you know that. I’m just sad that I have to leave you here behind.”

“Wherever I go, I will always take a piece of you with me. Even if it’s just the voice in my head.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, I will be fine.”

“I will be gone for a while, but I will always eventually come back to you. I promise.”

“There are other ways to deal with this. Please, don’t leave!”

“Don’t you understand how much it would hurt me to see you go?”

“This is not about me, not about us. It’s about you and I don’t want you to do something stupid that you will regret.”

“I just can’t let you go. Please, don’t make me try to make you stay.”

“You don’t need to do this!”

“Please! Please, don’t leave me here alone!”

“It would kill me to let you go and do this.”

“Tell me what I can do to make you stay. What I can say, so you won’t leave. I need to know how I can fix this!”

“I’m sorry that it had to come to this.”

“I’m sorry for not believing you.”

“I’m sorry for being too late.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do this anymore.”

“I’m sorry for making you feel like this.”

“I’m sorry this happened to you.”

“I’m sorry for not realizing it sooner.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”

“I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“I’m sorry that you feel like this.”

“I’m sorry for believing what they told me.”

“I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“I’m sorry that you think that.”

“I’m sorry for not seeing it sooner.”

“I’m sorry that I made you cry.”

“I’m sorry for leaving you behind.”

“I’m sorry for not responding.”

“I’m sorry for not talking to you.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I’m sorry I made you worry.”

“I’m sorry that we fought.”

“I’m sorry, but that was not my fault.”

“I’m sorry that you think of me like that.”

“I’m sorry for making you choose.”

“I’m sorry for lying to you.”

“I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner.”

“I’m sorry, but I need an answer.”

“I’m sorry that I have to say goodbye.”

“I’m sorry that you had to go through this.”

“I’m sorry for not being there for you.”

Fluff:

staring at them with heart eyes

getting caught staring

“I’m so incredibly proud of you.”

booping the other’s nose

calling them a pet name

“You’re just too adorable when you blush.”

hands brushing against each other, finally linking together

biting their lips, while holding the gaze

“Sweetheart.”

smearing ice cream on the other’s nose

and licking it away

“I’m not blushing!” “Yes, you are.”

being called their girlfriend/boyfriend for the first time

hiding under the blankets to hide the blush

“May I have this dance?”

complimenting each other unexpectedly

giving them a hand kiss

“I really like that color on you. Brings out your eyes.”

blowing them a kiss

getting pushed together in a crowd

“You’re getting so red, so don’t try to deny it, my love.”

calling them “mine”

“You make me a better person.”

“Do you want a hug?”

“You’re so cute when you blush.”

“Everything alright?” “I just missed you.”

“I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else.”

“That’s so sweet of you.”

“Rough day? Can I make it better?”

“Come on. Let’s go home.”

“Believe me, I will never be tired of you.”

“I love how you look in my shirt.”

“How come you always end up under my blanket?”

“There is no better way to start the day than seeing your face.”

“You’re unbelievable cute when you’re tired.”

“I love to hear your voice, even if you’re so far away.”

“Is it fair to say that you read the love letter and that this means ‘yes’?”

“Morning cuddles are the best part of the day.”

“Have I told you I love you today?”

“I would like my good morning kiss now.”

“Let’s go, I’ll buy you dinner. And maybe breakfast.”

“You getting so flustered is one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen.”

“I think I know what that smile means.”

“You give the best hugs.”

“How would you feel about spending the day in bed?”

“Oh my, don’t you look adorable!”

“I’m sorry for staring, I just can’t seem to look away.”

“What’s the rush? Just lay back down.”

“Is that my sweater you’re wearing?

"Let’s take a day off and just spend the day together.”

“I feel like I can breathe better with you around.”

“Mmmh, you always smell amazing!”

“I’m so proud of you.”

“Any ideas for our next date?”

“I think I deserve a kiss for this.”

“Of course I know the way you like your coffee.”

“I want everyone to see that we belong together.”

“Thank you for always being by my side.”

“As beautiful as always.”

“Just call me whenever you like.”

“I would never regret a thing in my life, since it led me to you.”

“Nothing makes me more happy than making you smile.”

“Should I bring you some lunch today?”

“I never want this to end.”

“We should just stay in tonight and cuddle.”

“I really want to see you first thing in the morning.”

“This vacation was a wonderful idea.”

“This feels better than I could have ever imagined.”

“Text me when you’re safe at home.”

“I would marry you again in a heartbeat.”

Smut:

“I dreamed of your legs wrapped around my waist.”

“Don’t act innocent when we both know where your mouth was two minutes ago.”

“We should probably leave, before we start a scandal.”

“Stop looking at me like that or my knees will not hold me any longer.”

“I think you lost your underwear somewhere.”

“My tongue still remembers the way you taste.”

“Is there some space left in that bathtub?”

“The way your eyes get darker when you get aroused, is making me lose my mind.”

“I want to count every one of your freckles with my lips.”

“Jealousy seems to be a great motivator for you.”

“Oh no, there is only one bed, what will we do now?”

“I could make you feel better.”

“Get back down here, we’re not done yet.”

“Later you will definitely need to tell me where you learned this.”

“I know I should care about the reason why you’re naked in my bed, but I will just enjoy it for a moment.”

“You’re a lot more flexible than I thought.”

“I want to please you.”

“Tell me what you would want to do, if you were here right now.”

“Your shirt got a little dirty, how about we take it off?”

“I want to give you a hickey, so everyone can see how I feel about you.”

“Oh, I love that sound you make.”

“Do you want to take it off or should I do it for you?”

“I never imagined you to be so sensitive, but I love it.”

“Maybe you could use that mouth for more than just talking nonsense.”

“If we weren’t in public right now…”

“Your hand feels much better than my own.”

“As soon as we’re both sober, we can do every dirty little thing you ever dreamed of.”

“Come on, you have to work for it.”

“I’ll take it that you like what you see.”

“Your moans will wake everyone up and I’m oddly fine with that.”

“Your eyes are already saying yes, now I just need your mouth to tell me the same.”

“I can never seem to get enough of you.”

“How about we continue this somewhere more private?”

“Oh, can you feel this?”

“We won’t be missed for a couple hours, we should take advantage of that.”

“I went to the gym, so I will be able to hold you up even longer.”

“How about we get really dirty before we shower, so that it’s actually worth the effort?”

“Reality is even better than my dreams.”

“I told you, you would eventually start begging.”

“You always know so well what I like.”

“Oh, you’re such a tease!”

“I’m not necessarily hungry for food right now.”

“You’re so tense, do you want me to make you more relaxed?”

“Hmm, is that a threat or a promise?”

“Who would have thought that this is something that you’re into?”

“Can you feel how much I want you?”

“I can never get enough of your taste.”

“Let’s try something new tonight.”

“We don’t even have to take our clothes off.”

“I want to ruin you.”

“Yes, please, do it!”

“Your tongue is truly extraordinary.”

“I have seen you naked before.”

“No bed needed.”

“Sleep is overrated. I have better ideas.”

“You know me so well. You always find the right spot.”

“Please, don’t ever stop!”

“Our bodies fit so well together.”

“I could do this all day. And definitely all night.”

“Let’s get you out of those clothes.”

have fun !

[anarkissm]

ghostface voice: what's your character's favorite horror genre?

JAKE enjoyed the occasional silent horror film. black-and-whites like frankenstein's monster, dracula, the call of cthulu. foreign horror films from asia or europe with small budgets and entertaining or even oscar-worthy scripts. the tastes of an "old soul". been "living under a rock" (i.e. mountainside) for half a decade, so he is not interested in most forms of entertainment media at that point.

CLAUDETTE is not a huge horror movies fan. but she loves science fiction horror (aliens, the thing, jurassic park, h.g. well's the time machine, etc.). doesn't find the appeal in popular horror subgenres like slashers, gore-fests, and paranormal/demonic possessions because the ableism is disheartening. she tends to point out inconsistencies with the blood splatter, the unrealistic plot armor, the complete lack of human self-preservation instincts, because it always breaks the immersion and she eventually falls asleep, bored. but she will cover her eyes or bury her face into the nearest shoulder at the sight of jump scares and the loud, sinister music that usually goes off before a jump scare.

the legion (JOEY and FRANK) will watch anything and everything about horror. half the time, they're talking during the movie or documentary, debates and arguments and jokes. joey's into gory horror, and horror anime; the story is not necessarily important to them, it's the gore, the deaths, the kill count. they find the unrealistic blood splatters very funny, great job, no notes. they enjoy horror parodies like scary movie. in contrast, frank has an informed understanding of symbolism and allegorical narratives in creative works because he spent all of his time in juvie reading books, newspapers, magazines; anything he could. he is a brutal critic and always has shit to say. never rates movies with a full 5-stars because he doesn't believe in perfection. joey and frank argue extensively and loudly during the legion's movie nights; from the perspective of an outsider, it would look hostile. but one of them eventually starts laughing, or they start play-wrestling. they're both just obnoxiously distracting regardless of the horror genre. like, just imagine this video, but it's frank and joey lol.

ADAM was not permitted to watch horror movies or "risque" films by his uncle julian when he was a kid; he did not want adam to be influenced by "hollywood magic" and western propaganda. julian also believed that watching horror movies about demons and evil would invite negativity, or duppies. but adam did watch more films as an adult in college, VHS tapes in the dormatory's common room, outdoor movies set up on the campus quad, and the local theater in kagoshima. adam was a practical man who respected julian's guidance, and he did not feel as if he was missing out on much by gluing his eyes to a TV screen or religiously listening to the radio for the latest trendy song. instead, adam always had his eyes in a book, or even a graphic novel: the handmaid's tale, the man in the high castle, the left hand of darkness, the x-men. to him, the most horrifying stories are the ones where the world is helpless against a much more sinister monster: ideology.

[cricketnationrise]

Cricket's Deck the Haus Fics! ❄️🎄❄️🎄

Hey y'all! I had am absolute blast participating in the @deckthehaus fest and here are all my fics in for it in one place now that creators have been revealed!

...on the first day of christmas Tango/Whiskey, 2188 Words, Advent Calendars, Getting Together, POV Whiskey, Tadpoles, Legends Only Prompt: Tango gives Whiskey an Advent Calendar of Questions that ends on asking Whiskey on a date.

to dance under sparkling lights Nursey/Dex, 4694 Words, Charmer, Hallmark Vibes, Getting Together, Dex Didn't Go To Samwell, Diner Owner Dex, NHL Player Chris Chow, Publisher Rep Nursey, Alternating POV, Small Towns, Pining, Idiots In Love, Cameos from SMH/Falconers Prompt: Hallmark movie vibes please!! Maybe Nursey owns a small, struggling bookstore and Dex is the manager of the chain bookstore that just opened up in town. Maybe Nursey just moved to Dex's small town from the big city. Any cheesy Hallmark plot will do, as long as they fall in love just in time for Christmas!

Ringing In Polyfrogs, 582 Words, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Getting Together, Captain Dex, First Kiss, Senior Frogs, Dex POV Prompt: A New Year's Eve kiss between the ship of your choice!

knit one, purl cthulhu Nursey/Dex, 495 Words, Nursey POV, Fiber Arts (sort of), Fluff and Humor Prompt: Nursey is always cold so Dex decides to learn how to knit to make him a scarf (or hat or mittens). Up to you whether Dex is great at knitting or terrible, but either way Nursey loves it!

never gonna find me a better day Nursey/Dex/Chowder/Farmer, 2898 Words, Dex POV, PolyFarms has a snow day, Senior Frogs, they're all in love, and its snowing, The Haus, Samwell Campus, Jerry's Brunch, Sledding, Snowball Fights, Snowman Building, Fire Pit, Hot Chocolate, Fluff, Unrepentant Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff

[arhostel]

Comfortable Girls PG Near Sharda University with All Essential Amenities

Finding the right place to stay while studying is crucial for a comfortable and productive academic life. If you're a student at Sharda University and looking for the perfect accommodation, a girls PG near Sharda University is the ideal option for you. These PG accommodations are designed to provide a safe, comfortable, and convenient living environment that feels like home, all while being just a few minutes away from your classes and campus facilities.

Located in the heart of the student-friendly areas surrounding Sharda University, a girls PG near Sharda University ensures easy access to your college, reducing travel time and providing you with more time to focus on your studies. These PGs are situated in well-connected neighborhoods with access to local markets, cafes, libraries, and other essential services, ensuring that students have everything they need within arm’s reach.

These accommodations are tailored specifically for girls, offering a secure environment with safety features like 24/7 CCTV surveillance, biometric entry, and round-the-clock security personnel. This ensures that parents can feel confident that their daughters are staying in a place that prioritizes their well-being and safety.

A girls PG near Sharda University provides well-furnished rooms that cater to both comfort and functionality. You can expect cozy beds, ample storage space for your belongings, study tables, and high-speed internet to support your academic needs. Many of these PGs also offer single or double occupancy rooms, so you can choose whether you want a private space or prefer to share with a friend.

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Meals are another aspect that students don’t need to worry about. A girls PG near Sharda University typically offers nutritious, home-style meals, ensuring that students can focus on their academic pursuits without worrying about daily food preparation. The meals are prepared with care, keeping health and taste in mind, offering a variety of options to cater to different preferences.

Living in a girls PG near Sharda University is not just about convenience; it's about creating a supportive community. Many students find lifelong friendships with their roommates and neighbors, sharing experiences and creating memories that go beyond academics. These PGs often organize events and activities like movie nights, cultural fests, and study groups, helping residents bond and maintain a healthy balance between study and leisure.

Moreover, the affordability of these PGs makes them an attractive option for students. They offer a range of pricing plans based on the facilities provided, ensuring that there is something for everyone, regardless of budget. Whether you’re looking for a basic setup or something more premium, there’s a girls PG near Sharda University that meets your specific needs.

In summary, choosing a girls PG near Sharda University provides students with a secure, comfortable, and well-equipped living environment. From safety and convenience to comfort and community, these PGs are designed to make the student experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible, allowing you to focus on what truly matters—your education and personal growth.

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Salem Horror Fest 2024 Week 1, Day 4: Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology (2024)

The last day of the Salem Horror Fest's first weekend had two movies. The second one is one that I really want to talk about... but I can't, because not only was it a secret screening, they also told us not to tell anyone that it was shown at the festival because they didn't want to put a potential distribution deal into jeopardy. This unfortunately leaves me with the first movie I saw that day...

Welcome Week: A College Horror Anthology (2024)

Not rated

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2024/05/salem-horror-fest-2024-week-1-day-4.html>

Score: 2 out of 5

It's kind of a shame that the first weekend of the Salem Horror Fest ended with this, because I was not impressed in the slightest. As the title suggests, it's an anthology horror film in which every segment is set in college during the first week there, and there were a few cool ideas buried here. The problem is, not only were the production values extremely low-budget aside from the gore, but only two of the segments worked at all, there was a bad case of whiplash when it came to the general tone of the different segments, and the wraparound ultimately brought the entire thing crashing down. It wasn't completely irredeemable, but this is not a movie I can readily recommend on any level.

The basic premise concerns a student named Andrew Cross whose four older siblings all died in their first week at college. His paranoid mother, believing the family to be cursed, tried to stop him from going to college at all, and only relented after he went to a "military boot camp" first. Sure enough, in his first week at school the campus is stalked by a woman in a mask and a trench coat killing people. As he and his roommate hide from both the killer and campus security after a misunderstanding sees him accused of being the killer, he recounts to his roommate the stories of what happened to all his siblings.

The film got off on the wrong foot the moment it showed me a clearly fake plastic knife, the kind of thing you'd buy at Spirit Halloween, being passed off as a real one in the scene where Andrew is packing his bags for school. At that moment, my expectations fell through the floor as I began to expect the kind of film that Brad Jones of the web series The Cinema Snob calls "shot on shitteo", a movie where the filmmakers clearly didn't have any sort of budget or ability to manage a film production. From the subpar acting to a look that was barely one step above a home movie, it was clear that this was made by student filmmakers in such a manner that it felt like I was watching the bad student film that Urban Legends: Final Cut opened with.

That said, the low budget wasn't the real problem here. There are many no-budget films that managed to wring a dollar out of fifteen cents, even beyond just found-footage films that incorporate their low production values directly into their aesthetics, but this wasn't one of them, especially given that not only do its problems go well beyond just the production values, but one segment actually did manage to largely overcome them and accomplish something approaching genuinely good. No, the thing that stopped me from enjoying this was how incohesive it was. We start the film with two comedic segments, "Blood Stream" and "Sore Throat", the former taking the form of a YouTube livestream in which a guy suspects that his roommate is evil and the latter being focused on body horror, but they are then followed with "Freshers" and "Falling Into Place", two very dry and humorless segments that take their premises seriously. What's more, even within the segments we get character motivations that are frankly ridiculous, which worked when the film was trying to play the events for comedy but not when it was trying to establish actual drama and stakes. I was never able to buy into the "curse" surrounding Andrew's family, and given how many gags it made about it early on (for instance, Andrew wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying knives on him when heading to a party), I found myself wishing that this film just leaned straight into the humor and the farce instead of trying to get me to care about these characters, especially once the final twist goes straight into the most ridiculous soap opera territory in a way that was never foreshadowed and felt completely unearned.

Strange, then, that the one segment I did unequivocally like was also the most serious among them. "Falling Into Place", the fourth and final segment not counting the conclusion to the wraparound, was about a young woman grappling with the curse and losing her will to live in a way that felt deliberately evocative of The Ring, and it actually made for an interesting character study in its brief runtime. It felt like the makers of that segment, Katie Jordan and Cory McCullough, got a completely different assignment from the other filmmakers and went a lot more psychological, and it was enough to singlehandedly keep me from writing off the whole movie. I'll also give it props for some good gore effects in "Sore Throat", a short whose centerpiece is a man succumbing to a fast-acting virus that starts as a bad case of "frat flu" and gets even worse from there, and in the finale where Andrew confronts the villain. The effects were clearly done on a small budget, but they had energy to them, and it was in these moments where it felt like the movie the filmmakers were trying to make, a gleefully violent campus horror/comedy romp, came out to play.

The Bottom Line

I hate giving a low score like this to what were clearly passionate filmmakers who were kind enough to do a Q&A session after the screening, but even so, Welcome Week was a disappointment. Better luck next time, guys.

[visualheresy]

a short film my nephew and his friend made together. he showed it to me some months ago and i cried in recognition of its themes. he was so happy. so proud as he should be. i told him everything i loved about it, that i can’t wait to see all the beautiful things he and luiza bring into the world (they released their first song on spotify AND IT IS GORGEOUS).

this story about the art making process hit home for me.

[crystalrainwish]

Watch "The Progenies" on YouTube

[thingsaday]

Some soundtrack music I’m working on for Campus Movie Fest!  (The last 15 seconds are a random reprise for the credits)  Edit:...

[dahlialiketheflower]

a short film i was in!!!

[filmsandsuch]

A fun but kind of embarrassing video haha

[lesbianwhispers]

check out this dope film me and my roommates made!