#Eddie's cat will now be an emotional support animal

[thecrimsondandelion]

Richie has a bad habit of just taking in animals — he’s got five cats who were previously strays and three dogs he’s found while driving home from work — that he finds outside, and one night he finds this dog, lets say a husky (have u ever heard that thing like women get dogs that represent the men they’re attracted to and men get dogs that represent themselves?? i think eddie would unconsciously do the first) that got out while Bill was dog sitting for Eddie while he was away for a weekend for work or smth. Eddie gets back, finds that his dog is missing, and like a smart owner, tracks it from the chip.

He walks up to Richie’s front door and when Richie opens it, the first thing Eddie says is “You stole my dog.”

“No I didn’t.”

Eddie goes up on his toes to look behind Richie, and sees his dog staring back at him, tongue lolled out of his mouth, just having the time of his life.

“That’s literally my dog right behind you.”

He goes on to explain that Bill sucks as a dog sitter but never has any plans so he was the only person available last minute and that he’d really appreciate it if he could get his dog back because “Man, he is basically my emotional support dog. I fucking need him back unless you want me to cry on your front porch. I’ll do it. Right now.”

omg yes!!! like

Bill probably hoped he’d be able to save Eddie the stress (and himself the absolute bollocking Eddie would give him) and find the dog himself, he has Mike and Ben out to search too. Maybe Eddie got back home earlier than expected, and he’s excited to see his dog. he missed him, and missed the routine

And at first he thinks that Bill must be out walking him, even though it’s not the usual time he goes out (he left a very detailed list and schedule) but then Bill comes back, face red, out of breath, panicked look on his face - especially when he sees Eddie’s home early

A moment of silence…

“Bill. Where the fuck is my dog.”

Richie? hes walking one of his bigger dogs, one that needs a little more exercise than the smaller ones, and a husky is suddenly bounding towards him, shaking its butt in that way dogs do when they’re excited. Maybe he smells like his dogs, maybe it’s the treats in his pocket. It doesn’t have a collar on, and so he whips out a spare he carries, just on the off chance that he comes across a stray (what’s he meant to do, just ignore collarless, sweet little animals on the street??)

He gives the dog a treat and goes the rest of his walking route. then takes him home. and he has a grand ole time!! he takes the cats into another room, just in case the husky isn’t a cat person? a cat dog? if he doesn’t find an owner he’ll slowly introduce them all

of course, he does plan to try and find the owner, he’s not a dog snatcher, but he’s just back from a long walk, he’s tired, and he has a (what seems to be a pure breed) husky in his house?

he wants to play with this dog!!!!!!

he finds out it knows a shit ton of tricks, when he pours our food for him the dog sits there staring, and after 5 minutes Richie realises he has to say “go”

and later in the day there’s a pounding on his front door, and a very angry looking, short, cute man glaring at him accusing him of stealing his dog

and he goes on his tippy toes to look over Richie’s shoulder, which he finds so fucking cute

before Eddie goes on his ramble. Richie teases the hell out of him, probably stalling so he gets to talk to the guy for a little longer

“how do i know he’s really your dog, huh?” though there really isn’t any doubt about it, “he didn’t have a collar on, you got some way to prove it?”

Eddie pulls up his instagram and sure enough theres pictures of himself and the husky (also smoothie bowls, gym pictures, and one of him at pride 👀) and Richie also gets to find out the guys name

“i swear he usually has a collar on. Bill was watching him - and Bills my best friend, but he’s an oblivious idiot, and i had nobody else to watch him while i was away. Man, he’s basically my emotional support dog. I fucking need him back unless you want me to cry on your front porch. I’ll do it, right now. I’ll cause a scene.”

Eddie absolutely knows he sounds like an idiot, but his chest is heaving with worry, and he wants his dog back

Richie can tell somethings up, and drops being an asshole, he invites Eddie inside (and quickly goes onto instagram to follow him) and it’s adorable how he drops to his knees and lets the husky lick at his face, just holds him close and murmurs cute nonsense. and as excited as the dog has been the entire time, it’s suddenly very still in Eddie’s arms except for the tail whacking against the floor

like it knows exactly what Eddie needs

obviously they do fall in love, and Richie does end up having to introduce the dog to his cats, Eddie usually hates cats but it takes very little convincing to get him warmed up to them

richie @ bill like “thanks for being such a shitty dog-sitter, my guy”

Mike, Bill and Ben all also notice how similar Eddie’s dog is to Richie, just a huge bundle of energy, smiley, big, and a little shit at times. and they tease Eddie endlessly about it

[godseen]

* ＣＨＡＲＡＣＴＥＲ ＳＴＵＤＹ !

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟷 : 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙾𝚄𝚃𝚂𝙸𝙳𝙴 .

NAME : reginald francis ackerman jr . EYE COLOUR : brown . HAIR STYLE / COLOUR : medium length brown hair , wavy and usually unstyled . HEIGHT : 6 ′ 4 . CLOTHING STYLE : his wardrobe mostly consists of plaid shirts , corduroy and jean jackets , plain white tees , button up shirts , cargo shorts , carpenter pants , and slim cut denim jeans . the combination depends on his plans for the day — whether it be for work , church or hanging out with his friends . reggie also prefers to wear his favourite washed yellow canvas apron at work ( an heirloom from his grandfather who started the family business ) . he also has his lucky yellow flannel shirt with a track record of something good happening whenever he wears it . BEST PHYSICAL FEATURE : the dimples in his cheeks whenever he smiles , the fond look in his eyes as he stares quietly at someone he cares about . 

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟸 : 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝚂𝙸𝙳𝙴 .

FEARS : feeling unwanted and unworthy of people’s love , being alone , and having too much idle time and not being able to help people . SEXUALITY : questioning but presents as heterosexual . GUILTY PLEASURE : overindulging in sweets , trashy reality television . BIGGEST PET PEEVE : people who are outwardly over-pessimistic , people who does not believe in second chances , reconciliation , or at least the benefit of the doubt . and of course , reggie especially gets ticked off at people who are rude to customer service workers . AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE : reggie does not really have any personal ambitions , much of his life dedicated to his friends , family and community . he wants to see darkwood thrive and become an even more close-knit community with genuine camaraderie and mutual support . he also wants to continue working hard and making sure that reggie’s is doing well so that his family can have financial security as well as something that his future children can see and be proud of him for .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟹 : 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂 .

FIRST THOUGHTS WAKING UP : five more min— actually no , i gotta let my dog out to poop . WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT MOST : reggie thinks a lot about what he can do to cheer up and show his appreciation to his friends and family . he spends so much of his time learning how to make things , paying attention to what people like and dislike , and just figuring out which acts of service he can perform to make their lives easier . WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT BEFORE BED : reggie prays before bed and included in these prayers are asking for forgiveness for whatever negative or impure thought or action he had that day , wishing that his family and friends continue to be blessed and safe from harm , as well as thanking god for good business at reggie’s and everything that made his day great . WHAT THEY THINK THEIR BEST QUALITY IS : he thinks that his best qualities are his fierce loyalty to his friends and family , and the ability to see the best in everyone even when they themselves can’t .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟺 : 𝚆𝙷𝙰𝚃’𝚂 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙴𝚁 ?

SINGLE OR GROUP DATES : reggie doesn’t really have a preference , so it ultimately depends on what his partner wants . TO BE LOVED OR RESPECTED : to be loved . his life almost completely revolves around being compassionate , nurturing and involved in other people’s lives that feeling loved back is such a need to prove to himself that he’s doing well and that he is needed . BEAUTY OR BRAINS : reggie doesn’t look for either in his partners , really . but if he has to choose , he would choose brains . DOGS OR CATS : he loves both , but he has a dog named probi ( short for probiotic ) so he does lean more towards saying dogs .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟻 : 𝙳𝙾 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈…

LIE : reggie tries hard to always be truthful , but sometimes , there are situations that demand little white lies — but he will quickly fix them before they could get out of hand or make the lie into an actual reality . BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES : he would love to think that he believes in himself but it ultimately depends on the task . reggie knows his limits and while he is optimistic , he is not stupid . but in terms of the more emotional side of things and matters of the heart , reggie does have some secrets that have caused some shame and guilt — which makes him not entirely capable of trusting himself to be his most genuine self . BELIEVE IN LOVE : yes , of everything love . reggie believes in love at first sight , he believes that he is capable of loving anyone that he can get to know , he believes that there is no hierarchy to love and that loving your family is just as important and great as romantic and loving your friends . he’s just the type of person to be half in love with everyone he meets that leaves a mark . WANT SOMEONE : romantically , it’s a no right now . but there are specific people that he want to get to know and be around more .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟼 : 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚈 𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁…

BEEN ON STAGE : yes DONE DRUGS : only once , and it was just weed . CHANGED WHO THEY WERE TO FIT IN : more times that he wants to admit . everyone thinks of him as someone who is very firm in his core values and faith — and while that is true for the most part , there are some parts of himself that he keeps hidden so that he could be seen as exactly how people want to see him . for example : reggie genuinely loves making people happy and while it isn’t a quick detriment , there are moments after long periods of just devoting so much time to everyone else that reggie feels secretly resentful for not having any time left for himself anymore and how he was raised to believe that he must always put others first and be unselfish to receive love back . but it’s not something that he can just step away from since he bases so much of his self-worth from the validation and affection he receives from his acts of service . another example is how reggie’s view of love doesn’t necessarily fit the whole patriarchal catholic nuclear family he was raised in . reggie is accepting of anyone and everyone , believes that a family doesn’t need to fit the mold of the whole mother-father-children thing — but he tend to stay quiet as to not step on toes or be ostracized by the more devout people in their church . he prides himself in his religion for everything it has taught him about having good morals , courage , and the sense of community it has provided his family but it is also undeniable how it has caused him to repress and deny himself of things that his innermost self would want . reggie has some sort of impostor syndrome and keeps up appearance in fear that people will see him as unlovable the more they find out about all the ways he changes himself to be who they want him to be — it’s a cycle .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟽 : 𝙵𝙰𝚅𝙾𝚄𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴𝚂 .

FAVOURITE COLOURS : yellow , blue . FAVOURITE MUSICAL ARTIST : vampire weekend . FAVOURITE ANIMAL : dogs . FAVOURITE BOOK : the bible ? FAVOURITE GAME : final fantasy vii .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟾 : 𝙰𝙶𝙴 .

DAY THEIR NEXT BIRTHDAY WILL BE : december 25th . HOW OLD WILL THEY BE : twenty-six years old .

𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝟶𝟶𝟿 : 𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙸𝚂𝙷 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 .

I LOVE : my friends and family . I FEEL : worried that my friends are hiding something from me . I HIDE : my fears and insecurities . I MISS : the days when things aren’t so weird as they are now . I WISH : everything will be okay and eddie is truly innocent .

[dear-wormwoods]

Ahh I wish there was a fic that had your sortings specifically!! I haven’t come across one before. Do you mind feeding us crumbs and sharing any more headcanons pertaining to Slytherin Richie and Gryffindor Eddie? 🥺 I’m very attached to them.

Ahhh thank you!! Uhh well here are the og posts about why I sorted them that way: Gryffindor Eddie, Slytherin Richie. And here’s one that is headcanon-y about all the Losers (I can never decide where to Officially put Ben and Bev so they change houses a lot in my head). And…

More Hogwarts AU Headcanons:

- Richie and Eddie of course know each other from Year One, but don’t start dating until Year Five or Six (Richie’s very public Quidditch flirting isn’t enough for Eddie, who is always oblivious and assumed it was a joke meant to distract him from playing, so eventually Richie has to be honest and sincere in private for once in his life and confess that his feelings are very much not a joke).

- Both Eddie and Richie have trouble conjuring a Patronus. Richie struggles with it because of the emotional nature of the spell; he’s very good at compartmentalizing (which later lends itself well to being quite good at Occlumency) and avoids dealing with his feelings, so he has a hard time opening himself up to the spell. Eddie struggles with it because his life is overwhelmingly lacking in happy memories, because of his mother’s abuse and the death of his father at such a young age. 

- Of course, they end up helping each other succeed at the Patronus spell. Being with Eddie gets Richie to open up, and being with Richie (and the other Losers, too, but y’know) provides Eddie with more happy memories and positive feelings than he knows what to do with. 

- Eddie’s Patronus is some type of bird - a symbol of freedom and peace, mobility and independence (see: train tracks and seagulls). Richie’s is a wolf, which Eddie thinks is badass and, frankly, hot as fuck, but Richie seems really annoyed by it, because…

- I’m really attached to Richie being an actual werewolf in a Hogwarts AU, as a shout out to his whole Werewolf Thing in the novel. Instead of symbolically seeing himself as a monster who will corrupt and infect Eddie, he will actually be the werewolf and afraid of literally corrupting and infecting Eddie. 

- Once they start seriously dating, it doesn’t take long for Eddie to pick up on the fact that something is wrong. Because he’s Eddie and he pays attention to everything Richie says or does. So even though they’re in different houses, he notices pretty quickly that Richie spends a few days every month, like clockwork, avoiding him. 

- When he confronts Richie about it, Richie makes up some joke about how he has to keep Eddie on his toes, or doesn’t want to overexpose him to his “hot bod, stunning intellect, and unrivaled sense of humor”. Eddie lets him laugh it off and change the subject, but he remains suspicious.

- And of course starts to lowkey stalk him, and it’s easy because Eddie has a map of Hogwarts in his head, including many of the secret passageways and hideouts, and Richie isn’t very good at sneaking around. He notices that Richie spends a lot of extra time working in the Potions classroom, which is confusing because Richie is good at Potions, he’s good at everything, it’s not like he needs extra help?

- Long story short, he eventually puts the situation together - Richie avoids him in the days before, during, and after a full moon, and all that time brewing potions outside of class time… has to be Wolfsbane.

- At first he’s scared, because yeah, he doesn’t want to stumble upon Richie at the wrong time and get attacked, and knows that Richie would never forgive himself if that happened. But at this point he’s head over heels for Richie and would do just about anything for him, so he’s determined to get him to talk and then help.

- When Eddie finally confronts him about it, Richie can’t avoid the discussion this time, and assumes this is the end of their relationship, their friendship, everything, because he’s a monster, and Eddie’s innocent and Good and he can’t keep tempting fate by staying with him. But Eddie refuses to break up with him, and instead insists that they find a way to make his wolf-days more bearable.

- So he pulls a Marauder and decides to work on becoming an animagus, so he can still hang out with Richie even while he’s not human, and keep him grounded in ways the Wolfsbane potion can’t. 

- But it sucks, and it’s hard, so he confides in Ben and Mike about what he’s doing in the hopes that they’ll be able to help, but doesn’t tell them why he’s doing it. And of course they’re interested, but it’s a long process and A LOT of work, so while they don’t particularly want to do it themselves, they do agree to help Eddie figure it out (especially since it can go horribly wrong if not done perfectly). 

- Eventually word gets out and Bev, Bill, and Stan are in on it too. None of them know why Eddie is so keen on doing this obnoxiously complex spell, but they’re supportive. Stan only agrees to help on the condition that Eddie promises he’ll register with the Ministry if it’s successful.

- One day they’re all just chilling by the lake and the topic of transformation comes up, except this time Richie is there, but everyone just assumed he was already in on it and probably came up with the idea before Eddie did. But he’s Pissed and bursts out with, “So what Eddie, you told everyone I’m a fucking werewolf?”, which… he hadn’t, of course, but now the cat’s outta the bag. 

- Naturally the Losers are all loyal and won’t bail on Richie just because of this news, which he is both surprised and touched by. The don’t look at him any differently or treat him like a monster. Because they’re his best friends. And he’s not a monster, not really.

- They take the animagi thing more seriously after this though, because obviously the stakes are higher and it’s not just an academic pursuit. They all want to help make Richie’s full moons less miserable, and Eddie being able to stay with him during that time is the surest solution. 

- Anyway with everyone’s help, Eddie is eventually able to successfully become an animagus. His animal form is different than his Patronus though - not a bird, but a dog. Specifically, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, because that breed is Eddie in dog form (sweet, intelligent, gentle, but also playful and emotionally expressive with a love of exploration and running) (also there’s this lmao).

- A little small, but Eddie’s happy with it - he was a worried about becoming a fucking dove like his Patronus, but a small dog is a vast improvement over that because at least this way he can actually run around with Richie and have fun. 

- When Eddie shows Richie, Richie loses his shit over how cute he is. Eddie just can’t escape being the cutest being in the universe, apparently.

- Richie’s full moons are a lot more fun after that, because he doesn’t feel like a monster anymore - just a guy who’s sometimes a wolf, who is in love with a guy who’s sometimes a dog. 

- And that’s all I have for today, The End.

(shout out to @richiefuckfacetozier for being the person I talk to about Hogwarts AUs most often)

[magicalmonsterhero]

My Spidersonas

As some of you may know, the release of Into the Spider-Verse led to the concept of Spidersonas. Now, I have finally decided to post my own. While none of these are actually based on me, I thought you might find them interesting.

-Samuel ‘Sam’ Sorenson/Cross Weave

Left on the doorstep of a church as a baby, Samuel ‘Sam’ Sorenson was raised by the devout but kindly Reverend David Sorenson. Unfortunately, Father David discovered that one of the clergymen was taking advantage of young churchgoers, and the clergyman killed him. Sam, who had been bitten by an irradiated spider during a class trip and had been recovering when this happened, used his newly developed spider powers to bring the killer to justice. Afterwards, he dedicated himself to fighting criminals as the Lord’s arachnid-powered servant, Cross Weave.

-Franklin ‘Frankie’ Favero/Daddy Longlegs

The Armonia Family is a lesser-known Mafia family dedicated to maintaining a ‘balance’ of sorts in the criminal underworld. All of its members have some form of special ability, whether they are mutants, mutates, magic users, or what have you. One of its most prominent lieutenants is Franklin ‘Frankie’ Favero, a young mutant with elastic powers. Due to an incident involving the Kingpin’s organization and Oscorp, Frankie ended up being bitten by one of Oscorp’s experimental spiders. He subsequently developed spider like abilities, which he uses in service of the Armonia Family under the code name Daddy Longlegs.

+Daddy Longlegs’ universe is partly inspired by Katekyo Hitman Reborn and Baccano, especially the latter.

-Nicholas ‘Nick’ Nutbrown/Drider

Growing up in the rougher neighborhoods, Nicholas ‘Nick’ Nutbrown was almost killed in a street rumble. But his life was saved by a strange woman who healed his wounds with a touch, and told him “the Spider Totem has chosen you” before vanishing. Nick was never able to find the woman who saved him, but he did discover that in addition, she had given him spider like powers and the ability to see the true forms of Shadowkind, beings straight out of a fantasy world who now live amongst us. Renouncing his street tough ways, Nick took to helping the Shadowkind residents of New York, both as a volunteer at a local community center (and later the head of same), and as the superhero Drider.

+Nick’s backstory is inspired by that of Donny Sinclair, an NPC from the Urban Arcana setting for the D20 roleplaying system. His universe is likewise inspired by Urban Arcana.

+Several of the B-List and lower-tier heroes of Drider’s universe are Shadowkind, including Dane Whitman/Black Knight, Bill Foster/Goliath, and Jessica Jones. Many others are Aware (able to see Shadowkind in their true forms), and Drider gets along well with them.

-Peter Parker/Jade Spider

During a trip to Osborn Industries, Peter Parker and several of his classmates were abducted by the Hand. While they were later found seemingly alive and well, they later disappeared again, their families found murdered. Only a short time later, rumors spread through the New York underworld of a band of super powered teenagers, each with animal-themed powers and bearing the mark of the. hand.

In truth, the missing students had undergone mental conditioning during their time in captivity. A while after being released, they returned to the Hand, received advanced training in combat and weaponry, and underwent genetic modification. Peter was infused with DNA from several different species of spider, and thus became the deadly Jade Spider, a near-emotionless sniper with spiderlike abilities, who only feels alive when on the hunt.

+In Jade Spider’s universe, the Hand has a much greater power in New York, having become a major crime syndicate on the level of the Yakuza and Chinese triads.

+Most of the heroes and villains are the same as the mainstream universe, but many of those who would have become members of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery instead became heroes, including Sandman, Electro, and Mysterio.

+Like Widowmaker from Overwatch (who was a major inspiration), Jade Spider has blue skin due to very low blood circulation. His heart beats just quickly enough to keep him alive.

+Other agents of the Hand include Flash Thompson AKA Ebony Hound, Liz Allan AKA Vermillion Raven, Gwen Stacy AKA Azure Octopus, and Felicia Hardy AKA Ivory Cat.

+Many of Jade Spider’s victims were the counterparts of Spider-Man’s villains, including Otto Octavius, Adrian Toomes, Dmitri Smerdyakov, and Mac Gargan. They were targeted because of their loose totemic connections, and in a few cases, their equipment was given to Jade Spider’s colleagues. John Jameson was also targeted, but his life was saved by Quicksilver, who exposed Jade Spider’s existence in the process. Enraged by the attempt on his son’s life, J. Jonah Jameson has allied with Harry Osborn, who lost his father to the Arachnid Assassin. The two have supported the efforts to take down the Hand, even helping to empower/equip Sandman, Electro, and several more.

+Mary Jane Watson is Harry Osborn’s girlfriend, and later became his wife. She helped her husband with many of his empowering experiments, ensuring they didn’t go horribly wrong (especially the one that turned Harry into Goodfellow). When he formed the Spectacular Six, she became one of its members under the name Tigress, having undergone the ritual that would have turned the deceased Greer Nelson into Tigra.

+Jade Spider did briefly possess the Venom symbiote at one point, but due to his almost complete lack of emotions, the symbiote could not survive with him as a host, and thus abandoned him. Later, when the Hand attacked Eddie Brock, who was investigating the Hand and needed to be silenced, the symbiote bonded with him, saving his life and revealing many of their secrets through Jade Spider’s memories. Eddie became one of New York’s more infamous vigilantes, often allying with Daredevil, Moon Knight, and similar heroes.

-Kiki Komori/Spider-Rouge

Kiki Komori was an ordinary high school student until she ran across Araka, a spider fairy from the Land of Totems. Araka was searching for someone to take up the power of the Spider Totem, but she was attacked by Kobalo, a member of the Great Hunters. To protect her, Kiki allowed herself to be bitten, and was transformed into the Arachnid Magical Girl, Spider-Rouge!

+The Great Hunters are similar to the Inheritors in their goals, but do not have access to the Multiverse. They are able to create monsters known as Rabidons from ordinary objects, and can also turn ordinary humans into pseudo-totems. While Spider-Rouge is able to purify most pseudo-totems, six of them were too powerful, and have since become a recurring threat as the Sinister Six.

+Other magical girls and boys exist, including counterparts of mainstream heroes and villains.

-Artie Anderson/Webweaver

Like most 10-year-olds, Artie Anderson was quite eager to get his Battle License and be allowed to compete in professional monster battles. But things took an unexpected turn after he encountered an unusual Radiorachnid—while he was able to capture it, he was bitten in the process. While he did choose to specialize in insect- and arachnid-based monsters as a result—with (his Radiorachnid) as his ace—it wasn’t until an encounter with the Sinister Squad five years later that he chose to become the hero Webweaver.

+As you may have deduced, Artie’s universe is influenced by the Mons genre, especially Pokemon.

+Radiorachnid is a portmanteau of radioactive and arachnid.

+The Sinister Squad is, of course, based on the Sinister Six and Team Rocket.

[justanothercinemaniac]

Epic Movie (Re)Watch #233 - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) There are five theatrical films in the Vacation franchise, this is the only one I’ve seen. I’ve never seen the need to see the other ones, honestly. This one’s already good enough.

2) The opening animation over which the credits is a strong start to the film. It establishes a classic Christmas vibe and silly/slapstick humor. There’s nothing particularly PG-13 about the animation, just PG. It’s not raunchy or rude, just funny. I think that’s an important thing because it’s what makes Christmas Vacation as good as it is. Not the occasional raunch (which is very limited, I think) but instead the silly family elements. Not to mention it sets up a great original song.

3) The opening carols scene in the car with the Griswold clan does well to establish that dynamic. Clark is a little TOO enthusiastic but it’s sincere, Ellen is supportive, and the kids are kind of over it all.

4) This first encounter with the truckers is very strong. It shows two of the films best comedic elements: Clark’s ability to take things too far and then the build of it. Each choice makes the situation worse and worse leading to an inevitable, unexpected, hysterical climax to the scene.

5) I love Ellen.

Ellen: “Clark, stop it! I don’t wanna spend the holidays DEAD!”

6) Honestly, there are a lot of great little dialogue exchanges in the movie. I dig it.

Ellen: “Clark.”

Clark: “Yes honey?”

Ellen: “Audrey’s frozen from the waist down.”

Clark: “That’s all part of the experience, honey.”

7) When you make a comedy, you HAVE to have a good sense of humor. That’s the entire point! This film succeeds there. It’s odd, ridiculous, slapstick, and silly. Born from escalating problems and crazy “solutions” as well as a nice element of absurdity humor. Clark’s sticky fingers, everything on Christmas Eve, the sled, it all lends itself to this idea.

8) Julia Louise Dreyfus is in this movie. That is all.

9) Of course Chevy Chase is great in this movie, he’s freaking Chevy Chase! But Beverly D’Angelo is equally as good.

While the straighter of the two actors, the one who sees more clearly, D’Angelo gets a number of clever and hysterical moments in the film. She has a great chemistry with Chevy Chase but helps to make her Ellen MORE than Mrs. Griswold. She’s her own character, full of life and personality, patience and flaws, just truly wonderful.

10) I always like that Clark has a Tasmanian Devil coffee mug. It speaks to his fun energy as a character.

11) I never really got why Clark lies to Mary about not being married. It gives Chase a funny outlet to play flustered, but there’s nothing in this film which suggests to me he’d cheat on Ellen.

12) The arrival of the extended Griswold clan is perfectly done. A clear sense of family conflict and insanity is conveyed not only by the performances but the quick editing and off kilter camera angles. It’s very well done.

13)

Clark: “Russ, when was the last time I overdid anything?”

14) Remember how I said Beverly D’Angelo is crazy funny?

Audrey: “Do you sleep with your brother? Do you know how sick and twisted that is?”

Ellen: “Well I’m sleeping with your father.”

15) Much of this film benefits from a pacing that allows us to check in with the whole family here and there, supporting its heart and characters.

16) I actually analyzed the scene where Chevy Chase falls off the roof for a Physics for Filmmakers class. The class was horrible but I had fun with the project. I’d share some of what I wrote but it’s long and boring. Basically the gist of it is the ice can’t travel to the gutter like that but also the velocity of the gutter changes between shots.

17) I don’t know why, but my family always quotes this line like crazy.

Margot: “And why is the carpet wet, TOD?”

Tod: “I don’t KNOW Margot!”

18) Clark’s failed lights attempt.

There are two things which stand out in this scene: Clark’s in-laws are freaking awful and his immediate family are great. The in laws just relentlessly mock Clark leading Audrey to stand up for her dad.

Audrey: “He worked really hard, Grandma.”

I love that. I love seeing Audrey getting to show some real love and support for her dad instead of being sidelined as a stereotypical teenage girl. It’s freaking great.

19) Clark in the attic.

Firstly, Clark’s mother in law is an idiot. “Oh, the ladder to the attic is open. It must’ve just fallen or something, there can’t be ANY way a person is up there. I shouldn’t check or anything.” Jerk.

But most importantly, the attic scene is the best representation of the film’s heart. Holiday movies need a good heart to it, good emotion, otherwise they’re just a lazy cash grab. This film’s heart, its focus on family and familial love, are one of the reasons it has held up as well as it has 28 years later. Clark’s sentiment over watching old home movies, supported by a great Ray Charles song, is one of the best parts of the film.

20)

Clark: “Honey, you honestly think I’d check thousands of tiny little lights if I wasn’t sure it was plugged in?”

21) The fact that the solution to the problem with the lights is so abundantly simple is great. Also relatable. How many of us have plugged something into the wrong plug and obsessed over what was wrong?

22) Cousin Eddie just showing up when he does helps give the film an extra bit of energy to propel it in its last hour. Honestly if we had stuck with what was going on with no change or development it might’ve gotten a little dull, but Eddie is just a perfect source of fun family conflict.

23) Some of Clark’s asides when Eddie shows up are just freaking hysterical.

Clark: “If I woke up tomorrow with my head seen to the carpet I wouldn’t be more surprised than I am right now.”

24) Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie.

Eddie is this film’s ultimate scene stealer. Quaid, reprising his role from the first Vacation film, plays Eddie as totally sincere and honest. Yes he’s a dumbass, yes he causes problems, but there is not a hint of malice in his performance and that’s important. You need to like Eddie, despite his idiocy, you need to root for him along with the other characters. He’s a sweet guy, he just causes a lot of problems, and he fits perfectly with the rest of the cast.

25) Brian Doyle Murray as Mr. Shirley is a great Scrooge-like character in this film. You understand he’s pretty much a pill before you even learn what he did about Christmas bonuses.

26) The saucer sledding scene is crazy fun, but I never got how Cousin Eddie and the kids were able to see Clark go as far as he did. Like, we see him go through woods where no one else is, across a highway, and into a WalMart. And they’re just up on the hill reacting?

27) Clark’s pool fantasy.

The key part to this fantasy is not the presence of a pool, but how happy it makes his family. Clark doesn’t want to let anyone down. He wants to be a traditional patriarch and provide for his family. To not succeed 100% feels like a failing to him, that’s why the pool is so important to him.

28) The conversation Clark and Ruby Sue have together about Santa Claus continues to show off the film’s heart but mores how it balances heart and humor. There’s some crass language mixed in but it doesn’t undermine the emotion of the scene.

29) And now it’s Christmas Eve, and EVERYTHING on Christmas Eve is just one big problem after another. The night descends further and further into chaos before the movie is over which is truly freaking great!

30) Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis are a great late addition to the film. For animation fans, the actress who plays Aunt Bethany is also Betty Boop and Uncle Lewis is Dr. Finklestein from The Nightmare Before Christmas. They’re totally nuts, nonsensical, and just fun to watch.

31) All the cat-in-the-box movement is done by Chevy Chase.

32) That Turkey is SO dry!

All the crunching is so uncomfortably funny, leading into a hysterical extended dinner table scene which is a lot of fun.

33) Honestly these next batch of notes are going to be commenting on how each gag works so well. For example: the dad cat gag, for some reason, is extremely funny!

34) Ah, the Christmas bonus.

This scene is so freaking great. The entire film set it up, we’ve been waiting for this bonus. Meaning the surprise of it is as great for the audience as it is for Clark. The big setup, how much is riding on the bonus, means the fall is even greater. And Chevy Chase’s rant is one of the greatest movie rants EVER! I love it.

35) Clark’s following mania is great to watch, specifically the hilarity and insanity of the squirrel chase.

36) I’m just gonna leave this here.

Clark: “This is a full blown four alarm Holiday emergency here! We’re going to press on and we’re gonna have the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap danced with Danny FUCKING Kaye!”

37) The heart to heart between Clark and his dad is a nice reclaiming of the heart that Clark almost lost with his rant. And just when everything seems okay…

38) Eddie happens.

39) I love Ellen.

Ellen: “I’m sorry, this is our family’s first kidnapping.”

40) The police response seems a little excessive, but I guess when a wealthy white guy is kidnapped they bring out the freaking marines.

41) Where Ellen’s hand is in this scene (and where it returns to) was improvised by Beverly D’Angelo.

42) And despite the movie ending on a joke, the ending does have a nice sweetness to it. A sincerity about the madness of the holiday spirit and its equal success.

Christmas Vacation is a holiday treat that grows better with time. The humor is supported by a strong cast and equally strong heart. Chevy Chase is obviously great, but other cast members such as Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid get their time to steal the show. Filled with endlessly iconic holiday movie moments, it’s a great treat for the holiday season.

[badgerdryad]

“Damn. Now I wish I had skipped this morning.” I joke and giggle cuddling with Emily and JJ on the floor. “I mean yeah she didn’t even care to go for me which means I’m gonna hoard this shit over her head a long time coming. Spencer and I did something insane this morning and I don’t mean in bed you nasty little girls.” She jokes. She had her cat from Eddie but she and Spencer went and gotten themselves some emotional support animals and adopted an older dog and cat as well as some pit bulls who were about to be killed. They cat adorned everyone.

@baus-badass-cheetogal

Amy Reid was sitting at work after agreeing to stay back for a while. She was pacing the office groaning. “No Aunt Tracy. I’m not getting involved in this bullshit! Well what crime did she commit? It’s not like I could legally ya know-. No. Ugh. I can’t abuse my power like that! No! First of all, that asshole was dead to me the moment he missed the family trip. Second of all? As much as I’d love to hurt her or arrest her I can’t do that. Well yes I love Gillian but this is petty shit I’m not getting in to. No! Ok goodbye!” She hung up and started to drink some coke from a glass bottle. “I have got to start blocking my family.” I mutter heading to JJ’s desk.

@satchels-and-socks

"Hey I need you to take a breath what's going on maybe it's something we can help with. Have a seat and we can talk we don't have a case right now so I'm not really busy."JJ whispers quietly offering her a kind smile.

@badgerdryad

[ryanmeft]

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Movie Review

The Harry Potter universe is on the short list of fictional worlds that can sustain even a weak film, and that’s good, because with the second installment in the Fantastic Beasts series, it has to do just that. The constantly magical world---humongous felines that look like living Chinese dragons, mail rooms that shift like moving skyscrapers---and the typically stellar casting help get us through a story that is trying too hard to stretch a vulnerable franchise, replete with uninspiring plot twists and broken pacing.

Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) ended the last movie without any real over-arching goals he could call his own, and the labor of this movie is to give him some. To that end, it adds several characters and plot elements not even hinted at in the last one, probably because that movie needed to stand alone in case it underperformed. Among these: Newt’s brother, Theseus (Callum Turner), who is in the department of Magical Cops, and wants Newt to join him there. I’m not exactly sure why, as the latter doesn’t seem built for it, and not only does the film never elaborate, but Theseus and Newt’s relationship is all over the board, going from “Come work with me” to treating him like a fugitive and back again without much in the way of mooring. Also new is a sense of overarching story, which was teased with a questionable Johnny Deep surprise appearance in the last film. That story involves dark wizard Grindelwald attempting to rule over non-magic users so wizards can come out of the shadows, and manipulating a boy named Credence (Ezra Miller) into using his power to transform into a really angry dark cloud to do it. Newt’s hamstrung by an order not to leave Britain, which is a convenient excuse to drop Dumbledore into the mix. He’s played by Jude Law as much more of a cloak and dagger character than the wise old mentor of the Potter books. Zoe Kravitz debuts as Leta Lestrange, a former flame of Newt’s who has ended up engaged to his bro. Claudia Kim is Nagini---yes, that Nagini, and her addition is strange in an uncomfortable rather than a curious way. Returning cast include Katherine Waterston as Scamander’s estranged love interest Tina, and Alison Sudol and Dan Fogler as a couple dealing with a ban on wizards and non-wizards marrying.

I said of the previous film that “This movie is all about the beasts,” and praised the incredible level of visual creativity on-hand, including an absolutely spectacular world for magical monsters hidden inside a briefcase. That world returns, and now includes Victoria Yeates as Newt’s completely lovable, hideously underutilized assistant; there is a scene in which she revels in being doused by the waters from a pond containing a friendly sea monster that made me wish she was in the movie more and others in it less. Some favorite beasts return, but the only new one of serious consideration is that, well, fantastic dragon cat.

I also predicted it would be impossible for J.K. Rowling, who wrote the movie, and long-time Potterverse director David Yates to resist loading future sequels with fan service. I was right. Whereas the first film was caught up in the wonder of the beasts themselves and was a hell of a fun ride despite pretensions at world-building, this one is all about those pretensions. They occasionally almost work. To my great surprise, Jude Law is excellent as a young Dumbledore---in fact, he is a highlight. The movie wisely does not try to copy the character as he existed in the books or original movies, instead leaning full in to the idea that in his youth, he could be far more openly manipulative and willing to play chess with people. He’s still a good guy, of course, but he’s a good guy with more rough edges, and Law’s casting is spot on. Depp isn’t as horribly miscast as I expected him to be, though he’s rarely allowed to sink his teeth in. Grindelwald at this juncture is not so much his own character as a somewhat less creepy Voldemort, one whose plot is a tiny bit more complex and driven by a very warped ideology. If there’s more to his character that sets him apart, the team seems to be storing that up for later. 

Therein lies the trouble: with a planned five films in this series, it feels as if the Potter team is not just holding over their best cards for the next entries, but most of their good cards, too. Whereas Rowling, with the original series, almost always knew exactly where to drop in a new mystery or how to answer an old one and rarely resorted to filler, The Crimes of Grindelwald is often an advertisement for later entries. A return visit to Hogwarts that should have had fans squealing is neutered by the fact that nothing enticing happens there, while Grindelwald’s menace is fangless and mostly consists of him making speeches. Particularly annoying is the tease at the end of the film, which might have been something except that it relies on retconning an original-book plot point rather than expanding on one. Since there’s no possible way anyone could have thought of it, it left me feeling confused and cheated rather than anticipating the payoff to come in two years. All this build-up is at the expense of some of the more interesting characters, particularly Waterston, whose Tina is relegated to irrelevance.

All is not lost. There’s a lot of complaints about CGi ruining film, but the Potter franchise has always slapped those down, offering, by itself, a world that justifies the computer-animated era. It continues to do so here, and while the darker portents of the story aren’t fully served, the artists behind them give us a world that is. Secret meeting places hidden in cemeteries, glossy tiled floors of a new Ministry of Magic, and a particularly thrilling semi-cold opener succeed in setting a tone that could be really compelling if the story can catch up. My favorite bit was a carnival sideshow for magical freak acts like those still popular in the film’s 1920’s setting; it’s a marvelous combination of the wondrous and the seedy.

Unlike many, I don’t find Redmayne dull as a protagonist. I think after the rather cliche Chosen One trope that Harry often was (you know it’s true; the supporting cast made those stories), Newt’s more reserved, less action-hero persona works. When Redmayne needs to communicate the many emotions seething under the skin, however, he effectively does so with clipped replies and by giving the character an inability to make eye contact. I’m a fan of non-traditional heroes.

I often over-analyze the Potter universe, and that’s for two very good reasons. The first is that it is easily the most influential and important literary fantasy world to come down the pike since Tolkien put a Hobbit in a hole in the ground, and the second is I’m a big, big fan of Harry Potter. I probably know more about the genealogies and history of Rowling’s world than I strictly should. That’s why a review like this is a challenge to write. I like Newt and his friends. I like the beasts. I wanted to love this movie. I did at times. As a whole, though, I felt like I was being offered a stretched-out middle chapter that was mostly meant to placate me before the main course. And that’s something I never felt about the originals.

Verdict: Average

Note: I don’t use stars, but here are my possible verdicts.

Must-See

Highly Recommended

Recommended

Average

Not Recommended

Avoid like the Plague

 You can follow Ryan's reviews on Facebook here:

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Or his tweets here:

https://twitter.com/RyanmEft

 All images are property of the people what own the movie.

[cutshawsnidowoa]

Meet Artist Ben Lenovitz

The post Meet Artist Ben Lenovitz by Annie Butler Shirreffs appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

While spending the day in New York City, Catster art director Lori Wendin visited the Fishs Eddy store in Union Square, where she saw an artist working in the back of the store. That artist is Ben Lenovitz, whose artwork is fun, quirky and absolutely charming. He works in several mediums to create his pop-folk art combo artwork, but he’s best known for his Art on Block sculptures and Pet Portraits.

Unfortunately, Ben is horribly allergic to both cats and dogs, so he lives vicariously through the pet parents he works with and the pets he paints. Allergies aside, he is inspired by animals and loves trying to capture their unique personalities. “Some cats are really cool and classy looking, while others are total goofballs,” he says. “It’s fun hearing about them from the owners, looking at the pictures and attempting to harness their individuality in the painting.”

Several of Ben’s designs are featured on items at the Fishs Eddy store. fishseddy.com

And his clients love his work. Reactions to seeing their pet portraits run from really positive to a bit emotional. “I try to keep the portraits fun, almost cartoony or animated, so most of the time I get smiles and laughs,” Ben says.

Eventually, he would love to teach art to kids and maybe illustrate a few books. For now, he’s happy that he gets to paint and create as much as he does.

And his work benefits all animals. He constantly donates custom portraits to raffles and fundraisers. “I love working with animal organizations,” he says. “They do so much good and need all the support they can get!”

Follow Ben on Instagram @benlenovitz or visit benlenovitz.com.

Read Next: A Fabulous Feline Artist

The post Meet Artist Ben Lenovitz by Annie Butler Shirreffs appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

from Catster https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/meet-artist-ben-lenovitz via IFTTT

[ainthatjusthewayy]

Life Update

Okie-dokie. I have neglected my writing for the past week and it hasn’t been great for me. I don’t think I realized how helpful it was to me until I stopped doing it. My anxiety has been a little worse but I think it’s situational. As stated by my last post, I now have a job. Since then though, I also got a cat. For years, I have begged my parents to let me get a cat and they finally allowed me to have one.

Now I absolutely love my cat. His name is Edward (aka Sir Edward, Prince Edward, Eddy, and Ed) and he’s a tabby. We adopted him from a local farm that does agrotourism (corn maze, petting zoo, hay ride). They have goats, chickens, ducks, horses, sheep, and of course cats. My family and I went to get pumpkins but we found out that they had kittens up for adoption and the next day my parents told me we were going to get one. The really young kittens had a waiting list but my dude Ed is a little under a year old.

He’s super affectionate and playful and I’m so happy to have him, but I’ve never adjusted well to change. I’m still learning to take care of him. Normally I would spend  more time preparing for something like this but we wound up back at the farm two days after the first visit and left with Ed in a cardboard box. We had nothing. Had it not been for the stop at Petsmart on the way home I don’t know what we would have done.

Luckily he’s settled in well but there are still some obstacles. The first time he saw my dog, an eleven year old chocolate lab, Ed started hissing and freaked her out. Ginger has been pushing the boundaries a little more by walking towards him when he goes downstairs but then Ed arches his back and Ginger walks away with her tail between her legs. They’re terrified of one another. When Edward hears Gin approach he darts under furniture to hide. They’ll get used to one another, but I’d hate for my dog to feel like she’s losing her territory or for her to get scratched. We watch them pretty closely because of this, but they mostly avoid one another.

Claws are the next obstacle. My hands have a number of scrapes on them, and an incident involving my toes last night warranted not one but two band-aids. I sleep under a sleeping bag now because I don’t want him to ruin my quilt and the blankets are too thin. I need multiple layers of, what is it, nylon? Probably nylon, to keeps him from digging those steak knives into my flesh. He needs a scratching post or a nail clipping because his playfulness is going to scar me if it keeps going on like this. It isn’t his fault, but something needs to change for my safety.

The last obstacle is that I am a little bit of a germaphobe. When you have a litter box in your room and a fuzzy animal that has walked through said litter box stretching out across your bed or pillow, being a germaphobe is not easy. I’m trying to remind myself that I touch doorknobs and lightswitches every day and there’s nothing wrong with washing my hands before eating if it makes me more comfortable. Above everything else, having a cat (one that doesn’t even really shed) isn’t going to make me sick, nor does it make me dirty, nor are his germs threatening to me, at least not any more than my dog’s. The point is that this is an obstacle, but it’s one that I needed to confront anyway.

Tomorrow I go in to sign papers for my new job. It isn’t even a normal work day and yet I’ve been very anxious about it. I’m only going in for three hours but it’s consumed my thoughts all day. There’s honestly nothing that bad that can happen to me tomorrow. It’s kind of like getting a shot. I know that I have nothing to worry about, that I’ve done it before, maybe it’s a pain but it doesn’t last that long. Despite these truths and the knowledge that it is for my own good, I obsess until it’s all over and wonder what I was afraid of. That’s the problem with anxiety. It defies logic. It feels like fear, panic, the same feeling I had as a kid when I had to sleep alone and in the dark after hearing a scary story. I don’t know what’s going to get me, but my instincts tell me that I should start running anyway.

Change is going to force its way into my life no matter what. The only thing I can do about it is look at my attitude and ask myself if it could be better. There’s no simple fix, but I have to deal with it anyway. I’ve been really happy this week despite my anxiety. I need to write again so I can get these feelings out. I have to take care of myself. I have to feel the fear and do it anyway.

This is where I leave off. The next few weeks aren’t going to be easy, but I will get through them. I survived high school and working at steak n shake. And now I have an emotional support cat. My life is good, and it’s going to get better.