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back-and-totheleft · 1 year ago

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"Bollywood doesn't need Hollywood"

Oliver Stone will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Mumbai Film Festival. In addition to conducting a master class, two films by the Oscar-winning director are being screened at the festival, including his 2009 documentary South of the Border and Alexander Revisited, his final cut of the 2004 original historical drama that was partly filmed in India. Stone spoke with THR India correspondent Nyay Bhushan in Mumbai.

THR: You have been to India on several occasions and are aware of the film industry here. How would you like to see the two big film industries of India and the U.S. working together?

Oliver Stone: I think the Indian film industry has existed without Hollywood for a long time and it turns out tremendous volume and does well. So the marriage between the two is rare as they have different styles. But of course the best example of the two industries coming together was with Danny Boyle‘s Slumdog Millionaire but that doesn’t happen often and I don’t think that [a meeting of the two industries] can always be structured that way. Then there’ll be movies like My Name Is Khan in which the main character goes to America. I love the style of Indian movies – they’ve always excited me because of how they shift moods between various genres. I mean now we are doing that kind of musical comedy in the U.S. with Glee. So I think (the two industries) do help each other in a way.

THR: In Natural Born Killers you used a song by (the late Pakistani maestro) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the background of a violent scene. How did you come up with that concept of using a sacred song in such a movie?

Stone: It was whirling dervish music and I wanted that madness. I used it over the prison riot scene and other sequences. We got the permission to use that song and put it in and he (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) was shocked. I think he was shocked because that movie really came out of the blue. But the movie was really a statement of anger, a protest against the media that had become perverted and more and more superficial. It was spiritual in a way, a breakout against the system. And the anger that (central characters) Mickey and Mallory felt was, to me, against the system which was oppressive. When they break away, that becomes a religious celebration of freedom. That’s why the music was sacred to me.

THR: Your recent Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps had an interesting India connection where Frank Langella‘s character — who plays a banker whose world is collapsing — says that these days he is getting calls “from people in Mumbai, Dumbai.” He seems flustered at this new world that he is facing. Is that a statement about someone whose powers are eroding against a rising power?

Stone: Yes, he is definitely a man whose time has passed by. The money markets have become very confusing and much more computerized and of course, India is a big source of that computerization and outsourcing. Also the deal-making has become much more complex and its true that these big banks lost control of what they were doing, buying and selling securities that they didn’t understand completely. So the idea (behind that scene) was to show the globalization of the economy and also that people are dealing with people they don’t know anymore. You pick up the phone and you don’t know the other guy.

THR: In terms of future projects, would you like to do more documentaries or are you working on a feature?

Stone: I am currently working on a documentary called The Untold History of the United States which is 12 hours long and that’s my big thing to finish as I am on my third year on that. I can’t tell you about the features because I keep that quiet until I start on them.

THR: Would you do another JFK?

Stone: That cost me a lot too, you know. Every film is different. I think the W movie was very significant and it had a lot to say if you look at it again.

THR: U.S. President Barack Obama is visiting India for the first time when he arrives here next week. What is your take on him and the current political mood in the U.S.?

Stone: Well I don’t want to influence his visit to India in any way. I think that he is taking a moderate stand overall with his policies but the fact is that currently in the U.S., the right wing is getting destructive. The Supreme Court has just freed up rights of corporations to invest in elections. That is very dangerous and changes all the rules. I think we will be more and more in decline in the U.S.

THR: India and the U.S. are both large democracies which allow freedom of expression. But sometimes that can be challenging in India in the sense that it can be difficult for filmmakers here to push the envelope and explore certain subjects such as religion or politics. How would you like to see this creative expression nurtured further in the world’s largest democracy that is India?

Stone: I can’t tell you because I don’t know the issues here but to me India is one of the sterling examples of the world of a real amazing amount of change and freedom. You allow for different points of view, you are very tolerant and the religious freedom is famous here. Most countries are closed to that and don’t allow various (religious) concepts like Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and others to exist side by side. I don’t see the closures that you talk about. I think you are one of the great old traditions of the world which allows for such freedom of worship.

-Oliver Stone Q&A with The Hollywood Reporter, Oct 27 2010

#oliver stone #the hollywood reporter #mumbai film festival #bollywood #the untold history of the united states

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themovieblogonline · 2 years ago

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Why Does Luv Ranjan Keep Making Misogynistic Movies Like Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar?!

I’ll never understand the appeal that Bollywood filmmaker Luv Ranjan has. As a writer-director, all his movies feature some form of misogynistic representation of women. Almost every movie. And now, in the first month of 2023, there’s a trailer for a new movie of his, which seemingly has the same issues. I usually don’t cover Bollywood trailers, but there’s a lot to say about this one. The Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar trailer (You’re A Liar, I’m Deceitful) tells a new story about the dynamic in a man-woman relationship, and it’s honestly, a little messed up. But not surprising at all though, given that it’s a Luv Ranjan movie. Read on to find out the main issue with the Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar trailer, and why it continues a disturbing trend from the filmmaker. Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar Trailer Seems Fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx_Dtwn4ayw Starring one of Bollywood's biggest stars, Ranbir Kapoor, along with the talented Shraddha Kapoor, (no relation) the Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar trailer is everything a typical rom-com should be. The trailer sees the lead couple, each with impeccable style, oozing charm and fit bodies, hook up in a seemingly whirlwind romance. But when things get serious, there’s trouble. The trailer opens with Ranbir’s character talking about how easy it is to get into relationships these days, but hard to get out of them. So he details a convoluted plan about how the best way to get out of a relationship, is to make the girl feel like it’s her idea. Basically by planting seeds of suspicion and manipulating her in other ways. But then, he seemingly falls in love. The Hypocrisy And Double Standard In Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar Trailer As the trailer progresses with cool songs and an upbeat vibe, the second-half twist comes when things get serious. As Ranbir’s character falls in love, for reals, the couple starts marriage talks. This time, it’s Shraddha’s character who has doubts about the relationship. Her voiceover repeats exactly the same thing Ranbir said in the beginning. But her approach to breaking up is to make it seem like it’s the guy’s fault, while she maintains her innocence and remains on good terms with his family. So they both basically hook up for something casual and are both manipulating each other to get what they want. Which is fine. There is nothing wrong with characters who are grey and don’t have the typical hero/heroine attributes. The problems start when double standards rear their head. Apparently, Ranbir’s character has an issue with Shraddha’s character's approach to breaking up. The same tactic he boasted about earlier in the trailer, by the way. So he decides to ‘make her pay’ or something to that effect. So it’s fine when he’s bragging about being manipulative to end a relationship he doesn’t want. But if a woman treats him the same way, she must fear the wrath of man! Really? Luv Ranjan Has Done This Before https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy0m-4meolQ The most upsetting part about the Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar trailer isn’t this particular movie or this story. It’s very easy to write off one movie that looks bad and move on with our lives. The issue here is that the writer-director Luv Ranjan has a disturbing trend of this kind of content in almost all his movies. The women characters in his movies are all depicted as shrewd, conniving and somehow threatening the masculinity of his male characters. Resulting in the men standing up for themselves and fighting back against the evil woman in their lives. Like, what?! His debut movie as a director, Pyar Ka Punchnama, as well as its sequel, both featured Karthik Aryan in a leading role. In many ways, Aryan was put on the map by Ranjan and his movies. But while the movies themselves were once again a male versus female perspective about relationships, love and life, it very much leaned one way. Aryan’s character famously has this long one-take monologue in both movies, where he basically craps on women. While the monologue itself is admirable, the content is extremely problematic. Ranjan then doubles down on his whole ‘women are evil’ viewpoint in this next directorial, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. The story is about how a man feels threatened when his best friend gets engaged to a confident and outspoken woman. The woman begins to influence the friend, her fiancee, to eat better, take care of himself, etc, the usual things in a relationship. But this level of control is apparently manipulative and evil, so the man takes it upon himself to free his friend from her clutches. I ask again: what?! Why Are We Still Getting Movies Like This In 2023? It’s baffling how these movies, which clearly seem to demonize women characters, are still being made in 2023. You would think that studios, producers and other creatives would be more aware of the optics of crafting a story where a man has to get payback from a woman. And then doing it repeatedly. It’s a troubling and disturbing thing that makes Bollywood movies so questionable, especially when, as a fan, you know they can do better. The more irresponsible thing about Ranjan’s films is that he packages these kinds of damaging ideas in very mainstream, lovable, bubbly aesthetics with great music and likeable stars. On the surface, the Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar trailer looks like a lot of fun. But if the trailer is an accurate representation of the story of the movie, then it’s hella problematic. And I don’t think Ranbir’s tanned abs are going to be able to make me ignore those issues. Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar releases in select theatres on March 8, 2023. What did you think about this trailer? Do you have the same issues as me? Or do you think I’m making a big deal out of nothing? Let me know in the comments below. Read the full article

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noirineverysense · 3 years ago

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Sorry?? How could they fuck up Tyesha and Aamir's wedding like that?

Why is Tyesha being expected to dress according to desi culture, the scene where people are putting her henna on and Aamir's just like where's my shoes? Where's the love?

Compare it to this:

Do you see? The exchange of cultures? The surprise on their faces? No expectation, two people choosing each other, choosing to appreciate the other's culture and background.

Meanwhile mcu Aamir dancing in his shalwar kameez in a bollywood style dance sequence, like sorry but comic Aamir would never, music is haram you know, shaytaan shaytaan!

Also Nakia wearing it too, i think it would be beautiful if she wore a kaftan i think celebrating other cultures is beautiful. Also she was dancing too and again comic Nakia would never.

Another thing is the complete lack of discussion on anti-black racism. In the show it's Aamir's wedding basically, Tyesha is there as a background character. But in the comic they actually discuss the anti-black racism that's rampant in a lot of non-black muslim communities.

Like Aamir basically has to fight for Tyesha and he's so worried that his family and community won't accept her. (Also the fair and lovely line is so based)

Also like look at what Tyesha is wearing, no make up, no turban, fully covered in a jilbab/chador. Of course that was too much for the mcu no no she needs to show more skin. Clearly desperate for the appproval of white palates.

Also look at this:

In the show right, you literally dont see her parents which is such a fucking shame. Theyre not characters, theyre just there to clap along. Look here though, they've got their own culture and they're struggling with Tyesha seemingly breaking away from that.

Also Tyesha's brother (unnamed) in the show is a lot younger and wears a thobe in one scene and a shalwar kameez in another. Lmao you wouldn't catch Gabriel dead in one of those. The Hillman's have two kids veering off in very different directions and it just feels so real and normal.

In the end the two families reconcile and Mr. Hillman says: long live the Hillman-Khans and isn't that beautiful. Literally where was any of this.

To end I just want to show this scene from the comics of Tyesha and Nakia debating the meaning of hijab which we will never get in the mcu bc the mcu sucks and can't show anything other than a turban with makeup and is about as deep as a puddle.

#sorry but ms marvel was literally groundbreaking for muslim rep #and mcu decided to pave it over #ms marvel #mcu critical #mcu #literally go read the comics #racism #feel free to correct me on any terminology

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carmenxjulia · 4 years ago

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Another Duane interview transcript, coming at you! This one was from a smaller Carmen Sandiego chatroom. There were several interviewers, so that’s why the name of the question asker changes. Get the details below the break! Stay tuned, more interview transcripts coming soon.

Duane Capizzi:

HI EVERYONE! I'M IN!

Sorry I'm late, I got lost on the way haha. Then got lost trying to change my PFP

Thanks for gathering! Shall we get started? Let's do some Q&A!

(as long as they are not geography questions haha)

Fuel:

What characters or plot points were cut from the final product?

Duane Capizzi:

Ooo, starting with a right hook to the jaw!

Let me think about that for a moment: I'm hesitant to give too much away because I'm really hoping we can tell more stories in this world at some point

Which is to say, we tend not to waste anything: if we don't use it when we originally planned, we usually find a way to use something later - and there's usually a "karmic" reason that we waited.

I'll also preface by saying this: I know season 3 was more of a mini-drop and some felt season 4 was rushed. But I wish EVERY season were longer. Season 1: ideally, i wanted the Pilot to be its own event and 10 more episodes after that (but we had to tell the post-Pilot story in 7. At the end of the day, that had its benefits: we got to the Shadowsan turn earlier and I think that's when a lot of viewers realized the ride they were truly in for). Season 2: we initially figured we'd need 5 episodes to have Carmen doing the ACME dance with Chief, and wound up doing it in 3 - mostly because it quickly became clear that Rio needed to be a 2 parter, and the Zack and Ivy backstory a rough 2 parter. So we squeezed 3 episodes worth of plot into 209. It was exhilarating!

So, we had hoped to have more episodes for Season 4 of course. We had a ton of ideas and had to compress things a bit. But honestly in many ways it was for the better. I know we all wanted to live in this world longer, but I think sometimes the flip side is true - when you have big ongoing storylines, it can get frustrating when some things drag out too long. But, we got all the "story" we wanted to tell in Season 4 - we just lost some "incident" if that makes sense. We would have taken longer to get there.

So, all that preface to answer the question: we wanted to do more musical numbers! We had a Bollywood dance sequence in a return to India caper with Paperstar. We wanted to do a famous Elvis suit theft in Las Vegas during an Elvis impersonator convention (Shadowsan's an early elvis guy; Brunt likes the Vegas "jumpsuit" era). We also wanted to do a thread where Gunnar gets captured by ACME so that Julia could interrogate him and he could play mind games with her a la Hannibal Lector and Clarice. CAVEAT TO ALL THIS: these were some ideas that were bouncing around, that may not have seen the light of day if we couldn't get them to work. But they were on our wish list.

re: "other stories" - I could live with these characters for another 32 episodes easily and there have of course been discussions. But alas, that is up to the powers that be. Let's keep fingers crossed - and keep the Carmen love alive online so that someone up there takes note

There is more of course, but those are some things that spring to mind.

Fuel:

Were there any scenes cut for time that were your favorite?

Duane Capizzi:

Not much springs to mind: our directors were amazing at getting everything in the scripts to fit naturally (and in fact, I was the one who was usually suggesting trims to let other things breathe, etc). We were limited to 22 minutes of episode time, NOT counting front and end credits so a little longer than the average show. We have a pretty good idea when the SCRIPT is too long, so the cutting usually happens at script stage before it gets to the board crew so that they don't waste efforts over-boarding material that won't be used.

We had hoped to build out Chase and Carmen teaming up for the first time, meeting at Carmen's hotel lobby etc for more scenes of them together; but had to reduce that to get that all to fit in the VERY packed episode 406. But again, tighter was fine considering. That's one area that leaps to mind. (note that when I say packed, I don't mean that in a bad way: we spend a lot of time pouring over details in editing to make sure everything gets its due).

If I think of anything, I'll circle back at a later point. But the simple answer is that scenes were usually trimmed or compressed at script rather than board or animatic. So nothing comes to mind. I know it's hard to believe, but "shorter is usually better."

except for my answers to fan questions of course

Fuel:

We saw that in s4 episode 6 that Julia's mother(?) is wearing a necklace remarkably similar to the one Julia wears all the time. Is this the same necklace and if so, why was it given to Julia?

Duane Capizzi:

Just when I thought I was detail oriented! Wow! You guys blow me away

I can't take credit for that: it was either the board artist or director who added that. They do slip things in! As I've said before, EVERYONE on the crew really brought their A-game and were as deep thinking and as passionate as I was/am about the show.

It's a nice detail and I would say your interpretation works!

It took me three or four reviews before noticing that the team had slipped in baby Carmen near the play set in Mom's front yard at the end of 408. When I caught it, I was like: bravo!

Fuel:

When they first met, Zack and Ivy said to Carmen that they were the only family they had, do you know what happened to the rest of Zack and Ivy's family?

Duane Capizzi:

I don't. At least, I don't yet until such a time that I might have the opportunity to explore that. It was important to their relationship with Carmen that they be orphans, so they had that common bond (aside from being "thieves who steal from bad guys" - even if it was only gonna be one time for Zack and Ivy).

I know there are writers out there who like to do entire bio's for characters up front but i'm not one of them. It could be a trap in many ways. I like to have a general idea but be open to the demands of the ongoing storyline. You discover things along the way - it's like you're taking a journey with the characters by writing them, and the longer you spend, the better you get to know them (that was not a prepared statement by the way - I just made that up but I'll have to use it again :). So in Z/I's case it wasn't important to the story or Carmen's relationship, we felt. Conversely, we STARTED with Shadowsan's family backstory with 203, but more important to me was that we use it as a platform to explain why he stays with Carmen and crew. He really has no home at that point, so it was relevant to the present ongoing story. Which is what made that especially powerful to me.

Also, there's always a push-pull between telling character back stories while balancing them with ongoing episodic plots. You have to service both. If you just tell back story, then you're writing a biography

Arden:

What was the biggest challenge when designing these characters, especially the pre-existing characters from the series in the 90's?

Duane Capizzi:

This is probably more of a question for Chromosphere, re: challenges. But from my standpoint overseeing that process, the first thing I'll say is that we weren't necessarily trying to be "true" to those characters since we reinvented nearly every one from the ground up. (with the exception of Carmen of course - her trademark red hat/coat weren't going anywhere! But mostly the update with Carmen was in the styling of her "outerwear"

ALTHOUGH: I will admit that I was pushing for Carmen to have shorter hair as Carmen. I thought it would be a cool update. Chromosphere were really passionate about giving her long full hair and I have to see that they were right. The short tomboy cut worked so well for Black Sheep anyway. We had a different hair style for each of her ages.

So about the reinventions: Gunnar is in spirit a similar character to the original (old colleague in Vile and an early mentor if I remember), but his presentation completely different. We weren't trying to be "in canon" with the original. The beauty of CSD is that every incarnation has been its own entity so that freed us to reimagine the characters. THE CLEANERS, for instance: gimme some Cleaner love! There were a pair of janitors from the original game named RICK AND NICK ICK. They were literally janitors, it was too silly for our purposes. But, it's one small step to make them "Cleaners" (in the sinister hit men sense) - and lo, our reinvention.

So to summarize the answer to your question, they weren't really challenges to me so much as FUN to creatively reinvent the original characters (many of which were from the game, so not really "characters" per se with dialogue and inner lives). Whenever we could, we tried to use character names from the originals and update their looks and personalities. Where we couldn't find an equivalent for what we needed, we created characters from whole cloth. For instance, it seemed a miss to do a heist show without a tunnel guy and a high rise climber guy. Hence, LC & ET, everyone's favorite taco truck vendors!

(yes, i've seen some short hair carmen fan art on Twitter - someone did a great one recently!)

Arden:

Are there plans to give us more of the characters in, say, novel/graphic novel form?

Duane Capizzi:

I know HMH has done a bunch and no doubt have more in works. There's currently a novelization of the Pilot with some additional material if anyone's interested. I consulted on the second one, Clue for Clue, because it falls in the timeline while Chase was still Interpol/pre-Acme so was tricky.

And depending on whether another series in this canon makes it to air, I may just approach them about writing one or two myself to get some "further adventures" our there. Anything is possible!

Arden:

If you could go back and change anything about the series, what would it be?

Duane Capizzi:

File under anecdote, but there was what I felt was an important expression on Gray that kept me awake at nights, from his graduation ceremony at Vile. When we revisited those flashbacks in the Gray arc in Season 4, I had them change his expression there (to be more evil less innocent). We had it corrected in 404 so was able to get permission to have Netflix "fix" the Pilot by adding that shot in. I am tenacious!

We really poured over everything, it's the series that I have virtually zero complaints with the end product to be honest. But the simple answer is: I would have gone back to 106 and "un-greek'd" Gray's nametag. It's sort of a rule for international that we scramble signage (which is weird for a show that takes place in many countries/languages, I know I know). It's mostly for localization/translation reasons. And I'm sure there are some countries where Gray's name might be spoken differently. But as a proper name, I think we could have made an exception and seen "Gray" on his name tag. See? Details! But that's about the worst of it

there's also like one small line from Chief in 208 where she indicates she knows Carmen is a good guy (something to that effect) which I felt was too absolute and would have tweaked the line to temper it a bit. It's tiny, but looking back it sort of bugs me and I kick myself for not catching it. But this is absolutely the series I wanted and couldn't be happier.

Carmen:

How did Carmen know she could trust Julia? As far as we know, she has not seen or heard Julia defending her, and in the Fashionista Caper, Julia even held up her gas gun to her, saying she was under arrest. Do you have any opinions on this? Was it just intuition?

Duane Capizzi:

I'm gonna go with intuition

Carmen was raised on an island with some hardened criminal types. I think she's a pretty good judge of character. Poor Julia, trying to be tough with Carmen didn't suit her.

But, great observation! I'd have to mentally step through everything to see if Carmen had any earlier indication but i think you're right there.

Yes, sometimes you just gotta follow your heart

Carmen:

Are there any characters that didn't actually interact that you think would get along well?

Duane Capizzi:

Amazing question! First, I'd have to think more about who DIDN'T meet - you're asking the hard questions haha. But "get along well" is very specific! Hmmm, care to volley anyone?

I'll also add that so many smaller moments get lost in the "binge" of it all, but I am surprised how few fans have noted the first meeting between Player and Julia. THAT was a good one IMO! Very sweet!

Before getting back to your question, I also want to add that we were originally going to find a way for Carmen to lose her earring in Stockholm so that Julia could pick it up and be communicating with Player. BUT, I cut it at treatment stage because I knew we didn't have room in that episode to service it. Circling back to questions 1 & 2, another case where it turned out better saved for later IMO (saving Player meeting Julia, not to mention the earring business in 402 with Ivy).

Oh of course, Julia and any of the other Vile members. It would have been Gunnar for my vote, as mentioned earlier. We probably would not have had Julia meet anyone else and mixed it up more. I like that Cleo sort of became J's personal nemesis.

YES, SONIA & XIFENG (and LUPE PELIGRO, if I can add). The intent was (and is, if we ever get to revisit) to see them again in Carmen's travels. We started to expand Carmen's world but when we finally learned the finite number of episodes we had to finish the story, we drilled back down into the essentials. Would love to see them some day!

I'm hesitant to share too many things I have in mind in this forum for hope that they will see the light of day one day. You know, "spoilers"

Julia:

Do you have any opinions on Zari? Just in general? Some thoughts on her backstory would be nice if possible

Duane Capizzi:

I love Zari! I really don't have any back story on her at this point. She was originally just "Agent B" but when the need arose to give story points to another agent, we chose her because she looked so awesome! And Sharon Muthu gave voice to her so wonderfully.

I love when we finally teamed her with Chase. Hopefully the anticipation was that she would give him a hard time. I love that we defied expectation (organically, of course) and had her respect him by the end of that episode (for believing that he foiled Carmen!)

Julia:

Do you have any thoughts on small facts about any character, major or minor, that you think are fun/interesting to think about, but don't necessarily add to the plot itself?

Duane Capizzi:

Bellum, like myself, likes cats. But you knew that!

I try to put everything pertinent on screen, doing double duty to service any given episode's story but also the overarching story. That "journey" thing I mentioned earlier - we had no idea Chase falling on his own car would be a thing when I first came up with it. But as other characters refer to the incident, it took on a life of its own and made the characters feel more real.

Sorta kinda related to this question and some earlier ones, I will say that I DO think there's more to learn about Shadowsan's past vis a vis Lady Dokuso: it's clear to me that they have a history together, and it's something I hope to explore someday soon (maybe in a book if not another series

Julia:

Are the Carmen Sandiego books a part of canon?

Duane Capizzi:

I only consulted on the first two or three (too busy with series!) and have not read them, so hard for me to answer in a definite way. They are definitely in the universe we've created, but not in the timeline that I know of (which would have been too hard to pull off with our script development running concurrently). But do know that the book team at HMH pays close attention to the series and world so they should be perfectly compatible. Look no further to their clever social media on the series for example.

Kenz:

We saw in season 4 that Julia and Carmen helped each other mid to long term; would there ever be a possibility that Julia would permanently or semi-permanently join team Red?

Duane Capizzi:

Of course there's a possibility. But in a sense, with ACME now finally on Carmen's side, in a sense if Carmen were back in the game Julia, Chase, Zack and Ivy would ALL be an extension of Carmen's crew. But, would J remain with ACME or literally come to Carmen's team at her HQ? As they said in an old radio show: "Only The Duane Capizzi knows ..."

Kenz:

Where do you see Carmen in her retirement (if she retires)? Do you think she would still travel the world or settle down somewhere? Similarly, do you have any thoughts on what some other characters could be doing years down the line?

Duane Capizzi:

That is a big question, and one difficult to answer without some potential future spoilers (and yes, I really want to tell more Carmen stories if you can't tell But I'll answer by giving you one "read" on our open-ended ending as seen in 408 (read no further if you haven't seen it - yeah, right haha). The ending suggests to me that Carmen settled down for a spell to forge that relationship with her mother, to make up for lost time. But, if that is indeed Carmen that we see on the rooftop, I think the ending suggests that Carmen doesn't stay still for very long. If Vile is back, there is work to be done! Carmen has a life mission - she's one determined lady.

But of course, it's deliberately ambiguous: "anyone with your heart, wisdom and courage can be Carmen Sandiego." Is it Carmen? Sonia? Someone we haven't met? I think both endings resonate: Caroline and I always said "Carmen is bigger than a person, Carmen is a movement" would be a great message to end the series on. And I think our ending resolves this chapter of Carmen's journey as a person, but also elevates her to mythic status. Which is why I love it!

And, that seems to me a pretty perfect question and answer to end our chat on. Thanks everyone! Again, I cannot tell you how moved I am to see that we have such a passionate, intelligent and talented fan base. THANK YOU.

Take care guys, thanks again for having me! 'night!

#Carmen Sandiego #CS Crew #Duane Capizzi #Interview #Transcript

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sou-ver-2-0 · 4 years ago

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Random question go! Generally speaking, what do you think each character's music preferences are? (you don't have to do *everyone*, though.)

I ended up doing almost everyone!! Not the dummies, though. Follow @shintsukimistan if you want headcanons for them! Also, you should just follow shintsukimistan because her posts are the nicest things on this website. :)

She’s the master of this sort of thing, coming up with headcanons that are concise and fun, but I gave this my best shot.

Reko

I’m starting with her since she obviously cares the most about music. I loved all the little details in Reko’s backstory about her musical journey. Ever since she was a kid, she listened to “Classical, folk, heavy metal, […] all of it.” Once “old bastards in the music industry” took control of her career, she started “making music [her] heart wasn’t in,” which I imagine was probably cheesy pop music. This led her to “rebel” and become a “rocker”!

Reko must know all the differences between genres of rock music, which I don’t. I’m confident that her taste is leagues above everyone else’s. She’s very hardcore and fun. I’m sure her preference is rock music, but I bet she enjoys any kind of music that’s smart. She must respect any musician with genuine talent. I want her to tell me what bands to listen to so I can be cool.

Alice

Alice’s musical tastes probably mirror Reko’s, since he must have listened to whatever she listened to. Alice doesn’t understand music as well as Reko does, but he would be fond of whatever she likes, since he loves her. They both look very cool and punk rock.

My sister and I came up with a headcanon that Alice, the stupid drummer in Reko’s band, got to write and sing a few songs to go on her albums. His lyrics are banal and his melodies aren’t original but he sings with a lot of heart.

Joe

Joe likes Reko’s new band, Skullnutz. This is canon.

Although, Joe doesn’t strike me as a hardcore rocker. I bet he listens to whatever is popular. And he reads gossip about all the musicians in magazines.

Sara

Now I’m starting to think that Sara is too busy to keep up with the current musical trends, because she is too busy with schoolwork. (This was literally me in school.) So, it’s Joe’s responsibility to put on music while she’s studying and try to cheer her up. If it weren’t for Joe, Sara would only listen to the old-fashioned songs her parents play on the radio.

One of my favorite little moments in YTTD is when Sara can tell Reko that she likes to sing, and they’ll both sing together. Sara can also say that she doesn’t like singing, so it’s up to the Player how she feels, but! My Sara likes to sing. I think she associates singing with karaoke with Joe and Ryoko. Even though I don’t think Sara knows a lot about music, she enjoys it earnestly.

Nao

I think Nao would like folk music! It’s soft and artsy and makes her feel like an old soul. She plays it when she’s painting.

If Nao and Reko had more time to develop their friendship, I think they would influence each other’s tastes a lot! Nao would listen to more rock music, and Reko would be reminded of the folk songs she liked as a child.

Mishima

From YTTS, we know that Mishima saw that One Cool Rock Band in his youth that Reko really liked. We also have hints of Mishima being a “hoodlum” when he was younger, so maybe he actually liked really dirty music, haha.

However, it’s easier for me to imagine Mishima playing classical music for his art students. Music that is lovely and entirely appropriate for kids! I think he’d like that too. Just seems to fit his vibe.

Kai

Funnily enough, I actually wrote about Kai’s musical tastes in my fanfiction, so I’m obligated to write about him here, haha. I imagined that he listens to all kinds of musical genres without having a favorite kind. I think he is a lonely, “oddball” person who will listen to anything random he finds online, and he won’t try to fit in with anyone else. One day, Mr. and Mrs. Chidouin come home to find Kai vacuuming the house with Bollywood music playing in the background, and the next week he’s listening to jazz.

He doesn’t consider himself an “expert” on anything, and certainly not on what’s popular. But he enjoys music sincerely. I suppose I just made him parallel Sara that way!

Q-Taro

I just googled “what kind of music do manly men like.” (That didn’t help me, haha.)

Well, we know he spent time in the U.S.A. for a while where he learned how to shoot guns, so… He probably likes country music, haha. I bet he listens to a lot of that while he’s working out and training!

I’m suddenly thinking that Q-Taro likely is the best at speaking English in this group, and maybe listening to American country songs helped him learn!

Keiji

You know… It’s hard for me to imagine Keiji caring that much about music? Since he feels dead inside…

But I know he doesn’t like to be left alone with his thoughts, so I can picture him turning on the radio and playing literally whatever, anything to distract him. Even static.

If you ask Keiji what music he likes, he just laughs really loudly and says “your voice” or something weird like that.

Gin

What music is “cool” for little boys to like? I don’t know? He probably listens to pop music but gets insulted if anyone plays something too “childish” for him.

Gin’s primary interest is animals, so maybe he googles “jungle sounds” and listens to birds and monkeys while he’s doing his homework.

Kanna

I bet that Kanna likes the cheesy silly pop songs that Reko hates.

Kanna probably has posters of adorable young pop stars in her bedroom. She dances to their songs with Kugie when they’re alone together.

Kanna’s tastes are very sincere and we stan and protect her.

Shin

Shin probably listens to videogame soundtracks like I do, lol.

I often envision him listening to funky electronic music befitting a hip computer hacker, like you’d see in the movies, but I don’t think he actually has a clue on what’s “hip.”

Shin is probably self-conscious about whatever music he’s enjoying at the moment, because he’s used to Sou making fun of him. This leads to him mumbling nonsense whenever people ask him what music he likes.

Shin would never make fun of Kanna for her tastes. That is not his style. He listens to whatever she likes and nods along.

…

This was a fun question to tackle, thanks. :)

#yttd #your turn to die #kimi ga shine #your turn to die spoilers #asks #mine #headcanons #group

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elindae-writes · 3 years ago

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Disney MCU : not really my thing and I don’t really care Elindae writes MCU : this is mad this is bogus and I love it so much

Okay, so I only watched the first few MCU movies. I'm gonna be honest, I think the franchise peaked with only the first Iron Man movie. I read a lot of MCU fanfiction before I ever saw any MCU movies at all so I just had no clue what was going on.

There are actually a few MCU fanfics I like: In The Home , (A City Full of) Helping Hands, A Hospital Full, and Wilting Yellow Flowers, all by aloneintherain. I like the spider-man.

I still don't know what's going on. I'm only caught up to the atrocity that is the second Thor movie, the one with Padme in it and the teleporting trash? That entire movie was trash. I will try to construct the storyline of the MCU based off of what few details I know:

There is a raccoon?

The Avengers break up and the Hulk is just unfazed and immediately asks: "like the beetles?"

There is an evil purple man named Thanos with a small green child and the child grows up into a tall green woman?? who is his daughter? and they talk about resources and supply and demand.

Apparently some long-haired hot man with a metal limb shows up and Steve loses his shit trying to save this bud of his

who the hell is bucky

Harley Quinn is apparently not a MCU character and that genuinely shocked me

Thor is hot. wait is he still alive?

Aunt May is hot? like wtf? how?

There's apparently a scene where Spider-Man and his Aunt are eating Thai food and they're seeing replayed Spider-man battles on a TV and she's like. "peter. petey. pete boy. NEVER get involved in those fights! run away!"

And spider-man is just like

"t'was not me"

Spiderman then ends up homeless (and friends with karen??)

There's a fishbowl man who makes images with his hands but then Spider-Man defeats him while they're on a gondola

Steve wields mjolnir? i thought Steve turned into a villain

The new Spider-Man theme is a hot bop. Same goes for the Avengers film

Benedryl Cucumberspaz is there and he has a cloak with a stupid-looking collar

there was a cat-man movie with Bilbo in it

People cast spells via throwing orbs of light into the air

JARVIS DIES?? see, i don't like that. rip. i think? i think he's dead?

They have a big spat where there's some civil war. I remember the marketing for that movie. I was trying to buy bananas at Wal-Mart and all of the cashiers were wearing "ARE YOU TEAM IRON-MAN OR CAPTAIN AMERICA?" and this was apparently a spicy debate there. I was just like "i am team banana"

Iron Man was upset about his mom and pop for some reason whereas Steve was upset because he wanted to save his bud (the one from the 1940s) so they beat the shit out of each other in the snow.

wait i remember now. the 1940s bud mURDERED Tony's mom and pop. ohhhh. oh? oh. i don't think that got resolved.

everybody wants a magical glove and the stones for the magical glove but then they fail so they try again and win

Spider-man gets attacked by a guy with a mechanical bird suit and then also there is a ferry. Spider-man also harasses a man and his ice cream

There's a sitcom show with a boring evil witch lady with red magic (very boring) and a cool groovy purple witch lady with a very good theme song

Robert California voices a robot!! But I don't think he declares himself to be "The Lizard King." disappointing.

They're making a new movie where there is a guy with arm ring jewelry with super-powers

OH and they're making a new movie where there is a bollywood dance scene and i'm a sucker for 3 hour long Indian drama so who knows, that might be my style

There's a movie where some lady punches an old lady on a train

There was an atrocious movie about a boring shrinking ant guy. I only saw like five minutes of that movie when it was 10:30 pm at night and I just happened to be in the kitchen eating muffins when I saw the movie. Kate from Lost is in it??? the ant guy is a convict, i know that much. the fuck did he do? probably got sent to the clink for being weirdly into ants tbh. i switched it over to Antiques Roadshow and lemme tell you it was 10x more exciting okay some old lady came in with an autograph from Abraham Lincoln!! I mean my god he's dead you just can't get those anymore :(

Tony gets Peter some bling

some norse dude makes out with himself. nasty

Twilight Sparkle voices a clock that harasses people

The guy who played the cowboy in Night At The Museum is also in the show, the guy who says "wwwwoooowwww" in that way that makes me crack up

steve goes back in time??? and does not prevent any of the horrors he knows will happen? for some reason? also he turns into joe biden.

Pepper Pots marries Tony or something? wha

and he gives her a SUIT? whY? the goop lady??

tony dies (rip. i liked him. i appreciated how he was an ass to everybody. i bet he'll come back though because this is comic book logic)

DOES STEVE TURN EVIL I CAN'T TELL

Anddddd apparently the comic book industry is in the trash and is getting its ass handed to it by Japan

There you have it guys! Elindae's Hot Recollection of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Believe it or not I actually am the Resident Authority On The MCU in my house so whenever my family has MCU questions they consult me.

That's probably a mistake.

Wait, by MCU did you mean McPrime Universe or Marvel Cinematic Universe?

I am still stuck in the 2012 MCU fanfic mindset where the Avengers are all living together in the tower, Steve has a sketchpad, Hawkeye travels in the vents, and Thor likes pop-tarts. I like that era of the MCU.

#not transformers #marvel #i only really like norse mythology loki tbh not whatever in the world MCU loki is #i like batman #i also prefer real norse thor #actually i just like the mythology better than the mcu's version of it really #Iron Man was PEAK MCU everything after was just a mistake #well okay the third iron man was nice #okay well the whole avenger's live in the tower together thing is actually pretty cute so maybe that's when the mcu peaked #in my opinion the mcu movies are just the kinda thing u play on the side as u do something else #like perhaps i will turn on a movie as i type out more horrendous mcprime universe content

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meeth-designresearch2 · 3 years ago

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Methods - Identifying the work of others

Luke Nicholas - @SonyNZ Digital Imaging Advocate

Luke is someone I have been following for quite some time now on Instagram. He specialises in Urban, Cityscape & Night Photography in and around Auckland. He has a unique style of editing which can easily be identified once looking through his work and I look up to him as a photographer, he posts a lot of unique and also helpful content for other photographers. The reason I chose this photo of his in particular as it features many different aspects of photography in one image. He’s used a time slice effect, long exposure and had to be extremely patient to get all 8 images then combine them into one. This image consists of 8 separate shots all taken at different times during the sunset. All carefully selected to show the change of light. This was very unique and something you don't quite see often. More of his work is available to be viewed on Instagram - @lukenicholas

Mike - @northborders (Instagram)

Mike is a photographer I discovered on Instagram and YouTube 2 to 3 years ago. He does all types of amazing photography but has a niche in urban, city, and automotive photography. I selected this as a photo to analyse as I’ve wanted to execute something similar but I’m just waiting for the right time and place for it. I think he's based in Melbourne which has a lot of trams and he's used that to create a cool long exposure effect with his subject in the middle. I have also seen him mirroring and blending another image in when he wants a similar look on both sides so that's what I’m guessing he did here unless he got really lucky and two trams actually went past at the same time. Nonetheless, very cool photo, I will definitely be doing something similar personally in the near future.

Badlapur - Bollywood Movie Poster (2015)

I’ve only started really getting into Bollywood movies a few years ago, I’ve grown up watching them. Because of my interest in design, movie posters are things that always excite me. Each poster has it’s own message that it’s trying to convey based on what it’s about. Badlapur is actually a city in the Maharashtra State in India. “Badla” means “revenge” in Hindi and that is basically what the movie is about. It belongs to the neo-noir action thriller genre. The reason that I really like this poster is how the designer has used double exposures to in a way show two personalities/mindsets as a dark silhouette of the main protagonist. The fire on the left is also integrated nicely with a soft edge just to add more energy into the poster. Anger is definitely one of the driving forces that is fuelling the protagonist along with the traumatic events that happened to his family. The striking red font certainly gives the impression of something negative and significant which matches with the rest of the design elements used in the poster.

Fan - Bollywood Movie Poster (2016)

I absolutely love this poster. Both the roles in the movie are played by Shah Rukh Khan who's playing a double role in this movie but with more prosthetics for one of the roles. This movie also belongs to the action thriller genre. If I didn’t already know about the events which occur in the movie I would been interested in finding out if I was looking at it for the first time. The colours play a key part in grabbing the viewers attention showcasing a due lighting effect. It’s showing how both personalities could possibly be contrasting with each other. The shards of glass would also make the viewer wonder why and for what reason it is shown in that way. It creates questions - why? how? who? which ultimately provokes the viewer looking at the poster to watch the movie.

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 4 years ago

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Psycho Analysis: The League of Evil Exes

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is one of the greatest cult classics of the 2010s for a wide variety of reasons: it had great performances, it got a video game adaptation that didn’t suck, it had an awesome soundtrack, and best of all, it apparently ruined an entire generation of women! What couldn’t this movie do (besides make a profit at the box office)? Of course, more than anything, this movie delivered on the promise of its premise by having Scott Pilgrim fight against the seven evil exes of his manic pixie dream girl Ramona Flowers.

That’s right: There’s not one, not two, not three, but seven villains to talk about in this movie!

Thankfully, this massive amount of villains makes it a lot easier to talk about them, because each of them basically gets only a single scene with which to establish their characterization and deliver a fun, exciting battle. Still, it’s pretty interesting to look at them, especially since not all exes are created equal. As a note, I’m obviously not doing a “Best Scene” for these guys because... they basically have one scene each. It would be redundant.

Motivation/Goals: The League of Evil Exes has a very simple goal: to control the future of Ramona’s love life. As Lucas says during his battle with Scott: “The Seven Evil Exes? Coming to kill you? Controlling the future of Ramona's love life?” This is especially funny because Lucas is probably the least evil of the lot. While this is an incredibly simple motivation, it fits with the tone of the movie; this is a sort of a Bowser-esque motivation, one that perfectly fits a movie that is so steeped in video game culture.

Performance: Lets go one by one here:

Satya Bhabha is the first of the evil exes, Matthew Patel, and he really eases you into what to expect for the rest of the evil exes, though here “eases you into” means “grabs you by the balls and swings you over the head like a chimpanzee.” Despite his meager screentime, he makes the most of it, delivering a Bollywood-esque musical number complete with fireballs and demon hipster chicks and generally just hamming it up. This right here is just a warmup, though, because things get crazier from here – just like in a video game, really.

Lucas Lee, the second evil ex, is a big-shot movie star regarded as a pretty good actor by all who see him. Unfortunately, they got some unknown weirdo named Chris Evans to play him, but casting this obscure indie actor certainly paid off, because Lucas Lee’s smug, over-confident portrayal combined with his affable nature make him one of the most enjoyable characters in the movie. He really comes off as a cool, cocky guy who just happens to be going up against our hero as opposed to being an actual antagonizing force.

Todd Ingram is the other best evil ex, and much like Lee it’s mostly because he’s a pretty nice guy. However, the key difference is while Lee was cocky and affable, Ingram is just kind of a ditz. Played by one-time Superman Brandon Routh, he opts to go for the more subuded route, a cold ham as opposed to a large ham, and he definitely makes it work; I did call him the OTHER best evil ex, after all.

Then we come to Roxy Richter, played by Katara herself, Mae Whitman. She’s a very angry, tomboyish lesbian who gets in a lot of great lines and shows off a very jaded, irritated personality in her limited screentime. She’s definitely a lot of fun, though apparently she has a lot of elements of Envy Adams due to being combined with an early idea to make her Ramona’s evil ex in the movie.

The Katayanagi Twins. Ken and Kyle, are… nothing. Because Keita and Shota Saitou (Kyle and Ken, respectively) did not speak English, the twins have no lines and don’t really get to establish much of a presence before dying. It’s a bit unfortunate, because it becomes really easy to forget these two are here as a result.

Gideon Gordon Graves is a smarmy, smug, condescending jackass. You have met a man like him before, and you have wanted to punch his face in. Jason Schwartzman really amps up the sleaze when playing this creepy, controlling bastard, making him a fitting final boss.

Final Fate: Each and every one of them is defeated by the end of their scenes, bursting into progressively larger amounts of coins, with Patel being pretty meager in terms of value and Gideon literally making it rain when he’s defeated. It does kind of feel weird that the twins are worth more than a beloved actor like Lucas Lee, or that Roxy is worth more than both Lee and a musician like Ingram, but frankly this isn’t really a movie where you should be overthinking stuff to begin with.

Best Quote: I don’t think I can really say Patel or Gideon have amazing, quotable lines to the extent as some of the others, but I’d be pretty remiss to not mention Todd’s legendary “...Chicken isn’t vegan…?” and Roxy’s equally legendary “Well honey… I’m a little bi-FURIOUS!” here. Lucas Lee has a lot of good lines but he’s quite frankly too consistent for me to pick one; Chris Evans really just went all-out for this one.

Final Thoughts & Score: Once again, let’s go one by one:

Matthew Patel

Matthew is the definition of a warmup boss, at least by the standards of this film. He brings a lot of insanity to the table all at once, what with his demons and Bollywood musical number and sick dance moves, but the fact he’s probably not the most insane and baffling character in the film really tells you something. He definitely makes the most of his screentime, and while his fight is relatively short, it’s a lot of fun. This man deserves an S-L-ICK 8/10.

Lucas Lee

Lucas Lee is probably the second best evil ex in the movie. He’s just so cocky, arrogant, and hilarious, and he still manages to come off as a bit polite. Its like if Captain America and Ransom Drysdale had a baby, Lucas Lee would be it. The fact he’s played by a pre-superstardom Chris Evans really is the icing on the cake here though, because his battle is fun and ends with Scott defeating him by playing into his arrogance. Ah! But he didn’t get his autograph… Oh well. Lucas Lee is an easy 10/10.

Todd Ingram

As much as I love Lee, I have to say that Todd easily has the most impressive fight in the entire film, in large part due to his awesome psychic powers he gains from being a vegan. I gave one of his legendary quotes up there, but frankly, the entire battle is awesome and quotable, the fact that at least half the battle is a rock-off is great, and the fact Scott tricks him in the most stupidly amazing to defeat him and put him at the mercy of the Vegan Police is just amazing. There’s also just the sheer novelty of how, with the power in hindsight, we got to see Superman (Routh) dating Captain Marvel (Brie Larson portrayed Envy, Scott’s ex and Todd’s girlfriend and bandmate). Todd is just a perfect, lovable idiot villain, and deserves nothing less than a 10/10.

Roxy Richter

Roxy actually gets to show up twice in the film, getting a brief scene with Scott a while before her identity is revealed. While her screentime doesn’t really amount to much, it really is incredible how much characterization they managed to pack into her limited screentime, her dialogue really selling how she is easily the most bitter and angry off all the exes. She seems genuinely hurt at some points that Ramona left her and considers her just a phase, though this of course doesn’t stop her from trying to ruin her life. In a weird way, I’d almost call her the most complex of the exes, and Mae Whitman does a great job at selling her. I will say though, despite her fight scene being filled with some of the best dialogue in the film (which is saying a lot, mind you), the overall fight is a little lackluster, and Ramona getting in makes it reek of “designated girl fight.” Still, there’s nothing so egregious about her that I’d give her anything less than a 9/10.

The Katayanagi Twins

These two, quite simply, suck. They get absolutely no characterization, they get no dialogue due to the actors not speaking English, they get no personality. They are, quite simply, just there, and they are just there because Scott needs to fight a fifth and sixth ex. There’s really not much to say here except that their fight scene is admittedly pretty cool and it’s fun to imagine how the hell their relationship with Ramona worked. Did they date her one after the other? Were they in a weird poly relationship? Did they both just spitroast her on the weekends? For those two things I’ll save them from the very bottom of the barrel and give them a 2/10.

Gideon Gordon Graves

Gideon is a smug, evil, controlling creep for sure, and he is the final evil ex Scott must face. But the thing is, he kind of doesn’t feel any more wieighty than any of the others? Gideon is for all intents and purposes the final boss, and while he does get a little buildup, it all comes in the final acts of the film. It certainly doesn’t make him a bad villain – he actually manages to temporarily kill Scott, and puts up more of a fight than any of the others – but considering how awesome Todd, Lucas, Roxy, and Matthew were in style and personality, Gideon kind of comes off as underwhelming. Yes, he is definitely the most evil of the exes, but he just doesn’t really have the “WOW” factor the others do. He’s an 8/10 for sure.

Well, I guess that’s it, that’s every villain in the mo-

Wait?

What’s this?!

Psycho Analysis: Nega Scott

…

youtube

#Psycho Analysis #Scott Pilgrim #Scott Pilgrim vs. the World #The League of Evil Exes #Matthew Patel #Lucas Lee #Todd Ingram #Roxy Richter #Katayanagi Twins #Gideon Gordon Graves #Chris Evans #Mae Whitman #Brandon Routh #jason schwartzman

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insaneasgardian · 4 years ago

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Happy FFWF! Give me a short description of all your current wips, and tell me which is your favorite and why!

HAPPY LATE FFWF!!!

Oh shoot I have so many XD

Marvel as a bollywood movie

I’m sure many of my followers are aware of my Indian heritage. I decided to incorporate some of it into my writing, so I’m going to be trying to take different scenes from different Marvel movies... but they’ll have a bollywood twist.

The care scenarios

Recently I published a work known as ‘care’ it is an avengers x reader choice based oneshot, where you are presented with a scenario and have to pick which avenger you want involved in it. This scenario involves an injured reader and which avenger they want to look after them.

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Chatroom 2; Pickup Lines

I love Avengers x Reader chatrooms, so I decided to make my own! So far I only have one out, and I’ve been working on this one way too long. As the title suggests... it will involve pickup lines and that’s the best I can describe it.

We’re not Friends! ~ Thor Odinson

This was a request by @jennie22feona which they made like... 6 months ago and I keep editing it. They wanted a comedy style Thor x Reader and my humor isn’t the best, but I still came up with this. Thor and the reader always playfully bicker, and all the agents and avengers think they don’t like each other, everytime they consult the pair on this, they exclaim ‘we’re not friends!’ but it doesn’t mean they’re enemies either.

Babysitting Duties ~ Platonic! Peter Parker

This was a request by @7soulstars. They asked for a Peter Parker x Older Avenger Reader on the prompt “Another word out his mouth and I’ll make sure he won’t live to see another day... anyway you want to go get ice cream?”. In this one, the reader is stuck babysitting Peter Parker on Tony Stark’s order, she claims she finds him irritating but everybody knows she has a soft spot for him.

United ~ Natasha Romanoff

Request by @natasharomanoffisbaebby. They requested a oneshot where the reader is Natasha’s wife and does the snap instead of Tony, whilst dying, she says: “It’s okay... I see Natasha”. My plan includes this, as well as flashbacks of the two meeting and falling in love (This was also the requesters idea and I think it’s great!) The bonus includes them being reunited!

Favorite:

I would say ‘United’ ... I love Natasha so much, and this seems like a perfect idea, it is quite angsty, but I think it’s a very original request!

Thanks for popping in!

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iridescentides · 4 years ago

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hi again dia! happy first day of december ❤️💚 i wanted to ask you what, in your opinion, are the 5 most underrated dcoms? i remember you saying before that you've watched all of them so i'd love to hear your opinions 😊 - 🎅🎁🎄

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH secret santa you are so good! asking me all the best questions 💜

okay so i literally had to make a list of all the dcoms i consider underrated and then narrow down a top 5. theres lots of dcoms that i love, but that i think got the right amount of attention and care (like lemonade mouth and the teen beach movies, for example), so this list just focuses on ones that deserved more hype for their quality level.

5. The Cheetah Girls: One World (2008)

okay so even as i type this i feel like a hypocrite. i have only watched this movie one time. BUT i can acknowledge that its one of the most criminally underrated dcoms ever, tons of people didnt watch it simply because raven wasnt in it. thats why i avoided it as a child, and i didnt get around to watching it until i did my big dcom binge in 2016. and it was so good. theres a really long post floating somewhere around tumblr full of specifics on why its actually the best cheetah girls movie (my favorite is the second one purely out of nostalgia), so to paraphrase some points from that post:

its a solid example of cultural appreciation, rather than appropriation, as the girls go and learn about bollywood and indian culture together

the indian characters arent treated like props or unimportant sides, they get their own agency and storylines that are important

the songs are good!!!

basically this movie was overlooked and slept on even though in terms of role modeling and social value, and just like the first two cheetah girls movies it was important and impactful.

4. Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure (2011)

okay so as someone whos very neutral and occasionally negative-leaning towards the hsm franchise (mostly bc its overhyped and not really representative of all dcoms), i was pleasantly surprised by sharpays fabulous adventure. this is another one that i know lots of people skipped right over and dont hold with as much esteem as the main hsm franchise, and that doesnt sit right with me.

i do not agree with the “uwu sharpay was the real victim in hsm” arguments bc in their efforts to look galaxy brained the people who say that overlook the fact that she was a rich white woman who used her power and status to exercise control over opportunities that should have been fairly and freely available for all; they were not “making a mockery of her theater” in the first movie, they were literally just kids who wanted to try out a new school activity that everyone was supposed to be allowed to participate in; and despite allegedly learning her lesson and singing we’re all in this together with everyone at the end of the first movie, she literally showed no growth in the second movie as she fostered an openly hostile environment and favored troy so heavily that it literally cost him his friends, all as part of yet another jealous plan to take things away from people who already have less than her. she was NOT the victim in the main franchise, and she did not seem to exhibit any growth or introspection either.

and that!!! is why sharpays fabulous adventure was so important. in focusing on sharpay as the main character, they finally had to make her likeable. they did this by showing actual real growth and putting her outside of her sphere of influence and control. we saw true vulnerability from her, instead of the basic ass “mean girl is sad bc shes actually just super insecure” trope (cough cough radio rebel), and this opened us up to finally learn about and care about her character. throughout the movie we see her learn, from her love interests example, how to care for others and be considerate. she faces actual adversity and works through it, asking herself what she truly wants and what shes capable of. and in the end, when she finally has her big moment, we’re happy for her bc she worked hard to get there. she becomes a star through her own merit and determination, rather than through money and connections. this movie is not perfect by any means, but it is severely underrated for the amount of substance it adds to sharpays character.

3. The Swap (2016)

okay i know im gonna get shit for this but thats why its on this list!!! just like sharpays fabulous adventure, its not perfect and definitely misses the mark sometimes, but it deserves more attention and love for all the things it did get right!

the swap follows two kids who accidentally switch bodies because of their emotional attachment to their dead/absent parents’ phones. and while i normally HATE the tv/movie trope of a dead parent being the only thing that builds quick sympathy for a young character, they definitely expanded well enough to where we could root for these kids even without the tragedy aspect. we see them go through their daily struggles and get a feel for their motivations as characters pretty well. as a body switching movie, we expect it to be all goofy and wacky and lighthearted, but it moves beyond that in unexpected ways.

the reason the swap is on this list is for its surprisingly thoughtful commentary on gender roles. its by no means a feminist masterpiece, and its not going to radicalize kids who watch it, but it conveys a subtle, heartfelt message that deserves more appreciation. the characters struggle with the concept of gender in a very accurate way for their age, making off-base comments and feeling trapped by the weight of expectations they cant quite put their finger on. we watch them feel both at odds with and relieved by the gender roles they are expected and allowed to perform in each others bodies, and one of the most interesting parts of the movie to me is their interactions with the other kids around them. as a result of their feeling out of place in each others environments, the kids inadvertently change each others friendships for the better by introducing new communication styles and brave authenticity.

the value of this movie is the subtle, but genuine way it shows the characters growing through being given the space to act in conflicting ways to their expected norms. ellie realizes that relationships dont have to be complex, confusing, and painful, and that its okay to not live up to appearances and images. jack learns that emotional expression is good, healthy, and especially essential to the grieving process. one of the most powerful scenes in the movie comes at the end where, after ellie confronts jacks dad in his body, jack returns as himself to a very heartfelt apology from his father for being too hard on him; the explicit message (”boys can cry”) is paired with an open expression of love and appreciation for his kids that he didnt feel comfortable displaying until his son set an example through honest communication. this is such an empowering scene and overall an empowering movie for kids who may feel stuck in their expected roles, as it sets a positive example for having the courage to break the restrictive societal mold. for its overall message of the importance of introspection and emotional intelligence, the swap is extremely underrated.

2. Freaky Friday (2018)

this is my favorite dcom, and probably my favorite movie at this point. ive always assigned a lot of personal value to this movie (and i love every freaky friday in general), for the message of selfless familial love and understanding. i know i can get carried away talking about this topic; i got an anon ask MONTHS ago asking me about the freaky friday movies and i wrote a super super long detailed response that i never posted bc i didnt quite finish talking about the 2018 movie. and thats bc on a personal level, i cant adequately convey all the love i have for this movie. so i will try to keep this short.

first lets state the obvious: the reason people dont like this movie is bc its not the lindsay lohan version. and i get that, to an extent, bc i also love the 2003 version and its one of my ultimate comfort movies, and grew up watching it and ive seen it a billion times. i even watched it a couple days ago. but the nostalgia goggles that people have on from the early 2000s severely clouds their judgement of the wonderful 2018 remake.

yes, the 2018 version is dorky, overly simplistic plot wise, a bit stiff at times, and super cheesy like any dcom. the writing isnt 100% all the time. the narrative takes a couple confusing turns. the song biology probably shouldnt have been included. i understand this. but at the heart of it all, this movies value is love. and its edge over all the other freaky friday movies is the songs.

on a personal level, the movie speaks heavily to me. i cried very early into my first viewing of the movie bc i got to see dara renee, a dark-skinned, non-skinny actress, playing the mean popular girl on disney channel. that has never happened before. growing up, i saw the sharpays and all the other super thin white women get to be the “popular” girls on tv, and ultimately they were taken down in the end for being mean, but that doesnt change the fact that they were given power and status in the first place for being conventionally beautiful. so, watching dara renee strut around confidently and sing about being the queen bee at this high school got to me immediately. and in general, the supporting cast members of color really mean a lot to me in this movie. we get to see adam, an asian male love interest for the main character. we have a second interracial relationship in the movie with katherines marriage to mike. ellies best friend karl is hispanic. and we see these characters have depth and plot significance, we see them show love, care, and passion for the things they value. the brown faces in this movie are comforting to me personally. additionally, the loving, blended family dynamic is important to me as someone in a close-knit, affectionate step-family.

but on a more general level, this movie is underrated for its skillful musical storytelling and the way it conveys all kinds of love and appreciation. in true freaky friday fashion, we watch ellie and katherine stumble and misstep in their attempts to act like each other. its goofy and fun. but through it all, the music always captures the characters’ intimate thoughts and feelings. the opening song gives us a meaningful view into ellie and katherines relationship and the fundamental misunderstandings that play a role in straining their connection. ellie sings about how she thinks her mom wants her to be perfect, and her katherine sings about all the wonderful traits she sees in her daughter and how she wants her to be more open and self assured. this is meaningful bc even as theyre mad at each other, the love comes through. the songs continue to bring on the emotional weight of the story, as ellie sings to her little brother about her feelings of hurt and abandonment in her fathers absence. the song “go” and its accompanying hunt scene always make me cry bc of the childlike wonder and sense of adventure that it brings. for the kids, its a coming of age, introspective song. for katherine who gets to participate in ellies body, its a reminder of youth and the rich, full life her daughter has ahead of her. she is overcome with excitement, both from getting to be a teenager again for a day, and from the realization that her daughter has a support network and passions that are all her own. today and ev’ry day, the second to last song, is the culmination of the lessons learned throughout the movie, a mother and daughters tearful commitment to each other to love, protect, and understand one another. the line “if today is every day, i will hold you and protect you, i wont let this thing affect you” gets to me every time. even when things are hard and dont go according to plan, they still agree, in this moment, to be there for each other. and thats what all freaky friday stories are ultimately about.

freaky friday 2018 is a beautiful, inclusive, subversive display of familial love, sacrifice, and selflessness, and it is underrated and overlooked because of its more popular predecessor.

1. Let It Shine (2012)

this is another one of my favorite dcoms and movies in the whole world. unlike the other movies on this list, it is not the viewers themselves that contribute to the underrated-ness of this movie. disney severely under-promoted and under-hyped this movie in comparison to its other big musical franchises, and i will give you five guesses as to why, but youll only need one!

let it shine is the most beautifully, unapologetically black dcom in the whole collection. (i would put jump in! at a notable second in this category, but that one wasnt underrated). this movie was clearly crafted with care and consideration. little black kids got to see an entire dcom cast that represented them. the vernacular used in the script is still tailored mostly to white-favoring audiences, but with some relevant slang thrown in there. in short, the writers got away with the most blackness they were allowed to inject into a disney channel project.

the story centers on rap music and its underground community in atlanta, georgia. it portrays misconceptions surrounding rap, using a church setting as a catalyst for a very real debate surrounding a generational, mutlicultural conflict. this was not a “safe” movie for disney, given its emphasis on religious clashes with contemporary values. it lightly touches on issues of image policing within the black community (cyrus’s father talking about how “our boys” are running around with sagging pants and “our girls” are straying away from god), which is a very real and pressing problem for black kids who feel the pressure (from all sides) of representing their whole race with their actions. its a fun, adorable story about being yourself and staying true to your art, but also a skillful representation of struggles unique to black and brown kids and children from religious backgrounds.

on top of crafting a fun, wholesome, thoughtful narrative and likeable protagonists, let it shine brought us what is in my opinion the BEST dcom soundtrack of all time. every single song is a bop. theyre fast, fun, and lyrically engaging. “me and you” is my favorite disney channel song of all time due to its narrative significance; i will never forget my first time watching the movie and seeing that big reveal unfold onstage, as a conversation and a plot summary all wrapped into a song. the amount of thought and care that went into the music of this movie should have been rewarded with a level of attention on par with that of other musical dcoms.

if disney channel had simply cared about let it shine more, it couldve spanned franchises and sold songs the way that other musical dcoms have drawn in success. i would have loved for a sequel that explored and fleshed out cyrus’s neighborhood a little bit more, and maybe dipped into that underground scene they caught a glimpse of. i wanted a follow up on the changed church community once cyrus’s father started supporting his sons vision. i want so much more for these characters and this world than disney gave them in just one movie.

for its bold, unabashed representation of blackness and religion, subtle, nuanced presentation of race-specific issues, strong, likeable characters, and complex, thoughtful songs, let it shine is the most underrated dcom.

and because i made a full list before i started writing this post, here are some honorable mentions:

going to the mat (2004)

gotta kick it up! (2002)

tru confessions (2002)

dont look under the bed (1999)

invisible sister (2015)

#this took me embarassingly long to write #i cant help myself i literally think about this all the time #youre doing a great job with these questions secret santa!#dcoms #disney channel #answered asks #anons #gcwca secret santa #Anonymous

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blackswaneuroparedux · 4 years ago

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Anonymous asked: You post about ballet and modern dance which is lovely speaking as a dancer myself. Do you like to dance? What kind of dancing have you performed or done?

I do love dance but in no way have I ever performed. I dance for fun like most people. And like most people I am in awe and appreciation of those dancers - be they ballet dancers or modern dance artists - for their dedication and the sacrifices they make for the craft of their art. I love going to the ballet and also seeing modern dance performances. Unfortunately because of work and travel I don’t always have the time to see such beautiful performances.

Like many girls I did ballet as a small girl but I gave it up when I had to choose between that and horse riding. As you know you develop a different kind of muscles and I was told you had to pick one over the other. I’m not completely sure that was true but at the time I was into sports in a big way. I wasn’t a great horse rider either but I was better at it than ballet in my girls’ boarding school.

My problem was I was a bit of a tomboy as I had grown up in the Far East and Asia and so I was more into martial arts, Scottish Ceilidhs, and Bollywood dancing!

I really did think ballet was too girly! The girls doing ballet with me were either stuck up or felt like prisoners. All this was entirely my fault for my mistaken prejudice even though I had a strict but fair teacher to show me otherwise.

I was very much into modern pentathlon (swimming, running, pistol shooting, horse riding, fencing) and biathlons (skiing and rifle shooting) and so I really needed to work on my horse riding. I was into these outdoor sports in a serious way - in semi-pro competitions - and so I had to be ruthless with myself and my limitations.

Ironically I dropped ballet but not dance. I still love ballet but from a distance.

I learned how to waltz and other other classical ballroom dances from a very early age as I went to a few formal events or occasions. That’s something I learned from my parents and grandparents. Despite its reputation it’s not a stuffy dance (although some Austro-German proponents are stuffed shirted snobs).

Waltz is one of the oldest ballroom dances. First waltzes were danced in Germany and Austria, back in 13th century. The form we know today was born in the suburbs of Vienna and Austria's mountain regions. During the 17th century it was played and danced in ballrooms of the Habsburg court. By the end of eighteenth century this once Austrian peasant dance had been accepted by courtly upper class.

Despite its popularity, the dance was not completely accepted throughout the nation. Many dancing masters considered the Waltz as a threat to the profession. Its basic steps could be learned in no time, as opposed to other court dances like minuet, which took a fair amount of time to learn and master.

Before the Waltz, people danced around each other with little or no contact at all. As the dance started gaining popularity, it was criticised on moral grounds due to its close-hold stance and fast turning movements. Religious leaders regarded it as vulgar and sinful. The dance was criticised to the point where people were threatened with death from waltzing.

Over time, established musicians began recognising the quality and appeal of the Waltz. Among them were Franz Schubert, Johann Strauss Father and later the best known waltz composer, the so-called “Waltz King” - Johann Strauss Son. The dance was getting more and more popular, causing the court to build numerous dance halls to accommodate the craze. It established itself as a standard accompaniment for noble events in Vienna and is considered as one of the most popular dance styles up until this day.

I think it was around 1812 the dance was introduced into England as 'the German Waltz'. It caused a huge sensation. When Lord Byron first saw it, he found his lady friend clasped closely by "a huge hussar-looking gentleman, turning round and round to a confounded see-saw, up-down sort of turn like two cockchafers spitted on the same bodkin".

By 1864 Strauss composed exclusively dance music and propelled the Waltz genre to popularity, for which he earned the title “The Waltz King”. Three years later, the famous song “On the beautiful blue Danube”, most commonly known as “Danube Waltz”, was composed and is today recognised as unofficial Austrian anthem.

Even though Waltz was considered the root of all evil during 17th and 18th century, it made its way down from the courtly elite to become more populist - and thank heaven’s for that. The last thing dance needs is snobbery.

But the dance I enjoyed the most were Latin American dance. I learned how to dance salsa, cumbia, and merengue from my late teens and it was great fun. I learned through Latin friends and really got into it whenever I would visit them and hang out with them at parties.

I actually found this kind of dancing helpful for the sports I was doing. Fencing for instance is really about footwork. And to me foil fencing - still one of my loves - is really a dance.

But the dance that really captured my heart was tango.

Perhaps it was because I was visiting Argentine friends and a Norwegian cousin married to an Argentine and now living in Argentina or because I had an Argentine boyfriend who was a professional polo player that I really fell in love with Argentine tango. I went to a few clubs out in Buenos Aires and other places and was enthralled. Tango has a beautiful history and it’s a dance for all generations.

It’s hard to describe the feeling of dancing the tango pregnant as it is with so much meaning. When the tango took hold of me, it was as if I had found the ultimate lover. No single experience can be as fascinating as this dance. No single work of art is so replete with all the joy and sorrow and longing and tragi-comedy of the human race, as is a tango danced between a man and a woman or woman and woman. It is labyrinthine, yet so simple. Each lasts just a few moments, yet it is eternal. There is a purity amidst all its complexities. The more one searches for the meaning behind its mystery, the ever more elusive is the tango... And yet, it is what it is, and we can see it, hear it, feel it, breathe it, live it, in the pleasure of its immediacy. Those of us it holds in its power - we want to shape our whole lives around it, its cadences, its sweat, its subtle messages and surging desires. The tango changes us forever. It changed me forever. Never have I been so intensely in love. Never had I felt so intensely alive. It helps me forget. And it helps me remember sweetly.

Oh my, I seem to have gone off a bit here. My apologies.

Anyway, yes, I love dancing. I’ll go to friends’ parties here in Paris where I know I can let my hair down. In Paris I also do go out with friends to dance mostly Latin themed dance clubs, especially tango. It’s just a pleasure to let go of the stresses in life.

Thanks for your question.

#ask #question #dance #dancing #personal #tango

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