#I cannot believe I love a Will Poulter character so much. what am I.

[uhhh-ghouls007]

This is how the movie ended. Right?

[arcadian-litterateur]

adam warlock: man? child? bug?

𝖒𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙

summary: an analysis of the debate on adam warlock’s age and whether it’s appropriate to write smut about him.

word count: 1.4k

warnings: this is a rant that no one asked for nor needed to hear so read at your own risk

a/n: the second part of my will poulter content for today, since our boy is 31 today!!!!!!!!!!

𝗜 𝗦𝗔𝗪 a post the other day that said something along the lines of, “writing fanfiction about Adam Warlock may be tempting, but you shouldn’t, because he’s a child trapped in a man’s body. The body is nice; the mind is a child.” And while I understood the point that this person was trying to make and totally respect their decision to not write smut for Adam Warlock, it made me think more about this whole issue as a whole: the idea of Adam’s age and how, as fans, we should think of him.

See, there are two sides to this argument, from what I’ve seen. There’s the “he’s an adult physically but a child mentally” camp, and then there’s the “he’s a childish adult who’s inexperienced” camp. And I see the arguments for both, and they both have a point—which is why I’m not so sure it’s that simple. I don’t think there is a black and white answer when it comes to Adam’s age. There are several different ways we can interpret Adam’s character in terms of age, and I think that it should be up to each writer to decide how they personally interpret the character. I also think that no one should be shaming someone else for the interpretation they are set on, because it’s such a gray area.

This is why I wanted to explore this whole debate more. So I spent a lot of time analyzing it, and now I’m going to explain my stance on Adam Warlock’s age and how that affects how I will write about him. I am not saying this is the “correct” stance; like I said before, it’s simply my personal interpretation. The two paragraphs above are my plea for kindness in our fandom. The paragraphs below are my personal conclusions that you do not have to agree with at all.

First of all, if you ask me if Adam Warlock is a man or a child, I would tell you that it’s not that simple. In my mind, his age cannot be labeled by a simple black and white term because his situation is so complex. The best term, for now, would most likely be “man-child” because he has characteristics of both. The lore tells us that Adam Warlock is one of the Sovereign, a race created by the High Evolutionary to be perfect. Adam Warlock was supposed to be the ultimate “model” of this race; the perfect man, but the High Evolutionary took him out of his cocoon too early, so he was unable to finish growing. 

This idea that Adam was taken out of his cocoon too early and therefore is a child comes from this lore. I can understand where this assumption that early out of the cocoon=child comes from, but I don’t personally believe it and don’t think it’s true for several reasons. One, when we first see Adam, he is in the body of a fully grown man, which, if he is a child, either means that he was only taken out of his cocoon a tiny bit too early, or that he was fully grown in the cocoon but simply hadn’t hatched yet. Neither of these options make much sense, especially when we see that the High Evolutionary loves efficiency. What seems more likely to me is that Adam was indeed full grown but had not undergone all of his intellectual and common sense development yet—but only the development needed to make him smarter and trickier than humans. He’d already developed enough to act as a normal Sovereign citizen, but he was supposed to develop even better intelligence and did not get the chance. If we think back to the early appearances of the Sovereign, they all act very similar to Adam Warlock. They have enough smarts to function, but hold childish habits that include arrogance, pettiness, and the inability to see how their actions affect other people. So by this theory, it seems that Adam is a fully grown man with similar deficiencies to the rest of his people who hasn’t had much life experience yet. 

To add on to this point, let’s talk about the actual cocoon part. When we see insects or other creature form cocoons in nature, the cocoon does not serve the function of birthing the creature or holding it when it is a child. A caterpillar goes into a cocoon once it is full grown to transform into a butterfly—to emerge in its true, glorious form. Adam may have done more developing than just young adulthood in his cocoon, but the end result was still the same—he went in so that he could emerge as an adult in his true form. Only instead, he was taken out before he could fully transform into a butterfly—or in this case, super smart. It’s as if a full grown caterpillar went into a cocoon and then came out a few days later with a teeny-tiny, useless pair of wings, but still very much a fully grown caterpillar (not a butterfly). He’s fully grown, he just wasn’t given the opportunity to reach maximum potential. By this theory, it seems that Adam is a fully grown man who hasn’t been able to reach his full potential yet.

So if we’ve established that Adam being taken out of his cocoon early does not necessarily equal Adam being a child, then let’s move on to how he acts, because that’s another huge point of contention. I obviously already touched on my belief that he acts just like the rest of the Sovereign, so I’ll skip that. I understand the opinion that Adam acts like a child, but like I’ve stated above, I simply think he acts childish—which is different, yes. Sure, he thinks Rocket is a puppy—I might, too, if I can’t really see what the animal is as it’s crawling all over me and I have an overbearing mother who doesn’t let me leave the house. Sure, he doesn’t understand how his actions hurt other people—how is he supposed to know? He hasn’t been given the opportunity to learn, and he’s controlled by a sadist and an overbearing mother. Sure, he calls his mom “Mummy” and cries into her arms—I’m an adult woman, but I still call my mom “Mama” and cry into her arms. Just because he’s a guy doesn’t mean he can’t love his mom. All of these habits he has may be childish, but they don’t automatically make someone a child, just like the cocoon argument doesn’t automatically make me a child. 

Side note, but it almost seems as if he has a lot of similar traits and habits as female characters in Marvel as well, but he’s the only being called a child because he’s a soft male character who shows emotions and isn’t strong all the time. It’s like the internet hating on Peeta Mellark for being “weak” all over again, as if Peeta isn’t everything some of us want. Anyways. 

Moving on to the next piece of this, I have to start with a question: if Adam Warlock is a child’s mind inside a grown man’s body…when will he have a grown man’s mind? Will he ever? Will his “child’s mind” continue to grow until it “catches up” to his body? If not, is he stuck as “a child’s mind” forever? Who gets to decide when he will have a grown man’s mind? Is it fair to try and put limits on this fictional character’s ability to experience the world because you’ve decided that having childish habits makes you a child?

See, at the end of the day, this is what frustrates me the most with those who are trying to gatekeep Adam Warlock as a child. Because they call him a child trapped in a man’s body and then stop there. They don’t—or can’t—address the implications or complications of their claim. They don’t dig deeper, instead taking the issue at surface level, and then don’t address the fact that their argument doesn’t make sense unless they can answer the above questions. And it’s okay if they want to leave it at a simple level like that, but if they are going to shame people for writing for Adam Warlock and then claim that Adam is a child, then the burden of proof rests on them to prove it without using the same old claims and half-assed evidence. 

Thank you for listening to my TED Talk. Whatever you decide to write or not write for Adam Warlock, may you find the motivation and words needed to make it awesome. I believe in you! 

[madamrogersstorytelling]

Day 5: Three favourite movies/series

This is quite easy, actually. For change. After suffering for two days with extremely hard topics, I’m very happy about this. I had my answers ready already. 

I haven’t seen all his works yet. I’m kinda new to his filmography anyway, but I’m going to watch everything (I tend to do that with all my favorite actors). So this list may change some time later, but let’s not care about that yet, let’s focus on his works I actually have seen. 

1. Jackie & Ryan (2014)

Directed by Ami Canaan Mann

Starring Katherine Heigl, Ben Barnes, Clea DuVall, Emily Alyn Lind

“A modern day train hopper fighting to become a successful musician, and a single mom battling to maintain custody of her daughter, defy their circumstances by coming together in a relationship that may change each others lives forever.” 

I’ve said it a few times now, but Ryan has a special place in my heart. I said in my post ‘Madamrogers Storytelling’ that I had this one moment I realized many things; that moment was after seeing this movie. It was a little over a month ago. 

Ryan made me realize that if there is a thing I want to do, something I want to accomplish, something I hold dear... I should not get stuck. I have to go towards it, no matter what. I think I somehow can identify with Ryan; I don’t write songs or play music, I write stories. There is still the same agony, the same will to succeed and being able to do what you love. And I’d love to have that same kind of courage as Ryan has, that same way of approaching life. 

There are two moments that make me cry. They always make me cry; I’ve watched the movie like five times now and those moments still make me cry. They’re both because of Ryan’s words. In the first one he says to Jackie: “He is not going to take Lia from you. Because you won’t let him.” He sounds so sure, so strong and reassuring that I take it. Something happens inside me. The other moment is when Ryan says: “I always ask myself where am I gonna go next, how am I gonna get there.” I’ve taken that. I ask myself that quite often now. And it helps. I can tell you, it truly helps.

I love Ben in this film. Ryan is so kind, a bit shy, helpful, strong and inspiring character, and Ben’s way of portraying him goes right into my heart. I realized his talent during this film. He tells so much without even saying a single word. I can feel all the emotions he’s showing. And don’t even get me started with his singing voice! I’ve always loved men who sing and play an instrument, especially a guitar. There is something about the way a guitar changes a person; they may be this nice person without it, but when they take a guitar, they change completely. They become deeper, more tender, there is something extremely beautiful in them, more than before. I love all the songs in this film, but Southbound. I fell in love with it during the first note and never stopped falling.

I cannot say that I’m a friend of romantic movies. Especially romcoms make me feel quite bad because they often show love and life so wrongly, like both of them were full of roses and laughter all the time. I’m a bit cynical, to be honest. The reason may be that I’ve never actually been in love. I like honest, meaningful movies that have no fear of showing life and love the way they really are. I have nothing against romance in movies, don’t get me wrong. I just want it to be realistic. And in Jackie & Ryan, this ugly and cruel side of life is shown. Not exactly so clearly, but it’s still there under all those layers. You can see it. I like it how friendly and kind this movie is at the same time as it’s honest and shows you that if something bad happens, often something good comes after it. It’s like when winter dies and spring begins. People’s choices matter. This movie is not just a romantic movie. This is, like Ben said in an interview, a movie about people. I’ve seen that people don’t like it because nothing happens in it. In my opinion, quite a lot happens. This is one of my Go To movies and I’m happy that I found it. It always makes me feel better. I believe in myself. Would probably need someone like Ryan in my life, someone so inspiring and someone who isn’t afraid of telling me the truth. But, for now, this movie’s Ryan will do.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Directed by Michael Apted

Starring Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter

“Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.”

I’m actually glad that I watched Narnia films as an adult. I knew what Narnia was as a child, I probably got to know it around the same time as Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings but never really watched the movies or read the books. I remember getting this book with a movie cover from a book club. I forced my mom to let me keep it, and gladly I succeeded because I found the book a few weeks ago and it made me so happy. There were happy tears involved. That was the moment I remembered I had wanted to see the film. I also remembered looking at Caspian when I was just a girl and thinking ‘there is something in that one’. Never saw the film, sadly. 

But a while ago I sat down and watched these movies (with my mom, actually) and I just fell in love. Especially with this third one. Why am I glad that I watched these films as an adult and not as a child? Mostly because nostalgia hurts me instead of actually making me happy. I remember how much better life was back then. (It hurts to look at Ron Weasley sometimes... He was my first fictional crush.) And because now I have a place I can go, the place I got to know as the person I am now. I have Hogwarts, Middle-earth and all the other worlds I’m not letting go of, but this feeling that there is a place for me. It’s funny, really. The ending song of this movie is just so beautiful. There is a place for us. This movie reminds me of that; there is a place for me. I just haven’t found it yet. 

I also love Caspian’s character. I find similarities with myself. Funny enough, my mom even calls me Caspian sometimes (that’s because I have similar hair as he had in Prince Caspian, but mom said once that we’re quite similar in a way). He seems like someone who could make you feel better in mere seconds. The way he speaks, the way he is, and also his hugs must be the best ones in all Narnia. I could go for one of those right now. He is exactly like a person I’d respect. And I respect him, even when he’s just fictional. But he’s a King anyway. And Ben as Caspian, so beautiful. I could say the same things as I did when talking about Ryan, but he has so many emotions in his eyes and body. The way he holds his hand could tell more than a sentence. 

We’ve had this common joke “let’s go to Narnia” with my mom long before we even saw the films. But now, after watching them, the joke is even more common. It’s not even a joke anymore. And I know that till the end of my days, these movies and Caspian will remind me of my mom. 

3. The Punisher (2017)

Marvel

Created by Steve Lightfoot

Starring Jon Bernthal, Amber Rose Revah, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ben Barnes

“After the murder of his family, Marine veteran Frank Castle became a vigilante known as "The Punisher" with only one goal in mind, to avenge them.”

I suck at watching Marvel’s tv series. I’ve seen almost all the movies of MCU and the new X-Men films and Deadpool, but these tv series I’ve pretty much neglected. I tried to watch Daredevil back in the day but didn’t continue. Then, through my dear friend @accio-rogers, I found out about this show and that Ben Barnes is starring in it as a man called Billy Russo (I had no idea who Billy even was). I went to check the series from IMDb and saw that the main role was played by Jon Bernthal, who I had seen before in The Walking Dead. This started to feel like a safe choice, and during the same day I started to watch it. I was also having an awful summer flu back then, so what else could I have done than watch Netflix? Nothing. Didn’t have energy for anything else. 

Turned out that this choice affected on me more than I could’ve expected. 

This was the series which made me fall in love with Ben Barnes.

I probably have said this before, but instead of hating him, I love Billy Russo. I find him interesting. He is psychological, he has an interesting backstory. And I’ve always been interested in psychology, so I love this kind of characters. I don’t love everything he does or all his choices, no. No, no. I think he really is a bad man, but in this very interesting, captivating way. I’m unable to hate him. I understand why people hate him or refuse to write soft and sweet things about him. But still, in my deepest thoughts, hopes and fantasies (that came out wrong) - and probably headcanons - I can see that Billy really has a softer side. He is a psychopath, but maybe there is a side of him that is a bit softer? Maybe all of this is just his way of protecting himself? We know he had a tragic childhood. There must be tons and tons of armor on him, he has made stone walls around himself. Maybe there is someone else under those. No one, not even him anymore, can break those walls and armors. I’m more than willing to accept the fact that he is just a psychopath, as well. It makes him interesting. 

There is something about Ben playing the bad guy. He is so bad, but you cannot hate him. Billy is the perfect example. He is almost like a perfect villain. And the way Ben portrays him is magnificent: so much emotions in a blink of an eye. He’s phenomenal, a masterpiece. Billy Russo is my favorite antagonist of all time; he has this certain energy that makes him a bit frightening but likeable at the same time. He is well written. Full of layers and psychology. I cannot wait to see where Billy’s (or should we call him Jigsaw now?) story goes in season 2.

_________

If I could’ve list four, Westworld would’ve been the fourth. I spent quite some time finding out do I actually love or hate Logan; decided eventually that I love him, that hottie-naughty cowboy. And I’m only in season 1! Yikes. 

Happy Ben Barnes week!

@benbarnesweek

[thefilmjournal]

It (2017)

Directed by: Andy Muschietti

Written by: Chase Palmer & Cary Fukunaga

Starring: Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Sophia Lillis, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs, and Bill Skarsgård

Rated: R (violence/horror, bloody images, and language)

Many of you, I’m sure, are familiar with the movie’s storyline as this is based on the popular Stephen King novel. Though I think everyone may be more familiar with the TV series starring Tim Curry as Pennywise. I would like to point out that I have never seen the series. I’ve always wanted to.

The film is based in a town called Derry. The story follows seven children who are all considered outcasts at their school. They all eventually come together through their shared experiences with being bullied. Over the summer, kids start to go missing. One of the kids, Bill, has a brother named Georgie, and Georgie is one of the kids that goes missing. Everyone thinks he’s dead. Either way, Bill is set on finding him. 

Before I get into spoilers, I would like to say that I was not going to watch this movie. Initially, to me, Tim Curry’s Pennywise looked way scarier than Bill Skarsgård’s. Though, I’d also heard negative things from my mom (who loves horror) about the TV version. She said it wasn’t actually scary. She figured the movie would be similar to the TV show in that it would not necessarily be a horror movie in the way everyone expects it to be. The previews didn’t draw me in at first either. However, I ended up hearing really good things about the movie after its premiere and thought I should give it a shot. I’m always looking for a good horror movie. 

It far exceeded my expectations. Not only is it scary, it also has very light-hearted moments, and a couple of the kids kept me laughing throughout. Initially, I wasn’t sure how I felt about watching an almost all kid cast. For some reason, I wasn’t confident that they could deliver. That was totally ageist. They acted their butts off. I can’t believe I ever assumed their age would be a negative thing. They were very genuine with it. Everyone in this cast is so talented. 

Spoilers ahead! 

I have no idea how the Georgie scene in the Tim Curry version went, but wow, they just had to find the cutest little kid to kill in such a brutal way! I don’t think I am alone when I say I hate when bad things happen to children! (Changeling, anyone? That shit made me sick to my stomach.) I knew the whole time that he would get sucked down into the sewer from what I heard about the series, but I kept hope alive, for whatever reason, that he would get up and walk away. At some point during that sewer scene, the camera pans over to a woman on her porch nearby. So I thought, you know, we would maybe hear him die, not see it it happening! His arm gets bitten off, we watch him suffer, and he gets dragged down into the sewer with blood everywhere. I’m assuming the arm thing didn’t happen in the show because my mom, who I watched the movie with, seemed just as surprised by the fact that they would show that. 

Luckily, as I mentioned earlier, there were moments in the movie to balance out the horror. Undoubtedly, those were some of the audience’s favorite parts--Eddie and Richie’s banter! Eddie and his fanny packs, alone, were so great. He reminds me of a mini Eli Roth. Does anyone else see it? I hope he gets cast as grown-up Eddie in It Chapter Two.

I wanted to clap when freaking Henry died. Is that awful of me because he’s a kid? What an insanely messed up kid, unfortunately. You’d have to admit what a shame his living situation was. It seemed like his father molded that violent behavior. And I’m sorry, someone in the theater yelled, “Damn,” while Henry was falling down the well and I had to let out a laugh. 

By the way, did anyone feel like Henry had a bit of a Pennywise look going on himself? I mean, sure the killing, but his physical features! I’m sure that was coincidental, I just couldn’t help but be intrigued by that thought. 

It was interesting to learn that most of the parents were messed up. Those poor kids couldn’t catch a break. There was no better place to turn, really. Henry’s dad enjoys taunting his son, Beverly’s dad molests her (I strongly assume, anyway, or is at least highly weird with her), Eddie’s mom evidently brainwashed her son into believing he was ill, and Bill’s parents just seemed sort of absent. The one time we saw Bill’s mom, she was glued to her piano, and when we saw the dad, he was yelling at his young son saying that Georgie was dead. Harsh! He must have been suffering too, but he seemed to forget that Bill is a child. 

I heard from a friend that Will Poulter was originally set to play Pennywise with Cary Fukunaga attached as director. I think the parents played big parts in the kids’ fears and the horror they experienced, so I’m glad Andy Muschietti picked someone a little older. Will Poulter seems a little young for a Pennywise, in my opinion. I guess he could be more of a representation of the bullies versus their parents, but to make the parents that source of fear is much more interesting and less typical, in my mind. 

The movie had sweet moments too. I loved Ben's character and his crush on Beverly. Also, while we’re talking about Ben, why did he get sliced up so much in the movie? Jeez! The last time the group went to visit the well house I was joking to myself that Ben should have been wearing a chest of armor by that time. I thought the blood pact was a little crazy, though (and poor Ben, of course, got sliced for the last time in that moment). 

If it were up to me, this film would absolutely get an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The story reminded me a lot of A Nightmare on Elm Street (which I love). I appreciated that plug-in on the kiosk of the movie theater in Derry. I want to add that I also appreciated the comedic parts because they were not cheesy the way you would normally expect from a horror movie. It was genuinely funny. I was absolutely engrossed despite occasionally hiding behind a napkin or my hands. I cannot stop thinking about it. 

[lisadoeslife]

So if you have read any of my previous reviews you will be aware that this is not the kind of thing I watch.. I have only done a few reviews but I think it is quite obvious what kind of things I like to watch. So when I was at my parent’s house over Christmas and we sat down to watch a film and the chose this, I was jumping with excitement. I had heard reviews about the film and praises for DiCaprio’s acting, which I had no doubt would be amazing but it just isn’t my type of film…

OOOOOH how wrong I was people.. Yes.. you read that correctly.. I.. admit.. I … Was Wrong…

 The Revnant follows the story of Frontiersman Hugh Glass(DiCaprio), who was attacked by a bear and left for dead in 1823 whilst he and his so Hawk are acting as guides for a group of Trappers. Hawk(Forrest Goodluck) is half Pawnee and some of the men take a disliking to him, especially Fitzgerald (Hardy), a hard faced arrogant man who hates being told what to do.

Despite the disgusting attitude the men have towards his son Hugh helps the group escape from an attack on their camp when Arikara attack them.  Once they escape on a boat Glass recommends that the stash the pelts that they had been able to save and head to the Trading post by foot. 

After they dock, stash the pelts and hide the boat Glass goes out to walking on his own and is mauled by a bear. He survives but is badly wounded. After trekking for a while carrying him Fitzgerald feels that they should mercy-kill Glass to allow them to get to the trading post quicker. Henry(Domhall Gleeson) the group leader agrees but cannot go through with it so offers to pay someone to stay back with Glass until he passes and give him the burial he deserves. Hawk and Jim Bridger (Poulter) agree to stay behind. Fitzgerald decides to stay because he needs the money he lost from the pelts that were taken when they were attacked. 

A few days pass and Fitzgerald gets impatient and tries to smother Glass as he isn’t getting any better… and that is all I will say about that.  It is so hard to provide enough information that you want to watch it but not too much that I end up spoiling it!!!

Things go down.. Glass doesn’t die but sets out on getting his revenge on Fitzgerald for leaving him alone and injured to die in the cold… AND THE JOURNEY BEGINS!!.. Yes it really gets going at this point.

There is a great cast of characters and they all play their role perfectly but I have to say DiCaprio’s performance was outstanding. I have actually not seen many of his films but I have always rated him as an actor. This film goes to show just how good he is. He deserves the recognition he got for this role and the Oscar that he finally received after years of being nominated. 

  When it started I was a bit like ” what even is this?” .. ” am I going to be bored”.. but within a couple of minutes the action started.  

I actually couldn’t believe it when I found out parts of the story were actually true. There are theories about which parts were and which weren’t but one thing they all agree on is that Hugh Glass was mauled by a bear and lived.. I mean come on.. this was 1823!?? and he lived!! He was one determined man. Never gave up fighting and I loved every minuted of it.

I do have to warn you though.. anyone that has a sensitive stomach you do NOT.. I will repeat this.. DO NOT.. want to watch the bear scene. I can watch a lot of things but that scene was absolutely brutal. I was partly amazed at how they even created the scene to make it look so real and part of me wanted to cry, scream and look away because I could actually imagine the pain! Me and my mum were doing that thing you do when you watch scary films. half looking away but peeking through your fingers haha. 

I am so glad I watched this it was a very pleasant surprise for the most part haha.. just that bear scene.. Watch it and trust me you will fee what I felt. 

Please let me know in the comments below if you have seen it and what you thought because I want to know what other peoples reactions were to this film.

Once again we cannot finish a review without praising the directors and production team. Cinematography, visual effects, location, costuming, everything pulled together to make an epic film.

5 out of 5 from this Creative Misfit 

That is it from me for today. Signing off to get some shut eye ( not posted when written haha) 

As always people Be Kind, Be Happy, and Stay True to You.

Keep on Keeping on.

x

      FILM REVIEW: The Revenant So if you have read any of my previous reviews you will be aware that this is not the kind of thing I watch..