#I’m still gonna wait for people’s reviews tho regardless

[jediexile]

Anyway can’t wait to p*rate the legendary edition

[capricores]

I have never dated an air sign man are they really that bad? Im an air sign myself, but weirdly enough I don’t attract air men into my life, i always hear such horror stories skgfsfgh

well at the end of the day, regardless of astrology as i always say, anyone can be good or bad!! but there’s certain traits/behaviors common to certain placements; especially when they’re undeveloped. undeveloped signs (aka, immature people; who haven’t worked out their flaws/issues/etc) of the same element and/or mode have a lot of things in common, and i feel like undeveloped traits are always the most noticeable when you date/get extremely close to someone 👀 so that’s probably why undeveloped air sign men get roasted a lot lmao. i’ve fucked with a lot of undeveloped men and imo undeveloped air sign men are the worst to deal with, for me 😭 (but it really depends the type of traits you can’t handle. for me selfishness & detached behaviors/lack of emotional intelligence are the biggest things i can’t deal with. so undeveloped air energy is not good w/ me)

but again, i’ve had my heart broken by gemini men more than any other sign but i still love them more than any other sign (for men, libras are always my fav for everyone else lol) fdjlkfjdfkld so i would never let astrology and my experience w/ air sign men actually stop me from saying good things about said signs nor dating them/befriending them/etc ofc!!

however, if ur interested in my personal air sign men reviews (this is biased bad astrology based on my own countless experiences pls keep this in mind JLFKDJFD):

aquarians: -1/10

i actually love aquarian energy when developed SO much it’s one of my favs. esp aqua moons. but undeveloped... holy shit

undeveloped aqua energy is often accompanied by undeveloped cap energy so i think thats why aqua men r so awful

gets their heart broken once in 3rd grade and never recovers so they take it out on everyone they date after that

self victimization on water sign levels 💯😳

rly obsessed with u for the first month of dating and then they hate u

gaslighting kings

more trust issues than scorpios.. pick a struggle

[ruins your life, perception of love and mental stability] why don’t u wanna stay friends????????

great to talk to though i can’t lie, it’s really easy to have deep convos with them and they even make small talk interesting so plus one for that

tbh they teach you a lot about independence and self love so another plus one

once they develop and get over themselves they’re super loyal and fun tho but damn they take longer than any other sign to develop i swear

libras: 3/10

I LOVE LIBRAS but fuck the men

community ass (i saw this on a tiktok this is a stolen phrase but it’s right)(i’m not slut shaming btw i’m also a hoe)(this initially said dick but i realize that’s super exclusive so i’m changing it)

sends you super cute msgs that make your heart flutter but he also sent it to 18 others and tweeted it for fame

if he has one he’ll call his dick a third arm but it’s 2 inches??????????? speechless at how big their egos are in general

talks like they’re a god in bed but rly my pinky finger does a better job

would moan their own name in bed probably :/ and for what?

makes you think you have a thing together but then has a new gf a week later

they’re pretty so that gave them +100 points

but usually too attractive. and it threatens me ? tone it down u sexy bitches

they’re SO funny. no sign is funnier than libra regardless of gender and i stand by that

so indecisive tho it’s unreal?? them and geminis will play with your own feelings undeveloped bc they don’t know their own

geminis: 7/10

ive had so many geminis break my heart but i cannot bring myself to give them a low rating they are so hot funny and everything i want in a person</3

ceos of ghosting. will ghost you for a month and come back acting like you’re still dating and everything’s fine

super into you for like two weeks and then dumps you for their ex<3

really good convos and plans great dates????????? their egos and heads are so big because it’s full of ideas :/

showers u in affection and compliments…….ceo of hyping u up and making u feel great about yourself

moody as fuck. you thought cancers were bad? wait til you meet a gemini man 

comes back every venus retrograde.. they’re like annoying little mosquitos u can’t get rid of no matter how hard u try.. even bug repellent won’t work on them i’m gonna try installing a net tho

everyone hypes libas/aquarians up for intuition but tbh i think geminis are the ones with really amazing intuition in terms of air signs 👀 they’re really good at reading the room/your thoughts/etc so they know what you need/are thinking before you even say it

[ambidextrousarcher]

Sarcastic StarBharat Reviews: Episode 8- The wedding proposal disguised as war (faux-war)

Tagging @chaanv, @shaonharryandpannisim, @medhasree, @avani008, @butchcaroldanvers, @mayavanavihariniharini, @iamnotthat, @enigma-the-mysterious

This episode begins on a dramatic war footing. Since I saw the precap attached with the last episode, I know that a war is not happening, because everyone’s scared shitless of Bhishm, the paragon of perfection. The army of Gandhar rolls out in good order, accompanied by the shouting of orders from the senapati. For some reason, the Rajguru is also walking with the King and the senapati. Aren’t Brahmanas supposed to stay away from war? Except Dron, but he’s a special case. In the background, some dudes are doing push-ups. What for? Idk. “Close the doors! What is the news?” “It’s a huge army, flowing like the Indus. They have food too, they’re prepared for attack.” In what world is an opposing army described like this, really? “Whose army is it?” “I could not see the chariot of a King, Maharaj, but I could see the chariot on the lead.” Okay, obviously, it’s Bhishm. Let’s see how he’s flattered here. “White horsed-chariot, like it’s the chariot of Surya Narayan himself…” Does the Sun God have white horses on his chariot? I’ve never heard of that. Arjun does, though, that I do recall. The camera focuses on white galloping horses. “The chariot has a white flag, too, Maharaj.” The camera focuses on the aforementioned flag. It looks suspiciously like what will be the flag of Indraprastha in the future, I need to check that out again. The man riding on the chariot is as effulgent as the Sun. He’s wearing decorated armor, his arm muscles like trees, his eyes are like twin fireballs, he also has the symbol of the Moon God on his forehead.” While this description is going on, the camera focuses on each mentioned part of Bhishm. You know, I’m not sure if the man describing Bhishm is actually from Gandhar. How can I know he isn’t a spy? I mean, no one describes enemies like this. Seriously, the man sounds like he’s drooling over Bhishm. “This warrior is none but the best of the Kauravas, the son of Maharaj Shantanu and Mahamata Ganga” this from the Rajguru. “Bhishm.” The King. Bhishm theme plays, camera focusing on him and his army. Almost three minutes of the entire episode, more than 10% of it, has been spent on his entry alone. Camera focuses on Gandhari striding through a hall. “Mata, what is happening?” “Have you not heard? Hastinapur has attacked Gandhar.” “What will happen now?” Another lady says “Gandhar’s army can’t stand against Hastinapur. Gandhar’s forts will be breached in days. Rivers of blood will flow. We will be ash.” (Side note: Rivers of blood will flow/Rakht ki daarayen bahengi seems to be a favorite line. Arjun says it too, after Cheerharan, when he does a title drop.) “Admitting defeat before actual defeat is not worthy.” The Queen says. “Forgive me, Rajmata. However, Gandhar has not seen a war in many years…” She goes off on a tirade about what happens to defeated cities in war. It’s too much, as there isn’t gonna be a war anyway, so I’m desisting from writing the whole thing. Oh, that lady is Arshi, Shakuni’s wife in this show, as Gandhari calls her Bhabhishree. “What do we do now?” Gandhari asks. “What women do in war. Wait for darkness, and then…” Gandhari strides to the front and takes a sword from its sheath. “Bhabhi, lift a weapon. I am joining the war. It terrifies me as much as darkness, I was told by Gurudev that to get rid of fears, we must face them.” Why do you sleep in a room full of lights then, lady? “When death is certain, I shall die in the battle field.” Shit. Krishna Gyaan. This is about fear of loss. Skip, skip, skip. “The time to fly a flag is here, Maharaj. Which should it be? Red for war or white for surrender?” “Dishonor or death. Both of them seem blacker than ever to me.” “We have to furl one, Maharaj.” “The army has stopped, Maharaj!” “Amazing. They have furled the yellow flag of friendship.” It is rather amazing that Bhishm came with an army instead of a deputation, the minister is absolutely right. “Open the gates!” The King and his entourage go down to meet Bhishm. “If he wanted to talk, why the army?” Good question, senapati ji. “He must have come to exhibit his talent to us,” But, mantri ji, isn’t that done alone? What does he need an army for? “But why?” asks the King. Good question, again. “We have not offended Hastinapur. After drunk kid’s death (he doesn’t call him drunk kid, obviously), for 25 years, the throne has been empty. Yet, we have not attacked them or made treaties with their enemies. Why the need for this in front of friends?” “The show of strength is done in front of friends only when you need something from them.” This episode is dragging so much. ALL Of IT TILL NOW IS NON-CANON. And there are still 13 freaking minutes left! Aaargh! “What does a warrior like Bhishm need from us?” What else, Mr. Doofus King? Your daughter who has the boon of 100 children. Bhishm theme plays as he dismounts. Saubala joins his hands, his soldiers kneel. Mr. Paragon of Perfection lays a hand on Saubala’s shoulder. “A King should join his hands only to God. He should greet a friend and punish a foe, only in that is his pride,” he says gently. “Your radiance is not less than any God’s, son of Ganga.” NO! Someone please rescue me from this whitewashing, should I call it glitterwashing? Of course, he’s modest as ever. “I am no King, merely the servant of Hastinapur. My place is not above you.” “Your talents are more than any King’s, son of Ganga.” “The question of talent comes when there is war. I am here to meet my friend, for deepening our friendship” What the hell did you bring your army for then? Happy music plays. “To welcome a friend like you is Gandhar’s good luck.” Saubala and Bhishm hug, as the soldiers cheer him. Gandhari runs into a chamber. “Bhabhi, Bhishm is here for the hand of friendship.” “I heard.” “What do you think? Is he pretending friendship and planning war?” “I’ve heard that Bhishm never lies.” “I’ve heard that there is none stronger than him in the entire of Aryavrat.” Aaah! If I hear more, my ears will bleed. “Yes, Sukhda. Even Parashuram couldn’t defeat him.” “A strong man always seems calm, Bhabhi. Let’s see if he’s actually strong or we have heard tall stories.” “I want to ask what he needs from Gandhar,” says Arshi. Scene changes. The men are reclining in thrones, along with the Queen. “Disperse.” The Queen commands her servants. “Such a beautiful welcome and love fills my heart.” Gandhari is at the entry of the room, peeking in. “I am sure you have educated your daughter and daughter in law with such courtesy also.” Bhishm, finally getting to the point, right? Phew. “What can a little country like Gandhar give to a nation as large and powerful as Kururashtra?” “A future. And happiness in the future. You might know that no King has ever attacked you because you have the protection of Kururashtra. If Kururashtra and Gandhar become one, it will be good for both of us.” “Such a thing occurs between two equal Kingdoms. Gandhar serves Hastinapur, son of Ganga.” What kind of a king are you, Saubala? I’m sure canon Saubala is not this much of a doormat. CANON FAIL. “That is why I asked for a relationship, not friendship,” says Bhishm. “A marriage proposal.” FINALLY, after 14 minutes of posturing, we get to the DAMN POINT! Gandhari, still standing at the entry, looks at Sukhdha. The other adults also look at each other. “Your daughter Gandhari is famous for her beauty and virtues in the entire of Aryavrat. We have a marriage proposal for her. Please do not deny us.” “But you have taken an oath of celibacy, have you not, son of Ganga?” asks the Queen. Thankfully, he has. Bhishm looks down, then starts to laugh. “The princess will wed a Prince of Kururashtra, not me.” Happiness blooms everywhere. “Gandhari is like a daughter to me.” “I think this is a right thing to do.” Says the Queen. “Where can we find a better husband than Prince Pandu?” “Dhritrashtra.” Everyone except Bhishm looks stricken. I can kinda understand them. “Where did Pandu get into this? He’s the younger son. Dhritrashtra is the elder. Maharaj, I am thinking of Dhritrashtra. Think about it. Even a sculptor’s wife can have 100 children (wait, how? People don’t live for a 100 years, how the hell can anyone have 100 children right off the bat?) but they will be building sculptures, not a Kingdom. It is not the number of children that matters, what matters is their virtue. Not everyone has the luck of giving birth to 100 sons of Kuruvansh.” Ugh. Even typing out this sentence is making me feel dirty. “But Mahamahim, my daughter is beautiful, knowledgeable and a warrior. Dhritrashtra, you know what he is.” Ah, ableism is the issue. I don’t blame her, tho. It’s kinda a human flaw. Bhishm stands. “Dhritrashtra is also skilled in all things. You do not know his abilities, Maharani Sudharma.” He goes on to give an excessive intro of Dhritrashtra, adding that Gandhari will be very lucky to have him. The scene changes. Gandhari and her maid are laughing together. “Where are you going? It is not time yet to go far away.” “Let her go. My sister-in-law is entitled to her pride. There’s a proposal for her from such a kingdom, after all.” “There’s nothing like that, Bhabhi!” “It’s alright even if it is like that, Gandhari. No Kingdom is as rich as Hastina in the world!” “I have heard the same, Princess. I keep trying to imagine, how Hastinapur shall be…” “Hastinapur…” trails Gandhari. “If you form ties with us, you shall be Emperor Suabala instead of a King.” “You mean, you are here to take advantage of us by showing your strength.” “I am here to make the royal family of Gandhar as my family. There is no question of taking advantage in a family.” Ah, veiled threats. Scene changes. “So what if it’s a big Kingdom?” asks Gandhari. “Our Gandhar is not weak. Regardless, a marriage is not with a Kingdom, it’s with a Prince.” Gandhari bites her finger. She’s clearly said too much. “Already fantasizing about hubby dear?” Ugh. Too sweet for me. “Bhabhi!” Gandhari blushes. Scene changes again. “As I see it, their match is made in heaven,” says Bhishm. “We do not wish to force you.” Ah, hypocrisy too. “Clear your doubts before you make a decision.” Saubala walks to his throne. “So, what do you decide?” Scene changes to Gandhari once more. “The Prince of Hastinapur is like Indra among men.” Indra again. “Kururashtra’s men and women worship their Princes like Gods.” That they do in canon too. Scene changes again, camera focusing on the back of a man. “Bhabi, what’s his name?” asks Gandhari. “What are you going to do knowing his name? Women don’t call their husbands by their name.” “Tell me his name, Bhabhi.” “Dhritrashtra.” “Prince Dhritrashtra”. The camera focuses on Dhritrashtra flexing his muscles. Precap: Dhritrashtra faces an elephant. “How will I tell my daughter that I traded her happiness for the people? When Shakuni comes to know, what will he do?” I am confused. Gandhari seemed happy enough. ANYWAY. THIS ENTIRE EPISODE IS NON-CANON. The only thing mentioned in canon is that Bhishm approached Gandhar for Gandhari’s hand with a deputation (not an army), he got the same. Shakuni was actually happy about it.

I’ve already reached 10k words of roasting StarBharat. Seems this is a longer exercise than Antraatman, which is a literal novel. Imagine the sheer number of canon fails in this thing.  

[clare-with-no-i]

hello i am the anon who pops up here every once in a while cause im still too lazy to make an ao3 and oh my god the new chapter!!!! you just!!! oh my god!!!! you can’t just leave it like that why would you torture me like that😭😭 i know you said things would pick up but i never expected that. (i mean that in a good way tho i loved it) i’m literally in class rn but i have to talk about the new chapter first lol. i feel so bad for lily, like you said homegirl really is going through it. and the bit where james ran to her!!!! oh my god!!! i keep saying oh my god but that’s all i can think of right now!! oh my god!!! and the bit in the poem about james.. what are they gonna do to him😭😭 and i’m dreading lily’s reaction when she finds out about what he did to snape. basically idk how to function after this chapter and that is a high compliment your writing is phenomenal and so well-paced, the way you executed this chapter’s drama was👌🏻👌🏻. basically oh my god, this was so good, i can’t wait for more, i love your writing more than words can express, and once again for emphasis, oh my god!!

omg this is SO MUCH!! thank you for popping up and brightening my morning!! Also please do your class work I don’t want to be responsible for any missed marks 😭 hahaha. I’m going to use this LOVELY and detailed review to clarify some things if you don’t mind!! Thank you so so much for sending your feelings to me, and please continue to do so regardless of your AO3 status lol! I always love to hear what people think.

so yes—homegirl is really going thru it right now, and honestly I worried a lot that this chapter was going to be the tipping point for a lot of people that I’m just putting her in bad situations to see how James reacts, which, I cannot stress enough, is not the case.

Petunia’s letter sucked and was tough for her, but it was also necessary setup in multiple ways to get us where we are right now!

LOL the Gashlycrumb Tinies bit, I figured this would come up: it’s actually a coincidence that the character’s name in the poem is James, it doesn’t have anything to do with James Potter. That line could have had any J name and would have worked :)

Mostly though thank you so much for such kind words about my writing!! This was the first chapter I was really, really nervous about posting. It’s a big departure from the two previous chapters and it sets a very different mood, but it’s always been my plan! So thank you for such an affirming message, I’m SO glad you enjoyed it/were shocked by it!!!

Much love and I can’t wait to share what’s next!

[thattimdrakeguy]

Also because I’m pretty sure this dude’s talking about me.

I wish they’d freaking read my full posts.

Cuz they act like I don’t start a lot of posts by describing the name/costume change as “possible”, “apparent” or “presumed” or which ever words I chose to use, because I’m obviously pretty aware it’s not 100% set in stone yet.

I’ve even said there’s a chance it’s a joke like how they have before.

--

With 3 covers out now of Tim wearing this seemingly new costume right around this apparent name change, and he seems to be on normal Earth in them, it just gets pretty suspicious. Almost like, because I personally don’t like that, that I’d talk negatively about it, because I feel like there’s a lot of flaws in just the decision of making this change.

Like my blog is about my opinion on Tim, Young Justice and Young Justice related news.

It’s not even like I ever said I was gonna stop buying the series over stuff that isn’t fully 100% confirmed yet (I’m saving that for if my fears on it come true) for that to be why they treat me like I’m overreacting, it’s obvious it hasn’t come out yet, it’s just my opinion on what we know so far. 

If you think that’s goofy in it’s own right, cool, just don’t follow me. 

I still write reviews when the full issues come out, and I’ve made it obvious my opinion is based on information I get, so it can and most likely will change based on stuff. It’s not like I’m even stubborn. If I keep my opinion, I usually give my logic on it. So if it’s just you don’t agree with it then leave me out of it. You don’t need to be condescending towards how I feel because we don’t agree.

Like I’m willing to still wait and find out, I just don’t like the possibility of Tim getting a name change, for reasons I’ve already gave the logic with. (So again, if this is just you and me not having the same opinion or logic, it’s still not cool)

Don’t act otherwise because I’m worrying a lot about something you’re not.

--

They also paraphrased me (or at least someone else) saying “there’s no set-up” negatively like I’m goofy now for this issue showing were the name’s potentially gonna come from, and why Tim’s gonna change it. 

But there’s still never been a set up that Tim ever been interested in changing his name, to just suddenly do that is contrived and random. If Tim just suddenly changes his name permanently because of something that happens in the next issue, that’s silly. He’s never been seen having a problem with it in any other issue. If they make it a problem out of no were, there wasn’t a set-up in his character history for that.

There’s an argument that cuz he’s a teen he just wants to change his name, because he liked it better, but when he’s had the name for so long with no problem, that’s still forced.

(They say people aren’t showing any self-awareness towards it but ... are they themselves? They’re just sort of ignoring stuff while mocking other people.)

They even brought up the possibility of this whole thing being a joke, but I even brought that up in one of my posts.

It’s like they didn’t read my posts all the way through, but they’re so close to quoting me that I just don’t know if they’re hoping people remember me saying that stuff but not the others so they don’t like me anymore or what.

Maybe that’s proof they aren’t talking about me, it’s just a coincidence. Who knows. Treating other opinions like their goofy for it’s rude regardless if it’s not even trying to discuss it, but just continuing to say your own opinion again with negative slaps towards the differing one.

They even describe me as a “certain people” if I remember right (if it is me I’m talking about, I don’t like to pretend I’m fully certain, the attitude in general bugs me tho, it’s not cool to be petty over a different opinion like that), like they don’t like me, or I’m the topic of infamy to them, but they don’t even pay attention to what I say all the time.

So do they just not like me because I have a differing opinion? Do they only remember the things that differed so that’s all they focused on? Id be weird if they didn’t pay attention to what I said all the time and they’re still willing to paraphrase me to be petty, but they don’t always seem to pay attention or like other opinions if they don’t follow a shared logic as them.

--

I don’t know if they wanted me to see it or not cuz they say they want to avoid drama, but they tagged some of these posts in the Tim Drake tag.

They also don’t seem to be aware I actually really loved Wonder Comics Young Justice till these past few issues just because I felt like they started dropping the ball, and they just ignore stuff about it, while occasionally paraphrasing me to make it seem like anyone who says stuff like me is wrong (or at least some sort of negative connotation).

I critique stuff. I find problems with ignoring story set-ups to do random stuff, and suddenly changing characters for stuff that’s potentially just going to be made up as it goes along.

If they bring the stores back, cool, but that’s not efficient story telling to go on a random tangent.

If that doesn’t bother you, cool, but don’t be rude about it if you have a problem with people not agreeing with you. (I can’t even confirm that they even are like that with everything, but as a precautionary measure)

I make posts on why things could be bad cuz I see a lot of bad signs in the way.

I’ve made it clear that if it don’t end up like how I thought I’ll change my opinion given new information, if anything if it ends closer to how I like, then I’ll be happy. Why wouldn’t I be glad if this name was a joke? I was even partially optimistic when this identity/costume changing started, it’s just the longer it goes on the more bad signs I see, if it’s something I care about, of course I’m gonna talk about it.

Stop borderline mocking me because ya don’t like me being worried for a comic I used to love, and how I’m not enjoying choices they make, just because you’re different than me.

We use a different sense of logic when we read the same things.

That’s not something to mock a person over. That’s just petty, because you don’t understand what they’re talking about, you’re rude about them.

--

Like if they just like the stuff gong on, I don’t freaking care. I don’t follow them, but leave me out of it if you aren’t going to pay attention to what I say all the way.

--

I’m not tagging them, because if I’m remembering right they made a point not to tag me, but still, they’re making it kind of obvious. They also made a point to say they want to avoid drama, but don’t borderline quote me in a negative way then, okay? I’m not trying to start drama or what ever, message me in the DMs if you like, I’d prefer that if you even wanna talk at all, but just, stop doing toxic stuff cuz you don’t like that I don’t share your sense of logic.

I don’t know if you’ve even done it all the time, but to do it at all isn’t cool.

I’m not sure if you thinking I have a differing opinion than you makes you think I’m out to get you, but I don’t follow your blog. I’ve even reblogged some things or at least liked posts you’ve made before that I’ve seen in the tags (I do recognize the icon), even when I didn’t agree with other stuff you’ve said before, I’m not out to get you in anyway.

Odds are, having a differing opinion is a coincidence. Like I’m not saying you are taking it personally (I do not know you), but in case it is, I feel the need to say that.

Even if they didn’t mean it to be me with the close-to-quotes, just someone who said similar stuff. They’re still being rude by treating them like they’re ridiculous for not agreeing, because they have a different sense of logic then what they use, even if they’re trying their best to make themselves seem nice about it.

Unless you’re going to have a cohesive argument that’s against all the points, it’s just rude to negatively talk about something so quote to quotes. It’s negative just to think another opinion at all is stupid, just based on the logic that you don’t share the same logic surrounding it.

--

Tim changing his identity permanently isn’t stuff people are making up to be mad about. It’s something people are seeing signs for and they’re worrying about it.

We’re not gonna be upset if it’s not what it seems.

Don’t vaguely try to act superior for thinking differently on it.

--

I get the feeling the reason they don’t like me (if it is me they don’t like), is because I don’t share the same opinions of them, and I make long in-depth posts about the logic I use as to why I don’t like some things.

I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but don’t be rude because I don’t agree.

I’m not even sure what’s going to come out of this. Maybe this was all a misunderstanding, maybe they were referring to someone else (in which case, still rude), maybe more than one person thinks I’m talking about them. Who knows.

They could delete the post, edit the post, message me, ignore me, block me, I don’t really know.

Just don’t be rude just because someone doesn’t agree with you.

Treating everyone else like their stupid doesn’t make you smarter.

[heterophobicleia]

IW HALF-SPOILERY REVIEW UNDER THE CUT

i’m not gonna talk about plot points or anything, just characters and general comments on the film, but regardless, read at ur own risk. i kinda just need to put my thoughts down

straight off the bat, not a lot of my fave characters got a lot of screen time but its okay bc with so many characters, everyone wasn’t going to get equal screen time. if they had given people like, say, sam and nat and bucky and the BP people bigger roles, then the movie would be way too stuffed and over-complicated. still, i felt like every character had at least one moment where they shined. maybe it was a long scene, a short one, a funny one-liner, an emotional scene, but they all had something at least

that being said, they gave wanda and vision a whole lot more screen time then what i was expecting, bc they had always kinda been in the background of the MCU, like they weren’t a-list avengers or anything, so i’m glad they had a larger part in this movie.like i don’t particularly like paul bettany as an actor (or person) but that scene at the end (yall who have seen the movie know what i’m talking about), just. wow (tho elizabeth olson really carried that i thought). i think a lot of people are going to come out with a bigger appreciation of wanda in particular

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THOR. i’m glad they finally figured out what to do with him bc hemsworth is actually a really great actor and does comedy well. if you were worried that he would lose some of his characterisation after ragnarok then chill. the comedy is toned down obviously but its still there. imo thor works best when he’s comedic and broken down, bc he’s literally a god - there has to be some way to get the audience to relate to a norse god and the most effective way of doing that is through empathy and humour. in the previous thor and avengers movies, he was always larger than life, and he still is, but he’s more human now, so i think it works well

on that point about comedy, it worked in this film. a lot of people criticise marvel (rightfully) that the humour is often just shoved in at places where it doesn’t need any but MAN this movie absolutely needs some relief at places. none of the jokes were overly bad or cringey and there were some genuinely hilarious moments, even in the midst of this huge crisis (a certain few second team up in the 3rd act wakanda battle comes to mind)`

i realised i haven’t talked about thanos yet. the russo’s weren’t lying when they said it was his movie, but its all good bc he was really great in it tbh. the best villians are the ones who believe they are right, and his whole goal about killing half the universe to save the rest of it, while totally fucked up, there is a sense that he genuinely doesn’t want to do it, but it’s the only way he thinks life can be saved, and i think in an age where a lack of resources and over-population are growing, it really kinda speaks volumes. he’s not my most fave mcu villian, but he’s definitely up there, so thanos definitely doesn’t disappoint. the cgi for him is also amazing

another thing is the choice of pairings. like they all don’t meet in the end, but there is a lot of crossover and lots of different arcs. some people said it feels a little bit disjointed but i didn’t really feel that at all. there’s really like four or five stories at a time, but the people involved change over the course of the film. thor and rocket work really really well. the strange-tony-peter-other guardians also mesh really well and there’s some hilarous moments in that. banner kind of flitters from one group to another eventually but it feels cohesive and he’s actually pretty funny in this movie as a side note

unfortunately steve and bucky don’t get any scenes together aside from that one in the trailer, so stucky stans like myself cry, but it’s hard to be disappointed bc this movie is just chock-full of stuff, a scene like that would feel kinda out of place i think

also i wasn’t expecting gamora to get a huge arc like she did, but it’s understandable bc she’s thanos’ fave daughter. i don’t want to say anything else about her bc it will get very spoilery, but she had some of the most emotional scenes in the movie

another quick note: the action, and particularly the hand-to-hand combat, was some of the best in the mcu imo. i haven’t seen a lot of people talking about it, but it’s something that really stood out to me. i also thought the cinematography was a lot better, even in some of the shots on earth

i’m not gonna talk about the ending, like i know so many people will, but it fucking had me on the edge of my seat holy shit. it was absolutely chilling

send me as message if you wanna hear about the ending, or just if you want spoilers confirmed or anything

WHOO BOY, GOTTA WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR

[thoughts-of-a-bibleophile]

bit of a rant/review of pokemon the movie i choose you

Ok. Can we talk about the Pokémon movie? It was a beautiful fucking mess.

Why?

Let me preface this by saying I am a huge Pokénerd and am a fan of the games and anime (I haven’t watched it in years but what I have seen recently I enjoyed). Saying that, I also am someone who won’t take “well it’s just a kid’s show/movie, it doesn’t have to be good” as an excuse ever, especially with well-done kid’s movies are coming out every year at this point.

Anyway. if you are curious, for some reason, about my opinion of the latest movie in the Pokémon franchise....continue reading.

Also. SPOILERS BELOW.

So. Like I said previously. It was a beautiful, terrible hot mess.

A h o t mess

Let’s start with why I thought it was terrible (and weed out the butthurt fans right off the bat)

Story wise, there were issues. Since they crammed the entirety of season 1 into it with different characters and picked the best episodes of the season as story points.

Like I would compare it to The Last Airbender movie in how over-stuffed it was in story, since that movie also tried to an entire season into a movie, but I can’t compare them because The Last Airbender movie is actual garbage and this movie is.....not that.

Main complaint is movie length. Why is it so short when it could have been so much longer and filled with more character interaction and development?? I’m not asking for Pixar quality because I’m not expecting Pixar, but if you’re gonna introduce us to new characters and expect us to love them and miss them when they leave, give us a bit more to go on than just snapshots of their journey. Speaking of snapshots, though, I did like that little touch of Verity going through her phone to show the moments they’ve all been together -- clever, time-saving story-telling choice, that.

“No one watches/plays Pokémon for the story/characters” -- WELL I DO. THEY’VE DONE IT IN THE PAST AND MADE A MEMORABLE STORY AND GAME FOR US, SO THEY CAN DO IT AGAIN. Have you even SEEN Pokemon Mewtwo Strikes Back? BECAUSE BOI THERE WERE TEARS AND IT WAS THE BEST.

Just...The reason the other Pokémon movies worked so well/better is because we knew the characters involved aside from Ash. If we’re being introduced to new characters in this movie, give us a reason to care about them.

There was also just very little tension because I knew that they were just highlighting parts of the first season (or so), so whatever problem they had would be worked out by the end. Also, because it’s Pokémon and Ash is an OP MC.

My boi Sorrel tho

I love Sorrel, though. A+ dude. I wish he had more screen time because he's such a cute little bean and I FUCKING CRIED when his Luxray died HGHSJJJJjdee (but does he only have Lucario?? Like I know he was too afraid to love a Pokémon after Luxray, but boy are you seriously going on your own with one mon???)

I was also happy to see that he found Articuno, but WOW these kids are lucky because together they’ve all seen like four legendaries (Entei, Raikou, Suicine, Ho-Oh) in the span of a year (or so?) Some people, apparently, don’t see legendaries EVER and these kids see FOUR? I know it’s because plot but dang.

Verity (like the lake!)

Verity (ha her name is Verity and she's from a region with a lake named Verity lol) kind of just reminded me too much of Misty with her Pokémon being water types. If they were gonna add that little background about her mom, I wish they would have done more with it. Like...explain how she uses water types because her mom loved water types. She uses a Piplup because her mom has an Empoleon. I just wanna know MORE about her. GIVE ME MOREEEE DANG IT

I also def thought they were gonna have her mom as someone we've met in the games/show before, but no. Just random, faceless character we never see/meet.

Angry child Cross who is essentially Kacchan from My Hero

Can we talk about Cross for a second?

Yes, he’s an asshole, but, especially with that little redemption arc, he’s not EVIL. Like I know they needed someone to set off all the bad things, but this boy doesn’t have an evil heart. Just say....like a darkened heart or whatever because if he was evil he wouldn’t get a redemption arc like that. He’s just a proud asshole who believes in strength over friendship.

Honestly, true antagonist is Marshadow because WOW SOMEONE NEEDS TO COOL THEIR JETS. I was also incredibly confused as to if Marshadow was good or bad.... Like they say its a guide and someone who restores the balance or fixes the Ho-Oh feather, which sounds like a good guy, but this little bitch was stirring up all the trouble and ends up being the main villain like good lord what is going on.

The animation, the colors

Damn I forgot how good the battles look. Like DAMN. So much tension for a battle I know Ash is gonna win. So much hype when LITERALLY NO ONE UNDERSTANDS TYPE MATCHUPS LIKE A PIPLUP VS A PIKACHU THE PIKACHU WILL WIN IDIOTS

Ahem. But I'm probably thinking too much like the games and not the show which kind of throws the games out the window so whatever.

But yeah, man, I forgot how beautiful something can be when it goes onto the big screen. Like, the Pokémon anime has always had a certain look, a certain charm to it (yes, even in the Sun and Moon series), but it just looked so great and beautiful and gorgeous and lovely on the screen and I’m honestly excited for it to come out on DVD/BluRay whatever so I can see it again.

Ok...it’s not Your Name or a Ghibli film. But...it’s still a very pretty Pokémon movie and it touches my nostalgic, nerdy heart.

ALL THE NOSTALGIA

You read my complaints above, but I will admit that, while it was a bit ridiculous to cram the entire first season into one movie, I enjoyed that it was a celebration of sorts of the show from its beginning? Which was honestly great. They had all of the best, most memorable moments from the show (the pilot -- obviously, finding Charmander, Bye Bye Butterfree). I was near tears a few times with all the nostalgia, guys.

I wish they had brought back Misty and Brock if they wanted to really really celebrate the first season, but c’est la vie.

AND THEN THAT THEME SONG GAVE ME LEGIT CHILLS. I DON’T CARE THAT IT WAS REMIXED. I HAD CHILLS. GOOSEBUMPS E V E R Y W H E R E.

I saw the theme song remix on YouTube prior to seeing the movie and I felt all the nostalgia then, so you’d think I wouldn’t get chills when I saw it.

Welp, we’d both be wrong then. Because ALL THE CHILLS. ALL THE HYPE FOR THE REST OF THE MOVIE. IT WAS GLORIOUS. (imma put it on repeat after i post this, tbh.)

Other things that don’t really have a place elsewhere

Also, this was pretty much the X-Men days of future past of Pokemon. Tbh. Because, unless this is just AU first season? (I can’t remember if this was confirmed to be just the alternate universe first season), it’s like they’re saying well, here’s the NEW beginning of the show so now we can do whatever we want woo! (Jesus I sound like Kukui)

Speaking of doing whatever they want...

PIKACHU SAID WORDS??? ENGLISH? WHYY???????????? I WAS SO CONFUSED AND WONDERED IF MY SODA HAD BEEN SPIKED

I know they were trying to do the throwback to Mewtwo Returns (BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF, IF NOT THE, BEST MOVIES AND SO DOES THE POKÉMON COMPANY) and we all want to remember why we love Ash and Pikachu so much and why THEY care about each other so much. But....that was.......strange. Maybe the Japanese audience liked it more because that seems to be the only opinion they really care about, but I know I wasn’t the only one in the theatre just staring at the screen in confusion asking what the actual f u c k was going on.

Last things

I may have my complaints -- that I’m throwing out into the ether just to get them out of my head -- but that doesn’t mean I disliked it.

It’s still Pokémon and I’m still a fan and everyone will still be fans regardless of any issues with the movie, any story problems, any characters featured (or lack thereof **MISTY AND BROCK).

With its beautiful animation, particularly in the battles, and gorgeous set pieces, because WOW did you say some of the views they had?, it was nice to see Pokémon celebrated with an old story told with a fresh coat of paint.

This movie may not be the best. It may not be Pokemon: The First Movie Mewtwo Strikes Back (honestly, most movies aren’t that, so that might be a bit unfair to say.) But it’s still got that Pokémon charm we all know and love and has some pretty cool characters along the way. It’s definitely something that every Pokémon fan, young or old, new or a veteran, should watch and enjoy. Because, despite its flaws, it reminds you of better times, nostalgic times.

It reminds you of that first time you played the game or watched the show, when your biggest choice was your starter Pokémon and adventure was just outside the door, waiting for you to take the first step.

(Yes, I’m basically saying nostalgia is what powers this movie, but we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary, so of course there will be nostalgia.)

Some fandoms can’t say they’ve been around for over 20 years -- but Pokémon, with its die-hard fans and ever-growing fanbase who will support just about anything that comes out relating to the games/show, can. And the movie understands that. It understands that just about everyone who sees it will put on their hat, grab their Pokémon, and sit in those theatre seats like we’re all excited 10 year olds waiting to go on our own journeys, waiting to revisit the world of Pokémon regardless of how good the movie is. And that, the strength of the fans and the perpetual love of the series, in my opinion, is the greatest strength.