#Joey Batey is OUTSTANDING

[lorstone]

I am genuinely baffled that anyone could possibly think that Extraordinary Things is about anyone other than Geralt.

[coyoteastronaut]

I can’t explain why this makes me want, desperately, for Joey Batey to cover “Jenny” by The Mountain Goats on the lute not just for the whole song, but specifically to hear him sing “900 cubic centimeters of raw, whining power, no outstanding warrants for my arrest.”

There are essentially two variations of Jaskier that exist.

One version portrays him as the living embodiment of sunshine. This Jaskier is perpetually optimistic, known for his melodious songs, and serves as a source of light in Geralt's life, preventing him from sinking into excessive brooding. This version of Jaskier can be likened to a Disney princess, radiating positivity and cheerfulness.

On the other hand, there is a contrasting portrayal of Jaskier, depicting him as a feral rat with a warrant out for his arrest due to numerous crimes. Interestingly, there is never sufficient evidence to prove that he committed these offenses. This version of Jaskier is fiercely protective of Geralt and will initiate fights if anyone dares utter a single negative word about him in his presence.

Remarkably, both versions of Jaskier coexist and are equally valid in their own right

[gaygraviturgist]

the secret ingredient is hyperfixation

[dawnofbards]

friends hear me out:

could we please have some nice people from the witcher fandom with resonant gentle voices reading their favorite (long-form) fics into podcast type things to be distributed with the original authors' blessings?

i'm terribly weak and wanting re: my daily geraskier/witcher fic dose but what my heart TRULY desires, (besides joey batey magically transforming into my cuddly bestie/sometimes lover) is to LISTEN to the frankly outstanding content you humans put out here every damn day.

could we not have this? do we already have this? i NEEDS this my preciousss

[mortuarybees]

i think it was really inspired of joey batey to give jaskier that stunningly limp wrist. i love it. outstanding. fag of the year

[moviestorian]

Happy new Year! Let's get it rolling with an ask meme :3 12, 25, 31, 36, 39, 42, 50, 63, 87, 97, 99?

Happy New Year! :3

Thank you :-*

3. Favourite television show from the 2010′s +?

Can’t name just one (you know me, it’s like picking a favourite child), so I’m gonna make it a top five, but in no particular order. Breaking Bad (I know it technically first aired in 2008, but hey, the show finished in 2013, and season 4 is my favourite anyway XD), The Haunting of Hill House, The Crown, Trust FX, The Young Pope

12. Best cliff-hanger?

Not the biggest fan of cliff-hangers, I feel like most of them don’t really stand out. Imma pass.

25. Favourite television villian?

Gus Fring (Breaking Bad), Tywin Lannister (GoT), Lydia Quigley (Harlots), George Warleggan (Poldark; I wouldn’t exactly call him a villain, but he’s an antagonist, so I’ll reluctantly count him as one)

Also, James Gillies from Murdoch Mysteries is my guilty pleasure. He’s not great, he’s a bit overrated imo, but so are 90% of the characters, and at least he was fun.

31. Favourite movie from the 2010′s +?

ONE???JUST ONE???

Impossible.

Again, at random: 1917, The Artist, Hugo, Grand Budapest Hotel, The Handmaiden, Phantom Thread, Filmworker (docu), Unfinished Film (docu), Shutter Island

36. Favourite director?

Stanley Kubrick

39. Favourite comic-book movie?

Probably Snyder’s Watchmen; I don’t really care about comic-book movies anymore, but that one had outstanding cinematography and a great cast

42. What’s your favourite animated movie?

Either Spirited Away (I don’t remember the last time I saw it, but I remember it so vividly, it definitely impressed me a lot) or Loving Vincent (exceptional and groundbreaking technique, wish the script was a bit more engaging, though)

50. Horror or psychological?

I love horror (psychological horror in particular, hehe), but psychological movie/show is definitely a win.

63. In your opinion, the best character casting?

Despite not exactly fitting the book description, Malcolm McDowell was spot-on as Alex in A Clockwork Orange. He nailed the role so damn well.

Bette Davies as Baby Jane, CONRAD VEIDT in Caligari, Christopher Lee in LOTR, Joel Grey in Cabaret, Joey Batey in the Witcher, Adrien Brody in The Pianist.

Besides many problems with the film itself (the controversy regarding is creator, but also my personal problems with the script), Louis Garrel was a fantastic choice for Alfred Dreyfus in An Officer and a Spy, the make-up and costume department did a spectacular job as well.

87. Tell us about your worst movie experience?

Nothing really traumatising, but some films definitely have made me painfully uncomfortable.

97. Think of a positive movie experience you will never forget?

I have really positive memories from seeing Bohemian Rhapsody on the big screen. Had a lovely day with my boyfriend, we exchanged gifts, the screen room was totally full and you could feel the positive energy, and I left the cinema with Queen songs stuck in my head & revived love for the band.

99. Best movie soundtrack?

The Lord of the Rings!

Television & film ask game!

[aegir-emblem]

Number 1 for the ask game. Who is your celebrity crush?

Omg there are so many! But at the same time this is really hard?? Who to choose?? 

- First and foremost is probably Paul Rudd. He’s immortal, he’s cute, he’s funny and talented and he knows it, and who wouldn’t love him? His smile makes me so happy, he looks like a puppy and I love that for him. Also in general he seems like a really approachable celebrity and really down to earth! I love him. I just - my celeb crush on him is the one I don’t even have words to explain. I just do.

- umm... CDawgVA the YouTuber, aka Connor. I don’t know if this is a crush-crush or an I-wish-we-could-be-friends or an I-wish-I-could-meet-him-once crush. I’ve been watching his videos for... at least five years now, maybe six? But at first I didn’t know how young he was, so it was like a “oh cool, funny guy” vibe and now is like a “omg I wish we could be friends” vibe. It stands in a midground between friends and just absolutely adoring him now. He’s amazing.

- Margot Robbie. I respect her SO much for her career, she’s such a talented and wonderful woman and such a powerful icon for women in film and writing and directing, I simultaneously look up to her and have a crush on her. She’s absolutely outstanding and a joy to watch in Behind the Scenes clips and interviews. She’s smart and her method acting is AMAZING. I think my crush on her originated with Harley Quinn, but I didn’t fully realise it until Birds of Prey.

- Joey Batey. Joey Batey Joey Batey Joey Batey. The Amazing Devil. Jaskier. My love. He’s incredible, I love his voice and his attitude brings me so much joy, plus he’s tall and lanky and ridiculous and so outgoing. He’s someone who just radiates sunshine and I love him for that. I’ve never not smiled when watching anything with him in it. He’s talented and humble about it, but someone that is just - you look at them and their work and go “Yeah. There’s something special.”

Anyways, those are probably the biggest four I can think of that the moment! A lot of my “celebrity crushes” are a tie between how much I admire them and wish to meet them once, and actually crushing on them. Like I know none of the crushes will ever come to light so I just vibe with it and embrace the fact that I can appreciate them and their work from afar.

[lifeintheapiary]

Things to do while waiting for season 2 of The Witcher:

* Read all the books. Best reading order:

The Last Wish

Season of Storms

Sword of Destiny

Blood of Elves

Time of Contempt

Baptism of Fire

The Tower of the Swallow

The Lady of the Lake

* Listen to the frankly outstanding soundtrack

* Listen to The Amazing Devil for more of Joey Batey’s voice, plus the real-life siren Madeleine Hyland

* Read/write fan fiction. I’m particularly enjoying @athousandvictories , @korrmin , @thisgirlsays22 , @callmelilyshameless @xdandelionxbloomx , @kateis-cakeis , @dandelionslute to name just a few

* Learn to play the lute and pretend to be a bard/actually become a bard (I have a mandolin, apparently the lute is incredibly challenging to learn plus expensive!)

* Respond to small talk with “hmm” and “fuck” and see how long you can carry a conversation like this

* Go slowly insane

[moorgirl-blog]

All the reviews I’ve seen of The Amazing Devil are fab whether live or focused on their album. Even when doing tiny gigs the reviews are always fab like the one below. I’m really happy that more people are now finding out about them.

Itinerant minstrels Madeleine Hyland and Joey Batey pooled their talents in New York to form The Amazing Devil, a rapscallion gypsy orchestra of eight musicians that is more than capable of delivering the dramatic tales of cinematic intensity and personal drama featured on their fine debut, Love Run Out. The ramshackle Phoenix downstairs room suited their eclectic theatrical style, the cramped stage stifling their movement but affording more focus for the audience on their touching songs and bittersweet tales of love, ships, roundabouts and washing lines.

In fact, while their album is predominantly an acoustic tour-de-force with equally strong lead vocals, on stage, the songs acquire a richer hue and energy, notably on the outstanding Pray, King and Pruning Shears. Intriguing and beguiling, have a care for this devil. Andy Rawll

[positivelyamazonian]

are you watching the witcher on netflix? what did you think of it?

Hi! This is not Tomb Raider related but I don’t mind answering it. I’ve been a fan of The Witcher universe since 2015 when the third videogame by CD Projekt Red (The Witcher III: Wild Hunt) fell into my hands. Unfortunately I wasn’t aware of the existence of the books despite being a long term high fantasy reader because these were never at the public library of my town, neither in the bookshops I used to frequent. 

The videogame was fantastic and I enjoyed it like not so many videogames before. The story was excellent to my tastes and then it was when I did my research, bought all the book series and read all of them. Then played the second, previous game (The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings) and if I didn’t manage to play the very first one it was because of incompatibilities with my PC. Since then, I consider myself a Witcher fan.

Now, going to the Netflix series. As everyone, I guess, I was very skeptical about the upcoming show; but it’s something that always happens to me when a beloved story and saga gets a TV/movie adaptation. I wasn’t familiar with Netflix at all - never had a subscription before - and neither with the casting, including Henry Cavill. But after watching the show I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it a lot and I think that in general a nice, good work has been done with the Witcher universe here.

I am aware that right now the fandom is divided between those who think the show was fantastic and the book purists that are disappointed and outraged because everything wasn’t like they expected. You ask some and they say they love it and you ask some others and they say they butchered it. Personally I’ve loved the show. I think the casting was a pleasant surprise, specially with Henry Cavill (Geralt) and Anya Chalotra (Yennefer) who have exceeded all my expectations.

For miracles, I must admit I could have never seen Joey Batey (Jaskier) coming. I mean, Jaskier was never one of my favs, in the books he’s relatively OK (but nothing more) and in the videogames I find him (Dandelion) outright annoying. But for the first time the Netflix show has presented me a version of the character that I can love and admire. Thank you, Joey.

Apart from the casting, I thought that the three timelines arranging was brilliant. Some people have felt uncomfortable or even lost with them but despite being confused at them myself at the beginning, I soon got used to the pace and I loved it. Maybe because having read the books and played the games helps, of course. But my husband that is only familiar with the videogames and has never touched the books got used to it immediately, too. So really it’s a matter of will, in this case.

What else: the music was delightful. I was expecting it to be trash because the videogames’ soundtrack is such a masterpiece that I was sure it could be not beaten. Well, it wasn’t anyway, but the show’s soundtrack was decent enough and even amazing at some tracks. I’m very happy they are releasing it tomorrow, because I’m sure as hell I am getting a playlist for my long hours of correcting projects and exams. Also, Joey Batey, again! What a lovely voice!

The show has done really a good work with the female characters. They were already outstanding, empowered and self-aware in the books, even standing for their agency more than in the videogames, sometimes, so I’m happy the show presented this legion of amazing heroines for the newcomers to love and enjoy. Now, I’m biased because Yennefer has been always my personal favourite, but each one of them are fantastically portrayed: the sorceresses, the queen, the princesses, the swordswomen... Kudos to another unexpected miracle: Jodhi May as Calanthe. 

Has the show some flaws or things I didn’t like? Of course. Everything can’t be perfect. Personally I didn’t like all the Brokilon arc, it was depicted awfully in the show. I think the last scene, the reunion between Geralt and Ciri, would have worked much better if being loyal - dialogue wise - to the book instead of that awkward silence with just two random lines. In general, Ciri’s arch is a bit dull and boring, but honestly not much more could’ve been done with the changes they took. And yes, the golden dragon episode and the Blaviken episode feel, somehow, rushed and unclear. On the contrary, the rest of episode 1 and 3 were almost canonically perfect. Finally, the physical removal of the uterus and ovaries as a way to sterilize the Aretuza adepts was a bit shocking and gory for my taste, this detail was never clearly specified in the books and it seems added for shock value. I’ve always assumed this sterilization was magical/chemical, not surgical. 

But these are sins of the adapting I can pass. I am grateful for Yennefer’s arch, which is barely explored in the books and deserved some focus, and I’m also glad for the portrayed diversity of the show. I know so many people has hated the diverse cast, but I love it and I think it didn’t feel forced; in fact, it was needed for awareness of the main point of the story: exploration about hatred among races. If an actress or actor delivers a good portrayal, caring about the color of the skin is just utter and plain racism. 

I also like the sensuality and mature content in the series because it’s a remarkable aspect of the books and it was handled with tasteful delicacy. Not even the nudity felt forced or out of place, Witcher universe has been always mature and sensual.

Another trait both present in the books and games is the dark humor and the goofy situations. What I loved the most about the Witcher universe was this kind of humor, nonexistent in the classics of high fantasy and scarce in the modern ones, but always generous in The Witcher. This is faithfully depicted in the show and has given us plenty of funny and goofy scenes and dialogues. It’s a shame so many people has understood this as a lack of quality or a Netflix input. It isn’t. It’s true to the source. After all, the whole Witcher universe is a self-parody of fantasy genre itself. Taking too much seriously what you see would be the first mistake. Sapko - the author - was the first one to laugh at his own stories.

I think this is getting too long, I’m sorry. All in all I’ve enjoyed the show and I’m looking forward Season 2. I think they did fantastic things and I hope they will keep delivering, expecting them to correct some minor flaws and move on with better world building and character development. Thanks for asking.