#Singaporean movie

[celluloidrainbow]

妖街皇后 | BUGIS STREET (1995) dir. Yonfan It’s monsoon season in Singapore. Bugis Street, the epicentre of nightlife and unchained libido, is where a band of hedonistic people has taken root at wacky love hotel SinSin. Innocent and naive, the 17-year-old Lian is a maid to a rich family in Malaysia, whose sheltered existence is shattered when she is sent to work at the hotel. Lian soon learns about another side of life once she meets the inhabitants of her new home, a group of friendly trans women who make their living on the streets. (link in title)

[dangermousie]

I am sure this will be a serious and high minded movie seeing that it’s premiering at Cannes but me being the unserious and vulgar person, all I can think of is:

[minasfilmdiary]

15: the movie (2003)

[florelia12]

The day before my last submission is the day I suddenly get inspired to write a Riven & Helia fic about their friendship and them having an emo talk before Riven leaves in season 6, why must the universe test me soo!!!!

^^ Everytime someone talks about Rivelia it reminds me of this fucking scene! Like look at him, look at Helia! I have so many thoughts shit!

[pillarboxed]

Mencari Hajar (2023) Review

Director: Sanif Olek

Runtime: 88 minutes

Language: Malay, Mandarin, and English audio; English and Malay subtitles

Certification: PG (Singapore)

Hajar (Nora Samosir) holding her identity card.

When I’m visiting relatives in Singapore for Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Haji (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha), the TV is usually playing in the background. It often feels like there’s scenes awash with anguish and tears, which I’ve found strange, considering that we’re supposed to be celebrating. I expected that Mencari Hajar, last year’s Hari Raya Haji telefilm special, would have a similar sort of overly sentimental tone. I’m normally hesitant about this, my interest more quickly piqued by stories with subdued emotions—think something like Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story or Late Spring—but I hadn’t (and still haven’t) seen enough film and TV from my home country, so I decided to give Mencari Hajar a try.

The film’s title can be translated from Malay into English as “Looking for Hajar”. This describes what Kenny Goh (Michael Chua), a Chinese man, has been doing for a long time now: he’s been searching for his aunt (Nora Samosir) who was given away to a Malay-Muslim family as a baby. He doesn’t know that she goes by the name “Hajar”, though. He doesn’t know much about her at all. But Kenny is determined to realise his father’s final wish of reuniting with his little sister.

The overall tone of Mencari Hajar turned out to be well-balanced. While the start and end make extensive use of dramatic or melancholic music over slow motion or close-ups on faces, they don’t feel overdone. The middle sections are kept quite light, with gentle or playful instrumentals often being used to alleviate tension. For example, when Kenny’s adult daughter, Sarah (Joyce Harn), finally visits her parents after some time. Kenny nags at her incessantly—and her husband, over video call—but with the music, along with a hand-held camera gently moving with the characters, it’s a scene that feels light-heartedly familiar rather than frustrating. Even after Hajar’s daughter, Rina (Sharon Ismail), reveals the huge mistake she’s made, the film doesn’t shove their overwhelming emotions onto us. It makes us sit quietly with the characters. They’re mostly filmed in a two-shot, allowing us to see Hajar’s expression grow naturally from shock to despair to anger to acceptance while Rina sobs near her.

From left: Hajar's brother and Hajar's father

Since Mencari Hajar was made for Hari Raya Haji, it stands to reason that there needed to be some connection made to the holiday. So, while Kenny is trying to find Hajar, she is preparing to leave the country for Hajj*. This is one of the film’s several subplots.

Another subplot follows Sarah, who is not only Kenny’s daughter but also Hajar’s neighbour. Sarah moved into their apartment building about six months ago; the film depicts their growing bond even before discovering they’re relatives.

As well as adoption, Mencari Hajar portrays another way intercultural families can be formed: through marriage. Sarah is married to a Malay-Muslim man, and the film explores what this means for themselves and their families. Since Sarah is pregnant, the topic of postpartum care arises. Which tradition should she follow? Should she follow her Chinese mother’s advice? Or should she use the medicines that her Malay mother-in-law gave? The film doesn’t give us an answer. My mum, who’s been in a similar position to Sarah, didn’t use either traditional medicine. Maybe Sarah will do that.

The remaining subplot focuses on Rina’s struggles with supporting two young children as a single mother. Compared to the others, this story thread seems a bit out of place but by the end of the film, we’re shown its relevance.

From left: Kenny's wife/Sarah's mother, Kenny (Michael Chua), and Sarah (Joyce Harn)

At first, it felt like the story suddenly wrapped up all too nicely—despite its bittersweet ending. After further thought, however, I decided that even if my “logical mind” isn’t fully satisfied, the ending does work. I’d describe it as eucatastrophic.

Deus ex machina, a concept related to the eucatastrophe, doesn’t need to be avoided as much as common writing advice asserts that it does. That’s what I learnt from this film. In a LitHub article by Jonathan Walker, he discusses how he used a eucatastrophe in a novel written for his PhD in creative writing. He recounts his supervisor saying, “This is a story about Christian characters and beliefs. Shouldn’t it also have a Christian plot structure?” Walker explains that “[the] whole concept of the deus ex machina implies a secular worldview, in which divine intervention can never be the real subject of a drama, and so its introduction is always evidence of a failure of human imagination.”

Well, Mencari Hajar is a story written for an Islamic holiday. Shouldn’t it have an Islamic plot structure? I think it should. And it does. Which is very fitting.

Rating: 4/5

Mencari Hajar is available to stream on mewatch.

*Hajj is an Islamic pilgrimage that takes place annually but is only required to be performed by Muslims at least once in their lifetime. Hari Raya Haji takes place during the days of Hajj.

Last updated: Sep 2, 2024

[fagofgod]

hm ok. 花样年华 theme. yayyy

[batshit-auspol]

With the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, many of the former empire's resources were sold off to the highest bidder, and their $14 billion space shuttle program was no exception.

Seeking to recoup some of that eyewatering spend, in 1998, the "Buran" (Russia's answer to the American Space Shuttle) was offered up for sale on eBay for $10 million.

No serious offers were received - with most people assuming the listing to be a joke, until the New York Post confirmed the sale, with Russian authorities stating they "actually have two" if anyone is interested.

(Pictured: A later auction of a smaller scale Buran in 2005)

Sensing an opportunity, a group of Aussie entrepreneurs including Australia's first astronaut and the lawyer for Prime Minister Paul Keating offer to lease the shuttle from Russia, to put it on display in Australia during the Sydney Olympics.

After gaining permission from the Kremlin for the lease, in 1999 the Russian military briefly stops bombing Chechnya in order to dismantle the Buran, and it is placed on a barge to be shipped to Sydney on the (soon to be infamous for other reasons) Tampa shipping vessel at a cost of $5 million.

Once in Sydney, after a disastrous few months on display where crowds failed to flock to the shuttle exhibition featuring such compelling educational offerings as "activities is to assist in the development of issues of nutrition and hygiene at home" (an actual quote from their website) - the leasing company declared bankruptcy and washed their hands of the space shuttle completely.

The Buran Gift shop where you could buy soviet space ship themed football jerseys, in case you needed one of those

One of four people listed on the lease, described as a business partner of the Prime Minister, also claims he never knew he was a director of the company, which went on to cause a lot more problems.

This whole debacle presented a slight issue for the cash strapped Russian authorities, who had now only been paid $100,000 for the 9 year lease of the shuttle instead of the $600,000 they were owed. Eventually the decision was made to abandon the once $1 billion Soviet pride and joy in a Sydney carpark, where it resided for a year under a small tarpaulin.

Failed attempts to be rid of the shuttle included a 12 day auction hosted by an LA radio station, where listeners were offered the chance to buy the shuttle for $6 million, however all bids turned out to be pranks and the shuttle remained.

Multiple attempts were also made to sell the shuttle to Tom Cruise, with the exacerbated movie star's representatives repeatedly telling the insistent traders that he was not interested in owning a Russian spaceship.

Eventually a Singaporean group dismantled the shuttle and shipped it overseas, however Russian authorities soon reported they once again had been failed to be paid for the lease. Singaporean representatives responded that they definitely had paid for the shuttle, and that they simply couldn't remember when or how much was paid.

Representing the Russian government, Lawyer Suhaila Turani told the Wall Street Journal “I feel sorry for the Russians. They’re good in space, but they’re very naive in business.”

For a time the shuttle was abandoned in the storage yard of event company Pico, with the company owner telling the Wall Street Journal "I just want this thing out of my life" after three years of being stuck with it.

A few years later the shuttle was found by German journalists dismantled in a junkyard, and it was then bought and shipped to Germany to be put on display a museum, so all's well that ends well (except they dropped it from a crane while trying to set it up, but it polished up okay).

[maevebabyy]

OBVIOUS

megan skiendiel x fem reader

req! - "Maybe megan x reader (7th member) fluff where they’ve been having feelings for each other for a while but none of them dares to do anything about it, until they end up confessing to each other"

a/n - LETS GOOO FIRST MEGAN FIC

wc - 2.7k

“are you wearing my sweater?” you ask the chinese-american girl who was currently lounging in your bed beside you.

megan glances down at the oversized sweater she was wearing, the sleeves hanging past her fingertips. “mm, yeah. It’s comfy,” she replies, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

you can’t help but chuckle at the casual response you receive from the younger girl. “mhm. you realize that’s the fourth one you’ve taken from me this week?”

she shrugs, a playful grin now spreading across her features. “what can i say? you have nice sweaters. plus, i think they like me better.”

“right, because sweaters have feelings now.” you roll your eyes, feigning annoyance.

at megan’s request, you were once again watching crazy rich asians. leaning back into your pillows some more, megan follows suit, her head resting comfortably on your shoulder.

it had become a ritual of sorts– megan would come over to your room, or vice versa, and you’d settle in and do an activity together. whether it was binge-watching a series, a movie night, or just scrolling mindlessly through tiktok together. sometimes you’d be doing separate activities, the silence comfortable between you two as you continued on with whatever you two did.

the other members knew about yours and megan’s comfortable little routine. often teasing you two about it but still giving you guys the space to enjoy your time together.

“y/n?” megan pauses the movie, pulling you aside from your thoughts.

you turn towards her, curious. “yeah?”

“so, my mom sent me two tickets to the aquarium downtown”

“mhm?”

“do you wanna go together next weekend?”

you don’t put much thought into your answer, you were willing to do anything with megan. “yeah, sounds like fun. why’d your mom send only two tickets though?”

the singaporean shrugs, grinning softly. “dunno, but do you wanna go friday or saturday?”

“let’s go friday.” you reply.

“cool, am i driving or you?”

“i’ll drive,” you chuckle softly, “you suck at parking downton”

megan feigns offense, sitting up slightly, “hey, i”m not that bad at parking.”

you laugh, shaking your head. “like that time you parked in front of a fire hydrant?”

“it was one time!”

-

as the day of the aquarium approached, megan’s excitement quickly transformed into a flurry of nervous energy. she stood in front of her closet, clothes strewn everywhere, while her roommate lara sat cross legged on her bed, watching with an amused expression.

“ugh, why is this so hard?” megan muttered, tossing aside a black graphic tee. “i literally have nothing to wear!”

“you know you can just wear whatever you want, right? it’s not like the fish are gonna judge you.” lara smirks, enjoying the panic in the room.

megan shoots a look at her roommate, her hands resting on her hips. “but what if i wear something too casual? or dressy? i need to look cute, but also comfy! this is a big deal!”

“relax, meg. It’s just a day out with y/n.” the indian girl leans back, grabbing a piece of popcorn from the bowl beside her. “just wear something that you like.”

“are you seriously eating popcorn while i’m stressing out?”

lara laughs at megan’s offended expression. “you’re getting so worked up over this, it’s funny. it’s y/n, megan. i mean, did you even clarify that you wanted this to be a date or does she think this is just another hangout?”

the ‘06 girl flushes at slightly at lara’s question. “i-i mean, i haven’t exactly said anything. i thought she’d maybe pick up on the hints!”

lara snorts a little, “yeah, keyword: maybe. you know that girl is as dense as a rock!”

“could i be more obvious?” megan groans, “i mean– i’ve stolen like half her sweaters at this point.”

“we steal each other’s clothes all the time, megan” lara grabs some more popcorn. “you need to be more forward. just tell her how you feel!”

“way easier said than done, lara” megan huffed, plopping down onto her bed in frustration. “what if she doesn’t feel the same way? what if i ruin everything? i don’t wanna ruin our friendship.”

“meg, are we talking about the same y/n? the same one who willingly lets you into her room anytime you want?” lara laughs, throwing a piece of popcorn at the girl to get her up. 

“yes, lara! who else?” megan huffs once more.

“oh my god, you’re so down bad for her” lara laughs once more, prompting megan to hold up her pillow threateningly.

“okay, okay!” lara throws her hands up in defense as she finally gets up from her bed. “let’s get this outfit situation sorted out.”

-

meanwhile, in your room, you had some soft music playing in the background– oblivious to the chaos happening in megan and lara’s shared bedroom.

manon sat in your gaming chair, scrolling through instagram on her phone.

“manon, what do you think?” you ask, holding up some baggy black jeans, a black shirt, and a blue/white zip up cardigan.

the swiss girl glances up from her phone towards you, “that looks good, what shoes are you gonna wear with it?”

“probably just my black forces.” you reply, “i’m gonna go change in the bathroom really quick.”

you head off into the direction of the house bathroom, chuckling softly to yourself as you pass by lara and megan’s shared bedroom– briefly hearing the commotion inside.

you go into the bathroom, pulling up the baggy jeans and slipping into the black shirt. as you put on the cardigan, you glace at yourself in the mirror. you looked presentable, you think.

feeling satisfied, you head back into your room, showing off the outfit to manon. “did the vision eat?” you ask, striking a pose.

manon looks up from her phone again, taking in your outfit. “oooh, okay, yeah, the vision ate.” she replies, giggling lightly. 

“mm, thanks. i figured i should i should at least look presentable since we’re actually going out somewhere.” you lay down on your bed, pulling out your phone to check the time. you’d be leaving in about ten minutes. “megan’s been looking forward to this all week.”

manon raises an eyebrow, a knowing smile creeping onto her face. “are you sure this isn’t more than just a friendly outing? you seem a bit extra for just hanging out.”

you roll your eyes, trying to play it cool. “it’s not like that… or maybe it is? i don’t know.” you chuckle, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation.

“you’re both painfully so obvious, y/n.” manon giggles.

“shut up,” you chuckle, rolling your eyes. “this is just another hangout”

“mhm, hangout.” the ‘02 girl teases.

“yes, hangout.” you say stretch your limbs as you get out of your bed, grabbing your car keys off your desk. “anyway, we’re gonna go now.”

manon waves you goodbye, smirking softly, “mhm, use protection y/n!”

you flip her off before leaving your room, shaking your head softly at your friend’s antics.

-

you arrived at the aquarium, the sun casting a warm glow on the entrance as you stepped out of your car. the building was massive, which was to be expected considering it was the top rated aquarium within los angeles.

“damn, this place is massive” you chuckle, taking in the sight.

“it gets better inside” megan says happily, a wide grin plastered on her face.

“you’ve been here before?” 

“yeah, with my parents when i was younger.” she nods at your question, gently tugging you along towards the entrance of the aquarium. “c’mon, let’s go y/n!”

the moment you entered, the soft sounds of water splashing and the vibrant colours of fish swimming greeted you. the expansive lobby featured large glass windows showcasing a massive tank filled with dazzling marine life, instantly gaining your attention. families milled about, kids pointing excitedly at the various sea creatures, laughter ringing through the air. couples held hands, taking selfies with the colourful backdrop if the fish swimming by, and the atmosphere was alive with joy.

you and megan wandered in, her eyes wide with awe as she pointed out a school of colourful fish darting around. “look at them!” she exclaimed, tugging at the sleeve of your cardigan, her enthusiasm infectious. you couldn’t help but smile at how excited she was.

“yeah, they’re really pretty” you reply, taking in the sight of megan pointing at the school of fish. as you walked further into the aquarium, you both marveled at the vibrant displays of marine life– jellyfish floating gracefully, a gigantic tank filled with a variety of tropical fish, and even a shark (which megan pretended to kiss.)

after a while, you noticed the temperature inside the aquarium had dropped a bit. megan rubbed her arms, shivering slightly.

you notice the small action, and, without thinking, you slipped off your cardigan and draped it over her shoulders. “here, take this. you look like you need it more than i do.”

the younger looks up at you, surprise shrinking in her eyes. “you sure? i don’t want you to end up cold now.”

“it’s fine, really. i’ve got a t-shirt underneath,” you assured her, grinning as you adjusted your cardigan around her. the sleeves fell just past her fingertips, making her look adorably snug. “see? you look great.”

“thanks, y/n.” she smiled, her cheeks slightly pink, probably from the cold, as she pulled the cardigan tighter around herself.

you both continued exploring, the chill forgotten as you moved deeper into the aquarium. families and couples were everywhere, kids squealing with delight as they spotted turtles and sharks. the atmosphere was lively, yet peaceful, filled with laughter and soft sounds of water splashing.

as you wandered through the exhibits, the noise gradually faded, giving way to a more intimate setting. the path led you to a quieter section, where the tanks were surrounded by dimmed lighting. here, couples were taking their time, sharing hushed conversations and leaning into each other, completely absorbed in the experience.

“wow, it feels different back here,” you remark, glancing at megan, who was watching a mesmerizing display of jellyfish pulsating gracefully into the water.

“yeah, it’s nice,” she replies softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “i love how peaceful it is.”

you shared a comfortable silence, watching the jellyfish dance, their translucent bodies glowing softly in the dim light. the ambiance felt intimate, almost magical, as if the world outside had faded away. just then, as you turned to move on, you spotted an ice cream shop tucked away in a cozy corner. a sign outside read: “free ice cream for couples!”

you raise an eyebrow, curiosity piqued, “look megan, free ice cream. is that why there’s so many couples around?”

megan’s eyes light up, a playful glint shining though as she follows your gaze. “oh my god! they still do that?”

“do what?”

she turns towards you, a wide grin on across her face. “you get free ice cream if you kiss your partner in front of them! my parents did this for me when we went last time to get me ice cream. i can’t believe they still do this!”

another comfortable silence falls between you two, before megan breaks it first. “do you wanna get some ice cream?

you hesitated, a mix of nerves and uncertainty swirling in your stomach. “i mean… ice cream would be nice, but we’d have to kiss first, right?” 

the 06’s playful smile turned into a mischievous grin, “exactly! come on, it’ll just be a quick peck. it’ll be quick!”

you swallowed, the thought of kissing her sending your heart into overdrive. “i don’t know… it might be awkward.”

“it won’t be! it’ll be quick, y/n!” she insisted, leaning in a little closer, her enthusiasm spilling over to you. “plus, think about the ice cream!”

you chuckle, glancing back at the shop. contemplation apparent on your face.

megan rolled her eyes dramatically, playfully nudging you. “you think too much, y/n, it’ll be a quick kiss.”

the more you thought about it, the more appealing the idea became. megan said it herself right? it wouldn’t be awkward?.  after a moment’s pause, you finally relented. “okay. just a quick kiss, and then we get ice cream.”

her eyes sparkled with excitement. “exactly, just a peck, and then we can indulge.”

as you both walked toward the ice cream shop, you felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness. the cheerful attendant smiled knowingly as you approached. “hi there! to get your free ice cream, you just need to kiss!”

you glance over at megan, who was practically glowing with excitement. she smiled softly at you, letting you know that she’s ready whenever you are.

what if i mess this up? what if it’s too awkward? you thought, feeling your heart race as megan leaned closer. but her smile was so genuine, and the warmth of her presence made you want to lean in too. 

you leaned in, feeling the warmth radiating between you. you noticed her fidgeting with the hem of your cardigan, a nervous habit you had come to recognize, and you could feel your own pulse quickening. the air felt thick with anticipation, the faint scent of her vanilla perfume swirling around you. you could hear your heart pounding in your ears as you leaned in closer, the world around you fading away.

the moment felt electric, and as your lips brushed against hers– soft and tentative– you lost yourself in it. time seemed to freeze as you both leaned into the kiss, a sweet connection forming in that brief moment.

when you finally pulled away, both of you were breathless, a mix of surprise and delight evident on your faces. “wow,” megan breathed, her cheeks flushed. “that was… nice.”

you nod your head in response, still breathless. it was definitely not just a peck.

the attendant handed you both cups of ice cream, a now forced grin on his face, “i was only really looking for a brief kiss but here are your ice creams.”

you both nod sheepishly– feeling a little embarrassed, thanking the attendant as you grab your two cups of vanilla ice cream. 

you both wandered to a small seating area nearby, the ice cream shop fading into the background as you settled into a more intimate space. you sat side by side, eating your ice cream.

unsure of what to make of the silence between you two, you tease her lightly. “does it taste like how you remember?”

megan grins softly at the tease, “it tastes better, actually.”

you hum, savouring your ice cream, letting silence fall between you two again.

megan looked at you, her expression shifting to something more serious. “so… about that kiss,” she started, her tone slightly nervous.

“yeah?” you prompted, your heart racing again.

she took a deep breath, her cheeks still tinged pink. “i really like you, y/n. like, a lot more than just friends.” her gaze held yours, steady and sincere.

your heart soared at her confession. after months of dancing around these unspoken feelings you two were finally going to talk about it.

“i like you too, megan. I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while now, but i wasn’t sure how.”

a laugh of relief escaped her, her smile brightening. “so i was being obvious? i mean, stealing your sweaters, constantly going to your room for sleepovers…”

“trust me, i noticed,” you admitted, grinning, “i was just scared i was reading it all wrong.”

“i guess being direct really is the best way to clear things up” megan giggles lightly.

you chuckle along with her, “what made you decide this anyway? like, i mean, confess?”

“lara told me to woman up.” she laughs a bit louder.

you laugh along softly, “to be fair, i don’t think i would’ve tried anything unless you said something straight up.”

“i can see that now.” she giggles, taking another bite of her ice cream, then looks back at you with a playful flint in her eye. “so, what now?”

you consider for a moment, a smile creeping onto your face again. “honestly, probably the same exact thing we’ve been doing, except, more kisses and a label?”

“sounds perfect to me, y/n.”

a/n - rushed and not proofread 😭🙏

[homestead-akatsuka]

"Good day, grasshopper!"

for the first time ever, i - nephilapothecary 'trout' homestead-akatsuka - have finished a ref, and i want to crumble into dust

would you believe this is a 'cover page' ref? as in the actual ref i posted as a wip isn't even done? and neither are joro's expression sheets nor design notes done? sigh... long long way to go!

more info of joro and other credits under the cut because i'm scared of long posts. by long, i MEAN long i am very sorry in advance.

'name' ✧ Mai/Mugi Jorō (麦 ジョロ—) age ✧ late 20s to 30s (generally a good two years older than the sextuplets for reference) height ✧ 4'11 / 151cm birthday ✧ March 14 nationality ✧ Singaporean, Chinese (Cantonese/Hokkien) gender ✧ Non-binary pronouns ✧ They/He/She – doesn't mind any pronouns, but generally prefers them in the order shown. orientation ✧ Sapphic/Lesbian, Polyamorous, Demisexual voice-claims ✧ Saiga Mitsuki (JPN), Stephanie Beatriz (ENG)

playlist ✧ "And the sunshine greets you again, my scarab!" (to specify, the voice-claims for both JPN and ENG are Rika from Pokemon Horizons and Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn 99 respectively!)

Jorō is the current and only farmer that owns the now-revitalised land on the outskirts of Akatsuka Ward, the quaint Furusato Homestead (故郷農場). Without so much as a tie to the country, it seems as if they've appeared out of nowhere.

They are known by quite a few of the seniors in Akatsuka Ward, though mostly by the stay-at-home parents and local cooks. They make a decent living off of their crops and own a reliable little flock of hens and wild geese, with barn cats that seemed to settle in of their own accord.

One of the few friendlier citizens quickly become a familiar face to them; Jorō becomes fast friends with Matsuyo, someone who frequents their produce at the farmers' market - the fact that Jorō never charges all that much and looks way too young to be a farmer must have drawn Matsuyo in out of curiosity. They see her almost like a second mother, with her kind words and reassuring smile, whose meetings at the markets sometimes come with little gifts of food. Their meetings with Matsuyo soon extend beyond exchanging produce and small talk, and Jorō's presence in the Matsuno household become known to the sextuplets living there. Well, the few instances of their name are accompanied only with a healthy dose of motherly nagging.

A collective decision to put a stop to this endless harassment from their mother, the sextuplets attempt to confront them - and hopefully, scare them off so they wouldn't have to hear about getting jobs again.

An... unfortunate incident leads to a very rocky first impression of Jorō, but the lot of them sort it out in due time.

In the present, the idiosyncratic farmer finds themselves to be good friends with all six of the Matsuno brothers, each with their own little oddities. They are especially fond of the second, fourth, and fifth brothers: Karamatsu, their go-to buddy for so-bad-its-good western movies and playful, sometimes heartfelt talks. Ichimatsu, their quiet companion whose candid - and also morbid - conversations make for great company. And Jyushimatsu, an almost-rabid ball of energy who never gives them a day of mundanity.

𓆣

Jorō's personality and looks are a strange mismatch. Covered neck-down in intricate tattoos of insects and botanical illustrations, one would assume them to assert themselves like a delinquent would, or at least assertively enough to give off a threatening aura, even at a glance. This could not be further from the truth.

They carry themselves with an air of whimsy and have a level-headed mindset. Jorō's language, though warm and homely, can sometimes seem eccentric - choosing to refer to their friends with insect-related terms of endearment and speaking almost in roundabout manners. They rarely hold grudges, but have learnt to be quite wary of people who they find to be shady or untrustworthy. Despite the mellow persona they hold, if they ever aren't being taken seriously, they can and will make their stance clear as day, through words or force. A very 'do no harm, take no shit' attitude. Don't worry though, they're very placid most times.

Jorō comes off as polite and charming to acquaintances, but by god, do they have a potently concentrated ball of anxiety hidden in deep layers within their heart. They easily tire when they're around unfamiliar people, having to keep up the cool, composed act and having to figure out what to say to certain people so they don't come off as impolite or strange. Around friends, they loosen up quite easily and can get a little vulgar. They mean well, it's just natural habit to swear.

A hoarder of hobbies, the king of trinkets. They have a dedicated room for their old, current, and transient hobbies, as well as display shelves for all the little items they collect. You can find quite a lot of stuff in there; guzhengs, violins, embroidery, pottery wheels and more. Their current interests lie heavily in the arts and sciences, mostly illustrations, insect identification, and insect pinning. They love beetle fighting but only ever conduct it under very strict, specific circumstances – they despise hurting beetles for entertainment, and would rather have them fight naturally than force it.

An individual with a vested interest in entomology, environmental sciences, native biodiversity, and ecology. They've earned a Bachelor's Degree in Science and minored in entomology in Australia, they WILL talk your ear off about insects do NOT mention insects around them you will REGRET IT.

Jorō Trivia 𓆣

✧ They speak English, Japanese, German, Mandarin, and some Cantonese! It's mostly swears for Cantonese but they can also converse in it too.

✧ Aside from the Matsuno family, they're cloae buddies with Chibita! They sell daikon and fresh eggs to them and accepts coupons for free oden sometimes.

✧ They hand-embroider a lot of their shoes and pants! A habit they developed from their university days, in which they'd cover all the accidental acid spills and bleach stains with floral and insect motifs.

✧ Their parents enrolled them into a lot of extracurriculars as a kid, so they end up being decent at a lot of things; first aid, singing, violin, guzheng, etc. They're no master though.

✧ A lot of animals seem docile around them. They've managed to befriend a family of geese on their property, formed an alliance with the feral barn cats that take residence in their shed, and somehow managed to figure out a compromise between the crows that always want a bite of their crops. How they do it, nobody knows.

𓆣

god okay I took a LOT of inspiration from @/puffpawstries and @/flowerakatsuka's refs for honno and kuroba respectively, my apologies if i might have mirrored a few things too much GWAHAH

my style's usually quite clashing with the ososan style but i think i managed to balance it! here's the blue linework version even though it's. ngl it's a lil ugly HAHAGSJ

falls over and turns to dust

[muldj0rd]

I don’t want you like a best friend || Maxiel

Summary: Max is head over heels for Daniel, and efter the Singapore '24, he wants to make Daniel feel better, but is way too nervous to make a move

Warnings: Anal, anal fingering, unprotected sex, cremepie, blow job, not beta read

masterlist || AO3

“Amigo. You okay?” Checo asked Max as he saw him looking off into the distance

“I just feel bad for him” Max mumbled, Checo now noticed Max was staring at Daniel across the paddock

“Of course you do. He’s you’re best friend” Checo hummed, shrugging slightly

I don’t want you like a best friend Max thought as he kept looking at Daniel

“Yeah. He is” Max was utterly in love with Daniel. He thought he was being obvious about it, but apparently not, since nobody had picked up on it. He had told Charles when he was drunk once, but never uttered a word about his feelings after that

“I want to help him- make him feel better some how” Max muttered, his eyes starting to strain as he didn’t want to let Daniel out of his sight, even if it was only to blink

“Get him dinner. Take him to the movies. Play paddle with him” Checo suggested with a slight shrug again “Do something with him that he loves”

Dinner? Sounds like a date. Paddle? Daniel would get sweaty and Max would get horny. Movies it is

Max nodded softly “Thank you”

“No problem” Checo shrugged

After the Singaporean race, and Max knew that Daniel was back in Monaco, he shot him a message, asking him if he wanted to watch a movie in the cinema that he knew Daniel had been talking about going to see himself

Daniel replied with a yes. They found a date and time, Max offering to pay it all, but Daniel refused to let Max pay it all, so they split it

There weren’t a lot of people at the cinema. That was good when Max had ordered tickets for the back row

Max knew, that if he had to make a move, it had to be doing it under the movie, but he didn’t want to disturb Daniel, he seemed so focused on the screen

“You keep staring at me” Daniel whispered, leaning a little closer to Max, his eyes still stuck to the screen

“What? N-no I’m not” Max stuttered, looking away, hoping the darkness around him covered the blush of his cheeks

“If you say so” Daniel hummed, loosely intertwining his fingers with Max’s, making sure he could pull away if he wanted to

Max blushed deeper, crossing his legs, whimpering quietly at the touch

It was incredible what one simple touch from Daniel did to him, even more so when Daniel started rubbing his thumb over the back of Max’s hand

Max was starting to sweat a lot, more than if he had just invited Daniel to play paddle

His heart was beating fast as well, way too fast. A pace that wasn’t healthy, causing him to get light headed as well

“Are you okay, Maxie?” Daniel whispered, putting the back of his hand against Max’s forehead

“‘M fine” Max mumbled, squirming in his seat

“Come on. Let’s get some air” Daniel stood up, pulling Max with him by his hand

“You don’t have to. I know you’ve been wanting to watch this movie” Max whispered, Daniel keeping on pulling him out

“You’re more important” Daniel argued as they got out of the cinema and into cool air hitting them like a brick wall, making Max sigh heavily, leaning against the railing, having let go of Daniel by now

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Daniel put a hand on Max’s back between his shoulder bales, causing Max’s breath to hitch “I can drive you home if you’re getting sick”

“N-no. I-I’m fine” Great. The chance of making a move on Daniel was ruined because he acted like a love-sick teenager

“You don’t look-“ Daniel was cut off when Max pulled him close by his waist, kissing him firmly

Daniel kissed back immediately, holding Max by his hips, pushing him softly back against the railing, caging him in

Daniel pulled away, needing air “See? Fine” Max panted, making Daniel chuckle softly “Just… Very, very much in love” Max mumbled quietly, looking away from Daniel

It gave Daniel the chance to kiss at Max’s neck softly, making Max whimper softly, his hands falling from Daniel’s waist the to railing beside Daniel’s own hands

“Daniel” Max whined quietly

The drive to Daniel’s apartment was a blur, just up until Daniel had Max pinned against the elevator wall, kissing him firmly

“Danny” Max whined, his hands under Daniel’s shirt, digging his nails into his waist

“I can’t make the elevator go faster, Max” Daniel chuckled, kissing down Max’s neck and throat

The elevator doors finally opened on the right floor, Max not hesitating to push Daniel off and pull him out

Max was pressed up against the closed door in no time, but he was quick to turn them around and sinking to the floor, now eye levelled with Daniel’s crotch

“Fuck” Daniel breathed out, one hand on the back of Max’s neck, holding it there softly, the other on his shoulder

He bit his bottom lips softly when Max started unbuckling his belt, zipping his zipper down and undoing the button

Max whimpered softly when he saw the size of Daniel as he pulled his jeans and briefs down just enough

“Come on, baby. You can take it” Daniel encouraged softly, the hand on the back of his neck moving to his jaw, his thumb caressing Max’s skin

Max nodded softly at Daniel’s words, spitting in his hand before slowly stroking Daniel. Loose and softly

“Fuck. Maxie- stop teasing” Daniel moaned softly when Max’s thumb brushed over Daniel’s slit

Max smiled softly before licking a stripe from the base of Daniel’s cock to the tip, circling him once before taking as much of Daniel in his mouth as possible, gaging slightly around him

Daniel didn’t let Max set a pace. His hand was immediately in his short hair, moving his head at his own desired pace

Max held onto the back of Daniel’s thighs tightly, gagging every time Daniel hit the back of his throat, which was pretty often

Tears started gathering in Max’s eyes, causing Daniel to pull him off of his cock, watching as Max gasped for air, and a string of spit connected them

“You okay, darling?” Daniel asked softly, caressing Max’s jaw softly

“Mhm. Let me keep going” Max said, but Daniel pulled him away when he went back to Daniel’s cock “Please” He whimpered

“I wanna come inside you” Max’s body shouldn’t flush red like it did at just those words

“Strip and get on the bed” Daniel said, watching as Max hurried into the bedroom, chuckling slightly at his reaction

Daniel slowly moved to the bedroom, pulling off his shirt once he closed the door behind him, sure enough seeing Max naked as he laid on his back in the middle of the bed

“God, you’re cute when you obey” Daniel chuckle that Max let out as he pushed his jeans and briefs proper down and stepped out of them

He walked around to the night stand, pulling the lube out of the drawer before spreading Max’s legs, sitting on his knees between them

“Bend” Daniel patted Max’s thigh softly, pouring some lube on his fingers, warming it up as Max bend his knees

Daniel circled Max’s hole, smirking softly at the whines and whimpers he let out of his throat

He slowly pushed one finger inside, hearing Max’s small moan which he covered with his hand over his mouth

“No, no. Baby, let me hear you” Daniel hummed, pushing Max’s hand away from his mouth

Max whimpered as Daniel had now intertwined their fingers again, his other hand slowly pumping his finger in and out of Max

Daniel softly pushed in another finger when Max was loose enough, slowly getting him more stretched out

Max moaned louder once Daniel started curling his fingers to hit his prostate. Soft and slow at first

When Max was loose enough, Daniel added a third finger, starting to almost *pound* his finger up into Max’s prostate, getting the younger a moaning mess under him

“Please, Daniel. Please. I’m ready- jus’ fuck me” Max managed to pant out between his moans, holding onto the sheets beneath him, knuckles turning white

Daniel chuckled softly, slowly pulling his fingers out of Max, making him whine at the emptiness

Daniel’s belt became wet with the lube when he unbuckled it, pushing his jeans and briefs to the floor, stepping out of them before getting back onto the bed in between Max’s legs

He poured lube into his palm, stroking himself, getting himself wet with the lube, lining himself up with Max’s hole

Max whined, wrapping his legs around the older man’s hips, pulling him closer, only making him whimper when the head of Daniel’s cock pushed into him

“Fuck” Daniel groaned softly, putting both of his hands on Max’s hips, slowly pushing further inside him

“Danny” Max whined, his nails digging into the Aussie’s biceps, leaving half circle marks in his skin

“Shh. I got you, darlin’. Just need to get you adjusted” Daniel panted heavily, making Max whine at the rejection

“Please” Max put his hands on Daniel’s jaw, pulling him down to kiss him tender. Soft and un-rushed, but it was filled with love

“Fuck- you’re really making it hard for me to not move” Daniel chuckled, leaning back again “But I guess that’s the point” He smiled softly

“Mhm. Yes, it is. Please, Daniel. Please- I need it so-“ He cut himself off with a loud moan when Daniel pulled out and roughly slammed into him

He did this a few times before he sat a fast and rough pace, angling Max’s hips so he could hit his prostate dead on

“Danny! Please-“ Max was a moaning, babbling mess under Daniel, who was groaning and moaning softly

Sweat was coating Max’s body, sweat from Daniel’s curls dripping onto his body as well

In any other setting, it would be disgusting, but the only thing that contained their minds were how close they both were to their orgasms

“Touch yourself for me, Maxie” Daniel moaned softly, his hands fighting around Max’s hips

Max shook his head as best as he could “N-no. I’ll come too fast” He gasped out

“Don’t worry, baby. I’m close too. Touch yourself” His tone became almost demanding

Max could do nothing else but obey. He back arched, hand around his cock, stroking himself, his other hand on Daniel’s bicep

“Fuck, baby. Come for me, love” Max couldn’t hold back anymore, and almost screamed Daniel’s name as he came, his whole body shaking as his hole fluttered around Daniel’s cock

Daniel moaned louder than he had the whole night when he came, his hips stuttering as he kept himself buried inside max as he came

They were both panting heavily as Daniel laid down on top of Max, breathing into his sweaty neck

“I don’t want you like a best friend” Max panted, kissing Daniel’s shoulder softly “I want more”

“Much more” Daniel agreed with a slight chuckle

[kostektyw]

Detco movies rated based on how much shit gets exploded / destroyed

The Time-Bombed Skyscraper - the whole premise is about blowing up stuff, but it's shame no trains got got, 7/10

The Fourteenth Target - it's just an underwater restaurant that is pretty out of the way from anything else and we have no prior attachment to. bonus for the helicopter crash, 5/10

The Last Wizard of the Century - an entire castle does get burned down, but it's no explosion, 6/10

Captured in Her Eyes - just some regular old murder, 0/10

Countdown to Heaven - truly a 9/11 movie. point detracted for leaving the second tower intact, 8/10

The Phantom of Baker Street - the entire thing takes place in VR, so it shouldn't even count, but no one even gets their brain blown up :( 0/10

Crossroad in the Ancient Capital - somehow nothing gets bombed or destroyed? Conan tries a little arson but is unsuccessful, -1/10

Magician of the Silver Sky - a plane gets somewhat mistreated, 2/10

Strategy Above the Depths - a whole damn ship sinks, it's all very dramatic, 9/10

The Private Eyes' Requiem - despite the constant threat of exploding people, barely anything gets exploded. half a point for Kid using a gun on some windows, 1.5/10

Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure - i guess they do find that ancient pirate ship and it immediately falls apart, 5/10

Full Score of Fear - plenty of shit gets blown up including a concert hall while no one inside realizes anything's wrong. you'd think they'd have some fire warning system in place, 10/10

The Raven Chaser - sadly no explosions, but the tower gets shot at hard, and the helicopter does not end up fine, tho no actual crash on screen, 5/10

The Lost Ship in the Sky - only a research facility we don't care about gets exploded in the opening, and that airship barely gets scratched up, 4/10

Quarter of Silence - we have a train exploding out of a tunnel, a dam blown to smithereens, and an avalanche, what more could you want, 10/10

The Eleventh Striker - who can say no to some exploding stadiums, great movie for people who hate football, 8/10

Private Eye in the Distant Sea - just a rando ship at the beginning, who cares, 1/10

Dimensional Sniper - some police cars and incredibly light bombing of the tower, eh, 3/10

Sunflowers of Inferno - a cool museum gets absolutely demolished, the burning fake sunflowers are a lovely image, plus we got some proper plane mistreatment, 10/10

The Darkest Nightmare - both an explosive car crash at the beginning and a ferris wheel gets extremely destroyed, 9/10

The Crimson Love Letter - lots of explosions, and in beautiful scenery too, 10/10

Zero the Enforcer - destroying shit with a satellite is pretty imaginative, but there was not as much destruction as i hoped, 7/10

The Fist of Blue Sapphire - they're surfing on some iconic Singaporean landmarks, meanwhile an oil ship freely wrecks shit, 11/10

The Scarlet Bullet - i fully admit i have no idea what Masumi and Conan were trying to do, both the train and station ended up looking pretty rough. 10/10

The Bride of Halloween - for a movie about bombs not all that much significant shit gets destroyed, but they do go out in style at least. bonus points for covering Shibuya in goo, 9/10

[allieebobo]

Merry Crisis—Cast of characters

Romance-focused x Slice-of-life x Queer x Non-Euro-centric x Character-based

Demo | Features | Dev log | Back to Main Post | COG forum | Dedicated tumblr | Ko-fi

Credit: The wonderful amazing INSANELY talented @dumplingcatho made these STUNNING character portraits!! I am still reeling from how dang good she is. I swear she probably made a deal with the devil for this talent but I shall not question it.

Nat [M/F]

The soulmate/ex/best friend.

Your ex. Your parents never approved of them, but you suppose it doesn’t matter anymore. Despite the breakup, you’re still friends, and worse still - you still live with them in a tiny shoebox apartment. New York rent, man—it's hard to say no even though you know you should be moving on, and moving out.

Height: 6′2 (M) | 5′11 (F)

Nationality & race: African-American

Occupation: Post-doc fellow, working towards becoming a tenure-track professor.

Description:

Warm, twinkling eyes, and big, infectious laugh. Can swing from nerdy charm to extreme goofyness at the drop of a pin.

Loving, thoughtful, and kind to a fault. Relaxed, gentle demeanour

The kind of friend—and partner—you can trust with your life.

An incurable optimist.

Loves people, art/movies (especially talking about them with friends), food/cooking, their two dogs. 

Nat's dogs

Kiho [M]

Breed: Cairn Terrier

Age: 8

Description: Proud, small, intelligent, standoffish, with a stern grandpa energy. Apparently, a reader/player told me long ago that Kiho means "big boss" in Finnish colloquial slang and that was so perfect that it stuck. If Kiho were human he'd wear an old patagonia vest and spend his weekends fishing (not very adeptly).

Liz [F]

Breed: Border collie

Age: 3 (adopted when MC and Nat were already together.)

Description: Not exactly literal golden retriever energy but... close enough. A ray of sunshine, playful, easygoing, happy-go-lucky and a voracious eater (she eats everything), loves playing in puddles and has a special love for chewed up tennis balls.

Qiu [M/F]

The estranged first love / soulmates.

Your first-love (or platonic soulmate), from junior college. You’d not kept in touch, and now, they’re ridiculously successful. But, according to your intel, still…single.

Height: 5′8 (M) | 5′4 (F)

Nationality & race: Chinese Singaporean

Occupation: Public prosecutor

Description:

Extremely intelligent, with a sharp, cutting wit.

Ambitious, determined, and a bit cynical / jaded.

Dark, piercing gaze, with a completely unreadable expression.

Formal, a little bit stiff, and always impeccably dressed.

Aloof, almost intimidating presence despite their relatively average height/slim build.

Loves a job well done, being useful, stimulating conversation, and solving problems. Peace and quiet.

Shay [M/F]

The charismatic stranger.

Your neighbour (Auntie Pearl)'s new tenant. Sexy, confident, and unabashedly unconventional. Your mother definitely does not approve, but you might not be able to resist their roguish charms.

Height: 5′10 (M) | 5′6 (F)

Nationality & race: Chinese (Peranakan) Singaporean

Occupation: Lead singer & guitarist in a rock band

Description:

Thick, sweeping eyebrows, expressive eyes that twinkle at the edges, and a permanent roguish half-grin.

Tan, athletic, with an undeniable swagger to their walk. Has a penchant for sleeveless muscle tees. Good with their hands (and... possibly other parts of their body).

Adventurous, resilient, unflinchingly honest, and uncompromisingly true to themselves / the people they love.

Loves the outdoors (and constant motion), music (especially rock, reggae and soul), dancing, soccer, nature/plants (including gardening).

Other asks

[stonedragonisnthere]

HHN icon headcanons!!!

(Part 1)

Blue - Unserious hc

Red - Serious hc

(These are not related to shipping or ships but are rather personality/lore traits I’m assigning each character. These hcs also do not mind canon much. )

~~🤡🎁~~

• believe it or not, Jack is one of the best people to go to for dating advice! He knows how to control a massive crime gang and how to get and keep bitches!

• Jack is polysexual + Panromantic

• Jack and Eddie are mixed (American + Singaporean). Their parents weren’t married when Eddie and Jack were born and their father left their mother

• Jack sort of picked up certain eating habits from Dr.Oddfellow, however he does have some knowledge on cooking basic meals, think of those four ingredient “lazy mom” recipes you’d see on TikTok from time to time.

• Jack does care about his brother, he doesn’t bring it up much but has offered help to Eddie in the past

• Jack has ADHD but has found ways to help him focus on certain things

• Jack has been seen without his clown makeup by the icons so rarely that when he did, the icons tried to kill him because they thought he was a victim Adaru put in the lantern.

• Jack and Chance are both insane clown posse enjoyers

• Jack is more than willing to shoot Chance and anyone else he likes out of a canon (it’s his way of affection/very lh)

~~✂️🎩~~

•Albert Caine had brown hair when he was younger

• Albert’s way larger underneath his professional wear. After a day at work it’s a relief taking off his corset and relaxing for the night.

•Albert’s wife who he had Cindy with passed away after she was born. He chose not to date after and focused on his morgue and raising his daughter.

•He is one of the more polite icons, he is willing to talk in interrogations or explain what the icons are to people (Mostly his murder victims before their death)

• Albert secretly enjoys the carebears, his favorite care bear is Take Care Bear.

• Jack and Albert are fishing buddies

~~🎥🕷️~~

• Paulo is surprisingly durable for being only a guy, he’s survived everything from snake bites to full on getting blown up. However he does have stitches through out his whole body.

• He is very much a film snob, Definitely a gatekeeper on how much of a horror fan someone is but doesn’t move the goal point much, he’ll respect you if you say certain movies are good

• Paulo has OCD, and even through his trashy workspace, he has all of his filming equipment in specific areas made for each tool and accessory he uses and does get angry at the other icons whenever someone places something of his in the wrong place

• Billy Skorrski was one of his 6 to 7 fake IDs he has used while in Singapore

• The most Paulo is able to cook is some cup noodles and a monster energy as a drink. Whenever anybody does cook for him he wolfs his plate down then goes back to whatever he’s working on for that day.

• Paulo believes himself to be an “Alpha male” and Jack dogs on him for his beliefs

•He also gets into fights with people on subreddits

~~📖🔪~~

• Elsa is the walking Swiss Army knife of the group. She always seems to have some tool or weapon useful to the situation happening to the icons.

• Some of her favorite books are Grim’s fairytales and murder mysteries, Elsa does like when the murderer gets away in them though :)

• Her and Julian hang out from time to time. (Elsa likes the old timey movies the palace theatre plays and Julian sometimes sits down with Elsa for some tea and to listen to music)

• Elsa is a lesbian but has no interest for anyone in the lantern.

• She is willing to read tamer books depending on who’s asking (She reads to Cindy sometimes when she needs to go to bed)

• Elsa despises Dr.Oddfellow just as much as Jack does. She has her own beef with Fellow that I’ll get into in another post

• Elsa would make a booktok person bite the curb

• Nobody knows what she does with her victims tongues

[weirdstuffinthewoods]

Music in I Saw the TV Glow

Possible spoilers ahead so read at your own discretion (I’m bad at determining how much information is too much)

I’m a firm believer that one of the most important facets of I Saw the TV Glow is its soundtrack. I don’t know if Schoenbrun has an uncanny ability to track down music that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of teenage ennui or if they’ve just got really great taste. Seeing this in a (mercifully silent) movie theater really let the soundtrack form an immersive layer around me, and the moment the first notes hit, I was 15 again. Unsure of myself, extroverted on the outside but barely connected to my insides, and feeling like I was just playing a role I’d molded from what I assumed people wanted of me. The dreamy, atmospheric chords that wound around soft lofi voices with only a guitar or a keyboard called to the part of me that wanted to connect but didn’t know how.

There’s something to be said about the order of songs on the soundtrack, although it’s been awhile since I listened to an official soundtrack that was a compilation rather than a score so maybe changing the track order isn’t as radical as it feels. For now, I’m just going to talk about a couple of songs, although I’m sure as I listen obsessively to the rest, I’ll have way more to talk about.

Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl by yeule

We start with the opening credits song that haunts my TikTok fyp, Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl. This is a cover of the original sung by Broken Social Scene. The original has a whisper quality- repeating lyrics over a simple acoustic melody with strings rising in the background as the refrain starts. It feels like a girls’ garage band of the grungy 90s, almost the vibe we need but not quite.

The covering artist, yeule, is a nonbinary Singaporean who is said to “…incorporate elements of ambient, glitch, and Asian post-pop…” (Wikipedia) which makes this version much better suited to an analog horror about 90s TV nostalgia. In yeule’s version, the same acoustic melody opens to a new beat made up of interchanging robotic and static tones, while in the background, strings wait for their chance to swell in the space between the verse and refrain. It sounds like an android is slowly waking up to be this jaded pop singer who’s just existing at this point, not living. The lyrics are the same as the original, and speak of someone that’s changed, either the singer or maybe a friend that left them behind.

You used to be one of the rotten ones and I liked you for that.

Now you’re all gone, got your makeup on and you’re not coming back.

Bleaching your teeth, smiling flash, talkin’ trash under your breath.

Park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me.

In the context of the film, it feels like the crisis of identity both main characters face. This isn’t my home, you’re not my dad. The memories don’t feel like they’re yours, they belong to someone else. You’re different now, but also you know you were different then, and you’re only different now because you’re hiding in a disguise you hate. And, at least in Owen’s case (depending on your interpretation of the film’s ending), you’re not coming back. You’ll just dream about the person you know you are because you’re too far into the mask to find them again.

The bass joins in on the refrain and the ambience grows with glitch noises interspersed throughout. A strange sort of beauty begins to show and blooms when the drums kick into the chorus. You’re a teen again. It’s raining, you’re like Owen in the car, stretched across the backseat and staring at the ceiling, full of a feeling you can’t name that’s so much more than just being bored.

On TikTok, this song has become associated with a trend of kids, all much younger than me, sharing their stories of transness that was rejected by the people in their lives. A lot of them have detransitioned for safety and comfort, what little they can find by pretending it was a phase. It’s what drew me to this film, because the piece reflected their state of just physically existing in a world they don’t feel is theirs. For a lot of them, this film gave them hope or gave them new determination to make space for themselves, and I love that about it.

Another Season by Frances Quinlan

Immediately after this, we jump to the closing credits song that plays to a theater full of sobbing patrons who got it and laughing patrons who didn’t, Another Season. The jump is jarring, especially when you’re driving away from the theater in a throat-closing rush of tears (ie: me) and you’re brought straight from the introduction of this neon haze that is the suburbs to this fuzzy, pink screen that watches you come to terms with what you’ve just seen. The static breaks to silence except for a soft, melancholy acoustic melody. A soft voice speaks as if to a friend, and the chorus repeats, “If this isn’t over, what else could take shape? How will you remember it?” In the moment, especially post-there is still time, it feels like a call to action as you leave the theater crying. What could happen next? How are you going to remember your life? There are definitely multiple interpretations to this film, but I wanted to feel hope at the end, so for me, putting this song over the credits felt like Jane saying, “yes, it’s scary, and I’m leaving you to wonder what happened to Owen, but what we aren’t going to do is wonder what’s going to happen to you because there is still time.”

There’s so much more to look at in the choice of music and its juxtaposition with the visuals, but I’m going to leave this here for now with the opening and closing. Suffice to say, go see this movie. Support indie film, make the journey, it’ll be worth it if this resonated with you (but also why did you read this?? I’m sure there’s at least one mild spoiler in here).

[pillarboxed]

Belaian (2024, dir. Adi Yadoni)

[wifeymakesgifs]

jessica henwick gif pack

It is I again, hello! I finally watched Cuckoo to see what the hype was all about and...it was a movie. I liked it. What I liked more was Jessica's accent :) hashtag, if you know you know!! It was a comparatively small pack, and a birthday present to myself as well, so here we are! In the following pack, you can find 28 gifs of Jessica Henwick as Beth in Cuckoo (2024). All of these gifs were capped and colored by yours truly. Jessica is Singaporean-Chinese and Teochew, and white, so please keep it in mind when using these gifs. Feel free to REBLOG if using this pack, and be mindful of my RULES when using. Also, now more than ever, #FREE PALESTINE!

GIF PACK IS IN THE SOURCE LINK BELOW