#THIS MOVIE IS A QUEER ALLEGORY

[bisamwilson]

what’s the best superhero film ever made and why is it sky high

[beaulesbian]

- [Nimona]:You should be questioning everything right now. The will of Gloreth, the Institute, the wall. What's it all really for? - [Ballister]: For protecting the realm. - [Nimona]: Oh, you mean from villains like you? Or monsters like me?

[bidoofenergy]

pleas please ambrosius is the model knight, he's what all knights should aspire to be, he comes from the right family he does well in training, he's the model knight, he works within an institution because it benefits him--as long as he works in it, because the second the director thinks he's questioning things too much she kills him--are you picking up what im putting down? he keeps his true feelings buried--never show doubt, don't show conflict, keep your head down, do what you're told, aren't you so lucky to have this chance, aren't you glad you were born as you are and not like the others--are you hearing what im saying

(listen to eugene lee yang talk about this on the trypod)

[flagmean]

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

since i talked about how Ballister and Ambrosius were a much better enemies to lovers romance than c//a, i also want to mention that Nimona is a much better representation of trans people than Double Trouble or Perfuma ever was.

it seemed like Nate actually put effort into making Nimona's trans-ness (for the lack of a better word) REAL. it actually felt like it was canon and quite well written.

not just the fact that Nimona is a shapeshifter but also the whole thing viewed from a social lens. people viewing her as a monster and teaching their children to fear her too. Ballister telling her to stay in her girl form because it'll be "easier". Ballister initially finding her shapeshifting annoying and confusing. the Director literally being willing to kill half the kingdom in order to kill Nimona (very reminiscent to how transphobia can negatively affect EVERYONE, not just trans folk).

it actually seems like Nate put more effort into making Nimona an actual trans allegory, instead of simply slapping a label and pronouns onto her. i believe Nate drew from his own personal experiences, which is why it feels more realistic and relatable.

and this is what i don't understand about the trans/non-binary characters in spop. if Nate was indeed capable of writing good trans representation, what happened to Double Trouble?

the shapeshifter part doesn't bother me that much (as a genderqueer person, i would LOVE to be a shapeshifter) but what was the point of making them one of the only inhuman-looking characters? or having them invade the heroes' safe space disguised as a little girl? surely Nate knew the real-world implications of this, even if that wasn't the intention.

(i won't really mention Perfuma here because it doesn't seem like Nate intended to write her as trans, it was just the character designer who said that she was modelled after a trans woman.)

[watermel0ns-dumb-cringe]

I Saw The TV Glow is genuinely such a beautiful message to me. Less of a movie, moreso a message of hope that there's still time. There's still time for you to unearth the you that you could've been. Yeah, it seems a little scary once you realize you'd have to bury your past self to resurrect as a new one. If you don't? You could be feeling like your dying your entire life — none of it is real, and you're trapped in a body that doesn't belong to you, feeling it slowly rotting as your heart resides elsewhere. It's frankly quite horrifying to think about, but it's also just so. beautiful in a grotesque way. Like some dystopian body horror/existental horror type shit.

Opening yourself up to look inside is terrifying at times, because you don't know what you're going to find, and sometimes it's hard to accept that; feeling as if whatever you find makes you "wrong" in some way. It can make you feel guilty just for existing, and no matter where you go? That will follow you, potentially putting you at risk. Sometimes you've just gotta.. embrace that risk. Try on those clothes, try out new names, confide in those who see you, make that appointment, etc. There is still time.

There is still time for you to live as yourself. Not in some body that serves as a restricting cage with a name that isn't you.

It'll be a difficult journey to find acceptance from both yourself and others. But it'll be worth it. There will still be time until your very bones fade to dust against the cold wood of the coffin.

You saw the TV glow. And it sees inside of you that there's something waiting to be set free. You just gotta take a look.

[bamfwizard]

HOT TAKE: if you dismiss either of these characters being seen as queer allegory, ESPECIALLY trans allegory, then you don't know them as well as you think.

[cupids-fiction]

scream but instead of scary movies they’re really into old queer movies

Ghostface: WHO’S THE KILLER IN DEAD POETS SOCIETY, CASEY??? THATS RIGHT!! THE PATRIARCHY!!!

[foolishlyzephyrus]

I Saw The TV Glow / The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

[flawedfemalecharacter]

i love the xmen sm it fills me w sm queer joy

[ironyadays]

TW// SPOILERS FOR MH THE MOVIE 2

After watching the second Monster High movie I have one main veredict and that is Toralei and Clawdeen are never beating the "historians will call them best friends" allegations

Toralei tracing clawdeen's wraith silver scar while saying "We're werecreatures wolf, we share a moon" EXCUSE ME- YOUR HONOR THEY ARE IN LOVE

...also seriously not how our story goes is so gay like Draculaura and Clawdeen are neither beating the roommates allegations (and draculaura still remains the best dressed Ghoul in the entire franchise)

[vizthedatum]

The most insightful thing I have said all day (while watching The Substance): don’t start the substance; start HRT instead like I did - gender-affirming care is for everyone. (Post-edit (because I am clarifying my tone of voice): trans people do not need to start HRT if they do not want to. People who do not identify as trans can also receive gender-affirming care. I was being somewhat facetious when comparing a made-up treatment from a trending horror movie to a VERY REAL treatment in real life.)

Also fuck, I know I am not a system (I’ve been exploring this with my healthcare providers and for myself), but I do consider myself on the plural spectrum. A lot (not all) of trans folks also go through derealization and/or depersonalization, and this movie is bringing up a lot of this for me.

I really loved the movie.

[extremeower10100110]

talking abt barbie movie a bit, scroll past if u haven't seen

ok, this is a post about how the barbie movie is a metaphor for being trans.

let's see the plot.

-

Everything is Perfect in this Perfect life and Nothing is Wrong. you are Happy about who You are. You are You.

and then you start to have Thoughts. and Things that are supposed to feel Right are Wrong. things are Happening to your Body that you Do Not Like.

you tell someone about this.

turns out, you have a problem. something is wrong with you.

there is a Solution to this. you have to go on this Journey.

ok, you start the journey. cue harassment, anxiety, and these new emotions ?? what ??

you start dressing differently. you go to new places, do new things as part of this journey.

somebody finds out that perhaps should not have found out, and has an idea, to really Fix you, because you existing is Bad.

Sure That's A Great Idea Please Fix Me

actually no nevermind this is bad. Goodbye.

and finally, you meet someone who understands. someone who is the same as you, feeling the exact same way. you may come from completely different worlds, but you understand each other completely.

you help each other on your journey. you help each other grow, and educate the people around you that things are not as they seem. you can be yourself.

and then something happens.

you give up. stop the journey. just stay in your perfect life, where it's gotten a bit worse.

and then you get back up, and realize

the journey did not end

life is full of change and yes that is terrifying but it is also so beautiful like that

you don't know who you are anymore.

but maybe becoming your real self isn't something you need to ask permission for, it's something you have to discover that you are.

and maybe this is your real self. and it makes you happier than the last self.

and maybe you can't be what everyone expects you to be, because you're not.

you're leaving your old life behind.

this name makes me feel better than the last.

these clothes make me feel better than the last.

and maybe i'm okay being myself now, because i've changed.

i don't feel like my old self, i just feel like myself.

-

now i want you to tell me whether this is about the barbie movie,

or being trans. *

that's right, you can't, they're indistinguishable.

this is a transgender movie.

* ((i should say that the things mentioned above are in no way universal trans experiences, such as gender dysphoria, experiencing conversion therapy, changing names, etc. ))

[vanilla-voyeur]

I'm absolutely obsessed with all the one star Nimona reviews that say it was a great movie except for one single scene that ruined it by shoving their politics down our throats

[imminent-danger-came]

Nimoma has good emotional payoff and animation but nothing else to really write home about TBH

It's very SPOP in that way, where the arcs and scenes are solid when viewed outside of the media in gifset or clip form but don't work as well when actually watching what they're from

For sure! I think that's a problem she-ra and toh both share with Nimona—they struggle with setup but then go ham on the payoff, which leaves everything feeling somewhat unearned.

The end of the movie bugged me in particular—Ballister's 180 with calling Nimona a monster (something he KNOWS pushes her to the brink) after one conversation with his ex-boyfriend was...I think out of place?

Normally if you have a character make a wrong choice like that you, as the audience, would be questioning the whole movie if they had ever REALLY changed. Was Ballister's loyalty truly to Nimona or to the Institute/Goldenloin? But, by that point in the movie they had really sold me on Ballister's complete acceptance of Nimona and disregard of the institute, so....why would he turn on Nimona then? I'm surprised they didn't do this plot the other way, which would instead have only made it seem like Ballister betrayed Nimona, you know? Like they did in Tangled. That way you don't undo Ballister's movie long arc with one scene, but you can still have Nimona go berserk and make her way into the heart of the city.

There were also a couple of other things that felt kinda dropped by the end. Ballister being the first commoner to become a knight? The Queen's important role in this society? This kingdom's prejudice going SO deep that not even a child would give Nimona a chance after saving their life, yet blowing up the wall changed everyone's minds in the end?

There were a lot of good pieces, but they weren't quite put together in the right ways.

[hobbitunderthemountain]

I AM NOT IMMUNE TO CRYING AT THE END OF NIMONA EVERY TIME