#The Archies Review

[afabstract]

The Archies Review - Frothy Teen Musical

Archie is torn between Betty and Veronica, but the friends have bigger problems than romantic rivalries in Zoya Akhtar's "The Archies". Read our review of the teen musical starring Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor, Suhana Khan, Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja & Dot

⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) “Archie, Archie, you can’t just live your life for kicks. Archie, Archie, everything is politics.” Archie Andrews might be the lead vocalist of his band, but he learns a thing or two from his friends through the power of music in Zoya Akhtar’s teen musical, “The Archies.” Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor and Suhana Khan play leading trio…

[rainedreams]

Saw Alien Romulus Cailee Spaeny give me a chance

[archie-sunshine]

A Year in Review

SO ITS BEEN A LONNNNG YEAR! a very very long year, but a lovely year and a very precious year!!! I feel like because of how big a year its been, we need a recap of everything that happened, and everything that this platform has allowed me to achieve!!

SO LETS START WITH JANUARY!!

I was still in school during this month, so I didn't get to draw as much as i wanted, but i wrote a ton!! I published chapters of Survey Says, Rehab/Cohab, and also the seminal work of fiction that is Positive Reinforcement! I want to celebrate how much writing i got done, especially with how that's taken a back seat on my blog for a while now!!

In february I got more time to focus on my work, and I hit 1000 followers!!!! I conducted the first ever askbox purges, and I drew a load of art!! I also met some great new friends during this month!! (hi soda! :D)

I STARTED STREAMING IN MARCH!!! I think this was one of the best decisions i ever made, because being able to chat and hang out with everyone as i draw is always hugely inspiring. I look forward to streaming and chatting with everyone each week :]

IN APRIL I DREW TOO MUCH NON ROBOT ASS. I finally got around to watching dungeon meshi and i became absolutely fucking obsessed with fantasy. I've always been a huge interest in fae and fantasy and worldbuilding, so knightformers is such a fun creative exercise!!

and then in may my computer exploded. Not actually, the screen just broke. I drew so much knightformers in may that my screen killed itself. oops!

In june, I not only hit 2k followers, but started a stickers business!!! All of your support from that made me feel confident in my ability to sustain myself on my art, and gave me the inspiration to push myself harder as the year went on!

In july, not only did I go to my first transformers convention, I met @pinkanonwrites in person for the first time, and MY BOYFRIEND MOVED INTO MY HOUSE! This month was so busy, but meeting pink and going to tfcon was so fantastic :]

In august it was my BIRTHDAY!! :D i turned 21! And I went on a prolonged inbox hiatus to focus on establishing my art style !

In september my hiatus continued, and I created meter, the greatest blight on the tfa tag to ever exist! Everyone exploded over my sweet boy, and it made me very happy to see :D

In october, i entered what I consider my own personal renaissance!! I was incredibly inspired by tf one, and starting to use more colour in my artwork since september! I released halloween merch (and then got my account on ko-fi suspended for a bit but it was fine) and hit three thousand followers!

IN NOVEMBER I KEPT MYSELF BUSY. I worked on tons of merch, made hypnovembers, and sketched up an absolute storm. The whole month honestly feels like a blur to me. AND THEN THE CANADA POST WORKERS WENT ON STRIKE (union strong, lads, good luck!)

Andddd because of that postal strike, I had to cross the us border into america to get all of my stickers sent off!!! december has continued to be incredibly busy, but! if you're seeing this, it means I'm ON HIATUS OFFICIALLY!!! AND MY WORK IS DONE (or mostly done ehehe)

I want to give a huge thanks to all of you. Because of your support, both financially and socially, not only has my confidence grown, but with it, so has my artistic skill and my income.

Drawing for all of you has allowed me to manage my anxiety more readily with medical marijuana, has allowed me to become more financially independant and responsible, and has opened up so many doors for me socially.

doing this has always been something that was more pipe dream or fantasy than reality, so the fact I get to say I draw for a living at all is a privilege i don't take lightly in the slightest.

I will always be proud to draw for this community. Thank you everyone, and see you next year!

[pricelessreviews]

[wallbeatjournal]

Wall beat journal? Yes. I would like to read Archie's journal about how Hiram beat him off against the wall.

hiram eras rated by potential to beat archie off against the wall:

season 2: 40%. hiram's slow-play lovebombing era. he's physically dominating archie but they're meant to be allies and archie is meant to feel like he's an agent in their developing closeness. THAT SAID: carrie episode, hiram acting impulsively to keep archie in his thrall after archie gives back the car, archie's nerves and adrenaline already up and hiram gambling on a different kind of mind game to hook him even in the face of fred's disapproval (all while telling archie he's complicit in the spark they're both feeling btw). emotional handjob, face-to-face.

season 3A: 99.9%. peak hiram sadistic punishing daddy dom era. he's got archie pinned against the wall of his cell. he's got archie pinned in the locker room of that illegal underground fight club. he's barely 15 minutes late to get archie pinned in that farmhouse in athens. mean brat tamer handjob variety, obviously pushing archie facefirst into aforementioned wall.

season 3B: 5%. no walls on a boxing ring. those are called ropes. (he still would, but different list.)

season 4A: 60%. hiram comes back from prison late-ish but immediately starts pestering. we're not done here so what kind of favor can i do for you, write a life-changing blank check? whack somebody? whack you off in your tawdry little community center back office? sheriff FP, go tell archie his community center is shut down for coquette crimes. also tell him to fuck me.

season 4B: 89%. hiram is mysteriously ill and archie is dangerously sentimental about large-looming authority figures AND chasing his escapist impulses so very hard. it would be like if community service was a full-circle moment was pretending to get closure for 5 minutes maximum. archie would lean back for it so the height difference is nullified and would also want to make wet eye contact the whole time. might even try to make out.

season 5: 50/50. if that football game could have been a rude handjob it would have. but i'm also going to say it: s5 hiram is about as likely to be pinned as he is to pin, and he's definitely going to like it either way. archie might have to be goaded into it with a little dynamite, but what else is new?

[gamenburger]

ALRIGHT EVERYONE, HERE'S WHAT IM UP TO:

Thank you for finding and following me. Periodically I like to give updates to keep me accountable for what I'm working on. Here is the short list of what You will see from me in the future: MID DECEMBER: UnSanctioned RECollection (Goblin Bunker Zine Jam #3) I run a zine jam in the GOBLIN BUNKER, which I hang out in regularly. This one was about emulation and piracy (vaguely)! I am drawing the cover and finalizing the order as we speak, so expect a release for digital and all printing formats before Christmas! Find older Zine Jam entries here! https://gamenburger.itch.io/ END/BEGINNING OF the YEAR: Every year I write a long blog about every impactful media and every game I played this year. It's quite a bit, and i draw a lot of pictures for it too. Expect it this year as well on my blog, Grim In Pink | Substack SOMETIME MID JANUARY: THE RETURN OF MOBIUS LOOP Some of you may have actually followed me for sonic related reasons. THats right, i run an archie sonic read-along in the goblin bunker too with discord user rist! They're cool... and do most of the real interesting work. Issue 8 will cover EVERYTHING we've read, so it will be a great way to catch up if you want to join! you can find older issues here: https://gamenburger.itch.io/

Soon AFTER, but in no particular order:

ANALYSIS OF THE KILLER: yes. I want to revisit the game and give spoilerfic analysis- i'm not ready to let go just yet. I'll keep you all posted when i draw stuff for it.

FROM THE DESERT SAND, WE BUILT A BURGER: My current passion project... I mean to put into longform words a giant analysis on the politics of food distribution, mcdonalds, and two terrible movies I hate to my core.

A MONTHLY ARTICLE YOU CAN HAVE MAILED TO YOU? MAYBE? I may have an opportunity soon...

Plussing my old articles/ reviews as zines so i can table them? Maybe? IDK? People like that koopa kids article....

Two zines, one about BEFORE THE GREEN MOON and one about 24 KILLERS. please play those games if you havent. They are excellent.

There is an article about Sonic 2's level layouts collecting dust. I swear I will finish it.

And much later, something else...?

Thank you for sticking around everyone.

[saltburnupdates]

Saltburn reactions from Fantastic Fest’s secret screening🎥

[thg-rcg-simps]

Archie Sonic comics Classics Miniseries

So, it's official now, I don't have a life. Well, I don't have one anyways, might as well read all Sonic comics.

Since I didn't had acess to said comics before and was massivley overwhelmed by the timeline, I put it off for quite a while. But thanks to this lovely person and the whole Archie order I found on the page, I just started. And because I like to write, I plan to review the whole mess of a story compacted (or less compacted) here.

So have fun, this will be long ^^

(This will contail spoilers, of course, photos of which none are mine, please also be aware that my knowledge of the series is limited to some vague things and will add up as I go. You can also just scroll down for funny panels)

In very short, in the 4 issues long Miniseries, that came out 1993, you have the Freedom Fighters (aka the good guys) and Dr. Robotnik and his Badkins (aka the bad guys, duh). Generally speaking, it doesn't explode with lore or plot, but it's the introduction to the mainline series of Sonic comics made by Archie. It also follows a rather simple pattern (Robotnik is evil, Sonic does something, Sonic wins).

It's also important to note that the comics are connected with the cartoon, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehoge. Which is why the comics look how they do. I don't particularly know why Sega was like "Oh yeah, those characters look excatly like our games", but for the most part, and the new characters, I could get used to it. Who I can't get used too however, is Tails. And it's not even the art style, I could get used to that, but the colour is just so off.

And while we are at quastianable colour choices, I can't not mention this here.

(Yes Sonic's middle name is apperently Maurice, which is kinda canon because Sega put their label on it. We will however ignore this detail for now. But don't forget it, it will get important later)

Sally, beside Sonic, is one of the most memorable and important characters in the series. Her father is the King, making her a princess, that was kidnaped and robotonised, just like Chuck, Sonic's uncle, by Robotnik. Which is how Sonic and Sally meet and bond in the first place. Their relationship is always between liking eachother and bikering/fighting. Which fits the theme of the comics, at least for now. But even when the tone get's darker, their relationship doesn't improve much.

And I don't really care if Sally is blonde or brunette, however I do care if her fur changes colour from orangey beige to peachy pink. Why the sudden change?? Did you had a really traumatic breakup and convinently found a Manic Panic dye in Knothole??

(See, I didn't lie when I said they have a "I like them, but also let's biker" type of relationship. And so far I rather like it)

In this universe we have magical emeralds as well. (Just like we have magical rings made by Chuck) They aren't called Chaos Emeralds tho, they are rather just 4 green emerald balls placed on King's Acorn's crown. Which Sally and the Freedom Fighters are in possession off. It's pretty important that it stays that way, since the emeralds are very powerful and it would be very bad if Robotnik would come to them. But of course that charming doctor attempts to steal it and scatter it around Mobius, so Sonic (and Tails) have to search for them Inuyasha style for the whole issue. They are succsesfull of course.

If you noticed, Sallys last name is Acorn and I always thought she was a Squirrel/Chipmunk. And as much as I know this is also what she is suppose to be. In the Miniseries it is mentioned she is a fox or so? I didn't really understand that part, and maybe Sally didn't either. Maybe that's why she dyed her fur, she had a classical life crissis over what type of anthropological animal she's supposed to be.

It's also important to say, in my opinion, that the Dr. Ivo Robotnik we see in the comics is very very diffrent from the Robotnik we know and love today. This version of himself is very sucessful in being the pure evil. You can practically feel how bad he is towards everyone and anyone around him. I would say he's a typical cartoon villain but I could argue that he's even worse than them. The comics till now do a wonderful job on making me hate him.

All together, I would rate this Miniseries 7.5/10, it's fun, it's lighthearted and it's absolutley perfect when you want to shut off your brain. I really like it, and I can see myself coming back to it and the nostalgic feeling it gives me. While I somehow want the weird mess of a story to happen, at the same time I'm okay as it is now, just pointless childlike fun. You also have a ton of 4th wall breaking moments that made me genuinely laugh.

There is diffrence in the paper/print/shading and colouring between the Miniseries and the main comics tho. I personally like the Miniseries way more, since it gives off those classical "comic" vibes, it reminds me a lot of LTB, which were comics of my childhood. And I preffer this over the overly shiny and polished look. This is just a personal prefference tho.

Now to the fun part, panels I found funny that made me giggle and maybe you will too:

There is no moment where I won't find Robotniks inventions and their descriptions not funny. (Also I would like to request a bracelt Two way wrist TV/VCR/AM-FM Cassette/Sega gamegear/CD player/toaster oven XD)

Now I know how comics are made, I do them myself, and some slip ups happen. No biggie. But it's just still so funny. And this is how I feel often. I as well, know that the second picture is supposed to be a quick sketch Tails did underweater (I also need that pen, it's great XD), but it still looks funky enough to include it. (I feel bad for the Badkin there too...)

So we come to the last one for today:

I don't know if it's just me and me being in my non-hetero/queer bubble all the time, I mean I know this is a joke on the word transportation and Sonic (I mean it's litterally a run scale), to find that funny, but it is right? I mean, now all the people saying Sonic is trans can do it! (That's a joke, I don't care as what you headcanon Sonic characters)

To any trans person reading this, you pass, even Sonic says it ^^

With this great revelation I would like to finish for todays review, grab a cookie if you made it till now, we shall meet again ^^

-RikkaCatGirl (Okami Imōto-chan)

(I just want to note that this is the second time I write this text becasue Tumblr crashed and deleted it before I could post it -.-)

[jhsharman]

the amazing heroes swimsuit issue

Appears to come as a farewell to the magazine before Wizard in all its inglory took this slot. Naturally I skip past an allusion to her negative opinion on the various new titles released by Archie in 1989 and 1990 over to this kerfufle from Archie over "Betty topless". I would guess the line in the sand -- and this is sticking to bikini tops -- is what you see on the right, except they did publish this already. So, I guess the marker here is that if it is indeed removed, it needs to be still visible under her, though preferably it would still be tied on, even if only loosely. On the other hand, maybe it was the characters of Sam and Max being emblazoned all over that was the reason for the objection.

Reviewing the reviews of Mary Smith -- a negative opinion on a seemingly random issue of Young All-Stars, that positive one of that seemingly random Betty and Veronica (mostly just sneering at the collector's market and Archie's new titles), positive on the new Katy Keene, positive on Jacques Tardi, negative on Veronica number one and this new Dan Parent fellow. Her "disappointment" with the first "Veronica's Special" issue of Archie Giant Series is that she was hoping to see twenty-some pages of Decarlo drawn stories with a lot of girls in swimsuits at the beach and only got one story with Decarlo drawn girls in swimsuits set at the swimming pool.

Incidentally, the adjective she used -- "classic"-- regarding the Don Simpson / "Anton Drek" comic is sarcasm -- she hated the thing. It does lead to some reader conversation, here a letter that I clip out the beginning off as its topic is heavier in relating to that probably indefensible Eros line comic (or if defensible at least understandable why one would find it indefensible):

So -- on male privilege issues -- does it indeed take eating a planet before The Patriarchy will give your super-heroine members of Superhero teams their proper due? You tell me. As to the next topic brought up -- that thing about Super-Horse's costume is -- she loses me on that one.

[ratleyland]

This movie was much better than I expected it to be.

It paid homage to the original movie... but keep things fresh, scary and exciting at the same time.

[godzilla-reads]

☘️ A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns by Archie Bongiovanni and Tristan Jimerson

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Archie, a snarky gender-queer artist, is tired of people not understanding gender-neutral pronouns. Tristan, a cisgender dude, is looking for an easy way to introduce gender-neutral pronouns to his increasingly diverse workplace.

This is a great book for an introduction or even a reminder on how to refer to people beyond the binary and in everyday life. There’s humor, help, and some tips & tricks to using gender-neutral language. The book is totally accessible no matter how new or seasoned you are on the topic.

As a nonbinary person who uses gender neutral pronouns, this makes me so happy to see. I want to give a copy to my loved ones and just have it for new people in my life as well. One of my favorite parts of the book is talking about how misgendering really hurts your friends/people you meet, plus how to be a good ally to those around you.

[thecomicsnexus]

TMNT ADVENTURES: THE FOREVER WAR (kind of FAN MADE)

April 2024

By Steve Murphy, Chris Allan, Andrew Modeen, Artem Tsarkov, Arseniy Dubakov, Egor Prutov , Jon D'Agostino, Dmitry Bobrovnik, Yuri Kochin, and Jim Lawson.

The Shredder finally succeeds at erasing the Turtles from history and conquering the world. But the Turtles and Splinter will try to defeat him and ensure their existence in this conclusion of the iconic Archie series.

SCORE: 8

You'll have to forgive the lack of images, but it is very hard to scan this book (I'll see what I can do for the video review, but I may need to work with photos of it). In any case, this is another of those fan projects by Arseniy Dubakov and Andrew Modeen... but with some interesting twists in its genesis.

You probably remember that this saga was announced in 1995 before the Archie adventures were canceled, and fans have been speculating forever about how the story ended.

In 2009 we almost got the conclusion by the original team (Steve Murphy and Chris Allan), but the turtles were sold to Viacom and the plans never materialized. In any case, Murphy couldn't remember where he was going with the story, so it would be fair to say that it was never going to be the same arc.

More recently, Chris Allan met Arseniy and the two got together to make this project happen. The first chapter (which was made public at some point in the past few years), was mostly recovered from 1995, but it had been colored and edited by the new team.

As far as I know, the second chapter was plotted by Steve Murphy, and I can say that the two first chapters feel the most like the original book... with some annoying differences.

After that, the book does its job, and the story works very well. The project was promoted as "closing all open plots" of the original series, but fortunately, it only tried to solve a time paradox that has always been a problem in that book. I applaud the restrain of the writers from bringing up every single plot point just to let readers know they read the book (as is usually the case with these projects).

The art is probably the most spectacular aspect of the book. It's an updated look for the Archie adventures that for the most part, looks like a continuation of the story. There are some stylistic differences when it comes to inking after chapter one, but you get used to them after a while.

The book comes with two back-up stories. One penciled by Jim Lawson that tries to make sense of the convoluted Archie timeline (specifically about which Shredder you were looking at in each adventure). The second backup is some sort of epilogue to Forever War that will leave you with more questions than answers.

For me, the weakest point of the book is the "overwriting" from Andrew.

It's hard to explain, but Andrew goes into these long narrations directed at the reader that just feel overproduced and underproduced at the same time. There is an overuse of "Modeen" expressions that can be said by any character at any time. Perhaps because he is not doing the writing/plotting alone, this is his best story yet. We know Andrew is a fan, an we know he can write. But it would be nice if he could work on his dialogues and... I'm going to call it now... think twice before adding an unnecessary celebrity quote at the beginning of each chapter.

I am not sure if this was in the original plot, but some elements in this story were even darker than the original series (like slashing a classic character in two). I get that we all grew up and we can take it, but this should be a continuation of that book, and I feel that it wasn't this bloody (most of the time).

But again, this story worked for me, it didn't bring up characters and plots just for the sake of it, and the turtles were front and center.

Should we consider this an ending for the Archie series? Well, just like it happened with Volume 3 before Urban Legends came out, this is all we can get. It's technically just the story, and not a proper ending, so you could still consider "Year of the Turtle" the final story (I assume that it not being referenced was intentional). There is one reference to "TMNT: Odyssey" (because for some reason, all these projects need to share the same multiverse), but it can be easily ignored... I think.

Maybe one day IDW will decide to do their own version of Forever War, but I don't think Chris Allan would go through this ordeal again... I think it could be published as is (fourth-wall monologuing included). Perhaps censoring some of the blood, to keep it consistent with Archie guidelines.

Now, let's take a look at those spoilers after the break...

You guessed it, most of the chapters take place in an alternate timeline. This allows for familiar characters to return even if they were already dead. And also introduces Carter to the Archie universe... and he may be British... I don't know.

Most characters show up to die... which isn't unusual on alternate timeline stories, but feels like a waste. Carter and Claire had very little time to do anything, and Claire being April's sister is an interesting twist... but I wonder what caused it? It is implied that they may have been separated at some point, but the existence of the same photograph without her suggests there wee further alterations to that timeline.

The Mutanimals play the bad guys... probably for the better. I wonder if the reason they didn't undo their deaths, or brought back Cherubae, was so that it could all tie into "TMNT: Odyssey"? Whatever the reason was, I appreciate it.

Perhaps the biggest reveal was that Chet was the Rat King. While this is a fun twist, some things are a bit too convenient. Why did he choose the H'antaan name? And why didn't he ever mentioned this to anyone in the original timeline? (Apart from the flashback in this book).

Overall, Shredder's plan makes sense (for once), although he somehow recreated all the mutants from the original series, even the ones that weren't mutants (like Katmandu)... perhaps he and Al'Falqa simply joined the cause.

There isn't much characterization for the turtles, but I think is in line with the original book as well. And to be fair, the main focus is the story.

The Jim Lawson back-up also introduces another problem, a Shredder that finally remember everything (this may be the one in "Year of the Turtle"). Mr. Null decides to share all of this, searching for the Turnstone (a "TMNT: Odyssey" plot). I don't like these fan-projects being all connected, but I appreciate the long explanation of the Shredder paradox in the Archie adventures. It also officialized that Armaggon created the Archie universe.

I would have appreciated a Mr. Null origin story... but I guess that would have clashed with "Odyssey" (and this is why I don't like them being connected).

I may sound negative, but my nitpicks only took two points from the overall score. I am happy with the results, and I think we can now stop wondering what it could have been.

Although... can you imagine what it could have been in 1995?

That my friends... is the forever war.

[Include some super serious celebrity quote here]

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

Here again to introduce you to another fantasy show. This series, made for Netflix, is for now composed of two seasons. First broadcast in 2021, the story is an adaptation from the literary world created by Leigh Bardugo. Today, the show I will introduce you to is Shadow and Bone !

And now, to begin with as always, a little summary : The kingdom of Ravka has been cursed for millennia. Its fate now rests on the shoulders of an orphan, Alina Starkov, who works as a cartographer in Ravka's First Army. When her childhood friend, Malyen ‘Mal’ Oretsev, an orphan like her, is enlisted to take part in a boat crossing the Shadow Fold, a dangerous, dark and evil fog that cuts Ravka in two, Alina manages to go with him. In the middle of the Fold, as the crew is decimated by evil flying creatures, the terrified young cartographer begins to project beams of light that drive them away and allow the boat to emerge from the Fold. Word of her feat soon spreads and Alina discovers herself to be the Sun Summoner, a Saint steeped in beliefs dating back thousands of years and the only one capable of destroying the Fold to reunite Ravka. In this world, the Grishas, people with various magical talents, form the Second Army of Ravka under the command of General Aleksander Kirigan. Alina is taken by Kirigan to the royal castle at Os Alta to be trained and to meet the king. Meanwhile, in Ketterdam, a team led by Kaz Brekker, the Crows, have been offered a very large sum of money to capture the Summoner of Light. To complete their mission, Kaz, assisted by Jesper Fahey and Inej Ghafa, must find a way to cross the Fold… Who can Alina trust? Will she be able to rid Ravka of the Fold? Will she be able to escape the Crows? Who is Kirigan really? And a little technical description : - Created by : Eric Heisserer - Music by : Joseph Trapanese - Main cast : Jessie Mei Li, Archie Renaux, Freddie Carter, Amita Suman, Kit Young, Zoë Wanamaker, Ben Barnes, Daisy Head, Danielle Galligan, Callahan Skogman.

As I said above, the series is a Netflix adaptation of two of Leigh Bardugo's literary sagas: the Grisha trilogy and the Six of Crows literary duology. Having read the books a few years ago and the author herself having been involved in the project, my expectations were pretty high. So I'm going to tell you what I thought of the resulting product.

I'm going to start by talking briefly about the production team because, in my opinion, this gives a pretty good idea of the quality of the construction of the atmosphere of this universe. Between Eric Heisserer (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Final Destination 5, Bird Box), Shawn Levy (Stranger Things, Deadpool and Wolverine), Dan Cohen (Stranger Things, The Adam Project) and Dan Levine (Arrival, Freedom Writers), the producers of Shadow and Bone are used to fantasy and fantastic productions that require particular attention to special effects and atmosphere. That's why the team they've built around them (costumes, sets, music and visual effects) has been meticulously chosen, and I'll be coming back to the work of each of them later.

To give you as brief an idea as possible of the characters and their respective stories, I'll start by giving you a little background on the universe in which the series takes place. The chronology of the two merged sagas was certainly the point that made me the most sceptical. The Grisha trilogy doesn't take place at the same time as the Six of Crows duology and, although some of the characters can be found in both sagas, I couldn't quite see how they were going to merge. So I'm going to tell you a little bit about the three different stories that run parallel in season 1, with slight spoilers about the first episode. I'll only be concentrating on season 1 so as not to give too much away, so there are characters and stories I'll be deliberately omitting, although I'd love to talk about them…

THE UNIVERSE

The Shadow and Bone series plunges us into a fantasy universe in which the different populations of the six nations of Ravka, Fjerda, Shu Han, Kerch, Novyi Zem and Wandering Isle adapt elements of the language, culture and traditions of the countries of our world, drawn from different periods. Each of these populations is partly made up of people with magical abilities. These people, called Grishas by the common people, can be categorized into three different sections depending on their abilities:

Corporialkis are Grishas who have the ability to alter the physical state of a living being, either to heal them (Healers) or incapacitate them (Heartrenders).

Materlialkis are Grishas who have the ability to transform materials such as iron.

Etherealkis are Grishas who have the ability to manipulate the elements.

THE PREMICE

The nation of Ravka is divided in two, from east to west, by the Shadow Fold (also known as the Unsea), a region plunged into darkness and filled with beasts created centuries ago by a Grisha known as the Black Heretic. Ravka is also at war with Fjerda, which is seeking its independence from the king of Ravka. General Kirigan -played by Ben Barnes- leads Ravka's Second Army in these conflicts, which threaten the lives not only of the people of Ravka but of the whole world. To ensure the survival of his people, he searches in vain for the Summoner of Light, who, according to legend, is the only one who can destroy the Shadow Fold.

When the series begins, we meet the various protagonists:

* ARC GRISHA

Alina Starkov -played by Jessie Mei Li- is a young woman, half Shu, who grew up in an orphanage with her best friend Malyen "Mal" Oretsev -played by Archie Renaux. In the first episode, we discover that she is a cartographer in Ravka's army and that Mal has been enlisted as a tracker. But when, during an expedition, she reveals herself to be the Sun Summoner -an Etherealki with the rare power to summon light-, her destiny eludes her. Mal does everything in his power to protect her, but General Kirigan takes her to the Little Palace. He wants her to learn about her power there, but also to give hope to the Ravkan people that the Fold can be destroyed. We discover in the first episode that he is an Etherealki capable of summoning darkness, which is why he has been nicknamed "The Darkling". It's a very rare ability, like that of the Sun Summoner, which is why he is admired and feared by many. At the Little Palace, Alina meets Genya Safin - played by Daisy Head -a Healer known for her great beauty. Genya, initially sent to train her in the customs of the Little Palace, becomes Alina's confidante. During her stay at the Little Palace, Alina also meets Baghra Morosova -played by Zoë Wanamaker. She is introduced as one of Alina's instructors at the Little Palace, the Second Army's training facility. She is strict in her teaching of Alina's mastery of light summoning.

* ARC CROWS

Kaz "Dirtyhands" Brekker -played by Freddy Carter- is an experienced thief with a reputation for completing any mission if the price is right. He is the de facto leader of the Crows and has a personal vendetta against Pekka Rollins. Severely haptophobic -a rare phobia involving the fear of touching or being touched, an acute exaggeration of normal protective tendencies in personal space- and suffering from osteonecrosis in his right leg which causes him to limp, he has to use a cane with a pommel shaped like a crow's skull to help him get around and sometimes in combat as a weapon. Together with Inej Ghafa known as "The Wraith" -played by Amita Suman- and Jesper Fahey, a Baelish-Zemini sharpshooter -played by Kit Young- Kaz embarks on a new mission for a mysterious sponsor: they must find, kidnap and bring back to Ketterdam the Sun Summoner. If their mission is successful, Kaz will have the means to take revenge on Pekka and save those closest to him.

* ARC NINA / MATTHIAS

While Nina Zenik -played by Danielle Galligan- was on Wandering Isle on a mission for the Second Army with Zoya Nazyalensky, she found herself trapped in a Fjerdan drüskelle camp amongst whom was Matthias Helvar -played by Callahan Skogman. As Fjerdans consider Grishas to be evil, Nina was taken prisoner, interrogated and tortured. The ship on which she was held prisoner was caught in a storm and destroyed. Matthias survived the shipwreck thanks to Nina's powers which kept their bodies warm long enough to reach the shore, and so they survived together for three weeks in the wilds of Fjerda.

CASTING

It took me a couple of episodes to realise that I shouldn't see season 1 of Shadow and Bone as an adaptation of the first Six of Crows novel but rather as a mission carried out by Jesper, Kaz and Inej before the first Six of Crows book. While this may be uninteresting for readers of the novels, I find the idea of allowing us to learn more about the characters we love before the adventures in which we discover them quite interesting. It includes us even more in the evolution of the characters, and allows readers to discover a new adventure. And I'm thinking that, if I hadn't read the books, this isn't a detail I would have dwelt on. I actually loved discovering the characters I love so much in this adventure, before they were them, before they all met each other too.

I particularly enjoyed that they developed the meeting between Nina and Matthias in season 1, which makes sense as their meeting happens long before the adventures of Six of Crows. To me, it is far more interesting to have it as a story spun throughout a season than as a 5 minute flashback told by a character in a later season. It was always with the greatest relish that I relearned to love their meeting and I must salute once again the quality of the casting, particularly for these two characters who for me have the most beautiful chemistry this first season.

I must also applaud the casting of Jesper and Inej. I hadn't imagined Jesper to be exactly the same physically (in truth, I saw him with his hair shaved like in the illustrations), but Kit Young won me over from the first minutes he appeared on screen. His carefree energy, empathy, humour and ego immediately struck a chord with me and restored the image of Jesper I had in my memory from reading the books. As for Inej, Amita Suman is perfect in the role. Perfect casting. Whether in her appearance, her posture, her uprightness or her facial expressions, her performance gave me the impression of seeing the character straight out of the book come to life before my very eyes. It was magic.

I was a little less enthralled by Kaz in season 1. Mind you, Freddy Carter is very good, but for me there was an essential element missing from Kaz's story that we didn't get until season 2, and, for me, that's what makes all the difference in the way I feel about the character between the two seasons. But he's still Kaz, with all his faults and a few qualities too, and Freddy Carter brought this complex character to life perfectly.

As far as the Grisha novels are concerned, this first season follows the first book of the series rather well, although there have inevitably been a few adaptations, particularly in terms of the characters present. Yet, it's nothing too different from the events of the first book of the saga. The various performances by the actors and actresses fill out the characters rather well and the range of emotions portrayed is interesting but, and this is a personal opinion, some of the chemistry is unfortunately not there and that's a shame because it's a crucial part of the story…

I'd still like to make a special mention of three characters who, although they barely appeared in season 1, are developed in season 2 and whose actors deserve to be praised for their performances. I won't go into detail about the characters, but I'd like to thank Suzanne Smith for casting Jack Wolfe, Patrick Gibson and Sujaya Dasgupta in the major roles they play. They perfectly complemented the expected chemistry with the first-season characters and I was delighted to discover them in these roles.

REPRESENTATIONS

I'd also like to say a few words about the respect for different representations, whether racial -respecting the different characteristics of each nation, Novyi Zem and Shu-Han in particular- but also the representations of the LGBT+ community with different homosexual relationships. Of course, these aspects were already present in the novels but, given the current international climate, I think it's important that, during production, these aspects were not smoothed over or exaggerated. Whatever our origins, sexual orientation or gender identity, we're all the same, we're all human, and that's what should come first. To be honest, this is one of the subjects I enjoyed most when reading the novels: tolerance and acceptance. Beyond anything that might set us apart from one another, instead of pitting us against one another, let's stand together, let's be united.

SETTINGS

I'd now like to talk a little about the filming locations. The main shooting location for the first season was in and around Budapest and Keszthely in Hungary. Various locations were used to symbolise Ravka, such as the Ethnographic Museum, which served as the throne room of the Grand Palace, Buda Castle for the exterior of the Royal Archives, the exterior of the same castle and in particular its medieval roundel as Grisha's training grounds and Os Alta's gates, the old Stock Exchange for the interior of the Royal Archives and finally the main square for the Novokribirsk city set.

Outside Budapest, the exterior and interior of the Festetics Palace were used to create the Little Palace, and the Winter Festival was held in its concert hall. There's also the Amadé-Bajzáth-Pappenheim mansion that gave birth to the Keramzin orphanage, the town of Szentendre gave birth to that of Ryevost, and the royal palace of Gödöllő for the stable and chapel. A flashback scene was filmed in the ruined Széchényi-Wenckheim manor house in Békéscsaba.

Other shootings took place in Vancouver such as the scenes taking place in Ketterdam that were entirely built in the studio.

SPECIAL EFFECTS

Speaking of studio-built sets, I'd like to focus on the series' special effects. Under the artistic direction of Attila Digi Kövári, Francesc Masso and Zoltán Sárdi, the series' special effects were meticulously created. Whether it's the rendering of the Grishas' spells -particularly those of the Etherealki, which are the most visual- or the creation of the Shadow Fold using a green background, the care that has gone into these effects is extremely meticulous. I'm not saying that at certain rare moments you can't see the use of the green screen, because that would be a lie, but on the whole I'm quite impressed by the visual rendering that has been given to this magical universe.

COSTUMES

Before my last stop, I'd like to talk a little about the artistic direction of the costumes. Supervised by Wendy Partridge, the costumes I'm going to talk about can be divided into three categories.

First of all, the first costumes we see are those of the soldiers of the First Army. They have influences reminiscent of the dress worn by Russian soldiers during the first half of the 20th century.

This Russian influence is reinforced later in the season when we attend the festivities at the Little Palace. The outfits of the Ravkane royalty and the Grishas soldiers present remind me of the visuals in Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace -particularly the adaptation made into a mini-series in 2016.

The second aspect that the costumes inspire in me would be a more Western influence with the costumes in Ketterdam. Kaz's in particular, with his greatcoat, hat and walking stick, reminds me a lot of Peaky Blinders with Cillian Murphy.

Finally, and this is something I've already mentioned, I appreciate that the various cultural influences brought by each nation are visible. I'm thinking in particular of Inej's outfits, which, as a Suli, have South Asian influences in them, or the outfits of the Shu people - mainly visible in season 2- which are more reminiscent of traditional Asian outfits. It's important in costume to show the diversity of the world -whether real or imagined- but above all to do so in a way that respects the cultures from which we draw our inspiration.

MUSIC

Last stop before the end of this very long article: the series' soundtrack. I really enjoyed the work on the soundtrack created by Joseph Trapanese -who is behind the soundtracks for The Greatest Showman, Quantico and The Witcher amongst others- and in particular the different themes written for the characters over the two seasons of Shadow and Bone. The diversity of the instruments used also reflects the multicultural nature of this rich universe and contributes to a varied representation in the same way as the work on the costumes, the different languages and the casting of the actors themselves. In an interview with AwardsDaily.com, Joseph Trapanese explained that the music for season 1 was composed over 11 months during the pandemic and how he conducted an orchestra through meetings on Zoom. He also explained that Russian and Slavic influences were incorporated as a basis for his compositions, as Leigh Bardugo -the author of the novels- had cited Sergei Prokofiev and folk music as examples of inspiration when she was writing. Joseph Trapanese cited other musical traditions such as gamelan- the traditional ensemble music of the Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese peoples of Indonesia consisting mainly of percussion instruments, being inspirations for certain pieces.

CONCLUSION

And that's it, I think I've gone on long enough with this review of Shadow and Bone. I hope you've enjoyed it and that I've managed to make you want to get involved in this adventure, despite its cancellation by Netflix before season 3 due to "the writers' strikes in 2023" as Netflix explained.

Personally, I had high expectations having read the books, and I have to admit that never before has a series adaptation of a work I've read won me over so much. Whether you've read the books or not, if this type of adventure appeals to you, I can only warmly advise you to go for it! And if you want to, why not read the novels!

In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful week, enjoy your viewings and see you soon!

Eli

[thatonecrookedsmile]

It's been a little over a month since I read FTB and I wanted to do (and say, I think) a few things related to it. So here, take this. FTB stuff I was wanting to share.

Including some drawings/my designs for some characters (the ones above), some separate sketches, and giving some long thoughts on the book. (This post is looong so I'm going to put everything under the curtain. Enjoy!)

Starting: Rose, Evan and Archie. They are the ones that, I admit, are what I wanted to draw/design most while/after I read the book. Now, at least, if I want to make something involving one of these three one day, I have designs ready to go! Hooray! Evan is the only one of the three that I actually had to design from scratch. With Rose I had made a sketch 1 year ago conceptualizing the idea for her design, and it was only recently that I came back to this idea to finally solidify it. And I had already done Archie's design last year while I was doing my designs for the human cast of BATDR, so I was already prepared without even knowing it.

Also,Ink!Archie!! The poor guy got screwed pretty badly. First two designs in the first image are based on the events in the book. The one on the left is him seen mostly in the book (alive) and the one on the right is when he is in the Ink Realm, post-death. The design in the second image was supposed to be a stylization/variation of his Cycle design. I tried drawing him with a visible mouth/teeth similar to what I did with Sammy in a recent drawing and in some sketches that I didn't post here. I'm not sure about the beard tho. I think I exaggerated it. Next time, remember to draw less beard in this design. (And maybe, for the design that is more "close to canon", don't draw the ends of the hair and beard in the Cycle design)

Any other character in the book, either I don't have a design and I don't plan on making a design for them now, or I do but it will take a while to show them. (I promise I'll show Dot one day)

I also have some additional sketches. So if you want to take a look at that too, here it is:

Ollie Sorenson. This wasn't quite the way I had imagined him when I was reading the book but 1. the hair I tried to draw for him before didn't work out well, so I went another route and 2. Ollie isn't particularly a character in this book that I'm going to I think a lot in comparison to the others (he's still cool, tho) and I doubt I'll make another design for him, so let's go with this one. Not a bad design,so,eh.

Rose. Sketch on the left was made last year. I'm almost certain it was done after the book synopsis was revealed by Kress. The sketch on the right was made last month when I was reading the book. I took the idea from the sketch on the left and tried to solidify her design better.

Evan. Some other sketches made when I read the book. I had just completed his design and wanted to test it a little more to, you know, see if I can actually draw him. Verdict? I think I can.

And now uhhhhhh what I thought of the book! I previously considered doing a separate text post with these thoughts only but I don't do text-only posts in general and if I were to make a separate post it would take a while and it would come out more than 1 month/probably 2 months since I read the book and it would be kinda awkward. And I'm already writing this post, so why not put it all here now, right?

(Warning: My thoughts on the book ended up being MUCH LONGER THAN I EXPECTED TO WRITE. You don't need to read them if you want, they are just more additional and optional things. But if you are going to read them, be warned)

(Spoilers: I may have strayed a little off topic when I started talking about Archie. Don't mention how long his paragraph is, tho)

But yeah, Fade To Black. That was something else, I tell you (and I mean that in a positive way). Probably reading this book after all the fuss that happened about the books a while ago wasn't the best idea possible. But even with…all that in mind, I still wanted to read this for a long time, and I'm glad I went ahead with it. I had a lot of fun with the book! And thinking about it a little over a month after finishing it, I think I can say that this book is up there as, like, one of my favorites of the Bendy books that have been released to date. Before this, I would have considered DCTL my favorite of the books, so I'm somewhere between saying that both of these two are my favorite books in this series and that I like them equally, or that FTB has now become my favorite book of the series, surpassing DCTL. (Maybe I'll have a better idea of ​​this later this year when I reread these books once again)

I really liked the story told, its concept had already interested me since its synopsis was revealed last year - the setting in the 50's, the TV show, the whole 3D glasses thing - so it's no surprise that I was very interested in what this book had to tell. And since I already brought that up: I liked the new concepts it brings to the table,specifically,of course,the glasses and the TV. An idea that,I admit,at first is something I thought was a bit different (and dare i say unusual?) from what I usually see in the Bendy universe (although, it's not something so out of the ordinary from what we've seen before in the series) but I have to say that it's something that I thought was cool even so. 3D glasses that end up transporting your mind into the televised cartoons (and,by all accounts,the ink realm). The jokes I saw that Joey created virtual reality in this book weren't so far-fetched after all lol. But still, it's a concept that I admit to having been interested in, and that it might be cool to play around with in fanon stuff. I also considered this could open doors for other, more "wild" ideas to be explored in the books (as long as they still make sense for a >Bendy< book, of course). I also liked the whole segment taking place in the ink realm at the end of the book, and I hope that this can open up possibilities for future novel stories to take place there, either partially (as in this one) or in full (I accept an entire novel taking place in the cycle,ngl). The additional lore for the ink realm is a nice treat and adds more to what we have in the games. I admit that, at the same time, I feel a little thoughtful about a certain part of this additional lore that - assuming the way I understand it is right - leaves me wondering if this "extended origin" of the cycle coupled with what we already know of its lore would make sense in the games, and how these ideias would be acknowledged in future entries. But at the same time, I may be overthinking this, and the stars may still be aligned, and I've gotten the information wrong. Despite everything, I liked what was told about the ink realm in this book, I appreciate this "extended origin" at the end of the day.

I really liked the cast, both the new ones and the old faces. Rose is great, I really liked her as the protagonist. She's already one of my favorite book characters, I hope we hear from her again in the future. Also, it's good to have a protagonist in these books who survives in the end. Okay, sure, she didn't come out of it 100% unharmed, considering what the ending implies, but still. Again. It's good to have a protagonist in these books who came out of this alive at the end. Evan is also very good. Even though I want to slap him on the back of the head, I also hope to hear from him again, especially considering the way he "exited the story" (is that how you say it?). I talked about the possibility of a future novel taking place in the ink realm, I think that would give a good chance of bringing him back, now as an ink creature. I don't have much to say about Ollie, but I also thought he was cool. The scenes between him and Rose are very nice and the scenes related to the "Bendy Visions" caused by the glasses is another concept that I found very interesting (Tense moments, but cool ones nonetheless) Very happy to see Dot again. I like her character, and I always wanted to see what happened to her after the events of DCTL (TLO had already implied that she was still alive, but I wanted to know more, you know). Her participation in this book is very good, and a chapter that I have to highlight is the one where she meets Rose and they talk in the cafe. Their conversation alone is very good, but the specific part that got me was Dot talking about Buddy, what happened to her after the first book, and Buddy's family. That part was like. A slap in the heart, I'm not going to lie. This chapter made me sad, 10/10. Favorite chapter of the book.

Archie Carter was a big surprise (not really, I already knew he would be here before reading the book), and he is another of my favorite aspects of the book. It's good to see one of the characters from BATDR's human cast ending up being used more in a story. Archie in the game, like other characters we saw in the audio logs in DR, is a "One and done" situation where we only hear from him once and that's it, combined with the fact that he is ultimately just another background character who exists mostly to fill the world and give information that is not necessarily integral to the main things that occur in the game and is more to tell about different things, people and events that were also occurring inside the studio and in the outside world ( those of the lost city and Gent Workshop, essentially) pre-game events. (I really don't know how to explain this properly, but I would say that the "thing" of the information given by the new human cast (with the exception of the Archs) is the same thing as the characters who are giving such information: filling the world. I hope you get the gist of what I'm saying) And while I wouldn't say the information on these tapes is really irrelevant (in Archie's case, he provides some of the most interesting), and in my case, I don't mind the addition of the newbies, I don't blame other people for not being interested, don't get attached to or even dislike these new characters who don't do much in the grand scheme of things in DR and in comparison to the BATIM cast (or at least, the majority of the IM cast). So seeing at least 1 of these newcomers being used more deeply in a story and having their characters expanded is good! And I liked what was done with Archie here. You know the guy who worked at Gent as a test subject and who saw bad things happening at the company? Guess what! Same company screwed up his life and now he's a half-human-half-ink creature guy infected with evil ink and his current situation is not good at all! He's going through horrors unfortunately (especially in the cycle), but I really like what Adrienne did with Archie in this book. Again, he is one of the highlights of this book, and I hope that something similar ends up happening with other DR characters in future stories (manifesting the novel that uses Bill Danton and/or Grace Conway in some capacity 🙌) Plus, I also think it's cool that of all the DR characters to be used, it was the one voiced by SuperHorrorBro who ended up being chosen for this book (I like SHB, what can I say)

Joey (like in the other books) is a standout (and considering what we specifically see of him in this book, he's especially a standout here). More of Allison, even though in the end it's just a small one-scene cameo. Finally, I'm being fed the bread crumbs I craved. And I think now I have another version of Henry to talk about. My collection is growing strong, now I have 3 versions of my favorite old man! Among the new ones, and especially the secondary and tertiary ones, Papa D and Gladys are nice, even though they don't have much time in the story. Oh, and Wilson showed up too. He doesn't do much either, he's just there to be creepy. But I will acknowledge him.

I also enjoyed seeing some of the ideias showcased first in BATDR here (which makes sense, this book came out well after the game finally released). I always found it interesting to see more of Gent in the spotlight, and reading and knowing a little more about the things they were doing after JDS closed is nice. (And I think it's good to see more reaffirmation of what BATDR had already implied. That Gent also had eyes on the Ink Machine even when the studio was still open, and when the studio collapsed, they still continued the ink experiments in their own facilities. Again, this was already something that had been shown in DR, but it's good to see more reaffirmation here) The appearance of the Siverlane Express was something that I really appreciated, even if it was something very short. I ealready talk about Archie in one giant paragraph, and again, Wilson is here too.

There isn't really anything I "disliked" about this book, but at most, I only have a few nitpicks. The Ink Demon appears in the story, but compared to DCTL and TLO, I feel FTB is definitely the book where he appears the least. I mean, yeah, the story isn't about him in the end, but it's still something I managed to notice. I also feel that, in my opinion, this is the least "scary" of the 3. Not that it doesn't have "scary" elements but still, compared to moments in the other books like Buddy in the infirmary, or the TLO trio in the old factory, I don't know if this book would be the most "scary" of the trilogy. However,FTB still has several suspenseful scenes (the Bendy visions, some scenes with Ollie, Archie's pre-introduction, Wilson in the library), which I also like anyway. And I'll admit. While this idea isn't that far out there - and in the context of the story, it makes sense - I kind of raised an eyebrow a little at the whole "using your mind/imagination to get out of the ink realm" thing. It is not bad! And again, with what we saw in the book, this idea actually fits with what we had seen so far in the story. But I can't lie that when we got to this moment I was like "oh, this is something that happened, I guess", you know? But even so, I didn't dislike the idea.

(I once saw someone describe this part of the book as "they canonized no-clipping in Bendy" and you know what? I think that's funny. I think we need to start referring to this idea in the book as that instead of "using the imagination" /hj)

But even so, even with these small "nitpicks", I still had a lot of fun with this book. I really enjoyed reading it, and not only is it now one of my favorite Bendy books so far, I dare say it's one of my favorite things about the franchise in general. Like, if I had to make a top 3 of my favorite things from the Bendy series so far, I'd say it's this book and the first two mainline games. I guess this is to show how much I enjoyed the book!

And with that, my journey with the Bendy books ends. At least, with the books I managed to have access so far. I have no plans to pursue the updated version of the Employee Handbook so far, but from what I've heard and seen so far, I'm not missing anything too important. And the DCTL graphic novel….exists. It's definitely a graphic novel that exists. Dare I say that it is definitely one of the graphic novels of all time, alright. But what have I read so far? It was what I would say, a good journey. I've been interested in the Bendy books for a long time, and it's been a while since I read them, and I'm glad I did, despite recent events. Of course, they have their flaws and problems too, I have things about them that I myself identify as bumps in the road (and that applies to the novel trilogy too btw) But even with them in mind and acknowledging them, I still think that they are worth something. And I hope people still continue to recognize them and give them a chance. Even with its flaws, and with their whole canocity thing that happened a while ago, I still believe that people should check out the books eventually. Give it a chance, you know? If they did, and liked what they read, great! But if they don't like it, that's okay too! In the end, at least they, on both sides, gave it a chance. And that's what I at least want to see. I don't like the idea of ​​discarding these things and pretending they don't exist just because the devs said they aren't canon to the games (because, in my view, just because the books aren't canon doesn't make them without value or that you can't have fun with them after all)

WOW, this is getting long, I think I got carried away. I think that's all I had to say. To conclude everything, here is my list of the Bendy books that I like the most and the ones I like least:

Fade To Black (I've already talked a lot about this book)

Dreams Come To Life (hand in hand with FTB being in first place. It has its flaws, some that may have already been mentioned before, but I still found myself liking it in the end. For a first novel, it worked out fine)

Crack-Up Comics (Really liked the comics. It's good to see more things related to the cartoon characters, and I like some of the characters introduced. Pretty fun stuff)

The Lost Ones (it's not a very "Bendy" focused book compared to the others, and I don't blame those who didn't like this one because of the lack of many Bendy elements, but I confess that I still liked it as much as the other 2, and I loved the protagonists of this one. Even so, of the trilogy, it is the weakest book)

The Illusion of Living (In itself, it's an interesting read. It's really cool to see more of Joey from a deeper angle, and see more of his past. But I confess that it's not my favorite read, and I still prefer the main novels. Not bad, tho)

JDS Employee Handbook (2019) (For the first Bendy book overall, it's not bad, and I like the lore tidbits it has. But compared to the rest, it's actually the weakest)

The TL;DR is: Fade To Black is fun and my favorite, I liked its story and characters. I liked the books. Check them out if you want. If you liked them, cool. If you didn't like them, that's cool too. Read in general.

And if you've read this far: Thank you! And at the same time, I'm sorry! Have a good day/afternoon/night everyone. Peace.

[topoet]

Shepp and Stitt

Archie Shepp is one of many fine sax players critics loved & jazz fans enjoyed but remained undiscovered by the general population lol. His discography is endless in various trios, combos, big band. His style is approachable without being tepid or formulaic. Each has a different sensibility & his sax sounds is sweet & melodic, most of the time. I have as mp3:  The Magic of Ju-Ju (1968) with five…

[howifeltabouthim]

Saltburn: Bonkers, Balls-to-the-Wall Brilliance

It would be no exaggeration to say that Saltburn is the craziest film of the year. I've never seen anything quite like it; it's distinctive in the best possible way, even while being rich with references to other iconic works. Emerald Fennell's sophomore feature is an exploration of class differences and a comedy of wickedly bad manners. It also morphs into a surprising, devilish thriller. It's the kind of film where you can’t look away, even when (perhaps especially when) you can’t believe what you’re seeing onscreen.

Saltburn begins with Oliver Quick newly arrived at Oxford. He's a fish out of water on campus as a scholarship student. He comes from the wrong background, he doesn't wear the right clothes, and he doesn't possess the right affect to fit in with the posh students that surround him. When he does a kind turn for Felix Catton, the popular student he's admired from afar, things start looking up and he's ushered into a world of partying and camaraderie. That summer, Felix invites Oliver back to his family estate, Saltburn, and things escalate amid decadence, debauchery, and class tensions.

Saltburn is a lush cinematic experience, composed of fresh, original, shocking images. So many shots feel like discrete works of art, the kind that wouldn't seem out of place in a gilt frame on some illustrious wall, reminiscent of the artistry of Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. At the same time, they all meld together to comprise a masterpiece. The startlingly potent sensuality practically drips from the screen, catching one up in a fever dream of desire and deviancy.

Barry Keoghan plays Oliver, and really proves himself as a leading man. I’ve been following Keoghan’s career with intense interest since his one-two punch of Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer in 2017. And boy, is he realizing his potential. He blew me away with his heartrending performance in last year’s The Banshees of Inisherin. He excels at the humorous and the harrowing, sometimes in the same scene. He’s the kind of actor who can genuinely make you laugh and break your heart. He goes all in. You feel his pain, and I know I find myself rooting for his characters even when I probably shouldn’t.

My favorite kind of performance is an unhinged performance, and Keoghan delivers an all-timer in that category. His Oliver is comparable to Mia Goth’s turn in last year’s Pearl, for sheer emotional and eccentric abandon. The extreme emotion and behavior Keoghan exhibits as Oliver is thrilling to watch. Saltburn is such a great star vehicle star for this highly unique, unusual performer who has really been given his time to shine. He commands attention and the camera captures him perfectly here: his intensity and subtlety and those arresting blue eyes. Keoghan is a truly fearless performer. If there's any justice, he'll be nominated for an Oscar for this incredible performance.

This is a great ensemble cast, which includes Jacob Elordi as Felix and Alison Oliver as Venetia, Felix's sister. Carey Mulligan provides a disarmingly sweet and funny turn in a small role. Paul Rhys is chilling as Saltburn's imperious butler. Archie Madekwe is deliciously vicious as Felix's snobby cousin, Farleigh. Richard E. Grant is on point and hilarious as the Catton patriarch. Besides Keoghan, I felt Rosamund Pike was the standout and that this was her best role to date. The part of Elspeth Catton, lady of the manor, seemed tailor-made for her. Saltburn definitely deserves to be nominated for a SAG for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. The actors all play off each other beautifully.

I’m in awe of writer/director Emerald Fennell’s artistry and uncompromising vision. I love how she lets scenes go on uncomfortably long sometimes (like in the infamous climax of Promising Young Woman) to get her point across. She’s not hemmed in by conventions of how long a disquieting scene “should” go on. She doesn’t compromise for anyone or adhere to conventional tastes.

Saltburn is told through a great framing device of Oliver recounting the events of his pivotal year at Oxford and Saltburn to an unknown listener. It keeps you guessing as to who he's relaying this tale to. There are echoes of Wuthering Heights, Brideshead Revisited, The Go-Between, and Call Me by Your Name. In other words, timeless stories that will always resonate in the culture for good reason: they’re primal and get to the heart of the human experience. Yet Fennell's narrative veers in wholly unexpected directions. To watch her pull off the trick of this narrative is a privilege indeed.

Saltburn is a sterling example of bold, unapologetic filmmaking. Emerald Fennell is a cinematic visionary and a canny provocateur. And in case all this rhapsodizing wasn't enough, just know that this movie is HOT. It's fierce and feral and it demands to be seen. Viewers are in for a sick and sexy thrill ride. It's disturbing, deliciously demented, devious, nasty, and wonderfully messed up. Please go see it in theaters: let’s help wild, invigorating, conversation-starting cinema continue to get made and theatrically released.