#a spectacular journey into the movies

[frogshunnedshadows]

Disney-MGM Studios map description of The Great Movie Ride, 2002.

[kaalavg]

Yakari, a Spectacular Journey (2020)

Film // Película

[elitadream]

Words cannot express how delighted I am that this movie exists and how eager I am to watch it.

It feels like a blend of Journey and Stray. My two favorite Indie games of all time. ;_; 💗 I just know this is going to be absolutely spectacular. ✨

[angel-fruitcake]

as someone who is very deeply attached to the canon Supernatural universe, i typically struggle with AUs and therefore don't tend to read Destiel AU fics.

but this Titanic AU fic by @loserchildhotpants (who is now my friend!!) is unbelievably well-written, and so incredibly true to the characters that i absolutely fell in love with this universe nearly as much as i did with the canon one. the sheer amount of time, effort, and research that was put into creating this masterpiece really shines through in the way it's brought to life so beautifully. this story is just so richly detailed, it truly feels as though you're watching a movie (the movie)! plus, there are a ton of cleverly placed little SPN easter eggs sprinkled throughout, and each new one i found had me squealing in delight.

many, many tears were shed over this fic, but it was well worth it in the end. i encourage everyone to give this stunning work a chance! you may be afraid--i know i was when i started the journey. but trust in Melanie! she will not betray you 😌

and if you do decide to take the leap of faith, please. i beg of you:

Do Not Stop Reading Before The Epilogue ! 💕

☆ all artwork is also by Melanie (and posted with permission)! because she's a ridiculously talented human!! and make sure to check out her other works because they are all absolutely spectacular, you will not be disappointed!!

[xinfinityl0ve17]

MALICE MIZER

"Bara no Konrei"

The Promise Made at Midnight

An Exclusive Look at MALICE MIZER’s Debut and First Lead Role in a Movie

TEXT: KIMIKO KKM MASUBUCHI

An exquisite, beautiful, and aesthetic world set in medieval Europe. Anyone who has even once glimpsed the world of Malice Mizer would have sensed that a moment would come when they would make their screen debut. I, too, am one of those people. And finally that moment has arrived and in a spectacular way as both their debut and their first lead role.

The movie, The Promise Made at Midnight: The Wedding of Roses, explores themes captured in its tagline: “The forbidden decadence of pleasure not meant to be seen or touched.” It is a gothic fantasy of humans and vampires, searching for eternal love and beauty. This film is intertwined with the world Malice Mizer has developed over years of musical activity with the soundtrack featuring songs primarily from the album Merveilles. This feature flowing through the entire film is an essential element that gives it a distinctive character. The film’s style reminiscent of films from a bygone era reflects the reverence for their music.

One of the most surprising aspects is the casting. The characters are tailored to each band member’s unique persona so their passionate performances feel natural even to those familiar with Malice Mizer. While musicians appearing in movies do not always add depth to their musical activities this work offers both longtime fans and newcomers a way to see Malice Mizer in a new light as a continuation of their journey.

TEXT: YUKI SUGIE

An endless dream. Endless loneliness, endless sorrow. This is a story of “eternity,” portrayed in deep contrasts between midnight black and blood red beginning in silence and unfolding dramatically.

One of the most striking elements of The Promise Made at Midnight is its use of a talkie-style classical technique and the bold casting of Malice Mizer. Director Takehara captivated by their unique presence and charisma, wrote the screenplay himself. This project, a massive collaborative work between Takehara’s vision and Malice Mizer, a group that has pursued a distinct aesthetic rooted in tragic beauty has produced something truly one of a kind.

Kozi’s presence embodies the conflicts and challenges of reimagining a vampire archetype, capturing the role with precision. Mana, with his enigmatic mannerisms holds a crucial key to the film’s complex storyline. Yu~ki with his remarkable performance as a vampire seems almost born for this role. Whether as actors or actresses, their presence will certainly draw viewers into a surreal, hypnotic world.

This world is one that only Malice Mizer could bring to life. Eventually, the night gives way to dawn, and the story reaches a pivotal moment. What will bring salvation, and what will be the source of tragedy? What was “fate,” and what was inevitable? I hope you find the answers to these questions in your own heart.

[barananduen]

Art Advice: How to Deal with Art Block

Welcome to my Art Advice Articles series! In this issue, we'll talk about the different types of art block and how to break through them.

TYPE 1: I want to draw, but I don't know what!

TYPE 2: I want to & know what to draw, but it doesn't come out right.

2a) I've never been able to draw the way I want

2b) I used to like my art, but not anymore

TYPE 3: I have ideas but no motivation

TYPE 4: I want to draw, but I'm scared my new art won't measure up to my last good piece

Choose your type of art block from the list above the cut, and skip to the corresponding section below:

🌟TYPE 1 - I WANT TO DRAW, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT!

This is the easiest type of art block to deal with. DRAW ANYTHING! It doesn't have to be something spectacular; drawing an object on your desk or in your room will do; it will help you break out of this art block. Here are some ideas for you:

Ask people for suggestions. You don't have to draw all of them; just do the ones that appeal to you, in any way you wish.

Draw random objects: decorations, an insect, a slice of pie...

Close your eyes, draw a doodle/random shape. Open your eyes, try to make a creature out of it. Now redraw the creature with purpose.

Draw a scene or character from the last movie you watched / book you read / song you listened to.

Experiment with a different art form, like photography, crafts, dancing, etc. or a different medium (acrylic, pastel, pencils, etc.). This will shift your focus while still keeping your mind thinking creatively. Working with different art forms will: 1) loosen you up, and 2) give you ideas that you can apply to your main form/medium.

The last idea has another benefit. While working with a new art form, you will hone different skills, that will help you with your "main" medium if you have one (or the media you normally do). For example, if you draw and are stuck, working on photography can help you with composition and depth of field, among other things. Scrapbooking or making collages can help you with textures, color palettes, and also composition. Sculpting can help you with volume and angles. Dancing can help you with poses. You see things in a different light and can come up with new, fresh ideas. :)

🌟TYPE 2 - I WANT TO & KNOW WHAT TO DRAW, BUT IT DOESN'T COME OUT RIGHT

This type can take two forms:

a) You've never been able to draw the way you want; or b) You used to like your art, but now you no longer do.

The good news is: both are temporary!

⭐ 2.a - I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DRAW THE WAY I WANT

Many, many people who are starting with art are under the misconception that art learning is a relatively quick process, that you can get good at art in just a couple of months, whereas the fact is, it takes years to get to the level we want, with art as with anything else.

Exercise what I call The Three Ps:

Patience

Practice

Perseverance

We must have patience! It's important to give yourself time; focus, don't rush, and don't get exasperated when things don't go the way you wish they would. They will, with time.

In the meantime, practice! Do studies (from life or photos, not from others' art so you don't accidentally copy other artists' mistakes). Learn how to use shading to convey volume. Practice different light sources. Learn and practice anatomy. Learn about lighting and colors. Try different subjects, styles, genres - experimenting and learning to draw different things is super important! Branching out will not only aid in building your skill-set, but can also help you find what you like.

Keep going and don't give up! You must persevere!

While you're doing that ...

Focus on the journey, not just on the end goal. It is important to enjoy the process for its own sake. This attitude will help with patience and perseverance, and will keep you happy longer.

While you're doing this, don't feel discouraged when things don't turn out the way you want! EVERYONE makes mistakes! And everyone has had to go through a learning process. Just because you don't see others posting things with mistakes doesn't mean they didn't happen. Take mistakes in stride, have a little humor with yourself, and learn from them.

⭐2.b - I USED TO LIKE MY ART, BUT NOT ANYMORE

Usually, when you feel you've hit a wall, when you feel like you're no longer happy with your art, it's right before you begin to improve again, so don't let that feeling make you quit.

What happens is that your brain (your inner art critic) is no longer satisfied with your current work because you've seen things you like better, and, subconsciously, you're going "my work would be better if I could do _." The thing is, once you become aware of what that blank is (which will happen), you'll start working toward achieving it, and you'll be moving forward again.

Sometimes it's helpful to take a short break to clear your mind a little, like when you've been working on a project/paper too long and need a break from it because you can't think anymore. Take a few days, maybe a week or two, but don't quit entirely! In the meantime, you can use your creativity in other media. Try photography, crafts, decorative cooking, anything! Give yourself some time and approach things with a fresh perspective. Give your brain a break from what's bogging you down.

When you come back, you can do three things:

Try again. Sometimes things just "click" after you've taken your focus off of the matter for a while, like how you can better spot errors in an essay after you've laid it down for a day or two, than right after you've finished writing it

Go back and review the basics again. You don't need to spent ages doing this; it's just a refresher. Sometimes, we get hung up on our methods and forget something we once knew we should be doing. A refresher's always good. Personally, I make it a point to go back and briefly review the basics every couple of years.

You can try approaching things in different ways. Experiment! Do things in ways you didn't do them before. Try different types of lighting, coloring, shading, for example. Maybe you'll find something you like better than what you were doing before.

The important thing here is to realize that this sudden dissatisfaction with your work is a GOOD THING! It means you're about to make a leap and get even better! So, embrace it and don't feel discouraged by it!

🌟TYPE 3 - I HAVE IDEAS BUT NO MOTIVATION

This one might be brought on by other things going on in your life, maybe things that are making you feel down. Sometimes, even music or books or whatever used to get you in the mood to do art doesn't work.

Force yourself to draw -ANYTHING- (See TYPE 1 for ideas). This will help jump-start you, and then you can get back to drawing cool things. The same applies to writing - write anything! A poem, a haiku, an anagram. Do a few and you'll get back in the mood. If you do photography, just take your camera and head out. Take pics of ordinary things from different angles; try a type of photography you don't usually do. Don't worry about the results being good. Just focus on doing the thing.

When I've had this type of art block and did these things, I got out of it fairly quickly. When I didn't, and sat it out hoping it would go away on its own, I stopped doing art for five years, and in the process forgot many things I already knew about how to make art. Different people work in different ways, but I do recommend that if you feel this type of art block has been going on for too long, actively do something to try to get out of it, like the examples I mentioned above. You don't want it to drag on long enough to set you back in your progress.

🌟TYPE 4 - I WANT TO DRAW, BUT I'M SCARED MY NEW ART WON'T MEASURE UP TO MY LAST GOOD PIECE

Lastly, I want to address the mental cage that is choking under pressure. You can feel pressured by external sources (other people, social media) and by internal sources (yourself). Sometimes, you might feel like you have to perform at a certain level, and that pressure may make you perform below what you usually do. In worse cases, it may make you freeze and scared to even try! Don't let pressure play you wrong. Breathe deeply a few times and clear your mind… and draw without worrying about it! Just draw!

It's like how, sometimes, doodles on lined paper come out better than things you draw on a white sheet or on a canvas… it's because you're not putting pressure yourself to come up with a masterpiece.

Draw without worrying about how good or bad the outcome will be. If it's not as good as your last piece - nothing bad happens! Honestly! But you know what does happen if you freeze up because you're afraid you won't measure up to your previous works? You will not create equal or even better works at all! So, let go of the pressure, don't worry, and just draw. You WILL make better works; it's natural and makes sense. More practice and time leads to improvement, no matter what level you're improving from. Just give yourself the opportunity to do so!

Let go of pressure and expectations and just draw for the sake of it! You'll do fine.

Yes, it's important to challenge yourself and break out of your comfort zone to learn new skills, but sometimes (like when you're in this type of art block), going with your own personal strengths will give you the morale boost you need to draw again, and then you can keep moving forward and tackle challenges and new things with more confidence.

Believe in yourself! And remember: don't stop or you won't create the next awesome artwork you didn't know you would make, because your future pieces will always be better than your past ones. Don't forget that!

🌟CLOSING

I hope his article can give you some ideas and motivation to help you plow through your art block, whichever type it may be, and you'll be back on your way to creating beautiful works! 💟

~B~

You can find the index to all Art Advice Articles [here]

[astrovian]

Richard Armitage's Recommended Reading List from the official Geneva paperback release promotional material sent to book retailers/libraries in 2024

Robert Louis Stevenson: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

I narrated this for Audible, and I love the fact that the format feels like a case study of a psychologically compromised patient, rather than a traditional novel. It made me question whether it was a true story or fiction. I also love Stevenson's obsession - one shared by many authors and psychologists - with the alter ego. It's been suggested that Stevenson was subversively writing about suppressed sexuality (which was at the time considered unacceptable in social circles). His Mr Hyde was perhaps something that was literally 'in hiding' and forcing its way out.

C.J. Tudor: The Drift

A departure for Tudor into Zombie territory, i suspect conceived during the pandemic, and set across three different time zones. This is a chilling, thrilling genre puzzle about a group of survivors, a bus crash buried in the snow, a stranded cable car and a group of misfits walled up in a dystopian hellish retreat that feels like the end of the world. Lurking in the shadows is something so deadly it feels like an impending apocalypse.

Robert Harris: Act of Oblivion

Harris is one of my favourite authors. He's so immersed in historical detail his stories always feel like documents from an archive rather than invention. Act of Oblivion is the ultimate destination thriller. Set in 1660, during the Interregnum, the novel reminds me of a relentless road movie. Richard Nayler, head of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is consumed by a quest to find the last remaining fugitives who signed the death warrant of Charles I. It becomes a lifelong, all-consuming obsession that takes the form of an epic journey from London to the New World and the developing colonies.

Susanna Clarke: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

It's the 20th anniversary of this seminal novel, and it's been very much on my mind as I have narrated a new audiobook edition for Bloomsbury. A spectacular Dickensian destination thriller set in London and the European continent during the Napoleonic wars, I love the array of extraordinary characters (some factual, some fictional) and the weaving of magic into the politics of the time. Dr Strange and Mr. Norrell attempt to restore practical magic to England by convincing the government and the military of its usefulness in war. The rivalry between the two men in exacerbated by the emergence of an older, darker force which, along with Clarke's historical tapestry drawn from factual events and folklore, gives the story a bedrock that is convincing and compelling.

Stephen King: The Shining

Chiller, thriller a s destination; I can't get through the winter without a Stephen King novel. I've read The Shining a few times and as frightening as it is, there is something about the remote isolated setting of the Overlook Hotel in the midst of this brutal winter that intrigues me. The descent of Jack Torrance into madness, and the terrifying consequences of this for his wife and young son, makes for a trembling page-turner. One thing the book does better than the film is balance the fear with the spiritual: the 'shining'. In the novel, Jack's son Danny has a special psychic glow and in a child it feels like an impenetrable power for good in the facenof evil. You've probably seen the film, but the book is well worth a read too.

[jemmo]

ok i just finished binging opla and as someone who is like the most distant fan, who doesn’t even have any previous emotional connection to the show, i just have to say this is spectacular. like really. and no matter whether you’re a fan, whether you’ve seen the anime or read the manga or not, or whether you’ve even heard of one piece before, watch this show.

i can’t remember what one it was, but i was watching a video essay about the barbie movie yesterday, and this is really an extension of what was said there, about the nature of so called things made for kids, and about the point of visual media. first off, i just adore how much of an absolute spectacle this show is. it’s visuals, it’s story and writing, it’s pacing, it’s characters, the fights, the sets, the wardrobe, just the feat this show is, it’s such a visual and auditory and sensory feast and oh my god is it so fun and thrilling to be along for the ride. and this is what media lacks so much for me, this unbridled sense of fun. bc this is like being on a white knuckle ride. you’re propelled from story to story, from heartfelt moments to exquisite fight choreo, from twisted, terrifying clowns to pure dumbassery. there is no consistent, coherent tone bc that’s the point, and that is the tone. the tone is chaos through and through and it’s so thrilling to go along on the journey. and it’s one of the best examples of showing how something you see as childish can not just resonate with adults, but should be watched by adults. bc it’s not a kids show at all, but it has the joy of a kids show at its heart, and i don’t think it’s silly to not outgrow loving seeing pirates go on adventures and follow their dreams and the fucking power of friendship. its fun!! idk what else to say, it’s just so fun!! and it’s so much more!!

[reva-lution]

I dare you to ask anyone what was one of the most heartstopping, breathtaking, and invigorating scene in Into the Spiderverse. I guarantee you they will describe you the following Scene: Miles leaping off a skyscraper, initially falling but then gaining control, swinging through the night time lights of New York City. 

A lot of things make this scene incredible the spectacular animation being one, but I argue that the music is the key. As “What’s Up Danger” by Blackway and Black Caviar plays in the background, we as the audience can’t help but feel an amplifying sense of triumph and excitement. 

The album created for Into the Spider Verse utilizes both modern day hip-hop and trap beats. Alongside the album is the movie’s incredible scores created by Daniel Pemberton. This score uses a lot clever moments to add depth to their characters. For example, when we meet the many different spider people (from different universes) each character is accompanied by a distinct sound. 

Gwen Stacey is heard with hard rock – alluding to the fact that she herself plays the drums in a rock band

Spider-Noir is heard with that classic film-noir jazz sound 

Penny Parker is heard with upbeat-electro beats that sound like they came straight out of an anime (like her!)

Spider-Pig is heard with some looney toons esque music 

And finally whenever the Prowler is on scene, we hear this distorted elephant noise (that carries into the plot twist in Across the Spider Verse; if you know, you know)

All these little moments exemplify the diversity and differences between each spider hero. But let’s come back to “What’s Up Danger”. The key here is that no other superhero has been integrated so deeply with hip hop. Although it is not uncommon for superhero movies to utilize rap in their music scores, when was the last time you heard the huge, climactic moment use hip hop? 

Spiderverse uses hip hop in such a way to show (not tell) the viewer how integral it is to Mile’s identity. They do this in the beginning of the film as well, when Miles is singing along to “Sunflower” by Swae Lee and Post Malone. Then moving on to “Familia” by Nicki Minaj, Anuel AA, and Bantu, to illustrate Miles’ half Puerto Rican heritage. 

We can do this with almost every song on the albums released, and link it back to Miles’ character, identity, or heritage. However, in this scene Pemberton layered “What’s Up Danger” with the original score. The score contains the motifs used to represent Miles’ independent journey as a character, alongside the one representing the identity of a Spider Hero. Both integration of these three musical structures, in this one scene is ultimately what gives us such a climactic moment. 

But theres one final layer to this all. We only ever hear the hip hop music (from the albums) whenever Miles’ is in his known world of Brooklyn, or his home. Examples include:

The public’s reaction to Peter Parker’s death when we hear “Scared of the Dark” by Lil Wayne, Ty Dolla $ign, and XXXTENTACION

When Miles is stressed out he hums the “Sunflower” tune

When Miles is at his lowest, and is trying to return home we get “Hide” by Juice WRLD and Seezyn

And finally at the end of the film we tie it off with “Sunflower” once more

On the other hand, whenever Miles is acting as Spiderman (a role that is alien to him for a large portion of the film), we hear mostly the original movie score. Thus, the hip hop we hear in the film represents the real world, or Miles’ old life, while the instrumental score represents his duty as Spiderman. 

So, when Miles leaps off that skyscraper, we are literally seeing both his known and unknown worlds merge. There was so much depth and thought put into just this one scene, but it was most definitely worth it. This is just one of the many incredible insights of the film, but we can all say for certain that Spiderverse and its story telling is brought to life by its music. 

[des2dream]

A Daydreamer's Holiday Movie Marathon: Barbie in the Nutcracker💕💗💂

Okay, who's ready for another Nutcracker adaptation because we have Barbie in the Nutcracker that released in 2001 as Barbie's first animated film. The movie opens with Barbie telling her little sister, Kelly a story after seeing her struggle during rehearsal for her ballet solo. It's here that our story starts with Clara who is spending Christmas Eve with her little brother (Tommy) and Grandfather Drosselmeyer until her Aunt Elizabeth arrives with stories of her travels and gifts for the family. Elizabeth suggests that Clara should travel with her and while Clara is up for the chance to see the world, she knew her grandfather wouldn't allow it. She gives Clara a nutcracker doll which quickly gets broken after Tommy attempts to wrestle it from her. Luckily, Clara fixes it before going to bed, but wakes up to find The Nutcracker come to life and face-to-face with The Mouse King who shrinks her down to his size after she tries to intervene. While she does help out in the battle and the mice do retreat, there's still the problem of finding The Sugar Plum Princess to undo The Mouse King's magic in both Clara and The Nutcracker. The two travel to The Nutcracker's home called, Parthenia where everyone in the land is suffering from The Mouse King's reign while also in frustration over Prince Eric's (the rightful heir to Parthenia) disappearance since then. Major Mint and Captain Candy (two people who led a small group of villagers in hiding) join the two on their journey to find The Sugar Plum Princess and save the land.

Anything is possible with Barbie and she made a SPECTACULAR debut film! They even got Tim Curry to voice The Mouse King! TIM CURRY!!! It's because of this movie that started all the future Barbie movies to come into our DVDs and streaming services to this very day! Movies like Barbie in a Mermaid Tale, Barbie: Fairytopia, Barbie: Princess Charm School, Barbie: Princess and the Pauper! I think this might be my absolute favorite animated Nutcracker film despite my love for Care Bears: Nutcracker Suite and The Nutcracker Prince! It's so good! It's so charming! It's so cute! It's so fun! The chemistry between Clara and The Nutcracker is so cute and they might be one of my favorite parings in the Barbie film universe or so. I also love all the characters in this film because they each bring a special breath of life into this childhood masterpiece. And I know what you're thinking. "You're gonna tell us that you highly recommend us watching it, aren't you?" Oh course! Thanks for saying it before I did. It's so sweet!

💕💗💕

[feministsouthpark]

South Park Filler Guide - Season 11

Link for Seasons  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10

You know the drill by now, I’ll judge whether an episode has all the qualities of a canon one, or is it just shameless filler. S11E1 With Apologies to Jesse Jackson is LORE

N-word for white people gets banned instantly. Again, a major character in this one will return as a henchman later, but that's a minor role with one line. S11E2 Cartman Sucks is FILLER

Butters goes to camp. Eric gets himself in a tricky situation that will be forgotten by next time. S11E3 Lice Capades is FILLER

The boys have lice. Clyde's lice moves on. S11E4 The Snuke is FILLER

Bahir moves in, he moves out, a bomb doesn't even do anything in the end. S11E5 Fantastic Easter Special is CANON

Because Jesus is shown to resurrect himself time and time again, which explains his future appearances, otherwise his S6 death and later returns would be pretty much unexplained. S11E6 D-Yikes! is CANON

Janet has an interesting change when she realizes her attraction to women, a part of her character journey of self-discovery. S11E7 Night of The Living Homeless is FILLER

Eric breaks record of jumping over homeless people. While I consider this as filler content in South Park, remind me if I ever do a Happy Days filler guide to include this one as canon! S11E8 Le Petit Tourette is LORE

As with South Park is Gay from season 7, this one helps to establish Craig Tucker's interest in boys, and this one even foreshadows what's his type is like! S11E9 More Crap is CANON

In my mind, when I started writing about this season it started like: Can you imagine the world where I would say this one's canon? And then I would make a joke and advise everyone to skip it. However reading through the transcript of the banned episode 200 of Emmy Award winning series South Park just to make sure, I found Bono making a very specific reference to this one episode, unlike Sally Struthers for instance, who says very basic things about South Park that made her episode only important enough to count as LORE, as did many other celebrities. Thanks Bono, you have a new record now, interfering with my calculations and gaining the longest paragraph in my guide. S11E10 & S11E11 & S11E12 Imaginationland is FILLER

I know, I know, everyone wanted these to be canon, including myself at one point. And don't worry, my step-sister is going to beat me up over this one so it's already taken care of. My bottom line is that these episodes (also once retconned into a second movie) are somewhat a separate entity from the rest of the series, knowing the characters is needed to it, but the world-building is vastly different from the rest of the show, so this is where it ends up. Imagination is real. Filler is real too. That's the main takeaway. S11E13 Guitar Queer-O is FILLER

After what just happened I can't even take this one seriously. It's like robbing a bank and then jaywalking. S11E14 The List is CANON

Stan and Wendy make up. That's a spectacular episode anyway, but for our intents and purposes for inspecting a continuous story, unlike imagination territory, or a random terrorist attacks, relationship drama is exactly the kind of stuff that gets a pass.

SPOILER-FREE RUNDOWN

Again, CANON means you should watch it, FILLER means you can skip it, LORE is somewhere in-between, any episode with the LORE label will have an explanation that helps you decide if you should include it or not. S11E1 With Apologies to Jesse Jackson is LORE* S11E2 Cartman Sucks is FILLER S11E3 Lice Capades is FILLER S11E4 The Snuke is FILLER S11E5 Fantastic Easter Special is CANON S11E6 D-Yikes! is CANON S11E7 Night of The Living Homeless is FILLER S11E8 Le Petit Tourette is LORE** S11E9 More Crap is CANON S11E10 & S11E11 & S11E12 Imaginationland is FILLER S11E13 Guitar Queer-O is FILLER S11E14 The List is CANON *Two minor members of a later organization gain their motives here **If you want to learn about Craig's type in dating

CANON counter:

S1: 9 out of 13  S2: 3 out of 18  S3: 6 out of 18  S4: 10 out of 17  S5: 8 out of 14  S6: 11 out of 17 S7: 6 out of 15 S8: 4 out of 14 S9: 8 out of 14 S10: 4 out of 14 S11: 4 out of 14

Overall: 73 out of 168

[elizabeth-mitchells]

your new url intrigues me so here's a "ramble about what makes you like this character" free card. i want to understand <3

omg omg thank you so much for sending me this!!! this is my moment hsgjdfghjf so technically my new icon is a character and url is the name of the actress that plays her. meaning i will ramble about juliet burke but also about elizabeth mitchell in general lmao

so! everything started with yj, somehow. when some mutuals told me that elizabeth mitchell would be perfect to play adult laura lee and then i couldn't unsee it. i loved her in first kill and i had watched her in the purge and the santa clause but i didn't remember them very well. and i was in the mood to watch movies from my watchlist and Gia (1998) just happened to be there... and the way that movie altered my brain chemistry is insane. there's nothing like it. i loved it way too much and especially elizabeth mitchell in it. so of course this resulted in me rewatching first kill and the purge election year once or twice and then!!

i knew that elizabeth mitchell was in lost but i thought ugh 120 episodes from 20 years ago centered around men?? i don't want to do that!! but luckily i came across a youtube compilation of only elizabeth mitchell as juliet burke. i watched that and.... well!! i loved her SO much and i got intrigued by the show and some ppl here told me there were other women and it was worth it so i decided to give it a chance!

i probably shouldn't have much to say about juliet bc i'm currently pretending that i don't know her entire story ghsdjfghjf but honestly? even with i know so far i'd love her! a cunty introduction, punching men, and going teary eyed about a woman's death. also i mean. look at her

and being honest about all i know about her.... listen i have a weakness for pretty doomed by the narrative. i can't put into words how tragic she is bc i'll start crying but it's A LOT okay? which is so frustrating but makes me so emotionally attached to her because she deserved so much better but there she is fighting so hard the entire time and i'm just in love. also her morally gray vibes? *chefs kiss*. villain era? double agent? betraying her people? sexy traitor? redemption arc? shipping with a woman she handcuffed herself to so they could go on a sexy adventure in the rain through the jungle and fighting each other but possibly kissing according to me??? it's a spectacular journey and i'm so excited to watch it!!!

[the-story-dragon]

How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

I haven't watched this movie in 9 years and in that time I'd forgotten just how epic the movie actually is! 9 years ago, a friend of mine (Anushka) who was obsessed with the movie was hell-bent on getting me to watch the movie series and downloaded the movies onto a USB and forced it into my hands. I ended up watching only the first two movies and I vaguely remember details of them. I've been meaning to watch the third one, but never really got around to doing so. Nine years later a reel on instagram reminded me of the existence of these movies and well, here I am, 21 years old, and watching an animated film about dragons. And I am extremely proud to report that I enjoyed every single second of the movie.

Right from the opening of the movie, to the very end, how the narration ties it all up in a beautiful circle, is absolutely spectacular. The story is solid, with a really good plotline and rare tropes (well, at least during the time of the movie's release). I absolutely love how starkly different Hiccup is from the rest of the Vikings and how the movie shows his identity crisis. It was absolutely breathtaking to see the bond and trust between Toothless and Hiccup develop. Hiccup was finally being seen for who he really was and for the first time in his life, he was not being scorned for it. He was receiving love and acceptance and understanding, unconditionally, for the first time in his life, and all that came from this supposedly dangerous creature that his entire clan had vowed to kill. Hiccup finally has the chance to grow into himself and he does. Whereas he was awkward and wrong-footed when handling weapons, he was confident and sure of himself on the back of a dragon. Where he could get neither his clan nor his own father to trust him or take him seriously, his demeanor assured Toothless enough to give him his trust and respect. Yes, the journey was not easy. But it was really beautiful to watch the two hurt individuals find companionship in the other.

The rest of the characters were also built really well. Despite their obvious flaws, the fact that they were not too stringent upon their beliefs after seeing evidence contrary to said beliefs was a redeeming factor. There were no characters that were detestable. Each had their own strengths and their own flaws. Of course, there were times when I was mad at certain characters for being unreasonable (read, Stoick), but I was able to understand that they were just blinded by their experiences and what they have believed their entire lives. That being said, I don't know if Stoick was a good parent to Hiccup. He did redeem himself towards the end of the movie, but there are two entire movies left for him to screw up. I guess, I'll just have to wait and see.

Hiccup's own brand of sass and humor truly made the even more enjoyable to watch. I can't believe that the target audience for this was kids. I will fight anyone who says that httyd is not for adults.

Overall, 10/10.

100% would recommend. Will definitely re-watch. Adding this to my list of comfort movies.

[lovestuckyhatemarvel]

Apologies, but I’m about to over analyze a very old meme in the middle of the night because I can’t sleep. And I’m about to talk about the lord of the rings movies more than the books because even though I’ve read the books, I’ve watched the movies more. Also, the meme is about the movies, so leave my tired ass alone.

So I kind of hate the fellowship at 100% vs 99% strength meme because I’ve seen people talk about it seriously and I think that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of the way the characters function in the story. Like I’m sorry but if you think any single character in the fellowship is more important than the others instead of just a personal favorite, you’re just textually wrong. And this is about to get long so brace yourself. But also if you hate long things, why the fuck are you here?

Aragorn and Sam are spectacular characters that are necessary to the success of the mission but not disproportionately to the whole. Because the whole is the point. The fellowship is the point. Even Boromir, whose direct actions are arguably the least due to dying early, has long reaching effects even after his death. If Boromir was never there, things don’t go the same and may not even go as well long term. Does Aragorn even accept his role as much or as quickly if he doesn’t have Boromir’s dying breath calling him his king? I’d argue no. However I will admit that this character is the one I have the least arguments for other than ‘trust me, bro’ and ‘that’s my baby, and I’m really proud’ while exhausted.

I feel silly even pointing out what Gandalf’s impact is since he’s the reason the journey can even start to begin with. Without him, Frodo gets a weird ring from Bilbo and then dies before he’s 50 because he treats it like a random trinket and is the easiest target the Nazgûl have ever tracked. Gandalf also saves the entire fellowship from the Balrog and is the reason King Théoden becomes available as an ally instead of being God’s crustiest hindrance. In general, the intricate removal of Saruman’s direct impact requires a wizard. Also, if he’s not there, who gets that world’s greatest grandpapa mug I made?

Legolas and Gimli are married so I’m talking about them together. Beyond the fact Gimli almost becomes Galadriel’s favorite side ho, the two don’t have a ton of solo story beats in the movies. However, what they lack in specific moments they make up for by being absolute monsters on the battlefield. Aragorn can’t do most of the shit he does without my gay uncles backing him up. There are literal battles that would have failed and in a war where they’re already outnumbered and outmatched, you actually can’t afford more loss.

Merry and Pippin are eternal besties so they’re also getting talked about together. Initially they’re treated as comic relief and at times even a hindrance in the movies, but they do step up. The Ents go to war because of Merry and Pippin. And the Ents are necessary for dealing with Isengard. Take them out and the war still has an orc factory that can just overwhelm the war with numbers alone. They also have direct impacts on Gondor and Rohan in ways I’m too tired to get into. Also, Pippin sings like an angel even when a gross old man is eating in grossest way possible. Talent. He has the range.

And now we’re down to the main crux of serious arguments I’ve seen. Sam and Frodo. Both of them ring bearers. Is Sam way more important than Frodo? Absolute not.

So Sam is arguably an amazing character, but don’t get it confused. Sam would have never volunteered to take the ring to Mordor, didn’t actually handle the ring’s direct influence well, and also would have gotten rid of Gollum.

Because psych!!! This next part is actually about how Gollum, Frodo, and Sam are three sides to a triangle you can’t remove any part of lest it falls apart completely! Take that, M Night Shyamalan, there’s a new mediocre and fully telegraphed twist in town!!!

Frodo has the initial willingness to take the ring to be destroyed and endures the ring better than literally anyone else. Basically everyone else either gives unhinged talks about what they’d do with the power before they ever touch it or they touch it for 10 seconds and go full Rick Astley. Frodo carries it for days and even wears it a few times before he sees Galadriel and is still capable of trying to give it away. That in itself is extraordinary and cannot be understated. Like that’s the willpower of a god. Put some respect on that.

Frodo, because of his connection to the ring and awareness of its impact, desperately wants to believe Gollum can be saved. After all, that means that he can be saved, and so he does everything in his power to keep Gollum around and get him better. This means they have a guide and when it comes down to it, the reason the ring is destroyed at all. Because Gollum is the one to ultimately, if by accident, destroy the ring. You need Frodo to carry the ring and get Gollum there, you need Sam to get Frodo there, and you need Gollum to destroy it.

And another plot twist that’s not a twist at all at all, but while there’s no part of the fellowship that you can remove and still win, the fellowship itself cannot succeed without 1246885356 other moving parts. Elrond, Arwen, Galadriel, Théoden, Éomer, Éowyn, Faramir, Treebeard, Grima fucking Wormtongue, and dozens of others, some who don’t even get directly named in the trilogy, are all important. They’re all necessary. And there are even more moving parts in the books. Pour one out for my very good friend, Forest God Tom Bombadil. He’s not dead, I just think him and his trees would like a drink.

The point of the whole goddamn thing is that no one can do this mission alone. None of them. Yeah, not even Sam or Aragorn. It’s a fellowship and it’s about that connection and that community. There are themes.

[waytooinvested]

Vengeance, Victory, and Undying Love - pt 9

Chapter 9 of my Supercorp fic in which Lena still creates something called Non Nocere to deal with her broken heart after finding out Supergirl's identity, but this time she gives the name to a different project. A more personal one. And now she’s coming for Supergirl.

This and previous chapters also available to read on Ao3

...............

The next time she saw Lena, it was an accident.

Well, sort of.

Kara had taken to night flights when she couldn’t sleep – not patrolling for trouble (though that’s what she claimed she was doing) so much as just taking the opportunity to bathe in the gentle wash of starlight. She enjoyed feeling the cool night breeze against her skin and gazing out at the quiet expanse of the city. During the day it was a seething hive of activity, but at night the pace slowed, swapping the bustle for peaceful darkness spangled with lights that glimmered beneath her toes like an infinite swarm of fire flies.

Sometimes – not too often, but sometimes – she would stay out there all night, watching over the world as the sky faded from black to navy to grey-blue, then broke into the delicate pink and orange of sunrise spreading up from the horizon.

Those nights were the best ones, and the worst, because they made the hollow in her chest ache so viciously.

Back before all this had happened, Lena had sometimes stayed over at her apartment after their movie night ran just a little too late to make the journey home feel like a good idea. The idea was to sleep of course, but more than once they had stayed awake long after the credits had rolled on the final movie, just talking and laughing, swapping stories and dreams and ideas until the dawn chorus reminded them that there was a world out there that would shortly be demanding their attention.

Somewhere along the way a secret fantasy had been born in Kara’s heart – one that involved herself and Lena, a blanket, a thermos, a basket of fresh, oven-warm pastries, and the sunrise. In it she would scoop Lena up into her arms and fly them both out over the city and away somewhere special where no one would disturb them and the only thing for miles around for her super hearing to pick up was bird song and the sound of Lena’s heart beating in time with her own.

A mountaintop perhaps, or a cliff overlooking a pure turquoise sea.

They’d settle there, huddled close together against the early morning chill under their single blanket (it was always just one blanket, though she tried not to examine too deeply why that was), and they’d watch the sun come up.

She’d actually told Lena about it once, after a particularly deep heart to heart when her walls were as far down as she was ever able to let them.

Well, not all of it of course. Not the part about taking Lena in her arms and flying them away under her own steam, or the part about the single blanket. But she had looked out of her window at the rosy clouds and said that she wished they could be watching the sunrise from somewhere beautiful, outside of the city.

Lena had smiled at her so tenderly, the soft shine in her eyes instantly making the rising sun seem brash by comparison, and said ‘but we can’.

Kara’s stomach had plummeted even as her heart leapt, thinking that Lena was picturing the same thing she was, that she knew, and was saying that it was alright, that she felt the same. In another few moments Kara might well have blown her cover and swept her up right then and there to enact the fantasy for real, but before she could Lena had shaken her head at Kara’s stunned expression and laughed.

‘I have a private jet, remember? We can go wherever you like. Tell you what, why don’t we plan a proper vacation? We can all go. I’m sure we can find somewhere with spectacular sunrises, and perhaps some good vineyards too. It’ll be fun’.

And it would have been fun, if not exactly what Kara had been hoping for. But the vacation had never happened, because before it could they were all caught up in saving the world from certain peril yet again, and that had led to everything with Lex, and Lena had found out who she was, and everything had fallen apart.

She had been thinking about this and, alright, maybe moping about it a little, when she’d caught the sound of quiet sobs from a distant balcony.

Lena’s balcony.

She knew it wasn’t her place to comfort Lena when she was sad anymore, but it was as if thinking so hard about their past time together had conjured her presence, like the fact that they were both out here at this late hour when so few people were awake meant that she was somehow supposed to go.

Besides, she couldn’t bear to listen to Lena cry and not at least try to help.

She touched down on the balcony a few feet away from where Lena sat looking small and vulnerable in nothing but her light summer pyjama shorts and tank top, an almost empty bottle of scotch by her side.

‘Lena?’

She spoke the name very softly, trying not to startle her.

Lena looked up at her, eyes a little unfocused with alcohol.

‘Kara. I should have known you’d show up’.

‘I don’t mean to pry, it’s just… I heard you crying, and I wanted to make sure you were okay’.

‘Of course you did’.

‘So… are you okay?’

It was a stupid question. Lena was as not okay as Kara had ever seen her, her eyes red and puffy with crying, her bare arms and legs pebbled with goosebumps in the chilly night air, hair mussed as if she had tossed and turned on her pillow before giving up and coming out here. She was a mess.

A beautiful mess.

Kara longed to take Lena into her arms and warm her against her own chest, to wipe away her tears, smooth back her hair and tell her that everything was going to be alright, but she had to settle for taking off her cape and draping it tentatively around Lena’s shoulders instead.

For a while Lena stayed stiff, neither shrugging off nor acknowledging the offer, but eventually her need for warmth must have won out, because to Kara’s relief the frozen fingers of the hand that wasn’t clutching a glass of scotch reached up to pull the folds of the cape more snugly around herself.

It was not quite an invitation to stay, but it was the next best thing. An unspoken acceptance of Kara’s presence on the balcony.

‘Would it be alright if I sit?’

Lena glanced at her dully and made a gesture half way between a nod and a shrug before downing the rest of her scotch and pouring herself another large measure. The bottle clanked against the glass as she tipped it clumsily, half the liquid that had been intended for the cup sloshing over her bare knee instead, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.

‘I was going to- to cure cancer you know’.

‘Were you?’

‘Yep. Or climate change. Hadn’t decided yet, but it was- it was going to be something heroic. Only now I can’t do it’.

‘Why not?’

Lena threw her a sceptical look and hiccuped.

‘Because. Because Kara, I am sitting out here on my balcony at 3am, and I’m drunk’.

Kara couldn’t help laughing at that, just a little.

‘I see that. But you won’t stay drunk. You’ll go to bed soon and sleep it off, and then you’ll be able to do whatever you like’.

‘No, no you see that’s where you’re wrong. I won’t, because I’ve already failed. I thought I succeeded, but I was fooling myself. It didn’t work. It was never going to work. And now I don’t have anything else to try. Kara’.

A pause, followed by a sudden rush of words.

‘Kara, I don’t want this anymore. I don’t want it but I don’t know how to go back. I’ve ruined everything’.

Fresh tears washed over the salty tracks of those that had come before, and Kara raised a tentative hand to touch the folds of cape above Lena’s shoulder.

She swallowed, hardly daring to breathe in case it broke the fragile thread that was spinning out between them.

‘What don’t you want Lena?’

[rebeccalouisaferguson]

Tell me about his big spectacular movie, which I thought was incredible. [Ferguson eyes me suspiciously, a dubious look, which sort of throws me off]

No, really, it’s really immense. And there’s so much moral complexity to it, which I kept finding myself writing in my notes. Why did you write morally complex? Why did that kick in?

Uhh, me? Well, quickly, with blockbusters, we often expect big triumphs and clear delineations of good and evil, and this gets muddied with a lot of people playing a kind of strategic intergalactic geo-political chess, which I think your character is definitely doing. Yeah, yeah. Could you just take the quote there and just put it on me instead? Say, Rebecca said that? That would be amazing, thank you [laughs].

But to be honest, I think you nailed it, and that’s what we, actors, love about these roles and working with Denis. It’s not the simplicity of good vs. evil. It is always the moral imbalance of a human being, you know? Even if you’re out in space and the stakes or high or whatever is there. That’s what makes it—the shades, the nuances.

Sure, I would say that this film pushes it as far as you possibly can with a blockbuster; you start to question your allegiance to seemingly heroic characters. It’s interesting. I think that’s really fascinating, and I think I’m going to have to, after these interviews, think about it. And I think you’re right. There were moments where, Oh gosh, I can’t go into it too much, but I remember talking to Denis and thinking, “Oh my god, she’s so driven by her belief!” You know if I were my own daughter, I’d be going sod off, stop it!” Like I felt this eagerness to separate, to cut the umbilical cord, but I obviously have to love my character and understand her.

It made it easier understanding the world of the Fremen—without giving anything away in that sense—but when she becomes a reverend mother, all of the information handed down into her, all the layers that she needs to carry inside, is something that she needs to deal with as well, whether she loves it or not.

That’s one of the key elements to me of the movie: characters like yours and Paul’s who are making difficult choices and ones that could even possibly alienate the audience, like the choice Paul has to make with Chani at the end... You’re basically comparing the inner journey of my character architecturally designing war and Timothee choosing between two women [laughs]. I think he has bigger issues than that, buddy! [laughs]. But I think you’re right; it’s within your choice, and reason comes the fall of simple love, the domino effect of a higher stake. And that’s, I think, is the brutality with which the character of Jessica needs to penetrate through him. It’s the play is bigger than your emotions.

I was going to ask if it’s hard playing these choices, but when you think of her as a mother-to-be, again, maybe the protective nature of all of it makes more sense. [Shakes her head in agreement] I think one of the difficulties I had tapping into, which was challenging, was that I’m not religious at all. And I would say that Jessica is somewhat, or becomes, a fundamentalist, right? In her belief. And it is so completely the opposite of who I am as a human being. So tapping into it and embracing it and understanding it was a really interesting journey for me, internally.

For sure, there’s a fervor of fundamentalist, but at the same time, I sort of read some of her behavior as a chess move of protection to make sure the Fremen are on her and Paul’s side. It all seems too tenuous for them. Yeah, that’s what’s interesting, isn’t it? It’s how you interpret, and I agree, but I also believe the moves that are made are made on a pillar of actual belief. What she actually believes in her son, what he is, it’s a very strong belief, call it fundamentalist or just call it very strong belief. The point is that, this is her mission throughout the entire duration of this world is to push forth her belief.

Right, well, then, were you ever concerned about your character coming across as… I dunno, scheming? Duplicitous? The Bene Gesserit aren’t evil, but it’s maybe fair to say they have their own hidden agenda. Yeah, they do, and it’s a little bit like back in the day, isn’t it? I compare it a bit to when I did “The White Queen” [TV series] back in the day, and it was a chess game. The men were out in the battlefields, and the women were plotting the houses. You marry France, that’s a good alliance—but I don’t love him!— surdoué, better army, stronger bonds. It’s sort of like [make little noise like moving figures], the plotting, the chess games, right? It’s kind of what the sisterhood is all about. So the question is, is this what we have had [all along], even if it’s a science-fiction, action film,  based on the idea and the idealism of what we have in society, which is women are at home and plotting the stronger bonds and the bigger fight. But what’s nice is here, we have a mixture because Denis lets women onto the battlefield as well, and that’s what’s so wonderful: we’re mixing it.

This film ends the way it ends— let’s call it a cliffhanger. But it teases so much more, a holy war, a daughter for your character. I assume you want to see more and potentially play opposite your daughter at some point in the future? I mean, I do, but… there’s never just a yes or a no. I’m very much what’s on the page, the story needs to be there, there needs to be reason. But it’s Denis. Denis wouldn’t write something that I wouldn’t want to be in. I love him. I think he is exquisite, he’s exquisite as a director, I think he is so creative. I think he is so smart, and especially when he talks about how the world is going the way the studio lies, and the creative freedom that is gradually taken away from us. I know what he wants, which means I believe in him.

So if it came [to a sequel], of course, I’d want to, but also, I want to take my character into a place that’s interesting to me. There’s always the balance. If you’re going to dedicate your four months to something, it needs to be worth it, right?

I need to wrap up, but I wanted to quickly ask you about “Mission Impossible” and your character’s death, which I thought was fitting with the film thematically—the idea that Ethan may lose everyone he loves in this mission and the great cost of it all—I wanted to hear how you felt about it. Was it bittersweet? I think, for me, when they came to me with the offer, and I said I wasn’t interested, that was the result; it was very much what was planned in my schedule. And how it was executed was very much, umm, an interpretation for everyone. I guess I [would] wish my husband would grieve me more than Ethan did [makes a cheeky clacking with her jaw]

To be honest, with that said, cheekiness aside, I believe that Chris McQuarrie and Tom [Cruise] make fantastic films and they are always wanting to go in directions that are unexpected, and darker, and interesting.

So when the relationship came to a point where—there was not more to be done really with Ilsa, and we have three picture deals in Hollywood, and when they come up, we as actors have the decision to say yes or no to a continued offer; they will make a good, something dramatic out of it, and all I can do is embrace it.

I hope people enjoyed it; I know a lot of people didn’t, and I know there are a lot of articles out there— and I’m not the writer. I do my job, and I do it as well as I can, and I serve the character because I think Chris wrote a fantastic character. And I’m so honored and grateful that I got to play her.