#also this film has one of my fave uses of a title in a film

[matan4il]

Man Suang review

Spoilers! (obviously. Also, this was written after watching the movie just once, to give my opinion as "raw" as possible)

This may seem like a weird spot to start, but I feel like I really can't review this movie properly, without pointing out that it's Moulin Rouge, except set in another country AND another genre. The latter gives it a very different feel (to a great degree, due to tone as well, MS is a serious movie, while MR, even while it does want you to care, doesn't take itself too seriously), but the basic structure of the two movies is too similar, so I have to start there.

In both cases, the movie revolves around (and gets its title from) an entertainment center, which is beautiful and alluring, but also serves as a stage for some of the uglier sides of human urges. This entertainment institution houses performers of low social status, who often also must prostitute themselves to the rich and powerful people who frequent the place. And while the whoring is pretty much built in, and no one bats an eye at it, this setting also allows for some murderous intents to surface. The plot is centered around an exceptionally beautiful and talented, lowborn entertainer, who must sell their body to get by, having aspirations to get a better life through this, and the seemingly simple guy, who is a part of their social circle at this entertainment place, who has his own aspirations, and is not as lowly, which is why he doesn't have to stoop as low as prostitution, and can offer something different. Despite the connection between them, they're both trapped in plots bigger than them, set into motion before they even met, and they have to struggle to find their way amidst all this intrigue, which moves them almost like they were pawns. By the end of the movie, there will be betrayal between the two, but also repentance, and an act of choosing each other over their initial ideal, allowing them to make decisions that are "righter" than they would have, had they not met, and ones that give them more freedom than had they simply served the initial goal they were supposed to. Through that, they gain more freedom and agency. Yet despite that, they don't end the movie being together.

Now, why do I bring this comparison up? Because while MR doesn't take itself seriously, like I said, it does want the viewer to care, and it achieves this by recognizing that they can make a mess of genres, of reality vs hallucination (hello Kylie Minogue as the Green Fairy), of time periods (soundtrack and props that have nothing to do with the year 1900), be as camp and over the top as they wanna be, but if the characters and love story are compelling, we'll all still be riveted.

And that's generally true for every movie. At the end of the day, whatever the genre, we watch first and foremost because someone made us care in some way about at least one of the characters or relationships featured in the film. My fave action movie ever works so well, not because its climax scene is so full of fists (in the middle of a lake at night in total darkness, with the very real threat of the good guy being drowned by the bad one), it hits home because this fight will actually be decided by whether the cold-blooded CIA handler, who had to train the good guy, has come to care enough about him, to be able to tell the two men apart even under these circumstances, and shoot the right person (meaning, the bad guy), saving the protagonist and countless others along the way. It's this test of their (BTW, fully platonic) relationship, that makes up the film's real climax.

So, probably my biggest issue with MS is that it seems to lose sight of that too often. It's so focused on telling us this political mystery, that it forgets at the end of the day, we're here for people and how they feel about and react to each other. The heart of the movie is the relationship between Khem (played by Apo), the entertainer forced to whore himself out, and Chat, the one guy who sees him dancing, but doesn't want just Khem's body. The parts that let their relationship breathe and develop are the best in the movie, they're the ones that feel the most authentic, interesting and impactful. They're the emotional anchor of the whole thing, and even though the movie too often neglects them, and doesn't give them enough time, they just work thanks to Mile and Apo's excellent acting, and their outstanding chemistry. Truly, it's once again a testament of how well these two fit as a team, that they're able to achieve so much, when they're giving too little breathing space for the relationship that is, at the end of the day, the very heart of the film.

The cinematography is great, though I'll admit that I was not that into the colors, I usually like vivid colors, but here they were oversaturated in a way that added a certain sense of heaviness and suffocation to my viewing experience. In a sense, it fits. Man Suang is both beautiful and ugly, alluring and repulsive. Still, I think it would have been a better choice to add the unnatural oversaturation as the ugliness unfolds. First let the viewers be seduced by the beautiful imagery and colors, only then hit them with the ugliness that all of the glitter hides. But then, the movie actually hits us with the ugly bits, with prostitution and murder, in the exposition already. Which makes me think the whole movie could have benefited from a more gradual unfolding of those parts of the entertainment world we're introduced to. Still, I will say that the parts where Khem and Chat get to know each other better, in the market, flying a kite in the field and chatting while climbed up on a tree, they don't have that oversaturation, they get to enjoy more natural lighting, and it gives these scenes a lighter feeling, which does fit. They do seem less burdened in those moments than throughout most of the film. And then the issue with this goes back to... there's just not enough of these scenes, to really give this contrast its own gravitas.

There are scenes which are redundant, they should have been cut out, like when we learn how Tubtim prefers being a whore at Man Suang than outside it. Not that her short monologue isn't touching, but let's be honest, she's not an actual character. She's a plot device, this short scene is only included to set up her change of heart, when she decides to tell Khem the truth, instead of lying. But since this doesn't give her enough depth or her own agency to become a character in her own right, and since she explains her decision to Khem anyway, it's just a waste of time, and it comes at the expense of developing the more emotionally crucial parts of the movie.

And it's not like the movie doesn't know where its emotional weight is. For example, the film's emotional climax, the moment where tensions run highest, is without a doubt the confrontation between Khem and Chat, when they accuse each other of choosing themselves and being willing to sacrifice the other one to do it. It's an effective moment, but I think it would have been so much more powerful, if we got to spend more time seeing Chat and Khem becoming increasingly more important to each other.

For that matter, the real resolution in the movie isn't to the supposed mystery of who has the secret documents and how to get them. It's the resolution of what to do with them, which is where Chat and Khem had clashed. Chat needs the documents destroyed so he and his family won't be punished (possibly killed) for his father's crime. Khem needs the documents delivered to the authorities so that he and his friend won't be punished (possibly killed) for a murder they were framed for. The real resolution of the story is when Khem chooses to burn the documents, so Chat and his family will be safe, and after he leaves, Chat saves them from the flames, and has them delivered, securing Khem's life and reward.

I really liked this part, and again, it felt lighter than the rest of the movie, giving a real sense of relief (visually as well, as there's less oversaturation, and both guys change into nicer outfits, with brighter patches of color). I also enjoyed the more complex POV they offer by the end. They both didn't want the life they were born into. Khem didn't like being of a low socio-economic status, being dependent on the good will of others. Chat didn't want to be a civil servant like his dad. As the movie ends, Khem chooses to stay at Man Suang, turning down the social mobility reward Chat was able to secure for him, while Chatra accepts a position serving his country. Seemingly, they both had to accept their predestined fate. But the fact that they get to choose it now, makes a difference. They see the good they can do, and they're not deprived of humanizing agency. The delivery of this in their dialogues is also quite lovely, with Khem talking about how each type of boat is made for very specific conditions that it must sail, while Chat brings up the fact that now, there are new types of ship, which can defy expectations, and sail in any conditions. They're both right, and they complete each other in describing the place that they ended up in. And the mutual parting, as they both "entrust" something to the care of the other, does reflect their bond.

Still, all of this would have been even more poignant, if this relationship had been given more space. As is, I feel like I even have to guess to a degree why they do care about each other, and why they do end up choosing the other's best interest over their own.

It's a bit clearer with Khem. We see him being exploited for sex, because of his beauty and grace, instead of being seen and appreciated for his talent and hard work. Chat is different. He helps Khem more than once without asking for anything in return, and Chatra also compliments him on his performance. Other than him, there's only one person who seems not to want anything from Khem, his long time friend Wan, but even he ends up betraying and being willing to kill Khem, when Wan doesn't get what he wants from his friend (revenge against all Chinese people). Once more, Chat is different. Yes, he points his revolver at Khem, but he doesn't pull the trigger, he doesn't use the leverage he has in order to force Khem to do what benefits Chat. Instead, he puts down the revolver, and tries to explain himself and his attempt to save his family.

What makes Chat like Khem? I find that a bit harder to answer, though there's a clear and real interest there, which goes beyond Chat's secret mission with the documents. He saves Khem from being discovered during their first meeting, and doesn't ask for anything in return. Chat pays attention to Khem at rehearsals, to his dancing, to his tendency of getting into trouble when not backing down at the face of bullying or injustice... So we can assume Chatra likes all of that. And then he does explicitly express his interest, when he admits to Khem he wanted them to spend that time together at the market.

Which I guess brings me to the question of... okay, so is this a love story? Their relationship is obviously vital to the story, but is it a romantic one? The movie seems to wanna leave it open to interpretation. Maybe it's my hopeless romantic streak, I do wanna see it as a love story. I think there are some hints for that. The mutual interest and liking, even at the stage when they've barely spoken to each other, the way they end up choosing each other even at the possible cost of their own life, the explicit admission from Chat that he was looking to spend time with Khem at the market even when it didn't appear to have anything to do with his secret mission, the way Chat's admission seems to not only make Khem happy, he looks shaken up, there's the kite flying scene, which is played for laughs (flying a kite is apparently Thai slang for jerking off), but still, it's a choice that the movie made, to add a layer of sexual tension there. And then there's the scene where they're trying to figure out who's the woman in red if no one was wearing red on the night they're investigating. Chat steps into the spot where the woman had been, his shirt white, and red light is projected over him. Khem stands in front of him, and they stare at each other for a moment. To me, it serves a double purpose. One is that Khem realizes Chat just handed him the solution to that part of the mystery. The other is that films often illuminate characters in red to show lust and even love. So this might also be a moment when it hits Khem that his feelings for Chat, who's been helping him, who he trusts, run deeper than he realized.

I do think Man Suang would have been braver and better if it had openly gone with the romantic interpretation. It's not just me being an incurable romantic. I also think that, much like in MR, the relationship that changes the course of the two main characters has to be a really strong one, enough for one to decide to give up his life for the other. I'm not sure that friendship quite cuts it, especially when this relationship didn't have that much time to develop (def not enough screen time, but also not enough in-story time). Was love between two men back then a simple thing to admit to? Of course not. But men did fall in love, and even acted on it. I'm not talking here full blown sex. But enough that the audience would know for sure what they feel for each other. On a local TV show, I was reminded that when the small fingers of two people, who are forbidden from any physical connect, do touch, even briefly... something that small and fleeting can still be a confession of deep love and yearning.

Another thing I wish they'd done is make more use of the unspoken tension created by one man dancing to the beat struck by another one. This was so present and delicious in the first teaser released for Mileapo's movie (before it even had a name and a script), I wish they had retained that. It's somewhat present (Khem says he danced so well, thanks to the beat Chat set for him, and then in the scene exposing Tiang, it's Chat's change in drumming that sets the stage for Khem revealing the treason through dance and song), but could have been used so much more. The play between real life and art, the connectedness or contrast between the two men when they're on the same page versus when they're not... There's so much potential for non-verbal drama, and they captured it beautifully in that teaser, so why is it almost non-existent in the film?

I also... I know that the movie is set in the 19th century, and I don't expect 21st century tolerance to be projected back onto it, but I find it hard to ignore that we have one character spew homophobic shit, Khem denying having had sex with another man, basically agreeing it's wrong, and at the same time, men exploiting other men sexually is not looked away from, it's very explicit and built into Khem's story. Each one of these things can be true in its way (there was homophobia, people did have to go with it, there was male on male exploitation alongside this homophobia), but when every explicit thing in this context is negative, while the one positive (the possible love story between Chat and Khem) remains implicit and optional at best, it feels like it unintentionally leans into the homophobic narrative. Take Brokeback Mountain for example. The environment in that movie is highly homophobic, prejudiced, rude and even violent about it. And while Jack and Ennis had a lifelong love story, they couldn't actually live it out in the open because of said homophobia. Ennis in particular would rather punch a guy, than admit Jack was the love of his life. And still, we got to see their love, we got to see that even with all of the societal hardships, it brought them warmth and comfort, and was a reason to risk a lot, even for Ennis, who was so acutely aware of the threat to their lives. I like that BBM was honest in depicting Ennis and Jack having sex, but at the end of it, even without those scenes, the love between them was enough of a counterweight, that it never felt like the movie unintentionally reinforced a negative view of what two men can have together. With MS, I feel like a homophobic casual viewer, who won't get that Chat and Khem saved each other through something that might be more than just friendship, could easily have their negative view reaffirmed.

All in all, I enjoyed MS. I loved seeing Mile and Apo acting together again, I missed that, and their chemistry is just as superb as ever. I'm not sure the movie, getting as distracted from the main relationship as it did, would have worked without their unique addition of beautiful acting and chemistry. So, I would recommend it to friends, but I guess I would also really love to see a better paced, edited and re-focused version of it. Shine, Mileapo's show that will follow in the footsteps of MS, might deliver that. I can't wait to see! ^u^

(if you're curious about any of my other Mileapo/Kinnporsche posts, you can find them here)

[thisbluespirit]

How To Find Your (British Actor) Blorbo On The Radio: A Brief Guide

(Disclaimer: British, because the main tool I'm using is the BBC's Genome.)

If you want more of your fave actor, or you love full-cast drama podcasts/audios (and audiobooks/NF content too) here's a guide on how to get your hands on BBC Radio broadcasts.

The BBC have a great free resource called Genome, which has all the Radio Times listings from 1922 to the present day (plus some of the actual articles), and it's searchable. Up until its arrival, it was really hard to do that, so \o/

Not all actors do radio and not everything you find will be obtainable, but it's always worth a try! It's especially likely for actor-blorbos who do other audio work, or theatre (theatre tends not to pay so well, and radio is a handy extra thing that can be more easily slotted in between performances than TV/film.)

Go to Genome, and put your blorbo's name into the search box:

Press search, which will bring back a bunch of results from both radio and TV listings from 1922 up to the current year:

2. Filter down to "radio only" on the sidebar to avoid scrolling through all the TV. At the top of the page you can change the display order to First broadcast (or Availability, if you want it only to bring things currently available to stream on the BBC website), among other options.

I can also cut down on extraneous results by selecting a date range that only covers when my guy was active.

I scroll down until I find something that looks interesting, in this case a proper audio drama, called The Hornblower Story. It's from 1980 and is an adaptation of a well known book. The details give me enough info to search the wider internet, and see if I get lucky...

3. Search the internet and listen to your blorbo act in radio drama!

There are several ways to obtain radio drama online. If you use streaming sites like Audible and Spotify, it may be there, although usually only if it's had a commercial release.

The BBC still broadcast old programmes on the radio, so it might be currently available on their website to stream - and unlike TV, you can listen to BBC Radio anywhere in the world! (If you are in the UK, you can also download and use the BBC Sounds app.) The Genome will usually provide a link for you to go straight there, if that's the case.

However, obviously, most BBC Radio from past decades is not available commercially or being broadcast by the BBC now and some doesn't exist in the archives, or was never recorded (as with TV), but as methods of recording audio at home have been widely available since the 1950s and 60s, there are loads of off-air recordings of radio made by listeners/collectors, and some have freely shared their copies online. Some are in closed forums etc., but three good sites to try first are YouTube, RadioEchoes & the Internet Archive.

I usually start with a Google search - e.g. '"Title" radio' or radio bbc and if that doesn't give me anything add on first "Radio Echoes" and then "Internet archive" to the search.

And I'm in luck! Radio Echoes appear to have the adaptation I'm after. I need to check the broadcast dates to see if they match up & then I can stream or download for free - and hear my blorbo play a stern Admiral for 5 minutes or less, hurrah!

Clicking on the links takes you to a screen where you can press play to stream or right click on the play bar to download the mp3 file to your device. (Click the "Save audio as..." option).

These are archive off-air recordings, so the quality can vary, especially for older programmes.

4. Rinse and repeat with each new likely Genome discovery.

If you find a copy of what you're looking for on the Internet Archive instead, you'll get up a page with a play bar (like the one above), with episodes listed plus details (to varying degrees) below. If you want to stream, just click play and enjoy. If you want to download it, then click on the MP3 files line on the right-hand sidebar, which will then give you an "X no of files" button to click and you can download them to keep.

(You can download all the files, but I usually cut straight to the chase and just nab the MP3s.)

Sometimes the BBC have released a commercial audiobook. In those cases, if you already use audio/music streaming subscription sites like Audible or Spotify, you should be able to find it there.

If you don't, or you want to buy a download, I've found the best option (weirdly!) (for UK users, at any rate) is to get the audiobook up at Penguin Books, which links to various paid subscription streaming and download options, so you can find the best one for you (and you know it's been recced by a hopefully reputable source.)

Last year, I wanted to buy Vivat Rex, the BBC's landmark dramatisation of all the English history plays rolled into one giant starry-cast Jacobean audio serial, and successfully used this route. (I'm very old by internet terms and still like listening via MP3 files on my MP3 player, as long as it survives.)

Pretty much the only affordable download option I've found so far I got courtesy of Penguin's links to Hive. (But this may be a UK only option.)

If what you're looking for seems likely to exist even if you can't find it by any of these methods - keep trying! New things are being added daily to all these websites, and the BBC cycle round old shows all the time.

And if you want to go deeper, there are closed forums etc. for radio enthusiasts where you need to make an account, but you may then be able to torrent or download an even wider variety of things.

Of course, whether or not your blorbo has been in anything good or any radio at all will depend on them, but I hope this guide will help enable you to find out!

YouTube, Radio Echoes, the Internet Archive and Old Time Radio all have radio from other countries too. So while the BBC Genome can't help you with anywhere outside the UK, the other links here can be good places to look around and browse for things you might be interested in.

You can of course use the same methods to search for things like a favourite author, or particular plays, to see if the BBC have done any radio adaptations - BBC Radio have done heaps of things that have never been adapted on screen, so it's always worth a look for anything you'd be into.

Radio Echoes is browsable as well as searchable, and while Internet Archive is a bit less so, there are some excellent collections you can look through, like the Saturday Night Theatre collection, and the BBC Radio Shows listings.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Okay, so Wukongverse - LMK!SWK is Peach Kong...what are the others?

LMK!SWK= "Peach Kong" aka "Peach": The SWKs joking call LMK!SWK that cus he's obsessed with those tasty mfs, and his face marking sorta looks like one too. LMK!Mac = "Plums" because of LMK!SWK calling his beloved by the petname. This leads to multiple monkeys getting fruit-based nicknames.

HeroIsBack!SWK = "Dasheng" [great sage]: Unofficial nickname in his film via Liuer. They either call him that, or they call him "The tall one". His HeroIsBack!LEM = "Zhanshi" [Warrior] cus of his more up-close fighting style compared to the other LEMs.

Reborn!SWK = "Smokey": Accidental on the kids part cus of his eye markings looking like smokey eye shadow. Initally refuses to be known as any nickname, but it just stuck. Also known as "Fruit Dad". Accidentally calls his Reborn!LEM "Liang/亮" ["bright/clear"] (cus of his silver-white fur) when complaining about the nicknames, and that stuck too. His Macaque/Liang thinks the nickname is lovely.

Netflix!SWK = "Cherry": Unoriginal nickname based on the fact that he's the most red furred of the monkeys. Netflix!LEM ends up being called "Olive" to keep with the fruity theme. They think its cute - its become their version of the LMK!Shadowpeach's Peaches/Plums petnames.

Meihouwang = "Shihou" or "Sunshine": Since he doesn't go by the SWK title in casual convo, he keeps the name Shihou. "Sunshine" is used cus he's a walking piece of it. Meihouwang!LEM is just "Mihou" or "Moondrop" to the other LEM's keep it simple.

NewGods = "Grandpa" "Ace": Cus of the fancy gambling suit. NewGods!LEM = "Joker" cus of the playing cards theme, and the fact that they're terrible for pranking the other monkeys.

2000sCartoon = "Sugar" or "Ganzhe/甘蔗" ["sugarcane"]: The gang think he's such a sweet heart... also is on a constant sugar-high from all the modern candy he's been exposed to. His LEM has yet to officially named, but they sometimes call them "Spice" so they can be "Sugar and Spice".

Smash Legends = "Starfruit": Pun on him being a celebrity. Also called "Big Shot" by the older SWKs. Takes a lot of names for a single one to stick. Smash!Mac is currently sticking with "Lilac" (one of their fave colors), but also responds to "Diva/The Idol".

These are unofficial, mostly cus I legit be wracking my brains for if these monkeys would use chinese or english for the nicknaming

[eightypercentjack-blog]

I'm someone who grew up adoring Short Circuit, whose fave non-human character in Star Wars has always been R2 and who has a little figurine of Wall-E on her desk. So it's fair to say that endearing, benevolent robots who demonstrate that the intangible force of humanity is more potent than any programming ever could be have a very special place in my heart!

Similarly, my shameless love of Disney's Robin Hood and Nick Wilde prove that animated foxes are also a favourite, especially when voiced by actors I'm already fond of.

So I was definitely very intrigued by promo images for The Wild Robot. This is a very sweet film, absolutely stacked with strong themes of motherhood, empathy, humanity, societal acceptance, belonging, friendship and overcoming both differences and natural instincts for the sake of survival and progress (they could have easily borrowed Lost's 'live together or die alone' tagline!)

Since it doesn't shy away from highlighting the natural order of the wild I thought it fleetingly surprisingly brutal in a few places but overall mostly saccharine and warm. If I had a teeny criticism I think it hammers home its messages perhaps a little *too* unsubtly maybe, even for a family film. Though perhaps they're messages you can never stress too much.

All the voicework was amazing, Lupita is especially effective in the title role, especially as I would never have known it was her. Same for Pedro Pascal, the only thing I knew was that he played the fox but had I not already known I'd never have guessed (unlike Nick Wilde who is deliciously, quintessentially Jason Bateman!) Elsewhere there's some delightfully unmistakeable voices and one late on that surprised me.

The true star of the show though is the amazing animation itself. Buttery smooth, beautifully detailed and vividly coloured - in fact colour is used to clever, emotive and sometimes unexpected effect throughout. A fine addition to the beloved robot-with-a-heart genre 😊

[epickiya722]

You know what, seeing someone say Audrey is a "bitch" stirred some unwanted feelings in me because rewatching the first movie and comparing her to other Disney antagonists, Audrey isn't all that bad to me.

At most, what she did was make snide comments and that's about it.

She never tried to sabotage the VKs to send them back to the Isle. She only tried to make Ben jealous after he (being spelled) practically humiliated her in front of the whole school by declaring his love for another girl.

And she wasn't wrong about being cautious around the VKs (practically Mal) because Ben did get spelled, did he not! Didn't Mal use magic to manipulate Jane?

Even onscreen, we don't even see her be mean to other Auradonian kids.

And at the end of the first movie, she was the one to have a change of heart and even danced with the VKs.

And the thing about the Family Day scene, I don't even blame Audrey for not wanting her grandmother to talk Mal. I wouldn't either. That's the same girl who took her boyfriend away, the same boyfriend she known for years given the books and photos seen in the third movie.

Mal is the same girl who happens to be the daughter of Maleficent. THE FAIRY WHO SPELLED AUDREY'S MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS JUST A BABY TO HAVE A SLEEP-LIKE DEATH. Mind you, Maleficent probably did it because she could, not because she was hurt about being invited to a christening. Isn't Maleficent the "Mistress of Evil"? You really think a villain with that title would be like "woe is me, you didn't invite me, wah, *sad tears*"? Nah, she just wanted to cause some mischief. Look, some villains just want to be evil and cruel without any reasons, no sad backstory required. (Keep in mind, Descendants was following the stories of the animated films.)

Also, to me, watching the Family Day scene, Mal looked almost smug, kinda... it just didn't come off like she was being nice when Audrey told her grandmother not talk to her. Queen Leah didn't freak out until Mal made that face, probably getting flashbacks to when Maleficent cursed her daughter.

Granted, the VKs did deserve to have a chance to prove they're not like their parents and I like the VKs, I do. (In fact, most of my faves are the VKs, Sea Three included.)

But to me, Audrey really isn't all that bad that some people like to say she is. She was snarky, but let's not sit here and act like she was the only character doing it (just saying, she left no crumbs). She was cautious and had every right to be. But she never tried to sabotage anyone and she isn't shown to be mean to other characters until the third movie, but that was more so out of anger (after all the wrong she went through) and being corrupted by the scepter.

Collectively, throughout the three movies, the worst Audrey ever has done was steal the crown and scepter and use Maleficent's magic.

But not to excuse her actions, but I'm blaming Auradon for that one.

Why do they only have one guy holding down the museum?! Why?! Makes no sense!! Twice, twice someone managed to get into the museum undetected and the second time a lone person succeeded getting not one, but two items!!

Why was Maleficent's scepter not properly cased?! Oh, they be making sure FG's wand is safe and secured, but knowing how powerful Maleficent's scepter is they just leave out in the open! Just stupid! Stupid!

Expected though, since someone had the "brilliant" idea to have the barrier open and a bridge form through a button... but that's for another day...

[magpiefngrl]

mid-year book tag

Thanks for tagging me, @bloody-wonder! It's become a fun tradition to do this every year and I've been eagerly anticipating it :)

This hasn't been as prolific a year for me as the last several years have been. I've read 34 books by end of June, so about 10-20 less than I used to, and a lot of these have been rereads. The past couple of months have been super busy and I read a lot of fic, but struggled to finish novels. Fingers crossed for a better reading summer.

1. Best Book You’ve Read So Far in 2024?  I haven't read a book that blew me away so far. I've mentioned some of my faves here. I did enjoy most of my reads this year, but there isn't one book that stands out. (a fic, does, though. More on that later)

2. Best Sequel You’ve Read So Far in 2024? Dark Heir by Pacat. I was very invested, went back to read it again a week later, and it's made me very excited about the last novel.

3. New Release You Haven’t Read Yet, But Want To? The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo is definitely on my list (this will wait for 2025). There's also a new fantasy novel called Foul Days by a Bulgarian author that I'm curious about. Finally, Rebecca Roanhorse's Mirrored Heavens comes out soon but I still haven't read the second one in the series, so it'll also have to wait.

4. Most Anticipated Release For Second Half of 2024? Like you, KJ Charles's The Duke at Hazard is the one I'm most eagerly waiting.

5. Biggest Disappointment? I've been reading The Master and Margarita for two months now, forcibly stopping myself from DNFing it these days, because I don't actually hate it, it's just I can't bring myself to read it. But I also want to have read it, to be done with it. Idk why I'm struggling so much. Perhaps I'm not in the mood for it and would appreciate it at a later date. Based on the title and the positive reviews, I expected something more fascinating.

6. Biggest Surprise? The above, I guess.

7. Favourite New Author? Somehow, the only new authors I've read this year are Aliette de Bodard and Lois McMaster Bujold, and Bujold is the better one of the two. (The rest of the authors were people I've read before and I knew what their writing was like.)

8. Newest Favourite Character? Miles Vorkosigan, for his cleverness and his ability to always get in trouble and then to get creatively out of it.

9. Newest Fictional Crush? Not quite a crush, but my latest obsession is Bucky Barnes, entirely because of the fic I mentioned above (Out of the Dead Land, orphaned) which gave me the worst fic hangover. It's a stucky fic, a ship that never interested me, and it gave me feral feels about Bucky; it made me go back and rewatch a few Marvel films (and I had to torrent them since I'd ended my disney subscription; in other words, I had to go to some trouble); and it was a fic I kept thinking for days after I finished it. I'm actively stopping myself from rewatching Winter Soldier again today. And yes, not a book character, but the obsession is based on a fic and he's fictional so I say he counts :)

💕Best Ship💕 I loved Asmodeus and Thuan in de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen series. Asmodeus is a Fallen Angel who likes stabbing and torture, Thuan is a dragon prince who tries to temper down his stabby husband. Will and James from Dark Rise are also a ship I enjoyed, though I'm more interested in their past selves.

10. Book That Made You Cry? There hasn't been one this year so far. And I cry easily, and I consider books that make me cry Superior. This tells you how mid the year has been.

12. Favourite Book Adaptation You Saw This Year? I really liked Dune II but haven't read the book yet so don't know if it was a good adaptation. It was definitely a great film.

13. Favourite Review You’ve Written This Year? Have written a couple of longer reviews on GR but nothing that stands out as more creative or unique. I've been thinking about posting reviews on my website and I'd like to figure out a unique or unusual or at least a me way to do them.

14. Most Beautiful Cover? I read almost exclusively on my Kobo and pay scant attention to covers.

15. What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of The Year? Many!

The Master and Margarita! hahah sobs :((

Finish a Lymond reread

reread tgcf now that I got all the novels

Harrow the Ninth

Some more Vorkosigan novels

Vita Nostra, which I've just begun

a couple of novels I bought YEARS ago and still haven't finished

and if I can read at least one of my 60-odd unread physical books I'll consider it a triumph

Tagging anyone who wants to do this! Perhaps @skeptiquex @hoko-onchi-writes @wolfpants @lettersbyelise and @gracerene might want to get the ball rolling?

2022 mid year post

2023 mid year post

[vonlipvig]

I started playing Not For Broadcast, a game that manages to both be a worrying dystopia where human rights can and will be violated, AND a wonderful utopia where the rich actually face consequences… As someone from the UK I feel I am looking at both a brighter and darker future for my country and I don’t know how I feel about that! It is also (as someone who grew up during the era) very nostalgic. These adverts, this title sequence, I feel as if I have seen these before… a small me is dispassionately watching this shitty bullying play at school… at home she turns on top of the pops to see this exact music video… I had to go on the IMDB page for some of these actors to work out where I’ve seen them before.

I have just got up to the first day of lockdown, in what I am pretty sure is an unconscious electric shock dream. I’m enjoying myself a lot so far though my god it’s stressful having a job and a family to support. I think my wife is leaving me and taking our daughter with her, WHICH IS A BIT MUCH CONSIDERING I PLAYED HOOKIE FROM WORK FOR THE SAKE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP! And I’m SORRY you didn’t get to go on holiday daughter but we’re in CRUSHING DEBT! I TREAT OUR SON WITH COMPASSION BECAUSE HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO ASKED ME TO DO SOMETHING I CAN ACTUALLY GIVE! I’M NOT RISKING OUR NECKS FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR BROTHERS TRUST FUND! AND I CAN’T MAGIC US UP MONEY BECAUSE I’M TERRIBLE AT MY JOB!!! I’M TRYING VERY HARD FAMILY!!! *sob*

Anyway I’m having fun, and getting to know the characters! I think Jeremy is my favourite at the moment. I can appreciate a character desperately struggling for both command and a sense of dignity on a sinking ship. If you look to your right you’ll see Megan has constructed herself a lifeboat and is doing just fine. She’s definitely going to be eating your lunch in a few years Jeremy… ah well!

YIPPEEEE WE GOT ANOTHER ONE, FOLKS! 📺

i will reserve most of my plot-specific comments for obvious reasons, but yeah, i do really love the angle they took with advance being a pretty popular progressive party (like, i would have voted for them, i'm fairly sure most of us would have voted for them). it definitely makes what's going to happen a lot more interesting and less black and white...

OOH the lockdown, one of my fave broadcasts, no doubt! it was, as you can guess, very much a product of the 2020 lockdown and the inability of getting together to film, and to me one of the best examples of art that used the situation to their advantage, i'm really so fond of it ♡ and also YEAH IT'S INSANE. i can't wait for you to discover all the insane secrets and possibilities within it...

again, shutting the fuck up regarding all your family choices here, but 👀 very amused, very amused, keep going!

and yeah, jeremy is such an amazing character. my fave's megan, but everyone in this game is so stellar, it's just fantastic.

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday to the bubbly bonnie Ashley Jensen born in Annan on August 11th 1969.

Raised single handedly by her mother Margaret, Ashley knew from an early age she wanted to be an actress. She grew up glued to British sitcoms, especially Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em with Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer. And after her mum saved up for her to attend the National Youth Theatre in London, the 16-year-old returned home determined to pursue a career on the stage.

Ashley went on to study drama at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh before fulfilling her dream by landing roles treading the boards in London. From theatre she moved into TV, ealy roles included wee parts in City Lights and Rab C Nesbit , and a 1991 film called Tickets for the Zoo, which was set in my hometown Edinburgh, she the started racking up credits in popular dramas such as The Bill, Casualty, Clocking Off and EastEnders. Other Scottsih roles were in Taggart and Rebus.

It was her part as Ricky Gervais’ hapless sidekick in the popular Extras that was to be Ashley’s breakthrough role, though. As well as making her a household name in Britain it also gave her the opportunity to appear alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as Kate Winslet, Samuel L Jackson and Orlando Bloom, all of whom made guest appearances. The part also brought official recognition when she was named both best actress and best newcomer at the 2005 British Comedy awards - accolades which she celebrated in typical low-key fashion with a cod sandwich from a roadside chip van.

Ashley saw fame in the US follow playing the straight-talking Christina in the sitcom Ugly Betty, leading her to relocate to LA and renting a house in the Hollywood Hills. While the role was originally meant to be American, the casting agents fell in love with her Scottish accent and it stayed.

Ashley may be a star in the US now but her feet are firmly on the ground I found this quote from her “Even now I think I might never work again. I’m still a bit like that. I probably always will be, “This from one of her best friends who has a chippy in Annan speaks volumes "She has her head screwed on and won’t be changed by the star treatment.” Recalling a visit to her LA home soon after Ashley relocated, he says: “We were holding hands and jumping up and down. She was shouting, 'Can you believe it? What am I doing here?’.” Ashley’s acting career has seen in her in many shows, my faves include, Catastrophe with fellow Scot Mark Bonnar, Trust Me, with Jodie Whittaker, which was set in Edinburgh, and again with Ricky Gervais in Afterlife, as well as the comedy drama Agatha Raisin, where she plays the title role, a cotswolds-based PR guru turned amateur sleuth.

Tragedy struck for Ashley in 2017 when she discovered her husband, Terence Beesley body at the wheel of his car in the garage at their Somerset home. The couple, who met in 1999 while they were both involved in a London theatre production of King Lear, were married for ten years. A verdict of suicide was later ruled on at the coroners court.

As well as her work as an actress Ashley has narrated a couple of shows recently, Inside The Balmoral: Scotland's Finest Hotel, about the hotel that takes pride of place at number I Princes Street and The Airport: Back in the Skies about London Heathrow.

Ashley took over in the lesd role in Shetland, I think she did well, filling the huge boots of Dougie Hensall was a big ask, two seasons are planned the first coming soon. I like the lass and read in an interview she said that her greatest achievement was; 'That my son is kind and loves David Bowie.'

[silver-wield]

hey I don't know if i posted this here or to my friend but uh, i want to talk about what "interrupted by fireworks" mean.

So this ost shows up in three sections of OG. Gsd where it fits with tifa, uematsu confirmed this. In mideel and the Rancid cait sith premonition to aerith.

At first you'd wonder if it's an ost for a "romantic" atmosphere. But is it really? That's what some think. But look, rebirth has deleted that ost why?

Because i think the song isn't meant to be "romantic" at all. It's a sign of distress and worry. Could be in Tifa's pov or Cloud's pov, or maybe both?

In her gsd, tifa has trouble telling what she meant. Cloud has a need to know what she wanted to say. Didn't get there with their conversation.

In mideel, tifa sees cloud dying. Cloud is unable to be with Tifa especially now. Is this the end of them?

In the cait sith bullshit, tifa.. is not gonna be with cloud?(I know she wasn't there but we know the song is representative of tifa and we know she's in love with cloud, is this an indirect rejection? Of course we know it's bullocks but at this moment, we look at it). And to cloud, has the same thing with tifa. If he not meant for tifa? I recall he doesn't say anything here but Nor is he happy because he's not. This Isn't what he wants. Never what he wants.

Rather than romantic, it's like a segway, an insight to distress. Even the title is distressing haha.

But now it's gone? Why? Because unlike OG, there have been little to Zero times where tifa sees a distress within their relationship. Gsd, they confirm eachother. Maybe in part 3 she'll get in a distance from him because that's not the soldier cloud we know. I just hope whatever it is that they don't feed crackshippers anymore bullshit to feed their Delusions. I know tifa worries in an ultimania about his bond to aerith. Needless detail and out of context (because she's just being paranoid, questioning everything, until she sees he's just there to ask for forgiveness and is dying. Things she didn't know prior but I wish she could have trusted him better. Again Useless detail, Never in the film Nor novels). But we sure as heck the ones who heard him call her Nakama and Mother 😂. Tifa dear Wake up.

Anyway. That's all. Still can't believe some think the caith sith thing in OG is "romantic" like seriously? After knowing she dies and it's a lie? They think it's not that and it's just "tragic what could been"? They clearly don't understand how premonitions work right? If it didn't happen, then it will never happen. Exactly as tifa's premonition was awful but look at them they're together smiling. Then AC ruins that and made Delusional people think cait sith is "correct" (nvm how Shit he is at this like yo gurl DIED). because they didn't make it clear that he's been Super Happy after the events of FF7. But seriously, these people have difficulty letting go of their preconceived Delusional HC. Goddamn shippers🤦.

Uhhh actually Nobuo explained a lot of times they reused or even used tracks in og for segments of the game the track wasn't intended for. Like he was surprised aerith's theme played at the forgotten city because he only wrote it for the flashback at the train station to show the similarity between her and Elmyra both waiting for a loved one.

Also there was a lotta hands in the pot for og, most notably toriyama, who liked to fuck things up behind Nojima's back. His involvement was heavy handed af for disc one until aerith died, when he took a back seat. He was and still is salty af his fave isn't the love interest.

The temple bullshit was his idea, which is why it doesn't exist in rebirth. The canon relationship is the work of nomura and nojima and the people who weren't out to ruin their own work.

[cj-6]

Xdinary lore

I'm excluding performance videos here for obvious reasons, and I generalized the b-sides sometimes as they do not always add much to the plot. This does not include interpretation of the lyrics.

Freakin' Bad

Remember Hair cut? In one of the last scenes we saw that ♭form submitted XH's files to be up for review. Where does Freakin' bad start? At the police department.

They do have been caught for another reason, but this is just a cover up; XH has been framed so that ♭form can catch them without raising suspicion. We see in the following frame that there is evidence on a police table, stating the following: 'The group XH did something dangerous at the mall [busking]. These items are dangerous evidence obtained by the police from the shopping mall.'

However, these are not really big crimes at all. Where Hair Cut is the attempt of ♭form to destroy XH, Freakin' bad is the attempt to catch them.

As much as I'm trying to explain the plot I need to place a recommendation that watching this MV frame by frame is so cool. There are so many transitions and drawn layers that are super easy to miss when you're not focusing properly.

Anyways there are a couple of scenes, mixed with some performance scenes, that show that the group has been vandalizing some things at the mall, and them being put up for question for it. After the first chorus we see XH getting arrested.

Then the story continues with the boys getting transferred (I think from police station to jail) in the back of a big truck.

Then they just go ham with their instruments in the back of the truck lol. The truck drives over a police stinger and everyone just floats in the air in slomo (you can definitely tell they were just doing things for fun in this MV). So after their escape we instantly see breaking news from a small TV being played. It's live news announcing that XH is missing. This scene is also quite hilarious because once it zooms out we see that the members are watching this news at a record shop while like giggling and kicking their feet.

This music shop they also leave behind wrecked. This next shot is another one of those where they sneak in their name into the frame. But we see them all walking through this gate thing whilst the alarm is blaring.

This MV definitely has less small details to look into, and gives the story quite plain to us. To wrap up talking about it, Freakin' bad is the point in the storyline where ♭form is trying to contain XH. After being framed they also get caught, but ultimately escape and are then considered as wanted criminals on the loose. Freakin' bad is also a very natural progression from Hair cut, as they questioned themselves there they now are apologetically and confidently themselves.

Good enough + Dear H.

First of all the reason why I think they have MVs in the first place is not because it relates much to the plot, but just to promote the songs more, as they were popular b-sides (and my faves as well) and that's just smart from a marketing standpoint. However I will try to read into it a little bit to see if I can make it coherent with the rest.

As you may know, both of these MVs match each other in storyline (as they are both heartbreak-like songs) and are very differently filmed to all the title tracks. The focus of both videos is to portray emotion much more than anything else. It is all very natural, no flashy editing, and a lot of the scenes are filmed in nature. This leads me to believe all of this is happening outside of ♭form, aka in the real world. Though I do still want to mention that even in the real world the members are playing characters. They might bear their name but it still is a personality with traits that are created by directors and such. This idea I really felt like mentioning as it is also quite prevalent in the making films for these MVs.

Also small mention Jun Han fell ill during the shooting of these MVs so it could be that they had to change directory a bit because of that. I'm still very happy he's in Dear H. at least.

But let's analyze some of the scenes.

Throughout Good enough, we see a clear theme related to waves. Which is because Gun il wrote a poem when he was in college at some body of water, and used this feeling to write this song (together with Young K from Day6). This water theme is carried through each of the individual scenes from the members, with most being filmed at sea.

There are two locations for each member. In Good enough we mostly see them individually and in Dear H. we mostly see the other location, which is this classroom. The members all bring something from their individual shots to the classroom. For example, Gaon brings in the plant that was in the room we saw him in before.

This might have some deeper meaning in relation to the lyrics, though that's not something I want to dig into right now, maybe later on.

Dear H. is a song of appreciation Jun Han wrote to the other members. Throughout both MVs we see that he is the person recording the others. For the MVs they used the idea of recording the members as a way to translate the feeling of admiration.

Some of the shots of both MVs have a filter to look like vintage film. This is the embodiment of that idea.

Especially once the song has ended, we get in Dear H. shots of Jun Han which really emphasize that we are looking through his gaze.

I of course adore these videos so much. Though they do not add onto the lore specifically. I think one of the reasons behind this is that they are also b-sides. If I try to see it from a lore perspective they are a breath of relief from all the chaos of ♭form.

Break the Brake + PLUTO

If you have read my album titles analyzation, you will know that Livelock refers to a version of deadlock, where processes are stuck because of conflict between components with shared resources. What's different about it though, is that instead of halting the system, Livelock causes it to be stuck in a loop.

And what is the plot of Break the Brake? The members are caught by some police and are transported by train, but this train and everyone on it is stuck in a time loop, which they can only escape by getting to the front of the train and breaking the brake. This will result in the train driving through the eye of the storm, which are both ways to represent overcoming challenges.

I believe the plot is very intentionally related to Freakin' bad (by this I mean the cops catching XH), as that is the title track of Deadlock and they want to create a version of this in Livelock as well, but then it is stuck in a time loop.

We have indication of this time loop in a couple ways, but mostly by the scenes being repetitive (and starting with a close up shot of Gaon) and the clock on the wall, which reads 04:04.

Interestingly enough, I don't have much screenshots or storyline to share about this one. The only thing I understand from it I kind of already explained. There are some things that I'm still unsure of in terms of meaning, so I will discuss those instead.

Couple current questions:

Why is technology so behind all of a sudden? I understand that all of ♭form is different, and that we could blame it on a different ensemble space, much like how videos games have different environments, but it is a little unsatisfactory as an answer. I think it also had to do with matching the vibe of the MV to the concept of the album, but then anything related to racing could have worked. The main thing I suspect is that they pulled their inspiration from is the lyrics, that mention tracks and such quite a bit.

Why do we see and engine breaking during some of the last scene in BTB? It could just be a filler shot yet it feels to specific to add. This is one that I can't really explain yet. The only thing I can think of is that this moment is the key cause of the whole system breaking down.

We also see a cop car chasing the train we're on. And from the MV reaction video for BTB we kind of have affirmed this is the car that is also seen at the very end of Freakin' bad (I did not mention it in that part so I'll compensate for that here). The problem is that for one of the MVs we see it from the front and for the other from the back, which makes it a bit difficult to see.

From the one on the top we can read on the license plate 'XH HERO', which makes a lot of bells ring in my head with the intention here. From the one on the bottom we can read on the side that it's a traffic enforcement unit, which are units placed preemptively on the road to reduce accidents. So it could also have been a stylistic choice to let it return. It also very well a possibility that this cop car is stolen by someone, and is on XH's side, trying to get them off that train and acting as a getaway driver. But this I can't say for sure.

Another thing I was questioning myself is why XH performs at the indoor train stop, but I think it is very simply because they want to have multiple performance shots, and the outfit change is also a visual kind of relief (or interest, not sure of my wording here but hopefully you get what I'm saying).

This is a nice segway into the next part I did want to talk about. And it is the spoiler, which is kind of the total start of my interest for their story line and a cool spoiler for Troubleshooting, which I was able to catch before the announcement of that new album.

When you watch the MV making film for Break the Brake, multiple members will hint at you to look on the train information board on the left wall (in the picture above). The only time you will have the most text in clear view is actually right at the beginning of that video. I will give the shot here and explain the spoiler on it.

What we're focusing on is the schema on the right here. I have another picture where you can read it just a little better.

So on the top we see 04:26 (April 26th is the release date of Deadlock), and then the album title and title track name for those. And believe me on this one but there is also a column on the right with the number 23, which indicates the year of release. Then we have the exact same for Livelock. And then below we have 04:04, with the possible album title Trouble Shooting and title track Location Not Found, with in the right column the number 24.

If we fill this up with our current knowledge we know that Troubleshooting will be released on April 30th, and that the title track was indeed unknown at the time of Livelock.

To summarize all of this MV again, XH gets caught after being on the loose and are transferred by train, though it is stuck in a time loop. The members break this loop. The system of ♭form has been completely destroyed, which ultimately mean Xdiz has no place to interact and that connection between the members is lost.

Music videos #1 << Music videos #2 >> Music videos #3

[alltheyoungmoons]

Wolfstar Historiography

As I just recently re-entered the Marauders fandom after reading All The Young Dudes, I did some research, to make up for the time between 2011 and now, when my relationship with all things Harry Potter became increasingly more strained after You-Know-Who turned out to be a disgusting malevolent TERF.

I'm glad to be back with the inevitably different understanding that comes with age and a film studies degree, because now I can turn this brainrot interest into research and, well, work. I could write an article about the stuff I'm finding out about how this particular fandom has evolved over the years. Maybe I will.

One starting point for our fave OTP, which I think will maybe be of interest to younger people who weren't around during the height of the HP craze, came from this Livejournal entry titled "The Case for R/S" (also- shoutout to this article from the Paris Review that sings its praises beautifully!). It's an incredibly detailed close-reading of every interaction and mention of Remus and Sirius in the Harry Potter books (I think pieces of this were floating around as tumblr quotes back in the day when I first got here). Anyway, I hadn't read it in full until last week and I find it super interesting, because the first thing I did after finishing ATYD was going back to the original books, and I was shocked to see how little of Wolfstar (and Marauders in general) there actually is lol. Like, I knew, but I guess I didn't think about it much.

So yeah, this is basically where it all started! We are all products of of the brainrot that came before us.

[sflow-er]

ˏˋ°*♡➷ get to know me ༊*·˚

I was tagged in this lovely game by @lazybug16 and @bluedalahorse - it was so much fun seeing both your 'moodboards'! 💜

The idea is to pick a favourite movie, character, animal, drink, song, season, book, colour, and hobby and present them as pictures.

I'll put a list/explanation below, but it's going to be long, so let's do the no-pressure tags first: I think most people have been tagged already, but I can't keep up. So I'm just going to tag a few people whose names I don't think I've seen and apologise if you've already been tagged - or even made a post that I've missed!

@scatteredpiecesofme @silvagrey @groenendaelfic @raincitygirl76 @plantbasedfish @palehottubchild and anyone else who'd like to do this!

Movie: I've got a lot of faves in a lot of genres, but The Princess Bride (1987) has been one of my comfort films since childhood. I never could resist a good fairytale! I kind of wanted to use an ensemble poster to fix the severe lack of Inigo Montoya in this Westley/Buttercup one, but I think this fits the moodboard better, both aesthetically and thematically (because there's a lot of romance on this board).

Character: Again, there are lots of options! But I want to pick 1) a woman, and 2) a longtime favourite, so... Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Either book Lizzie or 1995 BBC Lizzie played by Jennifer Ehle will do. Who doesn't love an intelligent and determined woman who is loyal to her loved ones, speaks her mind, and grows from her mistakes? Oh, and who only warms up to the handsome aristocrat gentleman with a massive estate after he listens to her criticism, makes up for his mistakes, and demonstrates some character growth?

Dolphins: Love them. Happened to see some wild ones in Ireland this summer. Keeping them in captivity for humans' amusement is heinous.

Coffee: The thing about coffee is, if you don't drink it, you often feel like a nuisance when visiting people in my country. Especially older people, who don't necessarily keep tea in the cupboard. So, I learned to drink it in my late teens despite hating it at first, and once my tastebuds had adjusted, I fell in love.

Song: Swing Life Away by Rise Against. A very simple acoustic ballad about love, friendship, and how little you actually need to be happy in life. It's also mine and my spouse's song that was even played at our wedding ceremony (without vocals on guitar, violin, and double bass).

Season: I am very much a four seasons kind of person, but I guess spring might be my favourite.

Book: I've got so many to choose from, but I wanted to pick something queer, so: Torka aldrig tårar utan handskar, Jonas Gardell's trilogy about young love and the AIDS crisis in Sweden. It's absolutely fantastic and absolutely heartbreaking (not a happy read!). It's also been adapted to an excellent three-part TV series that can be found on Youtube with English subs. (Short English trailer, 6-minute Swedish trailer.)

Gardell is also a fitting choice because it was his recommendation on social media that got me to watch Young Royals, and I wouldn't be here on tumblr without YR.

Colour: My favourite colours are red, green, and dark grey. I've been in a green phase lately and it fits this moodboard best.

Hobby: Video games. I've been a PlayStation gamer for well over 20 years. I mainly play adventure and roleplaying games; titles with good storytelling and worldbuilding. Some of my favourites include older Final Fantasy games (up to FFX), the Uncharted series, Life is Strange series, Mass Effect trilogy, The Last of Us Parts I & II, Heavy Rain, Until Dawn, and Telltale's The Walking Dead 'seasons' 1 & 2.

In keeping with the theme, perhaps I should also mention that some of my fave WLW ships are from video games! Ellie/Dina from TLOU: Part 2, Nadine/Chloe from Uncharted: Lost Legacy, and Chloe/Rachel from LiS: Before the Storm (although I do love Max/Chloe in LiS OG too).

Thanks again for the tags, this was fun!

[mylittlemermaid221]

in celebration of the release week, rank songs from ttpd in terms of your excitement/curiosity about each one hehe 🤍

omg this is a good one!! Thank youuuuu 🥰🥰

So Long, London - its a tiny bit cliche maybe but London boy was one of my favs from lover so this one is going to tear me apart. I fear it might be like All too well but I also think she could just go full rock and anger and reputation

But daddy I love him - I mean in my head its a little mermaid reference, no doubt. Obviously no one knows how this song really goes so maybe its not a reference but in my head it is and alway will be. Like the film also came out in 1989, thats not a coincidence (sorry just went full clowning swiftie there 😅)

Fresh out of the slammer - Oh my god I need to know what kind of song this is going to be! Like is it anger or is it just so depressing I won't come outside for at least a week after the release? 😭

My boy only breaks his favorite toys - I have a feeling that the lyrics on this one are going to be devastating...😭 Like the whole album will but I have a feeling this will be peak Taylor story telling.✨

Who's afraid of little old me? - Oh again I have this dilemma like whats it gonna be?! how will it sound?! I think it will be slander and reputation and rock and stuff but again its Taylor, it might just be the most depressing thing you've ever heard. 😃

I can fix him (No really I can) - I don't know why but for some reason I'm going for the long titles. 😆😅 Anyway I just think the title is really funny and I need to know if and how she will sing those words.

loml - Another tricky one. I read theories that loml could not only stand for love of my life but maybe she'll end up changing it in loss of my life or something depressing. Maybe it will be about Travis and its just a happy love song! ❤️

Florida!!! - This is definitely going to be like the ultimate summer festival vibe banger, trust me, it will be that. If not, don't blame me. 😜

The tortured poets department - Another one where I don't know what to expect but the title makes me very excited! ✨ I mean its the title track so it must be something good.

I can do it with a broken heart - Again, I need to see the lyrics, I need to know the story she's going to tell.

The smallest man who ever lived - Omg actually I should've put this one higher but its just so many songs I'm excited for! This is another one that I'm like whats the story going to be? Will it be a country genre? Will it be like evermore/folklore? The title give us a little peak thats big enough for us to be like 'oh I know what this is about' but when you go think about it... you know nothing at all.

Guilty as sin? - Another tricky one... to be honest no idea what its going to be about, no predictions about the genre or style or something but the title sounds very promising. That's with all these songs really, the titles are its own poetry and we haven't even heard any of the lyrics. 😍🥰

Clara Bow - Another girl in the taylor universe! If its going to be anything like the last american dynasty, sign me up! I did research about Clara Bow (okay I lied, I saw an instagram real 😆) about it and her whole persona just makes me curious about this song.

Fortnight - From now on we have the song of which I have literally no idea what its going to sound like, whats it about. No thoughts in my head. 😅

Down Bad - The title sounds so cool but thats it. Furthermore I have no idea about this song.

The Alchemy - Maybe is the one lowest on the list the one I'm most curious of because I see this title and I just have zero thoughts how it will be. And I know it will definitely surprise me and end up being one of my faves, that always happens. 😂🥰

Bonus: Bonus Tracks

The black dog 🖤

The manuscript 🤍

The albatross 🩶

The bolter 🩶

I chose the black dog first cause that's the edition I preordered so it already has a special place in my heart 🖤 For the others I just went with the titles that sounded cool to me and like the aesthetics I picture in my head because I have no predictions furthermore, again. 😆😅

This was soooooo fun to do!!! It became quite the essay but I kind of made it my testament which I can refer back to once we hear the actual song. I mean if I got any of my predictions right, you'll know cause I won't shut up about it🙃 Thank you so much for your ask, Bel! 😍🥰 Always love seeing your name in my inbox 💖💖💖

[shizuostrans]

Hey there~

Do you have a HC about Shizuos favourite pieces of media, be it a movie a series or a book (or all three) ?

YESYESYES!! I have a bunch of hcs about his favorite kinds of media, but my awareness of Japanese media is limited so I’m just gonna be a little... vague on exact titles outside anime.

I hc Shizuo being aggravatingly picky about movies and shows. Words have meaning and movies and shows are frequently filled with redundant dialogue to him mixed with too much other bullshit to keep track of. Except for Kasuka’s movies which it then becomes a feature. <3

He likes movies and series where the settings are more fantastical, more romantic, with characters he can relate to. I agree with @kasururigoth about him liking Ghibli films, particularly Princess Mononoke and Howl’s Moving Castle. He sees a lot of himself in San, and while he initially is annoyed by Howl, he comes to understand him the more he watches and was absolutely suckered in by Sophie kissing him at his most monstrous (rip shizuo i know you would’ve loved the shape of water). He's drawn to Miyazaki films in general because peace is a core message in nearly every Ghibli film and he appreciates that.

For similar reasons, I think Rurouni Kenshin is his favorite anime and he looked up to Kenshin as a role model as a kid. Before Traugott I guess. I doubt Shizuo had many role models that weren’t scared of him growing up lol

I actually think he’s less picky about books. They’re much cheaper to replace if he gets carried away, and he can avoid getting carried away by picking up and pausing where he’s reading more easily than with movies or shows. They’re also easier to process all at once, he doesn’t have to analyze the score or cinematography or the actor’s performance because the information is all laid-out for him. He usually doesn’t seek them out, but if his friends or Kasuka recommend something he’s much more willing to check them out.

His favorite genre of fiction is honkaku mystery and he has SO MANY opinions on it. He’s usually more of a I-like-what-I-like kind of guy, but since I hc detective novels being the only books he actively sought out from childhood, he’s developed a sense for the common themes within the genre. Avid hater of Sherlock Holmes and with good reason, his deductions don’t make any logical sense (they really don’t) and it pisses him off when he always magically pulls them out of his ass at the end. His favorite writer is Ranpo Edogawa and his titular character Kogoro Akechi was his inspiration to want to become a detective. He also has a complex that Izaya is his Endo Heikichi, but he doesn’t verbalize it.

His fave mystery anime/manga is Monster, and he has a weird admiration/crush on Tenma. Another one he loves and continues to catch up on Ghost Hunt, but he’s incredibly secretive about it and asks Celty to transport the volumes for him because it’s a shoujo series he used to read back when his mom was still buying him shoujo magazines.

Bonus Shizaya (kinda) hc:

I hc that Shinra, Shizuo, and Izaya are all attracted to the mystery genre because they like unraveling them. Shinra is very outspoken about the books he likes and will bring them up to Shizuo and Izaya both with an impromptu infodump. If he’s talking to Izaya (listening, asking questions about the content of the book) and it sounds interesting enough, Izaya will give it a shot. If he’s talking to Shizuo (half-listening, asking if it’s available at the bookstore on his way home from work/school) and it’s under 600 yen, Shizuo will give it a shot. Occasionally they’ll both be reading the same book and when Shinra asks about their thoughts afterwards, one of them will talk about about how they figured it out from a certain part of the book and Shinra lets them know that “hey, Shizuo/Izaya came up with the same deduction!” and kills the conversation in its tracks.

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Immaterial Possession

Photo by Jessica Gratigny

Immaterial Possession puts the viscerality of bass-driven rock, the hypnotic drone of East European folk and the dippy energy of art punk into a blender lets it whirr.  The Athens, Georgia band—comprised of Cooper Holmes, Madeline Polites, John Spiegel and Elephant 6 scion Kiran Fernandes—met at an arts commune.  Their self-titled debut came out in 2020, and the follow-up, Mercy of the Crane Folk, this year. Reviewing it, Jennifer Kelly noted that, “If you’ve ever wondered what the B-52s might sound like on a serious Incredible String Band bender, well, possibly a lot like Mercy of the Crane Folk.”

Selda “Gitme”

Selda is the queen, a 1970s Turkish songwriter, political activist and cultural icon. This song has such great energy. You immediately blast off on the Turkish spaceship to the cosmic love song.. the desperation in Selda's powerful voice steers you.  (Madeline)

The Stranglers, “Hanging Around”

Love this track and whole record Rattus Norvegicus for its up-front, guttural driving bass lines and menacing vocals. The keyboard runs ascending into the air counter the low earthiness. The record cover is also a perfect fit for the music, classy yet dingy, calm but aggressive, mysterious but mundane. (Cooper)

Isaan style street music from Bangkok 

Isaan music from Northeastern Thailand is some of the coolest music ever.. it's got the perfect blend of psychedelia, folk, improvisation, and party rhythm. And it's for all occasions. (Madeline)

The players are effortlessly cool too. Almost anything we find in this genre gets us going. (Cooper)

Bizunesh Bekele, “Debdabe Lakibign”

This video is one of my favorite tracks lately. I love the shuffle beat with the overdriven krar, a six-stringed harp, and the sweet synth licks mixed with the vocal. (Kiran Fernandes)

Hany Mehannah, “Shahr Al Assal”

Super groovy 1970s Egyptian music, scored for film. This is one of my faves from Hany Mehanna, a wonderful composer and keyboardist. His flourishing expressiveness of the Farfisa organ is a great influence on my organ playing in Immaterial. (Kiran)

The B52s, “Give Me Back My Man”

A big favorite from the B-52s catalogue. Cindy Wilson's vocals are so raw and glorious.. her swing from chill to scream is a cathartic explosion. And the beat and bass line is everlasting in electric spirit.  I listen to this one when I need a jump. It’s also a favorite karaoke number. (Madeline)

Buffy Sainte-Marie, “God Is Alive Magick Is Afoot”

A friend shared this with us after one of our shows. Buffy Sainte-Marie is a radical badass woman. It's “experimental” (as implied by a traditional pop sense) in the way that you are partaking in her hypnotic spell work. Just found out Leonard Cohen wrote the lyrics. That explains my gravitation to this one; Cohen is a favorite lyricist. (Madeline)

Barış Manço, “Dere Boyu Kavaklar”

Another groovy 1970s Turkish funk master. That mustache is its own instrument. I sit patiently, although in starving anticipation, for that delicious lead riff.. for that, we'll go to wherever he's luring us..(Madeline)

Aphrodites Child, “End of the World”

A 1968 Grecian epic banger. Appropriately, in the Greek mythological tradition, it's both deeply romantic and ominous in nature. Very incredible, shapeshifting vocals. Sometimes the visions of the werewolf come into my head with this one. Other times, it just feels like an apocalyptic fury of love. You could probably use this song as an easy Rorschach-ian test to see what's going on in your brain today. (Madeline)

The Bats, “Smoking Her Wings”

A friend put this on a mix tape. I love this sweet song! A driving tune with a perfectly soft and floating nostalgic melody. When I listen, I feel like I am falling in love in the summer of 1987 and want to cry over something yet I know not exactly what. (Madeline)

Velly Joonas, “Stopp, Seisku Aeg!”

A 1970s Estonian songwriter and artist. This funkadelic, melancholic, song has got a viola(?) line that cuts through like you're swimming up to the shimmering surface of the Baltic sea to take a breath. I love the rhythm in the vocal lines. I've listened to this song on repeat many times. Thank you Velly! (Madeline)

[trekkie-polls]

There have been a huge number of famous guest stars on Star Trek over the years, so we're going to take this season by season and then have a face-off between the most voted in each series. Basically a bracket, minus the planning :). Each poll will have the same criteria: 1) they must be famous before being on Star Trek, 2) they cannot be a titled main character, and 3) when I can't fit everyone in I'm using my best judgment.

Below the fold I'm including photos of their Star Trek roles and a couple of things that made them famous before appearing on Star Trek... which limited my options to 10 names per poll (you can only have 10 photos per post).

Here's one article about some TOS TV guest stars if you want to read more about these & other cameos!

Frank Gorshin as Bele (s3ep15 Let That Be Your Last Battlefield) Previously the Riddler on the 60's Batman & a standup comic who opened on the Sullivan show for the first US Beatles appearance.

2. Ted Cassidy as Ruk (s1ep9 What are Little Girls Made Of?). Previously the voice of the Martian (Angry Red Planet), and Lurch (The Addams Family)

3. Julie Newmar as Eleen (s2ep3 Friday's Child). Previously Catwoman on Batman, and the android titular Rhoda on My Living Doll (the character who inspired Seven of Nine's name)

4. Ricardo Montálban as Khan Noonien Singh (s1ep24 Space Seed & Star Trek II). Ricardo has a long career, starting with musicals and short films in the US in 1940-41. He moved home to care for his dying mother, and became a famous Mexican Movie star in the 40's, starring in over a dozen movies. In the late 40's he returned to the US, and US Hollywood. In 1949 he was the first Hispanic Person to appear on the cover of Life Magazine. He continued to star in many movies, TV shows, and Broadway productions leading up to his first TOS appearance.

5. Michael Dunn as Alexander (s3ep12 Plato's Stepchildren). Previously Dr. Miguelito Loveless on The Wild West and Mr Big on Get Smart. Also Considered by Gene Roddenberry for the role of "Spock" in the Star Trek pilot The Cage!

6. Lee Meriwether as Losira (s3ep16 That Which Survives). Previously 1955 Ms America, Catwoman on Batman, and Tracey, Anna Rojak on Mission Impossible.

7. John Larroquette as Maltz (Star Trek III). Previously Dan Fielding on Night Count, Dr Paul Herman on Doctor's Hospital, and Second Lieutenant Robert "Bob" Anderson on Baa Baa Black Sheep.

8. Christopher Lloyd as Kruge (Star Trek III). Previously Reverend Jim Ignatowski on Taxi (a character who cannonically loved Star Trek), Phillip Semenko on Cheers, and Taber in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

9. Madge Sinclair as Captain (Star Trek IV). Previously Nurse Ernestine on Trapper John MD, and Bell Reynolds in Roots. She was the first on-screen female captain in Star Trek. She later went on to play Geordi's mom in TNG - the 4th role in which she played Levar Burton's Mother.

10. Iman as Martia (Star Trek VI). Previously a supermodel, Cynthia in L.A. Story (alongside Sir Pat Stew), Nina Beka in No Way Out, Mariammo in Out of Africa, and Lois Blyth & Dakotah in Miami Vice.