#and all of these things criticize toxic masculinity and it comes full circle to be idolized

[callmedorkbecausethatsmyname]

whats up with people not getting satire like. ever

please ur not homelander or patrick bateman or tyler durden ur a teenage boy who this work is criticizing

[llycaons]

ep8: oh, the foreshadowing!

wwx taking the stairs two at a time to hop on up to visit wen ning. aww

wwx talking to the rabbits like they understand him a hugely underrated aspect of his teenage self. it hurts so much to see this goofiness and simple ability to have fun ripped away from him later. of course he's still himself, but losing his core and the BM really changed him

these two shots are seconds apart from each other and see how different the position of the rabbit is in his hands? who edited this

jc's toxic masculinity strikes again...in this case it genuinely is a front that's easily overcome by his reluctant affection of the rabbits, but the constant criticism and insults towards wwx are so tiring. how do his siblings live like this

wwx is so cute I love him

ALARMING WORDS OF FORESHADOWING. I always thought this applied to wwx, but he's not even paying attention. jc is the one who sits up and takes notice. losing his family so many times obviously hurt wwx a great deal, but unlike jc, wwx has avenues of potential companionship and happiness outside of his family unit. wwx has many friends, and makes many people his family, and falls deeply in love, and extends himself outwards to the world. jc has no such capabilities - and this isn't a criticism, because I'm in the same boat. I really struggle to connect with people outside my family and I don't have a wide network of support besides them. jc has one friend outside his family circle. he loves his sister and his brother, and he has an uneasy relationship with his parents. jc removed from his family is well and truly miserable, with little avenue for alternate company or love. we see this. it wasn't just the trauma that turned him violent and aggressive and bitter, it was the loneliness of losing the only people he ever felt were his home

of course wwx bitterly regrets losing his family -it was so painful to him that he didn't survive the experience. but he's more resilient than jc in a lot of ways, and he can find home and family in different places. if jc had been the one who died and returned to life, what would be waiting for him? his family is all dead and he can't endear himself to like-minded strangers or children as wwx can.

there's different ways to interpret this line...I know ppl consider it as proof that wwx will never be happy away from the jiangs and LP, but that's a depressing fixation that I don't think holds true by the end of the story, even tho is seems pretty likely pre-nightless and at points postres as well. because if it did...what's the point? what's the entire point of the romance and the narrative of wwx regaining things he'd lost one after the other, and finding love and trust and faith again postres? it's an interpretation that really sidelines his relationship w lwj in ways that I don't think are supported by the text, and runs counter to his character, who we've established is extremely resilient, flexible, and ever looking forward. there will always be pain, but unlike jc he doesn't become rigid and lock himself in it. he stays soft, as much as he resists it. he comes back to the world and he realizes he's still a part of it and he still loves

this will always be a cute scene but I liked 'farewell' better

lxc doesn't get enough credit for being a stone cold badass ngl

flipside the way that this affected lxc...the way lqr asked about lwj later on...they love him...he's their beloved boy. their little lan zhan

THE DOODLES 😭

this is jyl backing up wwx while jc is confused, angry, doesn't know what could possibly be so important. this is another one of jc's flaws - he always assumes he knows all there is to know about a situation and he acts accordingly. such arrogance, really, tho it's more forgivable for a child than an adult. OH. ANOTHER CONTRAST. lwj always cautioning the kids not to jump to conclusions without knowing the full story vs. jc's constant assumption that he's the arbiter of truth because there are no details he could possibly not know. at least in regards to wwx

wwx spooking lwj with a goofy mask and then nhs scaring wwx with a MUCH more gruesome and scary mask. the metaphors may be heavyhanded but I am enjoying them anyway

he says this immediately before insulting lwj again. DO YOU???

you know I get mad when ppl characterize wwx as oblivious to his feelings but some of the lines in here could be used to support that reading. he's all over the place. he's flirty, he seems to know he's into guys, he's weirded out by nhs admiring lwj, he teases lwj by talking about girls, he insults lwj, he talks him up as the coolest guy he's ever met. I guess I could chalk it up to him being confused and avoidant of his feelings even now, but I also just think the writing is suffering a bit these early episodes. cannot wait for sunshot for real

hard to tell but nhs just flung his mask behind him onto the street. okay rich boy

the way he gets excited and alert at the mention of a poetry reading...nerd

also this...just transfixed by the flower petals. very endearing imo

that sounds gay wwx

I always talk about how stupid he is but this is actually quite perceptive

why is he talking at her neck??? creep. maybe they thought talking into her ear would be too sexual but this is literally just as bad

aw this is a fun scene. and jc is very nonconfrontational. when it becomes clear wq isn't backing down, he gives up. serve them first. when she escalates, he tries to leave

reminds me of a post talking about he's completely able to control his anger with character he'd actually face consequences for attacking, or with someone like jy; who he clearly doesn't want to hurt. but wwx is just an acceptable target I guess

this is so fucked up...the dafan mtn wens lived here! this was their home before being turned out of it and herded into a prisoner camp and murdered in droves! not a single one survived except the baby. fucked up!!

nhs is literally sleeping sitting up against a rock. cool to consider this a commentary on how he seems so pampered and unable to take hardship, but he's actually a lot more capable of sustaining it than expected. but it's probably not that deep

I meant to reblog this for a part two, but I didn't have any pics I wanted to post so im just going to write out my thoughts

I think this is the worst fight scene in this show 😭 I love wires and the drama and the bad cgi, and some of the fight scenes in this show are among my favorite on tv (the rooftop swordfight scenes, ofc), but this choreography and editing is just a mess. the camera switches between two mirrored angles of lwj, we miss key frames of action, the movements are uncoordinated to what other characters are doing, and overall it's an awkward and drawn-out thing to sit through. the large cgi creatures are always a sticking point for these fights, it seems

this little quest is really not grabbing me the way it did initially....the character interactions seem few and far between, and the plot is both boring and hard to parse. I WANT WEN INDOCTRINATION ARC!!!! NOW!!!

[backwardscapsmh]

and here it is! the first fic on here that’s not completely angsty! (it’s maybe a little angsty at the beginning but it gets cuter eventually) i really liked the concept of lardo hating romcom cliches until she realizes that she likes them with shitty so i wrote this! i hope u like it. comments and constructive criticism are always welcome! :)

i used to think that romeo was full of shit // but when i look at you i think this must be it // pumpkin, pumpkin // you’re gonna kill me

- the regrettes “pumpkin”

If you asked Lardo what she thought love felt like a few years ago, she would’ve told you to fuck off. Deep thoughts and introspection into her deepest emotions? No thank you. Not with a total stranger.  Back then, love felt like the excitement from opening new art supplies, the floaty feeling of good review from her favorite professor, the connection when playing flip cup with Rans and Holster, and the steady support from the rest of Samwell Men’s hockey.

But now, if you asked her what love felt like, she’d tell you the cliche answers: butterflies in her stomach, her heart skipping a few beats, the giddy feeling that came with casual touch. The standard romcom diagnosis. And it was all his fault! Shitty B Knight. Number 42 on Samwell Men’s Hockey Team. The resident gender studies major who’s not afraid to lecture about toxic masculinity to anyone who will listen. The one with the sick flow and mustache. Her best friend.  She doesn’t know when she started thinking about him differently. One day she’s eating the pink gummy bears out of their shared bag on a roadie, legs tangled together and her head on his shoulder; the next Shitty’s never ending physical affection causes her heart to do somersaults. All she knows is that it happened, it sucks, and it’s all Shitty’s fault.

So now she’s here, at the Valentine’s/Nursey’s birthday kegster, holding a stack of cash won from predicting that Rans and Holster would work their shit out tonight, (they’re making out in the corner) and wishing Shitty would copy Jack and Bitty and drag her somewhere quiet and tell her how much he loves her. But that’s wishful thinking. Shitty’s too oblivious for that.

“Can’t believe you actually predicted the Holsom thing brah,” Shitty says, observing the kegster around them. He’s nursing a singular cup of tub juice, which is strange for him, but she doesn’t ask.  “Well, I live with them and you don’t so,” she trails off, smirking up at him.  “That’s true,” he concedes, humming along to the playlist blasting around them.  They get strangely quiet after that, which isn’t strange in itself. They sit in silence often enough, but this time it’s weird and awkward. And that is the strange part.  “Uhm, hey Lards?” Shitty asks after a few minutes, or hours, Lardo can’t tell.  “Yeah?”

“Do you want to go somewhere else?” he coughs. “Like, with me?”  And that’s different too. Shitty sounds nervous, for some reason. Shitty is almost never nervous, or at least, not outwardly, or around her. But she nods and let’s Shitty guide her to the reading room.  It feels weird, like most interactions with Shitty do nowadays, letting Shitty hold her hand and drag her away from a party. It feels intimate and she doesn’t like that her mind is thinking of different scenarios where Shitty drags her to her room, closes the door and let’s her kiss him within an inch of his life.

She keeps these thoughts to herself when they’re sitting on the roof. Shitty’s looking out at the campus, and she’s being a cliche and looking at him. He’s nice to look at, especially now that she doesn’t see him often because he’s at Harvard now.  “I missed this,” she whispers, and her voice seems to echo in the quiet that’s stretched between them. “You, us, being together.”

“I did too,” he whispers back and turns to look at her, looking almost fond in the low light. His eyes are bright, the street lamps reflecting in the green of his irises. Her stomach flips.

“It’s not the same without you, ya know? I can’t call you to help with my art at two am anymore, and-” her voice starts getting watery towards the end so she snaps her mouth shut. Shitty must notice, and of course he does, so he slides an arm around her, pulling her into his side, rubbing circles where his hand rests on her arm. And the silence is back, but this time it’s comforting. Just like it always is. God. What would she do without him? If they weren’t LardoandShitty? She doesn’t know, and she doesn’t ever want to find out.  “I love you, you know that right?” Shitty asks, his voice rumbling right next to her head.  “I know. I love you too Shits,” she replies, decidedly ignoring the pain in her chest because she knows he only means it platonically, like always.

“No, like I am in love with you,” he says and coughs nervously. “Like, romantically.”

Her heart stops. He’s always been chirped because of this crush he’s supposedly had, but that’s not love. Not the love she’s wanted from him since who knows how long. 

“And I know you don’t feel the same way, and that’s okay Lards. I don’t expect you to. I know that in our cisheteropatriarchy men often expect their romantic intentions to be returned and I don’t want you to feel any obligation to return mine either. It’s just—Harvard is lonely and it’s Valentine’s day and seeing Ransom and Holster sort their shit out made me realize. You’re it for me. I want to spend my life—umpgfh.” 

Shitty’s rambling is brought to a swift end with Lardo turning her head and touching her lips to his. He freezes for a moment before sighing against her lips and relaxing into her arms. His hands come up to tangle in her hair and gently frame her jaw. It’s not the longest kiss she’s ever had, but as far as first kisses go, this was pretty good. She slowly pulls away, watching as Shitty’s eyes open to stare at her and his face breaks into that huge smile that she loves seeing on him.  “I love you too, you dolt,” she laughs at him. His grin widens if that’s even possible.  “I got that brah. And if you don’t mind, I would like to communicate my feelings to you some more, preferably with some making out involved,” Shitty winks at her and she’s laughing, probably hysterically, but she’s too happy to care.

She nods her consent and he leans back in, not completely kissing her yet because he’s waiting for her to make the final move. Laughing again, the joy bubbling in her chest overflowing, Lardo closes the distance between them.

And yeah, it kind of feels like fireworks going off, but she finds she doesn’t mind cliche romance if it’s with Shitty.

[timberiffic]

Dimitri

My favorite thing about him:

He’s extremely kind and compassionate and gentle and sweet and I just love characters who embody non-toxic forms of masculinity so much

My least favorite thing about him:

My only real criticism of Azure Moon is that Dimitri’s S support scene is the only point after he commits to putting his life back together that makes it clear that his mental illness wasn’t magically cured and he’s going to be dealing with it for the rest of his life, I feel like they could’ve done better with that

Favorite line:

“Humans are weak creatures. But they are also creatures who help each other, support each other, and together, find the right path.”

And for a less serious one, “But when a joke is unfunny to a certain degree, it somehow comes full circle into hilarity.” (He likes Alois’s bad puns and it’s great)

BroTP:

Basically all of his relationships are great, but his friendships with Marianne and Mercedes are particularly good

OTP:

…You’re gonna make me pick one? Again, all his relationships are good! He’s a nice dude who doesn’t try to hide how much he cares about people and it’s great

Aroace Dimitri is also a good option

NoTP:

Edelgard, for both regular plot reasons, and spoiler reasons that I think only come up on Azure Moon

Random headcanon:

I’ve seen a fair amount of people wondering why he doesn’t have a scraggly hobo wizard beard after the timeskip because he doesn’t seem like he’d care about personal grooming, but honestly, it kinda makes perfect sense? He resembles his father a lot (who had a beard), and deals with psychosis in the form of his deceased family and friends constantly demanding that he avenge them, so I headcanon that even at his lowest he still makes the effort to shave regularly, because the late King Lambert haunts him enough in his nightmares and hallucinations already, he doesn’t need his father haunting him in his own reflection too

…Yeah it’s a sad one sorry >>;

UH HERE’S A COUPLE HAPPIER ONES: His ridiculous physical strength is a side effect of his crest, and he gives really good hugs

Unpopular opinion:

Okay look, jokes about him being a feral edgelord were funny during the pre-release cycle when all we had to go on was official artwork and teaser trailers, but after having played Azure Moon it just feels really uncomfortable now

A song I associate with him:

I’m pretty sure this song is actually meant to be about a breakup, but Organs by Of Monsters And Men seems like a good option?

My favorite picture of him:

This one works, woo tea time

One last comment:

INTSYS LET ME GIVE HIM A HUG YOU COWARDS

[asagimeta]

Ok so I never do movie break-downs/reveiws but Endgame is a one in a million type of thing, not only the end of an era, but the end of the era that started the enture connected-universe film genre, so I'm allowing myself because this moment is literally something we'll never have again, there is never going to be a "first" end of era again, sure some day the DCEU will do this, The Conjuring verse may do this, Arrowverse will actually do this next fall with Infinite Crisis, etc, but... this truly will be the only "first" time we get this end of era and I have Opinions so follow me down the rabbit hole

I'm only touching on a few points, as a head's up, and I generally really enjoyed the movie! I don't have the time or patience to type out everything I liked about it so there may seem like there's more criticism than praise but I promise you, I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought it was the best of the four Avengers movies by far

-I think my biggest complaint is the bullshit about the soul stone, for two reasons:

1. As a plot point, the soul stone decision being irreversable is just kind of ... weird, mostly because we don't have that much information on how it works, so it feels a little "stakes for the sake of stakes" to me

2. Are you really telling me that the only two people that had no chance of coming back are two of the only main female charectors the MCU has? Are you really, honestly, telling me that?

The MCU has gotten some more supporting female charectors and that's great but Nat and Gamora were only two of a very small feild of actual female LEADS, Mantis and Valkyrie and The Wasp and so on are great charectors but they aren't leads, and I feel like it was just a really bad decision on the filmmakers' parts to choose specifically those two and ONLY those two, it would have eased things a little if they had either brought back the original Gamora (and I'll touch on why this bothers me later) or if they had had a male involved in the Irreversable Soul Stone Death thing, it just feels frustratingly like fridging (I know it isn't but it feels that way) because there really honestly were other ways to go about it, Gamora being sacrificed in Infinity War was pretty unavoidable, but they didn't have to do Nat like that, and even if they did- because I do understand from a story perspective why they would- the ideal thing to do would have been to literally trade one soul for another, the soul stone only needs one soul to operate right? So when Natasha died, shouldn't Gamora have come back out of that thing? That would have been the ideal way to shift it in my opinion, it would create the kind of paradox that would make it impossible for Natasha to just snap back to existence (thus providing real stakes) but without the frustration of our only Gamora being AU!Gamora

And AU!Gamora is a PROBLEM

All of the development Gamora got in the first two Guardians movies is gone now, what she had with Peter is gone, what she had with Nebula is gone, her feelings of having a real family is gone.... and even if AU!Gamora builds those relationships anew, it's not going to be the same, she's working from scratch so she may as well be a new charector, and the fact that the Guardians and Nebula are already established makes it impossible for Gamora to form into the team the way she originally did, she's no longer one of the founding members with Peter, she's now an outsider being pulled into an existing group, she'll never understand the pain Nebula had been in when they fought because Nebula cares about her now and isn't going to fight her and thus express those feelings, she's never going to see just how badly Peter's father fucks him up or watch Peter sacrifice himself (ish) for the power stone because both of those are resolved issues now.....

The Gamora we knew and loved IS dead, we're working with a new one, and although I feel like Guardians 3 is going to be about finding and recruiting her, it still won't be the same and that's very frustrating

-On the topic of how things work, are you really telling me that after all of the "We have to be very carefull not to mess with the past" discussions, Steve just....... Did That? He really just lived an entire ass life mucking around with the past and having exactly zero consequences? Particularly, with Peggy, who we know for a fact was involved in major ways with Sheild? Like, I'm not speaking as a Captain America fan when I ask this, I'm legitimately confused as to why there was so much emphasis on "don't mess with the past" only for people to repeatedly do that, but ESPECIALLY Steve, it can kind of be excused to allow things like Tony talking to his dad- who doesn't know who he is- or Thor talking to his mom- who made it clear that she wasn't going to fight her fate even though she could- but Steve is just a big ol' block of confusion

Not only the Peggy thing, we could maybe excuse that, but he told his past self that Bucky was alive and his past self just... what...? Forgot??? How is it that he made such a significant change to his former self and there was exactly ZERO consequence at all? Not to mention Nebula killing past!Nebula but I can sort of hand-wave that one as having to do with actually creating a split universe (as proven by the Gamora and Thanos duplicates) but Cap ... Cap would have gone on, having had this weird encounter and being very "!!!!!!!!" about Bucky and done... what, nothing?? And if he did do something, why did that have no impact on the future at all?

I'm also conflicted on Captain America's ending as a charector, I'm glad he lived, but I almost would have preferred him having gotten stuck in the past by some Time Travel Bullshit Reason because it seemed OOC for him to leave his found family, put down his sheild, and risk the ENTIRE FUTURE by going to live a life with Peggy, even if that was a split universe, it still feels very .. I don't know the word for it, not "cop out" but too pushed I guess

For his entire journey to have centered on Steve changing as a person and getting used to living in essentially a new world, not to mention finding and saving Bucky and keeping him close, for him to completely regress and go back to America as it was, go back to the life he used to want, go live his future in the past, it all seemed really counterproductive of his journey and I actually would have preferred him going to retire elsewhere  if he really needed to

-Tony's death was probably the most avoidable thing to me because they laid out a perfect way for RDJ to exit: Retirement

I know that it was very "full circle" for Tony to begin the MCU with his life and end this era of it with his death and the ultimate form of charector growth for him to sacrifice himself, but it still felt really cheap to me when they had gone to the trouble of setting up his retirement so thoroughly and then still choosing to kill him off, I feel like it was more about "needing" to have an enormous death and choosing to "surprise" everyone by making it Tony instead of Steve versus what actually worked best for the story, Tony retiring to a quiet life that had nothing to do with money or fame or saving the world would have been equally showing of his growth in my opinion

These were my major complaints, but I have one plotline in particular that I really have the utmost praise for and that's Thor's

I know that alot of people are upset that Marvel treated his PTSD as a joke with the beer belly and the drunkness shennanigans but I don't personally veiw it that way, I don't think it was played as a joke, I think it was largely taken seriously, ofcourse I think Marvel DID put alot of the humor to ride on "lol Thor is fat and lazy now" wich is .. unfortunate, but I don't think it was as bad as alot of people are saying

Thor's conversation with his mother is probably my favorite part of the movie, Thor is consistantly shown to be a very sensitive, vulnerable person, wich is a MAGNIFICENT quality for someone who's also supposed to be the poster-boy for hypermasculinity

Thor is everything that Toxic Masculinity loves- He's a literal GOD who's gorgeous and gets attention from the ladies and beats shit up with a hammer, and he drinks, there is always EVERY opportunity to make him the living emodiement of A Fuckboy, but instead he's consistantly shown to be the exact opposite

He's sweet and compassionate and good-natured, he's openly affectionate and not afraid to cry in front of others or to wear his heart on his sleeve, he's gentle and supportive and loyal and a complete mama's boy in all of the positive uses for that term, and Endgame only reinforces all of that

Yes they made it a laughing point that he's gained weight and is an even bigger alcoholic than usual, but they also made it a point that out of everyone who had the opportunity to try to change the past, Thor is the only one who took it, because he simply couldn't stand being without his mother, not Tony who could have tried to tell his father to spend more time with him, or Steve who could have tried to see Peggy, but Thor, who just wanted his mom back

They made a huge point again and again over the fact that of everyone, Thor was taking this loss the hardest, that he had lost the most and felt the most responsible, and ultimately he also grew the most from it, he actually gave Mjolnir to Cap, gave New Asgard to Valkyrie (wich by the way is perhaps my absolute FAVORITE thing about the future of the MCU) and finally stopped trying to live up to what Odin wanted from him by trying to have a pissing math for leadership, he even "gave" Peter leadership of the Guardians, even if it was played for a joke, he never *actually* contested Peter, wich is a big step for him

Marvel isn't known for playing with trauma well, but as Marvel goes, I think Thor was handled well

I also have to say that I'm not mourning Loki yet, I feel like the after-credits scene for Guardians 3 is going to be Loki walking onto the ship going "Hello brother, did you miss me?"

Loki is in a unique position where he really could survive without having been a death from The Snappening, we KNOW that he knew something fishy was going on with the two Caps in the past and Loki is a sneaky devil who wouldn't just let something like that go, he probably devised a system for himself to come back to life or to have escaped Thanos in the first place once he realized in new-2012 that something was wrong, and unlike Tony and Steve, there are no story or contract reasons for the  MCU not to include Loki, especially since the Disney+ Loki series doesn't have anything to do with post-Endgame, atleast, yet to be mentioned

Sure split-universe!Loki would have the same problems that split-universe!Gamora has in that his development with Thor and his personal development caused by encounters with people like Hela are now moot, but unlike Gamora, Loki is still an anti-hero, he's still an asshole, and his relationship with Thor is a centuries-long one that has had many ups and downs, meeting Thor later in another villainous position wouldn't be OOC and he and Thor reconnecting over a new enemy would be fairly easy to recreate as opposed to Gamora re-experiencing a relationship with Nebula that has now permenantely changed, becoming a "new" member of the Guardians vs a founding member, and witnessing everything with Peter's family that happened Guardians 2 that can never be recreated- ever

Loki has also never been a leading role in the MCU, a core role yes, but not leading, it wouldn't be a problem for Tom Hiddleston to pop in and out of the MCU as he likes wile his primary series is on Disney+, and as that series is more of an anthology (Loki Screws With History: A Memoir) versus a chronological story to follow Endgame, Disney+ and the MCU don't even have to really consult with how the two stories would mesh, they're virtually strangers to eachother

There's, ofcourse, alot more I liked about this- the all female team-up, the importance placed on Ant-Man, everything to do with Nebula, and more, but this is all I really wanted to discuss or vent on

[multifandomaddictedfangirl]

Misconceptions about Breaking bad ~ my theory (Spoilers!)

So I’ve just finished watching Breaking Bad. All seasons. I really loved the show. It was well written, well directed, well thought in every details, very well played with such talented actors. It is a masterpiece. Clearly, it was a show that had been thought of and worked on for a while to be perfect (like no plot holes, no OOC actions, no wasted moments, no pointless moves, no useless lines, etc.). Besides, this show had everything: badass action, fighting scenes, tension, drama (big time), humor sometimes (not often) and emotions (a lot).

However, I think there is a HUGE misunderstanding to what this show is about and an ENORMOUS misconception of why it’s so good and really likeable.

A lot of people I have met IRL, or read online, really loved this show as well. That’s not a surprise. As I’ve said, this show was really good for a lot of reasons and I will never deny that.

But as I was reading them/talking to them IRL, I’ve realised something. They loved Breaking Bad because they loved the story and the character of Walter White. They loved the story of an american middle aged white man, with a normal life, a traditional family and a boring job, becoming this super extra badass who ends up building and controlling a meth empire. Usually, they particularly loved season 3-4 when Walt is supposedly at its greatest moments. They loved Walter White and what he has become: a badass, a smart ass meth dealer, a dominating boss, a good provider for his family... a real man. They loved him as a hero. They loved him as a protagonist who should succeed and get what he wants in the end. They loved him as a character that they were rooting for. They also loved the dream of a normal guy starting off nothing and ending up being the big boss in the game. They loved the idea of having this exciting/dangerous/ illegal/ outlawed/badass “dream life”. Like in an action movie. They loved the fantasy that Breaking Bad exposes.

So here’s the thing... Those people don’t like Breaking Bad. Because that’s not the show. That’s not its point. That’s not its essence. That’s not what it’s trying to show us. That’s not what it’s about. At all.

Obviously, there are multiple interpretations and levels of lecture in a piece of art. And I don’t think some are overall better than others. I think it’s pretty condescending and arrogant to believe there is a “good way” of consuming medias/arts, and a “bad way”. There are just different ways. And that’s great.

However, if you pay attention to the show, for like 10 minutes, it’s pretty clear what it is about.

Breaking Bad is a criticism of Walter White and of this fantasy of a badass action-movie lifestyle. The whole point of the show is basically to say: “Look at that kind of lifestyle society makes you fantasise about, and look how you really don’t want to have it cause it actually sucks. Look at how you DON’T and SHOULDN’T want to become Walter White.”

Walter White isn’t portrayed as a glorious badass mastermind hero by the show. He shouldn’t be read like that. Of course, he is the main protagonist and so, the audience is meant to follow his story. But Walt is first portrayed as a bad guy. Not only like a villain. But as a bad person. Someone you should despise for his personality. Someone who should disgust you. Someone you should hate for who he truly is. Someone you shouldn’t be rooting for. Someone you should quite quickly want dead.

When the show begins, yes, he is portrayed as a normal family man, working a basic job, providing for his family which he seems to care about. But the show already makes it clear that he is a very proud man, who thinks he deserves better than his current life, who thinks he can do better and have better just because. Just cause he is Walter White, a chemistry genius. His world, what he has, doesn’t seem to be enough for him.

(Btw some of my friends argued that Walter White wasn’t such a bad person in the beginning of the show, and that “the meth dealing turned him into an asshole”. While I would agree with that, I also wanna point out that in the beginning of the show, Walt isn’t the greatest person neither... His life is built around a very sexist scheme. He always expects Skyler to do breakfast for him and basically all the housework, because she is his housewife and that’s the way things are supposed to be. We never see him being grateful for what she does. If he’s the only one working, “providing for his family”, it’s more likely because he didn’t want Skyler to. Skyler is a competent woman, she could have found a job with a better income than high school teacher. But I don’t think Walt, fulled with pride, would have accepted to be taken care of by his wife. He wanted to be the alfa male since day one. Because he more likely already had internalised pride, sexism and toxic masculinity and fake virility. We never see him share his true feelings with Skyler. He doesn’t want to look vulnerable. Never. He’s never real with anybody. He refuses to admit that he feels bad about his life and prefers to hide behind a mask, which he will continue to do throughout the show. Because expressing your true feelings to someone who cares about you is not an alfa male move, so Walt rejects this idea. So no, I don’t believe Walter White was such a great person in the beginning. He already was an asshole. He just became waaaaaaaay worse.)

Anyway, then he got diagnosed with cancer. And the money issue appears. If the family pays for Walter’s chemotherapy, they will take a huge risk of bankrupt. They need more money. The family needs more money. But let’s note that Walt’s friends, Eliot and Gretchen, DO propose to pay for his therapy. But Walter refuses, again because of his pride. All the events that follow, all the murders, all the meth dealing, all the horrors, EVERYTHING could have been avoided if Walter White hadn’t decided to be an arrogant jerk and say “suck it” to genuine help.

The money and the (supposedly) rightful idea providing for his family will be Walter’s justifications for ALL his actions during the ENTIRE show (even when his cancer is cured and the family doesn’t necessarily needs this huge amount of money anymore).

The truth is Walt never just wanted the money for chemotherapy or to help his family. He wanted the money because money equals power and influence. And Walt dreamed of power and control over the others. He wanted to be the only one capable of providing, the one everyone else would praise, admire and thank for the rest of his life. He wanted to be a god. Before even cooking his first batch, he already was a narcissist self-centered and arrogant prick, only thinking about his own good.

When he starts to cook meth, it just becomes even worse. The show gets darker, bloodier, more violent. Everything breaks bad, as thev title of the show clearly explicits. Walt finds a new way to express his desire of control, his dream of being finally respected/feared, and the silent violence which he was hidding inside of him.

(I think Walt somehow wants to turn the symbolic violence he was victim of (not being manly enough, especially compared to his brother-in-law, Hank who kinda bullies him in the beginning of the show) into a physical violence he is now in control of).

He then becomes a monster, who is capable of the most cruel, creepy, insane actions to get what he wants. He completely looses sense of reality. If we sum up what he did: he started cooking meth, he missed his daughter’s birth because of the meth dealing, he lied to everybody who cared about him, he tricked his DEA agent brother-in-law Hank, he mentally abused and manipulated Jesse to make him his puppet, he provoked Hank’s accident paralysing him for a while, he turned Junior against Skyler, he abused Skyler and made her part of his business letting her no other choice, he killed Gus’s men, he disolved murdered bodies in acid, he let Jane died while he could have saved her, he made Jesse kill Gale, he blew up a old people’s house killing Gus and hurting multiple innocents, he told nazis where Andrea lived and therefore caused her death, he ordered killings in prison, he blackmailed Hank with a fake confession video, he kidnapped Holly, he caused Hank and Gomez’s deaths, he killed Krazy8, he killed Mike, and he poisoned a child.

And the show makes it pretty clear that it’s not sane, that NONE of this is cool/badass, that it’s just miserable actions provoked by a desperate man, that it will just bring him sadness, loneliness, loss, misery and disfurtune, that Walt slowly but surely goes down this path of destruction and cruelty and that he will never come back. That what he once had (a family who loved and respected him, friends who cared about him, friendly neighbors, a stable job which had always been enough to provide for the family, a beautiful house, a great life, really) will be gone forever. And he will never get all of that back. Even if Walt just realises that in the final episodes.

His problematic lack of trust (even towards Jesse who never betrayed him!), his egocentric paranoia (the fact that he always thinks he is the center of some sort of conspiracy in the meth empire, despite the fact that it is a huge business and he is just not alone in this), his insane quest of power (the fact that he is never happy with what he has and always wants to extend his market/to extend his influence) and his huge PRIDE will always and constantly lead him to making huge mistakes and screwing up everything, making everything way worse. Walt is often the cause of his own failures.

But rather than learning from his mistakes, grow up and adapt, those mistakes just reinforce his beliefs, his fears, his desires, and justifies somehow even more his further actions. Walt is stuck in a vicious circle that, you know already from season 1-2, will lead him towards his end.

Everytime Walt tries something, he fails. He is not a badass mastermind meth dealer. He takes a lot of stupid decisions because he is too impulsive and doesn’t know how things really work in the real life. There is plenty of things he doesn’t know, even if he never admits it. He always have more competent person around him to do the job. Sure he cooks meth better than anybody else (except maybe Jesse in season 5), but meth dealing isn’t just cooking. Without Jesse, without Gus, without Mike, Walt would have never been Heisenberg.

Relying on other isn’t a bad thing (on the contrary), but that’s not what Walt does. Walt USES people. He manipulates them, he mentally ABUSES them, destroys their self esteem, threatens them, makes them believe they have no other choices but to order him. He did that with Jesse (big time), and also with Skyler for instance. The truth is Walt sucks and he needs others but he always denies it because he doesn’t want to admit that he is vulnerable and lost and that he actually is not “the big boss in the game”.

And whenever he makes a decision by himself (usually to cross someone), he FAILS. Like dramatically. He always puts himself in a position that is worse, usually more dangerous, just because he couldn’t shut up and keep his pride. Yes, sometimes, he also succeeds but it’s then quickly shown that what he thought was a success will turn up against him.

Even when Walt does look badass, it’s during short moments taken apart from big story. Yes, if you take some scenes out of context, Walt looks cool. But if you just take some time to analyse the context, than the scenes loose all its power and Walt appears the way he is inside: powerless, weak, insecure, pathetic.

For instance, when Walter says to his wife “I’m the danger”, it’s not meant to be seen as a badass line (and it has, by many people). It’s pathetic because he has, at that point in the show, lost control in his professional life. So he’s trying to regain control and influence in his private life by terryfing someone who looks weaker than him. He cannot hurt or scare his actual enemies in the meth empire because they are more powerful than him. He is at this point lost, confused and vulnerable. He needs to regain his manhood, his position of power, his role of alfa male. So to do so, he decides to terrify his wife, who is just a normal person and doesn’t know the meth world (and so, who has to take anything Walt says for granted). He’s like a bully, in school, attacking the weakest because they are in quest of manhood and influence. And we know bullies are actually the most insecure kids.

Besides, when Walt fails, he doesn’t even admit he screwed up, says sorry and learns from his mistakes. He denies he made a mistake and takes the blame on others. That’s, again, profoundly PATHETIC. He lies to everyone. While he claims that he doesn’t want anybody’s pity, he keeps lying to make it look like he was just the victim of unfortunate events against him. That’s why Walt isn’t even a good likeable villain. He denies what he truly wants (money, power, control, sense of manhood...), he hides behind a fake justification, and he doesn’t realise or admit that his means are deeply cruel (murder, mental abuse, meth dealing, child poisoning, lying, bloodbath assassinations...). Even if he has convinced himself he’s doing all of this for a good reason (provide for his family), it’s like he is not aware of the monstrosity of his actions. He never admits he has become a merciless monster. Not to his family, not to his wife, not to his partners in crime. Most villains would say: “I believe what I do is fair and justified, but to do so, I have to become a monster and do unspeakable things and that’s what I’m gonna do”. But Walt doesn’t.

(Walt would probably say something like “I’m a good person, I want to help my family which totally explains all my actions which weren’t even THAT bad if you look at it a certain way and there was no other choice anyway, I’m just a victim, but I’m still powerful, but I had to, but I’m in control.” And honestly? UGH.)

Walt is a looser, who tries to hide the fact that he sucks. He is not a badass, or a mastermind. He’s mostly scared, pathetic and lost. Breaking Bad always show us that. Breaking Bad is about the fail and the path towards the end of Walter White. It’s about Walt becoming worse and worse, but not by doing things more and more illegal/horrible. He’s becoming worse and worse as a person. More pathetic as the show evolves. More miserable. More lost. More desperate. And he ends up with NOTHING.

Walter White looses everything. His friends are so terrified of him that they don’t want to have any contact with him. His wife completely despise him. His son is ashamed and disgusted of him. His daughter will grow up without a father. His former associates are mostly dead. His partner, Jesse, hates him and runs away from him. Walt dies alone, abandonned by everyone, knowing nobody will miss him and that he has failed to do what he first wanted (take care of his family), that the person he once was, who had a great life actually, is gone.

The show makes it very clear that following Walter’s path is not something cool. It’s not something you should want or dream about. Because in your fantasy, the meth business is badass and cool and fun. But in reality, it’s difficult, horrifying, dangerous and life-ruining. The point of the show is to stay: Walt got stuck in this because he was, and always had been, a proud, narcissist and pathetic person and he has LOST everything when he tried to be the badass he never was.

This fictional lifestyle, based on pride, toxic masculinity and badass action fantasy, that is nourished by a lot of fictions and medias that we consume, is BAD (hence the title). The show criticises it over and over again.

And in my opinion, that’s why it’s so good. The show doesn’t glorify what society already praises to be the dream. It questions it, it shows us its true nature, and criticises it. At the end, Breaking Bad isn’t just a badass exciting action-movie turned into a serie (it would have been quite boring if it was). It’s more than that. It tells a story about us as human, as people, and it deconstructs a fantasy we all have had at some point. And it does it perfectly. So I really loved this show, but it saddened me to see so many people having this misunderstanding about what the show was trying to say.

[zimboxl]

Jargon Tourettes

Top 10 Overused Jargon 2018*

Overused Jargon (OJ) tells us what the media savvy think is relevant, useful, and popular. In some ways jargon is a gatekeeper, a cliquish code to separate those who get it from those who don’t. My selection is indicative of general trends with a bias towards the African arts and development worlds. These words are not sacred, and they need to be satirized and tested so that they don't become enshrined, unconsidered, shallow symbols of in-group identification. Perhaps this can help to prevent the alienating and misleading effects jargon can have. Consider this a satirical vaccination against sophistry and let’s hope for a better tomorrow where cryptic condescension gives way to shared comprehension.

Innovation

The elder states-person, the OG of OJ. 'Innovation' has somehow managed to remain atop the charts in spite of becoming a caricature of itself over the years. It also feels like we've been innovating for decades now, we might be due for some consolidation and refinement. Innovation's longevity is a product of its flexibility (it can mean many things), its vapidity (it can mean nothing), and the novelty-chasing tech-centric culture du jour.

Eg. “The Innovation Initiative was initially based on the premise that all change is good. It later became The Department of Unexpected Consequences.”

Engagement

Whether it's measured in links clicked, or viewing time, engagement is usually a euphemism for 'keeping an audience's attention more deeply for longer periods of time'. There's nothing necessarily wrong with this in itself, any creator wants their work to be engaging. Unfortunately, truly valuable engagement is about quality of experience, not just stats. It also turns out that trolling, click-bait, bot-baes, and other tricks work just as well, if not better than creating compelling, meaningful content - assuming that pure statistical engagement is the goal here. Even eliciting hate and outrage in the audience is preferred to eliciting the dreaded indifference.

Eg. “Once middle-aged super-users started gouging their own eyes out the e-ghetto slum lords sought to maintain high levels of user engagement by injecting digital crack directly into user’s blood streams via a fleet of nano-drones.”

Unpack

It's not mansplaining if you preface your long-winded speech with, “let me just unpack that before we move on...”  Poetic allusions to heavy baggage give this bit of OJ an ironic edge. Have you ever felt burdened by verbose unpacking? I have.

Eg. “As the morning's first speaker, I unpacked the topic of discussion at such length the moderator had to stop me so we could break for lunch.”

Girl Child

A steady climber over the years. Indicative of gendered global SJW trends, the Girl Child™ is now the holy grail of target demographics and beneficiaries. The term is particularly popular in development circles where its feminist paternalistic slant strangely fits the industry-wide vestigial-colonial vibe. Besides, 'Starving African' just feels so 1900s.

Eg. “Emergency! The ship is sinking! All women, girl children, and gender-non-binary-human-meat-sacks may board the life rafts first! The rest of you can fuck off.”

Decolonization

An up and coming term with the potential to rise even further in the charts. Its ceiling depends mostly on whether or not it remains a trophy word spoken in seminars and galleries. If it matures into active programs that directly enact de-colonial agendas the word may have to share the stage with other relevant but unsexy terms like 'supply chains', 'resource redistribution', 'local staff', etc. It also has immense potential as a linguistic camouflage for bad art. Those who criticize 'de-colonial art' may easily be shamed and dismissed as colonists, apologists, or sympathizers. The thoughtful critical landscape is pretty thin so similar strategies may be applied with other identity-centric words to shield questionable work from honest criticism.

Eg. “The former farm invader liberator had diversified his portfolio to include decolonizing luxury resorts, one free vacation at a time.”

Afro-Futurism

This once exciting term is at risk of becoming nostalgic dross due to how much it's been bandied about in African arts circles. It's a victim of its own success. A tell-tale marker of when a term becomes OJ is that it inspires satire of a higher quality and awareness than sincere works.

Eg. “Afro-futurism enables us to imagine a future where our collective conscious, aka Wakanda, has morphed into a touch screen cell phone that purifies drinking water, and cures HIV.”

Beneficiary

If a heroine feeds a starving village and no one sees it, did they all just starve instead? There can be no benefactors without beneficiaries and they must be documented, preferably smiling in situ despite the squalor that surrounds them. As a citizen of a country where most adults are unemployed I'd argue that employed development professionals should also be counted among the so-called beneficiaries. There's no shame in getting paid if you do a good job.

Eg. “As I saw the tears of unrestrained joy flow from the beneficiaries' eyes I knew my genocidal ancestors' crimes had been forgiven in full. If anything, I'd earned some extra credit for future generations.”

Toxic Masculinity

The shortest way to describe a Tarantino movie. Some people seem to believe that all masculinity is toxic, but we unfortunately don't have a popular catch phrase for them yet. Many men try to camouflage themselves by borrowing the props, costumes, and behaviors of their perceived superiors, essentially flaunting their overseer's whip. You know it when you see it.

Eg. “The game show host gave Chloe a choice between experiencing an unspecified act of toxic masculinity and ingesting mercury; Chloe chose mercury.”

Curate

Curating used to happen in museums and galleries, ideal environments for  showing others you have better taste and ideas than the unwashed masses. Now it's everywhere. Seemingly overnight the jargoneers stopped simply 'choosing things to sell in their shops' and started 'curating bespoke collections for their boutiques'. It’s the same thing, but with bougie overtones.

Eg. “The fuel station manager curated a collection of limited edition off-white sequined jerrycans for his most discerning customers.”

Interactive

I know what this word means to me, but after being assaulted by many misuses, and making many concessions for the sake of conversation and civility, I no longer have a clue what it means to the general public. I do know that in digital art circles it signifies 'cool', 'cutting edge', and 'dynamic'. At worst I've seen it used to describe a fixed work that people looked at without influencing in any way.

Eg. “The curator  of 'The Bricks are Present' was puzzled when the audience didn't transform into pro-bono builders despite the presence of the interactive bricks in the space.”

Conversation

Habitually misused by talking heads who would have you believe their one-sided monologues somehow constitute a conversation.

Eg. “Popular Instagrammer @Philosothot69 had an ongoing conversation with her thirsty horde of male fans wherein she mused about being more than just her looks while they sent her flaming eggplant emojis and tagged their friends.”

Problematic

Increasingly just a trendy way to add an air of faux-academic objectivity to ones' personal opinions and preferences. A newb might say, 'I didn't like District 9', but a true OJ guzzler will declare that it was problematic. Like many such words its rise began sincerely within relevant contexts, but it has since been taken up cynically in other contexts. In a few years it may just be something glib people say about petty things in the ceaseless quest to sound woke.

Eg. “When eventually Phil voiced his critical opinions about the concept sketches for the mural, Kuda quickly shushed him, reminding him that, generous funding aside, his uppity whiteness was problematic. Thus Kuda attained her black belt in the dark arts of juggling feminism and racial politics.”

Triggered

Triggered once referred to panic attacks that traumatized war veterans suffered after hearing loud noises or other shocking stimuli. Originally rooted in early studies of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or shell-shock as it was known then, triggered can now be trotted out to describe how you feel when someone is wearing the same outfit as you at the grocery shop.

Eg. Overzealous auto-correct and my aversion for proof-reading ruined my broadcasted Annual Christmas Party invitation message. I got so triggered I like literally died.

* by 10 I meant 13.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Live Picks: 2/14-2/18

Opeth

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Ridiculous metal and ridiculously-stacked folk! All-star level hip hop!

2/14: The Exile Follies, Old Town School of Folk Music

The name “The Exile Follies” refers to the touring combination of three artists experiencing self-imposed exile from the band they became known for, way back in 2002: Grant-Lee Phillips (from Grant Lee Buffalo), John Doe (from X), and Kristin Hersh (from Throwing Muses). Eighteen years later, the trio is reuniting for a tour, with a solo set from each, some collaborations, a lot of banter, and perhaps new songs.

2/14: Opeth, Riviera

The most recent album from the Swedish progressive metal band, September’s In Cauda Venenum, was released in both English and Swedish. There’s not much difference between the two versions. “Garden of Earthly Delights” contains a synthy hum with the band’s trademark prog instrumentation, as does “Heart in Hand” and the loud-quiet-loud “Next of Kin”. “Lovelorn Crime” is a slow burn. “The Garroter”, a song about inequality and apathy under a dictatorship, starts with flamenco guitar and piano, turning into a dark, jazzy ditty. In general, the band is as usual great at composing instrumentals that mirror the song’s subject matter. “Continuum”, for instance, is about the loneliness felt after the dissolution of a relationship; the echoing hi hats are emptiness, manifested. Yet, “Universal Truth”’s title translated into Swedish is “no truth is universal,” a cheeky move from a smart band who sings about the things that divide us politically and socially, not to be cynical but recognizing of the oppression that plagues many across the world.

Swedish hard rockers Graveyard open.

2/15: Machine Head, Metro

We previewed Machine Head’s set at Concord Music Hall two years ago:

“Oakland thrashers Machine Head enjoyed somewhat of a critical renaissance towards the beginning of the decade. While their early material was as authentically heavy as can be, their late 90′s and early 2000′s albums unfortunately delved into the realm of Limp Bizkit-like rap/nu metal. On 2011′s Unto the Locust, thankfully, they rediscovered their hard and experimental edge, as did they on the sweeping 2014 epic Bloodstone & Diamonds (the first with new bassist Jared MacEachern).

Unfortunately, the record they released earlier this year, Catharsis, falls back into the same rap trap as 1999′s The Burning Red and 2001′s Supercharger, the worst stereotypical metalcore swinging riffs with overzealous delivery from lead singer Robb Flynn. One can only hope that these songs are more tolerable live. Either way, thankfully, judging from the band’s recent set lists, it seems they know that their best music was the one-two-three punch of the Grammy-nominated 2007 album The Blackening, Locust, and Bloodstone.”

Since then, they’ve released two non-album singles, “Do Or Die” and “Circle The Drain”, the latter released today. This tour celebrates the 25th anniversary of their seminal debut Burn My Eyes, which they’ll play in full at some point during the night.

Wolf Parade; Photo by Pamela Evelyn & Joseph Yarmush

2/16: Chance the Rapper & Common, United Center

The two team captains for tonight’s All-Star Celebrity Game will also be part of the main festivities. Common will introduce the players before tip-off, while Chance is set to perform at halftime, unfortunately including material from his latest and lamest, The Big Day.

Common is also performing at Offshore, a rooftop on Navy Pier after the Slam Dunk and 3 Point Contest, with DJs Aktive and Dummy.

2/16: 2 Chainz, PRYSM

Known originally for the strength of his undeniably goofy singles, over the past few years, 2 Chainz has proved he can release some truly great albums. 2017′s Pretty Girls Like Trap Music did what Migos’ Culture thought it was doing, presenting buoyant lyrical flow over trap beats, while last year’s Rap Or Go To The League was a look inward at the man himself while still offering plenty of turn-ups. He’s stayed busy in 2020, too, dropping a new track with Future (2-minute banger “Dead Man Walking”) and curating a compilation of artists signed to The Real University (T.R.U.), his imprint, entitled No Face, No Case. He features on 6 tracks, including the unexpectedly soulful state pride anthem “Georgia”.

2/16: Wolf Parade, Thalia Hall

At one time a dynamic five-piece, the Wolf Parade that made Thin Mind, released last month, is a trio, after multi-instrumentalist Dante DeCaro amicably left the band last year. The combination of the aesthetic whittled down to guitar, keyboards/synthesizers, and drums and the idea behind the record--exploring technology and what it’s done to our minds--makes Thin Mind the first Wolf Parade record that feels like it’s been done before. 

Lyrically, there are constant references to glass, a cover that allows us to immerse ourselves in screen, a mirror by which to reflect, but not a symbolism that ascends above the aforementioned oft-explored dichotomy. “They pull you one way / They push you back again, I know / To sow division / Poisoning minds,” sings Dan Boeckner. He’s right! But the point at which he sings, “Nobody knows what they want anymore,” it goes from an astute observation to one generated from the type of person to refer to social media as “The Twitter.” Other times, Thin Mind is on-the-nose political. “The Static Age” is inspired by a collection of short stories about a leader out of touch with his populace, as if the band is trying to say, “Sound familiar?” Instrumentally, even a funny song like “Julia Take Your Man Home”, a self-aware dirge about toxic masculinity, is hobbled by a plodding groove.

Still, Thin Mind is a Wolf Parade record, which means it’s undoubtedly got some great songs. Drummer Arlen Thompson’s work stands out, his electronic drums providing the backbone to the zooming “Forest Green”, his synth and drum fills lending a quintessentially spooky quality to the theatrical “Against the Day”. And when the band talks about the isolating nature of technology not as it relates to some generic conception of humanity, but themselves, it comes across as personal and true. “Tuning into static and my mind is frayed / I could’ve been asleep by now,” Boeckner sings on the catchy “Wandering Son”, a song about the ebbs and flows of a touring musician’s closeness to his family. Perhaps the most genuine sentiment on the whole record comes courtesy of Spencer Krug. “Be as kind as you can,” he sings on the emotional centerpiece. Unlike much of Thin Mind, it’s a far-from-novel idea that never gets old.

Bedroom rockers Jo Passed open.

2/16-2/18: Shakey Graves, SPACE

We previewed Shakey Graves’ set at the Riviera in 2018:

“If you first heard Shakey Graves through his overblown single 'Dearly Departed', you were probably as skeptical as I was to hear that his new album Can’t Wake Up was supposed to be a revelation. Well, it’s not album of the year, but it’s a very impressive transformation from earnest folk singer to indie rock curator for Alejandro Rose-Garcia. Using a choir of voices on many songs to convey his mental monologues, Garcia creates a world where he’s 17, and then 27, having existential crises and feeling invincible at the same time. Tracks are breezy ('Kids These Days', 'Backseat Driver') and dreamy ('Counting Sheep', 'Dining Alone'), and the wide array of instruments on the record, including lo-fi synthesizers, like on the drum-machine-addled ‘My Neighbor' and 'Big Bad Wolf' and buzzing 'Foot Of Your Bed', add to the chaos that makes the record so ultimately effective.”

Since then, he’s released a cover of Roger Miller’s “A World So Full Of Love”, but he’s been playing new songs at his shows. Expect to hear some of them during his three-night stint at SPACE for his For The Record acoustic tour.

[jessicakehoe]

Everything That Upset the Internet This Week

What is the web-o-sphere angry about this week? From a writer bemoaning the inclusivity of today’s fashion industry to trouble behind-the-scenes at Big Little Lies, here’s everything you need to know.

Bret Easton Ellis says the modelling industry has become too inclusive

THE STORY: In an essay for Vogue Italia, which was excerpted in Business of Fashion, writer Bret Easton Ellis talked about his 1998 novel Glamorama and how that world of hyper-exclusive model and celebrity circles doesn’t exist today. “What would Glamorama look like today in a culture seemingly obsessed with inclusivity and the idea of groupthink over the individual and valuing ideology over aesthetics? Where a sizeable faction thinks everyone should be equal with one another?” he wrote. “This is a world where the body positivity movement says all bodies are beautiful and if you don’t find a heavy-set woman or a plus-sized model attractive, you are in fact body-shaming her and need to be cancelled. If everyone is beautiful then nobody is beautiful.”

THE REACTION:

Don't get me wrong, I love his novels, but seriously Bret Easton Ellis is just the worst.

— emerarchive (@emerarchive) July 12, 2019

It took me like two decades, but I think I'm finally over Bret Easton Ellis

— Patrick Cooley (@PatrickACooley) July 11, 2019

Who gave this the okay for Vogue Italia and then who gave this the okay for BoF????? This is embarrassing. https://t.co/IgFhekE99J

— Tyler McCall (@eiffeltyler) July 10, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Ellis’ new book, titled White, touches on what many white men are taking umbrage at these days: progressive politics, a push for inclusivity and diversity, a newfound culture of “wokeness,” and a pushback against toxic masculinity. Unfortunately, bemoaning a generation of people for thinking “everyone should be equal with one another” and criticizing the celebration of diverse bodies is something we’ve heard before. But in actuality, his critique that the fashion industry has lost the allure born of its “inaccessibility and exclusivity” isn’t even well founded. Yes, there may be more women of colour, plus-sized models, and trans women on the runway than there were in the ’90s—the homogenous heyday of the tall, white, leggy supermodel—but it’s been a slow journey that can hardly be described as equitable even today. The “beautiful” bodies he’s reminiscing about are still the ones we see dominating campaigns and runways, and as much as people might be pushing for body positivity, there’s still a long way to go before we get to the world Ellis seems so set against.

Andrea Arnold wasn’t allowed full creative control of Big Little Lies Season 2

THE STORY: Celebrated British filmmaker Andrea Arnold was brought on for the second season of the award-winning show and promised “free rein” to create the show with her style and vision. But as IndieWire just reported in a breaking story, “there was a dramatic shift in late 2018 as the show was yanked away from Arnold, and creative control was handed over to executive producer and Season 1 director Jean-Marc Vallée.”

THE REACTION:

looks like they told andrea arnold a lot of big little lies

— EMMAR Stefansky (@stefabsky) July 12, 2019

Sooo #BigLittleLies hired Andrea Arnold to direct Season 2 and NEVER told her that Jean-Marc Vallee would come in to edit and do away with her voice/vision https://t.co/8oiuX5rVHu #JusticeForAndrea pic.twitter.com/6MqgXDXgaC

— Zack Sharf (@ZSharf) July 12, 2019

andrea arnold has won the jury prize at cannes three times, a bafta for fish tank, and a OSCAR of all things for a short film she’s done! if this can happen to an oscar winner, it can happen to creators like myself and at that point, everyone can go fuck themselves

— alex, now letting it all go in tahoe! (@firstbandonmoon) July 12, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: According to IndieWire, who spoke to sources close to the executive producers, “it had always been the plan, although unbeknownst to Arnold, for Vallée to become re-involved in the show last fall.” This is just another example of a woman, despite her myriad qualifications (and in Arnold’s case, an Oscar!), to not be trusted to deliver a solid product. For this to happen on a show with many women in power behind the scenes (including Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman), makes it an even stranger turn of events and serves to underscore just how far we have to go before women’s capabilities are accepted and acknowledged the same way as men’s.

Jermaine Dupri thinks all female rappers are “rapping about the same thing”

THE STORY: In an interview with People Now, rapper Jermain Dupri was asked to name his current favourite female rapper, and said this: “I can’t really say. You know the reason I can’t say? [It’s] because I feel like they all rapping about the same thing, and I don’t think they’re showing us who’s the best rapper. For me, it’s like strippers rapping. As far as rap goes, I’m not getting who is the best rapper. I’m getting, like, ‘Oh OK. You got a story about you dancing in the club. You got a story about you dancing in the club. You got a story about you dancing in the club.’ OK, who’s going to be the rapper?”He then said, “At some point, somebody’s going to have to break out of that mold and just…talk about other things [and] just rap about other things besides that.”

THE REACTION:

Men: rap about strippers & strip clubs for 20 years straight

Strippers: i have something to say too-

Jermaine Dupri: pic.twitter.com/9XXLHYM4d2

— claribel a. ortega (@Claribel_Ortega) July 12, 2019

I listen to @rapsody all the time. For Jermaine Dupri to say it’s today’s female rappers are like strippers rapping is baffling. How many dudes out here rapping are former drug dealers? So many male rappers stick to essentially two subjects — drugs and women. https://t.co/gM97vqzsm2

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) July 12, 2019

So I guess Jermaine Dupri is gonna skip over the fact that damn near every male rap is about popping pills, drinking lean, selling drugs, partying, and money. Typical misogynistic hypocrisy. pic.twitter.com/2uIYCLDFhE

— Draculina 🦇 (@MirandaLovesGD) July 12, 2019

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: Dupri’s comments are pretty rich considering the rap industry is built almost exclusively on lyrics about sex, women, money and drugs, to the point that it’s been regularly called out for its misogyny and toxic masculinity. And of course there’s the added layer of condescension directed towards his female peers (something women around the world, regardless of profession, are unfortunately accustomed to). Cardi B fired back though, saying in a video posted to her Instagram that while there are plenty of female artists rapping about other topics, they don’t get the same level of attention. “OK, guys. So, I have seen a lot of people write that, nowadays, female rappers only talk about their p—y and shit. And now that Jermaine Dupri brung it up, now I’m going to say something about it, right? First of all, I rap about my p—y because she’s my best friend. You know what I’m saying? And second of all, it’s because it seems like that’s what people want to hear. There’s a lot of female rappers that be rappin’ their ass off and don’t be talkin’ about their p—y and don’t be talkin’ about, you know, getting down and dirty, and y’all don’t be supporting them. Y’all don’t be supporting them, and they be mad dope.” Whether or not you agree with Cardi B about what listeners want to hear, the hypocrisy of Dupri’s original statement is genuinely baffling.

The post Everything That Upset the Internet This Week appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

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[kartiavelino]

Regina Hall isn’t fazed by the nasty dudes in ‘Black Monday’

Black Monday | Sunday, 9 p.m., Showtime Mo Monroe (Don Cheadle) is a renegade Wall Street broker at the Jammer Group who’s intent on shaking up the status quo at the New York Stock Exchange. He has assembled a merry band of misfits to help him sell bad stocks quickly. Among the motley crew are Blair Pfaff (Andrew Rannells), an innocent taking his first job in the financial jungle, and Dawn Darcy (Regina Hall), an ambitious woman trying to hold her own in a sewer of toxic masculinity. As the only female in a bro-heavy office, Hall, 48, who recently won the Best Actress award from the New York Film Critics Circle for her performance in “Support the Girls,” spoke to The Post about Dawn’s history with her boss, the survival skills that helped her work on a show with all these dudes and what it’s like to be confused with the other Regina — King, that is. How would you describe Dawn’s relationship with Mo?They dated and they had a relationship for years. Dawn is married now. Although he does love Dawn, I think Mo’s arrested development makes him struggle to see how valuable she is to him, professionally and personally. That’s why they are no longer together. Why is he so stingy about giving her a promotion when she deserves one?Mo doesn’t like to give anyone anything. As the season rolls on you’ll see, when he asks her, ‘Did you see me give anybody anything? You have to take it.’ But the thing that makes you amazing can also cause your demise. He has to be careful. he has to walk that fine line. ‘I grew up with three brothers and no sisters, so a lot of things they said on the show were not shocking.’ Dawn is the only woman in a room full of very rude men. As a woman, how did you react to that?Lucky for me, I grew up with three brothers and no sisters, so a lot of things they said on the show were not shocking. It’s kind of scary to think [the 1980s] were not that long ago. In the movie “Support the Girls,” you play Lisa, the manager of a Hooters-style sports bar. Who has the harder job, Lisa or Dawn?Oh my goodness. The only reason I’m going to say Lisa is because Dawn makes a lot of money. Lisa doesn’t have all the perks. Or the financial comforts with a small salary and that’s tough. Some people confuse you with Regina King. Are you running into each other a lot during the current awards season?We have. I just saw her at the New York Film Critics where she won best supporting actress for “Beale Street.” Regina’s having such an incredible year and she deserves it. We’re the same age, but she’s been acting for so long. It’s incredibly inspirational. After filming “Black Monday,” did you invest in the stock market or did you take your money out?[Laughs.] Well, I know I wouldn’t be investing at Jammer Group. If I had to, Dawn would be the one I would invest with. She feels like the safest bet there. What’s your next project?“Little” with Marsai Martin and Issa Rae comes out in April and the [remake of] “Shaft” comes in June with Samuel L. Jackson, Richard Roundtree and Jessie T. Usher. [embedded content] And here’s what else to watch this week: True Detective | Sunday, 9 p.m., HBO Ten years after the Purcell crimes, new evidence gives Hays (Mahershala Ali) a second chance to vindicate himself and the investigation. With Stephen Dorff. Riverdale | Wednesday, 8 p.m., The CW With the SATs approaching, Alice (Madchen Amick) and FP (Skeet Ulrich) urge Jughead (Cole Sprouse) to start focusing on the test. Betty comes face-to-face with someone from her past. Very unpleasant. Co-starring Camila Mendes as Veronica. Camila Mendes co-stars as Veronica in “Riverdale.”Shane Harvey/The CW The Good Doctor | Monday, 10 p.m., ABC In the aftermath of the quarantine, the staff of San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital tries to return to their normal routines while awaiting a Board of Health inspection. Meanwhile, as Dr. Audrey Lim (Christina Chang) recovers from a dreadful virus, she and Dr. Neil Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) navigate their new personal and working relationship, The Many Sides of Jane | Tuesday, 10 p.m., A&E Series premiere. What is life like for Jane a woman living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder? The cameras that follow Jane’s day-to-day existence detail how she handles motherhood to two young boys and how she deals with her mother. Jane is the subject of a new series on A&E.Emily Berl The Rookie | Tuesday, 10 p.m., ABC A visit by the US vice president puts the station on high alert. The Secret Service tasks Officer Nolan (Nathan Fillion) with checking out a possible threat while the rest of the officers try to keep the streets clear and safe for his visit. Conversations With Ted Bundy | Thursday, Netflix Series premiere. Thirty years have passed since Ted Bundy was executed for killing 36 women between the years 1974 and 1978. A new documentary takes us inside his disturbed mind. [embedded content] Big Brother: Celebrity Edition | 8 p.m., CBS Season premiere. What a cast! Most notable: Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. We also have Dina Lohan and OJ Simpson guest-house resident Kato Kaelin. Kinda scary. Share this: https://nypost.com/2019/01/18/regina-hall-isnt-fazed-by-the-nasty-dudes-in-black-monday/ The post Regina Hall isn’t fazed by the nasty dudes in ‘Black Monday’ appeared first on My style by Kartia. https://www.kartiavelino.com/2019/01/regina-hall-isnt-fazed-by-the-nasty-dudes-in-black-monday.html