#and her second is part of the 2024 set as a 2 star (:

[kawaiichibiart]

Tsukasa 🤝 Shiho 🤝 Akito

First New Year's card: 2 Star

Second New Year's card: Limited 4 Star

[the-clock-of-the-time-dragon]

Okay so hear me out... [Massive spoilers and speculation on Wicked films ahead]

It's apparent that Wicked Part 2 is going to have new, expanded, and altered scenes — but by far the most tantalizing is implied by the first scene of the first film.

We see a cloaked figure on horseback fleeing from Kiamo Ko after the Melting, and then we see Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow on the Yellow Brick Road back to the Emerald City. This is in keeping with the 1939 Wizard of Oz, which implies something hugely important about the plot of Wicked Part 2: the musical's original ending has been changed.

In the original stage version, Fiyero comes back to Kiamo Ko after getting his diploma brain from the Wizard and all that, and Elphaba comes out from her little trapdoor, and then they leave Oz together without telling anyone. It's unclear (on purpose, obviously), but it seems very apparent that the cloaked rider we see at the start of the 2024 film is Elphaba. This leaves us with a few possibilities for how the plot will unfold in Part 2.

1.) Elphaba simply leaves alone, telling nobody — not even Fiyero — that she's alive. I am okay with this, since honestly the way that the finale of the musical was written has always felt kinda clunky and borderline plot-holey to me.

2.) They still end up having the original ending happen, just switched around the order of some of the events. Maybe Elphaba escapes first but then finds Fiyero alone elsewhere somehow, and in the end still leaves Oz with him. I'd accept it — it is probably the most likely version they might go with — but with all the changes being made, I would be a little disappointed if it ends up this way ngl, when they have the chance to make a new ending that far surpasses the original.

3.) Elphaba leaves alone BUT makes Glinda and/or Fiyero aware of her survival somehow. This is actually a surprisingly plausible option I think, since Elphaba in the original show immediately wanted to tell Glinda she was alive (with Fiyero talking her out of it — which may not be a thing that happens anymore); and just IMAGINE how poignant heartrending it would be if Glinda were to find the old Emerald City guide with the note she wrote her in it, but with "I hope you get what your heart desires" in it in Elphie's handwriting, or something like that. Maybe even with Glinda singing her final "Good News!" after seeing it — leaving the door open that Glinda might have a chance to find her Elphie someday. Or hell, if they wanted to they could use the closing lines of the book in some form: the classic "did she ever come out?" and "not yet" (which of course itself has some delightfully sapphic undertones)

4.) Mostly wishful thinking on the part of my very very sapphic ass, but... can you fucking IMAGINE if they dared to rewrite an ending where Elphaba finds Glinda and asks her one more time "come with me..."?? And then they LEAVE OZ TOGETHER??? Not as plausible an answer as the others, I know — but can't a girl dream? I mean they set it up so well, if nothing else it's THERE for them to use if they decided to have the courage. In the first movie Elphaba says "come with me" twice to Glinda: first when she asks Glinda to come with her to the Emerald City (her 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽’𝓼 𝓭𝓮𝓼𝓲𝓻𝓮), and lastly when she asks Glinda to come with her on her broomstick and escape (which of course Glinda refuses). If they decided to give Glinda a second chance to say yes and go with her, and this time she takes it... I mean, it would just be a really solid payoff to the material already established and obviously would also short-circuit all our gay little hearts. And the fact it's even conceivable they COULD do that is really exciting in and of itself. It isn't 2003 anymore, the stars are very on board for queerness — the only thing really reining in my hopes is the fact a major Hollywood family film blockbuster (even in 2024, sadly) usually can't bite the bullet and go full gay: BUT, who said it would have to be explicitly gay if Elphaba and Glinda leave together? Who's to say we couldn't get them And They Were Very Good Friends-ing away into the sunset together? No Homo as the plausible deniability needed to pull off the best sapphic victory in movie history? Oops, there go my hopes again, trying to defy gravity, lol

[loveothislife]

In a special event hosted by the British Film Institute and Vanity Fair at the BFI Southbank on Wednesday evening, Chalamet and Ronan reflected on making 2017’s “Lady Bird” and 2019’s “Little Women,” both from a pre-“Barbie” writer/director Greta Gerwig.

While the two hadn’t me prior to “Lady Bird,” Chalamet recalled being told about Ronan by Emery Cohen, who had worked with her on the 2016 hit “Brooklyn.”

“I kept hearing this name ‘Saoirse, Saoirse’ and didn’t put two and two together when I saw the name spelled out, because I’m an ignorant American, but then we got to work and I was just blown away immediately,” he said.

Added Ronan: “We were very lucky that we clicked straight away and we had Greta, who from day one seemed to be so excited about what was happening between the two of us.”

While not her first major role, “Lady Bird” would further cement Ronan’s leading lady status (and land her her 3rd Oscar nomination). For Chalamet, his supporting role in the film, coupled with his Oscar-nominated lead turn in “Call Me By Your Name” that was released around the same time, would dramatically boost his profile.

“Everyone was sort at a genesis, especially on ‘Lady Bird,” Chalamet said. “It was a small production and I feel like we had no clue how well received it was going to be.”

It was while doing the press tour for “Lady Bird” that Ronan recalled having to pitch herself to Gerwig for her next feature, “Little Women.” “I sort of had to tell her that I was going to be in it,” she said. “She hadn’t sort of landed on me yet, and were in the middle of promoting ‘Lady Bird’ and I was like, ‘By the way, I’m going to be Jo, right?’ And she was like, ‘I guess, sure.” For Chalamet, meanwhile, he said Gerwig simply asked him to play Laurie, but while he was shooting “The King” in Budapest (and also while he was “chasing” “Dune,” having already “met with Denis [Villeneuve] a couple of times”).

During the shoot for “Little Women,” Chalamet recalls getting a vital lesson in timekeeping from Ronan. Promoting “Beautiful Boy” — “which was basically the second ‘biggish’ movie that I was in” — around the same time, he got caught up in his trailer on the phone arranging tour dates, meaning he was late to get to the hair and makeup and was holding the production back.

“I was on the phone trying to do this thing, and I get this bang on my trailer door, like really intensely so I was thinking someone had died,” he said. “And I opened the door and there was Saoirse in a bald cap and she was like ‘get your fucking ass to the trailer right now.'”

(by Alex Ritman for Variety, December 18, 2024) (video)

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

E Rated Fics Masterlist (44)

Part 1 -Part 38/  Part 39 / Part 40 / Part 41 / Part 42 / Part 43 / 

Created: March 27th, 2024

Last Checked:-----

Proving Them Wrong Outtakes-endlessnightlock (ao3)  Summary: This is just a place for the odd ideas that might pop up here and there from the universe of my story Proving Them Wrong. Chapter 1: Galone (M) Chapter 2: The Race (T) Chapter 3: The First Time (E) Quicksilver-Gamemakers (ao3)  Summary: Dearest Diary, Two events of note occurred today. First, I realized that Peeta Mellark, who just yesterday I considered an ally and possible friend, is an irredeemable prat. Second, I became betrothed to him. London, 1793. After a life spent on her family’s country estate, the time has finally come for the Everdeen sisters to be introduced to the London elite. Katniss will do anything to ensure her younger sister does not fall into the wrong hands, but surrounded by strangers, she has no way of judging Prim’s many suitors’ intentions. Enter Peeta Mellark, the youngest brother of the Earl of Panem and a longtime fixture of the ton. He seems the perfect ally, but Peeta has intentions of his own, and Katniss’ spinsterhood may not be as safe as she believes. Rebel-HGRomance (ao3)  Summary: Peeta is a bad boy. Katniss is a good girl. Neither are interested in changing. But when Peeta's sent to work on the Everdeens' Amish farm during the Autumn harvest, two very different worlds—and hearts—collide. Modern AU. Roses and Pearls-HalfHope, thesweetnessofspring (ao3)  Summary: Peeta Mellark is the sole victor of the Quarter Quell. With District 12 nothing but ash, he rebuilds his life by moving to the Capitol and falling in love with Rosalia Snow, granddaughter to Coriolanus Snow. Then people Peeta thought long dead kidnap him and Rosalia, including the one person he hates more than anyone: Katniss Everdeen. They say he's been hijacked. They say that he used to love her. Locked away in District 13, Peeta is determined to protect his mind and his fiancée from the rebels. But while imprisoned, videos disprove his memories and his feelings toward Katniss grow confusing. Who can he trust, and what really happened in his past? Some Like it Hot-Xerxia (ao3)  Summary: When the oppressive heat sets their tempers flaring, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have to find a creative way to cool down... Star-HGRomance (ao3)  Summary: He's the son of a gentleman. She barely passes for a lady. In a world of ballrooms and proper snobs, they're best friends...until friendship is no longer enough. But who will admit it first is the maddening question. Historical AU. Steal Away-hutchabelle (ao3)  Summary: This chapter was written for d12drabbles, prompt 8--Stolen. Swan Upon Leda-FyreFlys (ao3)  Summary: “Ya know, Katniss and I. We’ve been luckier than most. I wouldn’t have any regrets at all…” and he pauses. “I-if it weren’t…” and he’s laying the acting on thick, “if it weren’t for…” he shakes his head. “If it weren’t for… what what?” Caesar prompts. He hesitates, and then, “If it weren’t for the baby.” And nothing could have prepared her for that. Tapping Out-endlessnightlock (ao3)  Summary: It's been... a long time since anything other than sleep has gone on in the Everdeen-Mellark household after a nasty bout with the flu puts Katniss, Peeta, and their kids out of commission. Tonights the night that's all about to change, isn't it? The Contractor-endlessnightlock (ao3)  Summary: Featuring a Katniss who grapples with her sanity, alone, in a house she swears hates her, a disappearing contractor, and her pushy neighbor, Gale, who hasn’t learned to take no for an answer.

[cntarella]

Okay, so more cogent thoughts on Nosferatu (2024):

It was a very middling movie in everything except the costuming, set design, and art direction — which were top notch. I also give it props for the great lighting, i.e. being one of the few movies set mostly in the night where you can actually see what's going on. Eggers and Blaschke really used light and shadow extremely well in a few scenes, thinking here in particular of that one shot of Ellen (i.e. Lily Rose Depp) on the bed with the side profile of her shadow on the pillow and that ending shot of Von Franz (i.e. Willem Dafoe) illuminated in the mirror that were genuinely such beautiful, artistic frames. Visually, great movie. But visuals can't make up for a script and a cast that were stilted as all hell.

First of all, the screenplay itself was trying way too hard. No one spoke in a particularly convincing way — everything was long monologues, diatribes really, that were meant to be ominous and add to the gothic atmosphere. But it was pure narration, nothing left to the actual interpretation of the other storytelling elements to convey horror. Instead of letting the atmosphere carry the mood, it relied so much on telling us "btw this is the horrifying thing happening, this is why it is horrifying" and genuinely felt like they didn't think people would understand...what was essentially a very basic story. Where tf is the dude that wrote The Lighthouse??? This cannot be the same man.

Second, the acting. Or the lack of acting!!! At least on the part of Lily Rose Depp. This woman cannot act, I'm sorry. The people who praise her for this role, I'm asking: did we see the same movie? This woman cannot modulate her voice beyond two slightly differentiated tones, and same goes for her facial expressions. Dead delivery for a floundering script, and considering she was most of the movie, made for an incredibly boring 2 hours. I will say, she did some great body acting but that's probably the only thing she did with any sort of panache. The rest felt too committed to showing her off in the sexiest waif girl light that it could, rather than actually making use of her as an actress.

She and her castmates had no chemistry either, especially between her and Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgard. I'm supposed to believe this woman's husband would traverse the snowy mountains of Transylvania with nothing but a coat and a horse to get back to her after THE most sexless kisses??? I'm supposed to believe that Nosferatu was enticed by her "passion" and her dead-eyed impression of romance???

Speaking of sex scenes, there were a few in the movie that were just so bad. Lily Rose Depp making the same pornhub "uh uh uh" moans during ALL of these scenes, with little change in delivery or intonation. And I do mean "uh uh uh," it was embarrassingly bad and not just because the sex itself was badly simulated by her partners.

And then there's Nosferatu himself. What a disappointment. I wanted something grotesque, I wanted something fun. We kept getting teased about Bill Skarsgard's "horrific transformation" but like. It was a bald cap and a coat. It was a prosthetic nose. The most grotesque thing about him was being...emaciated? Slightly deformed? Kinda middle aged looking? I don't know that we saw enough of him to really be able to judge his acting on this particular film, but imo he did a better job as Pennywise than in this role. It was just the most mid monster one could potentially want to fuck, unbelievably mid.

The "gore" people kept warning about was very very light, very standard for a horror movie and not even the most grotesque in recent memory (First Omen still had this beat by a long long long shot in terms of actual grotesquerie). Some frontal nudity that was nothing to write home about. But at least there were 2,000 rats. At least we had that.

2.5/5 stars

[happypotato48]

GMMTV 2024 PART 2 Unhinged Tangent Thoughts (Only The Queers Though)

Ossan’s Love Thailand รักนี้ให้ "นาย": oh here we go again for the third times. i'm still skeptical about it and Chakrit Yamnam definitely is not an ossan yet but... damnnnnn my inner slut for older men sense is tingling, i know gmmtv just gonna keep doing this boring BL idol pairs nonsense, but like can we get more older gays/age gap BLs? i haven't seen Chakrit in ages and that man still so damn fine! he and our honorary uncle earth could've been something that thai BL is currently lacking, a sloppy hotmess Daddies. but alas that will remain a dream for now.

The ​Heart Killers เขาจ้างให้ผมจีบนักฆ่า: i haven't watch the Eclipse yet and really didn't liked both Star In My Mind and Hidden Agenda and definitely never gonna watch Only Friend (seen all the sex scenes though.) i loved the chaotic energy the trailer giving and i'm always a sucker for black comedy (don't know if this show gonna be that but fingercrossed) when it done correctly. also this show better serve us so many leather bad boy looks. i may have not be completely sold on this show yet, but i'm horny for it.

สายรหัสเทวดา Perfect10 Liners: "Too Many Cooks repeated for several minutes" i'm going to be there for forcebook and juniormark but like wtf in frash glee hell is this, most of these mofos are pushing 30. let them be adults god danm it, i know that the target demographic for gmmtv is young adults and teenagers and that they really love/good at??? school settings. but come on let's our peter pans and wendies fly free. they're probably bored out of their fucking minds by now.

Us รักของเรา | GMMTV 2024 PART 2: i'm gonna be a good little homo and let's all the great wlws do all the talking for this show. i'm not keen on the sibling's lover stealing trope but hey as the great Lucille Bluth one said, good for her.

Thame - Po (เธม-โป้): HEART THAT SKIPS A BEAT: hehehe, Est is so pretty, ok i'm sold i'm easy like that. i was never into any boy bands as a teen, but there like a lot of former thai boy bands members that came out as gay in recent years so maybe i shouda had. anywhoo i probably not gonna mind the singing and dancing in this show since most of them going to be done by singers/dancers and not actors turned idols.

REVAMP THE UNDEAD STORY: i'm really not into serious vempires so this show is kinda meh for me. the goofy ones though those i'd have eat up. this one probably a pass for me.

แฟนที่ทันตแพทย์ส่ว��ใหญ่แนะนำ Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist: all my blorbos are here we get mark, baby ohm, poon, and หมอjim. ahhhhhhh!! i need it now. i also don't mind dentists like most people especially when they're good looking guys, those handsome doctors can put anything in my mouth😉

เพราะแฟนเก่าเปลี่ยนแปลงบ่อย The Ex-Morning: is this going to be our second coming BL? idk i never there for first one 😝this show either going to be a good meta commentary about the whole business that gone down or its head going be so up it own ass that will take several bottles of lube to get the head out to see the sunlight. we'll see.

[c3stlav1e]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ THE COLD WAR RETURNS: ON THE BIGGEST RED CARPET IN THE WORLD.

written by EnVieOus

The Met Gala, taking place the first Monday of May each year, is undoubtedly one of the most watched events of the year in the realm of the filthy rich and those finely attuned in to the lives of celebrities. Celebrated in New York City and hosted by international phenomenon Vogue Magazine, recent years of the event have seen more and more internationally recognized celebrities welcomed to grace the number one red carpet of the fashion world, something that gives us Kpop fans a reason to cheer. While a swath of idols were seen at this year's gala, 3 that never fail to catch my eye were La Vie's Anya, Star, and Mari.

from left to right: Anya Na in custom YSL, Star Shinawatra in custom YSL, Mari Bang in Schiaparelli haute couture '21

Anya and Star both stunned in custom Yves Saint Laurent, unsurprising from the luxury brand's princess and her closest confidant. While this was Star's debut at the Met, this is the third year in a row that Anya has been invited by the designer house.

However, Lovies were left with plenty of questions when the group's maknae Mari arrived later than the former two in a striking yet conflicting outfit by Schiaparelli. Although the three only briefly passed on the carpet, no acknowledgments were shared.

To older fans, this icy greeting is hardly news. Its been recently made clear that tensions between La Vie and their maknae have been raised ever since she first made her solo debut in the American music industry back in 2021. Some fans had bashed the idol for "abandoning" the group to focus on western fame and validation.

Lovies were led to believe that things were on the mend between them all when Mari returned to the group for their most recent comeback celebrating the group's 7th year anniversary, making it the first OT6 comeback in nearly 2 years. The group released a 2 hour long documentary highlighting the group's history and the album's making which had an emotional segment on Mari's absence, how it had effected the group's dynamic, and her intentions to right any wrongs in the hearts of her members and her fans. It was all very touching.

And yet, almost a year later, we are seeing the conflict back in full swing. 4 days before the Gala, La Vie posted a teaser for their newest comeback to all of the group's socials. The teaser very notably only featuring 5 of the members (missing Mari once again), much to the disappointment of hopeful Lovies everywhere.

"Teaser ; White Swan" posted to La Vie socials on May 2, 2024

While this in itself stirred up controversy, nothing would compare to the shitstorm that arose when 2 days later, Mari dropped a teaser for her newest single, set to release only a week after the rest of the group's mini album.

Teaser posted on May 4, 2024 to Mari's Instagram, @ maribang, captioned " ugh, what a b!! SOMETHING NEW COMING TO U JUNE 4TH "

Fans and netizens have conveyed a wide range of emotions the past few days, from outrage to disappointment to jumping for joy, and this most recent interaction (or lack thereof) has only added to the overflowing dramatics of the public's opinion. Calls for Mari's official removal from the group have only increased since her apparent cold shoulder on the carpet. Some are blaming conflict between Rainbow Entertainment and MGM, Mari's record label in America, for the issues, fruitlessly arguing that the girls would never want to treat each other so coldly of their own accord.

After years of this drama, the people are beginning to demand answers, but the radio silence on both ends continues. Was it simply an accident, where one didn't see the other? Or a blatant cold shoulder between former best friends?

Let us know what YOU think here !

Click to read more comments...

ltov6: this is a reachhhh!!!!!! they were on the same part of the carpet for like .2 seconds before star and anya were rushed off. don't put words in their mouth!!

bangbangmarmar: anyway. mari outsold on her own, she doesn't need those washed up bitches🙄🙄

expensiveanya: well my princess was serving as per usual so that's all that matters🤭

lvis6: wait... SHES THE BLACK SWAN!!!! ot6 cb is coming!!!!!!

feelinlikepsychoo: good god can they just kick her out already...... like they clearly do not need her. dragging their name down for no reason.

2sunz: if sol was there she wouldve straightened them out fr. acting like children without their mama

lovelylovie: to everyone saying she probably didn't know... she's literally dressed as a black swan. she knew.

[prettyqueerwitch]

Weave The Liminal

a review

im back ♡ was very depressed for a bit, and then i was in sweden for a while! this is my first read of 2024, and i quite enjoyed it, honestly.

Weave the Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff is a wonderful book for beginners and seasoned practitioners. It may not be for everyone, but I think it's a good book for when you're learning/wanting to formulate your path and practice.

Table of Contents

-

-

I found that Zakroff had very insightful points throughout the book. While I felt the book could be shortened a bit, I also found myself finding pieces of information I'd love to use in my practice throughout the entirety of the book.

Zakroff begins the book with her experiences in her path and practice, then going on to explain modern and traditional witchcraft. She has 3 keys to "The Witches Path" (Know Thyself, Maintain Balance, and Accept Responsibility).

She defines the witch and goes through the origin of witchcraft, which I plan on rereading as I found it educational and I wanna look into it more.

The third chapter is the one I found the most important, in my opinion, of course. She talks about RITES (Roots, Inspiration, Time, Environment, Star). These are different things to consider when formulating your path, and I found it so incredibly useful and will be utilizing it in my practice.

Now, while I really resonated with the first half of the book, the second half, specifically the last third, did not resonate with me as much as it was stuff I already knew or already had my own opinion on.

I did enjoy the parts of this talking about 3 sets of 2 keywords. Observe and obscure, listen and speak, and change and rest.

I enjoyed her different definitions of each type of dead (the familiar decreased, the ancestors, the mighty dead, other people's dead, psychopomp, and ghost and residual energy).

She also has what she calls "A Witches Guide to essential etiquette" towards the end of the book.

That sums up the parts I personally enjoyed and/or considered/am considering when relating to my practice.

Zakroff has a very pick what resonates with you and leave what doesn't as you define your own practice vibe, which I agree with. I never felt like I had to change my practice a specific way or be a certain way throughout this book.

She uses her own practice for examples throughout the book, which I enjoyed as I feel it adds to the book and furthers the information.

Her view on Gods and mythology is quite interesting. I enjoy the concept of humanity and culture, always intersecting and changing. She mentions her 'chicken or egg' question about the gods, did they create us, or did we create them.

She works with gods and does not consider herself to worship them, which is how she decides to label it, and I find thats a very valid way of labeling it. There is no pressure to work with deities in this book, which I always found refreshing considering the need to work with deities being a hot topic recent, especially the past 4 years.

I would recommend this book to anyone in the witchcraft or occult community, even if it ends up not resonating with you or if you're like me and only some parts resonated with you, I feel it could be a good read.

☆Ares☆

[rebeccalouisaferguson]

Katie Jones for Variety

For Rebecca Ferguson, star and executive producer of the Apple TV+ series “Silo,” the layered mysteries hiding beneath the surface of the sci-fi drama remind her of the sometimes perplexing rules of England’s national sport, cricket.

“Every time you think you’ve solved something, whether it’s an emotional mystery or a connection or a bond, there is another hinder and another hinder,” Ferguson said. “And that’s what is so great about these stories, it just doesn’t end. And when you think you got the story, it’s like cricket, you just haven’t. It just evaporates. Did that make sense? Like cricket, like the game, it makes no sense.”

Ferguson sat down with her co-stars Steve Zahn and Common, as well as showrunner and executive producer Graham Yost and executive producer and author of the “Silo” book series Hugh Howey in the Variety Studio, presented by Google TV, at 2024 San Diego Comic-Con to discuss the upcoming second season of “Silo.”

“Silo” takes place in a dark post-apocalyptic future of Earth, where humans are forced to live in massive underground bunkers known as silos to protect themselves from the toxic refuse that contaminates the surface world.

For Zahn, a newcomer to the show, the process of joining “Silo” was a “very unique job.” Although he had to catch up on the expansively complex world set up by showrunner Yost in Season 1, he only interacts with one character in Season 2, Ferguson’s Juliette Nichols, due to the solitary nature of his character.

“It’s a huge world, there’s a lot of people involved, there’s a lot moving in and out with characters and this and that,” Zahn said. “But my character has been living alone for decades, and so I act with really one person here.”

“He’s weird,” Ferguson interjected about Zahn’s character. “He’s scary and weird.”

Season 2 also brings a rebellion within the confines of Silo 18, a rebellion that the head of security Robert Sims, played by Common, will have to deal with. Although the role was difficult for him, Common welcomed the challenge and was excited to explore all the repressed questions and insecurities within the head of Sims.

“Sims is experiencing a lot of things that may not even come out all the way yet in Season 2, but there are definitely some questions, at least in the way I approached this season dealing with the rebellion,” Common said. “It’s something being a part of the government [in ‘Silo’] for me as a person. Like, being a part of the people who established society and perpetuating the lies, or maybe some of it is the truth. It’s funny for me to play this character, but I love it.”

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Best Films of 2024

2024 was one hell of a year for film! We saw the upswing in quality of the horror genre, the second part of a complete story set in the sands of another world and the first part of beloved musical come to life. I truly loved that the world of the stunt industry got the love it deserved for they are the true artist of cinema. Most years when I put my list together, I tend have an average of 10. Then again, its my list of what I loved so in the end, its up to me if I want to add that many each year. This year there were only 8 films that I loved the most and would consider owning on 4K Disc. As always, just click the title of each film to read the full reviews. So without further ado, here's my list of the best films of 2024!

First up...

Bad Boys: Ride or Die: It is a miracle that this franchise still is running strong without Michael Bay and its better for it. Not many franchises have the guts nor the right direction to reinvent themselves mid stream without straying too far away from what made it great in the first place. That's what these films have done so well and everytime, they keep getting more exciting and hilarious. The chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence is always at the heart of these film and they continued hot streak here. They are getting older and I loved that they fully embrace it. The action was invigorating and even though not all the comedy landed, it still was a blast. There is one character in the film that finally got the respect he deserved and it was the showstopping scene of the film. I can't get enough of the Bad Boys franchise and if there's one more on the way, give it to me, but if they want to stop here, its a great ending.

Deadpool & Wolverine: If wish fulfillment was a movie, then this is it. Not only was this film based on a long lasting idea and joke, but it was the convergence of 2 of the greatest Marvel characters and it went exactly the way you expected. The constant quiping and innuendos of Deadpool balanced against the many insanely violent and annoyed retorts from Wolverine was the strength of this film. It was a bloody match made in heaven and from beginning to end as we finally get to see the comic book accurate costume of Wolverine on full display. Hugh Jackman continued to shine as the best Logan we've ever had so far and especially in a montage that was another love letter to the character's lineage. This film was also a somber thank you and goodbye to the Fox/Marvel universe of films and a special thank you to the one character that got us to this point in history. What a introduction to a new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Abigail: Now here's something that was a bit of a surprise. The premise is straight forward and the trailer almost ruined all the blood soaked twist and turns. The directing team behind Radio Silence have really carved out their niche corner of energetic and fun horror. Their take on the Daughter of Dracula tale was updated to modern day tech and it worked so beautifully. With a cast of talented actors like this, it can be easy to short change a few for the sake of the story. Luckily that didn't happen here. Melissa Barrera has solidified her status as this generation's Scream Queen and Dan Stevens is the Scream King. Alisha Weir was amazing with her playful and devilish smile as the titular character. Even though she's a blood sucking monster, she gave the character such personality and at one point, a soul. This film was just a pure bloody delight.

The Fall Guy: Like I said before, the was for the real heroes of the film industry as they take the heaviest falls and serious bumps for the lead stars that aren't Jackie Chan or Tom Cruise. It was a crime that this film didn't get the love it deserved box office wise. This was not only a loving look into the stunt world, but it was a heartfelt love story that also had a murder mystery vibe to it too. The banter between Emily Blunt and Ryan Gosling in a particular scene involving fire, was the highlight of the film. It was an inventive way to capture the moment we've all seen where two former lovers reunite and air out their pain to one another. Aaron Taylor-Johnson was having a ball as well and really played up the Hollywood cliche of actors being overly self centered. The action sequences alone were the best practical set pieces I've seen in a long time. Gawd I loved this movie.

Nosferatu: Bram Stoker's Dracula was the defining novel that truly made you understand the psychology of a tortured soul that is cursed to live forever consuming blood. There was a romantic nature to it that brought his humanity back for a bit. Many have taken that story and adapted it into similar stories derived from that masterpiece. This film, like the 1922 version, gave us an even more iconic take on the legend. This version was handled with such care and mastery in its cinematography, lighting and sound design. It was a nightmarish dream that was unrelenting in its nature and was a true vampire horror story that took the genre back to its more gothic and operatic roots. Lily-Rose Depp delivers a unforgettable breakout performance that is both emotional and physically astounding. Nicolas Hoult knows how to deliver the innocence of a young and hard working man that becomes tormented by visions and a true demon sucking away at his vitality. Bill Skarsgård was truly unrecognizable and creepy as the titular creature also named Count Orlock. His voice and movement was inhuman and I loved every second that he was on screen. Robert Eggers is a true visionary and now his films have become an event to not be missed.

Wicked: Part 1: This was one of those shows as a thespian that is on the list of must see on stage. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened for me yet. It will, but for now, this cinematic experience was everything I have been missing in film musicals. I have missed the grandiose scale of not only impressive musical numbers, but the jaw dropping set design and costumes. This was truly the definition of how to bring back the seemingly lost art of musical filmmaking, but that's not the only thing achieved here. The transfer from stage to screen is immaculate in my humble opinion. I felt I was watching the power of the stage working together with the transformative nature of cinema and it was pure magic. Ariana Grande surprised me as I'm not as familiar with her acting career as I am her singing career. She was hilarious as Galinda and I loved that in the opening scene, before we go back in time, there is a heaviness on her heart. The rest of the time she was just a delight to witness. Cynthia Erivo is a powerhouse in her own right and as Elphaba, she brings that same strength to the character and her voice in not only her redefining rendition of Defying Gravity, but the The King and I. Johnathan Bailey as Fiyero was the MVP of the film for me though. His performance and the entire set design of Dancing Through Life was mind blowing.

Dune: Part Two: After the amazing first part of this epic story, I couldn't wait to see the next half. There aren't many book to film adaptations that have gotten the visual care and epic treatment the story demands. This film continued to receive the same care the first part did and oh my what a satisfying and stunning film. I haven't been so inraptured by a universe that was so vast and yet so intimate in its portrayal. What I loved so much is the fact that each character has many layers and the hero of the film is flawed in knowing his fate and how it will effect the universe. Timothee Chalamet was great and became a badass as Paul Atreides in my eyes. The man is a reluctant hero that knows the weight of his decisions and had no choice, but to accept it. I loved that aspect of the character as it is rarely handled with this much class. Austin Butler was unflinching and menacing as Feyd-Rautha. He was the biggest standout for me and he was almost alien in his approach to the animalistic nature of the character. What a cast and what an adventure.

Now comes the moment you've been waiting for the most. My choice for the best film of the year is unexpected by most and probably lower on other people's list. The best film of 2024 is........

Saturday Night: As a youth, I grew up in the late 80's and all through out the 90's era of the greatest comedy sketch show on television. Chris Farely, Mike Myers, Molly Shannon, Will Farrell, Cheri Oteri and many more were among the line up of talent I came to know and love. The Blues Brothers, Coneheads, and Tommy Boy were always playing in my home. As I got older, I ventured back to the early days of the Saturday Night Live and began hearing all the stories about how it began. It was a real chaotic mess that should not have worked and some how, here we are 50 years later. As a fellow stage performer, I know exactly that feeling of anxiety, worry of forgetting lines, getting the timing right for costume changes and having the props in the right places. This film captures all of that and on a corporate nature as the network wants to know if their investment will pay off. Many legends were to appear on that historic broadcast and the cast brought to life that fateful night and the personalities of the every comedian. Gabriel LaBelle was amazing and endearing as Lorne Michaels. The amount of stress and on your feet thinking flowing through him was staggering and Gabriel did it perfectly. Dylan O'Brien was perfection as he captured not only the cadence of Dan Aykroyd's speech pattern, but also his gift of gab, his walk and attention to detail. Cory Michael Smith blew me away as Chevy Chase. He capture his charisma, comedic timing and sarcastic attitude. This was a fun, stressful and expertly filmed love letter to the fans of SNL and the legacy of the show. DO. NOT. MISS. THIS. ONE!

And that's it ladies and gentleman. That is my list of the best films of 2024. There were alot of other films I enjoyed that almost made the list, but I either ran out of time or I just missed their theatrical run entirely. Here's to 2025 and I hope it produces yet another list of this caliber or better. Thanks for reading!

[gacmediadaily]

Hallmark Channel stars Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell are reuniting for another onscreen romance!

The actors spoke to fans at Christmas Con 2024 in Edison, N.J., earlier in December. During a panel discussion, the pair — who have previously worked together on several projects — dished on joining the second season of the historical romance series When Hope Calls, which premieres in January on the Great American Family network.

“There's gonna be a little bit of family-oriented fun, there's gonna be a lot of heart, and let me tell you, there's gonna be some romance,’ Russell, 41, teased of the upcoming season. “Some people are gonna fall in love, they might even kiss, I don't know."

And while Busby, 41 — who plays the character of Nora in the new season — said she was thrilled to reunite with her former costar Russell, she revealed that they “did not know that this was gonna be a thing.”

“Yeah, I don't know if any of you were aware that Cindy and I have worked together before," Russell added with a laugh. “We've done four movies together. And then when — I'll just tell my side of it — when I was offered the role of the new Mountie in town [in When Hope Calls season 2], I think I was accidentally BCC'd on an email chain and shouldn't have been. And I saw that Cindy Busby was also going to be a part of the show. And that was it. I was like, ‘You'd better get me on that.’ “

“It worked out for us,” Busby chimed in, adding that the two had been “manifesting” working on a series together.

As for whether Russell will have a shirtless scene this season?

“Listen, I fought and fought,” Busby jokingly told the audience. “I fought for it. I'm on your side, everyone. Okay? You'll have [to] tune in to find out, but let me tell you, that Mountie jacket is tight. It's tight. You don't need him to take it off. You can see it all with the jacket.”

Busby also praised everyone involved in the upcoming project, saying, “We just wrapped the day before Thanksgiving, so yeah, we're wrapped on season 2, and the premiere will be in 2025. And I've gotta say, it was such a dream getting to shoot that show and to be part of a period piece. Genuinely, every single person in the cast and the crew was unbelievably talented and just gave it their all and their hearts."

From the sounds of it, fans will be well entertained this season. "And the stories are amazing, and there's action, and there's heart and getting to work with this guy again,” Busby continued, motioning to Russell.

When Hope Calls — a spinoff series to the Hallmark show When Calls the Heart — originally premiered in 2019 and starred Lori Loughlin, Morgan Kohan and Jocelyn Hudon. The show then released two holiday-themed episodes on GAF in 2021, and it was announced in September that more episodes would be released on GAF in 2025 with a largely new cast. In addition to Busby and Russell, season 2 is set to star Kohan, Nick Bateman, Wendy Crewson and Hanneke Talbot.

Busby and Russell most notably worked together in the 2021 Hallmark Channel movie Chasing Waterfalls, which features Busby as an ambitious nature photographer who falls in love with her gentle and even-keeled nature guide, played by Russell.

[sonicskullsalt]

Movies watched in 2024, a selection - Thoughts

Favs

It's a Wonderful Life - A true classic! If you haven't seen it yet, you absolutely should. It's great for Christmas, but it can truly be watched anytime you like.

Death on the Nile (1978) - Such a delight! So many great actors - a young Maggie Smith! I love Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. I need to watch the other movies where he portrays the Belgium detective as well. Angela Lansbury truly has the time of her life here!

Dr Mabuse, der Spieler (1922) - A great crime story, a great cast, such a great set of characters! The original is amazing, don't get me wrong, but I would love to see a remake of it. Still set in the 20s.

Shooting Stars (1928) - What a surprise this movie was! The ending is so good! More people should know about it.

The Trial of the Chicago Seven: I love this movie! I should rewatch it more often. It kind of feels nostalgic, as if it was a big success in the 90s. It probably would have been a great hit in the 90s, but now it's a Netflix movie - that more people should watch really.

Lord of the Rings SEE - What can I say? These movies are my second home. They're soul food.

Buster Keaton: I kind of fell in love with him and his stoic humour this year. Have watched several of his movies and I can definitely recommend them. Sherlock Junior, Steamboat Bill Jr., The Cameraman, The General. His movies are surprisingly fast-paced for their time. Definitely like him better than Chaplin.

Also worth a watch:

Dune 1 and 2: Truly amazing movies and I'm looking forward to Part 3. But it doesn't really get to my emotions. It's too high art to become one of my favs, if you get what I mean. Some pieces of art are amazing but you don't want to put them in your living room.

Jaws: Watched it for the first time this year and was surprised that I actually liked it. Would have enjoyed it back in the day, too, I think, but I was kind of afraid of it's reputation. Can recommend.

Frau im Mond / Woman on the Moon (1929): About 100 years later, some of the ideas shown in this movie seem ridiculous. But everything you see is actually based on what scientists thought to be true about the moon in 1929. This movie also gives us the first count DOWN to zero. I don't really like the ending, but all in all, a great movie.

Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920) - This movie has an aesthetic and it does the most with it. And it definitely is worth a watch.

Wings (1927) - Looking into the very first Academy Awards Ceremony made me curious to watch this movie, and it's definitely worth a go. It might not be for everyone, but it is noteworthy that whenever you see someone fly a plane, that's the actors actually flying the plane ... !

Miss Potter: What a sweet little surprise of a movie this was, including a surprise appearance of Lloyd Owen. Renee Zellwegger is just great at playing eccentric British women.

The Phantom of the Opera (1925/1929): I think this is great because this is definitely an adaptation of the book (which also shows how close to the book the musical actually is). I love that the phantom actually has a messed-up face, because in modern movie versions the face never really looks that bad. So the whole "oh my God, a horrible monster" never makes much sense to me.

La passion de Jeanne D'Arc (1928): I can see how this movie isn't for everyone, but I was surprised at myself that I was basically glued to the screen watching this.

[cultivating-wildflowers]

2024 Reading - February

I set a goal for February's reading: read printed books. Audiobooks are great and I'll never bash them as a whole, but I've found (no surprise) that reading such a high percentage of books via audio has left me with next to no attention span for printed books. They've honestly been a trial to get through, even when the story is engaging.

I didn't expect to read many books this month...so at least I was correct there. We'll blame the head cold, because I know it wasn't down to a lack of access to good books.

Maybe I'll try this again in future. Maybe not.

Total books: 2  |  New reads: 2   |   2024 TBR completed: 1 (1 DNF) / 4/36 total   |   2024 Reading Goal: 7/100

January | March

potential reading list from Feb 1st

#1 - Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett - 4/5 stars

Since the first book in this series absolutely blew me away, giving the second installment a lower rating feels a bit harsh, but I have my reasons! Namely: how Fawcett writes action-heavy scenes kind of confuses me. I get lost very quickly and somehow the tone never matches the event. I know this is meant to be a journal written by a meticulous, somewhat emotionally detached scholar, but even so. It's just odd.

Apart from that, and disregarding how very long it took me to get through this book, I loved it. She might lose me in the action sequences, but Fawcett can write amazing characters. Also the fauns? Heckin' creepy.

Now I have to wait a year for the next part. Whine, whine, whine.

More like this: I maintain that this most reminds me of Howl's Moving Castle but for some reason I was also thinking of Sabriel as I read it? Make of that what you will.

#2 - The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis - 4/5 stars

This wasn't as remarkable to me as most of Lewis's other works that I've read. I do love his conversational format and how open he always is about working these things out himself, but parts of this fell flat to me. On the other hand, I was highlighting a lot of stuff and nodding along thoughtfully. I'll definitely need to revisit this one.

DNF

The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and Her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women by Mo Moulton ('24 TBR) - It’s a no from me, kids. I skimmed more than anything but what excerpts I did read felt contrived and were full of bias and digging between the lines for material. I'm not convinced the biographer actually read Mind of the Maker, let alone the rest of Sayers's essays.

Currently Reading:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik ('24 TBR)

[lgbtqmanga]

New Releases Oct.8, 2024

Bite Marks and Fluorite (manga) by Seno Yanase

A non-human thing that lives in the darkness — that which you will someday become. Mortally wounded trying to prevent what he thought was a mugging, Haru's life is saved by the vampire Akihito, with one small drawback; he is now a vampire too. The transformation takes time however, and while he adapts, Haru is vulnerable prey for other vampires. Akihito promises to keep him safe, and as Haru adjusts to his new circumstances, he also finds himself falling for the man who gave him a second chance at life...

How My Daddies Became Mates (manga) vol. 1 by Mikkamita

As teenagers, Kuroga Akane and Shirosaki Aoi couldn’t have been more different. An alpha and an omega from rival schools, their initial meeting wasn’t exactly love at first sight. In fact, it was downright brutal! Fast forward to adulthood, and not only are they mated and married, but they even have an adorable daughter! How did these former delinquents go from wanting to beat each other to a pulp to falling in love?!

How to Repair a Broken Cup (manga) by Rico Worico

Although Kippei and Keita have been together for ten years now, they’re still finding it difficult to be completely honest with one another. However, it seems fate has a plan to reignite their passion and fix their communication problems. The morning after Kippei accidentally breaks a sentimental mug, he swaps places with his younger self from ten years ago! Suddenly, the couple both have the opportunity to face the person they fell in love with a whole decade back, and maybe reignite the passion that’s been threatening to fade away.

The Mimosa Confessions (novel) vol. 2 by Mei Hachimoku and illustrated by KUKKA

After a dramatic first semester, Sakuma and Ushio dive headfirst into summer vacation. Despite their unspoken agreement to not mention the “incident” that occurred on the last day of school, things get real awkward real fast when they meet up with Natsuki on a trip to the aquarium. She asks them a pointed question: “You two are dating, aren’t you?” The trio will be forced to set their unresolved feelings aside when fall semester arrives—and with it, the annual culture festival. Can Sakuma balance his feelings for both of them in addition to his work on the festival committee, not to mention a starring role in the class production of Romeo and Juliet?

My Dearest Patrolman (manga) vol. 2 by Niyama

The seasons have shifted, and Shin and Seiji are starting their new life together. Living under the same roof as the man he’s had a crush on for a solid decade has Shin’s libido in overdrive, and even his rampant awkwardness can’t get in the way of him getting some! Meanwhile, Seiji is swamped with self-doubt. Does an old man with a bleak romantic history have what it takes to satisfy his hot, young partner?

Stigmata: Love Bites (manga) vol. 1 by Hidebu Takahashi

Officer Asako, part of a special investigations unit, has the unique ability to react to the residual thoughts of murder victims, replicating their wounds on his own body. Together with his partner, the reserved Superintendent Kuroiwa, he works hard to solve the toughest of cases. In a shocking turn of events, one of the cases this unique team of investigators takes on is the murder of Superintendent Kuroiwa’s own ex-wife, Mari. Upon visiting the murder scene, Asako reacts by collapsing and bleeding profusely from a wound that suddenly appears on his back. But why are Mari’s final thoughts about her ex-husband Kuroiwa, and what does Asako’s surprising reaction to them really mean?

When the Villainess Seduces the Main Heroine (manga) vol. 1 by Kasai Fujii

When the crown prince announces he’s breaking off his engagement to the infamous Akuya, his spurned fiancée wastes no time in turning her seductive words of passion to her actual target—Sei, a commoner who worked her way up through the ranks with her wit and charm alone…and is also the very girl the prince dumped Akuya for! Sei’s about to get a taste of what a real lover’s like in this steamy tale of two girls who traded in their Prince Charming for each other instead!

[noahsbookhoard]

📚August 2024 Book Review (Part 1/4)📚

I had soooo much free time in August! Heatwaves meant every outdoor activities were out of the question. There was nothing to do at work outside of my 2 4-hours shift either. I ended up reading a good 8 to 12 hours a day, hence the 16 books of this months review!

La Forteresse du Chaudron Noir (Les Aventures du Pyro-barbare et de Billy #1) by Bob Lennon

Billy is a young farmer in a village decimated by disease. After his mother dies he sets out to the city unaware that an ancient evil was on the rise. Now accompanied by a goliath, Billy will have to use his wits and strength to defeat the terrible power hidden within the fortress. YOU are Billy!

When I was a kid I LOVED Choose Your Own Adventure books! They were fun, novelty, and always had a ton of different characters and places to interact with. I liked the "game" aspect of them as much as the "book" aspect. But after some time you explored every available path and getting the "good" ending was more muscle memory than puzzle solving, the replay value of kid CYOA was generally low.

Now enter Bob Lennon! Most of you won't know him but he is one of the biggest french video game youtuber. He's been on the platform since 2011 and has still the same workaholic energy. He created his own character inspired by Skyrim who is a Fire Barbarian named Le Pyrobarbare and his sidekick Billy. He is also a TTRPG fan.

That was a very long introduction to say that he created his own CYOA book series that are inspired by those characters and have a big TTRPG dynamic to them and THEY. ARE. INCREDIBLE.

It all start with a character creation system: you will always play Billy the farmer but you can choose between a collection of objects and whichever you chose decide which type of Billy you are: warlike, rustic, resourceful or cautious. And all of this influences which decisions you can or can't make. And there are A LOT of decision, we're talking about a 400 pages book. That might not be that many but I have never seen a CYOA above 150 pages.

The combat system is fairly easy to use, while being more interesting than "roll two dice the lowest roll loose". It pairs well with different stats of your Billy, which change depending on the class, the equipment, the event that happened in your adventure.

There is an achievement system on the last two pages of the book that also includes the ending so I counted them: there is a DOZEN ending. I discovered there was a dragon I could have fought to get the Warlike Gold Ending and I missed it! I was so mad!

I could keep of gushing about this book (I didn't talk about the characters, about the city and the castle the story takes place in, ir even the Pyrobarbare who is the funniest) but it was really a lot of fun and I hesitate between starting a new run with a different class of Billy or buy the SECOND book if the series (the 3rd one is being crowdfunded and I can't wait!)

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul

Hollywood icon Kitty Karr died, leaving her fortune to the three St John sister, young wealthy Black women. While dealing with Kitty's affairs (and keeping away from journalists) they find a dairy which uncovers secrets in the background of the South and Hollywood during the Segregation.

I would probably never have picked up this book if it wasn't a draw from the book club pile. I like historical fiction but Hollywood and the stars is not something I have any interest in. I went a bit blindly into it, scared that if I research it I'd create bad expectations.

I was surprise: it isn't the drama filled story I was dreading! This is a dive into the segregated USA and in a community I had never really read about: white passing POC. Even when Kitty starts to work in the film industry (as a phone operator at first then climbing the ladder to become a famous actress) the focus is always on social issues, racism, the careful balance of being a black woman in white spaces, the fight for civil rights and the work these woman did for this cause. Atop of all this there is the thread of family legacy and secrets and what ties Kitty and the St Johns together.

It is a very interesting book, nuanced and deep. I don't know how much of it is was researched but it felt fairly accurate from perspective.

The Oleander Sword (The Burning Kingdom #2) by Tasha Suri

Malini and Priya parted ways: the Princess is marching to the capital city, gathering allies to otherthrow her brother; the Priestess is working with her siblings to rebuilt the Temple and restore her city. But when Malini's fight encounter divine resistance she will once again draw from Priya's magic to get her end, with their fragile relationship, and Priya's own goals in the way.

I adored book 1, The Jasmine Throne and I was so excited to read the rest of the story! I loved having my favorite characters back, I loved the politic developing after the events of the previous tome and as usual I loved the angst, the complicated relationship between Malini and Priya, the mysterious happening in Ahiranya,Malini's change as her goal draws closer...

The writing is still gold, perfectly highlighting the feelings and doubts of the characters. I love having so much insight in the characters mind. The switch between multiples point of view is really well handles.

Unfortunately it suffers from Middle Book Syndrome: very little new element introduced and very little resolution of previous elements. That's to be expected, but when the third and final book is not yet available it is really frustrating.

I am still hyped for the last book, The Lotus Empire, it should be releases in November but the TBR is so high, I'm afraid I'll have to keep it for next year

Path of Destruction (Darth Bane Trilogy #1) by Drew Karpyshyn

A thousand year before the events of the first Trilogy, Des is a disillusioned miner in the Outer Rim. He joins the Sith to escape his misery and discover his connection to the Force. Through the training of the Sith Masters he develops his talent and as his power grows so does his ambition. He is now Darth Bane and he will be more powerful than them all!

I had been disappointed by novelisation of series before so I approached this one with caution, even though I heard everywhere that it was one of the best Star Wars novel (if you disagree don't blame me, blame Reddit)

That's a recurring event: I was dead wrong, this book floored me. The writing is good, the plot is even better, characters are incredible and I never thought I would be cheering so hard for a Sith!

I was a bit scared having no previous knowledge of this period of the Star Wars universe would make it impossible to understand the book. Maybe I misses some references but it never was obscur. The Star Wars lingo is also always explicited with context clues. That's really agreable because that's not always a given when you dive into work on the further edge of canon.

The characters are almost exclusively Sith (and some usual brand of assholes) but they are still relatable, even though they are cunning, vicious, calculating. Bane especially has some redeeming circonstances that made him endearing even though he joined the dark side and dives deep into its ways.

A really really good surprise and a really really good book. I'd really like to read the rest of this trilogy, it sparked back my interest for Star Wars when the recenr series and just bored me to death.

[the-faramir]

Extinction Curse Session 2024/08/21 (Part 2)

Finally, the adventurers marched to the end of Pier Road to find...the Willowside Pier.

Midori offered to scout ahead, finding two tyrannosaurus rexes off to the east, complete with xulgath riders, and a smaller xulgath standing in a field covered with a fog of stench.

"This time, they'll understand," Midori said to herself. She turned to the party and used the simplest of tactical hand signals to relay what she saw. They signaled back with the simplest of tactical hand signals, including some very rude ones, to indicate that they could not understand her.

The incredible kitsune scout sighed with resignation, returned to the party, and told them in hushed whispers what she had seen.

"Midori!" Zookdar spoke to her in a normal tone of voice, "You're making too much noise! They'll hear us!"

Surely enough, the enemies took notice of our heroes. The large dinosaurs strode toward their position.

Zookdar released a mighty battle cry to demoralize one of the T-rexes, making it take pause. Lysander panicked and covered the party in an invisibility sphere. The other T-rex entered the sphere, looking for the invisible adventurers it was sure it had just seen. While it sniffed around, the small xulgath approached along with its sphere of stench, which sickened the entire party and caused acid damage.

Frozen in his tracks, Zookdar advised quietly, "Stay where you are. Their vision is based on movement." The dinosaur turned its head to face the gnome.

Lysander corrected him, "No, that hypothesis has been thoroughly debunked! Good thing we're invisible, though. They have excellent vision, excellent hearing, and a good sense of smell." The T-rex began to sniff more deeply.

"Oh, gods," Zookdar shot back, "they're going to go for Midori first."

"Hey!" Midori protested. The T-rex quickly twitched its head to face the kitsune ringmaster. "Shit! I'd better―" She struck with her rapier, hitting with a decent thrust, breaking the invisibility sphere's effect on her. Having been ordered to hold its attack until the first hero became visible, the tyrannosaurus bit at Midori, attempting to catch and swallow her. Fortunately, she was able to dodge at the last second and make a tactical retreat.

To slow down the enemies, The Redeemer cast a spell, causing a large area of the field surrounding the dinosaurs to sprout razor-sharp slivers of metal. The tyrannosaurus that snapped at Midori ran at her again, cutting up its legs on the razors.

After a few exchanges between the party and their foes, Midori spied an opportunity. She pointed at a spot in the middle of the xulgaths and dinosaurs, shouting, "Orbison! KILL!" Her star orb shot forth a cloud of toxic gas.

Meanwhile, The Redeemer placed traps between the T-rexes and the party. He advised the heroes, "Run away from this spot!"

Surely enough, one of the dinosaurs ran through a trap, setting it off. Lysander stepped in to rip its spirit, finishing it off. A blow from Zookdar's flickmace bloodied its rider, and the persistent radiant damage finished him off.

The small, smelly xulgath took a swing at Zookdar in revenge but missed.

Midori sang:

🎶🎶🎶

T-rex, T-rex

Runnin' through the field

Smack him with a rock

An' make him squeal!

🎶🎶🎶

She launched a telekinetic projectile at the remaining dinosaur, killing it.

With the dinosaurs dead, the adventurers focused on the xulgaths. A well-aimed shot from Lysander's hex blaster gun bloodied the smelly xulgath, causing its bile sac to rupture. Fortunately, nobody was harmed in the explosion. Finally, Midori snuck up to the dino rider and finished him off with her rapier.

The battle over, Lysander and Midori took a few minutes to heal up the party. As Midori was applying a bandage to Zookdar, the gnome pointed to the horizon. "There's the ship! The Geode's Center! She's arriving ahead of schedule and COMING IN HOT!"

The team turned to look. The ship had heavy damage and was under attack by two sea serpents. On the ship's prow stood a gnome woman, casting spells at the beasts.

The Redeemer shouted, "To arms!"

Midori yelled, "Save the ship at all costs! They're carryin' a load of booze an' snacks!"

Both serpents struck at the ship, while The Redeemer rode his raptor to the shoreline. He called upon his magics, permanently blinding them with a Sunburst spell. Midori ordered her star stone. "Orbison, reload! Kill them!" The sea serpents coughed and thrashed about in the resulting cloud of poison. Zookdar ran down the pier to get closer to the action.

Blinded and unable to breathe above water, the serpents literally turned tail and fled! "Huh, that was easy," Midori remarked.

The Geode's Center docked at the pier safely. Lysander and Zookdar boarded to speak to the crew and passengers. Zookdar attempted to recruit people to join the Circus of Wayward Wonders, while Lysander played music to accompany him. As it turned out, Javi, the gnome woman, was a river druid with a good idea for a circus act, and she agreed to join.

The heroes then departed for their next destination: the dinosaur corrals.