#and the movie was remarkable and incredibly faithful to the show

[spider-gem]

Just watched Wicked: Part 1! Yes, I had tears in my eyes the whole time. Yes, I want to see it again immediately. Next question.

[canmom]

the Spirited Away theatrical adaptation

today I went with @birdfriender to see the stage production of Spirited Away, produced by Toho, currently on tour in London.

and like. holy shit??

you might say how the hell could you adapt a film like spirited away to stage. the answer is: incredibly inventive stagecraft, puppetry, costumes and especially choreography.

I was completely blown away by how this play flowed across the stage. set transitions were masked with lighting to direct attention, with the descending screen, with the rotating central platform that managed to function as nearly every part of the bathhouse. stairs, rotating bridges, creative use of size to indicate perspective (like the tiny train that circles the stage), and just the way the crew would move the props with a flourish -

but also the puppetry, like man! the way characters like Kamaji, Yubaba's giant head (used only at moments of intense emotion), and No Face would be operated by entire teams of puppeteers - it was extraordinary. the puppetry director was Toby Olié who's worked on a million different things including War Horse and you can really see them applying all these tricks accumulated over the years...

the show is remarkably faithful to the film; a few scenes are slightly abridged but every sequence I remembered was there and deliver with style. where it does need to pause and breathe, like in the famous train scene, it does. and like... it is fascinating to see an adaptation from animation to theatre. seeing how Mone Kamishiraishi (Chihiro) would stumble and bumb into walls just as she would under the pen of Shinya Ohira. or how a memorable sequence in the film could be represented symbolically: a collapsing pipe as a string of segments pulled on a string, a flower garden by dancers in flower outfits.

some of my fave sequences involved wooden panels carried by dancers, choreographed so the characters would weave between them, or they'd rotate to represent elevators on different floors. it was also fascinating to see how they'd symbolically represent things it would be impossible to stage, often representing fluids with fabric sheets. a transformation could be shown with actors swapping places with a flourish. at other times, it feels like stage magic tricks are in use, like a flash of light drawing your attention to a rope that was there all along. sometimes the puppeteers will be on stage, wearing simple beige outfits that mark them as not being 'present' as they manipulate the soot sprites and frogs and so on.

they also made effective, sparing use of a large projector screen, which descended at certain points, primarily for the driving scene at the beginning and the train scene. this actually didn't use scenes from the movie, but more of a soft, painterly style applied over... probably animated video? hard to say with the blurring, could be live footage. it reminded me of the use of similar screens in the later YoRHa plays, although it was a minor element here.

we weren't allowed to take photos (i took this one during the final bow anyway) and I would have been too busy watching to take them anyway, but this teaser shows briefly a number of the coolest setups. still, it's so much more when you see the whole thing flowing along without interruption.

and it was very interesting to me looking at this kind of show - big stage, directly homaging an animated film - from the eyes of someone who knows a lot more about film and animation than I do about theatre.

compared to film, you simply do not have closeups; the closest thing is when the puppeteers bring out the segments of Yubaba's giant floating head, but this is used sparingly. so everything is basically a long shot. however, because the acuity of a human eye is much greater than that of a camera, even from near the back of the theatre you can make out a lot of details that you wouldn't be able to make out with an equivalent camera shot. this allows compositions where there is loads going on at stage at once, with the eye being drawn to different areas by lighting and movement.

I do feel like there are definitely things to learn for animators from this kind of stage choreography. so many times I thought like, wow, that's so clever. like how chihiro riding haku was shown by splitting the dragon puppet into segments and putting her on the shoulders of one of the puppeteers.

and everything was done with such style too. if something shuffles off stage, you know it will be done with a wiggle and a flourish. small things but they add so much.

presumably because this seems like an incredibly involved show, there are multiple performers for each major character: four Chihiros, and three Hakus, Yubabas, Kamajis and so on. I'm not sure the exact lineup tonight beyond Chihiro. the exception is Kaonashi (No Face), who is played only by Hikaru Yamano, who gives an incredible performance, sidling and flexing around the stage in all sorts of strange ways that really get across the character's whole deal despite literally performing under a white mask and concealing robe. it's kinda amazing.

another fantastic casting is fundoshi dancer Yuya Igarashi as Kashira (the stack of three big heads that serve Yubaba, and speak only in wordless grunts). he basically has his real head as one of the three, and he has two more heads on his hands, and moves them around in incredibly energetic and funny ways. it's a brilliant way to interpret this, somehow feeling perfectly appropriate to have a buff guy in a red loincloth moving them around.

Yubaba's actress tonight would have been either Mari Natsuki or Hitomi Harukaze; either way she did an incredible job, it was really cool seeing a more human-proportioned version of the character and she brought a lot of energy and authority to the role.

the whole cast did a fucking amazing job honestly. I wish I knew more about theatre acting so I could comment more specifically on the tricks they were doing, but you definitely felt Chihiro's emotions

the production is in Japanese; English subtitles were shown on two screens on either side of the stage. the translation was on the 'honorifics included' end of that scale, but absolutely clear and idiomatic. the format worked - it was generally not hard to follow the action and glance at the subtitles, even though they were further away than they would be in film - and it definitely filled the theatre. I really hope this leads to more Japanese theatrical productions going on tour like this. wish i'd been able to see the Totoro one a few months ago.

definitely this kind of theatre must depend on a fairly obscene budget of the kind that only comes to biiiiig properties like, say, an adaptation of a beloved Studio Ghibli movie (one family turned up in cosplay) - there's a lot to be said for less extravagant staging. at the same time... this really was something.

i gotta go to the theatre more

[a-devout-shannonite]

So I got to go to the event in Nashville last night with Samantha Shannon like I said and it was amazing I still can’t believe it happened and I’ll never forget it. And I put together some notes today from her discussion and Q&A about her writing methods and the world of The Roots of Chaos. I couldn’t remember everything, but I put together a lot of interesting/funny things she said last night that I could remember so I could share them with you all. And if you’re worried about spoilers, I will say that she didn’t share any spoilers last night that wouldn’t already be known to people who have read The Priory, though she did discuss the characters a little and a few themes of the book. So for anyone interested, here’s the notes I’ve put together!

- Shared a long discussion on drawing inspiration from St. George and the Dragon and its several retellings and the changes the Anglican faith made to enforce their colonialism and crusades (the story itself is incredibly fascinating and I don’t remember the title of the specific retelling she said she drew from in particular, but it was really cool to see just how much inspiration she drew from it)

- Many fun remarks on how St. George was awful and England sucks

- Direct quote from Samantha, talking about St. George: “Men” (derogatory)

- On creating this popular fantasy and her thoughts on the typical cishet white male dominated world of fantasy: she wasn’t creating it to challenge them exactly, but to offer something for the people who are often underrepresented in fantasy, to give them a book where they are the prominent features rather than the typical white male hero, wanted to create something where she felt she represented herself

- On giving multiple examples of motherhood in A Day of Fallen Night: she said that she thought she had given motherhood a small place in The Priory, but she wanted to really create a large space for it within ADOFN, said that growing up she always felt pressured by society that her role as a woman was to have children, and that she was never interested even when she was young, said she kept waiting for the switch to activate where she’d want to get married and be a mother but it never did (cue fun anecdote on how now she knows she’s gay so that explained quite a lot), wanted to show multiple different perspectives of motherhood within ADOFN and different methods of raising a child

- On writing ADOFN and getting the chance to work with this cast of characters: said that getting to write Glorian was her way of reconnecting with her childhood self, Dumai was also exciting for her as Dumai is the same age at the start of the book as she was when she first started writing it, Tunuva in particular was very interesting to her to represent a middle-aged woman in a long established relationship to present a counterpoint to the typical idea in fantasy where the story ends for the protagonist when they are young, she wanted to show with Tunuva that it does continue past that, and also that she wanted to make a character at this age in part for her mother, who said she felt as though she was seeing herself disappear in movies and stories as she grew older and the characters all stayed young, also mentioned that initially Esbar was planned to be a primary narrator instead of Tunuva, but Samantha felt that Tunuva would be more fresh as a character given she’s more the quiet introvert whereas Esbar is a sort of typical protagonist style, bold, outspoken, and a leader (and no spoilers, but an additional note on a character in the book; said she enjoyed writing this character realize they were gay as it felt similar to her experience; called herself as well as the character in question both “useless gays”)

- When asked about how she keeps/organizes her notes on worldbuilding, she responded that she in fact very rarely takes notes and just knows her world by memory (much to the shock of the entire audience)

- On what first inspired her love of dragons: the movie Dragonheart in the 90s, which she watched so many times as a child she could recite it word for word and once brought a tape recorder to the theater to record the audio for when she couldn’t watch it, went to see it for her 6th birthday

- Said that one of her weaknesses is numbers, she cannot keep track of the logistics in her books, (for example, if you asked how big the Abyss was, she wouldn’t know), and she mentioned that Isalarico IV Vetalda, mentioned in ADOFN, should actually be Isalarico II Vetalda

- Said she really enjoys writing books with loose ends, cliffhangers, or bittersweet endings (she apologized for this), shared anecdote of a US editor calling her a day before it went to print completely confused about Tané’s last chapter and very concerned she was actually dead at the end

- Told her editor initially The Priory would be a standalone and she wouldn’t write any more stories in the universe, editor didn’t believe her, he was right

- Her schedule of books to write at the moment is to finish the Bone Season 5 draft, research and start her Greek mythology retelling of the goddess Isis, begin work on Bone Season 6, and then start another Roots of Chaos book which she’s already sold to her publisher

- Next Roots of Chaos book hasn’t been decided yet, will either cover the events following ADOFN, in which the sterren becomes chaotic after the siden withdraws and creates a sort of ice age, or she will write the story of Kalyba, Cleolind, and Neporo (she says she’s aware that the latter is the more popular choice among her readers)

[louisupdates]

Louis Tomlinson to provide stage for up-and-coming Australian bands

WORDS BY STAFF WRITER

The international star is offering a chance for local acts to shine.

Louis Tomlinson, the renowned singer and songwriter, is setting the stage for emerging talent to shine on his upcoming Australian tour, Faith In The Future World Tour.

In a remarkable move, Tomlinson is opening up opportunities for three up-and-coming bands to join his tour as supporting acts at key Australian venues. This exciting initiative promises to inject fresh energy into the shows as it makes its way through Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney early next year.

Louis Tomlinson Australian tour dates:

Sunday, January 28, 2024: Melbourne – Sidney Myer Music Bowl

Tuesday, January 30, 2024: Brisbane – Riverstage

Friday, February 2, 2024: Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena

Louis Tomlinson’s commitment to nurturing grassroots music is no secret. On many occasions, he has extended invitations to promising bands to join his tours, offering them the chance to showcase their talent to his international fanbase. He’s taken this ethos a step further with the Faith In The Future Australian tour, a reflection of his continued dedication to the music scene.

The three selected local support acts will have the incredible opportunity to open for Louis at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, Brisbane’s Riverstage, and Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. For aspiring musicians, this is an invaluable chance to perform in front of diverse audiences, gaining valuable experience and exposure.

To apply for the opportunity, aspiring bands can head to the official application portal. The selection promises to be highly competitive, but the prospect of sharing the stage with an international superstar like Louis Tomlinson is bound to inspire local talent.

Louis Tomlinson’s return to Australia will be a cause for celebration among his fervent fanbase. His recent chart-topping second solo album, Faith In The Future, is brimming with songs crafted for the live stage. He expressed his enthusiasm about returning to Australia, a place he’s always held close to his heart. Tomlinson remarked, “Australia is somewhere I’ve always loved and really enjoyed visiting. I have some incredible tour memories there, and I can’t wait to return and bring the Faith In the Future tour to Australia.”

Adding to this excitement, earlier this year, Louis Tomlinson unveiled an emotive documentary film titled All Of Those Voices. The film, screened in cinemas worldwide for a limited time, offered an authentic and candid look at Tomlinson’s remarkable musical journey. Through never-before-seen home movie footage and behind-the-scenes access to his sell-out 2022 World Tour, fans gained fresh insights into the artist’s life and career.

Get tickets to the show here.

[superectojazzmage]

Okay, so review for Across The Spider-Verse

In short, it was exactly as amazing as hoped, arguably more so.

Absolutely brilliant writing, direction, animation, acting, everything. Takes everything the first movie did right and improves on it while pruning out its tiny few flaws. Continues to truly capture the spirit and feel of the comics and staying as faithful to them as possible while still doing it’s own thing. Demonstrates a remarkable understanding of the character of Spider-Man and his mythos. Genuine and earnest in all the right ways, never demeans or sneers at the source material but rather lavishes it with the love and respect it deserves. Just incredible work from everyone involved.

Some specific notes:

The acting is great. Oscar Isaac and Jason Schwartzman in particular are PERFECT and steal the show as Miguel O’Hara and the Spot. The returning actors like Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, and Hailee Steinfeld get to really show off their chops.

The humor and drama are balanced even better in this film than in the first one. The down moments hit harder, the jokes get even bigger laughs, and they never step on one another’s toes.

The action scenes are fantastic just like in the first film. Incredible and very creative fights all around.

Animators REALLY like to show off. The first film’s experimenting with different art styles gets taken up to eleven here. Lots of crazy visuals and elaborate changes in look and feel from world to world while still keeping the same broad “vibe”, and they even delve into some Roger Rabbit-esque territory. It’s really impressive. That said, just like the first film, there are some scenes that can get really literally flashy and strobing, so be aware of that if you’re especially sensitive to flashing lights. I don’t think there’s anything that’d cause issues, but just a head’s up.

The writing for the Spot was great; they closely follow his arc from the comics of starting out as a dorky, incompetent joke villain and then evolving into a terrifyingly ruthless and vindictive monster with absolutely broken powers and it’s really well done, like a bizarro inversion of an anime “hero trains to get stronger” storyline. He’s definitely one of the big highlights and was a great pick for villain.

Peter B. is everything Spider-Man should be and his relationship with Mary Jane and baby Mayday are another major highlight. Marvel editors on life support.

Miles and Gwen both get really great character arcs themselves. Poor Miles really gets put through the wringer.

Miguel is spectacularly well-done, just the right balance of sympathetic, charismatic hero and total grouchy asshole, just like he was in the comics.

Spider-Punk is a Giga-Chad.

Jessica Drew is a weird outlier in that she’s not very faithful to the comics version and the points where she IS accurate are based off one of her worst runs, in total contrast to everyone else. I feel like she was maybe meant to be a different character and got reworked into Jessica for some reason mid-production, or maybe that they had to completely alter her to use her. That being said, as a functionally new character, she’s pretty cool. Issa Rae does a good job and her design totally fucks.

The overall plot is partly a really brilliant meta commentary on Marvel’s treatment of Spider-Man Post-OMD with middle fingers fully extended at Spider-Editorial and I’m living for it. There’s also some clear commentary on the nature of adaptations and what Spider-Man as a character stands for, amongst many other things. Some very dense and heavy themes underpinning the narrative, but none of it is intrusive and you don’t need any prior knowledge aside from watching the first film.

You can REALLY tell that this and Beyond The Spider-Verse were one giant script split into two movies, because the ending is honestly pretty abrupt feeling, though it’s made pretty clear that this is just Part 1 and Part 2 will pick up from right there, so as long as you’re aware of that it’s okay. It’s a massive cliffhanger.

All in all, we walked out of the theater EXTREMELY impressed and very hyped for the next film. This was a wonderful movie that really captured the essence of not just Spider-Man but Marvel Comics as a whole. 10/10 would recommend.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

SUPERHERO CHOOSINESS

It’s strongly being suggested that the superhero movie bubble is bursting…

There’s the more mixed critical reception of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s remarkably stuffed but hasty Phase Four, and then there’s the equally fast Phases Five and Six… whose ending feature AVENGERS: SECRET WARS is still set to open in the summer of 2026… Meaning that this Multiverse Saga only will last five years, compared to the eleven year span from IRON MAN to SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME… Like, wow!

And not only are there a lot of movies, but there were plenty of shows. So many from 2021-2022 alone: WANDAVISION, THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, LOKI Season One, WHAT IF…? Season One, HAWKEYE, MOON KNIGHT, MS. MARVEL, and SHE-HULK: ATTORNEY AT LAW. In addition to those, you had the “Special Presentation” featurettes WEREWOLF BY NIGHT and the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL.

For me, it was starting to become homework to keep up with what was going on. And this is coming from someone who has seen all but two Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in a theater. The two that I missed were THE INCREDIBLE HULK, and BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER.

Then of course you have the DC movie-verse, which is being hard-reset in a few years under the new leadership of James Gunn and Peter Safran. Prior to that, it was an always-changing mess of visions and intentions. Faithfuls kept up with the series, some left afterwards because of these changes, general audiences seemed to stick around for most of the movies. It’s a clustercuss of its own, and further discussing that will likely get me into hot waters… But what happened with The Rock and his apparent strong-arming of the DC movie-verse with his BLACK ADAM project and plans really shows just what kind of directionless mess the whole thing was for ten years…

So we’re now left with a few movies that were locked and ready to go before the Gunn/Safran take-over, the first of which, SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS… Opened with roughly $30m. A pretty blah take, and well below the $53m take the first SHAZAM! took in back in 2019. It’s been said before, but the whole “these won’t matter in the long run” attitude has probably deflated attendance… But many other things do as well… People being choosier with movies, ticket and concession prices being absurdly high… A statistic in 2014 stated that the average American family hits the flicks four times a year. I believe it. I’ve been working at a movie theater since August of 2015, and I see what I charge my customers… Both movies and for snacks… Yeah, I do not wonder why… Especially in the pandemic era, that people are choosier with movies. I feel we see the same thing with animated movies as well. Those are also usually four-quadrant family titles... And then around the corner, them being on streaming. Be it Disney+ for an MCU movie, or HBO Max for a DCU movie.

A month earlier, ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA opened pretty great with $106m. That was way above ANT-MAN AND THE WASP’s mid-70s opening weekend haul, and an overall fine opening for an MCU movie... but the legs? Abysmal so far. It looks to barely score a 2x multiplier, which is pretty bad… It might be the first MCU movie to completely miss that. I don't even know if I'll make time for it, myself. (I've missed a lot of movies in theaters lately because of other lifestuff going on at the moment.)

What does this all tell me?

Is it truly superhero movie fatigue? Are audiences catching on to the perceived problems of these big budget shared universe movies?

Here’s what I think is happening…

Choosiness...

I, in true form, am going to relate this to animated movies… And I mean “animated movies”, because let’s face it… There’s lots of animation in your average MCU or DCU movie. QUANTUMANIA, from the looks of it, is an animated movie with some real people in it. Much like GRAVITY, AVATAR and its sequel, Jon Favreau’s THE JUNGLE BOOK, LIFE OF PI, etc. etc.

Once upon a time... $100m at the domestic box office was a magic number for an animated feature film. And I mean a $100m gross on the film's first ever theatrical release, not $100m via the original release and added theatrical re-issue totals (like classic pre-Renaissance Disney films, like SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS and 101 DALMATIANS)...

Only Disney scored $100m domestic totals for their animated movies. Hybrid WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT, released through Disney's Touchstone banner, broke the barrier first and grossed $156m in the summer of 1988. Then, an all-animated movie broke the barrier nearly four years later in early 1992... That was Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which got to its high total through strong word-of-mouth and legs throughout the holiday and post-holiday season. It was slow to start in November 1991, because back then... Theater-to-video release windows were longer. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was released in American movie theaters in November 1991, and the videocassette and LaserDisc release wouldn't be until... October 1992!

So, an unreachable number for everyone else. Don Bluth, former Disney animator and hot competitor, seemingly peaked with AN AMERICAN TAIL and THE LAND BEFORE TIME, both of which collected in the upper-40s at the domestic box office. His last box office hurrah, the 20th Century Fox-released ANASTASIA (now owned by Disney), grossed $57m by the end of its run in early 1998. Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes hybrid movie SPACE JAM came very close with $90m, two years prior. BEAVIS AND BUTTHEAD DO AMERICA put up a decent fight, with over $60m in 1996/97. That was a record high for a TV-to-movie animated adaptation back then, beating out A GOOFY MOVIE, JETSON: THE MOVIE, DUCKTALES - THE MOVIE: TREASURE OF THE LOST LAMP, and plenty of others.

In fact, Disney *themselves* missed $100m on occasion. HERCULES, made up at Feature Animation, the mainline studio, just missed it with a $99m domestic gross in 1997/98. The Disney MovieToons GOOF TROOP movie, A GOOFY MOVIE, made less than $40m stateside. THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS made an impressive $50m back in the day, and became a massive cult classic through video and TV. Hybrid JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, which was also a Henry Selick-Tim Burton Skellington Productions joint, missed $30m.

Then there was a little movie called TOY STORY... The first-ever all-digital animated feature film.

By the end of its theatrical run in early 1996, TOY STORY grossed $191m domestically... No doubt helped by being a Disney release and being the first of its kind, and a genuinely really good movie that audiences loved. So in a way, the only movies to make $100m domestically *before* TOY STORY were Disney Feature Animation movies (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, THE LION KING, and POCAHONTAS), and a hybrid movie made by Amblin and Richard Williams Animation but released by Disney...

So Disney still had $100m under lock and key, and TOY STORY was their first non-Feature Animation endeavor since ROGER RABBIT to get it...

Believe it or not, the first-ever animated movie that was a NOT a Disney release, to score $100m domestically... Was... THE RUGRATS MOVIE. No doubt getting there off of the show's sheer popularity at the time. Despite first airing on Nickelodeon in 1991, some seven years earlier, RUGRATS seemed to be at the peak of its popularity in the late 1990s, after the show was renewed for more seasons following highly successful re-runs and the few specials that Nick and studio Klasky-Csupo did after the show's early seasons. I was there. I was 6 when THE RUGRATS MOVIE came out, and I felt the hype. Everybody I knew back then watched and liked the show, I watched it frequently with my sister back in the day. RUGRATS was one of those cartoons that everyone knew and everyone watched. Almost as ubiquitous as THE SIMPSONS, I'd argue. Paramount released THE RUGRATS MOVIE, and it broke that barrier, in addition to being the highest grossing TV-to-movie adaptation animated movie... By a country kilometer.

THE RUGRATS MOVIE came out in November 1998, just one month before DreamWorks rolled out THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, the second animated movie to cross $100m domestically... Two months prior... ANTZ came out, and grossed an impressive $90m. Pixar's sophomore feature A BUG'S LIFE opened, infamously, amidst this four-movie fall shakedown, and won the race with $163m.

So two not-Disneys made $100m domestically, and two not-Disney Feature Animation movies made $100m domestically... This was a turning point in theatrical feature animation, and it would come to benefit - for a brief while - all CGI animated movies.

We'll focus on those now...

1999 saw the release of Pixar's TOY STORY 2, which broke $245m. That was above every Disney animated movie *except* THE LION KING. Wow!

In 2000, Disney released their hybrid live-action/CG feature DINOSAUR, which has been counted as a Walt Disney Animation Studios canon movie since 2008... While that movie didn't make enough money to justify a sequel or to keep the collaboration studio behind it (The Secret Lab) alive, it still broke $100m domestically.

2001... DreamWorks' SHREK and Pixar's MONSTERS, INC. break past $250m domestically. Paramount/Nickelodeon's pilot movie JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS takes in a respectable $80m. 2002... Newcomer Blue Sky's ICE AGE makes over $175m domestically. By this point in time, several hand-drawn animated movies... From all the studios: Disney, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox, Columbia, etc. Largely losing money theatrically, with few exceptions in between. Many of them are missing the titan $100m threshold. For context, only Disney Feature's LILO & STITCH broke that barrier in mid-2002. CGI movies seemed foolproof. Guaranteed blockbusters...

2003 brought Pixar's FINDING NEMO, which became the highest grossing animated movie of all-time, unseating THE LION KING... Then SHREK 2 came out the year after, made that record look like nothing, becoming the first animated movie to break **$400m** domestically. In addition to SHREK 2, 2004 saw the release of DreamWorks' other CG hit SHARK TALE ($160m+), Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES ($260m+), and Warner Bros.' motion-capture pic THE POLAR EXPRESS ($160m+). In 2005, DreamWorks' MADAGASCAR came super-close to $200m, Blue Sky's ROBOTS cleared $120m...

So, unstoppable, right?

The one exception seemed to be the 2001 release FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN, a mocap feature based on the game series of the same name. That one puttered out at $32m domestically, and fell well below its hefty budget with all the worldwide take factored in... But this seemed like an anomaly more so than anything. You also had a few super-limited releases of foreign CG films, like KAENA: THE PROPHECY, which was a French film.

2005 was when it all seemed to be up... VALIANT, a British animated movie distributed stateside by Disney, performed quite badly... Despite it being a CGI movie and touting "producer of SHREK" cred. Disney Feature's first all-CG feature, CHICKEN LITTLE, managed to make more than $100m domestically, but its worldwide total didn't measure up to the budget. HOODWINKED!, an independent venture that only cost $8m to make, was released by The Weinstein Co. at the end of 2005. It made less than $60m domestically.

Then... 2006 happened...

The features that crossed $200m domestically: Pixar's CARS, and only CARS. ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN and Warner Bros.' HAPPT FEET came very close. ICE AGE 2 won the race worldwide.

The features that crossed $100m domestically: DreamWorks' OVER THE HEDGE.

Everything else... Missed $100m. Some movies got by on being lower budget, like Sony Animation's debut picture OPEN SEASON, and the Nickelodeon TV show launcher BARNYARD. But some of the big flops included DreamWorks/Aardman's FLUSHED AWAY, the Disney-released Canadian feature THE WILD, and Warner Bros.' THE ANT BULLY. CGI and celebrity casts and talky scripts couldn't save them. Then you had movies that just did abysmally, like Fox's EVERYONE'S HERO, and DOOGAL: the Weinsteinized version of THE MAGIC ROUNDABOUT.

For a little while, computer animated movies were a novelty for audiences. No one had seen anything like TOY STORY when it first came out in Thanksgiving 1995. Like, this wasn't an episode of REBOOT or a glossy production company ident... This was over 70 minutes of fully animated 3D characters in convincing 3D environments, that stayed watchable the whole time, and on top of that... It was really well-written! Lots of people tend to make remarks about TOY STORY's more, dated, visual qualities... But it remains a classic because of the passion that went into it. And despite some of the aspects that didn't age well, it still *looks* appealing and watchable. Woody and Buzz and the rest of the gang have pretty much kept the same designs over the sequels and shorts/specials, only the human characters have seen slight design changes that matched the much-better rendering over time. (It's already a big difference with Andy and his mum from TOY STORY 1 to 2.)

But enough about that. My point is, audiences ate CGI up circa 1995-2005. Big time. It was the future, it was the **way** to make animated movies. Even with CG incorporated into them, hand-drawn movies failed to keep up. Whether the movies did actually appeal to audiences (TARZAN, LILO & STITCH) or not (TITAN A.E., TREASURE PLANET)... It just wasn't enough. $171m from TARZAN just didn't compare to, say, SHREK's $267m haul. When even your best isn't enough...

Capitalism, ya know?

But soon, audiences began choosing what computer-animated family movies they'd go to see, not seeing all of them each and every calendar year. In 2007, for every RATATOUILLE, there was a HAPPILY N'EVER AFTER. Even a good film like SURF'S UP that year had trouble. Release that movie in 2002, it would've made **bank**... In 2007, it had a hard time appealing to audiences. Let's apply this to 2008 as well. WALL-E and KUNG FU PANDA do great, THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX - a book adaptation - makes $50m and fails to double its budget. So every year, there are the family-friendly CGI movies that do pretty great! And then the ones that lose money.

And eventually, it caught to everybody. Even the heavies.

Pixar saw their first money-loser in 2015 with THE GOOD DINOSAUR, breaking an astounding 15-film hit streak.

Disney Feature Animation's CHICKEN LITTLE did so-so, MEET THE ROBINSONS two years later outright lost money. BOLT did so-so as well. They wouldn't have a genuine CGI flop until STRANGE WORLD, because we gotta mulligan RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON and ENCANTO. Ya know, COVID and release strategies and such.

DreamWorks suffered badly in the mid-2010s, with money-losers like RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, TURBO, and MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN... It was to the point where it seemed like the lights would go out.

Blue Sky's final film, SPIES IN DISGUISE, lost money. After a streak of successes (the ICE AGE sequels) and respectable hits (FERDINAND). That likely played a big part in its shuttering, after Disney had bought 21st Century Fox's film and TV assets.

Sony Pictures Animation had some financial losses, too. The aforementioned SURF'S UP was one such flop, and there was also their Aardman collaboration ARTHUR CHRISTMAS.

So much, like a good hand-drawn animated movie, a competently-made CG film wasn't gonna cut it every single time... Even from a big studio. That's why many of those studios got smart with budgets... Especially Sony Animation and DreamWorks.

Now... Superhero movies...

Superhero movies have been around for a while. Serials, yes, all the way back to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Max Fleischer's SUPERMAN cartoons from 1941-42, every modern superhero movie owes it to those in particular. Long-form superhero movies, I believe, really got their start with the 1978 SUPERMAN movie... But you'd get a big superhero movie every once in a while, or a comic book action hero movie if you will. In the 1980s, you had SUPERMAN II - starting off the decade, and then Tim Burton's BATMAN ending the decade with a blockbuster gross. A big phenomenon. What else was in-between? Well, there was Lucasfilm's infamous adaptation of Marvel's HOWARD THE DUCK that tanked hard. You did see a brief boom in this kind of movie in the 1990s because of BATMAN '89, but plenty of those movies actually went belly-up. DC adaptation STEEL did poorly, movies like THE PHANTOM didn't make much of a mark, but you did have the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES movie doing quite well, ditto BATMAN RETURNS and BATMAN FOREVER. BATMAN & ROBIN's not-so-great performance in 1997 put the Caped Crusader's theatrical future in limbo. SUPERMAN puttered out back in 1987 with a badly-received fourth movie. So, this was a bit of a false start, if you will? Batman, Ninja Turtles, maybe something else that did okay-ish at best... That was about it, circa 1999.

Then along came BLADE in 1998, which would be the first Marvel movie to do pretty well. HOWARD THE DUCK bombed back in 1986, and the 1989 PUNISHER and 1990 CAPAIN AMERICA went straight to video in the states.

Then, X-MEN came out in 2000, that did even better.

Then, SPIDER-MAN came out in 2002, made a **gargantuan** amount of money...

After the release of X-MEN and SPIDER-MAN, both Marvel adaptations, you saw **some** action going on. More Marvel movies came along. HULK, an ambitious film from Ang Lee, opened big in summer 2003 but had trouble staying afloat. FANTASTIC FOUR did okay in 2005 despite poor reception. GHOST RIDER did okay in 2007. SPIDER-MAN 2 and SPIDER-MAN 3 made biiiig money, and there was also a FANTASTIC FOUR sequel that also did okay. The next Batman-inspired DC movie, CATWOMAN, came about in 2004 and bombed quite badly. The year after CATWOMAN came BATMAN BEGINS, Christopher Nolan's then-bold new take on the Caped Crusader *and* the superhero movie in general. It did pretty well, a sleeper hit that relied on strong word-of-mouth. Then in 2006, a year later, you had an attempt to reboot SUPERMAN with SUPERMAN RETURNS. While it made money, it wasn't enough to cover its then-titanic budget, so it seemed like a non-starter. The other DC adaptation released amidst this was CONSTANTINE, whch did pretty well (and is finally getting a sequel after all these years). Funnily enough, amidst these Marvel and DC movies, you had Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES... A then *rare* animated superhero movie, and it did great business. There was also HELLBOY, too. Non-Marvels and non-DCs had their time to do pretty okay, too. So, superheroes had a healthier time in the early-to-mid 2000s...

But where it really all took off was in 2008...

IRON MAN started the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a BANG! in May of that year, and BATMAN BEGINS sequel THE DARK KNIGHT - no doubt accelerated by the tragic passing of Heath Ledger, who gave his iconic performance as The Joker - was **massive**. It was the first movie since TITANIC to clear $500m at the domestic box office, and make the then-magic $1b worldwide... Only TITANIC, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING, and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST made that amount of money... Nowadays, it seems like there's one billion-dollar smash every year, excepting 2020 of course... Back in 2008, though? Magic number. Very few movies did **that** well...

And from there... Lots of hits. The MCU had barely a stumble, and their highest highs at the box office went very high. They had no trouble getting audiences to come out in big numbers for... Checks notes... Movies based on THOR, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, and ANT-MAN. Warner Bros. had tried very hard to keep a consistently successful DC movie-verse going, but despite the valleys (JUSTICE LEAGUE, BIRDS OF PREY), they too saw some big peaks: WONDER WOMAN and AQUAMAN. BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE and SUICIDE SQUAD made a lot of money, too, despite not meeting particular expectations. Animated superheroes brought home bacon, too! BIG HERO 6, INCREDIBLES 2, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, need I say more? Sony's own Spider-Man villain movies VENOM and its sequel did very well, too! Almost everybody was winning the superhero sweepstakes post-2008, with very few actual losers in-between.

But now... Well, with so many of them around, and both cinematic universes from the heavies... Again, Marvel and DC. Known commodities... We don't see any movie-verse for, say, Image Comics, no do we? Well, again, money is tight, theater visits are costly, and the movies aren't always delivering satisfying experiences when other endeavors are next door...

Last year, we saw TOP GUN: MAVERICK, a legacy sequel to a 1986 blockbuster that isn't a superhero movie in any way, mop the floor - domestically and even worldwide - with both Marvel and DC's most anticipated movies. AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER was in second place domestically, top dog worldwide. We're starting to see other movies have a say again, and smaller movies are having their fun again, too. ELVIS and NOPE did very well, as did BULLET TRAIN and THE LOST CITY. Bread-n-butter movies that used to fill up the yearly box office charts quite nicely. We see that nowadays in the form of things like WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, THE BLACK PHONE, THE WOMAN KING, TICKET TO PARADISE, BARBARIAN, SMILE, VIOLENT NIGHT, A MAN CALLED OTTO, M3GAN, CREED III, etc.

So... With QUANTUMANIA and SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS past us... Here's what I think... Much like in 2006, where some computer animated family movies did great and others not-so-much... That'll happen with this year's crop of superhero movies.

I think the guaranteed hits are GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE. The former? Well, those two movies functioned well as a standalone story not connected to the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. Like you had some things here and there, like an Infinity Stone or the presence of Thanos, but they're both self-contained, VOL 2 even more-so. They're genuinely good space adventure movies that audiences actually quite dig, the characters are so likeable, and the movies have director James Gunn's authorship all over them. That's a night and day difference from many of the other MCUs... SPIDER-VERSE... Need I say more? The original is beloved, it was a passion project for everyone involved. It was not just a great Marvel or great superhero movie, it was a great movie, period. Rian Johnson himself described it as "The Velvet Underground of superhero movies." That is *high praise*.

Those are both poised, I feel, to make beaucoup bucks.

Everything else? Well... The DC movies coming out this year are much like FURY OF THE GODS. They don't really matter, because the hard reset is coming up with SUPERMAN: LEGACY two years from now. I suppose THE FLASH could do well because of Michael Keaton **and** Ben Affleck's Batman returning, in a sort of NO WAY HOME-esque manner. I don't think much of the general public is in tune with star Ezra Miller's controversies and wrongdoing, so I think this one's appeal hinges on whether fans/audiences see it as pointless or not. I think the novelty of both Batmen being back, alongside some other DC faces (such as Michael Shannon's go at General Zod from MAN OF STEEL), could help it a bit. BLUE BEETLE? I couldn't tell ya, it'll probably come and go. AQUAMAN made over a billion back in 2018/19, and is the highest-earning DC film ever... But will fans and audiences be back for, again, a movie that seems pointless in the long run? Also at the end of the year comes the MCU film THE MARVELS, the sequel to CAPTAIN MARVEL and also a follow-up to the MS. MARVEL TV series... Plus you have Monica Rambeau in it as well, who - as an adult - was a major character in WANDAVISION. That all could help it, but I'm starting to think it falls quite short of CAPTAIN MARVEL's impressive take in 2019. CAPTAIN MARVEL had the benefit of opening right before AVENGERS: ENDGAME, the penultimate episode to the big climactic event... THE MARVELS is just, well, the sequel... With two other faces. I think it'll do pretty well, but not excellently. Disney and Marvel Studios were smart to delay the film from July to November after the CEO-switcheroo with Bob Iger this past autumn. I can only hope they delay all of the other movies, too. Like, two a year is fine, guys. AVENGERS: THE KANG DYNASTY and AVENGERS: SECRET WARS can wait. They don't need to come out in 2-3 years from now, in addition to like 10 other movies and 10-20 other Disney+ shows...

And next year, I think, will show as well where this is all going... Like, I don't see the likes of CAPTAIN AMERICA 4, THUNDERBOLTS, DEADPOOL 3, and BLADE hogging up the top slots anymore. I forgot to point out that these movies seem a lot more frontloaded. Big fans and those who were always going to be there *will* be there on opening weekend, but it collapses after that, as OTHER audiences save their money for other things that they'd rather see... Maybe the JOKER sequel, not really a superhero movie but still based on a DC villain that's tied to one of their most well-known superheroes, could repeat the massive surprise success of the original. Maybe not. BEYOND THE SPIDER-VERSE should do pretty great... I think other biggies are what's gonna surprise this year and next year, and take the Top 3 slots... A new INDIANA JONES movie, a MARIO movie, a two-part MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE epic, AVATAR 3, maybe even something like GLADIATOR 2. 2025 is when the DC hard-reset comes, so it'll be interesting to see how SUPERMAN: LEGACY does, in addition to whatever Marvel movies end up coming out that year. KANG DYNASTY or no KANG DYNASTY...

If anything, the budgeting should be smarter from here on out. Then these movies can come and go, make adequate amounts of money, give *other* kinds of movies the Top 3-5 for once, and then the wheels will spin. Something new will come along and spam up the top slots, even. Maybe we're in for an area of legacy-quels following TOP GUN 2's massive success. I really do think INDY 5 has the chance to somewhat repeat that, and GLADIATOR 2 even. How long till, say, another sequel to a beloved '80s or '90s movie drops? And then too many of those happen and they get tiresome?

All a cycle in Hollywood...

But yeah, I do see the parallels between superhero movies now and CG animated family movies circa 2006...

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this Week #134 (Year 3/Week 30):

The Consequences Of Love, my 6th rewarding film by Paolo Sorrentino, an exceptional mature director. His usual collaborator Toni Servillo plays here a mysterious businessman, who's been staying alone for 8 years at a luxurious Lugano hotel. Rich, stylish and evocative. 8/10.

🍿

4 more by Buñuel:

🍿 The Milky Way, the first of his loose "Search for truth" trilogy, (together with the much better 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie' and 'The Phantom of Liberty'). Some intricate heretic and blasphemous polemics against the church - and all believers. Clear inspiration to Jodorowsky. “Thank God I’m an atheist.” 5/10.

🍿 Re-watch: Tristana, a complex tragedy about the patriarchy, innocence, sexuality, obsessiveness and cruelty, offered as a simple soap opera. Fernando Rey is the decadent aristocrat who seduces his young niece, the deceitful Catherine Deneuve, who perversely rebels against this father-husband. That Mustache guard! The artificial leg laying on bed! The Don Lope Bell clapper! 8/10.

🍿 Robinson Crusoe, his first color film, and the first made in English, was a traditional re-telling of the famous story, with (few) subversive elements.

🍿 "...See you at the top, gumdrop..."

The young one (1960) was Buñuel's second film in English, an uncomfortable, disturbing drama, now considered to be one of his forgotten masterpieces. A tense and very disturbing story: A black clarinet player who is falsely accused of rape, finds refuge on an island off the Carolina coast. An unpleasant gamekeeper forces himself on a 13 year old innocent girl (who looks remarkably like Liv Tyler). The two men end up playing a bitter battle-of-wills game, full of tense and racist scenes. An odd morality play examining prejudices, racism and pedophilia.

🍿

The Letter Room, my first by Danish director Elvira Lind. She cast her real-life husband Oscar Isaac as a kind, mustachioed prison guard, who's assigned to go over the prisoners' mail. Ah, The American carceral system! The saddest film I've seen in a while. 9/10.

(Photo Above).

🍿

“Eat the watermelon - it’s yours now”.

Cameraperson, my second superb documentary by elite cinematographer Kristen Johnson (after her incredible 'Dick Johnson is dead').

Johnson shot dozens of films, and this personal collage is a collection of some of her background leftover titbits, establishing shots and related stuff from all over the world. Extremely powerful, even before she breaks out stuff from the most tragic and harrowing places around the world: Guantanamo, Sarajevo, Jasper, Texas, Kabul, Nigeria, Yemen and Mississippi. So much heartbreaks and suffering, told with so much restrain. "Donba!" 9/10.

I discovered this in a short Thomas Flight essay 'The Succession Character You Never See' which describes how important the invisible camera decisions are.

🍿

First watch: Closely Watched Trains, the groundbreaking Czech New Wave classic. Cute, light erotic story about Premature ejaculation and anti-Nazi resistance.

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A mighty wind, another of (Baron!) Christopher Guest's comedy-mockumentaries, this time about a television reunion of three folk bands from the 60's. With a scary-looking Harry Shearer (who later transition into a female), and all the members of the ensemble that made 'Spinal tap', 'Best in show' and others. Perfectly charming. 7/10.

🍿

Loft, the standard 'Erotic thriller' from Belgium was the most successful Flemish-speaking film ever by 2008. 5 successful yuppies, duplicitous swinging dicks, own a fancy loft together, to which they bring their mistresses to. But they are all married, and claim to be faithful when in public. When a woman is found murdered in the loft, it's unclear who killed her or why. 3/10.

🍿

Nine Queens is considered as one of Argentina's greatest films. A crime thriller of two small time street hustlers, who cross and double cross everybody around them again and again. With 2 surprising endings, one of which is typically Argentinian (The bank suddenly defaults!). 5/10.

🍿

My 9th and 10th by Wes Anderson:

🍿 The Darjeeling Limited, a movie about designer suitcases; A visually-provocative but emotionally stunted drama about 3 irritating brothers on an exotic 'spiritual trip' to India. With the first (?) sex scene in any of his movies. All style, no substance. I don't know why I keep watching his films, when I find him empty and pretentious. 4/10.

🍿 Hotel Chevalier was a 12 minutes film he released together with 'Darjeeling', like a Pixar "Short". A prequel with some background about Jack Whitman and his ex-girlfriend. Like 'Prada: Candy', Anderson's perfume ad with Léa Seydoux, shorter is better. This is actually a perfectly little story with the same "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" comment. 7/10.

🍿

The chase (1946), a second rate Noir by a second rate auteur. With Robert Cummings and Peter Lorre. 1/10.

🍿

The Beguiled, a moody Southern Gothic thriller by Sofia Coppola, about a wounded Union Corporal who was given shelter at a small girls school in Virginia in 1864. My second film about amputation this week (After 'Tristana'!). But the slow melodrama didn't speak to me at all.

🍿

In Ted Gioia's tribute to Tony Bennett, he claims that lounge-lizard Lou Canova is modeled after Bennett, at the lows of his career at that period. I haven't seen Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose since 1984. His cinematic personality as the 'nervous Jew' is highly-irritating. But Gordon Willis photography helped give the tight story 100% score on 'Rotten Tomatoes'.

Rip, Tony Bennett!

🍿

Fieldwork Footage is a 1928 short directed by Zora Neale Hurston. She was a central figure of the 'Harlem renaissance', an author and anthropologist and the first African-American female film maker.

🍿

I was sick for a day, so I watched Pineapple Express once again, the best action-stoner comedy ever? Convincing marijuana enthusiast Set Rogen against local mob guy Bill Lumbergh. It's a movie about escalation! Starts with weed jokes and ends with "Prepare to suck the cock of Karma" climax.

🍿

The Quiet American, an adaptation of Graham Greene Foreign Service Saigon thriller, with Michael Caine and Brendan Frazer. The two engage in a ménage à trois over a pretty Vietnamese taxi dancer. This is 1952 when the CIA is just getting into the war there. Cinematography by Christopher Doyle, Wong Kar-wai's usual collaborator. 3/10.

🍿

In the 1960's and 70's, the Montmartre Jazz club on Store Regnegade in Copenhagen was the center of world class jazz in Europe. Many of the greatest names in Jazz played there regularly. Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Muddy Waters, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and of course the Danish bass player Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. Blues for Montmartre is a nostalgic 2011 Danish documentary about the place and the people who frequented it. 9/10.

Here is Ben Webster playing Stardust in Montmartre in 1971.

🍿

Related!

That’s my jazz: Pastry chef Milt Abel ll reflects on his relationship with his late father Milton Abel Sr., a legendary Kansas City jazz musician.

Surprisingly, he went to work at Noma, and stayed in Copenhagen to open his own Danish-style bakery!

🍿

Just because I dislike science fiction as a genre, does not mean that I'm not ready to give it another chance every once in awhile (But always to be disappointed!). Gattaca seemed to be different: Dystopian bio-punk about eugenics with Gore Vidal and Ernest Borgnine... But I only lasted 30 minutes inside this shiny, sterile world: Pseudo-intellectual mambo-jumbo, horribly acted.

🍿

Throw-back to the "Art project”:  

Adora with Buñuel.

🍿  

(My complete movie list is here)

[the-celluloid-correspondent]

Quickie Reviews

The Taste of Things

Dodin Bouffant and his lover Eugenie's lives are surrounded by the art of cooking. They are in love, but she refuses to marry him, so he decides to cook a meal for her to change her mind. 

The Taste of Things is a delicious feast as we follow two master cooks perfecting and bonding over their shared passion. It is a simple film that dives into the simple pleasures of life through the art of cooking. Every scene evolving cooking is mouthwatering and soothing. The first 40 minutes of the film have very little dialogue as we watch our characters prepare a multi-course feast that lasts an entire day. Then as the film transitions into this love story, it is simple and sweet as it shows how far a simple jester can go. And the chemistry between Benoit Magimel and Juliette Binoche is beautiful to watch. However, the film is a little long for my taste and it does drag in the latter half of the film. With that stated, The Taste of Things is a beautiful film that does not deserve to be dragged through the mud because it was picked over Anatomy of a Fall. 

My Rating: B

Perfect Days

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine, he enjoys his passion for music and books. And he loves the trees.

Perfect Days unfolds as a minimalist film, immersing viewers in the intriguing world of a man who finds contentment in life's simple pleasures. Following Hirayama through his meticulously structured week, the film reveals the ebb and flow of his daily experiences. Despite facing challenges, he remains undeterred, and steadfast in his commitment to savoring each moment. Dialogue takes a back seat, allowing the film to convey its themes and character nuances through subtle gestures and the daily cadence of life. Koji Yakusho delivers a remarkably subtle yet powerful performance, skillfully portraying the beauty of simplicity and the profound impact of solitary moments.

Suncoast

While caring for her dying brother, a teenager strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric activist who protests one of the most landmark medical cases of all time. 

Suncoast was so close to greatness, but its underdeveloped and shallow story holds it back. When the narrative was focused on the conflict between Doris (Nico Parker) and her mother (Laura Linney), was when the film was at its strongest. It was a heartbreaking family drama about the inevitability of death and how it can tear a family apart, especially when one is taken too soon. Then when the inevitable emotional finally comes, it is heartbreaking to watch and Nico Parker delivers a harrowing performance as she grieves for her loved ones. However, when the film focuses on the coming-of-age elements and explores why Doris wants to get out of her family, is where the film stumbles. Doris’s new friend group feels incredibly shallow as they are all portrayed as the most stereotypical fake friend group you can imagine. Then when exploring themes of grief and faith with Woody Harrelson’s character, the themes that his character is set up to explore are never really explored. Overall, Suncoast was so close to greatness, that it just needed a little more polishing.

My Rating: B-

Drive-Away Dolls

Two friends take a spontaneous trip to Tallahassee Florida, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way. 

The basic story of Drive-Away Dolls has the potential to be a fun rom-com. But, its poor execution feels like a film student's first film. It’s poorly made as the direction is all over the place and the editing is jarring.  Furthermore, the movie is not even funny as every joke just made me cringe terribly. This quality is a bit unacceptable given that this is directed and written by Ethan Coen. However, the film’s biggest crime is that I could not stand Margaret Qualley’s character. I found her character to be annoying and incredibly inconsiderate of others. She cheats on her girlfriend and pressures another friend into having hook-up s*x. Her lack of caring and awareness was infuriating, to say the least. However, I did enjoy the performance from Geraldine Viswanathan who kept some of my sanity through this somewhat trainwreck of a movie. Overall, I just expected more from a Coen Brother. 

My Rating: C

[the-hindu-times]

Life of Pi 3/10/23

Woking New Victoria Theatre

Beginning life as a Man Booker Prize 2001 novel by Yang Marte, Life of Pi became a four-time Oscar winning Ang Lee movie in 2012, before being adapted for the Broadway stage by Lolita Chakrabarti in 2019. It went on to win five Olivier Awards after its transfer into the West End in 2021. It tells the story of 17-year-old Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel from Pondicherry, India; opening in a white-walled hospital where Pi is questioned about his remarkable 227 day sea survival, after the cargo ship he was sailing from India to Canada, with his mum, dad, sister and the animals from the family zoo, sank during a violent storm. We find Pi stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and Royal Bengal tiger, called Richard Parker, for company. Pi and the tiger manage to co-exist for the entire journey, both sharing a strong desire to live. The veil between reality and imagination merges with Pi telling two versions of his survival and challenges his interrogators to decide which version they prefer. Pi explores the nature of reality and the role of religious faith in life although this never dominates the fundamental story of human survival and the spectacle of the staging.

RADA graduate, Divesh Subaskaran, makes a very impressive professional stage debut as the lead. He is charming in the role; with youthful high spirits and a playful attitude to religion whilst showing endearing warmth towards the wellbeing of the animals. He wonderfully holds our attention and showcases his athleticism as he leaps and bounds across the set. He is able to draw us into his storytelling no matter how incredible the tale gets and beautifully connects what happened in the past to the present day.

This narrative would be nothing without the wonder created by Tim Hatley's extraordinary set, with the design and the incredibly creative projections transporting you to several different worlds. With seamless transitions from one scene to another, at times it felt like the set was unfolding perpetually as layers, each more stunning than the last. There were three main contrasting environments created: The beige hospital room in Mexico, in which the interrogation takes place; The dramatic Pacific Ocean seas in which his lifeboat sails; and the wonderful colourful life in India before the voyage. Evocative pictures enhanced by clever little details in the projections, conjure the unimaginably vast strangeness of the ocean, thoughtfully bringing this incredible story and journey to life through each bold scene.

Along with Divesh, it was Finn Caldwell’s incredible and magnificent array of memorable puppets that were the equal stars of the show - in particular the main creatures: the unfortunate playful goat; the wonderful Zebra, who breaks its leg; the impressive orang-utan; and the vengeful Hyena... were all superb... but, it was the Bengal Tiger that dominated the action; It moved with a cat like smoothness as it prowled the cage; every breath and step immaculately choreographed. The puppeteers breathed real life and emotion into the creatures and made it look effortless. When the lights, puppets, projections and set all come together, the effect was out of this world, yet so real - like we were out there with Pi on the open seas.

Life of Pi stands as one of the most visually stunning theatre shows I’ve ever seen - in particular the second half; when you could really appreciate the artistry of the three puppeteers who were responsible for Richard Parker (my eye was quick to dismiss the handlers, in order to focus solely on the tiger’s movements).

While the book is more philosophical, this visually stunning stage adaptation is still full of heart and its core themes are still present; A tale of survival, endurance of human spirit, hope and examining what truth exactly is. We were gripped from beginning to end; with focus continuously pulled to fantastical stagecraft - a demonstration of the puppetry art form that makes you only see the creature and not the people behind it - that allowed us to easily suspend our disbelief and accept the tale, even when we finally know the truth.

Life of Pi is a must-see production and a creative masterpiece.

Mittal Patel

[sugar-petals]

:: random things about boyfriend yoongi

↳ ♡ NOTE I saw this format floating around the fandom and thought it was cool and sweet (just like our honey boy so here it goes) 😊  includes an sfw and nsfw bit, both can be read independently.

words. 3k

SFW

First off, Yoongi is laid-back and casually sexy the way we know him. But he also has spikes of energy where he actually gets a little clingy. Any opportunity he will use to hold hands or jump around like a madman with his gummy smile because he got excited about something that you never could predict would make him so happy. He truly is an epiphany.

He’s your most eager personal chef but funnily enough a little unsettled by onions so you end up helping him. Yoongi hates to be crying in the kitchen because of some evil little vegetable but hey, perfect time and place to spend half an hour huddled together cooking or baking. And Yoongi is secretly longing for a cheesy scene, he finds it romantic when you wipe the tears from his face.

His way of speaking to you is a mix of mumbly Korean, high-pitched pouty cat speak, and old-school English slang phrases that he learned somewhere on social media or award shows back in 2018. Most of the time he takes things seriously but is up for some joking anyway. He is sure to giggle every now and then which is really adorable of him. Yoongi is also the person who gets every nuance of your humor and reacts to it.

After being single, you really have to get used to someone waddling around the house. Like— oh, he’s there! And it’s none other than him! Since Yoongi isn’t noisy when he concentrates on his laptop, it really stands out when he morphs from his unmovable rock-like being to a slow rolling stone headed towards the kitchen from time to time. You have to blink every time. And how could you not look up, he’s walking by with his cutest oversized sweaters and striped fluffy socks.

He cannot hide things that normal people would try to keep secret — because of their own discomfort, but he is good at blocking out things that serve your comfort. I’ll explain what I mean. If you have been keeping up with Yoongi postponing the reveal of his surgery until it was successful, you know what I mean. In short, Yoongi is pretty much an automatic filter for things that disturb you. Knowing the right time and place to inform you is the key. As is disregarding things that don’t concern you as a couple, unnecessary drama and opinions. He’s really good at that without ever trying to sugar-coat the important things because he remains a frank and honest soul.

Yoongi has an easier time giving random presents for simple occasions rather than making a big deal out of traditional festivities. So, big celebrations are often kept simple — unless the rest of BTS is there advocating their ‘a little party never killed nobody’ motto — while Yoongi focuses on getting you something attentive or useful every other day pretty much. He’s still a frugal type, you know him. It’s more about inexpensive things that catch his eye because he heard you likes this or that type of snack or want this or that sofa cushion. 

There’s always something new and surprising in the fridge and it’s hardly ever empty because Yoongs takes care of the groceries, really thinking it through. Just personal chef things. Being Yoongi’s partner must be the most destressing thing. He takes responsibility for the worldly things, the ironing clothes and the trash cans. He himself thinks that’s the easiest shit ever and is ready to put time into it (he sees the merit, it drives him) while thinking your side — the sheer act of being in love with him, being there for him — must be hard. Which it isn’t. 

Yoongi thinks emotions and relationships are tough and complicated while daily life runs smoothly at the snap of a finger. You think maintenance is a drudgery while love is not the maze your boyfriend assumes it is. Deep down Yoongi thinks he’s unlovable and a bad person, that’s why he believes he doesn’t have the burden but you have. That your affection then blazes past the barriers in Yoongi’s esteem is something that he finds incredible. It catches him off guard there, you burst the bubbles of the flaws he falsely imagines he has.

You bet your ARMY bomb you’re watching cat videos together.

Guess who’s the first person to hear all of Yoongi’s upcoming hit tracks? Even Namjoon gets the first sample ten minutes later. You gotta be really advanced at keeping secrets and avoiding accidental leaks with your phone or something.

Yoongi hesitates with the analogy because it’s a little funny and you’re evidently not a steaming liquid made of beans, but he claims you really are like his daily americano. Makes his every morning better. 

Now, in all seriousness. What means the most to him is that you take him how he is and are stable company. Yoongi is afraid of betrayal and stupid games so he has to be sure to have a safe bet going. I think that’s why he fancies marriage, it’s a sign of commitment and some degree of permanence to him. And yes, he is a bit jealous in nature since he’s easily invested in someone with a purity of feeling, almost in a naive way. Yoongi easily idolizes his partner and puts a lot of energy into a bond. He wants to protect that, take the risk, and he has watched for someone who radiates genuine trust and faith. He is sure to have found it in you without any illusions and he is right. Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty.

Playing the piano for dinner or date night is a must, he practices constantly to advance to a great standard. He secretly finds a lot of satisfaction in you cooing at his skills and melodies. Those ten bony fingers gliding over the keys with such a technicality and focus, and a passion that makes you hold your breath, it’s great to watch.

Did you see that one coming? He will compose and produce a designated mixtape only for you personally. Yes, with a little self-filmed, self-cut music video for the title track. 

Now those things never see the light of day, they’re all for you. But what about your couple life once it touches the social realm? As one might expect, Yoongi is very ‘eyes turn narrow’ with people who bring disharmony to your dynamic and the relationship in general. In fact, he is grumpy and disappointed, and should someone give him a reason, distinctly brutal. If someone even attempts to test you or plays manipulative games, Yoongi is relentlessly turning them from the inside out with his words that never miss the mark. They’re efficient. As I said, he hates playing annoying games, he’ll do any shortcut and be Yoongi.

I guarantee you can lean back and will never the fazed by stupid people and time wasters again. No need to lose face. Yoongi does the dirty work and is the best possible defender to have on your side. He handles that. Invasive opinions and useless phrases he will shove right up some trashtalker’s ass and leave. Let’s squarely say he is unafraid to be a armchair critic of your and his haters and doesn’t want any of that nuisance to disturb what you have together. He cuts very quick and makes sure not to get tangled up in trouble.

Yoongi will also debunk a whole bunch of weirdos on weverse asking about your private love while he’s at it. Prepare for some very entertaining snide remarks. Oh my god, so many entitled people will be pissed off. Many will also celebrate him for stepping up. What’s actually important to Yoongi is that nobody taints what is like a treasure to him.

It won’t be hard to overlook that Yoongi is very proud of you as well. He looks confident and revering when he hangs out with the group and you’re somewhere close by, even just doing something trivial.

He’s also pretty touchy, sometimes publically to demonstrate something, but mostly in the relative calm and safety of a hotel room. When the lights are out, all barriers crash, the utter romantic takes over. His favorite types of kisses besides those onto his hands are when you kiss his lashes. And yep. Yoongs is such a cozy little spoon. A very curled up one with cute shooky pajamas on most likely.

Talk about clothes. Believe it or not, Yoongi’s fashion goes through a significant change due to the relationship. He knows that you are touchy and thinks about what kinds of flannels are the biggest cuddle magnet, after all. And oh wonder, he will also show some level of skin when he accidentally hears your praises for his arms and legs and collar bones and glowy skin while talking to a close friend of yours. So, look forward to that in summer (he still dislikes the winter cold and wraps himself into scarves twice his size, mind you) though it’s still for your eyes only, he covers up when going out. Truth be told, he enjoys when you casually touch his skin. Especially the arms. Which hold up the firmament to you, and your world, too, and guard it.

BTS will know about how excited he is about you because he often boasts about for how long you’ve been living together by now. We all know this is Yoongi’s favorite way of bragging and it further shows that loyalty, dedication and longevity is the spice to his every meal.

Yoongi is probably going to quit the bottle because you naturally make him feel at ease and upbeat. In fact, he simply forgets about his wine. I don’t have to convince you that Yoongi will be very immersed in any interaction with you whether that be watching movies or discussing his latest tracks. 

Those discussions come with extra back massages for him because he spends a lot of hours in his chair. Especially around the neck, it’s no secret that this is in every cat’s top 3 favorite massaging areas. Yoongi is gonna make some really raspy, sleepy sounds and just melt in your hands. He’s gonna sleep like a baby afterwards every time. Sometimes, he says funny and cute things while he dozes. He looks very content.

Say goodbye to the 21st century adulting annoyances in your life because Yoongi has a grip on those without a word. Those six specific chores that always plague you take him only a dozen minutes and he is eager, the forms to fill out are already sent off, the list of people to e-mail is weeded through. The taxes are paid, the bank account is full, the meals are on the table, garnished to perfection. Roof over the head, and it’s a sturdy one, Yoongi bought a sound haven house to inhabit a lot of happiness for two. 

He’s probably the only person who doesn’t see it as a loss of dignity if you want to hold on tight to him during a dentist visit as a grown ass mf. Why all of this? Yoongi cannot not strive to feel needed in his actions. He wouldn’t like himself if he couldn’t contribute something reliable and useful. That you find things worthy of your time is priority. You complement each other, what you think is a waste of energy makes him work and strive and vice versa. That way, in the end all things are taken care of.

Giving is more important than taking in Yoongi’s world. He thinks of everything because he considers it an offense to have you in a pile of duties, that is, if you don’t like ‘em. It’s his form of dedicating his efforts and showing respect. He doesn’t need much in return. The things he expects if at all don’t feel like a duty: Much like he doesn’t consider doing those acts of services for you likewise.

Work horse he is, he needs something on his daily to-do plan. Which includes making you feel unbothered by the occasions of an incoming strict world when it’s getting to you. You’re supposed to do what you feel like doing just like him and not slave away at fifty deeds. That you torture yourself with daily life hassle is the thing he dislikes seeing the most. He enjoys doing these things so he’s happy to get going.

What’s not a daily life hassle: Holly is a big fan of yours. Instant friendship. Just wanted you to know.

He always knows how to preoccupy himself and finds something to improve. Getting on your nerves, and that’s no surprise, is the last thing Yoongi will ever do. In fact, you sometimes have to search for his napping spot because he got lost somewhere in the house. 

He either sleeps or works, his philosophy is simple. If you need him, he does appear seemingly out of nowhere. And, he spends as much time with you as you enjoy, not always prioritizing his producing unless it’s urgent or he’s on an inspiration streak. Which is great anyway, you can sit next to him listening. It’s the right balance of work and play.

Yoongi is not above blatantly showing off. Actually, he goes for an act of stunning pretty often. You know how cats parade around whatever they just caught. He wants to impress you with assets and accolades and appraisals, the boy can’t help it. That you only lightly nod at most of it with a little smile will confuse him but he will get the point later on. You wanna signal Yoongi that you anchor your love for him not in shifting numbers and chunky metal pieces. 

That you don’t confuse his signs of outward worth and fame with the core of the guy you find the sweetest in the world is very important to him. He will take some time to see through that because he’s used to being loved through status and its symbols by people close and afar. 

The way you throw yourself at him to give a big smooch in random situations — especially when he doesn’t feel great about himself— rather than only when he say gets a new car is sending him a message. Again, he has to grow into that. He will retreat at the beginning because he feels worthless of your affection on days where he doesn’t feel big and bold and successful. But since he sees you jumping on him because you need only his kind and squishy presence and see him as no different than usual because he’s always Yoongi underneath, your boyfriend will change his mind about it sooner or later. He learns that your presence makes him feel like a billion dollars yourself.

You don’t wallow in the regrets of other people missing the point of Yoongi and instead focus on always understanding him rather than enabling Yoongi into wrong directions. And there are many of those, his mental health can tell you a thing or two about it. He begins to get that you really know what you’re doing and are in it for the real him which makes him feel really loved far underneath all surfaces and images. You accept his fame and admire his work with music which is what he’s truly doing it for but also don’t forget that the most vulnerable Yoongi is the one that you’re there for and not a facade.

NSFW

I know you’re curious. That Yoongi’s sexual style is more than just interesting goes without saying. To give you an idea. Anything steamy with Yoongi means him taking his time. You know, for making it quality. Yoongi wants to grow into the right balance of activity and staying relaxed. He is good at keeping cool and bringing some focus to the madness. He wants to figure out how to be more casual instead of tense and overly preoccupied which he’ll be at the start of the relationship. But the fast learner he is, his nervousness fades way faster than you think. 

Yoongi is extremely afraid that he can’t please you or starts to become awkward slash clueless so he darts to the opposite of the spectrum and overperforms, even plays a character. You have enough cool yourself to tell him what to do in the pace that works best. That he stays centered in his body is important for you to teach him. When he gets grounded and juggling his confidence is out of the equation, he fucks the best.

His favorite position besides giving oral — with you on your back — will be doggy style. Man, we gotta talk about that. Slow to upper moderate pace, nothing too all over the place. Yoongi moans very slowly, too, all drawn out. Get ready for a frequent session of some anal to unwind. You heard that right. First, Yoongi will get the two of you into the right rhythm with his hands at the sides of your waist, then, ride it out in slow mo with his right hand properly stimulating you from the front. 

By habit, he will add some lube here and there but not use insanely dripping amounts so everything gets messy or he can’t touch you without sliding off anymore. Just enough to slide well. Yoongi is so good at this I swear, it’ll be your favorite thing to relax. He has the restraint and technique to pull it off rather than pulling out, huh. Yoongi is gonna stay inside you for ages. It feels like he’s massaging every spot for some extra time. It’s amazing to slack off your muscles, cool off, and get many a gentle but fulfilling orgasm. 

He’s not gonna put you through the hassle of dealing with an anal creampie cleanup so he keeps it wrapped, and mostly focuses on your movements altogether while keeping his own climax smooth and more relieving rather than something that relentlessly knocks him out in one go. Yoongi is good at observing and doesn’t feel the need to chase a violent high which is why he is so great at sex. Fucking with Yoongi leaves a wholesome feeling and you never feel ashamed or guilty, or a sense of being dirty and ruined. 

He enjoys having sex to make you feel really good and works his hands on you very respectfully. His goal is to have you wet and pulsing after a long while of getting you there, and putting you to a good night’s sleep. He’d feel terrible if he left you sore or disturbed. He is really passionate, especially with his kisses or when you ask him to slide into very deeply, but Yoongi being brash and controlling is an image out of sight.

Besides giving you the number one heavenly assfucks, Yoongi also likes to work his tongue as we know, and he’ll work it all over. Few body parts of yours have not made contact with that glorious mouth and I say that in the best of ways. You can instruct him to do whatever, Yoongi obliges with radiant joy. And here again, he takes minutes upon minutes. Kissing and kissing and licking and maybe even teasing once or twice to make you smile. You know, a little signature wink. Honoring your skin and every shape is not something that Yoongi has to talk about, he will physically show it and I swear it’ll finally get into your head with every little move, Yoongi has totally surrendered his tongue to your body and worships it.

[srbachchan]

DAY 4789

Jalsa, Mumbai                Apr 9,  2021               Fri 10:42 AM

Prayers .. for Sanjay Patodia and his family .. we are concerned , but we are in prayer Sanjay and hope all turns out good .. 🙏🙏🙏

Birthday - EF - Megha .. Ef Sharmila .. Friday, April 9 .. and my wishes go out to you both along with the wishes of the Ef .. love happiness be safe ❤️❤️🙏🙏

Some exigencies of the night upset the regulars and the routine disturbed .. but here I am in the morning of the day after that was to come the day before .. 

For a Father it is ever a moment of great pride to see their ‘progress report’ prosper and do well .. I am no different from any other Father .. the mention of such always brings emotion and tears .. particularly when there is an exhibition of immense value .. 

So despite the fact that Big Bull had been seen privately within the confines of the home much earlier, the excitement of watching it when the entire world shall be seeing it at the same time, was different .. 

The drive back from work was indulgent .. connect mobile to Disney Hotstar .. on with the dongle for internet connectivity .. open the packet of biscuits and the aerated water and .. there he is .. my SON ..

Stop the relay on the reach of  Jalsa .. rush up to the tv and continue as we were before, Face Timing in multiple presence imagery with Kolkata, New York and Lucknow and Shweta downstairs all at once and the joy of sharing our love and appreciation .. 

Life has become distant .. Jaya in Kolkata campaigning , Navya and Agastya in NYC on study, Abhishek in Lucknow on shoot , and Shweta and me out of shoot and home due curfew .. BUT .. thank you FT we get all connected on one screen at the same time talking watching .. such a delight .. and such a wonder of modern technology  ..

Aahhh .. children shall always be in the softest of spots no matter what  !! And when they do something remarkable the pride and the chest swells further ..

“THE BIG BULL” - Gripping, edgy to the core, ‘The Big Bull’ is a SENSEX-tional watch. Abhishek nails it by getting into the skin of his character while director Kookie Gulati hits the bulls-eye. Comparisons aside, this one is a better attempt! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars) -BHAVIKK SANGGHVI

#TheBigBull turns out to be a true movie experience for which the wait was on. @juniorbachchan delivers one of his BEST performances. His 20 years experience shows in this @kookievgulati film that moves at a rapid pace with a crisp engrossing narrative of a true story ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 - Joginder Tuteja 

... and the praise keeps pouring in ..

BUT .. the reason this missive is on at this hour is because the other progeny sent me something just now, which I wanted to share : 

What a speech by Pope Francis yesterday! Worth a read regardless of your faith 💕🙏 *You can have flaws, be anxious, and even be angry, but do not forget that your life is the greatest enterprise in the world. Only you can stop it from going bust. Many appreciate you, admire you and love you. Remember that to be happy is not to have a sky without a storm, a road without accidents, work without fatigue, relationships without disappointments. To be happy is to find strength in forgiveness, hope in battles, security in the stage of fear, love in discord. It is not only to enjoy the smile, but also to reflect on the sadness. It is not only to celebrate the successes, but to learn lessons from the failures. It is not only to feel happy with the applause, but to be happy in anonymity. Being happy is not a fatality of destiny, but an achievement for those who can travel within themselves. To be happy is to stop feeling like a victim and become your destiny's author. It is to cross deserts, yet to be able to find an oasis in the depths of our soul. It is to thank God for every morning, for the miracle of life. Being happy is not being afraid of your own feelings. It's to be able to talk about you. It is having the courage to hear a "no". It is confidence in the face of criticism, even when unjustified. It is to kiss your children, pamper your parents, to live poetic moments with friends, even when they hurt us. To be happy is to let live the creature that lives in each of us, free, joyful and simple. It is to have maturity to be able to say: "I made mistakes". It is to have the courage to say "I am sorry". It is to have the sensitivity to say, "I need you". It is to have the ability to say "I love you". May your life become a garden of opportunities for happiness ... That in spring may it be a lover of joy. In winter a lover of wisdom. And when you make a mistake, start all over again. For only then will you be in love with life. You will find that to be happy is not to have a perfect life. But use the tears to irrigate tolerance. Use your losses to train patience. Use your mistakes to sculptor serenity. Use pain to plaster pleasure. Use obstacles to open windows of intelligence. Never give up .... Never give up on people who love you. Never give up on happiness, for life is an incredible show.* (Pope Francis).

Amitabh Bachchan

[remsmoonlight]

— title : west side polaroids

— word count : 2.4k words

— pairing : john wich x reader

— summary : the first day unbound by the table is marked by you both.

— warnings : none except minimal mentions of death and descriptions of blood

note: please please please go easy on me i have not written any john content in months but omg i adore the song west side by ariana .. issa dreamy vibe , but yeah i couldn’t decide the title so i merged them ..... anyways :)

                     ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*   requests are open !   *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Life that does not revolve around the endless cycle of death and immorality is still new to John, the colour of crimson may have well been his favourite colour with how much he’d found it coating nearly every inch of his skin on a frequent basis. Some nights he’d awake and was sure he could see the stains of blood dried into his nails, though the flood of a bedside lamp would soon flush that worry away. Never had he been the one to imagine a life outside of what he knows, though as he stares at his image in the lengthy mirror before him, that’s what he observes in this moment. A free man.

A whole thirty days had passed since that fateful night when he secured his freedom from his .. job, wanting to allow a sufficient recovery time. Any longer and he knew you well enough to know you’d be breaking his front door down. Luckily, many of the cuts and furious bruises had almost completely healed, while some more stubborn than others were covered with a little more difficulty than he’d prefer. Still, he hopes that your reaction isn’t too explosive. With great reluctance he’d shared enough details with you to understand him and why he is the way he is, and should he not make it back you wouldn’t be left in limbo waiting for him to return. Knowing how often you found yourself worrying over him. Since when did I deserve something so good? he asks himself now and every day that greets him.

He never wants you to be left with a ghost. Especially when you had dug so deeply to prevent him from being consumed by the repetition to death and destruction by his ability to maximise results from his body when required.

Contact had been scarce between you both, and you accepted it. Knowing just what was transpiring as you went through your daily activities, wondering what John could be up to. Staying honest to yourself, your mind had conjured up the most ghastly images, a mental sketchbook where the next page would only be worse than the previous. Though, the moment you heard his voice through your mobile, you felt all the tight tension that wracked your limbs alleviate to nothing more than a dull ache that you have since forgotten.

John is a good liar however when he shared the intricate details of the life he had led, his eyes shone a truth and a pain of growing tired of all the slaughter he’d had a hand dipped into many a time. You believed him and you still do. In spite of this it’s still a difficult task for your mind to wrap itself around but for John? You would.

“ there you are, stranger! “ you greet warmly as you open your arms to finally embrace him after so long.

Your eyes shut while you relish the physical contact that you have sorely missed, you release a heavy breath of air as the moment you have been counting down to is here and you can grasp it with your fingertips. Sensations unreliant on your eyes hone in on the comfort you now feel, the smooth material you can feel to the smell of the cologne worn by John ⏤ a gentle smile drifts softly onto your features in response to the warm shield of solace envelopes you whole.

“ it took longer than I thought. “ he says as he shakes his head, you feel the action from your position

“ I'd say.. I thought I’d never see you again. “

“ I wouldn’t let that happen. “ a low whisper travels from his lips, you can feel his warm breath on you as he leans down, the action causing you to shiver at the faintly sinister tone that had been so close to overwhelming them.

In your heart you feel the strength in his words, it’s not a statement but a promise with all the faith and trust poured into them. Never had you met someone as dedicated and resolute as the man, you’d have called him a psychic because whenever he says something it often comes true, born into existence from his drive.

“ that is something I believe. “ you reply, your voice dulling ever so slightly in octaves.

A mighty stone wall had once been John, any attempt to get to know him proved a punishing task. Though, when a crack had become apparent it became obvious that a gentle touch had been a foreign concept for him but when he’d accepted it as real? The taste of what life could transform into made him want more, to open the door he’d never once entertained of unlocking. John is incredibly grateful you’d never become frustrated and left as soon as you’d arrived in his life, refusing to want another life without your touch.

“ so, are we going to stand here all day or are we going to get in that car you adore so, so much? “

With the barest of groans escaping his throat, he reluctantly disentangles himself from your form, already missing the contact with you. Turning, you move with an energetic vigour buzzing in your toes ⏤ from your position you fail to realise John has himself glued to your form with an affectionate warmth pooling in his eyes. The corner of his eyes fondly crinkle ever so slightly at the view.

A forceful wind erupts in the car as it picks up, you can feel the pleasant freshness dance carelessly on your skin, tickling the strands of hair left loose. It feels like a dream you muse as you shift your gaze to John, really beginning to understand the butterflies that all these television shows and movies talk about as you take in the concentration forging itself into his features as his eyes never leave the road. You don’t believe in the idea of destiny, but you can’t help but note how it feels how the stars modified and aligned themselves for you.

Recently, the purchase of a polaroid camera had arrived on your doorstep and today would be the best opportunity to try it out!

“ they’ll leave me alone ⏤ “ he stops suddenly as he assures the unspoken question between you both. Can we live in peace? “ ⏤ us alone now. “

“ you’re sure? It sounds like a shady business, what if someone doesn’t take note? “ worry bleeds into your expression as your foot begins to tap nervously, with only a peek into another society it has left you concerned when John is involved.

“ one thing my world thrives on is rules. Codes. “ he assures you gently, aware of how the other side of the world lives out its gruesome fantasies in real life shocks you.

A heavy hand lays dormant on your leg, coarse fingertips only moving every so often to draw trails on your clothed skin, as if to discover a depth that lays hidden from view. Of course, you both know that John knows every inch of you as you know yourself, many nights spent burning the entirety of the other into your minds with only the moonlight acting as your guiding light.

“ well, I can say that’s good to hear. “ is said by you with a short bout of nervous laughter. “ you can be sure? “

“ you have nothing to worry about. “ he remarks with confidence, attempting to soothe any and all of your fears you have in regards to your situation you both now share.

“ okay, “ you say with a nod, trying to affirm yourself of there being no phantoms pursuing the man behind you from the shadows. “ I trust you, John. I’m just being silly. “

“ you’re not being silly, I understand. “

Silence overwhelms the confined space you share, you take in just the lack of pretence in this moment. Nothing felt between you is forced, an affection woven with a glistening thread so naturally that the bond had been shaped into your reality before either of you had even realised. All John knew was that the curious feeling would be strengthened would he follow his emotions, and that is exactly what he did. Gratitude leaves his heart feeling full at the choice, finally realising that he can settle into a life of normality. An adventure he has never once had but a glow radiates within him at being able to share it with you.

A salty fragrance slowly seeps into your sense of smell, the sounds of seagulls erupting in the distance as you realise just where John is driving you. The chance, living in a city, to go to the beach is scarce thanks to the distance, so you can feel a childish elation swell deep inside of you. Running on this emotion, you pull out the camera held safely in the confines of your bag. Turning it around and shifting your body so suddenly you poke your tongue out and a brief, blinding flash of light erupts before disappearing from existence as soon as it came.

“ oh, now this is a good one! “ you cheer as your lips curve so smoothly into a satisfied grin as you gaze upon the small print held between your fingers.

John says nothing, only knowing of his amusement through the abrupt laughter and warmth blazing so intensely in his eyes.

“ you’ll have to put those into an album or something. “

“ that’s actually a good idea, or a scrapbook? “ you ask with the idea brightening your entire expression. “ documenting this notable day! “

“ yeah, exactly. “ he agrees, a short laugh is shared with you in response. In awe at your naivety, once he’d been envious of the trait ⏤ because you’d never have seen the things he has, but he understands it now. Neither of you can help what you were born into, but he can have control over the person he becomes and that does not include harbouring resentment over something so trivial. The idea seems so foolish now, as it has become something he has grown to adore.

The two of you exit the vehicle, effortlessly your hands find each other through the lengthy space to the other's warmth in yours. John is unable to stop himself from admiring facile peace that clouds your features as you stare upon the limitless majesty of which the deep richness of the blue of the ocean expands way beyond what the eye can distinguish. There’s no worry nor emotional strain colouring itself into burdening your relaxed features.

Your fingers get to work photographing the scene before you, wanting not to document the beauty before you itself but rather the sentiment that dominates the moment with a heavy hand that you’d dare not maneuver away.

From behind you can feel arms encapsulate you against his chest as he parts his lips, as if to say something, mutter some romantic words but he stops immediately. His being wanting to fully submerge himself in a feeling of being enveloped by the serenity. Right now, it’s just you in each other’s company with nothing of the outside world being able to scratch and claw at your attention. He can finally allow himself to be lost in something good, someone who does not see him as a monster, no matter how many atrocities have occurred by his hands. God forbid any ghastly spirits should try to end the dream of this life, he would go to the ends of the Earth to shroud you from any harm from the shadiness he once delved into.

He leaves a flutter of sweet kisses on the crown of your head, you allow a nonchalant smile to illuminate your lips, a soft giggle at the action hovers between you both. John moves his grip to release your waist from his hold, a slow movement towards the bulky camera that lays safe in your grasp. He steps back with a gentleness that he’d never imagined could be contained within his form, and lifts the lens up to his awaiting gaze. You turn just as he lays pressure onto the button, a flash greeting you as you do ⏤ you’re caught off guard, his favourite version of you.

“ come on, John! “ you complain, fingers move to fuss with the loose ends of your hair played with by the tempestuous winds.

“ I couldn’t resist, I’m sorry. “ he apologises with an accompanying smirk, fondly eyeing the photograph of you being caught unaware.

“ it better look good. “ a warning falls from your lips, of course, it’s an empty one ⏤ you wouldn’t spit any venom his way over something so inconsequential.

“ you always look perfect to me. “

With a flood of tenderness and devotion filling your vision, hands inch higher and higher as they snake up the chest of John ⏤ he knows the movement well, a permanent muscle memory that brings him closer to your lips. The touch is so faint, almost feather like, this kiss lacking the pleading need and instinctive desire from his direction ⏤ instead, this one he takes comfort in your presence. He knows you both now have all the time to get lost in one another.

“ you think you can get around me easily? “ you question him swiftly, a good natured air of audacity sparkles in your gaze as you stare up to the tall man.

“ I know I can. “ John promises, already missing the lingering touch you leave behind like a tattoo on his mouth.

“ you sound so sure.. “ you remark, an amused tone coats your words heavily in its substance as your fingertips trace nonexistent patterns in the back of his neck.

John fights himself to prevent a groan of pleasure at the action from clawing its way free from him, already feeling himself melting into your form. He’s surprised you’re not one person.

“ Because I am. “ he states, a lone nod accompanies the action before he descends once more, itching to feel the silk of your lips on his once more on his.

Lifting the camera up at a slant, the crashing of the waves drowns out the click of the camera, he takes out the physical memory of this period of tranquility and adoration. You take it from him, your sight examining the image before you. If you’d had doubts before, you would no longer ⏤ a permanent reminder in picture form of the intimacy and care you share equally.

This is a day to remember.

“ I guess you’re correct. “

[blu-joons]

DATING ATEEZ A⇴Z HEADCANON ⇴ Choi Jongho

A ⇴ AFFECTION

Jongho is the definition of a cuddler, he always loves to have his arms wrapped around you and have you by his side. It’s an instinct for him to close any distance between the two of you when you’re in a close proximity of one another.

B ⇴ BEFORE DATING

You ended up catching Jongho’s eye several times at a coffee store by the studio, and the many glances he sent your way were something several of the boys quickly picked up on. He was far too shy to approach you though, and so with the boys behind him, he was eventually pushed into your direction, forcing him to introduce himself to you.

C ⇴ CONFESSION

When it came to confessing, Jongho was just as shy, and so he ended up confessing to you in a slightly tipsy manner. He’d convinced himself a bottle of soju would be enough to calm him down, but after drinking a little more, he ended up a little worse for wear. That didn’t stop him confessing to you at your door though, although he woke up the following morning with the memory, and a little hangover too.

D ⇴ DATES

Jongho was someone who tended to be quite private, and so your dates would often be in the comfort of your own homes, or where few people would be able to find the two of you. You were incredibly understanding of how private Jongho was of his personal life, more than happy to hang out at the dorm or have him at your place instead. Movie nights and takeout began to trend for the two of you, it didn’t take long before you knew each other’s orders off by heart, and the exact category on Netflix to browse too.

E ⇴ EXPERIENCE

Even speaking to a woman seemed like quite the task for Jongho before he started dating you, he was incredibly introverted and hated speaking to anyone that he wasn’t comfortable around. And so, for him dating was an incredibly big leap of faith, slowly bringing him out of his shell. It took a little while for him to know the dos and don’ts of a relationship, but with a bit of help from the boys, and honesty with you, he soon found himself relaxing and learning plenty about himself along the way as well.

F ⇴ FIGHTING

Although he can be quite the introvert, Jongho has a habit of getting angry quite easily too. If you’ve misplaced your keys and make him late, or don’t tidy up when you say you will, he’ll often find himself having to bite his tongue and keep himself calm. He tries his hardest to hold onto his temper around you, the last thing he wants to do is get angry at you, but if he can’t help it, and his frustrations slip out, you tend to take it. You know how irritable he can be, but you also know that when he’s calmed himself down too, he’ll always be straight over to apologise and make up for the hurt that he caused.

G ⇴ GETTING TO KNOW HIS FAMILY

He was more nervous than you were when it came to meeting his family, Jongho wanted the afternoon to go faultlessly, worrying about even the smallest of details. Although, he was far from surprised when he saw how well you got on with his family, and how quickly they welcomed you as one of their own.

H ⇴ HOME

A lot of Jongho’s time is spent at your apartment, it’s quiet, secretive, and the perfect place for him to relax, especially if he’s had a difficult time. Rooming with two others is a little bit difficult on your relationship, so your place is usually preferred, especially when there’s no one else around who can disturb you both.

I ⇴ “I LOVE YOU”

Jongho was the first to say, ‘I love you,’ much to your surprise. It was late at night, the two of you had spent hours talking about anything that came to mind, which was an experience Jongho adored. So much so, that he ended up finding himself telling you exactly how he felt about you, and how happy he was to be with you.

J ⇴ JEALOUSY

Words were helpless whenever Jongho got jealous, he much preferred to use actions, making his tall presence known, and getting a little more affectionate around you too. He’d often observe a situation closely, and if he felt like he needed to step in, he would. Although he wouldn’t say anything, you’d know instantly by the way his arms would move around you or his shoulders would push past someone that he was feeling jealous, and desperate to make his presence a little more known in the group.

K ⇴ KIDS

Whenever the two of you spoke about the future, Jongho always got incredibly shy. He was used to being the youngest, the child of the group almost, but as he got older, he knew children of his own was something to start thinking about. Whilst he loved to look to the future with you, he’d almost always do it with blushed cheeks and excited tone, thinking about everything that would happen in the future.

L ⇴ LAUGHTER

Around most people, Jongho was a quieter member of the group, but around those closer to him, like you, Jongho really began to show how funny he was. He was always making smart remarks, especially teasing his elders in the group, which would make you smile. He also loved to attack you, he’d often creep up behind you and tickle you or make you laugh, he just couldn’t help it when he loved the sound of your laughter so much. His humour was his way of letting you know how comfortable he was, and so when the jokes began, you were relieved to know Jongho had really opened up to you.

M ⇴ MISSING

The introverted side of Jongho would always be the sign that the other members needed to know that he was missing you. He’d go very quiet, and very private, not wanting to talk about you to anyone. Little things would frustrate him, and his temper would often get the better of him when your name was brought up, only because he missed you so much. Although Jongho might seem strong to most, when he’s missing you, he’ll go into his large shell and very much keep himself to himself, not wanting to worry the others too much, and avoid any conversation that revolved around you.

N ⇴ NICKNAMES

You loved to tease him and would often call him, ‘muscles.’ Secretly it was the boost to Jongho’s humble ego that he needed and would almost always lead to him pulling you into a tight hug to show off how strong he was.

O ⇴ OBSESSION

He was obsessed with your hugs, as much as he wanted to be able to hug you, Jongho also loved the security that came with you wrapping your arms around him too.

P ⇴ PDA

Jongho would often use his frame to keep you safe and guide you whenever you were out in public. His stance was one people tended to step away from, and so with an arm around your waist, he’d be able to use his body to protect you well and make sure that you got enough space to keep yourself calm in busy situations.

Q ⇴ QUESTIONS

Whenever Jongho goes a little too quiet for your liking, you’ll ask him how he’s doing and make sure that nothing is on his mind. He’ll always promise you that it’s nothing and go back to talking to you as if nothing’s happened.

R ⇴ RANDOM FACTS

You’ll often walk around your apartment and hear Jongho singing himself, usually a strong ballad. He always gets incredibly shy singing around you, so you’ll often have to wait until he’s alone to overhear him singing in another room. As soon as he notices that you’ve caught him though, he’ll go quiet, refusing to sing anymore, covering his red cheeks with his hands, trying to run away from your compliments.

S ⇴ SEX

Jongho always uses his strength with you when it comes to intimacy, although he’s not a rough kind of dom, he’ll definitely dominate in terms of being the one to move you around and put you exactly where he wants you. Jongho is also the best at aftercare too, he’ll always gets shy, so he’ll insist on running you a bath or something so you can spend some time alone and he can spend some time calming himself down.

T ⇴ TEXTS

He prides himself on being able to pick up on the little things, and so when you’re not feeling great, he’ll know, and text. He can tell in your replies how you’re truly feeling, and act from there how he sees as best.

U ⇴ UNIVERSE

You have to deal with a lot when it comes to Jongho’s career, he never quite understands how you do it with a smile on your face. But one thing he does understand, is how thankful he is to constantly have you at his side and supporting him.

V ⇴ VACATION

The moment he overhears you mentioning a place that you might like to visit, he’s looking at websites and finding trips that go out there. His eye for close detail means he can pick up on a lot of the things you talk about that you like, and make sure that he ends up arranging the best holiday for you as a result of it.

W ⇴ WHINING

Although Jongho doesn’t tend to whine, instead he’ll use his affection to let you know that he wants you and get a little cuddlier around you too.

X ⇴ XXXXX

Despite being much more of a hugger than a kisser, that doesn’t stop Jongho being incredibly sweet whenever he kisses you. When he spots a bit of exposed skin when he’s hugging you, he won’t be afraid to press his lips against you, with the surprise often leaving your cheeks turning a light shade of red. Jongho loves more than anything to make you shy with his affection, knowing that his kisses are the weakness to do that.

Y ⇴ YOU

You were his best friend, Jongho could never imagine life without you there.

Z ⇴ ZZZ

Of course, as Jongho always did, he was incredibly cuddly at night with you too. He’d hold onto your body as tight as possible most nights, refusing to let you go, making sure that you enjoyed laying in his strong embrace.

---

Masterlist

[writing-in-april]

Unsolved

Raymond Wadsworth (MGG in Suburban Gothic) x Gender Neutral Reader

Summary: Raymond runs into the buzzfeed unsolved duo again while investigating the same place he is, plus their cute camera operator.

A/N: Day 3 of 7 for my 500 follower celebration! This ended up in a wildly different direction then I was planning on going but I still really like this one a lot- plus it’s my first time posting for Raymond! Thank you to @ontheoddoccasioniwritestuff who planted the idea into my mind 🥰 Go check out their stuff it’s amazing (Especially Between Bars it’s my favorite) ~this is also unbeta’d so sorry if there are grammar mistakes~

Warnings: A few swear words, Sexual Innuendos- Plus the lightbulb breaking over Raymond story (this is way more tame then the movie however)

Masterlist Word count: 1.0k

Working as a camera operator for Buzzfeed Unsolved was a dream come true for a young adult not that long out of college like myself. Now, I personally didn’t believe in ghosts like Ryan did, but the appeal of the show for me was being able to be surrounded by great moments in history. I got to visit some of the most famous historical landmarks, ranging from the supposedly haunted ghost town of Tombstone, Arizona to the subterranean terrors of the London Tombs. Sure- it was all under the guise of ghost hunting but even that still had its charms even if I did believe every ‘encounter’ was bullshit.

My most wild encounter at a site we were investigating didn’t come from a ghost at all, rather it came from a man named Raymond when we had been at Waverly Hills Hospital. Raymond was a paranormal investigator who was far more invested compared to our group- even more so than Ryan.

It was funny to hear Raymond’s ‘experiences’ with ghosts. Compared to what I had seen with Ryan and Shane the ‘ghosts’ that had haunted him in the past seemed rather amusing to me. However- I still did not buy his story. I was more inclined to believe that any encounters with ghosts were a figment of everyone’s imagination or a story made up for profit.

When it comes to Raymond normally I’d assume that his whole story was just to get a quick buck, I mean he did have a business based around the supernatural. But, the difference between everyone else’s stories Raymond’s seemed wildly outlandish to the point that I slightly questioned his sanity. (However, that didn’t affect how attractive I found him)

Who would make up stories like his? If they were fake it was a bold move to make his whole business based off of ghost stories that even the biggest ghost enthusiast would have a hard time believing. Even Ryan raised his eyebrows every time Raymond told another one of his tales. Either that or his story of a jizz filled light that broke above his head was really true and everything I’ve ever known or believed in was bullshit. He was a puzzle for me to solve and it was one that I wanted to solve desperately.

“So you’re telling me a light bulb exploded above you and jizzed all over you?” Shane was in disbelief at this new story that Raymond was telling us. We had run into him again when we started to investigate the Sorrel-Weed house just as we were about to enter.

“I believe you think you saw that.” I piped up to say right after Shane, it was fun to get Raymond riled up. He always tended to look down at the ground with a frustrated glare whenever we tried to disprove his theories everytime we saw him. However, even though I definitely did not believe his stories, there was still something incredibly endearing about him. The way he talked animatedly and with passion every time we had a rousing debate about the existence of the paranormal or maybe it was the fluffy curly hair that looked like a bird’s nest. Whatever it was didn’t matter- just the fact that every time I was in his presence my eyes were glued to him, hanging on to every word no matter how unbelievable they were. I couldn’t help shamelessly flirting with him this time around as well the little blush he had on his cheeks everytime that I dropped a sexual innuendo during our debate only egged me on further. When Raymond left so we could film our episode I found myself getting sad, I wanted him to stay and investigate with us.

—-

After we had investigated the place we were standing by our cars listening to Ryan talk excitedly about how he saw a ‘ghost’ in the house. My bet was that it had actually been the caretaker though there was no chance in convincing Ryan of that, though I would've given anything to see Raymond’s reaction to the ‘ghost’. I was more focused on what Shane was doing at the moment, he was leaning back giving me a funny look- one that he had been giving me the whole night for some reason.

“You like him don’t you?” He suddenly remarked to me after a brief pause in Ryan’s spiel, which also gained Ryan’s attention.

“What? Who?”A blush fell across my cheeks and the rock that I had absentmindedly been kicking was now the most interesting thing in the world. I pretended to play coy, I knew who he was referring to- I had not been exactly subtle in my flirting with Raymond today.

“Raymond- You were looking at him in like- awe the whole time he was here.” He kept pushing and Ryan concurred with his thoughts. I might as well come out and admit the fact that I liked the lanky spaz. I nodded my head in confirmation to the two of them, my blush deepening even further.

“Well- just promise that you stay a Shaniac if you ever act on your feelings, I don’t want to be outnumbered.” I snorted a little at his comment and Ryan let out a little wheeze. Maybe this would be the push I needed to act on my feelings- I was pretty sure he liked me as well as his eyes tended to light up everytime I walked into a room or I started talking with him. So why not? I already happened to have his phone number in my phone so I took a leap of faith, texting him and asking him out on a date. Maybe we could go ghost hunting.

Whether or not the Sorrel-Weed house was haunted will remain-

Unsolved. (Though Ryan would debate that)

But- Whether or not I feelings for Raymond was-

Solved.

[rainboq]

I posted 941 times in 2021

77 posts created (8%)

864 posts reblogged (92%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 11.2 posts.

I added 812 tags in 2021

#life is strange - 230 posts

#chloe price - 160 posts

#max caulfield - 120 posts

#pricefield - 77 posts

#kate marsh - 64 posts

#fanfiction - 38 posts

#pricemarsh - 33 posts

#rachel amber - 32 posts

#alex chen - 30 posts

#chenrich - 28 posts

Longest Tag: 95 characters

#i have to wonder how angry gabe would be with steph for putting the moves on his little sister?

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

A huge thanks to @lifeischamlis for doing this totally awesome cover art for my fanfiction Chloe and the Beast! Check them out on twitter here.

78 notes • Posted 2021-09-18 17:09:29 GMT

#4

Some PriceMarsh gift art drawn by @blusthings, inspired by my fic Purity Through a Prism, showing them visiting Arcadia Bay after getting married! (Chloe's working on quitting smoking, but being back in the Bay is always stressful)

99 notes • Posted 2021-07-29 00:51:49 GMT

#3

Oh look, I'm still shipping trash.

I'm in the middle of writing a huge ass PriceMarsh fic that I'll be posting when it's done, and I couldn't help but commission my wonderful friend @blusthings for art of these two massive dorks being incredibly gay.

120 notes • Posted 2021-03-17 21:49:16 GMT

#2

Okay, so I might be shipping trash, I'm pretty sure that's well established by the fics I write, but I'm going to gush about Marshfield a lil bit. I started a replay of LiS since I need to play video games to start healing from my concussion, and just holy crap I totally missed this when I first played.

First off, Kate is basically the only person Max actually knows and spends time with other than Warren, and unlike Warren, she actually has physical contact with her (as seen after you stand up to David).

Max basically doesn't know her classmates outside of her bullies and Kate. Hell, Stella doesn't even know her name.

But Kate? Kate texts Max to ask when she's free to have tea, and Max can offer to spend time with her to 'have a cup o' tea and bitch about life'. For someone as socially anxious and introverted as Max, willingly offering to spend time with someone is a huge thing. She didn't offer to hang out with Warren and watch the movies on his flash drive (which was probably what he had been insinuating they should do when he first gave it to her) and she clearly has very little else to do with her classmates.

Why Kate though?

Kate, as a person, seems driven to help others. We know she's involved in Meals on Wheels and she's eager to help Max when asked in episode 4. Now picture Kate on move in day, nervous about starting a new school where she fully expects to be mocked for her faith, and a girl who seems equally if not more anxious starts moving in across from her.

Kate's urge to help kicks in, she sees a lonely, lost soul and she reaches out. Just meeting for tea. Low key, somewhere of Max's choosing and with a set activity. For someone with Max's particular mental health struggles and implied neurodivergence, that sounds like a lovely combo and a way to actually make a friend, plus Kate's kind, nonthreatening appearance and demeanor don't hurt either.

Jump forwards to LiS. Max frets that her inability to not answer Mr. Jefferson's question makes Kate look back by association, and later Kate expresses concern about Max, remarking that she looks pale. These two care about each other, even if Max's tendency to hole up in her dorm room makes it so she's largely unaware of the rest of Kate's social life.

And then there's standing up to David. Sure she has the time power backing her up, but standing up to people, directly and verbally, is so out of Max' comfort zone. Sure she had to indirectly stand up to Victoria when she was physically blocking her path, and the player can choose to have Max give Victoria some payback when it's one on one, but when Victoria has her friends, that's not an option. And David's an authority figure on campus, he can cause serious problems for Max, and yet she can stand up for Kate.

And then just... look at her face when Kate is thanking and praising her for her actions.

Just look at that dopey little smile and that shy posture!

This, to me at any rate, is the posture of a girl who just impressed her crush and is riding high on those endorphins.

And that's not even getting into how Max's tone of voice is subtly softer when she's talking to Kate, or how Max pulls out a new power to save Kate like she did to save Chloe.

I fully expect that if Chloe hadn't come crashing into Max's life like the blue haired wrecking ball she is, something might have eventually happened between Max and Kate. Or maybe in a post Bay world if they reconnected after Max bailed on Blackwell.

180 notes • Posted 2021-03-13 14:15:06 GMT

#1

A sign of things to come in Purity Through a Prism. Some art I commissioned from the incredibly lovely Taylor on Twitter for my fic, showing Kate's coming growth as a character. Honestly, going pastel punk just seems like a nature side effect of her dating Chloe to me.

222 notes • Posted 2021-09-03 18:10:58 GMT

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