#and their hauntingly bittersweet theme playing over it all

[transpidergwen]

Ressurection Ship parts 1 and 2 reaction

Adama crying not once but TWICE in two episodes?!?!?? I must be in heaven. I love when all men show their emotions but especially Adama who is the pinnacle of stoic and in control.

It's the way his ironclad mask just completely melts around Roslin. The way he has fallen in love with her just in time. The way he hides his grief when he's with her because he wants to cherish every last moment with her. The way his voice cracks against his will when he speaks to her, and the way that he's so barely holding it together that the tears come the moment his back is turned before he's even out of the room. It's that little kiss he gives her, a kiss that says thank you, I don't have the words right now but thank you. And it's her little smile of relief and excitement, that even this close to death she's experiencing love again.

[icedmilkwater]

10 songs by 10 artists go

1. Birdhouse In Your Soul by They Might Be Giants:

An absolute cornerstone of my childhood growing up. This entire list could be TMBG songs on it's own. The Flood album really defined who I was when I was younger, and Birdhouse was almost constantly playing on loop.

2. Cybele's Reverie by Stereolab:

My dad first introduced me into Stereolab and they've quickly fastened themselves into one of my favorite bands, Cybele's Reverie filling me with enough emotion to cry. It's a damn good song.

3. String Theocracy by Mili:

I can't do a list of favorite songs and not include String Theocracy. Library of Ruina has been one of my most passionate obsessions, and as such Mili has become one of my top artists. The meaning in String Theocracy is just so deep and thought provoking, all wrapped up in a nice jazzy bow.

4. Dark Beach by Pastel Ghost:

Anything with sea-related themes is easy to get my attention. However the hauntingly peaceful sound that Dark Beach delivers fills me with all kinds of bittersweet emotions. It's an amazing song that fits my taste near-perfectly.

5. Bocca della Verità by Hiiragi Kirai:

I only got into vocaloid about a year and a half ago, but my god is Hiiragi one of my favorite vocaloid artists. It's impressive what you can do with all the different vocaloids to choose from, and Kirai's choice of Flower greatly helps bring the feeling of his work to a more vivid experience. ...If that makes sense.

6. Marble Soda by Shawn Wasabi:

I have to include Marble Soda in this list. One of the defining songs of my early teen years, it reminds me of the long period in time of watching old sudememo and flipnote memes. Songs like this most likely shaped who I am fundamentally.

7. Merry Happy by Kate Nash:

A song that helped get me through my breakup. It brought me back to my senses and sent me on the path to rediscover who I was, realizing the fact that people can be nice, fun people, but also capable of hurting you. Merry Happy aided me in creating my own happiness, one that doesn't rely on others.

8. Dancing Queen by ABBA:

Another song that helped me through my breakup, haha. It's nigh impossible to be sad or stay sad when this song is playing. On days that were especially bad, I would blast ABBA as much as possible to help try and cheer myself up. and in 9 out of 10 cases, it worked out.

9. Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz:

Another defining band of my childhood. Gorillaz has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, with Feel Good Inc. sticking out in my memory the most. I'm absolutely in love with the way they sound, and I can safely say that it's a song that can still be found on my main playlist to this day.

10. Concrete Beatdown by Jimkata:

In last but certainly not least, Concrete Beatdown. I talked a lot about defining bands, but I would not be the person I am today without Jimkata. They were a band I blasted over and over and over again during one of my most influential periods growing up, and they're a band I have deep love for. Their sound is interesting and unique, and I can always tell immediately when one of their songs come on the radio.

I was tagged by @litho-sphere to do this! Not sure of many other people to tag tho, so I suppose I tag my good buddy @eggorf to do this :)

[floraone]

So, Rec'tober is almost over and I come in at the finish line.

But I wanted to write a special kind of fic rec, something beyond what I normally do. And so I target this post not towards our little corner of the internet that have read every big fic that was posted in the last two decades, but towards those who pop in from time to time, to those that loved Sailor Moon in their childhood and youth and feel that pinge of nostalgia for the world. This post is for you!

Not everything in the Sailor Moon franchise survived the test of time. There are parts of canon we REMEMBER differently - we remember what it made us feel at the time, but re-watching it, it just doesn’t have the same impact. We grew up, and we STILL LOVE THE FRIGGIN CONCEPT, but we notice the flaws we didn’t notice before. But we want that back - we want the feeling that we had watching the show when we were little. We want that wonder, that newness, that full heart about how GOOD and wholesome Usagi is, we want the miracle romance, we want our favorite characters but how they grew with us in our heads.

And well, there IS a place where we can find this fix of what it felt like. And it’s preserved in a treasure box of fanfiction. Of people who write these characters as they might be today, of people who take their essence and make it new.

So, this list is filled with tons of fics that tried to re-create canon with that affectionate, nostalgic feeling. I specifically for this list chose fics that dealt with canon themes - either through fix-it fics that took specific episodes and put their own spin to it, or to spins on canon, the what ifs - what if this specific choice weren’t made, what if the break up arc didn’t end, what if we took this plot point and spun it somewhere new, playing with the things we vaguely remember to have loved so dearly. (Though, of course, the world of Alternative Universes and Non-Senshi fics is vast, and if you are looking for a fix of that, please check out @uglygreenjacket ‘s elaborate worlds and @queenrisa14 fantastic AU spins out especially for this purpose!)

(Take note that these stories prominently feature stories revolving Usagi and Mamoru and the Miracle Romance, since that is my absolute jam. (Though it didn’t even used to be my most favorite part of the story growing up!) And some categories feature more stories by the same authors (for instance those that just like to dabble in What Ifs  - a not all TOO common trope, though I hope it were!))

So, let me transport you back into your childhood:

What If’s:

Forget Me Not by Antigone2 What if, post-stars, Usagi was suddenly the one to forget Mamoru for once, and he had to try really hard to make a new good first impression? This plays off all my buttons, and @idesofnovember is a master of making you remember the small details of these dorks that were so special.

What If by Antigone2 Canon had the habit of making Mamoru forget his memories, and @idesofnovember is a master of taking this trope and making it better. Here, Usagi wonders if Mamoru would have ever dated her if it weren’t for their history, and Setsuna, fed up, makes it happen.

Desperate and Divine by Antigone2 (Rated M) This story will always have a giant place in my heart: What If Mamoru never remembered after Beryl’s defeat, and Usagi was trying to get that one special night of closure. This had such an impact on me, reminding me how much I loved these characters, that it caused me to start writing fanfiction once more.

Royal Pain and Similes by Antigone2 What If the Senshi had found out Usagi is Serenity, but never that Mamoru is Endymion in this spectacular pinefest that will make your heart bleed.

Coming Of Age by Kasienda What if the R story arc surrounding Chibi-Usa was a little more sensical, a little more tragic, a little more realistic? This kid shows up in front of Mamoru’s door, Sailor Pluto informing him she’s from a great war in the future and him being the only one of age, he is now her legal guardian. Watch Mamoru and Usagi becoming parents to a war-traumatized Chibi-Usa, and all the struggles with it.

The Reveal by Kasienda This is a series of unconnected fics set in first season primarly and beyond, and it reinvents that crucial moment where the superhero personas of our favorite characters are revealed over and over and over again, because that moment can never be special and new enough.

A Craving for Milkshakes by Kasienda What if during first season, a monster-of-the-week had caused Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon to be telepathically linked? Watch how it would progressively have changed their dynamic in this endearing, sweet story!

Wring My Emotions and interpret canon anew:

Six Birthdays by Kiyoshi Dot This Fic reads like a poem, and it runs your through the ups and downs of the Miracle Romance via gifts Usagi receives forher birthday through the years, and it has the feeling of the Manga written all over it.

Aisuru, Mamo-chan by ellephedre Post-stars, Mamoru receives a package from Harvard. In it are all the letters Usagi wrote to him while he was dead during Stars. And yes, this read is as painful and therapeutic as you imagine it is.

Song for a scribbled out name by Antigone2 Centered in the first season during the anime’s Evil!Endymion arc, this little story teases you with what might have become of this enticing little nugget of piney, deliciously angsty plot!

The Odds Considered by Kiyoshi Dot Takes you through the secret romance of Usagi and Mamoru in the first season in this hauntingly beautiful way of forming words, and made me hurt in the way I always wanted the manga to hurt me.

Resiliency is My Mask by MamaLadyKT This is an episode fix surrounding the time Usagi was nearly suffocated by a monster-of-the-week in the infamous Saori-episode, and Mamoru cares a LOT about it.

Feel Good Little Moments with these characters as we remember them:

Je t’aime by Antigone2 A snapshot moment where Usagi uses the disguise pen to sneak into a university event of Mamoru’s and takes him for a little test. This little story feels so delightfully, essentially THEM in the way they behaved during later seasons of the anime that it makes my chest feel light and happy!

Day Of Delinquency by UglyGreenJacket A snippet of a moment that captures the humor of the series as my heart remembers it, in which Haruka takes Usagi on a joy ride, Usagi lands them in jail, and Mamoru and Michiri have to bail them out.

Distractions by Antigone2 follows Mamoru unsuccessfully trying to help Usagi study and it feels like home.

The Untouchable King in the Day and Night Lacunae Series by Tina Century What if we let @tinacentury show King Endymion the Sailor Moon Crystal series? This is exactly as delightful as it sounds.

A Romance For The Small Things by amomo Newest on this list, @spider-momo wrote these fall-themed snippets of Senshi interactions in the way that feel so painfully right and homey and warm they are bound to make you ache to re-acquaint yourself with these old friends of yours.

Public Eye by Antigone2 Canon never gave us a terrible lot of interaction between Usagi and Tuxedo Mask or Mamoru and Sailor Moon. This is a cheeky and delightful little ficlet about Mamoru having to pretend he has No Relations Going On With This Superheroine.

Rainbow by Kasienda I’m pretty sure I put this fic on every fic rec list I ever wrote, but @kasienda encapsulated everything I love about Mamoru and Usagi’s dynamic in the first season of the anime and made my heart ache in its simplistic beauty.

The Space Between by Uglygreenjacket This series of ficlets explores the space between R and S and gives you that sweet feeling of Usagi and Mamoru tender baby love as we were used to in S!

A Week With Mamoru Chiba by Dreams In Pink This fic takes us through a series of Mamoru-centered mini-stories in a mostly first season second that feel so delightfully warm and funny it will warm your heart.

Flower Power By irritable-vowel-types Do you miss the absolute ridiculousness that were these show’s monster-of-the-week, or Tuxedo Mask’s outrageous speeches? This fic is a crackfic, and yet it somehow manages to feel EXACTLY as ridiculous and not a tad more than those original canon monsters.

All’s Fun With Love and Orbs by irritable-vowel-types This is set in Super-S, and reads like an episode as it should have been. What if one of the Amazon Quartett’s shenanigans was to flip all love into hate for one delightfully hilarious read?

The Thing About Your Transformation by AngelMoon Girl Delightfully funny, this little ficlet explores the fact that Mamoru can’t quite deal with the fact that for a short moment before every battle, Usagi may be all glitter, but she’s also briefly naked as she transforms.

Shall We Dance by ncisduckie A snippet in time and a secret relationship as Serenity and Endymion share a bittersweet dance.

And, if you still want more, I wrote my own canon spins, too. Most notably, the Ikigai and Yugen duo (Rated M), in which I tried to hand-pick everything I loved about the Sailor Moon story, manga and anime and all, of all the seasons, and tried to reinvent it in a way that felt contemporary and told one consecutive narrative within the anime setting. And in contrast to that for the manga meets anime setting, my story Priorities (Rated M) tried to encapsulate what the feeling of reading the Manga for the first time felt like to me, but now with a very adult and mature and heart-aching spin to it.

This list I gave you is non-exhaustive. There are many, many more where they come from. And if you need a fix of Sailor Moon nostalgia, they are waiting for you. Have FUN!

(And if you liked any of them, please consider leaving the author a review, so they will keep motivated to supply us with such beautiful, free, nostalgic treasures!)

[lizziebennet]

AURORA. Very important question for you on this Tuesday night - what is your opinion on the HP scores and could you order them from fav to least fav?

what an excellent and essential question. i admit that it’s hard for me to approach this matter from an objective point of view as obviously my opinions of these scores are very intensely affected by nostalgia and my experience w the film itself, but i shall try my hardest to just evaluate the scores on their own merit. 

RANKING OF THE HARRY POTTER FILM SCORES, FROM WORST TO BEST:

7. deathly hallows part 1&2 by alexandre desplat

i remember when it was announced desplat was going to be doing the last 2 films and it was so exciting to have such a Hot Composer taking on the final two films… but i gotta say he severely disappointed me and i haven’t forgiven desplat since. these films–especially part 2–were the culmination of the entire franchise, and should’ve been fucking epic masterpieces that evoked the previous films’ score. instead, desplat largely ignored the iconic potter themes that williams and others created and went in his own direction which like… isn’t really the right move for the last 2 films of a franchise imo. 

and im just not super a fan of what he came up with?? like ‘lily’s theme’ is good, but im not sure it really fits potter?? and i just feel like a lot of the final battle stuff could’ve been so much more epic and emotional like. it doesn’t take a lot for a bitch to cry in a harry potter movie but desplat wasn’t helping me out u know. anyway i honestly like the score he did for fucking new moon better than for potter which …….is not great. 

6. order of the phoenix by nicholas hooper 

i am trying not to let my hatred of this movie cloud my judgement here but like even so i think this is one of the weaker scores. there are just so many annoying tracks lmaooo that like they blast at the wizarding world parks u know. like umbridge’s theme… i get its SUPPOSED to be annoying but still its not a fave. and like i think again the stuff in the ministry of magic during the fight scenes couldve been better. its just not a fave tbh but i do like a few themes like particularly the track ‘a journey to hogwarts’ is very sweet and sirius’s death moment was well done. but overall there are more tracks on this one i skip than play. 

5. chamber of secrets by john williams

this is where things get rly tricky bc i legit love the rest of these scores. but i have to put chamber here because i feel like a lot of its greatness piggybacks off the genius of the score of sorcerer’s stone... which isn’t a bad thing at all but. it doesn’t bring a ton of new stuff to the table. however i do love the ‘fawkes the phoenix’ theme!!! so!! much!!! and lockhart’s theme is very funny and cute. we do edge into a saccharine territory a bit when it comes to tracks like ‘reunion of friends’ but like i cry every time so who fucking cares. 

4. half-blood prince by nicholas hooper

i really really love this score as a stand alone score, and i almost put it higher on this list but i feel like this score totally abandons all the potter scores that have come before it and does its totally own new thing. this isn’t really the scores fault, as im sure like david yates told hooper to do this you know, but it deviates so far from the original themes instead of just adding onto them, so much so that if you just heard it without watching the movie you might not even associate it with the potter movies at all. again, this probably isn’t hooper’s fault but i think this was a big mistake for the sonic evolution of the movies. the potter movies failed to create a cohesive sound across all the films, and i think it is worse for it. can u imagine if the harry potter movies were like the lord of the rings movies, where they bring back themes from the first movie in the final one and the audience recognizes them subconsciously and the moment is all the more emotional because of it? tbh just a missed opportunity imo. 

but anyway just about this score on its own, it has some of the best standalone tracks in the entire movies tbh. the one that stands out the most to me is of course ‘dumbledore’s farewell.’ such a hauntingly beautiful song--i remember seeing this movie for the first time and this track pierced me to my core. i also love how this score uses harp like in ‘when ginny kissed harry,’ and how it uses choral arrangements?? like in ‘in noctem.’ honestly i adore this score so much but i have to rank it lower because i doesn’t feel like it serves its purpose in the potter movies as a whole well :( 

3. goblet of fire by patrick doyle

idk why patrick doyle only did the 1 movie because i really like this score. i know its super hard to follow up john fucking williams lmaooo but i feel like he did a pretty good job of drawing from the original williams themes but also incorporating some new stuff to fit the darker tone of the movie. there are some of my favorite potter tracks of all time on this score like ‘death of cedric’ which is so haunting and perfect and ‘harry in winter’ which is so beautiful and potter-esque. he also did a really good job with the action scenes in the graveyard which is v important to me. and the diegetic music in the yule ball stuff is so funny and lovely at the same time. 

2. sorcerer’s stone by john williams 

the fucking classic. the og. like, what is there to say?? talented brilliant incredible amazing showstopping never the same totally unique. like only john williams could create such an iconic theme. it’s hard for me to be objective here because i was young enough when the first movie came out that ‘hedwig’s theme’ /is/ harry potter to me, they are one in the same, you cannot separate them in my mind. but truly williams captured the magic of the harry potter world in music and enchanted everyone with this score. 

i also love the little medieval-y influences in this score that were dropped by chamber of secrets. like with the harp moments and in ‘diagon alley and the gringotts vault’ and ‘in ‘hogwarts forever!’ there’s just a very majestic and antique vibe that i really dig that didn’t really carry over to the other movies. 

i will say sometime williams gets very... williams-y in his very uhh loud?? and kinda frantic composing u can hear in like ‘the quidditch match’ which isn’t my favorite way to do action scenes, but like who the fuck cares u know the pros of this score far outweigh it. 

like. just. so manyyy iconic themes that have so much EMOTIONAL WEIGHT!!! like the moment u see hogwarts for the first time and the choral vocals... and the bells in ‘christmas at hogwarts.’ and who can keep a dry eye during ‘leaving hogwarts’??? NOT I!!!!!!!!!!! such a gentle theme of longing and home and yearning and family and bittersweet loss. it starts so small and intimate but then swELLS to this grand and sweeping tune. it’s stunning. 

1. prisoner of azkaban by john williams

this is PEAK!!! potter for me. again, hard to be objective because this is the best my favorite harry potter movie, but i also truly think this is the best score because it carries over the iconic themes of the first two movies but adds a quirky and dramatic flair that fits the tone of the movie cuaron was trying to make u know? i think u can really tell that cuaron had a lot of imput on the score and didn’t just let williams do whatever he wanted, because we get a really interesting, stylized sound that is really different from williams usual fare in such a great way. but, it still is a williams score and because of that it shines and also weaves in the past movies’ themes to give us an outstanding amalgamation of sound and melody. 

like we start with ‘lumos!’ which gets us right back into the potter universe but then we get a series of quirky new themes, like the waltz for aunt marge, the jazzy knight bus theme, and the medieval choral rendition of ‘double trouble’... iconic. and we get the dark and disturbing dementors theme (’apparition on the train’) which is very understated for a williams score and extremely effective. 

however ,,,, we do not abandon the themes from prior movies!!!!! a great illustration of how williams takes those old potter themes and adapts them for this movie can be seen in ‘secrets of the castle.’ this minimalist take on hedwigs theme is a completely different tone from the original, but still establishes that we are in the same sonic world as that film. you can also see this in ‘the portrait gallery’ where an old potter theme is played on some kind of woodwind (idk sorry) and a harpsichord, giving the odd, quirky, vintage feel of the movie but still keeping with the established potter musical world. 

i really love the ~medieval vibes~ that this score gives me and i wish this was something later scores went back to (instead of going in a jazz direction..looking at you hooper). theres a lot of traditional sounding instruments used that give it a real rustic, celtic feel rather than the grand classicism of a full orchestral sound that the first 2 movies use. a lot of harps, strings, and woodwinds!!!! 

some of my favorite tracks of all time are on this score. ‘window to the past’ is just... a triumph of emotion. its absolutely stunning in its simplicity in the beginning, and how it builds toward the end. the return of that theme in ‘finale’ when sirius is saying goodbye to harry...i truly sob every time. the isolated vocals in ‘the patronus light’ truly embody the purity of that awe and joy when the patronus is cast. and of course, of course, ‘buckbeak’s flight’ is an absolute magical joy ride captured in sound. williams refrains from using a full orchestra for most of the score, so when everyone plays together in moments like this you get the full grandeur of the scene just... bAM! it’s so fucking well done and just... perfect. 

[swainlake]

Hello! So now that got has ended I'm looking for some tv shows that I could watch after I'm done with my exams. Do you have any suggestions? I'm not looking for anything specific, although if you have watched some good period dramas, I'd love some recommendations. Also wanted to add how much I love your blog, it's really beautiful

tysm that’s so sweet!! i love giving recs so i’ve got a bunch that you might like under the cut; i’ve put a ♡ next to my favs

period dramas:

NEW WORLDS (2014)this one is a mini series, only 4 episodes long, but please don’t let that stop you! it’s about anti-monarchism and rebellion and forbidden love in the 1600′s & is set in both england and america. i cried more than once but the ending is so bittersweet and hopeful!! 

POLDARK (2015—)i have a love/hate relationship with this one tbh. i started watching because of the main relationship but i ended up really into it for the side relationships instead?? the actual political plot doesn’t interest me but i love the drama between the family members. also i adore the women in this show, every single female character is well-written and realistic and you’ll love them all (even if at times you hate them). the men tho? the men are pretty much collectively the worst. “what’s wrong with the women in this family?” “the men.”

SPARTACUS (2010—2013) ♡i started watching this before i ever got into game of thrones but if you like the fight scenes in got, you’ll enjoy this! great characters, great fight scenes, great friendships. this one is based on gladiators who are fighting for their freedom.

THE WHITE PRINCESS (2017) ♡okay firstly and most importantly: jodie comer stars in this so you know it’s good. it’s also got michelle fairly (catelyn stark) in it though tbh she wasn’t my favourite character in this and i didn’t find her likeable at all. it’s not very historically accurate ofc but the relationship between henry/elizabeth is honestly the perfect enemies to lovers rep & always lowkey reminds me of book!sansa/jon possibilities

PAN AM (2011—2012)this one isn’t like game of thrones at all but it’s only one season and it’s super cute and has a lot of famous actresses in it like christina ricci & margot robbie. based on the adventures of a crew of pan am stewardesses, this is a good combination of lighthearted fun and chilling cold-war drama. an old favourite. 

THE MUSKETEERS (2014—2016) ♡i’ll be gushing over this for years to come tbh it’s really just that perfect. the relationship between the musketeers is so lovely, the personification of ‘brotherhood’ really, but also the romantic relationships are really good too?? which for some reason i personally hadn’t expected. my fav couple is aramis/anne (anne is played by the actress who played roslin frey!) because the forbidden love & the respect and adoration between those two is just perfect but really every relationship (even the ones that don’t become endgame) are written very well

OUTLANDER (2014—)i haven’t watched every single episode of this one but from what i have seen it’s very good, and has some similar themes to game of thrones!! the sex scenes are epic, the main relationship is lovely, and overall its a very realistic show that features supernatural elements!

THE LAST KINGDOM (2015—) ♡i’m not going to lie: i started this series by skipping straight to 2x7 because i’d seen gifs of the relationship between aethelflaed and erik but it was so good i ended up going back and starting from the beginning! this show reminds me of ‘vikings’ more tham game of thrones but it’s not as gory and the characters aren’t all assholes. side note: if you love sansa stark as much as i do you’re gonna love aethelflaed, lady of mercia! she’s actually a real person but this show is based on a book series that looks super interesting! honestly the main character also kind of reminds me of jon snow

HARLOTS (2017—) ♡oh my gosh how do i describe this show?? the family dynamics are so! intricate! and! beautiful! honestly just stunning. everything about this show is s t u n n i n g. the costumes are colourful and vivid and honestly i’d recommend watching just for that but the storyline really does keep you hooked!! also: liv tyler and jessica brown findlay are love interests in this which is honestly a dream come true

BLACK SAILS (2015—2017)okay full disclosure; i haven’t actually seen this but i’ve heard very good things and it’s on my list!! it’s about pirates, i think there’s some queer rep (can anybody confirm??), and there’s lots of amazing women. again, allegedly. 

dramas:

THE SOCIETY (2018—)i literally watched the entire first season in a single night so it must be alright, right? basically all you need to know about this is that a town full of teenagers go on a field trip & then return to find all their parents mysteriously missing and their town closed off from the outside world. it’s basically lord of the flies but modern! with some kick-ass friendships! and amazing young women (one literally teaches herself to be a doctor can you believe?)! 

SHARP OBJECTS (2018)if you haven’t heard about this one yet idk what rock you’ve been living under but welcome back! this one is a m a z i n g but also hella chilling and the ending is such a shocker if it hasn’t been spoiled for you yet!

THE BOLD TYPE (2017—) ♡i always describe this one as ‘sex and the city for millennials’ but i’ve never watched a single sex and the city episode in my life so i honestly don’t know how accurate that is?? but it’s about a group of 20-something year old women who are best friends and work mates and they love each other so much?? the relationship between the girls is my favourite thing about the show but the show honestly tackles a lot of relevant issues; trump, age gaps, queer rep, immigration, racism, etc. i can’t recommend this enough!

CODE BLACK (2015—2018) ♡you know those episodes in greys anatomy where everything is life-or-death and you’re on edge for the whole episode? that’s basically every single episode of code black. this is hands-down one of my most rewatched shows ever. i love medical dramas and this one balances well written characters with action-packed medical miracles so honestly what’s not to like?? 

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (2018—)okay admittedly the only reason i watch this show is because of the main couple but i can’t help it when they’re just so gosh-darn cute!! they love each other so god damned much! i wasn’t completely sold on this straight away but by ep 3 i was HOOKED. if you like supernatural romances/dramas that are more mature than your usual cw show, this one is a good choice!

THE OA (2016—) ♡i can’t even put into words how much i adore this?? but also: it will confuse THE SHIT out of you. no matter how smart you are, this one will leave you scratching your head. basically: a group of people who’ve had near-death experiences get kidnapped and experimented on. it’s not as brutal as it sounds, in fact the show is exceptionally beautiful, but it does deal with some hard themes and the good guys don’t always win. 

12 MONKEYS (2015—2018)do you like time travel? do you like forbidden and yet totally-still-devoted-to-one-another-anyway love? then this is the show for you! this one is dark and gritty and deals pretty realistically with the concept of time travel & self-sacrifice and what people will give up to create a better world. it’s got a happy ending & you wont regret watching!

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE (2018)oh this one will make you cry. in a good way though! long story short a family grows up in a haunted house and it affects them in ways they cannot imagine. it’s hauntingly beautiful and poetic and everybody should watch it at least once imo

comedies:

THE MARVELOUS MRS MAISEL (2017—)okay so this one counts as a period drama as well but it’s about a COMEDIAN so i put it in the comedy section lol. okay so long story short, a woman is left by her husband, she’s worth 1000 of him & everybody else knows it because you seriously can’t help falling in love with this woman but ofc there’s period-typical sexism she has to face as she struggles with being a single woman, a single mother, and an up-and-coming comedian. def recommend.

SANTA CLARITA DIET (2017—2019)drew barrymore is a zombie!! who lives a normal life but also eats people!! it’s only weird for the first couple of eps. the family dynamics are snarky and witty and they manage to make gore funny?? honestly this entire show is legit laugh-out-loud darkly hilarious.

[brendancorris]

My Top Ten Horror Movie Themes (Part 2)

In my last post I covered my #10-#6 favorite horror movie theme songs ever, which were: 10) Halloween III: Season of the Witch 9) Child’s Play 8) Gremlins 7) Psycho 6) The Omen And here’s #5, 4, 3, 2, and my #1 favorite:

5 – Poltergeist

This is an odd but wonderful song. It’s certainly creepy and unnerving, but upon greater listening, it’s also very pretty and bittersweet. One could argue the lovely, innocent sound just assists in making it creepy, as it is clearly masking something horrifying, as the song is consistently a bit off and eerie sounding. I’ve always found something scary about a ghost or spirit being sad. Spooky crying that we can’t understand gets under my skin. And while this song has no crying – quite the opposite, we hear kids giggling – it’s sweet voices and sad instrumentals help make it a bit unsettling. I feel like you can hear this song two ways: 1) as a terrifying, demonic song, or 2) a sweet song in memory of the late Heather O’Rourke, the talented young girl who tragically died during the filming of the trilogy.

4 – Halloween

My favorite horror movie of all time definitely had to make it to this list, and Michael Myers undoubtedly has the most infamous and memorable theme when it comes to the slasher stars. John Carpenter supposedly just played a drum beat he had learned when he was younger on a synth keyboard, and the creepy jingle of impending doom we all know and love today was born. The song is some how quiet and mysterious while also being chaotic. This simple theme can paint the complete image of a soulless stalker coming after you with no chance of escape. The most chilling use of the theme is undoubtedly at the film’s end, when Dr. Lumas looks out the window he just shot Myers from only to see him gone. As soon as we see his absence, the music picks up, joined by shots allover the town hearing Myers’ heavy breathing in his mask. That’s exactly how the song makes you feel – he’s everywhere. The entire score is phenomenal, though. Laurie’s theme is another great piece.

3 – The Exorcist

The greatest possession movie ever needed one of the greatest themes ever, and it got it. The infamous Exorcist theme on tubular bells is arguably the most famous horror theme song. It’s a great creepy song, a great thinking song, and just a badass song all around. It’s old gothic vibe mixed with a modern funk/rock sound create a truly unique flavor that has often been imitated but never duplicated. This song just makes me feel cool when I hear it. Funny fact, if you’ve ever watched the Death Note anime, one of the recurring background tracks in the series is almost a note-for-note copy of this theme.

2 – The Amityville Horror

Now we’re getting personal. I love this song and I hate this song. While this movie is nothing to chatter your teeth over now, when I first saw it in the second grade, I was scared out of my mind. While the movie certainly had parts that scared me, like when the father looks into the window and sees Jody’s horrific, massive form in the house, the thing that terrified me most and frequented my nightmares was the theme song accompanied by the image of the house silhouetted against the blazing sunset with the “eye” windows burning. I went years without hearing the song again. But then, when I was older and out of high school, I heard the official version from the soundtrack (which is actually far scarier than the in-movie theme) and it disturbed the hell out of me. I was chilled to the bone, and the song instantly regained its hold over me.

I can’t define exactly what it is about the song that terrifies me so much, but every little thing about it just works perfectly to make me feel uneasy. While I do love the movie, I barely even connect the song with it anymore. The song rose up to standalone status as one of my greatest fears. Even in my adult life I have had nightmares with this song in them. I feel I need to put this song high up on the list not only because it’s extremely well made and sounds like pure evil, but because it’s scared me more than any song before or since it, and has a personal connection to me. Just that opening note alone makes me uncomfortable.

1 – Candyman

And the greatest horror theme of all time – Candyman. I consider Canyman one of the best horror films of the 90s, as well as one of the last great horror characters. However, compared to older decades of film, Candyman would be damn far from one of the best horror films ever. But, it is still a great movie, and most of all, it has the most hauntingly beautiful song of any horror movie, and possibly of any film ever. This song is indescribably powerful. I get goosebumps every time I hear it. The song is creepy, beautiful, and sad all at the same time, which is quite fitting for a character who had such a tragic life when he was human. Although I like Candyman, I feel this song is leagues better than the movie. This is what I imagine you’d hear when you die. As you’re going to that light at the end of the tunnel, you hear the booming choir in the chorus. This song sounds like a mix of terror and redemption at the same time. I honestly can’t even think of enough words to praise the beauty of this theme. I don’t even have to think twice about it. Candyman, hands down, has the best horror movie theme song ever.

[mtyami]

Symphony in F Major

Oneshot

Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Relationships: Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky Synopsis:

Principal cellist Otabek Altin welcomes a new concertmaster to his orchestra, the famous violin virtuoso Yuri Plisetsky. Intertwined both by fate and the fervent melody that they create together, they discover what future may come for them between the lines of Brahms’ hauntingly beautiful third symphony.

While this fic could certainly be read alone, I highly recommend listening to the pieces mentioned in the work while you read, both Jules Massenet's Méditation from Thaïs (in particular Maxim Vengerov's truly flawless version) and Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90, third movement (poco allegretto). Enjoy!

He first fell in love with Yuri while watching a YouTube video of him playing Méditation from Thaïs, a melody lyrical and haunting like his heavy-lidded eyes. His blond hair, softly curling around a fairy face, swayed with him as the music swelled and his movements became large, impassioned.

What intrigued Otabek most as he watched was the roiling, tenuous anger that simmered beneath the ethereal piece, giving the impression of a tiger, restrained and muzzled. This was not the kind of music Yuri usually liked to play, no, he was more Paganini than Massenet, preferring to be swept up in the frantic, furious dance, his long, slender fingers drumming over the fingerboard in tempo with the piano, climbing and climbing up and up the black wood never stopping never faltering never erring—

But this was Massenet that he played now on the screen, and as Yuri’s fingers ghosted over the strings, Otabek thought to himself how much it was like a prayer. He wondered then what it would be like to touch Yuri while he was tense like this; corded muscles in his forearms and fingers coiled and ready to spring into a melodious run. Oh, and the way he breathed, each phrase an audible gasp even through the imperfect sound quality of the video. Otabek breathed with him, holding and releasing, each sigh a welcome respite from the tension of each clause, a proclamation from the rooftop more than a conversation. Yuri’s hand slid along the delicate neck of his violin to hit the final harmonic note, high and dulcet off the fingerboard, and Otabek shivered.

The video went silent if only for a moment, the audience suddenly erupting into uproarious applause, and Otabek almost fell off his chair in a daze.

It was hard to believe that this person was the same sullen, sour-faced boy that sat across from him that first day of orchestra rehearsal, first chair violinist and concertmaster to his principal cellist. But a single look was all it took for Otabek to know that he was indeed, one and the same with the boy in the video. Those unmistakable blue-green eyes held cold fire as he scrutinized Otabek behind the conductor’s back, appraising him as his unspoken partner in leading the orchestra.

“And this season we welcome the peerless Yuri Plisetsky as our concertmaster,” the conductor was saying somewhere off to Otabek’s right, a voice far away. “I hope you will accept him with open arms.”

Yuri stood and gave a low, tense bow to the orchestra amid polite applause, then sat again, rearranging his sheet music with a perennial frown. As the violinists began to warm up, Otabek was captivated, his fingers frozen, his body paralyzed. Yuri’s distinct, clarion notes cut through the din even as he blazed through the mundane scales and arpeggios in a way that would make even Ševčík envious. He was the wood and metal of his instrument embodied in flesh, and Otabek was so captivated that his fingers never touched the strings until his stand partner, Phichit, nudged him expectantly.

The deep vibrations from the cello as he at last drew his bow across the thick strings tore him away from his fixation on Yuri momentarily, but somewhere between arpeggios and open string exercises he felt the blond boy watching him with those piercing soldier eyes. He felt the heat rise from his neck to his cheeks, his bow suddenly heavy, his sautillé clumsy.

Yuri approached him during the break, extending his hand with a dubious expression, the corners of his lips downturned.

“You’re better than I thought you would be.” He sniffed, sizing Otabek up with those eyes. “And you respond to me well enough.”

While he spoke, Otabek caught himself responding well enough, but only in daydreams of what he hoped could be possible. Yuri would call him Beka with reluctant affection, and he would call him Yura, always with a coy smile. They would sneak kisses in green rooms and shadowed corners of auditoriums, Otabek’s fingers tangled in that silky blond mane, their lingering flush and kiss-crushed lips the only evidence of their dalliance as they assembled to play. At night, they would quarrel over whose turn it was to use the soundproof practice room, but all disagreements would halt if Yuri gave him that suggestive look that led, every time without fail, to hot, slick kisses and passionate lovemaking, Yuri’s slender, nubile body arched hard beneath Otabek’s like a bow drawn over strings. Otabek would play him with deft fingers, eliciting a sweet song from Yuri’s glistening, flush-pink lips, more rousing than even Rachmaninoff’s symphonic poetry.

Otabek returned to his desk, half lost in his fantasy until their conductor, the legendary Viktor Nikiforov, tapped his baton on the music stand enthusiastically. “Let’s go ahead and pick up the Brahms number 3, starting with the third movement, poco allegretto. This one is a personal favorite of mine, so please, make it count.” He inhaled audibly, long and deep, his arms sweeping to cue the sorrowful piece, its fragility uncharacteristic of Brahms.

The orchestra had barely played fifty measures before Viktor cut them off abruptly, pinching his thumb and forefinger with a frown. He pursed his lips and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“I just want to hear Yuri and Otabek play for us so we all know what it’s supposed to sound like when the first violins and cellos are actually listening to each other. The beginning is so critical to this piece because it sets the tone and establishes the theme. If you please, sirs? Just until where the oboes take the melody. Answer each other’s call. Create a story. Who are you to each other?”

Yuri’s huffing sigh of annoyance echoed loudly in the silence of the auditorium, and Otabek regarded him with a cautious stare. But Viktor’s baton was already raised, and his audible breath pulled Otabek’s bow into motion.

It was rare for a symphony to open with the cello’s song, and the haunting melody was low and rich, pouring from the strings as Otabek painted tender, arching strokes. Yuri kept his eyes trained on the dark-haired boy, his quiet answer filling the sustained notes of Otabek’s bittersweet melody. They swayed into the air around each other, creating pressure between them even as they played on opposite sides of Viktor, whose smile was faint and dreamlike as he directed them with subdued movements of his hands.

Who are you to me? You're the arms wrapped tightly around my waist on the back of my motorcycle, your cheek pressed into my leather jacket, the wind whipping through your flaxen hair. You're the soft voice that still tells me that you love me even though you can barely admit it to yourself.

The violin answered sweetly in high, dulcet tones, repeating Otabek’s theme. His eyes locked with Yuri’s fierce blue-green gaze, their notes intertwining, call and answer, call and answer, the gentle swell of the melody transferring from one wooden body to the next.

Who are you to me? You're the outstretched hand asking me to trust you with those dark eyes of yours filled with promises. You're the solid rock beneath my feet when I'm faltering, the arms to hold me when my heart is fragile and I can't face the world alone, the kiss I crave all the days of my life.

Otabek’s response was a soulful thrumming layered underneath Yuri’s clear, lingering notes. Dolce, the music read, dolce, tender, adoring.

You're my first friend. You're my first love. You're my first heartbreak. You're everything and nothing to me, the beginning and the end.

The sound of their instruments began to meld, Otabek’s tenor and Yuri’s soprano synced in harmonious sixteenths, rising and falling together until they came to the indicated rest just before the oboes enter, and Viktor cut them off with a gentle closing of his palms.

From across the orchestra, violinist and cellist regarded each other with wonder, as if they had both somehow glimpsed the same future, a future where they had become so much more than what they had expected to at first.

“And that,” Viktor murmured with a smile, “is how two parts become one.”