#apparently people were really mad that it was all new characters and not legacy girls and like

[xbuster]

So apparently the Vtuber who sang Erica’s Ohayou Bonjour song is such a big Sakura Wars fan that she became an official spokesperson for Sakura Kakumei (the Sakura Wars mobile game that only lasted a couple months before it was considered such a colossal failure on a level never seen before)

[jurassicpark1990]

3, 10, and 13 for the book ask ! bc now I wanna see your answers lol

3. What were your top five books of the year?

this isn't in any order and exludes any books that i reread this year!

gods of jade and shadow by silvia moreno-garcia

ughhh this book <3 i had been meaning to read this for years and to finally pick it up and love it like i did was beyond satisfying. the writing is phenomenal, moreno-garcia has such a charming way with words and she built such an evocative atmosphere filled with beautiful characters, characters who make the right choices even though it hurts them because it will make the world better. one of my favourite books of all time

legendborn by tracy deon

urban fantasy has never been my my favourite subgenre so no one is more surprised than me that this is one of my fav ya fantasys. i don't think this book was perfect and there are things about it that i wish were different, but it is a phenomenally powerful story about grief and trauma and racism and power. this book made me Sob and i'm incredibly mad my preorder for the second one got delayed

jade legacy by fonda lee

you know how i just said i don't particularly like urban fantasy? that doesn't include the green bone saga. i do firmly believe this is one of the best fantasy series going around. as a conclusion this was fantastic. fonda lee did something wonderfully unique by spanning this book over 20 years and it works exceptionally well. i love these characters and this world and i hope all fantasy readers pick it up

raybearer by jordan ifueko

another excellent ya fantasy book, this felt both fresh and familiar because ifeuko used the common callinge of (ya) fantasy but then placed them in a world so different from anything else i have read (heavily inspired by various myths from various places in africa). the characters are divine, the romance is sweet and the plot is incredible

mad destiny + ship of destiny by robin hobb

slightly cheating here with two books but these are impossible to separate (the only reason book one isn't on here is because i read it last year). hobb is my second fav fantasy writer of all time, i can understand why people wouldn't look these books, but her character work and development is the best i have ever read. these books Hurt but they are so good and so perfect and i really need to get back into this world

10. What was your favorite new release of the year?

fun fact! i'm terrible at reading new releases and only read four books that came out this year

brotherhood by mike chen

apparently i can't even make it through one post without mentioning star wars lmao anyways this is set in my fav era and includes all of my fav characters so no surprises i absolutely loved this one

13. What were your least favorite books of the year?

hench by natalia zina walshots

i actually loved the majority of the book but then the ending was so bad that it completely ruined the book for me. it was like the author was hedging their bets on if they'd write a sequel but didn't commit so it just felt unsatisfying

the night circus by erin morgenstern

this book is the terrible yet more beloved version of gods of jade and shadow. they are not the same at all but the vibes are kinda similar. the writing is beautiful but the characters suck, the plot is irrelevant, the romance has no tension and the ending felt cheap given the stakes. anyways i hated this so much lmao

something fabulous by alexis hall

i hated this book so much because all of the the characters suck and it was totally instalovey even though one of the characters is demisexual. also it was like 150 pages too long and had one of the most contrived third act break ups ever

paper girls vol. 1

grown men shouldn't write teenage girls, particularly queer ones in 80s settings because it just felt like an excuse to use slurs. basically, the vibes were rancid

[maguro13-2]

Darkness Reborn ~ Origins of the Ink Demon Finale (7/10) ~

Penny : If I'm not mistaken that I don't quite put my finger on it. So the New Era Homura created was two years after the Time Eater's vanishing. So how did the Dark Moon Appear exactly?

Sarissa : It happened back a moment ago. Professor Egadd was doing some research that he finds an incredible source from the Dark Moon's power in order to bring those who were trapped inside the portrait. It was called the Dark Light, a new type of magic that has ability to break illusions. It's only an add-on for the Poltergust 5000. Suddenly, King Boo broke the moon into five pieces which caused the ghosts of Evershade to go on a rampage and work under King Boo's scheme.

Ashley : This always has to be his tricks. So the Dark-Light is type of power that has an ability to break illusions and to those spirits that turns invisible. Pretty wicked about breaking illusions by using the powers of the Dark Moon itself. Black Light is Dark Light, that's how it was used for purplish things that are called the Dark Light.

Penny Crygor : You're absolutely smart about that, Ashley. Dark Light is Black Light. But it's still a power source from the Dark Moon and it could be really a good idea. Let's get to the Family Tree and stop that menacing Crona Lawrence.

Death the Kid (?) : I'm sorry, I'm afraid that you girls aren't going anywhere.

Kimial Diehl : Death the Kid! How did you...

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : Hey...Wait a second, that scythe wielded in his hand. That's not Death the Kid, the Death the Kid we know does not exist and didn't Maka said that he was part of the lying of Shinra Kusakabe as well?

Kimial Diehl : Why would say stupid question. What Does Death the Kid has something to do with him that does not exists...(realizing) Oh my God, have I been living in a fantasy the entire time and nobody told us? [To Death the Kid] You! Where the hell is Death the Kid? What on earth did you--[Death the Kid converts to it's true form and it is nothing more than Dracula's servant, apparently, Death himself]

[Showdown - Yutaka Minobe]

Death : The Death the Kid that you've fought alongside with does not exist, he had ceased to exist. I burned him alive while he was nothing more than a portrait.

Kimial Diehl : (gasped in shock) You! You're the one! You're the one took my mother's soul away! You tricked me? So that's why I ran from Tokyo, you were only deceiving us pretended to be Death the Kid!

Ashley : So, you're the one that is behind the DWMA stuff, eh? You're the one who got my people involved.

Penny Crygor : Wait. That Konami character is responsible for tricking Maka into protecting the legacy? So that's why Death the Kid isn't affected by the mad man's influence, he wasn't affected, he was turned into portrait and...

Death : That's right, I was the one who ceased Death the Kid from existence, I erased his essence by imprisoning him in a portrait and threw him somewhere nice and toasty, straight into a furnace!

[Break you Down - Yutaka Minobe]

Penny Crygor : Why you no good...! You Konami dweebs are gonna be the death of us! You set everyone up, hid the truth from letting it to win, get Ashley's people involved, and discovered that the school itself just to make the author Soul Eater get all the stakes he wants for his crazy-mad stories.

Ashley : How dare you keep the truth out of us, you backstabbing soul-stealing cockroach! You ordered everything to destroy the witches, the earth wasn't wrecked by magic, it was the force of darkness. You got everyone involved of the lying, just for protecting legacy!?

Death : Fair wise that tricked Death into believing that the witches are threat to Earth's inhabitants, just to get those wretched Heartless in their attention on destroying it or corrupting it with the powers of this everlasting darkness that is within their reach.

Ashley : What about the Eight Shinigami Legion?

Death : Foolish, girl! There is no Eight Shinigami Legion, that was all made up when Shinra's made up son used the 8 hearts to create a bunch of tools to protect his legacy. The reason that Heroes and Villains of Soul World are nothing but a bunch of fools going into conflict after conflict, making humans and witches being the arrogant species on the planet! [To Kimial] That's what you get for destroying Tokyo, Raccoon Girl. Or should I say "Heir of the Kasugatani Family"! (Laughs Evilly)

Ashley : [To Kimial] You just had to be part of a crazy story, didn't you? This is why Nintendo and Square Enix can't have nice things to each other.

Kimial : I just wanted to be the hero of one's story, I didn't want to become the hero of a crazy-ass story! I didn't know I got myself involved of the lying! Although, I did killed a bunch of bullies when I unleashed a second explosion.

Penny Crygor : [To Kimial] Not if finding out that a bald headed loser named Ox Ford is actually a Magikoopa in disguise trying to get to know you. By the way, he's not your type. You were only into girls.

Kimial : [To Penny] Why thank you, Penny. Although dating men is not what I was interested, but getting into girls is like--

Death : SILENCE! This conversation for Tea time is long enough! Since you girls of Soul World and Nintendo have been in the palm of my hands, I will give you a gift that will utterly crush those who against a true God of Death. This shall be your test of valor and might find it sooner or later! Time for me to pull out the big guns! Come yourself, Relative of Iblis, the Ifrit!

*DBZ SFX : BOOMING+EXPLOSION*

Ifrit : (Biolizard Roar)

[How it Started - Kenichi Tokoi, Runblebee]

"IFRIT : DEMON OF BURNING WORLDS"

Penny Crygor : Woah! Who's the big fella!? Looks like something came out of the book!

Ashley : Darn! He must've brought the Ifrit back to life, the other ifrit that was supposed to be destroyed by Sonic and the others.

Penny Crygor : That is not what I had in mind! Since Eggman Nega has been jailed for all the crimes he have caused, he'll be lucky to be in hell, but we gotta take out that creature right away! It's trying to burn our world away!

Kimial Diehl : Really. Since when did Sonic killed an Ifrit like what, the book of the Arabian Nights?

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : Well, officially. He did defeat a golem back at the evil foundry.

Sarissa : Your good is guess as mine. How on earth did one creature came to Real World AU?

Penny Crygor : Maybe, the Time Eater has something left for us since it vanished from nothingness or it just went back in time to get everything situtated to destroy the last of the Ohkuboverse.

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : As long as we get to the bottoms of this to save our world from ever being destroyed by that monstrosity! When did the last time that tried to burn our world for centuries. *Heartbeat Echoing* (holds head in pain) GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Kimial Diehl : Jacqueline!

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : Guys, go! Get out of here! Get to the tree! I promise that I'll come back to you as promise! I'll deal with this lifeform eating demon that tries to bring Mobius in Jeopardy. But I will always love you, Kimial

Kimial Diehl : Thanks, babe. I know I will. And of course...(shifts with Iris' voice) Aishiteru yo.

Shinra (Devil Chaos Zero) : Leave this one to me, and to her.

(Clown Kaguya and Shinra appears behind the group)

Ashley : Shinra, Kaguya!

[The Flicker of Hope - Teruhiko Nakagawa]

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : Kaguya the Clown created by the Kishin? But I thought that you were...

Kaguya : Dead? The so-called leader of the Clown Army were just Heartless anyway, I too, have a heart for that Crona Kid.

Shinra (Devil Chaos Zero): You guys go ahead, we'll take care of this creature once and for all! You got Real World AU to be saved from the dreaded forces of True evil itself! That's why villains always attempted to get away with everything, and I will prove everything that a hero's gotta do what heroes gotta do!

Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre : Heh! Thanks guys, I owe you one! You'll buy us time to defeat that demon and then we'll recruit to save the world! You know a girl always have her way to live up to the title of a hero! I was not to be alone, but I was born to serve and protect those who are needed to be saved! Alright, you guys! Let's get on out of here!

Kimial Diehl : Okay, Jacqueline! Let's move it guys! We gotta stop Sammy Lawrence's son! He's going to plunge the entire world into darkness before he does.

Penny Crygor : But if he joins with the other Crona, he'll become unstoppable! We must prevent that from ever happening!

Ashley : Right! So that is why...WE'RE ABOUT SAVE THIS WORLD FROM THE EVIL FORCES AND THAT'S WHY WE NEVER BACK DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE! WE ARE MAJO DETECTIVES! SERVING THE LAW AND JUSTICE TO ALL VILLAINY! For Salem and it's people!

All : [together] FOR SALEM AND IT'S PEOPLE!

"It's time that we give ourselves the Flicker of Hope!"

"That's what we're really made of!"

"Bringing efforts to take down Villainy once and for all!"

"No one shall lay finger on our world except me!"

"Cause we're strong enough to bring a Hero's duty to save his or her world."

~ 112th Scene : Redemption of the Devil ~

[hs-devote]

1. I N E F F A B L E

Moodboard // Content // Masterlist

Disclaimer:

All characters and situation in this story are fictitious. Resemblance to any person living or dead is only God knows.

1. INEFFABLE

Erskine Limited. A well known multinational company in U.K. Is a home for 20,000 employees across the country. One of the prestigious companies.

This head quarter looks more extravagant than the branches. Of course.

Never in her wildest dreams she thought would be sitting here. Greyish, sleek and shine furniture. Looking around, everything look sophisticated, professional.. while daydreaming about how come this opportunity was offered to her. Until a smooth yet firm voice calling her up close.

“Miss Y/L/N?”

Turning her head, a woman smiled at her, offering warm gesture. She's tall, her short black hair look nice against her delicate brown skin.

“Yes, I am.” Smiling, Y/N shake the woman’s hand.

“Sanaa Martinez.”

“Y/N YL/N”.  

Now, sitting face to face with her made her nervousness increase. Well, sitting in front of your new boss surely makes your worries skyrocketed. But, looking how she welcomed her, she's positive this would be good.

“Firstly, apologies for coming late. Having small problem back at meeting and.. your boss ask me to meet you before we met him.”

Hold on, this gorgeous woman will not be her new boss? If Y/N remember correctly, Mr. Adams said she would meet the new boss directly.

“Oh, I suppose he would be so busy.”

“Yeah.. yeah, perks of being the man who hold the highest level .”

“Pardon?” Y/N could not hid her shocked face, until something she think inappropriate in this situation came out of her mouth, “I’m sorry. I have no idea, I will working with the....”

“The CEO? Yes. The Owner? Can be. The man is in both position. I believe Mr. Adams did not tell you that?”

“No, ma’am.”

She sighed while massaging her temples, “Poor girl. I think he a bit bitter of you moving here. But this is your good chance.”

“Honestly, I was quite surprised when the offering letter came. Did not think I have a chance here. I mean, I work in a small branch office in Swansea. Now, I’m here, in the head quarter, in London.” Y/N smile, keeping the eye contact while deep down in her heart, she tried to calm herself. How the fuck it could be? She never dreamt being work together with board of director, let alone the CEO, the Owner themselves.

She laughed, “Non sense. If your performance can offer something more, why not?”

“I guess?” Y/N mumbled, giving her shy smile.

“Well, I have your resume here. But, tell me about yourself.”

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Day one went smooth.

Day two went alright.

Day three, four.. until a week being here in her new office, everything went perfect. Y/N got a week training before starting her task as Executive Assistant to the owner this company. Mrs. Davies, or Rita, the lady in her mid forties who was her tutor for the this past week, patiently taught her about everything will be done as a EA.

“I must admit.. that you are indeed deserve this job. I’m amazed how you could cope with these, Y/N” She said in her desk, while screening Y/N tasks in her screen. “Never thought  a young lady will filling the EA position. I’m impressed.”

She grinned, “Thank you, Rita. It’s all because of you could guide me well.”

“Not really. You learnt quickly and I think.. pretty little head of yours can memories everything perfectly fine.” She hummed, “I am still responsible for you until next month. So if there are complaints coming, of course I will see you again.”

“And oh, Madeleine just told me Mr. Styles is in his office right now. I think it’s good for me to introduce you to him before you move to your office in Monday.”

“Madeleine?”

“His receptionist? Well, you will work with her too. Let’s go, Y/N. Your new office is quite far from here.”

Walking to her office was quite far because it was on a different level building, they separate the BOD’s building and general employee’s. Y/N eyes gawking around, admiring how people seem more professional doing their works.

“One thing I haven’t said.. be patient with Mr. Styles, he’s kinda having short temper.”

When the lift door opened, Y/N see a woman sitting behind her large desk. She must be Madeleine.

“Good afternoon Mrs. Davies.” She squeak, standing confidently. The moment her eyes move towards Y/N, she could see clearly her smile falter slowly. Weird.

“Hello Mads, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is Madeleine.”

“Nice to meet you, Madeleine.” Y/N smile while offering a hand, think shaking hands is normal and professional, apparently not for Madeleine. She just nodded while giving they both access card, “I’ll let Mr. Styles know you guys are here.” Y/N take it awkwardly.

“An access card?” Y/N mumble, glancing at Madeleine was on the phone.

“Everyone require an access card to the his office. I’m sure Madeleine will prepare one for you.”

“He’s ready. Waiting on his office. He just has 30 minutes tops. ”

“Thank you Mads.”

“Rita?” Y/N murmured, while looking at her surrounding.

“Yes?”

“Why Mr. Styles needs an assistant while he has a receptionist? Madeleine looks capable being an assistant too.”

“Well, actually Mads was once tested by us, but the results were not satisfactory. Everyone wanted to apply this job but.. you come with outstanding results. So, congratulations.”

They stopped in front of solid door that engraved Harry E. Styles in gold letter, Rita scanned her card until the door opened revealing a man focused on his Macbook. His gaze turned to Y/N for a moment.

Shit.

The first thing caught her off guards was the green eyes, and the cheekbones. Sharp jawlines followed, with pinkish thin lips.

“Mr. Styles? I'm here with your new EA.” Rita said, introducing her to him.

“Have a seat, Rita. Don't standing on the door.” He smiled. For a second, Y/N was cursing at her ignorance for not asking her boss profile, so seeing a man look younger than she think, doesn't shock her at all. He must be no more than twenty-seven years old, quite a young man he is – she think.

“This is your new EA, she is from Swansea office. She will ready in Monday.”

“Nice to meet you, I'm Harry Styles.” He gave Y/N small smile, offering his hand.

“My name's Y/N Y/L/N.  Thank you for the opportunity. Glad to be part of head office.” Shaking his hand, Y/N could feel his firm grip yet skin was very soft. She glanced at small amount of glitter on his nails, was he wearing nail polish?

“My pleasure.”

“Well, that's it. We do not want to interrupt anymore. And oh, Harry. Please do not be hard on this one. God knows how hard to find a competent EA.” Rita teased while pat Y/N shoulder. Mr. Styles, or Harry, just laughed while escort they both to the door.

“I never know Mr. Styles is that young.” Y/ N muttered, letting the lift door closed, ready taking them to the ground floor.

“I think you know, no?” Rita frowned. Y/N sighed, shaking her head.

“Well, maybe I just forgot that part. He is young, just turning twenty-five last February. Running this company after his father death three years ago. But young Harry has been helping the company since he was in college. That's great because not many children are successful in continuing a family legacy.”

“He's great business person too, but like I told you before. He's temperamental. If you get his wrong side, he won't afraid barking at you in front of people. And that's not a sight to see.” She added.

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Monday coming. Y/N woke up at 6 in the morning, like usual. When she was still in Swansea, she could wake up at 7 because her home just 10 minutes away from office by bus. Here in London, Y/N needs at least 30 minutes to arrive on time.

Arriving the North Tower, which office level that Y/N wil working in. Madeleine was nowhere to see when Y/N stepped on her floor. She had no idea where is her desk. Seems like Mr. Styles haven't arrive yet. It's only 8.30 am, no wonder the office is still empty. The cleaning lady still doing her work. She has 30 minutes left until work hours begin. Suddenly, Y/N's phone buzzed. A message from unknown number.

Y/N, it's Madeleine. If you arrive earlier than me, your office is next to Mr. Styles'. It doesn't need access card, except if Mr. Styles ask for it.

After replying a thank you to her, Y/N walked to Mr. Styles' office. Noticing a door next to his, that must be hers. Her office was pretty spacious, Y/N has her own desk, shelves. Quite surprisingly to find an iPad next to the iMac. Smiling happily, she turned on the iMac, running the email first.

1 new message from hstyles@erskine.co.uk

From: Styles, Harry <hstyles@erskine.co.uk>

Subject : Introduction To: executive_asst@erskine.co.uk

Y/N

Good luck on your first day. Your office, your desk, everything has been fullfiled for your needs. If you are wondering, you will often join me in meetings. I think the iPad will be more efficient than you try to bring the iMac. - I'm joking. I will send your next tasks separately.

HS.

Giggling, Y/N reads the message one more time until realise that was sent at 8.00 am. He arrived earlier than her, didn't he?

While retrieving another message to come, Y/N bring her tumbler to the break room, hoping to find coffee or tea at least. Madeleine just arrived at her desk in hurry, while her hand quickly opened her Mac.

“Morning Madeleine?”

Her head shot up, “Hi. Have you set your finger print yet?”

“Yeah, already set.” Y/N nodded, “Want something? Maybe I'll find tea or coffee in break room.”

“No no thanks.”

“Right.” Y/N mumbles, walking away.

The break room was huge. Y/N could find anything. Professional coffee machine, huge fridge, wine cellar, anything.. you named it. It was more to say the kitchen of a professional chef. Y/N decided to make espresso because she sure need caffeine to work first day with Mr. Styles.

“Jesus Christ!”

Turning around, Y/N was absolutely shocked to find Mr. Styles standing behind her the whole time, only few centimeters away. His eyes looking sharp, his green irises darker than usual. His aura was different, a bit sinister than Y/N first met him the other day.

“Mr. Styles?” She spoke quietly, gripping her tumbler tightly. But he didn't budge. He was so intimidating. “Do you want something, Sir? I can bring it to your office?”

He suddenly closed his eyes, shaking his head once. Now, his irises looks like back to normal, light green. But the greenest she ever seen.

“I'm sorry. Uhm, I didn't sleep much last night. Think need a coffee, yeah.” He mumbled.

“Need me to bring it to you?”

“No, but thanks.”

“Alright. Excuse me, sir.” Y/N smiles, leaving him alone. It was undeniable she feel a little bit strange with his behaviour. Leaving her desk for a while, there was already about twenty incoming emails with almost all of them have attachments. None other than Mr. Styles was the sender.

The clock ticking at 2.00 pm when Y/N look at her phone, didn't realise time passed quickly. Until someone knocked her door. Madeleine bring a small box in her hands.

“This is your stationery and and your personal business cards.”

“Thank you Madeleine.” Nodding, She take it and put it on the desk. She hummed, turning her heels towards the door. Y/N grab her paperwork, ready to dial Mr. Styles' extension but her office phone rings first.

Incoming call: 621 – Harry Styles

Speaking of the devil. It was Mr. Styles himself.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Styles?”

“Hello, Y/N. About the monthly report, please finish tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Because you have to focus on Barclays paper, they arranged a meeting this afternoon. I'm sorry for sudden notice.”

“Oh, it's okay. Actually, both are done. I might deliver to you right now?

“Already?” Y/N frown, somewhat confused to hear his shocked voice, “Err, yes?”

“Amazing. If you have the softcopy, it would be nice if you send me both of them. For the Barclays paper, you can keep it because you'll join me in the meeting. I'll see you in the lobby an hour from now. Thank you, Y/N.”

After he hung up, Y/N send him both of softcopy and rush out to grab lunch. This is her first meeting and she doesn't want to pass out in the middle of meeting because she was starving.

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The trip to Barclays takes 20 minutes but seeing the traffic is a bit crowded, maybe they will arrive a little longer. Along the way, Y/N prepares meeting material while Mr. Styles busy behind the wheel. Surpising enough a big boss like him drives himself.

“Mr. Styles? Samantha from Barclays just emailed new adress for meeting. It won't held in Barclays office.” Y/N spoke lowly, not sure what she said. It's strange that huge company like Barclays suddenly change their meeting place without any apparent reason. From the corner of her eye, Y/N can see him rolling his eyes.

“Where?”

“It will take place at Shangri-La The Shard.”

“Please push back until 4.15 pm, I'm afraid we can't be on time because the traffic.”

“Right away, sir.” Typing away his request, Barclays team confirmed it in less than five minutes, “Confirmed at 4.15 pm, level 34, Yi Room.”

“You know, you will get used to things like this, sudden meetings, sudden change of place, hours. Event cliet. So, don't be surprised.” He said, one hand stay still in the steering wheel and the other touching the LCD screen.  Y/N just realised, his left hand's fingers filled with rings except thumb and ring finger. Ink sticking out of his wrist even though it's covered by his suit jacket sleeve. She wonder how many tattoos he had underneath. His pinky nail was polished with chipped black nail polish.

“Fancy listening some music? I'm not very used to driving in silence.”

Y/N smiled, “Go ahead. I don't mind.”

Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine roaring softly throughout the car. He hummed happily while tapping on the wheel. She doesn't expect, despite his appearance, he has this kind of an old soul. Staring at him from the corner of eye, his looks doesn't need to be questioned. He has a very beautiful face. His charisma is extraordinary, even when they were walking together in the lobby, she could feel it. Y/N swore there was many females who can't take their eyes off of him when he walks.

“Something wrong Y/N?”Y/N was caught off the guards, didn't think he was aware the whole time she was staring at him. Even behind his sunglasses, Y/N swore his eyes were wrinkled in humour.

“N- No. I just didn't think you have an old music taste.” Y/N startled, her cheeks heated.

“Oh, do you want to change the song? What do young people usually like? Ed Sheeran? Justin Bieber? One Direction?” He muttered, tapping the screen. He look like he was talking to himself rather than talking to Y/N.

“Ew no.. no. I'm fine. I just quite surprised. Didn't mean any harm. I'm sorry, sir.” Y/N laugh, massaging her temple. It didn't occur to her he could joke like that, many high profile people like him are always rigid and strict. He laughing along, letting Everything Has Changed go next.

“You not need to call me Mr. Styles or sir if it doesn't involve work, you know? I feel like an old man with big belly if you keep calling me that. Tell me, how old are you? You are no more than twenty-four if I may guess.” He asked.

“Uh huh, turned twenty-two last January actually.”

He nodded, “Well. Before we met them, one thing you need to know about Barclays, they're a bit sneaky, like to make their clients feel uncomfortable. Don't be surprised if they're too blunts. To be honest, I'm not comfortable taking you there.”

Y/N frowned, watching him from the side. “If you don't mind me asking. Why?”

He sighed, “ Just be careful with Mr. Higgins.” When he turned the wheel, Y/N could see The Shard at the end of the road. This is her first time setting foot in luxury hotel, she was ecstactic and nervous at the same time.

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.

That meeting went well, even though it was tense up a little, Mr. Styles or Harry could soften it. He was so damn calm throughout the meeting, but Y/N was sure from the look of his eyes, he really want to end it quickly. Especially when Mr. Higgins kind of made a comment of her, Harry defended her well. Y/N really wanted to speak up herself, but it was better to be quiet, playing the good – obedient assitant.

Sending the agreement back and forth for almost two weeks, Erskine and Barclays finally found a deal.

That day, she was arranging Harry's meeting schedule for the next two weeks. Aware of number of meetings he has to attend, the more tasks awaits her. It's not that she was not happy, but her lunch hour was falling apart. Ring of her phone startled Y/N, without seeing the caller id, she grab it. “Y/N”

“I need you to come to my office right now, we have some serious issue to deal with.” With that, he hung up. Y/N frowned, Harry doesn't usually speak grimly like that. Rushing into his office, she found him sitting in his chair, one hand cupping his chin. His eyes blankly staring at some files on his desk.

“Is there anything I can help sir?” Y/N ask slowly walking toward him. Without looking at her, he nodded, “Have a seat.”

“Are you aware we have two contracts which are a little deviated from the absolute procedur?” He asked, his tone was low. “Well, it's really deviated.”

“No, sir.”

He sighed, not satisfied with her answer. “Both are big clients, and it has been going on for months.” He grab two big files, giving it to Y/N. “You read this, find and point out the mistake.”

While Y/N read the papers, Harry dialled Madeleine's extension. Asking someone who was unfamiliar to his office. 10 minutes passed, someone entered the office. Y/N dare to not looking, just focus on the papers and scribbled some points that she feel weird.

“You called me, sir?” A male voice. She could feel Harry stand up from his chair, hands resting on the desk. He whispered to Y/N to move to the couch.

“Did you drew up contracts with companies during 2018? All of them?”

“Only from April to September.”

“Did you know you messed up?”

“Pardon? I don't understand-”

“Two god-damn big companies could bail on us, Ethan. You didn't read it or didn't understand?!” For the first time Harry raised his voiced, you could see him trying to hold back his anger. This Ethan guy shaking in his boots, his head hang low, both hands tangled. Y/N glad Harry didn't scream a bloody murder, if he did, she was sure this room is soundproof.

“I'm sorry Mr. Styles, b-but it was under your knowledge. I asked you at that time but you shoo me away. Even I asked Carlton, he said everything has been discussed by you.”

Harry froze in his desk. He seemed shock, but shouldn't he not be surprised if the agreements was under his acknowledge?

“It was?” He asked, half unsure at what he said himself. Ethan nodded in confirmation. He excused himself after Harry told him to leave. In less than 30 seconds, the door bursted open revealing a man with fancy clothes, curly blonde hair, hands in his pants. Y/N never seen him in this company before. Harry sighed in disbelief, dialling Madeleine's extension immediately.

“Don't you know what function of the phone or fucking intercom is on your desk?! I didn't say I'd be available for another guests.” He hissed.

That blonde guy looking at surrounding, until his blazing blue eyes caught Y/N busy figure on the couch. He taking closer step to her, tilting his head. “I've never seen you before.” He spoke lowly. Y/N just offered a small smile.

“Hey, Harry. Is this your new birdie? You didn't tell me you got a new beau.”

.

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Unedited.

What do you think? Let me know!

[candyredterezii]

valenwoke replied to your post “hi guys i finally saw the nightmare on elm street reboot i ranted and...”

Why were u mad?

OKAY LET ME GET INTO THIS AS BEST AS I CAN CUS IM SHIT AT EXPRESSING MY THOUGHTS

number one: wes craven wasn’t even asked about this film. they didnt tell him shit they just fucking went and made the movie with his character and his idea and was like byyyyyee which tbf the entire franchise rlly was wes having his like. child taken away from him and bastardized, only being able to reclaim it’s legacy in New Nightmare.

next, lets get into the character.

Freddy Krueger.

We all know Freddy as this really campy and jokey character. He’s a beloved slasher. He was funny and silly and his kills were creative and had funny one liners - robert englund brought to life this character and is one of the big reasons he was so beloved. He was a child murderer, yes, but a big thing along with it is we never actually saw him murder a child in the entire series. There was sexual undertones in subtext, and it was originally he was supposed to be a child predator as well, but they threw it out due to a real life scandal happening at the time and played it more subtext

Now. In the remake when they say they ham up the child predator shit they really, really do and it is NOT fucking pleasant at ALL.

But we will get more into that later.

Freddy in the remake, along with the entire thing tbh, is gritty. Edgy. Dark. He makes one liners and REPEATS OLD JOKES FROM THE SERIES, which throughout was liek. Haha that was in Nightmare (X), wish i was watching that one right now. His jokes were just. Flat. It wasn’t jokes it just made you kinda. Yikes. They weren’t delivered with the mirth and excitement like with Robert Englund.  His makeup made him look like a fish. He was absolutely disgusting. Making gross sexual assaults on Nancy on one point, granted nothing exactly major but enough to make ur skin crawl.

He was played to be just. Revolting.

Which isn’t a bad thing to do for a character - but not to one that has been well loved and rather like a ‘fun wacky uncle’ kinda guy. Not one with an existing legacy to be a wise cracker looney tunes kinda killer.

But let’s get more into the child predator aspect of it because holy fucking shit.

They literally show flashback scenes in the movie of Freddy playing with the kids and it was all like. Cute and sweet if you didn’t know context but seeing him interact with these kids is like. Revolting and makes your stomach churn. Especially them showing the little girl with her back scratched and a five year old nancy crying to her mom how “he takes us to his special cave” and burst into tears because she was fucking defiled constantly. 

Speaking of his special cave. Nancy and Quentin find it. And guess what they find? A bunch of photos of a naked five year old Nancy that Nancy sees and fucking has a break down over it because holy shit that’s fucking disgusting and heavy.

The movie is heavy. Very heavy and makes your stomach sick - and not in a like. Saw movie torture porn kinda way where you are like HAHA SIIICK. But in a fucking crushing reality and just makes you, the viewer, even feel utterly vile as you are watching this character be vulnerable and go through repressed trauma.

The whole movie deals with also Nancy and Quentin and the others apparently having repressed these memories and the parents trying to hide it by hiding their preschool photos and other things from their childhood.

It’s just utterly sickening and makes your skin crawl. Especially as much of Freddy goes after Nancy and speaks so vile to her about how she was his favorite, how beautiful the girl characters still are and how ‘grown up’ they are and just being a fucking creep.

Now that the story is pretty much fucking just. A fucking heap let’s get into the actual movie elements.

The one thing in the original Nightmares I absolutely LOVED was how dream like the dreams were. How they had this kinda dream like quality - it was whimsical! It was creepy and unsettling but also? Really fun? It was CREATIVE.  The deaths were fun and imaginative! The crew had so much fun coming up and creating these kinda deaths that you rlly couldnt get away with in normal stories cus its a DREAM where anything can happen.

Now in this movie? It was just. Oh. We’re in a creepy classroom. Oh looks like we are in silent fucking hill and then one flash of lights AA we are i nthe boiler room oh nooo. Oh nooo u got slashed by freddy and now you’re dead. Okay. Cool.

IT WAS BORING It was gritty dark and jsut snooze. it didnt even give any tension it was just. oh ur trying to be scary and thats it. ok.

Now this movie is also a reboot, meaning it’s a fresh start to the series. So someone who  hasn’t watched the original series should come in without having to watch the other films, right? Wrong. Now in the original movie, we followed the character Tina as a red herring to be the main character. The same thing happens in this movie, we do not follow Nancy (the one character whose name they kept. Which meaning if you have seen the original films, you know Kris is the Tina character and this twist is not gonna work on the previous fans who a MAJORITY IF NOT ALL this movie’s audience was. Even if you haven’t seen the first Nightmare most people know Nancy is the main heroine. I digress.) So we haven’t followed Nancy. At all. We see her once telling Kris she also saw something in her dreams and thats it.

Next we see her is when she comes to see Quentin. Sits down and just says, “Freddy” Where did she get this info? How is the audience supposed to know who tf that is or why or how or just. WHAT???

Okay. WHATEVER.

This movie also plays a lot on old gags, jokes, and visuals from the first movie as like. A homage. But they’re done.. So poorly. It just makes me go, “haha i remember that. wish I was watching that nightmare instead of this one.”

There’s also small plot elements that made me go ??? what. why?? like for example the mother of Kris apparently having kept one of her daughter’s dresses that was slashed when she was ASSAULTED AND DEFILED BY A MAN in a box upstairs with her preschool photos?? Like. Okay.

There is NO CHARM in this movie. No love. No passion. It’s just gritty and dark and just makes the audience feel utterly vile and absolutely tears apart the legacy of Freddy and NOES and everything Robert has done to the character. It has taken Wes’ original idea and story and just said Hey. What if we take this and just make it dark and edgier and SCARY OOOO. And then they tossed it in the trash compactor. 

I feel I’m missing even quite a fucking lot of shit too but. 

I fucking hate this movie so much dude.

[bluephoenixdruidicprincess]

Legacies 1x10, There's A World Where Your Dreams Come True -- Review

Welcome to another review of Lega-Trash. This is 1x10, There's A World Where Your Dreams Come True...but really, it should be called Worship Hope Because No One Would Be Happy Without Her...so yeah, if you know my feelings on Hope, I think you can gather how much I despise this episode.

This is going to be an honest review of my thoughts and feelings regarding Legacies, the spin-off of a spin-off that should never have come to pass. But here we are. I'm not a fan of this show, have never pretended to be one, so if you're looking for Legacies positivity, this is not the place for you. Move along, this is not meant for you. I'm very critical about this show. Keep in mind, these are my thoughts and feelings about this mess of a show. Opinions are never right or wrong. I'm not telling you how to think and feel. You don't have to agree with my opinions but I would ask that you respect them, please. Also, spoilers for the episode so if you haven't seen the episode yet, watch the episode and then come back...otherwise, read at your own risk. But let's be real, here. I'm sure my followers who end up reading this have no desire to watch this show and use my ramblings in these reviews as a substitute for actually watching the show...those selfish jerks -- just kidding, I love all my followers and please, only watch the show if you really want to; I'm making a sacrifice watching this trash show so you don't have to.

You know, it's real funny on how Lizzie was in the spotlight this entire episode, but somehow Hope always ended up being the focal point. This episode essentially exists to say, "Hope is the best and she brings light and joy to everyone" ...which hasn't exactly been my experience with her, but whatever. And we're also meant to see in this episode that Lizzie is just the absolute worst because she dares to want things...I know, the horror. And again with this episode, this show continues its trend of having a character with bipolar disorder and yet having no idea how to help that character or properly treat it. I swear, I feel like JP got treatment plans for bipolar disorder based off of watching old Degrassi episodes and bipolar medication commercials. There are different types and subtypes of bipolar disorder. And not all treatment options work for everyone. As an individual, sometimes the medication works really well, but in others, sometimes they benefit more with cognitive therapy. And let me tell you, if I have to hear one more time in this show, characters calling Lizzie "crazy" or making high-handed comments about her being medicated, I'm going to cut a bitch (JP being the bitch in this scenario). I HATE how this franchise continues to use mental illness as a weapon against the villains who are affected by it. Lizzie's bipolar disorder is constantly used as a means to belittle her in some way and it's absolutely despicable. But rant over. Let's talk about what happened in this episode. It's fine if characters want to dislike Lizzie, but stop using her own disorder as a weapon against her.

Lizzie and Josie come back from their vacation in Europe and Lizzie is very angry with her father because apparently he missed the message about picking the girls up at the airport and they had to get their own means of transportation back home. Hope is also there and immediately retorts that the girls should cut Alaric some slack as the school's dealing with some big shit right now. And I don't know, I mean, yeah Alaric was busy but also, your teenage girls being left to take a shuttle bus home from an airport terminal, that seems kind of dangerous. I know that when I was 16, no way in hell would my father allow me to procure my own means of transportation home. There's a lot of messed up people out there, the streets aren't exactly safe and since typically airports normally reside in very urban areas where crime is high, urban areas are even less safe. I mean, sure, Josie and Lizzie are witches and can take care of themselves but their magic is siphon magic. Meaning, if they don't have an outside source of magic to suck in, they're as vulnerable as a regular human. And plus, Alaric and Hope are missing the point of why Lizzie is mad. Lizzie is mad that once again she and Josie are being played second fiddle next to Hope when it comes to their father. She feels, once again, that her father doesn't love her as much as he loves Hope. And also, regarding the urn, why is it still in this school full of children? If the past episodes have been any inclination, the students are not safe with these objects around. For crying out loud, put the urn in the Lockwood mansion and set up a trap, there. Stop needlessly endangering these children.

Josie is all understanding of the situation because she's dull and boring and has no personality and JP has no idea what to do with her. Honestly, I can't wait until this whole Gemini curse comes into affect, because maybe, just maybe, Josie might actually do something that's interesting.

Lizzie stalks off to her room and makes a wish that she wishes Hope had never come to the school. But a genie shows up -- and it's actually pronounced jini here, there was a whole annoying bit about the pronounciation -- the genie grants Lizzie's wish and takes her to an alternate world where Hope had never come to the school. And it starts off perfectly happy. Instead of training Hope at ths docks, Alaric's actually training Josie and Lizzie and Lizzie is so happy about this, this is everything she ever wanted...which is essentially her father to love her and put her and Josie first. But she then realizes the world isn't perfect. She sees the school is falling a part because it's not really making a whole lot of income. And the idea to all of this is because without Hope, recruiting is difficult. Don't ask me how having more students in this private boarding school that you don't actually pay to attend is supposed to be better off financially. Its JP logic, don't think about it too much, she needs to tell the audience how special and perfect Hope is and how wrong we are for despising her and calling her a self-insert. But Lizzie knows the tracking spell Hope used and we use that to find recruits for this school. They see a huge dot on the map in New Orleans and we find out that its Hope. So there's the loophole in the first wish. Lizzie wished Hope hadn't come to the school, she didn't wish that Hope wouldn't ever. So Hope comes to the school and Josie talks about how happy their father has become with Hope in his life now...and I'm just like, "Why?" Why does Alaric have more joy for Hope than his own daughters...and also, eww.

But anyway, Lizzie's all screw this world and she makes another wish that the boarding school never existed. Basically, some drama between Lizzie and Josie occurs, Alaric is a drunk history teacher and when Lizzie accidentally loses control and her powers go off, Hope Mikaelson and her team of X-Men arrive not necessarily to get the girls out but because they need Alaric to be the headmaster for the Mikaelson boarding school. Why it's a good idea for a drunk history teacher to be a headmaster? Again, JP logic, best to not think about it.

But third wish is that Hope had never existed which basically creates an apocalypse world. Apparently Klaus loses everything and turns his humanity switch off and goes on a murder spree with Caroline and this causes magic to be hunted down in this apocalypse world. Again, don't ask me why Klaus turned off his humanity considering if Hope was never born he wouldn't have rekindled his relationship with his siblings in the first place, therefore he would have nothing to lose and thereby still being a douche but a douche with his humanity on. And also, don't ask me why Caroline went on this murder spree with him. Even when her humanity was turned off, she wasn't really a murderer. She did bad things, certainly, but they were far from the realm of psychopathic murdering, that was never who she was even with her humanity off. Basically, JP is such a lazy writer that she can't really be bothered to go into specifics on how these worlds all came to be and instead she uses vague statements and hopes her audience will buy it and not think too closely about it. But Lizzie finds out the Salvatore boarding school is now a resistance movement and it's also revealed here that Josie is dead and Lizzie was the one to kill her because Alaric kept the secret about the Gemini coven from them. Lizzie is understandably destroyed emotionally from hearing this news and is equally distressed when she realizes she's used all three of her wishes so she's stuck in this world. But the genie shows up and tells her she actually has one more wish. Genies, I guess, grant 4 wishes in TVD universe...convenient, I know. But the genie tells Lizzie if Lizzie wishes the urn to be in the genie's hand, Lizzie will go back to her own world. Lizzie refuses to do that because even though Lizzie can be extremely selfish and self-absorbed, she also has a very interesting aspect of selflessness to her as well. And this is why I adore Lizzie. She's not afraid to want things. She's not afraid to go after the best, to go after what she wants but also she does care alot about others as well. She constantly worries she'll lose control and her powers will hurt someone so she works extremely hard to keep her temper in check, in the second episode, when the school is attacked by a gargoyle, she could've used the time to run away but instead she uses the magic to seal the gargoyle in the school so it can't attack any of the normal humans in Mystic Falls. She's selfish, sure, but she also cares about the world as well. Now granted, this show definitely paints Lizzie as a bad person in her selfish elements and it's such a double standard. There's these old-fashioned societal views that women who are selfish are seen as ugly but yet men who are selfish such as with Damon and Klaus, are revered as being complex. I've said it before, I'll say it again, JP is not a feminist, Lega-Trash is not a feminist show. But Lizzie realizes a way around the genie's request. She essentially wishes the genie free because JP doesn't write her own shit and instead, copies off of everyone else. Lizzie wishes the genie had never met the being that sent her to Malivore. But there's a catch to this wish. This would also mean technically Lizzie never met the genie so she's going to forget all of this but these experiences are still going to be etched in her soul and it's most likely going to drive Lizzie crazy. So the genie grant's the wish, Lizzie goes back to her own world, she's forgotten everything, but feels a need to hug Josie but doesn't understand why. The episode ends with her talking about these feelings she doesn't understand why she has with Pedro, the little kid we see periodically in this series.

Basically, this episode was just all about telling us how super special and super important Hope is. And it's also really disgusting how Alaric's happiness is completely contingent on Hope. I also noticed that this episode had a lot of similar elements to this week's episode of Supernatural. Meeting alternate versions of yourself, forgetting experiences you had but still kind of remembering them...I mean, maybe it's a coincidence but I also can't forget a couple episodes ago where they tracked Landon's mother to Lawrence Kansas which is something that's also a part of Supernatural lore. So yeah, coincidence? Maybe. But coupled with the fact that JP has been very forward with wanting Legacies to be the next Supernatural...I don't think it's a coincidence. This episode gets a C-. I didn't like its content, but structurally, it was alright.

[msbeccieboo]

Arrow 7x08 brain dump

It wasn’t that bad!!

So like many I was a liiiittle bit disappointed this week. I really tried to recalibrate my expectations, but I think I was so pumped by the surprise fabulousness of last week and then the buzz online (so naive I know) of the advanced reviews for this week.  I was also doubly excited as it was the first time I was watching it via live stream (wow...all the adverts) rather than waking up super early to stream it the following morning (I’m in the UK).  I just think that we could've spent more time on the personal life of THE MAIN CHARACTER(S) after he had been in prison for half a year, but hey, live and learn.  Luckily I have ZERO hopes for the crossover so next week should be fine haha!

However, I have slept on it, seen everyone else freak out, and decided it could have been way worse, we got some quality Olicity fluff/angst content and Felicity is still the driving force of the storylines this year in both timelines so PositiveOutlook!Beccie is here!

So the episode...we didn’t get our shower shenanigans scene...*pouty face* (my review last week got flagged cos I wrote the ‘explicit’ s*x word twice, so all naughtiness shall hereby be referred to as shenanigans, until I get bored of typing shenanigans).  HOWEVER, the feelings of PTSD we got from Oliver in that scene, and throughout the episode, were great, and something I hope we continue to see and actually be acknowledged.  Oh yeah, and we got the FLUFFIEST SCENE TO EVER FLUFF!!  The zip!!  The mirror!!  The rubbing of the wedding ring!!  The RECITAL OF THEIR WEDDING VOWS!!!  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!  Ahhh and then some bed shenanigans 😉😉 (which could have been a bit longer, really Beth, come on!!).

Source: oliverxfelicity

We all have Felicity, we all have!!  We have been starved and we just want some good foooood!!

Then there was the gala, with allusions to Oliver’s first meal *cough Felicity*, a smidge of Laurel side-eye (always fun), and a classic forever-rebloggable gif from Mrs Smoak-Queen:

Unfortunately the gala also came with NTA.  Rene bitching that they didn’t get an event thrown for them when ‘they’ caught Diaz...err excuse me now, who caught Diaz??  At least it makes a change from Curtis being the whiner of the episode!

Then we see the shit hit the fan with the break-in and Felicity’s reaction to it, or rather, Oliver’s reaction to Felicity’s reaction to it haha!  Oliver’s cry of “Felicity” before diving across the room to protect her (yes I swooned), was swiftly followed up with Badass!Felicity pulling a gun and shooting the intruder, like a boss!

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

Oliver is shocked and mad that she has a gun....huh? Why?  She’s protecting herself and her family in their own home, not, say, seeking out criminals and inflicting bodily harm on them willy nilly like some kind of....vigilante???!  How many times have we seen her knock a villain out before, except this time Oliver sees the anger, rage even, in her, and THAT is what could harm her, that is where his fear lies and that is what he is really concerned about.  This is followed up with a rather delicious Olicity angst scene, which may I add, WE ALL HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR.  We all wanted to see Felicity lose her shit over what Oliver did and show him how she has had to change because of it. The sad part was seeing the way Felicity sees her ‘old self’ as weak.  The important thing to see here is that this is how Felicity is feeling because of what she’s been through the past few months, not what the writers, or Oliver think.  Oliver's look of incredulity when she said that was a thing of beauty.  Girl you have never been weak, you are just scared and angry, and this is something that Felicity will come to accept over the season, I am sure.  Again, Olicity are walking in each others shoes, and Oliver will need to be her light this time and show her another way to channel these feelings than do something that she may regret later.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

Their conversation continued at the end of the episode, which is where people are freaking out I think.  I’m not worried.  I found it annoying that they effectively ended Season 7a at this point of their discussion, but Olicity are not splitting up!!  The red pen mention... “I love you more than a human being should love another human being” *my heart*...then the notion that they are growing apart/moving in different directions, but Oliver is there asking how do they get back on the same page again.  Oliver will not let Felicity walk away again....Felicity won’t walk away again...they are acknowledging that they have changed/grown independently and will just need to learn to grow back together again cos they are endgame!!!! 

Oh and Emiko Queen is the new GA, and Oliver’s half sister...I am SHOCKED (I’m not shocked).  I did have a giggle that the charred remains of the Queen mansion were still stood there as full-mansion-sized charred remains ~5 years after said-charring 😂😂

Future timeline

So, on first appearances it seems that Maya is not our Olicity baby...apparently William doesn’t recognise her.  One of the first things I did think when we actually saw her interacting with William et al was how reminiscent of a young Thea she was...the only alternative option I will accept for her is that she is Thea's and Roy's...especially as Roy wasn't with them to meet her.  But her and William....totally had that ‘we have a secret’ eye-contact thing going on.  The season theme is legacy, why go to the trouble of casting a relatively well-known actress and hyping her up weeks and weeks before her first appearance for her to not fit into that theme in a major way?  Girl is a Smoak/Queen or a Queen/Harper or I’m out!

Also, it seems that they are trying to make us think that Oliver is dead in the future too....hmm ok then, Oliver and Felicity are dead and before she died Felicity was also evil and wanted to level the Glades...

(I think this is the first time I’ve actually used this gif!  Yay!)

Things I wasn’t keen on...

Dyla...I think I need to watch their scenes back cos I zoned out a bit there...why are they seeing Lizard boy??  Actually I DON’T F-ING CARE BE GONE ALREADY DIAZ!!!

When is Oliver gonna find out that Dig has been next to useless the last 6 months?  Cos there is no hint of him having the slightest clue...this would also help him to understand Felicity’s position better.

The Max Fuller storyline was just essentially to show Oliver working for the SCPD and using a different route of justice, so why did they need to spend sooo much time on it?

My main gripe with the episode wasn’t the way the Olicity angst was dealt with necessarily, but rather the lack of time dedicated to it.  I also think that the episode requires a re-watch as soon as I get home to fully digest and make sense of it.  Sometime recently I seem to recall @jbuffyangel saying something along the lines of, if you have to re-watch the episode straight away to understand it, it's kind of a crappy episode.  I would somewhat agree in this case, but we did get some goodies in there...I think I will enjoy this episode better when the season has finished and I can binge-watch.  That’s how I watched nearly the first 4 seasons of Arrow and those are some of my favourites (I didn’t even mind Ray upon binging!).

[gocatboygo]

1-50 for Rosa

I’m Love You.

1) What is your OC’s favorite color?

maybe red? could also be brown, but like probably red

2) Does your OC collect anything? What do they collect?

bad christian romance novels from pre-war. cass gives her most of them. twilight is included in this but its by no means her favorite like she thought it was just ok

3) What kind of things is your OC allergic to?

nothing comes to mind

4) What kind of clothing does your OC wear?

in public she almost always wears a mask, usually either the legion recruit mask or the ncr ranger mask. also construction gloves. spends most of the beginning of the game in a sherrif’s duster & then from there she just wears whatever covers most of her and supports her gear, if it’s really hot out she’ll wear the wasteland surgeon armor

5) What is your OC’s first memory?

she still has her memories from before the bullet so probably something from her childhood

6) What’s your OC’s favorite animal? Least favorite?

she really fucking loves horses. like she’s a Horse Girl TM. least favorite is like,, djfdsfjs cazadores idfk

7) What element would your OC be?

definitely earth!

8) What is your OC’s theme song? 

probably a mitski song lmfao. either that or everybody wants to rule the world by tears for fears

8) Do you have a faceclaim/voiceclaim for your OC?

bold of you to assume i have anything for this oc / i just realized i fucked up the numbering here so enjoy that sdkfjdsk

9) What deadly sin would best represent your OC?

after she gets pretty deep into the game, maybe after the sierra madre? greed. i can see her going a little out of control after she has to give all that gold up (even though she could bring 1 bar back bc She Big) and just kind of. taking everything

10) What are your OC’s hobbies?

she’s a courier at heart so delivering packages dsjkflsjdw. farming, solitaire, reading those bad novels i previously mentioned, knitting, gecko hunting… watching holotape movies on her pipboy… getting terminally bored and taking med-x ksdjfkds

11) How patient is your OC? How hot-headed are they?

she’s fairly patient, the only time she really gets hot-headed is at fortification hill when she goes to meet with lanius (caesar dies of his cancer p early in her canon). also probably at the tops, she doesnt like bein in there

12) What is your OC’s gender / sexuality / race / species / etc.?

cis woman / bi / mexican / human / etc.

13) What foods does your OC like to eat? What are their least favorite foods?

uhh she learned how to cook from home-grown ingredients and in lasting bulk so she mostly eats stew and potatoes. every time she goes to freeside she gets that “mystery meat” from the stand in front of the gate despite the fact that its transparently radroach meat. she doesnt like the meat from the ultraluxe (even before she finds out it might be people, its fancy and garnished and she dont trust like that) but she loves their brahmin cheesecakes so she like, settles kdsjfksd

14) If your OC could have any pet, what would they choose? Why?

rex. rex. rex. rex. r (she also has like 2 brahmin at some point ksdjfksdf)

15) What does your OC smell like? 

that’s ! a wildin question huh! probably gunpowder and old leather 

16) How do they make a living? What kind of job do they want / not want? What is their dream job? What do they think of their current job?

she works for house, owns a small farm (after a while, in spring of 2282), and does various quests around the mojave for money. she was a courier for 8-9 years and she loved it, so id say thats her ideal job, but she’s past it. she’s very happy with where she is in all 3 of those jobs !

17) What are your OC’s greatest fears? Weaknesses? Strengths?

her biggest fears would probably be claustrophobia and getting buried alive (because benny). she has nightmares abt it, like 2 the point where every so often she wakes up and just Has A Good Sob. she has very low charisma (1) and very high endurance (9), her strength is also pretty good

18) What kind of music do they listen to? Do they have a favorite song?

she thinks truly madly deeply by cascada is the best love song ever written. she also listens to radio new vegas & a holotape cass gave her that’s mostly feminist anthems from the 20th century and 2 instances of mad about the boy

19) If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do?

oh god she would fucking hate the pre-war world. she would probably just go find a horse tbh sdfjsdkf what else is there to do! 

20) What personal problems/issues do they have? Pet peeves?

she has brain damage from the bullet. it didnt affect her intelligence or (for the most part) her memory, but she does have, like. chronic headaches, brain fog, dizzy spells, things like that. like i said before, she also has nightmares & claustrophobia from the same incident. as for pet peeves, she hates people who talk a lot without saying anything or try to sound smart for no reason. she has no problem with talkers as long as they like,, Say Something dsfdksfj

21) What kind of student were they/would they be in high school?

she grew up in a very small (very catholic) village, so im not sure if she exactly went to high school?? but she did attend school. she was sort of a loner, she had a single mother w no siblings & shes like 6 feet tall so both of those things made her a little bit outcast ksdjfksd. i mean she. She Was A Horse Girl what else do i have to say

22) What is a random fact about your OC? 

god i dont know!! uh… oh omg she thinks astrology is something vulpes made up and when she hears arcade talking about it she out of bodies

23) What is their outlook on life? What is their philosophy / what do they think in general about living?

rosa’s a very simple person, she mostly just wants a good life for herself. stable work and a stable life make her happy. a lot of her philosophy throughout the game is based on the fact that she’ll do (almost) whatever her employer asks her to, thus her being a house courier. most of her relationships are based almost entirely on trust, which is another major philosophy of hers 

24) What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them?

honestly??? i read so many fics (especially f!courier/vulpes) where the courier was a Relateable Pretty Girl TM that i probably just wanted to make a female courier who had actual substance and weight. rosa is married to (ex-legion) vulpes so she rlly does largely serve to subvert the genre in fnv fic

25) Who is the most important person in their life? Why? Who is the least important to them (that still has an impact and why?

i mean. her husband probably skdfjkdfs. she’s been travelling with vulpes for a long time and she’s had to put her life in his hands a lot of times because of that, so he’s grown to be very important to her. mr house is a close runner up. i hate to say this but arcade is probably her least Impactful TM companion skjfdkds she barely travels w him 

26) What kind of childhood did your character have?

i say some of this in the other questions but like heres all of her backstory in one i guess kdsjfsd. rosa was raised in small catholic village somewhere outside nevada, i havent decided on what state its in bc im fucking dumb as hell. her family (like great grandmother type shit not her personally) & a few others came up from mexico years ago to get away from raiders, made a village and Kabaam. her mother had her, and then a second baby who was stillborn, and her father disappeared a few months after this happened. her mother raised her there until she was 20 and she signed on with the mojave express as a courier in an attempt to get out of her village and find Something To Do With Herself TM. she was a little outcast growing up, not totally isolated but certainly not very popular, and it caused her to be a very independent person later in life.

27) What kind of nervous habits do they have? Do they stim? Do they have any kinds of addictions?

she fidgets sometimes but i wouldn’t say she stims. clenches her fists when she’s nervous. she likes to smoke and chew tobacco (especially when she’s stressed out) but it’s only a minor addiction

28) If they could choose their epitaph for their grave, what would they choose?

honestly?? “Forgive Me Mama” bc that’s what it says on her helmet sfjdsfhd

29) Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why?

apparently bc she fuckin did! she wants stability and someone to take care of her, and she likes the idea of being a unit with someone a lot more than she likes the idea of just dating them, so i guess thats how vulpes Happened ™. she actually can’t have kids bc she got irradiated pretty bad while she was looting searchlight :/ but she doesn’t want kids because 1) she’s travelling a lot for her work and 2) she doesn’t want to have to shape her life around a child. god knows vulpes cant interact w children, but he still wants them in theory because he wants a legacy

30) What is their most traumatic memory/experience? What is their favorite memory?

ring-a-ding-ding! it’s getting shot. her favorite memory is probably either like, easter when she was a child, or some time she swam in a river with vulpes, she’s fuckin basic

31) If they could have one thing in the world, what would it be?

a horse. i wanted to answer this differently but it really is just a horse

32) Would they ever kill someone? What would someone have to do to push them to kill someone? If they would kill someone, why? 

she’s killed! if she’s provoked or if her employer asks her to, she will absolutely kill someone. destroying the bos bunker was hard for her though :/ i like to pretend she didnt do it even though shes house ksdjfklsdhg

33) What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually?

maybe its just the fact that its 2am and i have poor reading comprehension but i have no fucking clue what this means

34) How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories?

her imagination is pretty good! i wouldnt call it excellent but it’s pretty good. she usually only daydreams before she falls asleep or gets up in the morning (or if she’s just like rlly chilled out skdfjds). she doesn’t worry much.

35) What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain?

i have no idea how to answer this one, which is a tragedy. maybe ill come back and answer it someday lmao

36) What’s something that your character does, that other people don’t normally do?

The House Always Wins I-VIII

37) What would your character do with a million dollars? 

in all seriousness she’d probably just stop having any financial restraint and start buying whatever she wants whenever it comes to mind. also she’d buy vulpes like 100,000 gambling chips from gomorrah and tell him to lose his mind skdfhjldksg

38) What is in your characters refrigerator right now? On their bedroom floor? Nightstand? Garbage can?

fridge at her farmhouse: vegetables, gecko meat, some seasonings, leftovers, beans, cram / fridge at the 38: An Entire Pot Of Stew ™, leftover tops restaurant takeout, a cheesecake, crispy squirrel bits, a post-it note from veronica saying they’re out of shampoo / bedroom floor: ;) / garbage can: empty cans, vulpes, plastic wrappers

39) Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with?

first thing that came to mind was to gomorrah, in her Fancy Riot Gear and ranger’s helmet, with raul. no idea why but like have a fun night bb sdkfjdslkf

40) What does your character do when they’re angry? Why?

depends on why she’s angry, but usually she’ll either start ranting at whoever she’s mad at (which never lasts long) or just go silent and tense up. she’ll also grumble. i mentioned this before but fortification hill was probably the only time she was so mad she was just yelling at everyone skfjkdsf

41) Does your character have any scars? Where did they get them from? 

she has a lot of scars! the most visible one is a cobweb-shaped scar on her forehead from when benny shot her. she also has another less prominent scar on the side of her face from Some Shit. various scars on her torso and arms from various sources, another bullet scar on her arm from raiders, maybe more. there’s a particularly bad scar across her ribs from being slashed w a knife (raiders again)

42) What was the most offensive thing your character had ever said?

she hates the irish

43) How does your character react/ accept criticism?

i dont know if she really cares? shes still a little bitter abt some insults she took as a kid but like arent we all. it makes her more angry than insecure

44) If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza?

under normal circumstances, she’d throw it in the fucking trash. if she HAD to eat it she’d be fine skjfsd she just wouldnt like it

45) Your character is given a voodoo doll of themself. What do they do with it? Do they see if it actually works?

yeah, she probably puts a needle in its shoulder or something to see if it works. shes so used to being end 9 she doesnt consider the fact that She Will Lose Her Shoulder

46) Can your character draw? What do they like to draw? Do they doodle?

she can’t draw slkdfjsd. she probably has like… some warrior cats type drawings from when she was a kid and thats it

47) What were their parents like? How has that affected how they are as an adult?

her father dipped when she was maybe 1-2 years old, a few months after her brother was stillborn.

48) Does your character like candy? Do they get sugar rushes? What are they like when they get a rush?

she likes a little bit of candy, mostly lollipops. i cant see her getting a sugar rush

(i know i fucked up the numbering) 50) If your character was presented with imminent and unavoidable death/fatality, how would they react? Would they try to avoid death anyways? Would they try to make their last days count?

this,, could actually very easily happen because of her brain damage, ive explored that concept before. she would probably spend a lot of time alone or with the people she’s closest to reflecting on her life and trying to die in peace. if she had enough time she’d go see her mother again, but it’s still unlikely

————

jesus fucking christ thats long, rip mobile users. tysm for sending me this!! i didnt realize how much 50 questions was dksjfkds. yall can keep sending me these (like 1-10 at a time skdfjdg) for other couriers if you want but like i understand if ur tired of hearing me Fucking Talk after this

[smokeybrandreviews]

Wongers

Marvel Phase Four has been a mixed bag, man. Just on the film side, there is so much missed potential. Outside of No Way Home, every MCU theater entry has been mediocre, compared to Phase Three at least. I mean, it’s going to be hard as f*ck to top the liked of Infinity War and the first two Spider-Man flicks but still. Having to start from scratch after relegating your big three to oblivion was, in my opinion, a bold take. Stark is dead. Rogers is old as f*ck. Hulk is a cripple. All you have left is Thor and a bunch of B-listers. Beyond that, you need to build the world all over again. Stuff needs to fit together and the grandeur needs to stack. The films have stumbled out the gate with this. Th films. The shows? Yeah, they’ve fared much better. With She-Hulk approaching the halfway mark, i wanted to look back and kind of rank the available Disney+ outings we have to date.

7. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Now, i want to stress this, i actually like She-Hulk. I enjoy this show. I think it’s a nice little lighthearted romp. Slice of life with gamma monsters. Tatiana Maslany is perfect as Jen and I'm always glass to see Ruffalo as Hulk. That aid, this one is, without a doubt, the weakest of the shows. She-Hulk feels like it has no identity. It wants to be a fourth Wall breaking take on Bad Judge but Disney doesn’t have thee teeth for that and it’s readily apparent the writers have no idea how to craft courtroom shenanigans. This should have been The Practice with Superheros but instead it’s kind of bad fan fiction. Interestingly enough, She-Hulk shares a lot of the same issues i have with Eternals, which is the weakest film in Phase Four. Also, the effects aren't that bad. You guys are just mean.

6. Ms. Marvel

I really enjoyed Ms. Marvel. I thought they cast this show perfectly and Iman Vellani is a an absolutely PERFECT Kamala. To be honest, i don’t even like ol’ girl as a character. I think Kamala is annoying as f*ck but the version Vellani portrays? Mad endearing. She absolutely lives that fangirl aspect and seeing this version of Kamala grow into her powers was a real treat. Even if they are kind of problematic with that djinn reveal. More than anything, i love that this was a distinctly Pakistani story. This felt as authentic to those people as Black Panther felt to mine and i hope the next season, or at least her next appearance, is as genuine.

5. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

This one hurts. Listen, I'm a black dude. I grew up poor, in the ghetto, during the late Eighties and all of the Nineties. Falcon and Bucky’s underlying themes of race, class, and acceptance rings dumb true to my life experience. I enjoyed the fact Sam had to battle with being a legacy and that Bucky needed to make amends for his past transgression. Any time Zemo shows up, I'm all aboard and the reveal that Sharon was the Powerbroker really set things up for The Thunderbolts going forward. Wyatt Russell’s USAgent was spot on and the absolute zeal the nation had for this “new” Captain America was perfect. And then Flag-Smasher ruined everything. Erin Kellyman is bad at her job and every time she appeared on screen, she ruined every thing. Completely took me out of the show.

4. WandaVision

WandaVision is arguably the best thing about Phase Four just based on Elizabeth Olsen’s performance. Seriously, she KILLS it as Wanda. Finally given room to, you know, act, Olsen gives us a nuanced, heartbreaking, portrayal of someone who has lost everything. Someone who has hit rock bottom and lashes out as a means to feel something. Anything. That’s not to disregard the others in this show. I mean, Katherine Hahn was wonderful and Paul Bettany is his usual excellence but this is, without a doubt, Olsen’s show. Which is why the last two episodes of WandaVision are so f*cking disappointing. What even was that final battle? What even were those effects on Agatha? Why did we have to wait until MoM to get the pure, furious, massacre, goodness of full-on Scarlet Witch Wanda? This show started so good and hen just dropped the f*cking ball with those last two episodes.

3. Hawkeye

Listen, Clint’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Christmas Misadventure, was everything to me. Admittedly, it took a little while to get going but, after the third episodes, this thing was in full sprint. Hawkeye was able to do so much, in such short time, while simultaneously giving me a decent story and origin for Kate Bishop. Not only that, but w got Echo, Kingpin, and more of the adorable murder cinnamon roll, Yelena Belova. There is a surprisingly heartfelt and earnest narrative woven throughout this show and it’s for that reason i ranked it so high on this list. One can make the argument that WandaVision is superior in every way but, for me, Hawkeye is the better show.

2. Loki

Loki is the big one of the new shows. This is the one that has all of the ramification of where Feige wants to take the MCU going forward. Kang. The TVA. The Multiverse. Variants. All of them, introduced in Loki. Obviously, anytime i can get more Hiddles in that green and gold, i am all for it but Loki turned out to be so much more than that. I had no idea what to expect when they announced that Loki Laufeyson was going to get his own show but color me surprised when it turned into something really f*cking special. Strong performances from an amazing cast really helped this thing along the way, too. That said, if I'm being honest, it was Gator Loki for me.

1. Moon Knight

Look, objectively, Loki and WandaVision are better than Moon Knight. Hell, I'd even say Hawkeye has an argument for that position, too. But f*ck all of that, i LOVED Moon Knight! I legitimately thought this thing was going to be as terrible as Eternals when it was announced. Who the f*ck knows anything about Moon Knight? And then Feige blessed me with one of the strongest character studies in the entire MCU. I can’t say i cared for the villain, Ethan Hawke came across as too placid for my tastes, but Oscar Isaac pulling double duty as Steven Grant and Marc Specter was sheer brilliance; Both being manipulated by an F. Murray Abraham voiced Konshu. Add in the absolute vision that is May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly and you have my number one spot. Plus, they made Engelbert Humperdinck relevant! That, alone, should put it in the top three. Moon Knight might be kind of goofy at times, it has a giant Kaiju fight between a crocodile with boobs and a bird-skulled mummy for a climax, but it has the strongest cast in all of Phase Four, save NWH. More than that, the dynamic between Steven and Marc hit so close to home for me. I’m a big brother. I know them feels. I've taken those licks for my kid brothers when we were young. Moon Knight was much, much, better than it had any goddamn right to be and that’s why it’s my favorite of the MCU shows. So far.

[smokeybrand]

Wongers

Marvel Phase Four has been a mixed bag, man. Just on the film side, there is so much missed potential. Outside of No Way Home, every MCU theater entry has been mediocre, compared to Phase Three at least. I mean, it’s going to be hard as f*ck to top the liked of Infinity War and the first two Spider-Man flicks but still. Having to start from scratch after relegating your big three to oblivion was, in my opinion, a bold take. Stark is dead. Rogers is old as f*ck. Hulk is a cripple. All you have left is Thor and a bunch of B-listers. Beyond that, you need to build the world all over again. Stuff needs to fit together and the grandeur needs to stack. The films have stumbled out the gate with this. Th films. The shows? Yeah, they’ve fared much better. With She-Hulk approaching the halfway mark, i wanted to look back and kind of rank the available Disney+ outings we have to date.

7. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

Now, i want to stress this, i actually like She-Hulk. I enjoy this show. I think it’s a nice little lighthearted romp. Slice of life with gamma monsters. Tatiana Maslany is perfect as Jen and I'm always glass to see Ruffalo as Hulk. That aid, this one is, without a doubt, the weakest of the shows. She-Hulk feels like it has no identity. It wants to be a fourth Wall breaking take on Bad Judge but Disney doesn’t have thee teeth for that and it’s readily apparent the writers have no idea how to craft courtroom shenanigans. This should have been The Practice with Superheros but instead it’s kind of bad fan fiction. Interestingly enough, She-Hulk shares a lot of the same issues i have with Eternals, which is the weakest film in Phase Four. Also, the effects aren't that bad. You guys are just mean.

6. Ms. Marvel

I really enjoyed Ms. Marvel. I thought they cast this show perfectly and Iman Vellani is a an absolutely PERFECT Kamala. To be honest, i don’t even like ol’ girl as a character. I think Kamala is annoying as f*ck but the version Vellani portrays? Mad endearing. She absolutely lives that fangirl aspect and seeing this version of Kamala grow into her powers was a real treat. Even if they are kind of problematic with that djinn reveal. More than anything, i love that this was a distinctly Pakistani story. This felt as authentic to those people as Black Panther felt to mine and i hope the next season, or at least her next appearance, is as genuine.

5. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

This one hurts. Listen, I'm a black dude. I grew up poor, in the ghetto, during the late Eighties and all of the Nineties. Falcon and Bucky’s underlying themes of race, class, and acceptance rings dumb true to my life experience. I enjoyed the fact Sam had to battle with being a legacy and that Bucky needed to make amends for his past transgression. Any time Zemo shows up, I'm all aboard and the reveal that Sharon was the Powerbroker really set things up for The Thunderbolts going forward. Wyatt Russell’s USAgent was spot on and the absolute zeal the nation had for this “new” Captain America was perfect. And then Flag-Smasher ruined everything. Erin Kellyman is bad at her job and every time she appeared on screen, she ruined every thing. Completely took me out of the show.

4. WandaVision

WandaVision is arguably the best thing about Phase Four just based on Elizabeth Olsen’s performance. Seriously, she KILLS it as Wanda. Finally given room to, you know, act, Olsen gives us a nuanced, heartbreaking, portrayal of someone who has lost everything. Someone who has hit rock bottom and lashes out as a means to feel something. Anything. That’s not to disregard the others in this show. I mean, Katherine Hahn was wonderful and Paul Bettany is his usual excellence but this is, without a doubt, Olsen’s show. Which is why the last two episodes of WandaVision are so f*cking disappointing. What even was that final battle? What even were those effects on Agatha? Why did we have to wait until MoM to get the pure, furious, massacre, goodness of full-on Scarlet Witch Wanda? This show started so good and hen just dropped the f*cking ball with those last two episodes.

3. Hawkeye

Listen, Clint’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Christmas Misadventure, was everything to me. Admittedly, it took a little while to get going but, after the third episodes, this thing was in full sprint. Hawkeye was able to do so much, in such short time, while simultaneously giving me a decent story and origin for Kate Bishop. Not only that, but w got Echo, Kingpin, and more of the adorable murder cinnamon roll, Yelena Belova. There is a surprisingly heartfelt and earnest narrative woven throughout this show and it’s for that reason i ranked it so high on this list. One can make the argument that WandaVision is superior in every way but, for me, Hawkeye is the better show.

2. Loki

Loki is the big one of the new shows. This is the one that has all of the ramification of where Feige wants to take the MCU going forward. Kang. The TVA. The Multiverse. Variants. All of them, introduced in Loki. Obviously, anytime i can get more Hiddles in that green and gold, i am all for it but Loki turned out to be so much more than that. I had no idea what to expect when they announced that Loki Laufeyson was going to get his own show but color me surprised when it turned into something really f*cking special. Strong performances from an amazing cast really helped this thing along the way, too. That said, if I'm being honest, it was Gator Loki for me.

1. Moon Knight

Look, objectively, Loki and WandaVision are better than Moon Knight. Hell, I'd even say Hawkeye has an argument for that position, too. But f*ck all of that, i LOVED Moon Knight! I legitimately thought this thing was going to be as terrible as Eternals when it was announced. Who the f*ck knows anything about Moon Knight? And then Feige blessed me with one of the strongest character studies in the entire MCU. I can’t say i cared for the villain, Ethan Hawke came across as too placid for my tastes, but Oscar Isaac pulling double duty as Steven Grant and Marc Specter was sheer brilliance; Both being manipulated by an F. Murray Abraham voiced Konshu. Add in the absolute vision that is May Calamawy as Layla El-Faouly and you have my number one spot. Plus, they made Engelbert Humperdinck relevant! That, alone, should put it in the top three. Moon Knight might be kind of goofy at times, it has a giant Kaiju fight between a crocodile with boobs and a bird-skulled mummy for a climax, but it has the strongest cast in all of Phase Four, save NWH. More than that, the dynamic between Steven and Marc hit so close to home for me. I’m a big brother. I know them feels. I've taken those licks for my kid brothers when we were young. Moon Knight was much, much, better than it had any goddamn right to be and that’s why it’s my favorite of the MCU shows. So far.

[aion-rsa]

How WandaVision Proves Marvel Can Tell a Love Story That Matters

https://ift.tt/2Ph0Mfh

This article contains Wandavision spoilers.

The pages of Marvel Comics include some of the most iconic romantic relationships in pop culture, but looking at the feature films that comprise the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you’d be forgiven for not really knowing that fact. These twenty-some-odd movies have given us everything from space operas and magic to war dramas and spy films. Yet, in all this time, we’ve never really gotten a love story, and certainly not a film in which the central romantic relationship was the primary driving force behind its narrative. Until now.

WandaVision is not just the MCU’s first proper romance, it’s the first time this franchise has gone all-in on the idea that love can be as cosmic and all-encompassing as every other tale this universe tells and should be treated as such. The story of Wanda and Vision is both thrilling and heartbreaking by turns, but it’s not because of Wanda’s magic or the charming sitcom framework the couple finds themselves in. It’s because this is a story that, at its heart, is simply deeply, achingly romantic, grounded in the connection between two outsiders bound by tragedy, loss, and the warm, fuzzy tropes of TV comedies.

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As a franchise, the MCU has often struggled with how best to depict romance, often featuring barely-there relationships that generally culminated in a single, sweeping kiss but involved few real problems or indications of how such a connection might function long-term. Onscreen flirting in the MCU is primarily comprised of snarky verbal sparring that is the conversational equivalent of a boy pulling a girl’s pigtail on the playground. Even the films’ most central couples – Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts – share little more than a handful of scenes and are never really treated as a narrative priority beyond the ways the existence of their feelings for these women motivate and impact both men.

When it comes to onscreen romances, viewers are often left having to fill in the details of these relationships themselves, through narrative gaps that may span both years and multiple sequels within the larger franchise. Wanda and Vision’s relationship is one of the linchpins around which the plot of Avengers: Infinity War turns, yet their initial courtship happened entirely offscreen, leaving fans to wonder how the two came to care about one another so deeply that it made risking half of humanity not just okay, but necessary.

Though the relationship between Vision and the Scarlet Witch is one of the most famous in comics, in the cinematic universe it was essentially treated as an afterthought, a legacy pairing that existed more for storytelling purposes than because of anything to do with these specific versions of these characters. In fact, both Wanda and Vision were woefully underdeveloped onscreen, with the film universe often counting on fans’ knowledge of the pair’s long comics history to paper over a lot of gaps in their narrative and endow their relationship with an emotional heft it had not otherwise earned.

All of that changes in WandaVision and, as a result, it feels as though we are truly seeing Vision and the Scarlet Witch for the first time.

The series’ endearing remix of classic sitcom tropes and low-stakes adventures that involve everything from a town talent show to a new family pet (RIP, Sparky) allows us to see Wanda and Vision’s love in a whole new light. Their banter is adorable and the easy chemistry between them is glaringly apparent in a way that we haven’t ever had the chance to see before onscreen. (Possibly because the pair had shared maybe a dozen scenes together in the films.)

And where the MCU films have been relatively sexless thus far, WandaVision is unafraid to show us a couple who has a genuine passion for one another. From Vision’s reaction to Wanda’s ‘50s style lingerie to Wanda’s magical fusing of their separate beds and the repeated subtle jokes about the fact that both parties enjoy costumes, this is clearly a duo that is extremely physically into each other. Their sex scenes are implied, but that’s not exactly a huge surprise – this is Disney’s house after all, and the classic sitcoms this series takes its inspiration from often also had to rely on sly innuendo meant to skirt around the broadcasting standards of their time.

Read more

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But the breadth of Wanda and Vision’s love is also felt in the absence of it. Wanda’s grief, so raw and immediate in the aftermath of Vision’s Infinity War death – that she had to witness twice and which, for her, just happened a month ago – is powerful enough to warp reality and create the town, home, and husband of her dreams from little more than memory and hope. The idea of living her life without that love is nigh unbearable for her, so she…doesn’t.  

“But what is grief, if not love persevering?” Vision asks Wanda in a flashback sequence that really should have appeared in Captain America: Civil War. The existence of this Westview is a form of Wanda’s love persevering, in a heartbreaking and tragic way. And that’s what makes her behavior so understandable and easy to sympathize with, even as she robs an entire town of its free will and tries to make up for it by providing them with picture-perfect lives in exchange. She’s doing it for the chance to hold onto that love a little longer, and her grief and depression are both lenses through which her actions must be viewed.

Unlike the big-screen films, which often involve massive stakes and potentially world-ending problems, WandaVision is a story about love – our desire for it, our joy in it, and the way we are left bereft in its absence. Wanda may be one of the most powerful beings in the cosmos, but all she wants is a home with the man she loves and a normal life full of everyday problems and misadventures.

And for the first time, the MCU has a relationship that feels like it means something, from an emotional perspective, as a focus of the larger story about grief and trauma that WandaVision is telling, and as a piece of the larger onscreen universe. Wanda will next appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and it’s difficult to imagine the fallout from whatever happens to Westview – and Vision – won’t be felt there. But whatever happens to Wanda in that film, those events will carry a lot more emotional impact because we finally got to see the truth of what most mattered to her – the love she had and lost along the way. 

And as we look to the future of the Marvel universe, WandaVision provides a valuable model for the films and series to come. If Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness wants us to care about Strange’s budding relationship with Dr. Christine Palmer, then it needs to treat her as a fully formed character who exists outside of her role as his ex. And if Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 expects us to root for Peter Quill to somehow reconcile with a Gamora who considers him a stranger, then the film is going to have to put in the work to make that reconnection a believable one, starting with acknowledging that both this character and their relationship are necessarily different from the versions we remember. It’s true, not every film necessarily needs a romance at its center – and Captain Marvel was certainly just fine without one – but they can and do remind us why we tell these stories in the first place. What are we saving the world for, after all – if not the people we love?

The post How WandaVision Proves Marvel Can Tell a Love Story That Matters appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[brigdh]

Yuletide recs, for fandoms A-M! I have just barely gotten this in before author reveals, and clearly still have half the alphabet to get through. Ah, well. First off, my own gift!! Water Lens Benjamin January, gen, 2.4k, Teen. “The good widow couldn't dump you in the fast section of the river, apparently,” January said. “It had to be the mud.” “If she'd only panicked five minutes earlier,” Rose agreed with a sigh. “We were on the bridge then – although given the state of that particular river I wouldn't necessarily put money on it being that much cleaner.” All my all favorite story tropes are here: bathing together and playing with hair and the OT3 and Rose doing science and there’s even a mystery to solve in here too! It is wonderful and I love it and everyone should give the mystery author more kudos. And here are my other favorites: so come home 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale, gen, 21.5k, G. A detective is called to a space station to solve the mystery of whether--and how--twelve astronauts are accessing the surface of a forbidden planet. A very well-written sci-fi murder mystery, with great worldbuilding and characters. Recruits American Gods, Mr Wednesday and Mad Sweeney, 4.2k, G. The Norse god of battle and a mad Irish king walk into a bar. This is not a joke, my son: except in a sense, it is. They are Old Gods, it’s the New World, and the game must be kept going. Really great backstory on the gods in WWI. The Locust And I Awoke and Found Me Here on the Cold Hill's Side - James Tiptree Jr., 2.2k, Mature. Letter of Fr. Francisco Nadal to Fr. Bartolomeo Strozzi, 1588. The original short story is about the horrifying effects on humanity of alien sexuality; this fic translates it into Imperial Spain and makes the different cultural setting really work. Because everyone needs some terror on Christmas! And on the seventh... Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian, Jack/Stephen, 11k, G. This decision might be considered the luckiest, as standing near Jack meant that Stephen was not alone in his fall overboard. Or it might be considered the unluckiest, as standing near Jack meant that Stephen was foremost in the splinters' path, when the ranging shot abruptly found its range. Desert island fic with H/C, angst, kissing in the ocean, and new species of birds. AKA, everything good in fic. And for that riches where is my deserving? Benjamin January mysteries, Ben/Rose/Hannibal, 1.8k, Teen. If Ben was honest with himself, he suspected that one day Hannibal might simply vanish from their lives. He desperately hoped that this was not the day. Delicious Hannibal whump plus the OT3! What more could anyone want out of the tiny fandom of my heart? Family Gathering Books of the Raksura, Moon-focused, 2.8k, G. After some of Jade and Moon's first clutch are confirmed to be Royal Aeriat, Pearl wants the fledgelings brought to her bower. Ember thinks Moon should be there too. Really adorable baby-fic, with some lovely Pearl characterization. Home Books of the Raksura, Consolation gen, 4.1k, G. It turned out that living like people instead of monsters required all sorts of skills and tools. Cleaning required soap, and some inkling of how to apply it. Consolation’s flight, having been raised by monsters, not people, had none of the requisite skills. This is the post-canon fic about how Consolation learns to be a person that was my greatest wish for Christmas, and it's everything I could have hoped for. Mordre, She Wroot Canterbury Tales, Wife of Bath-focused, 8k, G. At least one pilgrim will not make it to Canterbury. Yes, you ABSOLUTELY DO need the Wife of Bath solving murders in your life. Just trust me on this. Underworlds: The Life and Afterlife of Richard Upton Pickman Cthulhu mythos, gen, 3.7k, G. Explore the life, works and enduring influence of Richard Upton Pickman, a controversial artist of the early 20th century. This exhibition includes several paintings never before displayed in public, including all of Pickman's graphic, unsettling "horrors" currently remaining in North America. The Boston Globe called Underworlds "stomach-turning food for thought"— but decide for yourself! Young children may find Pickman's paintings frightening; parents are advised to consider carefully before allowing them to proceed. This program serves as a guide to the exhibit. Audio versions for your mobile phone are available at the Parrington museum website. Such a well-done pastiche of a museum guide to a series of horrifying paintings. What Is Begotten The Eagle of the Ninth, Marcus/Esca, 7.5k, Teen. Esca learns the Latin word by accident, from Stephanos of all people. Soul-mate. A soulmate AU with an absolutely lovely take on the canon. Of Devils and Other Fine Things Fallen London, The Wistful Deviless/Zee-Captain, 1.1k, G. Wooing a devil can only end in tears. Really fantastic interpretation of what a relationship with a devil really means. head above water Gattaca, Jerome-focused, 1.2k, G. “Do you know,” Jerome’s mother asks his coach, “how Jerome first started swimming? Did he ever tell you that story?” Absolutely wonderful backstory for Jerome. Suspect Gattaca, Anton Freeman-focused, 1.8k, G. Five things Anton thought upon seeing Vincent was a suspect for murder (and one thing he said). Lovely character study on a minor part of the movie, this feel so right. Attempt #534: The One With The Bees The Good Place, Chidi/Eleanor, 8k, Explicit. “Eleanor!” Chidi looks even more upset as he blurts out, “The universe doesn’t want us to have sex, okay?” Eleanor chokes. “I’m sorry, what?” In which Eleanor and Chidi repeatedly try – and fail – to have sex. Totally hilarious, and also hot. Care and Feeding of Your Janet The Good Place, Janet-focused, 1.2k, Teen. Please read this guide carefully before activating your Janet. So, so, so funny. Operation: Seduce Michael The Good Place, Michael/Everyone, 2.3k, Teen. If at first you don't succeed, send a different cockroach. Really hilarious fic about the plan to seduce Michael, with pitch-perfect character voices and humor just like the show's. so slip your hand inside of my glove The Handmaiden, Hideko/Sook-hee, 2.6k, Teen. Hideko lets Sook-hee teach her how to distinguish sapphire from spinel and obediently bites the gold Sook-hee brings back to her. Hideko and Sook-hee, after. A post-canon fic that is beautiful and just perfection. Who's Got Who The Hateful Eight, Chris Mannix/Marquis Warren, 6.7k, Explicit. Warren makes inventive use of Mannix's sheriff star. And, for that matter, inventive use of Mannix. He thinks that will be the end of it. You know, as much as love Hateful Eight, I never expected to begin shipping Mannix/Warren. What can I say but that this fandom has some damn good writers? And they know their porn; good lord this one is hot. As Ice in the Desert Historical RPF, Richard I "The Lionheart" of England/Saladin, 2.3k, Teen. Saladin visits Richard's sickbed with fruit, and a question in his eyes. Gorgeously written, really some of the most beautiful descriptions I've read in quite a while. Two people on the opposite sides of the Crusades in a moment of peace. all the nameless that keeps us rising despite IT, Stan/Richie/Beverly, 4k, Teen. When Stan went over to Richie’s house after dinner to tutor him for their math test tomorrow he thought he knew exactly what he was signing up for. Beautiful depiction of loss and love and a game of spin-the-bottle. Epilogue Jane Eyre, Jane-focused, 3.4k, Mature. Not everything, Jane learns early on, is real. Deeply creepy alternative interpretation of the canon. I love this possibility. How Else Would Sailing Ships Ever Have Navigated? Jeeves, Madeline Bassett/Honoria Glossop, 2.3k, G. “Do you think,” Madeline said to Honoria as the more impressive parts of nature gradually crept up upon them, “that all daffodils are the daughters of sunlight?” Absolutely adorable fic for some minor characters with a pitch-perfect tone for the canon. the worlds that spin beyond our atmosphere Jupiter Ascending, Jupiter/Caine, 7.8k, Teen. When Jupiter woke up, there was a small metal sphere on the pillow beside her. She blinked at it, because it certainly had not been there when she had gone to bed the night before. Then Aunt Nino began to stir and grumble as she too woke up and Jupiter snatched up the sphere, lobbing it hastily into her half-packed suitcase on her way to go and make the coffee. In which Jupiter is propositioned by a space travel agency (but fancier!) and introduces Caine to her family. Gorgeous worldbuilding and wonderful expansion of the canon. I love the descriptions of other planets in here. Damsel King Arthur (2017), Arthur/The Mage, 3k, Teen. In which there's a girl, a dragon, and a castle, and Arthur resolves not to let the truth get in the way of a good story. Totally hilarious and a great fit with the canon. Those parts, which maids keep unespy'd Kushiel's Legacy, Phedre/Joscelin, 1.9k, Explicit. There are few things Phedre has never done. There's one she's never done with Joscelin. Wonderful hot and sweet fic. Het anal, which is rare to see in fanfiction, but so very well-done here. Midwinter Queen The Lion in Winter, Henry/Eleanor, 1.6k, G. Christmas at Chinon, 1183. Conversation gambits keep the Christmas fires burning. Cynical and regretful and funny and heavy, this story does a better job of capturing the voice of the canon than almost any I've read. By Degrees Mansfield Park, Mary Crawford/Fanny Price, 16.6k, Mature. Her conscience had been disturbed, and she could no longer dislike Mary Crawford enough to be safe from her, if such a thing had ever been possible at all. Really excellent slow-burn for one of my favorite Austen ships, and the Fanny characterization is just ideal. Canada Gold Mean Girls, Regina George/Janis Ian, 3.9k, Teen. Regina joined the CIA to catch bad guys. Unfortunately, this time, that meant she had to work with Janis. Yeah, so it turns out that the thing that's been missing from my life is Mean Girls f/f rival spies future-fic. I am so, so glad that this story exists because it's amazing.

[justinmoviereviews]

The Class of 2019

As always, just trying to catalog what I saw this year. Let’s do this shit.

1917 - Sam Mendes

I’ve never seen a war movie like this. I’ve never seen something that was so empty, so decayed and lifeless. Usually these things are about honor or brotherhood or whatever. This one was a horror movie. Gothic. Disturbing. And credit Dunkirk for helping everyone else realize that war movies should be told in the present tense.

Uncut Gems - Bennie and Josh Safdie

Good Time was better because it’s rawness was more painful. Because it’s kineticism was more sociological. Because it physically hurt to watch it. And because Robert Pattinson is a better actor than Adam Sandler (my sincere apologies). But these guys have figured out to a science how to film desperation and visceral consumption and need; they chronicle the ugliest parts of the mind and shoot them in the ugliest parts of New York. 

Little Women - Greta Gerwig

Oh no, I’ve lost interest in writing these. Greta Gerwig is sharper than the average writer, and is going to get a lot of mileage writing interesting female characters, which will keep me occupied way longer than, for instance, JJ Abrams writing Strong Female characters so he gets to keep his third house. But look for this refrain whenever I see good movies that aren’t really made for me, my favorite character here was Timothee Chalamet, popping up sporadically to mack (suavely!) on all three sisters.

Bombshell - Jay Roach

Structurally it’s a little bit of a mess, but Megyn Kelly playing detective to an internal corporate scandal works surprisingly well.

The Two Popes - Fernando Meirelles

Some nitpicks: this movie engages with the child abuse a little bit, but it doesn’t offer any resolution--how could it? The scandal is ongoing, and has mired the legacy of Francis, the good Pope, just like it mired his predecessor’s, the bad one. And some of the dialogue is a little trite; was Benedict this much of a close-minded conservative? Was he really this bad at selling his own vision of the church? I also wonder if movies seem smaller now that we’re watching them all on our TVs. But mostly I thought this was fantastic. I love movies about ideas centered around conversation, and this one does it with so much humanism. The Pope as a role is one of the most complex, elite and fascinating people on the planet. This movie comes so much closer to showing that than I thought it would.

Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach

A cursory search of images from this movie for this post makes me realize how well it’s shot--maybe this really was meant to be his Scenes From a Marriage. It isn’t--he’s not a good enough director to ever be Bergman, he’s too burdened by the things he likes and thinks about, like hipster references and witty repartee--but this is the best movie of his I’ve ever seen. Funny, sharp, and if it isn’t a universal depiction of the disillusion of love, it’s empathetic and compassionate about two characters he likes and cares about. Adam Driver is the best actor working right now. Scarlett Johansson can’t quite keep up, but who could?

Ford v Ferrari - James Mangold

Fast cars and the manly men who build them. This could have been better--the writing is a little too beholden to a generic structure that’s beneath the A+ power of Matt Damon and Christian Bale, who are, straight up, two of our finest actors. Ideally this flick just lets these two dudes dick around for 150 minutes. But fuck man, this shit rocks.

The irishman - Martin Scorsese

This is the calm gangster movie made by a bunch of men who haven’t had to hustle in 30 years. Scorsese is a smart guy, so he probably knows that a de-aged Robert De Niro isn’t going to be as resonant as some young hotshot trying like hell to make a name for himself. It makes the movie weirdly low-stakes, and it only truly comes alive at the end, when De Niro is looking back on his life and facing his regrets, like a man in his 80s ought to be. But look, Scorsese is one of the best to ever do it, and gangster movies are where he lives. If this is mostly a retrospective on four of the best careers to ever track through Hollywood, and I sort of think it is, it’s still got ten scenes that will stand up against any of our man’s best.

The Laundromat - Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderbergh does The Big Short. Turns out he’s also pretty good at it.

The Lighthouse - Robert Eggers

Robert Eggers is a formalist who understands that movies can be about whatever they want as long as they look good and sound good. This is a movie about, I think, madness. Just madness, just the idea of being isolated and going mad. If you’re wondering, like I was, if that’s enough of a theme to hang a whole movie on (I mean, these things are expensive), well, I think the point of this one is that it’s weird as fuck, it looks real good and it sounds real good. 

Parasite - Bong Joon Ho

This movie is at it’s best when it’s at it’s weirdest. I like Bong most when he’s using a heightened absurdity to point out the ways in which our political systems are unforgivable. 

Motherless Brooklyn - Edward Norton

I know it was in the book, but the Tourette’s syndrome of the main character seems to me like a postmodern tic, like making a straight noir in 2019 wasn’t enough for a studio that assumed audiences would need some kind of a 21st Century bent. I don’t think it adds much to the story, so I want it out there that this is just such a good fucking straight noir. I would personally finance it if they made like three of these a year. 

High Flying Bird - Steven Soderbergh

Soderbergh is gonna need to get over his love affair with the iPhone camera--someone needs to remind him that movies can look a lot better than this--but this is the kind of movie that could have been and maybe started as a play. Things happen off camera and all you see is characters talking about them after the fact. But the writing is phenomenal. Snappy and smart. Maybe my favorite script of the year.

Joker - Todd Phillips

Upon further review, I think this movie never should have been made, but I do like it. I’m not a purist, frankly I think comic book movies are for nerds, but what makes the Joker powerful is that he doesn’t have a backstory. This movie isn’t good enough to justify giving him one, but it’s so ambiguous and strange that it doesn’t ruin anything either. I spent a lot of time wondering if the events of the movie actually happened, or if they were all in the protagonist’s head. I guess the answer is that it doesn’t really matter: if it all did happen it would destroy the throughline of the Nolan movies, and if it all didn’t it would make the movie kind of lame. Ultimately it’s a story about a discarded man who learns that evil gives him a control he never had before. That’s a heavy topic to make a movie about, and a better movie would have been heavier. But  it’s still an interesting watch, and Joaquin Phoenix goes to the places the movie itself won’t.

Ad Astra - James Gray

I have nothing against pretentious movies. Some of my best friends are pretentious movies! But if you’re going to be as solemn and portentous as this one is, I think your thesis needs to be a little more insightful than that love is important. This movie looks fantastic. It’s got killer monkeys in it, and an Apocalypse Now meets 2001 pedigree. It should have been a lot better.

It Chapter Two - Andy Muschietti

Ugh, this one was not good. The writing is pretty bad, storylines open up and fizzle out without going anywhere, the structure is simple to the point of being lazy. The first one was so good, and this is just a crappy cash-in. Oh well. 

Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - Quentin Tarantino

Look, Tarantino is probably my favorite director. Pulp Fiction is the movie that first taught me to love movies, and he’s never in his life made an artistic choice that I didn’t intuitively understand. I don’t think anyone else has justified their otherworldly self-confidence more than he has. If other directors are more artistically or technically accomplished, I’d struggle to find anyone who better put the thoughts and images in their brain onto celluloid better than him. If this had been made by some new hotshot named Chris Anderson or something, I’m buying a poster of it and telling everyone who will listen about the breakout auteur of the decade. But for the first time in my entire life, I wondered what Tarantino’s point was. Why did he make this movie? The highlight, for me, is Leonardo DiCaprio, who since Django Unchained has apparently realized that he’s at his best when he’s hamming it up and having a blast.

Midsommar - Ari Aster

Two movies in, Ari Aster has mastered tone. My man is in control of his movie from frame one, and the result is that his stuff feels smart. This one wasn’t as wild or unexpected as Hereditary--in fact the most surprising thing about it is that it really isn’t surprising at all; it’s about a sinister cult in northern Sweden, and it hits all the beats that tagline would suggest. But that’s not the same as saying it’s predictable--he still has a gift for ultraviolence, and he hovers in a space that forces you to prepare yourself for anything. My only complaint is that I wish it had been more of a mindfuck. It’s ultimately a simpler movie than you might hope for. But this guy isn’t going anywhere. He’ll be on the prestige list for as long as he wants.

The Perfection - Richard Shepard

If Allison Williams is going to make a career out of deconstructing overachieving white girls, I don’t want it to get lost that she is also insanely hot. Like, just so hot. Anyway, this is one hell of a grindhouse flick, all the way down to being a little less pleasant than you’d expect or even really want. Watch it on a Saturday afternoon and feel a little queasy afterwards.

Avengers: Endgame - Anthony and Joe Russo 

Look, I don’t know what to say to you if you take these movies seriously. You probably wouldn’t like my blog anyway. I thought this was a really good ride. If you have problems with the plot holes or the character inconsistencies, I might recommend catching something other than the final installments of global franchises that are obligated to gross two billion dollars.

Us - Jordan Peele

If Jordan Peele were a quarterback he’d be Deshaun Watson--a top level talent who’s going to be relevant for at least the next ten years. Get Out was a statement, a cheap little movie from one half of a decent sketch comedy show that blew the doors off the tavern and walked in so much smarter and better than anyone was prepared for. But right now, sitting on my couch, Us is the movie I want to watch. It was never going to be as surprising as Get Out because this time out our expectations were so much higher. But this is the kind of movie I ultimately want him to make his fortune with--funny, scary, worth talking about afterwards. A horror movie from a guy with interesting ideas who’s been given the keys to do whatever he wants.

Glass - M. Night Shyamalan

I caught this bad boy in January. At the time I figured there was no way I’d remember anything about it by the end of the year. I don’t. 

[mahrirae]

Reflections on Netflix Death Note Movie...spoilers

So I watched the Netflix Death Note movie the other day and I went into it with an open mind. I looked at it from two POVs. One that had never heard of Death Note and one that is a huge fan and would most likely rip it to shreds (let's be honest most anime/manga movie adaptations suck).

The me that watched this and is a huge fan, without much shock, hated it. Light's character felt all wrong and the suspenseful cat and mouse games that made the anime so good weren't there. I was not a fan of the casting, which is a whole other issue, but even that is not an excuse for a lacking execution of very prominent parts of the context material. I also understand that it was supposed to be an adaptation and not the original anime/manga retold, but it is hard not to compare when you are trying to use the original character's personas and just changing there entire personality.

I think the me that hated this movie would have liked it more if they decided not to rehash the originals, but continued the story with different characters in America. It would not be hard to believe that after Light and L's death another Shinigami or Ryuk chose to drop another book in a different location (America) where it is found by a Kira supporter who decides to continue his legacy. Maybe that is just me, but I would have found this much more acceptable than using the original characters and then undoing all that made us love them in the first place. Ryuk was actually the best character and I really wish they would have given him more scenes.

End Butthurt fan rant...for now...

Now the me that watched this and knew nothing about Death Note thought it was..."meh". It was a good time waster if you needed something to fill in an hour or so, but it was hard to be invested. The concept, of course, is amazing, but the execution was lacking. Everything seemed to happen too fast. You looked away for a second and he had the death note, the next second he is showing it to a chick he just met (I mean he barley spoke a word to her and the conversation started with an introduction, so it was like "Hi my name is Light, and since you're hot let me tell you about my magic book that can kill people?"), then a few scenes later they are literally getting off on killing people, then he is Kira and people worship him.

None of this spiral into a homicidal God complex is explained in detail, only a montage accompanied by off-putting music. The whole thing felt like a generic teen movie complete with whiny teenage lead that is bullied and mad at the world, has a crush on the cheerleader and a relationship with his father that can only be described as "complicated" because his mom is dead and he wished his dad would have done more about it. It took an interesting concept and dumbed it down because this is about a teenager and apparently there is only one formula for teenager. It ultimately ended up as one of those movies you watched once and would probably not watch again. You've seen it once and that's enough.

As a movie it was okay, good for a one time watch to get rid of your complete boredom for an hour, but it still lacks too much to be a "good" movie, just your average teenage movie gone horror that is tolerable to watch, but not a favorite or must see.

Ranting continues...

As an anime/manga adaptation it fails pretty bad, loosing all the good points that made Death Note a favorite of mine. Light reverted from the intelligent high schooler able to match wits with a world renowned detective, to some whiny kid trying to impress a girl by killing all the "bad people" and getting lucky enough to not get caught.

Not to mentioned they got rid of his happy family life. One of the things that made Light interesting was that his motive was purely his deranged sense of justice. There was no "my mom is dead and the guy walked away now I am going to get rid of criminals by feeding from my dark past." Light's life was fine, he didn't have a dark past. He had a loving family and a stable life. He used this to his advantage. He actually made it a point to not come across as a "problem child", he wanted to fit a perfect mold because it made it more believable that he was innocent.

The movie felt like it was tying to make Light some kind of misunderstood teenage kid who was not all that sadistic but mostly misguided. By the end it almost felt like they were trying to make you feel sympathy for him, because it was his girlfriend who was "really" bad. I mean he wanted to kill, but ONLY the criminals. In fact she felt more like Kira than Light. Instead of him manipulating an obsessed girl with words of love to get what he wants, she manipulated him, so why not just make her the lead.

Light from the anime/manga was interesting because he was unmoving in his mission. He would take out whoever he needed to make sure his vision became a reality, but in this movie he is ready to back down as soon as it looks like he is going to get caught.

L's character while keeping true to being weird, was way too rash and lost his composer to easily. He seemed to breakdown every time something happened and the emotionless deduction freak was lost by the end of the movie where he goes against everything he believed in and hunts down Light in a police car pointing a gun at him.

...and how the crap did Light kill Watari? Wasn't that an alias?

Not to mention they removed rules of the Death Note like seeing the Shinigami when you touch the book (This would have given Ryuk more scenes and I would have enjoyed that). The Death Note itself was too over powered to me. He was able to write an entire final destination style ending that seemed much to specific for it all to align at the perfect time. If I am not mistaken (and I could be wrong) what you write in the book has to be possible and reasonable for the person to do. Which made it interesting to see how Light could manipulate them to still come out in his favor.

So how was he( Light in the movie) able to spell out everything that happened?

Like did he put an "if" clause in there somewhere? "IF she takes the book, then the insanely specific chain of events will follow just as I have written them". If she didn't take the book, by the rules shouldn't she still have died? Her name was still written down, so heart attack? And how would he know exactly what time this would happen...don't you have to give a specific time for all these events to take place?

Whatever I suppose it doesn't really matter, but if you can just write crazy specific stuff like this, it sucks the fun out of watching because Light no longer has to be clever, he just had to know how to spell.

I really like the idea of using anime/manga for more inspiration in main stream American media, but it would be nice if it wasn't completely "Americanized" into the same stuff we have seen a thousand times, just with a shiny new wrapper of being based on anime.

End rant for real now...

But none of this is in anyway how everyone should feel. I just thought I would write a reflection since I am sitting in a store with only my thoughts.

Thanks for listening to me babble.

[thinktosee]

DAVID’S AMAZEBALL MUSICALS – PART 8 – DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA – EVITA

The musical, “Evita” is arguably one of the most absorbing stage productions ever. Perhaps it’s because the characters are based on real individuals. People who had such an impact, (be it good or bad, depending on one’s point of view), that more than sixty years later, historians and Argentinians in general, are still debating it.

As I researched this story starting last week, David’s sister, Sara coincidentally was visiting Argentina for the very first time. 

Eva in a Dior dress – Image courtesy Vintage News

Evita recounts the life of Maria Eva Duarte from very humble beginnings in the Argentine Pampas, to become one of the most powerful people in Argentina, second only to her husband, Juan Peron, the President of Argentina. Her connection to and adoration by the shirtless ones or “Descamisados,” a Spanish term which generally refers to the common people, formed the basis for the power she wielded within the Peronist political leadership.

David’s copy of the playbill from his and friend, Kimberly’s visit to Broadway in 2014.

The musical Evita is an adaptation of her amazing life. A canvas glowing in tragedy, poverty, beauty, magnetism, drama, excitement, excesses, love, passion, greatness, sacrifice and finally death at thirty years (some say thirty-three). Whatever the case may be, Eva or Evita was one of the most remarkable persons. She had the courage to be who she wanted to be. Ultimately, she defined herself, and in the process, also helped define Argentina of the 1940s as one of the most progressive countries. Or was that all just an illusion?

Research her life and judge for yourself.

I first heard of Evita during my teen years in 1976 when the music was first produced and recorded by the godly duo of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The musical then played at London’s West End in 1978 and a year later on Broadway. In 1996, it was made into a movie, which starred the Evita-look-alike-also-in-peroxide, Madonna and Antonio Banderas, the latter in the role of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, another historical figure traversing the landscape of Latin American politics, even to this day, long after his passing. 

Madonna as Evita in the movie version

During my university education in the early 1980s, I took a class on Argentinian and Brazilian political economy. It was then that I learnt a good deal more of the enigmatic and controversial Eva Duarte, and her legacy. While there were and are those who despised her and Juan Peron for their apparent excesses, my sense however is of a tragic individual who had what David described as “ruthless ambition.” What it means is the lady had the unwavering passion and energy to pursue her dreams. She had chutzpah! She was not conventional, that’s for sure. 

David’s artwork in “Human” 

Evita the musical is a story of a young, beautiful and strong woman who in her mind’s eye, believes she exists to serve her people. There are some truly great songs in this musical, a favourite of mine being “What a circus.” But for David,  “Don’t cry for me, Argentina” is perhaps that which defines the musical and the story of Eva Duarte. Or is that really all which David thought? :

DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA

It won't be easy, you'll think it strange When I try to explain how I feel That I still need your love after all that I've done You won't believe me, all you will see is a girl you once knew Although she's dressed up to the nines At sixes and sevens with you I had to let it happen, I had to change Couldn't stay all my life down at heel

Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new But nothing impressed me at all I never expected it to

Don't cry for me, Argentina The truth is, I never left you All through my wild days, my mad existence I kept my promise Don't keep your distance

And as for fortune, and as for fame I never invited them in Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired They are illusions, they're not the solutions they promised to be The answer was here all the time I love you, and hope you love me Don't cry for me, Argentina

Don't cry for me, Argentina The truth is, I never left you All through my wild days, my mad existence I kept my promise Don't keep your distance Have I said too much? There's nothing more I can think of to say to you But all you have to do is look at me to know That every word is true 

Songwriters: Andrew Lloyd Webber / Tim Rice

Don't Cry for Me Argentina lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group 

Madonna’s rendition of the song is accessible on this youtube link :  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEMUsC8ppU0 

This concludes David’s list of eight amazeball Broadway musical songs.

David’s list in “Human”

We shall touch on his list of amazeball poems the next time. 

In the Spirit of David Cornelius Singh

David’s father

Email : davidnfather@gmail.com

Links to Sources and further comments. 

1. http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_e/evita.htm 

2. https://themusicalcompany.com/show/evita/evita-3/ 

3. https://www.biography.com/political-figure/eva-perón 

4. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eva-Peron 

For an in-depth study of Eva Peron, the 1996 biography, “Evita : The real life of Eva Peron,” authored by Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro may be helpful. It is available via Amazon.  

I should caution that Eva Duarte Peron was such an enigma that it is a literary and academic challenge to portray her life as it really was. Perhaps that is why she continues to haunt the consciousness of the Argentinian and Spanish-speaking societies. As I said, she defined herself.  

[obsidianarchives]

Game of Thrones Recap: S7E2 - "Stormborn"

So we’re only on episode 2 of this season and a lot is already happening. The pacing of this season is much faster than the previous ones and while it’s a little funny to watch a letter being sent and received in the same episode rather than in three, it’s also a little sad. We are only five episodes away from the season finale and only 11 away from the series finale. While I am excited for what’s to come, it feels bittersweet because it’s clearly time for things to come to an end.

Dragonstone

We start this episode off on Dragonstone, where a storm is raging all around, clearly symbolizing Daenerys’s homecoming. We join Dany in her council chambers with Tyrion and Varys, and here she questions Varys’s loyalties, pointing out all the ways Varys has plotted against other Kings in the past. This scene reminded me that Dany and Varys hadn’t had a scene together yet, and it also gave Varys a moment to really explain to Dany - and to us - what his end goal has been all this time. While he’s said time and time again that he serves the realm, a lot of his actions have seemed to suggest otherwise. His answers seem to satisfy Dany, however, and she implores him to tell her if she’s failing the realm rather than plotting behind her back, or else, of course, she’ll feed him to one of her dragons.

Then Melisandre shows up. Like everyone else, I was wondering where she would go after being banished from the North, and part of me thought she might end up running into Arya - who she told eons ago she would see again. Ever consistent in her faith, Melisandre tells Dany, Tyrion, and Varys about the Long Night and the Prince That Was Promised. Missandei corrects Melisandre, explaining that in its original language “Azor Ahai” was not gendered and for a second I thought Mel would change her tune again and declare Dany the Chosen One, but instead she’s more vague, saying that she believes both Dany AND Jon have a role to play. Tyrion pipes up at the mention of Jon Snow, saying that he likes and trusts him despite not having seen each other in six whole seasons. Melisandre suggests that Dany and Jon come together and Tyrion agrees - not only can they together defeat the white walkers (which I’m not sure any of them truly believe exists yet) but the alliance would give Dany the North, continuing to cement her claim over Westeros. Dany tells Tyrion to write to Jon, inviting him to come to Dragonstone to bend the knee, which seems unlikely, but maybe it’ll end in marriage instead?

We also see a quick scene between Missandei and Grey Worm, who is going off to fight at Casterly Rock. They finally have a night of intimacy and it’s so sweet and I want nothing but good things for them which makes me think they won’t get it. I’m going to move on before I make myself too sad.

There’s a war council including Ellaria Sand, Yara Greyjoy, and Olenna Tyrell. All three of them are impatient and want to start the warring now, but Dany is listening to Tyrion’s council of caution, repeating to them that she does not want to be the “Queen of Ashes.” Instead of attacking King’s Landing she wants the Dornishmen and Tyrells to lay siege on the city - using Westerosi to do this so that she doesn’t lose the citizens of King’s Landing and the larger country to xenophobia against the dothraki and Unsullied. Instead, she’s going to send the latter to Casterly Rock because Tyrion loves irony and using the traits he inherited from his father to mess with his legacy. Dany then meets privately with Olenna, who cautions her against listening to Tyrion’s council. Through Tyrion and Olenna we see the two warring sides against Dany - the desire to be wise and loved and the desire to burn everything to the ground. Hopefully bathing the whitewalkers in dragon flame will be enough for her and then they can go ahead and have true peace in the realm.

Winterfell

Meanwhile Westeros apparently has e-raven now because Jon and Sansa got the message from Tyrion and Dany quicker than we’ve ever seen a letter arrive on this show. I love that we get to see Jon consulting with Sansa more, even though as we saw in the last episode - and later in this one - he does make the final decision himself. Sansa doesn’t trust that the letter is real, though both she and Jon don’t exactly have ill will towards Tyrion. In their eyes, it could definitely be a trap but, as Davos points out, if it’s real it means there are dragons and dragons can kill wights because they are the best creature in all of the Known World.

And then Jon gets another letter from Sam, who chose to use snail-crow because the Citadel is old fashioned or something. This letter seals Jon’s decision to go and meet with Daenerys, and though there is an uproar from Houses Royce, Glover, and Mormont for various reasons, he declares that he and Davos will head south to Dragonstone and that he is leaving Winterfell and the North to Sansa. While Sansa is initially upset - and with good reason as the Targaryens and the Lannisters are the reasons why their family only has four (though they think two) people left in it - she takes on the responsibility.

Jon then goes to the crypts to pay his respects to Ned, but Littlefinger ruins it by existing and sticking his face where he doesn’t belong. For some reason he can’t keep Ned and Cat’s names out his mouth, and Jon is already over it. But when Littlefinger tells Jon he loves Sansa as he loved Catelyn, Jon has the appropriate response and almost chokes him out, telling him that if he touches Sansa he’ll kill him. Jon then leaves - splitting up the Starks once again - and Littlefinger continues to not gain any perspective in the wake of the frozen zombie apocalypse.

King’s Landing

In King’s Landing, Cersei has called Sam’s delightful father Lord Randyll Tarly and the other lords of the Reach to court. She tries to convince them to forsake Lady Olenna for her, citing Dany’s cruelty like she didn’t just reanimate the Mountain, have all the dwarfs in Essos beheaded in her hunt to find her brother, and blow up a place of worship. Randyll isn’t completely convinced given Dany’s dragons but Qyburn mentions that there are ways to kill them pushing him higher on my list of people in this world I need to die and not come back as whitewalkers. Jaime speaks with Randyll privately, asking him to be the general of Cersei’s army. Randyll is hesitant because he doesn’t want to go against his vows to the Tyrells, but Jaime both appeals to Randyll’s racism against the dothraki and offers him the title of Warden of the South, so that alliance is more or less shored up.

Meanwhile, Qyburn takes Cersei to the dungeon where all of the old dragon skulls are kept. He shows her a giant crossbow, mentioning Drogon’s injury from the fighting pits and defiling Balerion’s skull because his mama clearly didn’t raise him right. This is scary because it almost guarantees that one of the dragons may die and then HOW WILL WE GET THREE RIDERS. I honestly just need Cersei gone so we can have ALL THREE dragons fight the Night King and live. If they don’t all survive, I will be writing a strongly-worded letter.

Oldtown

Rather than focusing on the real task at hand - the one on how to defeat the frozen cadavers marching south - Sam, for some reason, wants to help Jorah Mormont. Like I get that Sam doesn’t know Jorah’s history and just knows that he was the son of Lord Commander Mormont, but trust me fam, he’s not worth it. Remember why you’re here! We need more information on the whitewalkers not the writers trying to make us feel sympathy for Jorah. Stop trying to make fetch happen.

Sam keeps sneaking around doing things he’s not supposed to (and this time it’s not even for what really matters) and I have a feeling Archmaester Ebrose or one of the other maesters will catch him soon. Rather than doing the research Ebrose gives him, Sam is thinking of ways to cure Jorah though Ebrose tells him it’s impossible. So instead of listening, he decides to cut Jorah’s grayscale off with a scalpel. If Sam gets grayscale trying to help this dude I’m going to be mad but also Sam brought this on himself.

The Riverlands

Arya is on her way to kill Cersei but then she sees Hot Pie! It’s nice that she runs into someone familiar, but it’s also clearly strange for her given that she’s changed so much since she last saw her friend. Hot Pie mentions Brienne to her, asking if they ran into each other, and then mentions to her that Jon is King in the North. In the last episode I was wondering why Arya wasn’t heading to Winterfell but it was because she didn’t know the Boltons were defeated! While this seems a little strange given how long she was at the Twins, I suppose it is possible that she was so entrenched in her revenge plot against the Freys that she didn’t hear about the Battle of the Bastards. However, this news forces Arya to make a decision: will she continue on her trek south to kill Cersei or will she go home to Jon and Sansa? Thank the seven, our girl is headed North! Of course she - or maybe Bran - will probably arrive just after Jon leaves for Dragonstone because the Starks can never have nice things.

As she travels north, some wolves surround her camp. It’s Nymeria and her gang coming to see who’s on their turf, and Nymeria has GROWN. Arya asks Nymeria to come back with her to Winterfell, but Nymeria says nah and leaves. Arya realizes that it’s not in Nymeria’s nature to be domesticated or to be a pet and lets her go. I’m not totally clear on why this scene was there - on the one hand it was great to see Arya’s direwolf but we haven’t seen or even heard hints of her since Arya sent her away in the second episode of the show. The only thing I can think of is that the scene was meant as a parallel with Arya herself - she doesn’t have it in her to be a lady the way her sister does and she never did. I’m wondering what this will mean for Arya’s character in the future - will she turn away from Winterfell and go back to Cersei as was her original plan? Or will she get to Winterfell only to realize that she can’t fit into the box she’d been forced into as a girl? I can’t imagine Jon and Sansa would try to force her to be someone she’s not, but who knows what would happen when there are alliances to be made in order to defend the coming cold? And where is Ghost???

The Narrow Sea

We then go to the Narrow Sea, where the Greyjoys and the Sand Snakes are making their way to Dorne on Daenerys’s orders. Yara and Ellaria flirt and mess with Theon and Theon decides to give them some privacy when they are attacked by Euron’s Iron Fleet. This battle was brutal, and the first pirate battle we’ve really gotten to see. It’s a slaughter though, with Euron killing Obara and Nym and taking Ellaria and Tyene captive. Euron captures Yara and Theon has a moment of PTSD, becomes Reek again, and jumps overboard. It’s clear that these women are the gifts he’s going to give Cersei and I’m very worried about their wellbeing. I’m a little annoyed at Theon, but also we all knew he was damaged by Ramsay and that was only partly his own fault given Ramsay’s sadism. I am still curious about Euron and how he knew Yara was traveling. It’s possible he went to Dragonstone and followed them from there, and other than seeing him fight with a badass hook, I’m still not seeing signs of him being worse than Joffrey or Ramsay - again, not that I want to see that. His character so far has been meh for me, in part because he just ended the Sand Snakes’ weak storyline, usurping it with the Greyjoy storyline for least compelling. Of course that could all change and I’m interested in seeing where it’s going and how Dany will take this L.