#basically evan is hannibal lecter

[lycoryspreachin]

ouaghhhh so far i am obsessed with every single one of your takes...begging for some insight on the way you see evan 🤲

this makes me all tingly I am so glad you like them!!

this is what I have to offer

( i’m literally writing this in heaven on earth ( a botanic garden i travelled an hour to go to ) and i wouldn’t wish to be anywhere else to ramble about my dear and beloved evan. )

evan grew up in a huge manor, with no supervision, and an overwhelming sense of curiosity. he had a journal in which he kept all his discoveries and an anatomy book with sketches and annotations all over. since he was a child he valued people very strictly and was certain to be superior to everyone except for perhaps pandora. he is odd and strange and fatally mesmerising, people want, need, to look at him, but they can’t. he is pale and sickly looking and entirely graceful but absolutely terrifying to people around him. they say there is something about him that is corruptive to the core, and maybe they’re right, perhaps they would say even more if they knew of his relationship with his sister and his thoughts about the dead. 

Evan loves his mind, he loves the thoughts he has, the thoughts he can have, he loves the capacities it offers him and he feeds off himself. because of that he had never felt the need to associate himself with people other than his twin, her touches feel like his own, what they do it’s both for each other and for themselves, he knows that’s it’s morbid and depraved and perverted but it reflected who they are and who they can be without anyone’s aid. 

i also think evan must have had necrophilic tendencies, a subtle desire he had always had, there is something about the glacial beauty death offers that appeals to him, i feeling of possession, entitlement to the pleasure he might feel, maybe it’s the aloneness it offers, they are two but he is alone to witness, to see ( a fear of vulnerability ? corpses aren’t sentient therefore they offer no judgment). i think it’s due to the fact he was so isolated growing up that connection and intimacy are repulsive ( even if i think he does feel intimate with the corpses in a strange way ). 

i have this weird impression that his emotions are voluntarily dramatic, they are meant to serve as a spectacle, to impression his thoughts that are just as expressive. his anger especially is particularly theatrical, it’s intended to leave an impression and pass a message through. i feel like he would orchestrate public and humiliating/degrading acts of revenge and cause lifetime debilitations while remaining unaffected, not even amused, because when the world is his canvas you don’t need any more space to fill. the way he behaves with people is entirely based on his own twisted logic, he doesn’t hold grudges, he holds debts. 

he loves blood, the divine comedy, german literature, vintage medical tools, insects, control, the thought of cannibalism ( he would hate to be voluntarily sick ), headaches ( they calm the fluctuating thoughts in his head ), his dainty sophisticated clothes, his blond hair, silver jewellery, perfumes, the moonlit night, skeletons when they’re yellow and unattended to, the idea of devotion and human worship, homer ( im convinced he has the ancient greek version that he struggles to read but will never admit to it ),latin, old musical instruments ( when he can play them ), his family manor, clocks. 

[fandom]

2020′s Top Ships

Basically, there is only one OTP, and it's whoever you like together best. 

Reylo +6 Rey & Kylo Ren, the Star Wars universe

Catradora +10 Catra & Adora, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Reddie +1 Richie Tozier & Eddie Kaspbrak, It

Geraskier Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier, The Witcher

Ineffable Husbands -4 Aziraphale & Crowley, Good Omens

Zukka Zuko & Sokka, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Lumity Luz Noceda & Amity Blight, The Owl House

Supercorp +5 Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor, Supergirl

Jikook -4 Park Jimin & Jeon Jungkook, BTS

Destiel +10 Dean Winchester & Castiel, Supernatural

Kiribaku +3 Kirishima Eijirou & Bakugou Katsuki, Boku No Hero Academia

Bumbleby +3 Yang Xiao Long & Blake Belladonna, RWBY

Wangxian +61 Lan Wangji & Wei Wuxian, Mo Dao Zu Shi

Jonmartin Jonathan Sims & Martin Blackwood, The Magnus Archives

Bakudeku +3 Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Boku No Hero Academia

Drarry +6 Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, the Harry Potter universe

Gallavich Ian Gallagher & Mickey Milkovich, Shameless

Stucky -2 Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes, the Marvel universe

Zutara Zuko & Katara, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Klance -18 Keith & Lance, Voltron: Legendary Defender

Preath +6 Christen Press & Tobin Heath, Athletes

Korrasami +38 Korra & Asami Sato, The Legend of Korra

Bellarke -14 Bellamy Blake & Clarke Griffin, The 100

ZaDr +23 Zim & Dib, Invader Zim

FinnPoe Finn & Poe Dameron, the Star Wars universe

Buddie Evan Buckley & Edmundo Diaz, 9-1-1

Tododeku -6 Todoroki Shouto & Midoriya Izuku, Boku No Hero Academia

Entrapdak +60 Entrapta & Hordak, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Sasusaku -1 Uchiha Sasuke & Haruno Sakura, Naruto

Wayhaught +21 Waverly Earp & Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp

Ballum +50 Ben Mitchell & Callum Highway, EastEnders

Harringrove -1 Steve Harrington & Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Kagehina Kageyama Tobio & Hinata Shouyou, Haikyuu!!

Joe x Nicky Joe (Yusuf Al-Kaysani) & Nicky (Niccolò di Genova), The Old Guard

Erasermic +4 Aizawa Shouta & Yamada Hizashi, Boku no Hero Academia

Maribat Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Damian Wayne, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir x The DC Universe

Hannigram +31 Hannibal Lecter & Will Graham, Hannibal

Shirbert Anne Shirley & Gilbert Blythe, Anne with an E

Wolfstar +6 Remus Lupin & Sirius Black, the Harry Potter universe

Harlivy  Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy, the DC Universe

Phan -35 Daniel Howell & Phil Lester, YouTubers

Merthur +17 Merlin & Arthur Pendragon, Merlin

Larry Stylinson +30 Harry Styles & Louis Tomlinson, One Direction

Rayllum +42 Callum & Rayla, The Dragon Prince

Malex -1 Michael Guerin & Alex Manes, Roswell, New Mexico

Adrienette -13 Adrien Agreste & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Ladynoir -7 Ladybug & Chat Noir, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Connverse Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe, Steven Universe

Sterek -3 Stiles Stilinski & Derek Hale, Teen Wolf

Marichat -14 Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Chat Noir, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Stony -32 Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, the Marvel universe

Dabihawks Dabi & Hawks, Boku no Hero Academia

Villaneve Villanelle & Eve Polastri, Killing Eve

Prinxiety +30 Princey & Anxiety, Thomas Sanders

IronStrange -30 Tony Stark & Dr. Steven Strange, the Marvel universe

Robbe x Sander Robbe Ijzermans & Sander Driesen, WTFock

Percabeth Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson & the Olympians

Taekook -23 Kim Taehyung & Jeon Jungkook, BTS

Kataang Katara & Aang, Avatar: The Last Airbender

Bughead -19 Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Riverdale

Kaylor -23 Karlie Kloss & Taylor Swift, celebrities

Sprousehart -32 Cole Sprouse & Lili Reinhart, Actors

Narumitsu Phoenix Wright & Miles Edgeworth, Ace Attorney

Fair Game Clover Ebi & Qrow Branwen, RWBY

NaLu -12 Natsu Dragneel & Lucy Heartfilia, Fairy Tail

Caryl Carol Peletier & Daryl Dixon, The Walking Dead

Beaujester Beauregard & Jester Lavorre, Critical Role

Dramione Draco Malfoy & Hermione Granger, the Harry Potter universe

Radiodust Alastor & Angel Dust, Hazbin Hotel

Deckerstar Chloe Decker & Lucifer Morningstar, Lucifer

Bokuaka Bokuto Kotarou & Akaashi Keiji, Haikyuu!!

Malec -64 Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Shadowhunters

Spirk +18 Spock & James Kirk, Star Trek

Davekat +24 Dave Strider & Karkat Vantas, Homestuck

Charlastor Charlie Magne & Hazbin Alastor, Hazbin Hotel

Elsamaren Elsa & Honeymaren, Frozen II

Clexa -1 Clarke Griffin & Commander Lexa, The 100

Cloti Cloud Strife & Tifa Lockhart, the Final Fantasy franchise

Kylux Kylo Ren & General Hux, the Star Wars universe

Glimbow Glimmer & Bow, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

WhiteRose Weiss Schnee & Ruby Rose, RWBY

Juliantina -79 Juliana Valdés & Valentina Carvajal, Amar a muerte

Snowbaz -13 Simon Snow & Tyrannus Basilton Grimm-Pitch, Carry On

Vmin -19 Kim Taehyung & Park Jimin, BTS

Zelink +12 Zelda & Link, The Legend of Zelda

Elu -60 Eliott Demaury & Lucas Lallemant, SKAM France

Lukanette -32 Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Tarlos TK Strand & Carlos Reyes, 9-1-1: Lone Star

Peraltiago -4 Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Widojest Caleb Widogast & Jester Lavorre, Critical Role

Dimileth +9 Dimitri & Byleth, Fire Emblem

Solangelo Will Solace & Nico di Angelo, Percy Jackson

Iwaoi Iwaizumi Hajime & Oikawa Tooru, Haikyuu!!

Johnlock -27 John Watson & Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock

Pynch Adam Parrish & Ronan Lynch, The Raven Cycle

Reed900 Gavin Reed & RK900, Detroit: Become Human

Cazzie Casey Gardner & Izzie, Atypical

Frenrey Gordon Freeman & Benrey, Half-Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware

Todobaku Todoroki Shouto & Bakugou Katsuki, Boku no Hero Academia

Kristanna Kristoff Bjorgman & Anna, Frozen

The number in italics indicates how many spots a ship moved up or down from the previous year. The ones in bold weren’t on the list last year.

[neonovember]

who I write for

marvel cinematic universe

bucky barnes, steve rogers, t’challa, natasha romanoff, bruce banner, tony stark, wanda maximoff, carol danvers, frank castle, billy russo, matt murdock, marc spector-steven grant-jake lockley, clint barton, loki, sam wilson, wolverine

dystopian multiverse

katniss everdeen, tobias eaden, thomas (maze runner), todd hewitt

dc comics

battison, bruce wayne, jason todd, arkham knight, joker, superman, superwoman, the flash, harley quinn, starfire, dick grayson, green arrow

chris evans characters

andy barber, frank adler, curtis everett, colin shea, ari levinson

pedro pascal characters

frankie morales, javier peña, din djarin, oberyn martell

oscar isaac characters

marc spector, pope garcia, william tell, kane

tom holland characters

arvin russell, nathan drakeandy ba

stranger things

eddie munson, steve harrington, robin buckley, billy hargrove, enzo, jim hopper

basically, request anyone who isn't underage and ill write for them 

hannibal lector

hannibal lecter, will graham, alison bloom

evan peters

kit walker, kyle spencer, tate langdon, kai anderson, quicksilver

miscllenaous characters

carmen berzatto, lip gallagher, joel miller, ellie williams

what I won't write about

ageplay, raceplay, watersports, I don’t particularly enjoy the use of “daddy” so my writing will tend to avoid that, personal assistant/receptionist trope, trauma porn

[emily-the-fae]

Ok so I have been in the interest area for some time

And I may have gotten interested in several Draculas

Here is a list of who I have on team:

5. Bram Stoker's Dracula

I mean come on, Gary Oldman in late Victorian era suits is just extremely handsome. The warrior that became a vampire: seductive, cruel, very nice when in love.

They were quite very bold when they named the movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula" to be honest - like, yes, it is very evident that they followed the author, but decided to add a more romantic plot with some Victorian sensuality. My personal opinion - they tried too hard: they wanted to fit their own storyline of Mina x Dracula love to the original Stoker story, while keeping up at least in the beginning to the author's stile of reading diaries and switching POVs in 2 hours of screentime - it did not go as smoothly as one might have wished, the time is obviously not enough, the story and character relationships are a bit rushed. Besides some characters were well... Lucy's lovers are a bit dumb - far worse than they were in the book and Lucy - ok I get it, you wanted to add eroticism, but not like that!!

In general not so bad. I like it, feels like a nice interpretation.

4. Netflix Dracula

Well, the storyline began as if it could have been Bram Stoker's, but proved to be very different from the original quite quickly. Another nice interpretation. Van Helsing is a female and a nun - that's quite an interesting change. (Seriously, I love the character, she's a big mood.)The modern versions of characters in 3rd episode seemed kinda cool too

Absolutely loved the idea of Dracula absorbing the memories and knowledge with blood, it's really cool. ( Can I please be a vampire too? I really need that for my studies!)

Claes Bang portrayal of the vampire seemed very impressive. Loved it - didn't expect to but loved it - it was the first Dracula movie I watched and it left me under a spell.

Plus the human-eating irony - Hannibal Lecter would have shook Dracula's hand for that, those two have a common sense of humour and aesthetic.

As with the previous one, I enjoyed the interpretation quite a lot.

3. Van Helsing

Well, in that one.

The story has almost nothing to do with the book, doesn't even try to, but the plot they made is exciting - the ancients old enemies concept and all that stuff. The gothic Transylvania/Budapest/Paris/wherever else they were depiction is lovely - it gives the viewer this sense of darkly beautiful atmosphere of vampire stories; soundtrack adds to the picture nicely.

Characters, well... Anna is cool if you look at her in terms of personal - keep up the family values and stuff. BUT a young lady wearing tight trousers in 19th century, are you kidding me??? I'm sorry, but that weirded me out a bit. Same with that moment when "oh I fell five meters and before that soaked under rain, look at my perfectly soft curls" - the female characters in that movie are a bit overly fancy for the time and the action genre - same with Dracula's brides, they're kind of cute, love their babies and Dracula, but why on Earth are they always half-naked?

Van Helsing has a bit of a younger and sadder Mad-Eye Moody vibe. "I kill monsters, although I do pity the humans that sit inside of them. These things need to die" - that kind of person. Hugh Jackman plays him nicely, I felt him very fit for the role - he and Dracula are basically what really saves the film and makes it interesting.

Dracula here is just.. I mean aw. He's hot. He's got a nice accent, he turns into some flying half bat thing that looks hella cool, and he removes his cape in such an extremely graceful gesture that it makes one faint. Love that guy.

(+ the ballroom dance scene was very sensual and gothic, it was one of the reasons I started watching the movie)

2. Dracula Untold

The story of medieval Dracula and how he came to be a vampire - to protect his people and his family. Politics, love, monsters and broken dates. That movie has a great plot and some points which make you stop and wonder (oh do I love the quotes of those "sometimes the world doesn't need another hero, sometimes what it needs is a monster" and of that sort, just beautiful)

It is kind of tragic, but it has a bright side to it, I am extremely grateful to the authors for what they did to the ending.

And Dracula himself well... Luke Evans is just gorgeous in the role. The ultimate strong warrior vampire - a monster to his enemies and a loving husband and father to his family. Dracula redeemed. This one is sweet.

1. Castlevania

Aaaand here we go on my favourite one. If you don't mind watching anime and you love vampires/gothic stuff - you're probably gonna enjoy this. I did. I loved it: the plot, the characters, their relationship, the whole concept of the vampire community and Dracula the vampire King, their motivations. It's catching, it's mesmerizing, it charmed and drew me in (read: I cried and wailed together with my friend, this left me a trauma, I had to write a big fanfic to make up for the pain).

Main characters - Adrian, Sypha and Tevor are a bit Ron, Harry and Hermione but they are a lovely trio, I love the tension between Trevor and Adrian. Very loveable characters, and I dare say quite well written.

And, well, Dracula. Excuse me, this one is my personal favourite. I mean - a beautiful castle, that is moved by some cool mechanisms to wherever Dracula pleases, an enormous library with all the forgotten knowledge of the world. Dracula himself is extremely well-educated, well-mannered, THE gentleman (and yeah well 8ft tall but let's skip that bit). I love that character he is in so much pain I want to hug him and cuddle him into warm blankets. He is a sweetheart.

So that was a short attempt of a person who is terrible at criticizing stuff to write some film reviews. In case anyone is interested. And for me to reassemble my journey into the vampire world.

[douxreviews]

The Avengers (2012) Review

"We have a Hulk."

I'll get right to the point; I loved it. I absolutely freaking loved it. And that is me being restrained. And by restrained I mean with actual restraints. I am actually dictating this to a friend while I'm strapped down like Hannibal Lecter. It is too dangerous to let me anywhere near a keyboard right now. Everything I write will just be a mass of overly excited hyperbole gibberish.

A film like The Avengers just shouldn't work. As it was in the comics, this is a film that sees Earth's Mightiest Heroes coming together to stop Thor's mad brother Loki from taking over the world. With so many famous heroes battling it out for screentime, The Avengers should collapse under its own weight before the title has even popped up on screen. But, against all the odds, it works and works beautifully. And a lot of this can be attributed to the hard work of one man, Joss Whedon.

Oh, Joss Whedon. How do I describe Joss Whedon? Joss Whedon is flawless. I hear what's left of his hair's insured for $10,000. I hear he does car commercials... in Japan. His favourite movie is Night of the Comet. One time he met Steven Moffat on a plane...and he told him that he broke fans' hearts without mercy. One time he plunged his fist into my chest, ripped out my heart, stomped on it for a total of four series and one movie, then gave it back to me and charged me for the experience. It was awesome.

The Avengers is unquestionably the biggest endeavour Whedon has ever embarked upon. Can he handle it? Of course he can. He might not have an extensive background in summer blockbusters, but any Buffy fan can tell you that he's a skilled director and an even better writer with a great gift for character and dialogue. He might not have created them but Whedon clearly understands each and every one of these characters. Because of this, some of the film's best moments end up just being people in a room bonding and bickering with each other. Whedon also makes great use of his entire cast. He understand that this is an ensemble piece and takes care to ensure that no one hero is given precedence over everyone else. Everyone is given their moment to shine.

That said, Robert Downey Jr. still swaggers off with every scene he's in and nabs most (but not all) of the film's best lines. Luckily, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth are both able to hold their own against the onslaught of Downey Jr. charisma. As Loki, Tom Hiddleston is clearly having a lot of fun without once resorting to hammy scenery chewing. He also gets bonus points for pulling off Loki's distinctive headgear. Mark Ruffalo does a fantastic job taking over from Edward Norton, giving us a terrific Bruce Banner. Better yet, the CGI department finally delivers when it comes to his big green alter-ego. Along with looking like Ruffalo, this Hulk manages to steal the whole film. I won't say how because that would spoil the surprise.

On the S.H.I.E.L.D. side of things, Samuel L. Jackson is Samuel L. Jackson. Nuff said. Clark Gregg continues to expertly steal scenes as the deadpan Agent Phil Coulson, revealed here to be a massive Captain America fanboy (nice one, Joss). Cobie Smulders impresses as Maria Hill, despite being given little to do. After being a little one-note in Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow benefits the most from Whedon's involvement. There was no way he was going to have a kick-ass female character in his movie and not give her some personality and depth.

The Avengers succeeds where other superhero movies have failed by delivering one hell of a final act. Let's face it, as much fun as it is seeing these characters arguing and bonding with each other, what we really want to see is them kicking alien ass. We've never seen superhero action on this kind of epic scale before. All throughout the team's big battle with Loki's army in Manhattan I had a massive grin on my face and constantly had to resist urge to start jumping around the cinema cheering like a total loon.

Faults? Some of the CGI is a little iffy in places. Alan Silvestri's score is just as forgettable as every one he's done since Back to the Future. And Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye is seriously underused for first half of the film. But those are still minor quibbles. Bottom line, The Avengers is one of the most purely enjoyable experiences I have had at the cinema in a very long time.

Notes and Quotes

— While Iron Man, Cap, Thor and Hulk are close to how Stan Lee and Jack Kirby envisaged them, the rest of the film owes a massive debt to Mark Miller and Bryan Hitch's Ultimates series (still the best thing to come out of Marvel's Ultimate line).

— In The Ultimates, Miller and Hitch re-imagined Nick Fury and based him on Samuel L. Jackson.

— If you're willing, stick through the end credits to find out who the Avengers might be facing next. Many of you will be excited, even more of you will have no idea who those other people are talking about.

— The aliens in Loki's army are called the Chitauri, which is the name of the Skrulls in Marvel's Ultimate Universe. So they are basically Skrulls.

— The Avengers is the culmination of five films worth of set up. So be warned, if you haven't seen any of the previous Marvel films, then chances are you'll be a little confused.

— Whedon vets Alexis Denisof, Ashley Johnson and Enver Gjokaj all put in appearances. Have fun spotting them. There are also cameos from the likes of Powers Boothe, Jenny Agutter, the great Harry Dean Stanton and, of course, Stan Lee.

Nick Fury: “There was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people, so when we needed them, they could fight the battles that we never could.”

Bruce Banner: “Last time I was in New York I kind of broke... Harlem.”

Tony Stark: “There is no throne, there is no version of this where you come out on top! Maybe your army will come, maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you! Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn sure we'll avenge it!”

Steve Rogers: “Big man, in a suit of armour... take that away, what are you?” Tony Stark: “Uh... genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.”

Steve Rogers: “Hulk? Smash!”

Thor: “Be careful how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he's of Asgard and he's my brother.” Black Widow: “He killed 80 people in 2 days.” Thor: “...He's adopted.”

Michael Bay, please take note, this is what you get when you don't sacrifice character and story for lots of stuff blowing up. Four out of four Hulks who smash and smash good!

Mark Greig has been writing for Doux Reviews since 2011.

[suckerforpsychos]

Alphabet Tag Game

Decided to do another one, because I’m bored. Tagged by the ever charming @quicksilverbells

A. Age – 30 B. Birthplace – Riga, Latvia C. Current time – 21:36 EEST D. Drink you last had –  quince cider E. Easiest person to talk to – my bestie or any other of my friends basically F. Favourite Song – No. 1 Party Anthem by Arctic Monkeys G. Grossest Memory – nasal cavity rinsing when I was about 12 there was blood and pus it was very painful and eww in general H. Horror yes, Horror no – hell yes! My favorite genre I. In love – emmmm...maybe!? J. Jealous of people – yeah I wish I could live somebody else’s life pretty often K. Killed Someone – not yet lol L. Love at first sight or should I walk by again – I should avoid love stuff in general. Like seriously I always end up crying M. Middle name – don’t  have one N. Number of siblings – none O. One wish – to find a s/o (won’t happen, but still) P. Person you called last – my mom Q. Question you’re always asked – why are you wearing all black again (and the answer is: because I’m always ready for your funeral lol) R. Reasons to smile – Evan Peters exists, Arctic Monkeys are releasing new music in 2018, my lovely friends S. Song you last sung – I can’t remember, which was the last one, but I usually blast out Pretty Visitors or Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys when I’m tipsy and that’s something noone wants to hear lol T. Top 3 fictional characters – James Patrick March, Kai Anderson and Hannibal Lecter U. Underwear Colour – black just like everything else V. Vacation – Paris, UK or USA W. When’s your birthday – June 14th X. X-ray – didn’t really get the question, but yeah, it was always broken when I used to work in the dentist’s office Y. Your favourite food – pizza or fruit salad Z. Zodiac – Gemini

[grahaam]

I was tagged by the lovely @sofancydancy Thanks! <3

Rules: Tag Nine people you want to know more about.

Relationship Status: In a long distance relationship with the most perfect girl in the universe!

Favorite color: lavender or grey

Lipstick or chap stick:Lipstick all the way!

Last Song You Listened To: “Time” by Mikky Ekko

Last Movie You Watched: Ella Enchanted (I was on a Hugh kick, plus my stepsisters wanted to watch it.)

Top 3 TV shows: Hannibal (duh), Grey’s Anatomy, and either Drag Race or Game of Thrones (no spoilers please!)

Top 3 Characters: Hannibal Lecter, Christina Yang, Brienne of Tarth

Top 3 Ships: Hannigram, Spacedogs, Basic Chickens (yES I KNOW THEY’RE technically AUs don’t touc h m e)

Books You are Currently Reading: The American Medical Association’s Encyclopedia of Medicine, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, and Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Top 5 musicals: Don’t make me pick… Probably The Phantom of the Opera, Dogfight, Dear Evan Hansen, Heathers, and Hairspray, not in any specific order. (But there are so many to pick from, it’s like choosing your favorite children.)

I'm tagging: anyone else who wants to do it, haha! <3

[smokeybrandreviews]

Ruthless Calculus

I addressed this a while ago with my top ten Marvel villains post (which you can see here: http://smokeybrandreviews.tumblr.com/post/172603958899/one-bad-day) but, after seeing Infinity War for a third time (I am doing my very best to single-handedly get this flick to two billion) i wanted to address the opened ended conclusion on that list. Thanos is definitely on that list and is in definite contention to take that top spot. It’s wild how developed Brolin’s Thanos came out considering he’s only had one film of development. Infinity War’s Thanos is legitimately Marvel’s version of Ledger’s Joker and that’s profound as to me. The creatives over at Marvel, created a film that is essentially part one of a climax, to a series of films a decade in the making, but till developed one of the most complex antagonists in the history of cinema. I just compared him to The Dark Knight’s Joker but i’ve heard others throw him up there with Darth Vader or Hannibal Lecter and they’d be right. Thanos is just that good and the way the character came about is a legitimate narrative miracle.

Origins

Thanos is a beast in the comics. He’s a nihilistic god bent on destroying half the universe for the sake of impressing the personification of Death. He stronger than the hulk, heals faster than Wolverine, and can manipulate energy on a level of Captain Marvel. Dude is OP as hell and that works in the comic narrative but in cinema? Not so much. I was concerned how the MCU would portray Thanos because he’s basically a mustache twirling, bond villain with just as convoluted designs on the Marvel comic universe. Thanos is the benchmark for villainy in the comics so how do you translate such a ridiculously over-the-top presence into film? You don’t.

The core motivation of Thanos’ aggression is to impresses a girl. That sh*t was corny then but it works because comics are generally corny. Comic fans, though passionate about their hobby, tend to be pretty corny, too. I should know, i’m a comic book fan and i have been accused of corn on more than one occasion. Films, however, have a much wider audience. They have to toe that line to be accessible to a much wider swath of an audience while simultaneously being true to the character. The MCU found a very creative way to ground Thanos in a conceivable reality outside of his Death crush. His motivation to essentially cull have the universe as a means to enrich the lives of those left behind, was absolutely brilliant. It makes his goal feel real while paying homage to his ludicrous comic book origins and instills a plausible sense of stakes within a movie where aliens, gods, super-soldiers, powered armors, a tree, and a raccoon, clash in a hidden world superpower, tucked away in Africa. That sh*t is ridiculous and takes me to my next point...

Writing

Yo, Thanos is one of the best written antagonists i have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. The trick that was pulled off here is the fact that Thanos isn’t the villain of this story. He’s not the antagonist. Sure, in the greater sense of it all, he is the big bad, the bogey man, the lurking danger but, as a character, he’s just a guy who absolutely KNOWS a truth that is undeniable. He’s seen the end result of his theory and it’s utter devastation. He knows what’s at the end of that tunnel and has struggled, for what i assume to be centuries, trying to divert that inevitability. And this is the story about how he goes about that. The Thanos in Infinity War, is written like a PROTAGONIST. This is HIS story and everyone else, all of the heroes we have come to love and support, are HIS antagonists.

We’ve had a decade and nineteen films to establish our heroes, to endear them and their world to us. What would the MCU be without RDJ’s Tony Stark, Chris Evan’s Cap, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, or Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury? Even newcomers like Boseman’s T’Challa or (my personal favorites because he’s always my personal favorite) Holland’s Pete, have come along and stolen fan’s hearts. Hell, for a long time, the only “villain” in Hiddleston’s Loki, sat on high, as the benchmark of MCU character development. So to create a threat in Thanos, who not only destroys all of that earned investment in a matter of minutes, is f*cking profound and to do it while creating a character that doesn’t feel cruel or misguided, is absolutely amazing. Thanos is written as the hero of this tale, while simultaneously, being the MCU’s goddamn apocalypse.

Scale

Now, when you have such a long, meta universe, you need one helluva a third act. You need to establish a threat great enough to put the entirety of a universe on it’s heels. Thanos does that almost effortlessly. The writing establishes his righteous mission and very human motivation but the scale of his strength is proven time and time again. Those opening scenes where he essentially retires The Hulk; a being that stands equal to Thor and, more or less, dog walked Loki, got his lunch sacked in a matter of seconds by the not-so-Mad Titan. All of this, after Thanos essentially decimate half of the remaining Asgardian pantheon! The cherry on top? Equipping a second Infinity stone on his gauntlet, a feat not even f*cking Celestials could accomplish, so far as we know. But it didn’t stop there. Thanos cut a swath through the MCU, single-handedly defeating half or the Guardians, Tony Stark, Doctor Strange, and my boy, Spidey - only to then teleport to Earth and decimate an army of heroes, killing vision in the process, on his way to a well earned victory. Dude took an Stormbreaker to the chest, from a rejuvenated and revenge-driven Thor, and still had the willpower to snap his fingers. There has never been a menace on this scale in the MCU and he caught everyone with their pants down, and these are cats who have stopped arms dealers, an alien invasion, and a goddamn AI takeover.

Vision

This massive, chaotic, amalgamation of creativity would be a real mess, if not for the vision of Kevin Feige but, more so, the Russo brothers. These cats entered the MCU with a bang, fundamentally altering how these stories were told. Their films are systematically the best in the MCU. Ryan Coogler is trying to give them a run for their money but he’s only got one under his belt while James Gunn is a distant second with his Guardians franchise, but the Russos hold the title of the best as we stand right now.The Winter Soldier gave us our first, compelling, villain in Peirce and their follow-up, Civil War, raised the stakes of an entire universe while grounded this shift in a very personal, very intimate tale between friends. This narrative wizardry essentially derailed the entirety of Joss Whedon’s more comic book camp, and grounded an already rich universe in the realities of our world. And to do that same thing with a giant, purple, space tyrant is profound.

Whedon laid out at the end of Avengers was a villain who would be a massive punchline to the entirety of the MCU. I lost my sh*t when we saw Thanos for the first time but, knowing the character, i understood he was going to be the biggest one-and-done situations in cinema. Dude is a ridiculous, overpowered villain, with a ridiculous motivation. The Russos took this framework and created a proper tragic villain, a villainous protagonist so to speak, that did the entirety of the MCU journey justice. The Thanos that the Russos envisioned so much more than his caricature beginnings and they guided us toward that vision with such care and expertise, by the end of the film, after he snapped his fingered, you almost identified with him. To have such a clear understanding of where this character was suppose to go is testament to why these cats are in charge of the overall MCU. They real good at they jobs, manq.

Casting

All of this, everything i just covered, would mean nothing if the person cast to represent Big Purple couldn’t carry the wight of this character. SO much went into making Thanos feel real, feel plausible that, if you have a performance even slightly lacking, it blows everything. The Joker wouldn’t have been the same without Heath Ledger. Lecter wouldn’t have been the same without Hopkins. Wader wouldn’t have been the same without Jones. Thanos wouldn’t have been the same without Brolin. Seriously, that scene with him and Gamaroa in his throne room was brilliant. Keep in mind, Thanos completely CG, you still feel every ounce of his emotion as Brolin desperately appeals to his favorite daughter. The geyser of anguish thrust upon his heart when he realizes the key to unlocking the Soul stone was written all over his face. His exchange with young Gamora in the Soul world after his victory was heart-wrenching. This man, and i mean that. This. Man. Sacrificed everything; his home, his empire, his children, and the one person he genuinely loved, for the greater good of the universe, as he saw it. Thanos broke himself in an effort to fix the ill of the universe and Brolin portrays that frailty with such skill, such nuance, you forget that this character was literally created as a means to reset continuity in a bloated comic book universe. The MCU Thanos is a real, live, emotional, force and Brolin’s skill in his craft, made that happen. He took what laid out before him and distilled one of the greatest performances i have seen in years. And this is after Killmonger and The Vulture stole the show in their respective films.

Thanos is a game changer. He is the new benchmark for a villain, not only in the MCU, but in cinema as a whole. This is a character that showed up, in full, for three hours and destroyed everything we know about the decades long universe Marvel created on screen, and he did it while being one of the most accessible, most understandable, most vulnerable antagonists in movies as a whole. You feel for him as he systemically rends your favorite heroes asunder. You identify with why he sets out to do the unthinkable. Even as he genocides half of the goddamn universe, you kind of want him to see that sunset at the end. Thanos committed a true atrocity, yes, but he paid a real f*cking price in the process. Dude might as  well be a martyr at this point. We understood his motivations. We could do the math that got him to that cruel sum, even if it came across as obvious error to anyone with a heart. More to the point, he made that equation work. He punched his theory into fruition and, ultimately “saved” the entire universe. Thanos won and the best villains almost always do. The Joker won. Lecter won. Vader won. Thanos. Won. And he did it by being a real character - by being a real, complete, person with flaws and fear. That, i think, deserves the utmost recognition.

So, is Thanos the greatest Marvel villain out there? You bet your f*cking ass he is!