#beowulf soundtrack

[bright-eyed]

Apparently I’ve listened to decide by djo 25 times in the past 4 days. It’s just such a good album i wish i could squish it in my hands like play doh

[autism-corner]

watched the ninth hour =w=b am not okay

[lizziestudieshistory]

An Update on my Tolkien Collection

For @oneardentstudybuddy following your recent tags:

Not all of my collection is pictured because I couldn't fit the whole bookcase into the shot, it's also a MESS on the bottom shelves... (The top shelves are bad enough!) There's also books missing because I've lent them out to a friend or I'm reading them. However, I have:

5 editions of Lord of the Rings (3 in separate volumes, 2 in one volume)

6 copies of The Silmarillion (I thought I had more of these... I'm wondering if there's some missing from when I moved all my books?)

7 copies of The Hobbit (hilarious considering I'm not that fond of the Hobbit, I'm also definitely missing books, time for a hunt round the house 😱😭)

2 copies of The Great Tales and the Unfinished Tales (one paperback, one hardback, Beren and Luthien is signed by Alan Lee!)

The Fall of Numenor

The Nature of Middle Earth (on my nightstand as I'm reading it)

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings: a Reader's Companion

The History of Middle Earth volumes 1-4, 7-8, 10 (I don't know why I don't have the other volumes, all in paperback, I'm eyeing up the new hardbacks though to complete my collection)

The Art of J.R.R. Tolkien

The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films

The Making of Middle Earth

Tales from the Perilous Realm

Beowulf

The Fall of Arthur

Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo

The Complete Guide to Middle Earth

The unabridged audiobook of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings read by Rob Inglis

Theatrical cut of the Lord of the Rings films (watched once)

Extended Edition of Lord of the Rings films (watched obsessively)

Theatrical cut of The Hobbit films (watched occasionally)

Extended edition of The Hobbit films (watched once and regret it)

Howard Shores complete recordings for all three films

The standard soundtracks for LotR and The Hobbit films

All of the visual guides and companion books for the films, there's far too many of these to list!

Too many LotR themed candles, Rivendell is my favourite

A Weta print of the Argonath

A concept art print of Rivendell

A print of Alan Lee's illustration of Edoras

And, of course, my hobbit hole travellers notebook covers

This was slightly unhinged, sorry!

I have a lot of ebooks too but we'd be here until next week - Tolkien scholarship is vast 😅 I'll happily do better photos of anything you're particularly interested in! I love sharing Tolkien!

[leucrotta]

Werewolf Watch - #2

I had a little difficulty selecting the film for this week’s review. My first pick turned out to be a Beowulf retelling (an obvious occupational hazard here), and the second had a title that I ultimately decided wasn’t respectful to talk about. In short, it was the name of a Native American concept that’s been pretty badly appropriated already, especially in recent years, and especially in online spaces. No need for me to make that worse. Perhaps including every werewolf or werewolf-adjacent movie I found wasn’t the best idea, but that’s what second thoughts are for. Second thoughts and third tries, which ultimately handed me...

BEAST: A MONSTER AMONG MEN

I’m realizing that there being little information about a film is probably going to be a running theme with Werewolf Watch. As much of the viewing list is made up of indie films, this shouldn’t have been a surprise. Beast is naturally among these, with nearly all of its cast and crew being unknowns who don’t even have headshots on IMDB, much less a long list of credits. (This causes a somewhat amusing moment when a synopsis spoils the film’s villain by the actor’s name. Which, of course, means absolutely nothing to me.) The sole exception is its director, one Mike Lenzini, at the helm of such classics as Manscaping, Extraterrestrial Encounters: The Greys, and Alien Apocalypse: Could Humanity Survive? At least we’re in the right genre. (Okay, perhaps not that first one.) Once again, I have no idea what to expect. Scream of the Wolf had bad reviews, as does Beast, but that first one was alright. Maybe Mr. Lenzini can surprise me once again?

Or maybe not. The premise seems to be a fairly straightforward “cabin in the woods”-type slasher, with five vacationing bros, and what must be a werewolf in the killer role. (We can only hope.) But is the titular Beast one of the vacationers themselves? Only time will tell...

(Please be aware that this review WILL contain spoilers!

TWs for this review include (very brief) mentions of SA and suicide.)

The Plot

The film opens with five guys (sadly no burgers nor fries) driving in a car, playing “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”, and doing a pretty bad job of it. This is infinitely irritating to one character, who we will later find out is named Mike. The others, for the most part, don’t distinguish themselves, except for one guy, who broods against the rear window, glowering in his black hoodie. Honestly, it’s kind of funny, and it gets even funnier when the movie stops to let all of the other characters stare collectively at the brooding guy until the scene abruptly ends.

At a gas station, because every horror movie about a drive must include a scene with one, we discover that Brooding Guy isn’t friends with the others, except for the driver. They used to be friends. The oldest of friends. Maybe. The dialogue is very confusing. All that’s clear is that Mike hates Brooding Guy, and the feeling is very mutual. On we go, into the obligatory driving montage. It’s here where the driver, whose name is Bill, informs the others that they will be staying at a cabin with no internet or cell service. For some reason, none of them knew where they were going before they got into what is later revealed to be a six hour car ride. The musical accompaniment for the drive is quite awful, and sounds like a cross between a bad Nine Inch Nails cover band and every 90s PS1 car racing video game soundtrack.

Let’s take just a second to establish the main cast, as things do get a bit confusing later, and the movie isn’t doing anything interesting right now anyway. We have the driver, Bill, who is boring; the passenger seat rider, Mike, who is rude and likes to toss out random slurs; Brooding Guy, aka Eli; a character that I assume is meant to be the comedic relief, Sean; and finally, awkward guy Chris. Mike and Eli get into a bit of a (one-sided) spat, which the music thinks I should be sad about. This means more knock-off NIN beats. The movie has gotten so boring at this point that even the characters are falling asleep. I nearly turn the film off, but decide it’s not far in enough to give up.

[Narrator Voice: Leu would later regret this.]

Finally, we’re at the cabin. It looks just like every other tourist rental in the Smokies, though I don’t actually know where this was filmed. After a quick and pointless tour by Mike (have to get our money’s worth out of this location), the boys settle down to make some weenies over the campfire, and of course, to slap each other with them.

Quietly, loner Eli goes to the truck by himself. He snatches the keys on his way, sneaking. From the truck, he withdraws a huge knife. Which he brings back to the fire so he can… cut his hot dogs. Sure. After an insult from Mike, he wanders off alone into the woods, followed by Bill (who is, remember, his only actual friend here). As he searches for Eli, Bill hears an ominous growl.

We cut back to Mike, Sean, and Chris, now playing “fuck, marry, kill” with female celebrities. Stay classy, boys. Not long (and certainly not long enough) into their banter, they are interrupted by an unearthly scream from the woods. Anyone with any experience among the wilderness will probably recognize this sound as a male elk’s bugle. In the context of the film, however, I have no idea what it’s supposed to be. A wolf howl?

After huddling close to the cabin in fear, the boys decide to go look for their friend (and his friend). With the keys still in Eli’s pocket, they are forced to go on foot. I, the viewer, resign myself to many, many shots of people vaguely stumbling through the dark woods. Case in point:

Yeah. There's supposed to be three people in that shot.

It’s from this point on that things just sort of… happen, one after another. Following some confusing dialogue (“where did the sound come from?” “I’m not sure, but I’m pretty sure it was this way”) one of the boy’s trips over a mangled corpse- oh no, it’s Bill! Now comes the first of many, many (MANY) arguments: did Eli do this? (Mike sure thinks so.) Was there really a girl screaming? What do they do now? Ultimately they decide it’s a good idea to carry Bill’s dead body around the forest in the dark, now lost. Seems like a smart course of action.

The boys stumble upon a camp. Mike sneaks up to the tent, wherein a truly pointless sex scene is taking place. He watches like a creep.

He then wakes everyone up, tells them the situation, and for some reason gets them involved. The new characters, whose names I am not going to bother remembering, consist of four people- though there used to be six. Two are missing, and we will never find out what happened to them. Which is fine, because as soon as the new group of seven (plus Bill’s dead body) hears another elk bugle mysterious scream, the two girls decide that their missing friends are dead, and immediately begin to mourn them. The film continues with even more people now wandering aimlessly in the dark. Bill’s body has vanished without note. The movie is getting bored with itself again, relentlessly showing us images of the full moon.

At some point (I’ll be honest, I missed how it started) the newer characters (group B) begin to fight with the original three (group A). At some other point during this, one of the newer characters goes missing. You can see why I didn’t bother to learn their names. There’s more arguing, and I’m not even sure what they ultimately decide, because I zoned out. Apparently they decided that the two groups should go their separate ways again, making this entire plot thread pointless.

There’s even more arguing. An actual human scream, followed by… I’m not sure if those are gunshots, or just the soundtrack being irritating again. One of the girls from group B runs into the arms of group A. She is traumatized by something. There’s more arguing and once again, I consider ending the movie, but at this point, we’re fairly close to the end. (Yes, really.)

[Leu will once again regret this choice.]

The boys somehow find the body of one of group B’s men, and take his keys. Mike tries to snap the traumatized girl out of her panic, but in doing so knocks her over onto a rock, which kills her. This takes forever.

Is it so much to ask that this movie just give me the werewolf? How much time do we really even have, here?

Thanks, Mike. Let’s move on.

After some discussion, it turns out that Eli might be the killer, and for a reason. These are my exact notes as I watched:

“turns out Eli might be doing this because his sister killed herself and I’m going to guess it right now, it’s because Mike assaulted her”

Surprise surprise, I was right. Although I didn’t guess that Sean apparently helped. Chris, now the only living non-garbage person, (except perhaps Eli,) is reasonably angry, and stalks off. Sean runs after him, leaving Mike alone. It’s at this moment that I realize what’s truly happening here. Happening again, rather. Because this is about to be the second time. The second time in Werewolf Watch (which, I just want to note, has only had two posts so far) that I review a werewolf movie with no werewolf in it.

I can’t believe this. Suckered again. I become almost as reasonably angry as Chris, whose admonishment of Sean is correct, even though the acting is still bad.

Blah blah blah, the two stumble upon where Bill’s body was, but it’s been dragged off. Sean goes to touch the blood and… something??? happens??? Mike wanders alone, in the dark night of the soul, or whatever. He finds the car that he has the keys to, and the movie tries desperately to wake up the audience with a car alarm. It does not work. Mike drives away into the sunrise. Somehow, the movie isn’t over yet.

Mike stops at a lake and gets out for some reason, acting like he’s about to puke as he stumbles around in the dust. He has discovered all of the bodies, piled in one spot. Sean is among them, but Chris is absent. Mike continues to stumble off into the woods. Eli appears. With a knife. Mike bigfoot-walks into frame. (Oh how I regret using those words now.) Eli looks high af.

Mike sees the knife and runs screaming at Eli.

Eli… IS IMMEDIATELY KILLED BY BIGFOOT????

I AM SCREAMING. CHOKING. DYING.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE. I HATE IT SO MUCH. PLEASE HELP ME I AM IN HELLLLLLL!!!!!

The Review

Well. Now that I’ve had a chance to collect myself, let’s just say that this movie did, in fact, surprise me. Unlike with Scream of the Wolf, this surprise was not so pleasant.

To be fair, I did laugh. I laughed so hard, in fact, that I choked. I don’t know if it was out of sheer absurdity or actual humor, if there’s even any actual humor to be derived here. I replayed the last few seconds of the film about three times, then sat for a while with my hands on my face. I know this is used often as hyperbole, but what did I just watch???

Not only is Beast: A Monster Among Men not a werewolf movie, but it’s not even a good movie at all. The acting is bad (except oddly enough for Mike), the music is bad, the pacing is abysmal, the story is nonsense, there are so many shots of people stumbling around in the dark, and even more scenes of people arguing. Constant arguing! All that lack of build up, all those shots of the full moon, those howling and growling sounds, the title, and for what! For the film to pull the rug out from under us in the last few moments, and become a bigfoot movie??? Listen, I’m not crazy. Look at this title card/poster again:

LOOK AT IT. WHAT PART OF THAT SAYS BIGFOOT AND NOT WEREWOLF??? WHAT PART, MR. LENZINI????

I give this movie a 1 out of 10.

Werewolf Effects

I don’t want to talk about it.

Werewolf Lore

Final Thoughts

Don’t watch this movie, for the love of all that you hold sacred. It will put you to sleep until the car alarm part, and then you’ll wake up just in time to see BIGFOOT ruin the movie. That was already not good.

At this point, I’m wondering if I should rename this post series “Werewolfless Watch”. Should I start screening movies ahead of time, looking up spoilers to make sure there are, in fact, werewolves? I don’t want to ruin my experience, but when will this madness end?

(Did I forget to mention that this movie had the gall to have an after-credits scene? That was just bigfoot walking around? No? Well it did. I hate you, Mr. Lenzini.)

[wretchedvulgarian]

adaptation of beowulf but the soundtrack is all my chemical romance

[clarajohnson]

the magicians s1e10

i love how the neitherlands are conveyed through spooky tilted camera angles

penny normally: >:-( penny when eve implies santa claus is real: :-o :-D

the neitherlanders are extremely interesting actually. wish we got more of them.

IF YOU WOULD JUST SHUT UP FOR TWO SECONDS THIS SEX DREAM WOULD PASS THE BECHDEL TEST QUENTIN

alice knows julia is his lifelong crush they've known each other for like three months pleaseeee

it was 1943 it wasn't a dirty thing to say back then

we just can't talk enough about eliot and margo's friendship truly i love them beyond anything

julia's online handle being vicious_circe... be mine miss wicker !!!!

the magicians, trying to convey an air of potential danger and creeping fascism in the library: so the camera is always tilted severely

free trader beowulf is one of the loveliest things in this show for the short time it exists. it's so sad.

thibadeau's planar compression. it's really not a big deal.

ALICE'S PARENTS !!!!!!!!!!! YIPPEE !!!!!!!

they are such assholes but also so fun like they're such an unexpected but sense-making part of alice's full context

zelda's pants are so yass and slay

"richard may be about forgiveness but i'm sure as shit not" as though that's not your best friend in the whole entire world kady

if my mom made me call her by her government name i would also be a little insane

i need us to spend much more time in alice's room. the butterfly artwork. the garden state soundtrack. my god.

she made him give me the version from the seventies because she thinks that kids should know what pubic hair looks like

"i'm really into damaged chicks" was about 90% of my reason for hating q the first time around

PLEASE QUENTIN IS THE WORST BOYFRIEND his limp little "oh my god" while alice is talking about family shit she's probably never in her life told anyone oh my god oh my god

i know a hundred ways to break in

ELIOT HAS TWO BOOKS

"filleted goat penis." "that's very thoughtful of you, dad."

you haven't even touched your penis!

alice's parents/joe throuple. it's a delight.

god i wanted margo to be able to deck him in the fucking face

"our friend is trapped in the neitherlands" "...acquaintance"

stephanie, this one DOES seem like an awful lot of work. which is why it works for eliot and not alice.

don't take this the wrong way mom but shut the fuck up okay <3

margolem is evil i think he should've been killed for that

"sometimes the only thing we do is spoon" "UGH"

shitty boyfriend q episode of all time where's that post about his internalized heterophobia

julia using "kludgy" she is a megadweeb

as i always do i love that the magicians as a show just kind of shrugs and says all gods. yes all gods. they're real.

ELIOT NEVER GETS TO OPEN UP

did margo have sex with the margolem yes/yes

"i like you a lot and i don't know why" is not what you say when you're interested in men i don't think

bite me.......................

[bestgirlinc]

Fighting Game Opinions Part 5

To commemorate my new Blog I will be taking about my FAVORITE fighting game: Skullgirls! I adore the game as it gives me basically everything I want out of a fighting game: Good Single Player Content, Good fluid gameplay, great music. The game is probably the only game that I never get tired of, and always remain excited for.

I love the story mode for the game. Every character has a story, every character also has a slightly different story in the Arcade mode. This is what I prefer in fighting games, every character gets a chance to actually be learned and understood both in gameplay and personality. This makes you able to truly know which ones you like and why. It isn't just who looks the coolest or the hottest it's about who's gameplay, story and personality truly meshes with you personally. I think this just works better as a game than the ways Guilty Gear and Mortal Kombat do it, sadly.

I love the soundtrack so much. My favorite of the composers being Michiru Yamane who utterly decimates every song she does. Being a veteran from the amazing Castelvania: Symphony of the Night. She is a great composer who makes some great music. Overall I am very happy with the quality of the overall music.

The Gameplay is fun and fluid. I love the Team system being rewarding no matter how many characters are on a team. The custom combo system being so nice to use as it feels very wonderful. Even if I don't actually play the game very well, I feel good when I do it right anyways. The game is fun, fluid and dynamic and I love it.

I actually have been playing it since the original release which should tell you how much I adore the game as a whole. Bought all the DLC for the original release and the current release. I love it a whole lot. Probably the only fighting game I can give a 10/10. It gives me everything I want.

My Favorite Girl is:

Valentine, sure, she is visually appealing. But I actually adore her story and personality. Tough and sly she is a mystery who was forced to work with the Skullgirl and Double. The last survivor of an Anti-Skullgirl lab she is interesting and always a little mysterious. I love her so much, plus her gameplay is fun and great.

Best boy is:

Beowulf! He's loud he is not the brightest boy in the world, he's amazing. I love this boy so much. His story of trying to find redemption for his past and wanting to truly be the man he pretends to be is endearing and lovely. I love him so much he's such a great dude.

Since it isn't a series I can't review the whole thing, so I'll say that despite the current legal issues it is in pulling it down a bit, the game itself is still a 10/10 for me. Course if anything came up I would lower it easily.

[eldritchsurveys]

1180.

1. Do you enjoy rhododendrons? >> Sure, they're very pretty.

2. Have you ever met someone who supports Nazism? >> On the internet, yeah. Fortunately not in meatspace where they can actually do something to me. 3. If you’ve ever been to another country, what was the best thing you did there? .

4. Which is your favorite print: Plaid, animal, stripes, spots, other? >> Plaid is the one I dislike the least...

5. Have you ever owned a cell phone for over a year? If so, was it still working well? >> There is no way I would voluntarily get a new phone after less than a year. That is horrifying to me.

6. What’s the worst sickness you’ve ever had? >> Food poisoning. Also, the sickness that comes with bad menstrual cramps.

7. What do you enjoy more: Fairs or circuses? .

8. Is your favorite animal something you can have as a pet? . 9. Are you good at gardening? >> I am not because I don't practice it.

10. What was the last classic novel you read? Did you enjoy it? >> Hmm... I have no idea. 11. Do you think you would actually read any of the epic poems, such as Beowulf or The Iliad? >> Probably not. 12. Are you the type of person who feels guilty after eating junk food? >> I don’t feel guilty after eating anything. God, what a concept. :/

13. Tell me about a time when you felt like you had no real friends: >> I always feel like that. It might be a side effect of having no fulfilling friendships (aside from Sparrow, I suppose, but the "fulfilling" part is, uh, variable).

14. Have you ever felt betrayed by someone? If so, what did they do to make you feel that way? >> Possibly. I never use this term so I don't have an associated memory handy.

15. Which is better: Xbox 360 or PS3? Or are you someone who doesn’t care? >> I don’t have an opinion.

16. Have you gotten registered to vote yet? >> I am registered.

17. What do you like best about your favorite actor? How about favorite actress? >> Usually what makes an actor a favourite for me is that they do something to me, viscerally. It's something like attraction, I suppose. Certainly as hard to explain.

18. Tell me how you’re feeling in another language: .

19. Would you rather drink water all day or Coca Cola all day? >> Water. I rarely drink Coke in the first place.

20. Name three movies which have a soundtrack you really love: >> Requiem for a Dream, Speak No Evil (2022), Sunshine.

21. Do you think Gatorade tastes refreshing or just gross? >> I don't know, I haven't had Gatorade in years.

22. What’s the scariest video game you’ve ever played? .

23. Do either of your parents get angry over small things? . 24. What is the most dramatic TV show that you watch? >> I don't really know how to measure this. I mean, Riverdale is basically a soap opera, so I guess that? 25. Do you still watch VHS tapes? >> I have not watched those since the early aughts. 26. Have you ever visited one of the states that doesn’t have sales tax? Was it a nice change? >> I have not.

27. Have you ever had Dutch Brothers’ coffee? >> I have not.

28. What are your grandparents like? Are they nice or mean? . 29. Do you own any pet fish? What kind of fish are they? .

30. Do you have a turntable and vinyls that you regularly play? >> I do have these things but I don't regularly use them. It's just so much more of a hassle to do so than it is to just play Spotify. Also, I don't think my record player has Bluetooth capability and I usually listen to music through wireless headphones.

31. What is the most irritating thing that a boyfriend or girlfriend has ever done to you? >> I am so easily irritated by people that this is impossible to determine, lol.

32. Have you ever thrown up from being so nervous? What was happening that made you so nervous? >> I have not.

33. Would you rather be uncomfortable but fashionable or comfortable but unfashionable? >> I will always choose to be comfortable, but I don't think that excludes me from being fashionable. It just requires some cleverness.

34. When was the last time you took your pet to the vet? What was wrong with it? . 35. Have you ever known someone who was in an abusive relationship? >> Well, yeah. Unfortunately, that is extremely common.

36. If you smoke/drink/do drugs, do you feel insulted when someone tells you that it’s bad for you? >> If someone tried to tell me that, I would be extremely irritated at best. I am quite capable of evaluating personal risk and making informed decisions, thank you.

37. Do you like skiing or snowboarding? >> I have never done this. 38. Do you find government buildings dreary and uncomfortable? >> Sometimes, but mostly I don't think about them at all.

39. Name the last horror story you read. If you can’t remember any, name the last horror movie you saw. >> A Short Stay in Hell by Steven Peck. It's a novella about a Tower of Babel situation, pretty neat.

40. What happened the last time you were embarrassed? .

[paulgadzikowski]

Was tagged by @quailfence

Nine things:

Last song: Gold, Mr. Smith and Joan, Doctor Who season 2007 soundtrack. I have the soundtracks from the first seven seasons of 21st century Doctor Who and I put'em on shuffle imagining each half season's tracks progressing through all the Doctors through the mustache Doctor except the 60th anniversary one so there are fourteen, one for each half-season. That makes Human Nature/Family of Blood a dreamcoat Doctor & Peri story.

Favorite color: Blue

Last Movie/TV Show: Watched The Church on Ruby Road with Mom

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: Sweet and salt. Sometimes at once, like with yogurt pretzels

Last thing I Googled: Koré Soong, I think, for the spelling. No! Beyoncé, to copy the character and add the accent to Koré.

Current Obsession: As ever, Doctor Who

Last Book: Tolkein's Beowulf. But I read only the translation, none of the commentary in the rest of the book.

Last Fic: This WIP excerpt (Bonanza/DS9 crossover)

Written: Today's The Hero of Three Faces. Wait, a Three Faces isn't fanfiction if it's AKOTAS. Then, yesterday's Three Faces. Wait, that wasn't a new gag, that was reusing a gag I've used on other platforms, that doesn't count as writing. Then, ereyesterday's Three Faces.

Looking Forward to: The new Doctor Who season. The new ST Disco season.

Tagging: Whoever wants to

[cup-and-chaucer]

My Month in Books: March 2023

we are back, babyyyyyy. this was the month of novellasssssssssss

Beowulf, translated by Maria Dahvana Headley: This was so, so, so sexy oh my God. I picked this up from my local bookseller and it just--it really floored me by how phenomenal the translation was? I was skeptical, I have to admit but I felt the excitement, the blood, and the enduring relevance of this story through this translation.

Grendel by John Gardner: We love a themed read but this just wasn't for me. I think reading it so closely to the Headley translation was a mistake. This was exceptionally well-written and there are some great scenes but I felt that the overly academic approach to Grendel sucked the viscera and fear from the story. Grendel's isolation was so complete that, as a reader, I felt alienated from him. The most exciting and climactic moment was, of course, when Beowulf appears and there is this fantastic line: "Oh my God, he's insane" in the wake of Beowulf telling the story of him swimming for several nights through a storm. But, maybe in a different time, this book would have struck me differently but it was a miss for me.

The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis: One more in the journey to read the complete works of Lewis!! I'd read parts of this before but never completely and in order. So, here's the thing, I love Lewis. I really, really am a True Fan. The way that he organized and categorized the world and human relationships is really impactful and truthful. Even contextualizing him in his time period and social context, I really struggled with listening to the homophobia in this. It really bothered me in this book in a way that his mentions of it in Mere Christianity didn't. Part of it was because the introduction to the book was written by Charles Colson, notoriously conservative evangelical, and part of it was because it was a book on love. I feel silly objecting to something that I knew was part of his belief system, a belief system that I don't think he ever had life experiences to challenge. But--it got to me this time. It is the feeling of: you have helped shaped my worldview and you would pity me? I don't know. There is a lot of gold in here. I had a similar lukewarm reaction to The Great Divorce last year and that book has subsequently never left me alone. So, Lewis is a guy who needs to age in my system, I think.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway: I had such an interesting experience with this one!! I was enjoying it but not feeling particularly moved by it and then halfway through I attended a workshop of an operatic version of it by Paola Prestini and my mind completely changed. Her clear love of the book, the beauty that she mined from it...seeing someone who so clearly loves this book and this story completely changed my perspective on it. And when I finished it, I had a much deeper appreciation for the story, the drama of it, and the beauty in it.

Here Goes Nothing by Eamon McGrath: This sucked. Like, this is already the worst book I have read and will read this year. I mean, it was remarkably bad. I listened to the audiobook version on the drive home from Boston and it was incredible. I listen to audiobooks to help pass the time and this actively made my trip feel longer. I just. It was only 2.5 hours long and I felt like I lost years to this book. The writing was inconsistent--vacillating between pretty good to sophomoric and just filled with poorly constructed metaphors. The story was confusing, without purpose or shape. The idea of the audiobook was to have a customized soundtrack that matched the story and it just--was bad. Like, sir, the reason you never made it big as a musician is because you are bad at this. I understand the romanticization of your misspent youth and a nomadic period of your life...but this whole rebels without a cause thing just didn't land. As I grow older, my patience with the sighing, looking out the window at human foibles and disappointments grows shorter and shorter. My guy, you need better friends. You need to be a better person. Treat your mom better. That's all. It was an interestingly gendered book--the characters are all male and apparently unable to understand or communicate...any emotion or physical urge including anger, hunger, fear, happiness in any way that is remotely productive. The lack of women here was also very noticeable. I mean--to be sure, it was about a group of men and they are in a culture where women are there to be...fucked or are their literal mothers but the narrator low-key drops that he had a nameless girlfriend the ENTIRE time in the last fifteen minutes and you're like, oh my GOD, you really...really...WHAT. You really...really treat the women in your life disposably.

Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade: I read one trashy romance book a year and this was ittttttttttttttt. It was, as all these books are, a Time and a Half. I actually liked this one best of the whole series. Like just--absolutely a wild time from beginning to end. 10/10 they tried to fuck in a room next to a wedding proposal filled with all their coworkers no notes. I do think that it's hysterical that D&D not showing up to that Game of Thrones fan conference probably sparked this entire romance trilogy in which they, very specifically, feature as the single worst human beings to ever exist on the face of the earth. Good for her.

[linuxgamenews]

Unveiling the Intro for Sid Meier's Civilization VII: The Next Level of Strategy

Sid Meier’s Civilization VII cinematic arrives for the strategy game franchise for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Thanks to the creative geniuses at Firaxis Games. Which you can also pre-order on Steam and Humble Store. At The Game Awards 2024, 2K and Firaxis unveiled the Sid Meier's Civilization VII cinematic with a jaw-dropping opening sequence that’s already getting attention. To top it off, attendees at the show got a live orchestra performed the soundtrack. Doing so with music composed by none other than GRAMMY winner Christopher Tin. Talk about starting strong! This opening video isn’t just eye candy — it’s a fresh take on the strategy franchise we’ve been playing on Linux for years. Civilization has also sold over 70 million copies worldwide. And the Sid Meier's Civilization VII cinematic is a tease, which promises to raise the bar even higher. A Journey Through Time Voiced by Gwendoline Christie (you might know her from Game of Thrones or Star Wars), the Sid Meier's Civilization VII cinematic takes us on a journey through the Ages. It all starts with a lone farmer who discovers a rusted saber buried in the dirt. What happens next is pure magic. The scene jumps through history as the saber passes from one culture to another, showing how our world’s history layers, connects, and shapes through countless hands. It’s a powerful reminder of the central theme of Civilization VII: history is built one moment at a time. If you want to experience the full video in all its glory below. Trust me, it’s worth the watch.

Sid Meier's Civilization VII - "Rediscover Hope" Opening Cinematic

Music That Hits the Soul Aside from the cinematic, the new theme for Sid Meier's Civilization VII, Live Gloriously, was also revealed during the show. Christopher Tin describes it as a piece that captures humanity’s timeless struggles and triumphs. Since it features lines from classics like The Iliad, Beowulf, Popol Vuh, and Ramayana. The result? A song that feels epic, emotional, and also totally fitting for the Civilization series. What’s New in Civ VII? Civilization VII is due to bring something fresh to the strategy table. Since your choices now shape the cultural lineage of your empire as it evolves through the Ages. You can lead as legendary figures from history and even switch civilizations to match the new Age you’re entering. Talk about replay value! Mark Your Calendar Sid Meier's Civilization VII cinematic gives the February 11, 2025 launch that energy. Due to release in three editions to choose from: Standard, Deluxe, and a limited-time Founders Edition. Pre-orders start at $69.99 USD / £59.99 / 69,99€ on Steam and Humble Store. That is all coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows PC, so no one’s left out. Get ready to dive in and build your empire, one decision at a time. This isn’t just a release — it’s history in the making.

[q6utti]

si jaeger (EL PERSONAJE MASCULINO DE MI NOVELA OBSIDIANA) fuese una canción sería el soundtrack de beowulf what we need a hero

[zorilleerrant]

Thank you for tagging @batri-jopa <3

Tag some amount of people you'd like to get to know better

3 ships / first ship ever: the very first ship I had (without really understanding what ships were) has got to be Bert/Ernie. I just read them as a married couple and I liked that! I didn't know that I was doing anything! but if it's the first ship I read content for that was Spike/Xander, the first one I wrote for was H/D, the first one I actively sought out content for was Clex I think. (around the same time would've been Mal/Simon and Jack/Spot/Dave but those are rarepairs so I didn't do much with them.)

my current top 3 ships aren't going to make any sense to anyone but me, so check back in after a few days. but for the record they're Ratthi/Three, Master/Gray, and Almond Cookie/Lilac Cookie, if anyone really wants to know

last song: something on the '90s Rock playlist idk I'm not paying too much attention when I put music on

last movie: Incredibles II. people hyped it up so much at the time that I got worried about watching it and then I just forgot, but I finally got around to seeing it. the characters are still just as cute but I didn't think it was as good as the original.

currently reading: Murderbot Diaries. I've been rereading them in a loop since I first finished them and I'm still enjoying it and not going to stop any time soon. I'm also reading a translation of Beowulf and I hate it and I'm thinking of starting a new hobby of complaining about translations of Beowulf

currently watching: Ugly Betty (US). I rewatch this from time to time. not everything aged well, but I really appreciate the effort they went to in being supportive. the characters are very important to me and also I really enjoy the soundtracking

currently consuming: fancy new tea that's whisky flavored (but the smell comes through a lot more clearly than the flavor)

currently craving: couscous. I can never figure out the right things to put in it that restaurants do so it never quite hits what I'm looking for when I have it at home

Not tagging anyone because I know ships have been annoying a lot of people lately, but if you've been enjoying shipping, please, tell me about your journey with it!

[classicalmusicdaily]

Elliot Goldenthal, an American composer of modern classical music as well as cinema and theatre compositions, was born on May 2, 1954. He was a pupil of John Corigliano and Aaron Copland and is best renowned for his particular style and his ability to combine numerous musical genres and methods in novel and creative ways. In 2002, he received the Academy Award for Best Original Score for his music for the film Frida, directed by his longtime wife, Julie Taymor. Elliot Goldenthal Elliot, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1954, started taking music lessons at a young age and became very interested in music. "I performed in little piano concerts, learned the piano and trumpet, and participated in neighbourhood bands. But I also performed a lot of jazz and rock, and as a young person around that time, I was involved with what was happening in those musical genres." These early influences are still very much a part of Elliot's work, as can be heard on the soundtracks of films like Titus and Batman Forever, even if he is now mostly known for his leanings toward Western art music. Education and Career: Goldenthal was raised by musical influences from different genres and cultures in Brooklyn, New York City, where he was born. From Bucharest and Iaşi, Romania, Goldenthal's grandparents came to the United States in both sets. Goldenthal resided in a place with a diverse population, and his works reflect this. He attended John Dewey High School in Brooklyn, where he premiered his first ballet, Variations on Early Glimpses, at age of 14. He proceeded to showcase his wide-ranging musical tastes by playing with rock bands in the 1970s. He then pursued full-time music studies at the esteemed Manhattan School of Music, where he studied under the mentorship of John Corigliano, a musician he greatly respected, and received degrees in both compositions (1977 and 1979). For the theatre, dance, concert venue, and cinema, Goldenthal has written pieces. Films like Pet Sematary, Alien 3, Michael Collins, Batman Forever, Heat, and the Academy Award-winning score for Julie Taymor's Frida, in which Goldenthal played a brief role as a "Newsreel Reporter," are among those that feature the music he has created. He also played a "Circus Barker/Streetsinger" in a minor role in the theatre production of Juan Darièn, incidentally. In order to prepare the music for Frida, erudite musician Elliot Goldenthal devoted more than a year studying the music of Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, and Spain. Additionally, he added to this film his own upbringing in New York, where he was exposed to Latin music. He sought for the best acoustic guitarists to perform his songs, and several of them were recorded in his New York home room. He had a Mexican woman in her 90s who had performed the same song for Frida Kahlo decades earlier sing an important song in the film. She is still in perfect voice. Grendel, a three-act opera that Goldenthal co-wrote with Taymor and was based on the same-named John Gardner novel, was finished in 2006. It was narrated from the viewpoint of the monster Grendel and related the tale of Beowulf. With Eric Owens playing Grendel, it had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Opera in early June 2006, in front of John Williams and Emmy Rossum. The opera was later added to the company's official repertory, and in April 2007 Goldenthal was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Goldenthal collaborated once more with Michael Mann to soundtrack the 1930s gangster film Public Enemies, in 2008, and he did the same for The Tempest, another Julie Taymor Shakespeare adaption, in 2009. The distinctions between orchestral film soundtrack and classical stage music have gotten increasingly muddled, according to Goldenthal, which is how he believes they should be. He mentions Japanese musician Tru Takemitsu as an influence and someone he models his work after. Additionally, he has worked four times with Irish filmmaker Neil Jordan, including on In Dreams and Interview with the Vampire.

Working Style: Film music collectors have labelled Elliot Goldenthal the "thinking man's composer," and movie creators and fans of the genre typically choose his more intellectual works. He is renowned for his experiments, subtleties, and willingness to try out novel methods. He has composed music for movies in practically every category, including thriller, horror, and Shakespearean adaptations. Although he hasn't yet composed a comedy soundtrack, he has created comedic motifs for several movies, including Demolition Man and the Batman trilogy. He is well respected among fans and in the music and film industries for his diverse body of work. Although many people admire him for his musical prowess and particular style, some believe his work to be overly experimental or difficult to understand. He writes violent, atonal action music. He occasionally employs extremely quick French horn passages with bending tones and whining in the underscore. According to Goldenthal, "I either hear a melody or I hear sonority" rather than "hearing" atonal and tonal. On the website filmscoremonthly.com, a former classmate of Goldenthal remarked about a 1998 article on the Sphere score in which it was mentioned that Elliot was already experimenting with novel methods when he and Goldenthal were both students at the Manhattan School of Music in the 1970s. During a trumpet lesson, Elliott once instructed him to "buzz into the wrong end of the mouthpiece and sing into it as well." After listening to Goldenthal's film and concert music for almost ten years, he realized that he "was well ahead of the rest of us," despite initially thinking he was crazy.

[fortunawren]

lyrics iv;

Let’s see what we get this time. The boys can wait. I’m essentially using this for mediation to relax my mind.

“Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” by Cage The Elephant

I’m honestly not sure where I heard this song first, but I will say I very recently connected with the following lines:

“Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked Money don't grow on trees I got bills to pay I got mouths to feed There ain't nothing in this world for free I know I can't slow down I can't hold back Though you know I wish I could Oh, no there ain't no rest for the wicked Until we close our eyes for good"

I’m using these lyrics to justify my toxic work ethic.

“Be Kind (with Halsey)” by Marshmellow

I played this song so many times in 2020 that it ended up on my Spotify Wrapped. I really love the message here, and I’m happy this came up on my shuffle. Take it to heart, truly.

“I know you need, I know you need The upper hand even when we aren't fighting 'Cause in the past, you had to prepare every time, yeah Don't wanna leave, don't wanna leave But if you're gonna fight, then do it for me I know you're built to love, but broken now, so just try, yeah I know you're chokin' on your fears Already told you I'm right here I will stay by your side every night I don't know why you hide from the one And close your eyes to the one Mess up and lie to the one that you love When you know you can cry to the one Always confide in the one You can be kind to the one that you love”

“The Only Exception” by Paramore

I’ve listened to this song like a prayer my whole life, I think. I’ve always thought the message was a little sad, even though this is considered a love song but she says the following lines:

“When I was younger, I saw My daddy cry and curse at the wind He broke his own heart and I watched As he tried to reassemble it And my mama swore that she would Never let herself forget And that was the day that I promised I'd never sing of love if it does not exist But, darling, you are the only exception.”

It’s not a love song. It’s a surrender to feelings that she was trying to kill within herself. The entire song she’s saying she knows it’s going to end, and it’s not real.

But she went for it anyway.

I’ll add a bonus line from this song;

“And I've always lived like this Keeping a comfortable distance And up until now, I had sworn To myself that I'm content with loneliness Because none of it was ever worth the risk.”

Of course, she ends with “I’m on my way to believing” but then her relationship failed so what did we learn?

“Leave a Light On” by Tom Walker

This song was written for those struggling. I’ve largely used it to soundtrack scenes between my characters to pan out deep connections/friendships. It’s a beautiful song.

“If you look into the distance, there's a house upon the hill Guiding like a lighthouse It's a place where you'll be safe to feel our grace 'Cause we've all made mistakes If you've lost your way I will leave the light on”

Everyone wants a friend like this, and I hope you find them.

“Losing Your Memory” by Ryan Star

Another sad song, of course. And another song from The Vampire Diaries soundtrack. (👀👀). I’ve used this song for personal writings as well because it’s emotionally gut-wrenching. I’ve always been drawn to this song, but I’ve truthfully never deep dived on the lyrics.

I loved these lines:

“Wake up, it's time, little girl, wake up All the best of what we've done is yet to come Wake up, it's time, little girl, wake up Just remember who I am in the morning You're losing your memory now.”

It’s a sweet reminder.

“savior” by Beowulf

This is a cover of w Hillsong UNITED song called “oceans” that this youth pastor once showed me. I’m not super religious, but I do love the devotion and sadness in this song. Again, it’s surrender.

“Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my savior.”

Regardless of faith, it’s utter devotion. Chills, always.

“Where do we go now?” by Gracie Abrams

This song is new on my playlist (within the last couple months). I’ve always liked it for scene writing, and just the emotion in the question of “where do we go now?”

My favorite lines:

“I know I changed overnight So I can't blame you for fightin' And I'd be losin' my mind If you lived in your writin' 'Cause now I'm half of myself here without you You're the best in my life and I lost you And we had no control when it fell through It was one-sided, hate how I hurt you.”

“Ashley” by Halsey

“Ashley” is actually my theme song. The whole song, word for word. Halsey struggles with Bipolar Disorder and when you’re trying to fight mental illness in a bid to be successful and creative, it feels like a constant cycle between death and rebirth, high and low. I’ve got so many parts of this song that I could drop below, but I’m going to leave it with the current theme of my life.

Lines:

“And I don't wanna be somebody in America, just fighting the hysteria I only wanna die someday.”

“Mama” by My Chemical Romance

I’ve oddly been obsessed with this song since I was 12. Way wrote it in response to 9/11 and the Iraq war. I used it for a Kylo Ren / Leia mash-up because the lyrics fit.

“And when we go don't blame us, yeah We'll let the fires just bathe us, yeah You made us oh so famous; We'll never let you go She said, "You ain't no son of mine!" For what you've done they're Gonna find a place for you And just you. Mind your manners when you go. And when you go don't return to me my love, That's right Mama, we all go to hell.”

“Under the Water” by The Pretty Reckless.

If you didn’t know, the lead singer of The Pretty Reckless played Cindy Lou Who in the live-action grinch. Her style has vastly changed, and for the better. Her music, her lyrics and everything about her seethes beauty.

“There's not a time for being younger And all my friends are enemies And if I cried unto my mother No, she wasn't there, she wasn't there for me Don't let the water drag you down (Don't let the water drag you down) Don't let the water drag you down.”

I probably should’ve understood my obsession with this song a lot sooner.

“Illuminated” by Hurts

I fell in love with Hurts because surprise, surprise The Vampire Diaries. L.J. Smith really did a number on my soul, loves. I particularly love the drama behind their songs, and use them to write scenes.

I’d probably have sex to this song just to see if there’s a build.

“Swing me these sorrows And try delusion for a while It's such a beautiful lie You've got to lose inhibition Romance your ego for a while Come on, give it a try Suddenly my eyes are open Everything comes into focus, oh We are all illuminated Lights are shining on our faces, blinding.”

“Phases” by Maggie Lindemann

Y’all ever fuck with someone that couldn’t decide if they wanted you, someone else, to be single, or to be happily married with two children? This is the song for you.

“You only want me in phases Only hit me up when you're wasted Hate it, treat me like a game, I won't play it You only love me when you feel like it I don't think love's supposed to feel like this Phases, take my heart, throw it on the pavement Break it, just so you can stitch it up and save it You only love me when you feel like it I don't think love's supposed to feel like this If you love me, if you don't, you should let me go.”

“I Don’t Wanna Know” by Charlie XCX

If you’re like me, and you overplay this song, just leave. It’s not even worth it.

“I know I'm losing you, so come on, tell the truth Don't you tell me you're sorry, don't pretend you're stormy 'Cause I don't wanna know, I already know What you've done, what you've done.”

“Selfish” by Madison Beer

This song helped me process one of the worst heartbreaks of my life.

“I don't wanna break your thread and needle Tryna stitch you, but I can't, I refuse Shouldn't love you, but I couldn't help it Had a feeling that you never felt it I always knew that you were too damn selfish Don't know why I looked the other way I wanted you to change, yeah I shouldn't love you, but I couldn't help it I always knew that you were too damn selfish.”

“Without Me” by Halsey

I’m getting tired of the breakup songs on my shuffle, but I have to admit this is a particularly good one.

“Found you when your heart was broke I filled your cup until it overflowed Took it so far to keep you close (keep you close) I was afraid to leave you on your own I said I'd catch you if you fall And if they laugh, then fuck 'em all (all) And then I got you off your knees Put you right back on your feet Just so you could take advantage of me.”

Halsey wrote this song about G-Eazy after he cheated on her after she miscarried their child. Great pain produces some of the most beautiful art. I’m so happy she’s in a better place now and finally the mother she wanted to be.

“Stay” by Rihanna

This song has been coming up on my shuffle a lot recently. I’m still trying to figure out if I’m a psychic or not so it could be channeled message, or just because I felt particularly called out by Mikky Ekko when he sang:

“It's not much of a life you're living It's not just something you take, it's given Round and around and around and around we go Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know Not really sure how to feel about it Something in the way you move Makes me feel like I can't live without you It takes me all the way And I want you to stay.”

And of course, we can’t leave out these lines:

“Well, funny you're the broken one But I'm the only one who needed saving 'Cause when you never see the light It's hard to know which one of us is caving.”

And yes, when I was in middle school, I did update my status using song lyrics.

[redbootsindoriath]

On a scale of Tolkien protagonists, how has your adventure been treating you?

I’m so sorry in advance to anyone who says Túrin.

Transcription:

[Bilbo:] “My adventure seemed inconvenient and had its share of hardships, but in the end I learned so much and came out a better person as a result.  Plus I found a lot of cool keepsakes.  I would go again if I could!” [Beren:] “I traveled through the most dangerous places in the world and encountered the most dangerous creatures, but my moral character was never shaken.  I lost a hand and even died once, but my wife and I are an eternal example of undying love and loyalty, praised and remembered for millennia after our deaths.  Everything I went through ended happily for me.” [Frodo:] “The trauma I experienced on my journey left me permanently scarred in more ways than one.  But the world was saved because of my sacrifice.  So I don’t regret my choices.” [Túrin:] “.......”