#but that is enough in itself to know she was a truly amazing actor

[thisbluespirit]

#glenda jackson#rip#death ment tw#icons#british politics#women in love#the music lovers#elizabeth r#sunday bloody sunday#mary‚ queen of scots#marat/sade#the triple echo#a touch of class#the maids#hedda#the incredible sarah#elizabeth is missing#armchair theatre#z cars#a genuine icon and an acting powerhouse. a winner of two oscars‚ three emmy awards and a tony#as well as baftas‚ a golden globe‚ a cbe and a whole suitcase of honorary doctorates and degrees#all this from the most humble of beginnings‚ having grown up poor and relied on scholarships throughout her education#i think that put a fire in her that stayed with her throughout her life; never one to mince words‚ either in her acting or career or once#she turned to politics. Glenda could be fierce‚ was an avowed feminist‚ a tireless campaigner for human rights and for those living in#poverty. she spurned the celebrity status her two oscars earnt her‚ and approached acting always as a craft‚ to be respected and taken#seriously. her entry into politics was inspired by thatcher‚ only in that she found the Thatcher government's policies and actions to be#detestable and anathema to those concerned with the welfare of the needy and the under represented. she took her political work just as#seriously as she did acting‚ becoming a vocal critic of Blair and calling for his resignation over the Iraq war and the death of David Kelly#a solid socialist‚ an immensely talented actor and a genuinely good person. we see too few Glendas these days. rip#<3

RIP Glenda Jackson (9.5.1936 - 15.6.2023)

"An actor can do Hamlet right through to Lear, men of every age and every step of spiritual development. Where's the equivalent for women? I don't fancy hanging around to play Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Life's too short."

"If I'm too strong for some people, that's their problem."

[hotvintagepoll]

Do you have any opinions on modern (post-1970s) movies that you feel capture the essence (in a good way) of Old Movies?

No, unfortunately. That doesn't mean I don't like modern movies or that modern movies aren't good, but modern movies—and here I'm really using modern to mean post-2010, so contemporary movies—have different standards for pacing, characterization, budget, and production that make it harder (or impossible) to capture some of the magic of old movies. Even when modern movies clearly try to emulate that old-movie feeling—I'm thinking of La La Land, The Artist, The Shape of Water, In the Heights—they play the homage too broadly, or they ignore crucial components that make the original films work.

There's kind of too much to go into here without writing a full essay, but essentially, the Old Hollywood system—ugly, failed beast as she was—made some movies simply more accessible to make, due to the ongoing storage of props, sets, master craftsmen, crew, and onscreen talent that could move from one movie to the next without pause. If you needed a dancer, he was already on staff. If you needed a fancy bed, it was already in the warehouse. That kind of longterm storage is invaluable if you want to crank out movies quickly and cheaply because it saves so much time on individual negotiation and sourcing. Modern production companies have to work out individual contracts for every actor on every film; crew members have to negotiate rental contracts and source pieces from scratch; if you need someone with specialist skills, you have to contract them specially at a high rate, which a lot of small companies can't (or won't) budget to do. There's sand in the wheels where there needn't be any. It's wasteful, and costly, but that's the system modern movies are made with.

Which all means that even if the modern movie system wanted to make a classic movie musical just like the old ones, they couldn't, because the talent isn't already there—it hasn't been trained up enough, and there's not that breadth of knowledge you can only get from people who have been allowed to work in the same department in the same place for decades. Movies like La La Land fail, for me, because they present themselves as descendants of Fred Astaire or Busby Berkley movies, while missing the bit where Fred Astaire was a master of his craft. When you watch Fred Astaire dance—or Moira Shearer, or the Nicholas Brothers, or Ann Miller—you are watching a true artist at work, purposely showcased by the studios because they already have them on contract. Modern movies, on the other hand, tend to take people who already have star talent (as actors) and try to convert them into dancers/singers—or they pull dancers/singers off of Broadway, but then they don't have the star power built in. You end up with lackluster musicals where no one truly knows what they're doing, or they do but they're not built up enough by the studios to sell. And that's me discussing just on-screen talent for musicals—there is a huge loss behind the scenes, as well, for all kinds of movies, where roles that would have been filled by union crew who moved continuously from one job to the next have been swapped for freelance labor who live with immense turnover, financial insecurity, and knowledge loss. You could hand me the budget and I could try to make an old movie, but the industry itself has changed so much it's impossible to recapture that charm of steady, niche talent, the amazing possibilities of bonkers set design, and the ability to take a risk on a smaller movie because the other films being produced by the same studio can help balance the budget.

I've talked way, way too much about all of this! Sorry, I just have a lot of thoughts—and the one above is just one of them; the talent loss and storage issues are only facets of a much bigger problem that extends to how we watch movies today, how we market them, what we expect of them, and what's allowed in them. It's a crying shame because the talent is still there, but times change and so does the industry, for better or for worse. (And, just again to clarify, I don't think modern movies are bad—they're just missing a lot of the juice old movies got to play with, even if there's more talent available than ever before.)

[heretherebedork]

>=] I'm here with an evil request. But only slightly evil. Maybe a lot evil. I don't know you decide. Can you rank all of the currently airing couples? Ghost ships are obviously allowed (JangYos supremacy)

...

... This is truly cruel and I don't think I can because there are SO MANY.

I am watching 13 shows. Most of them have at least two couples and some have more. Some are love triangles AND ghost ships!?

I can't keep track of that many couples! I don't even know where to START and the Vietnamese BL where I genuinely don't know one of the characters names?! Auuugh.

Okay.

Okay.

Let me try this. From least to greatest.

Thien Bao x Din Huy because the assault is gonna be hard to forgive

Gia Hoa x Lam because Gia deserves a better boyfriends

PhumPratrick because I love the actors but it's just not giving what I want so far

The secondary lead in Under The Oak Tree and the main character who are only doing anything because the main character is being manipulated and it's just sad, honestly.

ViMook because I dislike how Mook is pushing her around and, frankly, would very much like to save her. She was so flustered and frustrated!

MutRak because I rarely vibes with this kind of 'bully but everyone says it's not' thing tbh. If you're gonna bully romance, go all the way! Don't make him perfect to everyone else EXCEPT his love interest.

AlmondJumper because it's obviously not gonna work.

WanKim because, I mean, have you see them?

MarwinKim because it's not gonna happen but could queerplatonically still be better than Wan.

TaeYos because Tae is still leaving Yos out of things and Yos is still the one coming and comforting him when he's sleeping and Tae might be in pink but the love and care still feels one sided!

Shirasaki x Hayama because the show just isn't pacing itself well for me and that makes them a bit frustrating tbh.

Toon and her girlfriend because they got together off screen and denied me seeing them be cute and flirting

JoeNicky because I like them but also don't know what to expect, honestly.

SenRun because they're cute and I do like them but the whole show just isn't hitting the way I wish it was, honestly.

FreyaMeiji because the show just isn't quite vibing for me, honestly. I get it and I see it but it's just not quite for me.

AlmondLatter because I'm not sure how this is gonna work tbh and I wanna know but I also have many fears.

DangKhanh because they have tons of potential and I just hope they get through this whole

PeakThanwa because I'm not sure what the show is gonna do with this.

KongthapAtom because I love them but they have not developed enough to get me truly excited.

QToey because, honestly, they development is not keep me engaged. Cute but kind of... empty? It's odd.

JangYos because I do like them a lot but I also know it's never going to happen and I do acknowledge that Jang telling on Moo about the no dating thing was rough.

PhumPeem because they're working and they're cute but they're just not quite there yet for me

KangMoo because they are adorable but HURTING ME RIGHT NOW and would be higher if they hadn't broken up.

ChainPun because they need more screentime but they use what they get SO well it's honestly amazing.

YakDee because I am deeply worried about their pain this upcoming week and whatever drama will carry us through the rest of the show with these boys. Love them but fear.

TanFang because they are my most beloved of all time and I adore them so much please please give me more of them being in love and happy.

MingJoe because, look, they are EXACTLY my flavor of toxic and the show knows it and the show is gonna show us growth that will make me so, so happy.

I hope I didn't forget anyone.

[stvlti]

Official cast interviews for Blue Beetle (2023) from DC Nation

Found these interviews in the back of Ravager: Knight Terrors and Robin: Knight Terrors. They seem to be inserted in Aug publications at random? If anyone finds Bruna Marquezine's interview please drop them and @ me

Update: The above interviews are now transcribed below:

Interview with Xolo Maridueña:

What can you share about the origin story of Jaime Reyes—and his alter ego, Blue Beetle?

Jaime is someone who's coming back to his hometown from college. One day he comes across this scarab that grants him powers beyond belief. At first, he's reluctant to become a hero, but ultimately he'll decide to accept his fate—whether he feels worthy or not!

Like most comic book films, there are tons of origin stories to pull from. I think our movie amalgamates some of Jaime's best stories in comics over the years.

How does this scarab give Jaime his powers?

The scarab, Khaji Da, is a sentient alien life-form on a mission across the universe to detect technological advancements. The scarab just so happens to attach itself to Jaime and he's granted incredible powers.

The powers are more a question of what can't he do? He can fly, punch things super hard, make his hands turn into different weapons. He's kind of just the best superhero out there...if I do say so myself.

Who is the villain of the movie, Victoria Kord?

Victoria Kord is played by Susan Sarandon in the film. Victoria is truly a billionaire mogul with her eyes on the prize. However, she has a bit of a chip on her shoulder because there was a disagreement on who should head up Kord Industries. Susan Sarandon is such an amazing actress and as much as Victoria Kord has a bad side, she's also very charming.

What makes this superhero film unique?

This film really is gonna tap into that familiar family feeling that is irreplaceable. You're gonna meet Jaime's family and say, maybe I don't look like them, maybe our parents don't come from the same place, but I know this type of love and what this relationship feels like. I hope it will make a lot of people realize you don't have to do everything alone.

All the moments that led up to Jaime encountering the scarab were because of the foundation that his family was able to build on.

Interview with George Lopez:

What can you tell us about Rudy, your character in the film?

On my last trip to Atlanta, I was in a car and I looked out the window and there was a guy working for the city with about a 10-inch goatee, glasses, long hair, and a city orange vest that had no sleeves, and I thought, man, that's me. I like the idea that we're so quick to judge somebody by the way they look, and Rudy is a bit of a contradiction from the way that he looks.

Why do you think the scarab chose Jaime Reyes as its host?

I think it chose Jaime because it knew that he's a good guy. The scarab chose somebody who would use their powers for good. If you go back into the bug lair and you see Ted Kord's previous Blue Beetle uniforms it was from a guy that had money, was a little bit eccentric, and would create these outfits for himself...but he couldn't fly anywhere.

What can fans expect from Blue Beetle's costume?

You've seen nothing until you've seen the Blue Beetle costume deploy and the pincers retract! It's amazing to see him fly and fight. He operates in a dark blue and black costume, similar to charcoal, which may be the coolest colors of all time. It feels more like a skin than an actual costume. I've seen a lot of bugs in my day, but I've never seen one that looks like that.

How is being a part of Blue Beetle meaningful to you?

As an actor, I've been fortunate enough to have done stand-up for a long time, had my own show named after me, and a number of other incredible things in my career. However, I would have hated to not be involved in this project. If I wasn't cast in this movie it would've been heartbreaking in a sense, but I'm honored to be a part of it. To know that you're specifically chosen to be in this great project, and give life  to a guy like Rudy, is beyond an honor.

[jolalibrary]

Hi Jo! Congrats on passing your exam and thank you for sharing positivity with your Happy Hour asks!

A positive thing that happened to me this week was that beautiful note my wonder twin, @goodwithcheese sent in. She’s so awesome - I just love her!💜 Following her example, and because I want to help spread the joy, I wanted to give a big shoutout to her and a few other beautiful souls I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with in my short time here. (I’ll combine them so I don’t bombard your inbox with asks) 😁

In addition to all of the following being amazing writers of some of my all-time favorite fics, I would consider myself lucky to also call them friends. I’m still amazed at how much we can connect with people we’ve never met, and how many lovely people I’ve met on this site and in this fandom… we totally rock.

@goodwithcheese - Your posts and messages always make me smile and I am in awe of your writing skills. It is truly uncanny how many things we have in common - but I can’t think of a nicer person to have for my twin. The universe apparently knew there was too much awesomeness to fit into one person, so it just decided to make two of us. 😜

@kteague - You know I’m a fan of the stories you write, but more importantly, your lovely personality and beautiful replies made me a fan of you. I love seeing your interactions on my dash and always enjoy hearing from you. You did good, K. 😜

@firstofficerwiggles - I first discovered your Boba Fett & Mandalorian stories on AO3 (which are still some of my favorites) and you were the first person I was brave enough to compliment in a message on this site. Since then, you have helped me with so many of my questions about this platform and always humor me when I send you my random ramblings in your inbox. Thanks to your positive replies, I found the courage to unleash reblogs, comments, and asks on several other lovely people! ☺️

@katareyoudrilling - I haven’t known you very long, but I just love your “year of asks” and all the ‘game’ tags you send me. I know I don’t always get a response out very quickly, but I greatly appreciate you thinking of me!

There are others I could call out, but I don’t mean to take up your whole happy hour with one ask. (I’m going to hear music start anytime now as my hint to shut up and get off the stage…) 😬 I will just close with how much I do greatly appreciate all the people I have connected with here - and I’m sending you all a big hug!! 🫂 It doesn’t surprise me that an actor who seems to be one of the nicest people on the planet has some of the nicest people as his fans….thank goodness for all the amazing people in the Pedro fandom. And thank you for letting me be part of your positivity #happyhour!

thank you so much for the congrats, and I’m glad you liked this idea! and I love this, 🥹 this is so sweet and so considerate, what a lovely message this is! I’m not gonna add anymore to it, I think your kindness speaks for itself 🩷✨ (thank you for sending this in)

jo’s happy hour… continued

[minetteskvareninova]

Minette watches Medici, part 20 (Innocents)

-Hey, look! Another (mostly) good episode! The Medici truly are at their best when they are more morally ambiguous. I did have some problems with this episode, once again because of Lorenzo, whose corruption arch wasn't very well handled, but much like Alicent in Hot D, many moments of that arch are good, even if the arch itself doesn't come together in a coherent manner, like at all.

-RIP LUCREZIA T, YOU WERE THE BEST FEMALE CHARACTER IN THIS FRANCHISE AND PROBABLY THE BEST CHARACTER PERIOD, YES EVEN BETTER THAN MY KING FERRANTE, FUCK YOU, FIGHT ME.

-Beyond my endless love for Lucrezia T, her final episode too was nothing to scoff at, like some moments were cliche (especially the Incurable Cough Of Death), but overall she got a great sendoff that cemented her as my absolute favourite. Her engaging in some light embezzlement because Lorenzo is just that bad with money? Fun, interesting character beat. Mentoring Clarice into becoming her successor? It's a bit surprising she didn't even try sooner, but still, pretty cool! Her being reminded of Giuliano when Giulio gets into fights? Amazing, no notes. Like that minisubplot was indeed very cheesy, but surprisingly emotionally effective. Hell, they did the "dying person deliriously running after someone and collapsing" AND "dying person sees a tragically fallen loved one as a some sort of psychopomp" - and I didn't roll my eyes once!

-Speaking of: I wish Giulio was just plain better developed, because there are interesting kernels of characterization here that I'd adore to see explored. Like for a show that loves to just plain spell shit out, Giulio's sword was such a great storytelling device - I mean, teenage Giulio gets so little screen time, but when he decides he maybe wants to become a priest? You absolutely get it. There are also some hints of him growing closer over the years to Giovanni at least, if not Piero, but again, not enough to really see it clearly.

-Lol, I recognized another child actor in this! First Adam from Good Omens as baby Lorenzo, now Tewkesbury from Enola Holmes as teenage Piero... I have no point to make here, I just think it's funny.

-Riario continues his uninterrupted streak of being a pathetic little thug that is only ever a threat because his uncle is the pope and he's... Let's be real here, only about as brutal as any IRL condotierro, but that's just enough capacity of violence to be a genuine menace. I also love his relationship with Caterina, like he knows what he has in her and clearly wants to be a wife guy so badly, but he's too much of thuggish manbaby to ever show affection towards anyone, even her. Like the same way Rüstem can never not be creepy, even when he means well, Riario can never not be an absolute douche.

-Speaking of pathetic little bitches - Lorenzo and pope competed for the title of Italy's Biggest Primadonna, and Lorenzo scored an unquestioned victory with his "I'd rather have innocent people slaughtered than apologize to you". Like, fuck dude, I know you technically didn't do anything wrong, but there are lives at stake! Swallow your pride, goddamnit! The worst part is, he then apologizes anyway - so that the head honchos at the conference pay attention to him, because he's afraid the pope might be getting a win with the whole conference taking place outside of Florence thing! BTW I am still not sure how Lorenzo being a center of attention for a hot minute erases pope's contributions to the conference, or really what those contributions are considering it doesn't even take place on his territory... Is he some kind of chairman here? I am so confused. The whole conference doesn't make any sense anyway, like is it supposed to have ended some particular war or whatever? Would it be that hard to throw in a few words about how, say, France and Venice were at war and now they and their allies are negotiating the peace terms?!

-Oh, I see Lorenzo didn't restore signoria after the peace as he promised! VERY interesting. Or it would be if I had any idea why the fuck is he doing something so blatantly terrible and against everything he professed to stand for even a couple of episodes ago. Is he afraid of what might happen to him and his family if he loses absolute power for even a second? Well, that would be interesting, if the show so much as hinted at it, but it doesn't, rendering the whole corruption arch a fucking joke.

-I do think that in a vacuum, Lorenzo letting all those people be massacred by Riario was pretty interesting both as a political move and a character beat. Like, even the characters were like "damn dude that's COLD". I don't love Bernardi once again being Lorenzo's shoulder devil, but at least the dude's characterization is consistent... And now the showrunners are teasing us with his backstory. Well, ladies and gentlemen, consider that bait swallowed! I truly can't wait for what they are going to do with it.

-Oh, look, a decent Lorenzo x Clarice scene! You know, once in a while these two remind me that they can be a good couple, and then go back to their old ways of being boring and devoid of chemistry. Honestly, making them join a polycule with Lucrezia D can only improve things.

-Oh, hey, Caterina is doing some cool shit this episode! Nice.

-...okay, I'll admit, that was one hell of a cliffhanger right at the end.

[adamalade]

OSF’S 2023 ROMEO AND JULIET - FUCKING AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY GOD!!!!! I had the privilege of seeing it a few nights ago and it just… wow. It’s a creative take on an already awesome story, and the actors have great chemistry.

It’s set in a modern homeless encampment, which may seem daunting or uninteresting at first, but it adds another layer of interest to the story. It adds depth to the conflict— if they worked together and put aside this senseless feud, they might be able to help each other, but they don’t. It also creates amazing opportunities for setting and costuming. Juliet’s bedroom is truly stunning for how simple it is- just a bed in a room- but the creative way that they constructed the bed, with sleeping bags and cinder blocks and more, as well as the graffiti-style art on her walls makes it stunning. There’s a moment in the balcony scene when Romeo is sitting on the end of the trailer that her room is on top of, and he leans his head against the ladder. It’s so cute!!

The chemistry the two leading actors have is stunning. Ordinarily, I’m like, “right okay they’re getting married tomorrow whatever sure” but with these two, Jada and Jeremy, I can believe that they would get married within a week, because they are truly so admiring of each other. They keep the original script and their chemistry injects new life into it! In the scene after they wake up together and she’s begging him to stay, it doesn’t feel stilted with the 16/17th century language. It feels like two actual young people, putting it off for just a few more minutes so that they can stay together for just another moment. There’s a little detail in the scene where they get married that KILLED me, oh my GOD it was so cute. I know that if I describe it it won’t do it justice, it’ll just sound awkward and stilted, so I won’t, but if you see it you’ll know what I mean.

The acting is phenomenal. All five (?) deaths are stunningly acted; you can really feel Mercutio’s pain- he’s not just walking around, he is dying on the ground, he is dying for gods sake- Romeo’s terror when he kills Tybalt, the fight between Romeo and Paris has fantastic choreography, and Romeo and Juliet’s grief over each other. There’s a moment when Juliet kills herself and another as she dies that just really killed me; I was already sobbing, and it just gutted me.

(Also Jeremy is really cute and Romeo’s romantic lines only enhance that… everyone was fangirling over him during intermission, haha)

If you can afford it, you have GOT to go see this. If you can’t, I’ve heard that they may be selling recordings after the production is over, but that’s all the way in October. I really, truly, cannot recommend it enough.

(I also got to see RENT for the first time, and it was also really cool and amazing- the actors for Roger and Mimi have killer voices, for example- but I’ve never seen it before so I have nothing to compare it to. It’s worth seeing it just by itself however!)

Here are two videos from the OSF YouTube page!

I swear to god, Juliet and Romeo are my blorbos now but SPECIFICALLY jada and Jeremy’s Juliet and Romeo. Leonardo DiCaprio? Olivia Hussey? I don’t know them. Jada Alston Owens and Jeremy Gallardo ONLY.

I got to talk to some actors after the performance, and not only were they kind enough to sign my program, but my group got a group photo with Jada and Jeremy, a couple people got individual pics with both of them, my sibling got a picture with Mercutio’s actor, myself and two others ran into the actor for Tybalt at lunch the day after and got to talk and get a couple pictures, and my sibling got another picture with the lovely person who played Angel in RENT.

Little “spoilers” below — not plot, but little moments that you’ll want to experience live for the first time. My words won’t do them justice.

Characters like Gregory and benvolio making lewd gestures to go along with all the sex jokes in the first part

Mercutio rapping multiple times and doing it like a king!!!

A light-up cross rising up from friar Lawrence’s van. Everyone laughed lol

Balthasar playing his guitar for the marriage ceremony

The aforementioned moment in the wedding

The very, very sharp tone change from the comedic, romantic part to OH SHIT MERCUTIO AND TYBALT ARE DEAD

Romeo trying to not only get the murder weapon away from tybalt and failing so his friend is killed anyway but then trying to staunch the bleeding, only to be pushed away by Mercutio as he’s curled up on the ground

Lady Capulet losing it over Tybalt’s death

When Romeo is in grief over his banishment and Lawrence scolds him, but then tries to comfort him, and Romeo just turns away, because friar Lawrence was who he could trust, and he berated his grief

When Romeo and Juliet wake up together and he tries to leave without waking her to try and spare her from having to watch him leave…… they invented romance

Lord and Lady Capulet’s fantastic acting when they wake to find that Juliet is “dead”

Paris pulling the engagement ring he gave to Juliet OFF OF HER CORPSE

In the Romeo-Paris fight when one of them (I can’t remember which one it was) gets the upper hand and repeatedly slams their opponent’s head into the ground. Yikessssss

The two moments I mentioned earlier: Juliet pulling up with the knife once she stabs herself, plus there actually being fake blood on her—While Juliet is dying, she wraps Romeo’s arm around her, sobbing as she lays down and dies. That was the moment that really got me

[asoulofatlantis]

I think I was a bit unfair when I said that Van not being as protective of Agnes anymore in Kuro 2 was do to the focus on Elaine and his relationship with her. I guess it was also do to the fact that he had more trust in Agnes strength and abilities at that point.

"dead" is the word you are searching for and at this point there is nothing you could do for the man anymore.

What an hard first experience our girl has made when she just started out for her search of Grandfathers momentum.

These days these guys actually come to us for help and information exchange. Oh how the tables have turned...

Looking at this tho, it is really true, that Agnes joining him has changed Vans life and the way people perceive his work.

Oh god! Kinkaids voice is awful! Like... really awfully unfitting. He doesn't at all sounds like that down to earth guy that works for the famous CID.

I am not sure if Kaela got a new voice-actor. She sounded slightly different. But she only said like 3 words so it could be my immagination.

They actually pronounce René in exactly the way the name would be pronounced in Germany and I can not even kick them for it because I think that would have been the intention if Japanese people were able to speak german words so easily...

You know what is really weird? Kinkaids relationship with Van wasn't that hot at the beginning either but they hit it right off when they met again and treated each other with the same old "high five" we even see in Kai. And yet, that is the guy who tricked us to get Agnes in the position that led her to... well... vanish.

I HATE owing something to the likes of you Kinkaid. You know. I mean traitors! (You might argue about the whole mess with Claire and Lechter in Cold Steel being somewhat the same but it was not. Not ONCE did Claire or Lechter hide who their loyalties lies with and it was never truly unexpected when they turned against us - not to mention that they never truly liked doing it to begin with. Kinkaid on the other hand played us like a freakin fiddle. He even betrayed the very president he was working for and with. He did not give a damn about the feelings of the people around him, was even feeling to stand on the other side of a battle with Elaine, his childhoodfriend that he has always watched over. He is not as bad as Crow was back then and I am sure just like with Dominique his intentions weren't bad, but a betrayal stays a betrayal and that makes him one of those damn traitors!

She was such a clumsy nuisance in the beginning and look how amazing and reliable she has become now! I guess I wasn't looking close enough when I said we barely had any character-development in Kai. Its just that it really happened over the curse of all 3 games, like its supposed to, which is likely why it did not feel as strongly in Kai itself.

Ah... I kind of forgot that they started out as somewhat rivals in the beginning...

I wonder if we have the chance to changet hings now that we... you know... have the chance to do things differently. I mean, IF we do remember things we should be able to save even Aida in time, if Van is up for it that is. And that would be so Trails to do that. BUT the Calvard-Arc might still do it differently.

XD Ah Bermotti... its almost upsetting that his role got smaller over the games, with the cast getting bigger and more people being willing to give Van information.

[BTW... my CPU really had to put the cooler on full speed for a while XD]

Its propably the Erebonian-Bitch inside me speaking but isn't it somehwat annoying that the newest and best model always comes from the place we are at right now. Would it not have been fun if Erebonia actually used the Ramda and then we get to Calvard and they use the Arcus and so on? I get that with the... problems between Erebonia and Calvards that seems a bit odd, but how likely is it that the place were the current Septerion is active is the place that managed to produced the best Battle Orbment? If we ever get to the east, were people die because of the desertification I wonder if they still manage to have some sort of technical company pop up that actually manages to produce the best battle orcment technologies just in time for us to deal with shit that has to do with the next Septerion ^^'

Given that Verne, ZFC and Reinford are working more together now (and need to do so to catch up with Marduk anyway...) it would be nice to for once have a battle orbment that they all produced together next time. I would also have my character wear it with pride, given that Alisa, Tita and Tio were likely involved in its production.

*achem* Sorry... the Erebonian-Bitch inside me is sometimes to strong to fight it XD

Fuck! We met her that early? Urg. I mean... uh... look! I am usually not a shipper that hates a character for being part of the rival ship or anything so that is NOT the only reason I have some... uh... qualms with Elaine. But I gotta admit the way I look at her is highly influenced by her role in my personal-shipping war ^^'

I do NOT by any means deny that Elaine is strong and cool and overall a really nice and understanding and mature character... but sometimes she just pisses me off with the way she is such a "play it strictly by the rules" kind of bracer. I've loved the Bracers before we came here, but our Bracers just operated much less to the rules and... uh... I don't know. Something about Elaine just... doesn't work for me.

Sometimes I wonder if it isn't because she is so different from the characters in my favorite MCShips. Like her good qualities somehow annoy me for some reason ^^' I liked the was Alisa was so jealous and possessive of Rean and I liked the fact that Elie's attitude when it came to Lloyd wasn't so far away from that either. Elaine... handles her feelings more maturely and that should be something good. But its just plain boring for me ^^'

Her voice is okay and they do pronounce her name right. Funny. The one character I have problems with is the one character they did not wrong with anything else but changing her amazing "Sword Maiden" name to freaking "Beauty Sword" as if it was necessary to change the name just to point out that she is pretty.

So that is how they deal with it, huh? Its not an insult to be called beautyfull. HOWEVER Claire made it pretty clear that "maiden" is the way bigger insult after a certain age. But maybe that IS the reason why they changed it? Like... some weird for of censorship?

Interesting to notice tho, while the high five indicated otherwise, Kinkaid was just an old acquaintance, with Elaine it was much more awkward and yet he called her an old friend.

Why the hell has the announcer for the subway train a french accent? O.O

Grrrr... those stupid reparations destroyed Erebonias economy and there were unreasonably high for a freaking one-day war! Like I get that they had to pay reparations for caused damage including the one on Calvards reputation for framing them for trying to murder the Emperor and all that. And while I also get that a lot of that money likely went into the space project that was suppose to save the whole of Zemuria even this Gremheart only aimed for it for selfish, yet understandable reasons, it still pisses me off.

Yeah, no nation can because no other nation had its own money AND an immense sum of money from another country to add to its Economy. This position of supremacy has been reached by a money cheat, not by actually handling your Economy well.

OR to the next reset... just saying.

I wonder tho, given that it is hinted that we might need Rean to fight that... thingy in space that keeps us locked in... while this man be able to ask for Erebionias help for more than just a mock battle I am sure he thought his people would win? (But we won ;P All Erebonian-Bitch bitching aside tho... it would have not made any sense for us to lose, despite the fact that our machines were the less advanced ones. Rean and Crow not just had a shitload of battle Experience but also the clear advantage when it came down to teamwork. I was afraid we would lose those Mech-Battles by default because its Calvards turn to look cool, but that's the point! If Calvard had won those Mock-Battles, it would have only been for the sake of Calvard looking cool because its the main place now, not because it would have made sense...)

*achem* I am doing it again, right? Sorry, but you have to bear with me here, that is just who I am.

Did they change her voice-actor AGAIN?! Geez. Can't keep up with it. Isn't this like the third time in 3 games?

Was that game always that easy? I played on super easy last time too and while it wasn't super hard either I can remember that those Gargoyls were a bit harder to handle. Weird.

Well... I guess we have the full reason for that somewhat solved by now.

[castlebyersafterdark]

they need to be aware of their arc and not going in blind. how can they truly understand their character otherwise?”

Unless it’s Marvel. Marvel tells their actors nothing lol

mmm but to me, Marvel isnt cinema lol. It's like it's own thing. what was that martin scorsese quote lol? that's snobbery that actually has some grounds. i mean, pirates was a one-off, amazing. but marvel took the idea of turning theme park-esque stuff and turned it into some kind of machine i dont even know what. iron man was iconic, great, but after avengers assemble, it seemed to drop off. the gags were tired and old. the novelty of grown ass people dressed as superheroes lost itself - was it serious, like dark knight? was it tongue in cheek (the neon thor film got this right actually). it just became this self-referential thing that seemed designed to look into a mirror and jerk off lol, and include all these fans in the machine. it wasnt storytelling or art or even good old entertainment anymore. i dont wanna say cult but... idk. i dont like the greed. they dominated the box office for so long and for what? like, let original stories have a place.

its a funny one cos so many huge actors sign on, and you can see why for the job security, although i had no idea about the isolated process for actors! that sounds like the antithesis of what making art (especially in places that are typically community-and-collaborative-based, like theatre and film) should be about. but i remember timothee chalamet saying someone gave him advice about being an actor and one of the two things was never do comic book films lol.

i think the films and stories could be amazing. but i dont like the takeover. i was so sick of seeing that logo appear when i watched trailers in the cinema. like, have they never heard of 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' lol? hence why marvel itself just felt like consumerism rather than entertainment.

as for ST, as much as it got off on being all action hero-y with s4, at its core this show is not comparable to marvel to me at all. i truly dont see how people can look at el and think marvel. i suppose superhero stories are often about the pain of being alienated and different, but rarely do they tell this story in a human, grounded way, because there's always an emphasis on growing into your power and accepting your fate as an outcast and superhero. whereas to me el's story is about letting that go, its about her trauma and pain. we're not supposed to cheer when she does superhero shit in s4, yet everyone i see does. remember when she saved mike from the cliff in s1? iconic and thrilling. but her bringing down that helicopter in s4? we were supposed to be scared of her. and worried for her choices. she was a weapon, as mike said long ago.

Oh no, not the MCU! I'm a long suffering Marvel divorcee! Haha, it's honestly not that dramatic. Fond memories, things I still really liked - just not keeping up with it any more. There's too much to keep track of to be a completionist for a media franchise and I already was falling away by the time Endgame happened. I don't have enough time to dedicate to keeping up with it and I was never a comics fan either and too many new characters and storylines I just don't have enough interest in, broadening the movie universe more. Call me when Andrew Garfield makes another Spiderman movie and we'll see if I look in 😉

And I mean, I think not calling it cinema is a little broad. Movies vs. film - sure! The argument for popcorn, seat-filler blockbusters vs. dramas or traditional films is there and I agree. But cinema as an industry - there's still merit. There's ideas under all the shit and money-grubbing. I don't agree with the way they are filmed, and the more I leaned about the experiences in actually making the movies, the enjoyment and magic was lost a lot. Story-telling decisions I didn't agree with. Ughh. Don't get me started. I think giant franchises all suffer from being too-genre aware. Which isn't interesting to me.

More original stories, yes! That is anti-cinema, I agree - the domination of franchises. Because it suffocates something unique. Reboots and sequels and prequels and cinematic universes - yawn. Why I'm very much side-eyeing at the idea of an expanded Stranger Things universe with spin-offs. Gonna bring this to franchise fatigue if it's too expansive while right now it's still unique. Huge show - but it was an idea independent of anything else.

we're not supposed to cheer when she does superhero shit in s4, yet everyone i see does. remember when she saved mike from the cliff in s1? iconic and thrilling. but her bringing down that helicopter in s4? we were supposed to be scared of her. and worried for her choices.

Yes thank you!!!! This so much. Even if I do prefer the tone of the earlier seasons, the trajectory is just as important. And why her story has nuance that the greater audience and El stans all seem to miss. Her powers are not to be celebrated as this huge superhero thing - thus also the failing of Mike and El. She does have a different path yet to take, an arc unfulfilled until she learns who she is beyond what she can do. I don't think she's to be this admirable, enviable more-than-human character. Be scared for her and of her. She's still a work in progress. And I hope people like us are reading it right - otherwise, what a troubling message...

[rawwkfingers]

The Face of Evil

I have so so so many conflicting thoughts about this serial I don't even know where to begin

Is Leela a feminist icon showing the ways women can be strong too, introduced as being a warrior princess who can kick ass and take care of herself and killing two people in her very first episode? Or is she a misogynistic trope, dressed like the cover of a 20s pulp novel and still needing the Doctor to rescue her despite her being depicted as a badass fighter?

I mean, the thing about 70s feminism and the sexual revolution is that she's clearly both but where do we draw the line? Personally, I've always felt that so long as she's written well, I don't mind if a character is also meant to be sexy. We've got lots of examples of this in Nu Who: Rose, Amy, River, and Clara. Zoe's costuming in Classic Who was also fairly provocative for its time, and while less common we do have sexy men as well; Jack and Doctors 9-11 (and likely 15.) All have scenes where the point is to show off how attractive the actor is but all those characters are so well written, I truly feel that's okay. Sex is not a bad thing, so long as it's not all the character is valued for

This is only Leela's first serial and I have absolutely no idea how she'll grow or change from here, whether the writing will bring her down or lift her up. My concern is that Doctor Who has such a rollercoaster track record with its companions, simultaneously feminist ideas and also always a damsel and a yes girl, that she's going to end up being treated as an object rather than a person and that makes her costuming bad

Keeping in theme with Leela's character, the serial itself was both amazing and also had some concerning writing. I love these types of stories, where we see how human cultures evolve over time based on their surroundings and I'm a sucker for the whole "over time your language changed one word to another" trope. Survey team to Sevateem is such a fun little idea

And the idea of the Doctor having visited a planet in the past and accidentally causing them harm, with tons of set up before that reveal with things like the fuckin Tom Baker mountain face! What a great idea I love science fiction so much

BUT why did they have to use the term eugenics in this story? I like the idea of the warrior culture and the science culture joining up at the end, but even if the actual act of eugenics by the evil computer was criticized the way the story ends still sets up the belief that this is going to be good for them overall. Just take that stuff out and it would have been great

Also, why was Leela literally the entire woman in the cast? I think I know the behind-the-scenes answer (introducing the new companion meant they didn't want another actress to potentially overshadow her, although thats impossible with how charismatic and dynamic of an actress Jameson is) but it makes the civilizations feel like something written for a story rather than any realism

I honestly don't know how I feel about this story, I want to say I loved it but there's enough to it holding me back!

[trampohlena]

It’s going to be so bittersweet when Supergirl ends. Bitter because it was my favorite show and had an amazing start with such an incredible cast; but sweet because of the plethora of nonsensical writing and missed opportunities it has turned into (and having this cringefest end will be such a relief).

I know so many people have said this before but WHY bring Lex back? WHY give him a convoluted story line? And WHY have it be about loving Nyxly? Our own hero, the TITULAR character of the show, the one we’ve grown to know and love can’t even get the self exploration and character development (in love) that both these egomaniacal villains get?? I genuinely don’t understand the choices the writers have made and continue to make.

I have so many questions that I know will remain unanswered. What happened to this current timeline’s Lex? Where is he? Is he detained? Was he sent to the future? How the FUCK could Nyxly have acquired the all-stone incorrectly which resulted in her death (as Lex insinuated)? If so that would mean that Lex and Nyxly would HAVE to have met during the acquisition of all the totems aka NOW in the PRESENT TIME! Unless once you obtain all the totems it takes a year to activate the all-stone which is just hilarious and so fucking stupid that it wouldn’t be an immediate transmutation of energy and power? It literally makes no fucking sense. The only option I can think of that would explain away this horrendous writing choice is that Nyxly (in the future) becomes a disembodied voice after dying and her consciousness either inhabits an object or the all-stone itself? But then that would mean that Lex would have to find said object or obtain the all-stone which would give him unlimited power and he could bring this imp-bitch back in corporeal form with the snap of his fingers. Right?? I’m so lost.

Supergirl is so plot driven and I understand that it’s an action-centric show about a hero with powers but like...I want to know everything about Kara and her journey in life through character development NOT PLOT! Especially when the plot has more holes than Swiss cheese that if you think about it too much the fabric of reality will surely unravel itself.

The only saving grace of the episode was the adorable Dansen double proposal. Very gay and very welcome!! And Esme being a part in all of it? Too fuckin’ cute! This is the content we thirst for.

And Supercorp?? All the romantic framing, sweet conversations, little glances and smiles, becoming more tactile...JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN ALREADY! I’m so sick of waiting. I really do think they are going to make Supercorp canon, I truly do believe that (because if not, everyone involved in the decision making process is an actual fucking tone-deaf, blind as can be, useless doorknob). But what bothers me is that if they do this we as a long-standing audience will NOT get to see it play out and evolve as it should. They’re totally gonna Korrasami us and it’s just honestly not good enough. It’s not. It would be a really easy and shitty way to get the fandom off their backs by nodding/alluding to a relationship that has been so concretely established via subtext and the actor’s choices...but we want to SEE it, not just allude to it.

I want to see Alex telling Kara that while she was in the Phantom Zone and they had to make the tough decision to use the recording crystal to defeat the phantoms and save National City (losing their only link to finding Kara) that Lena couldn’t do it. I want to see Kara confronting Lena and asking her why she would do such a thing. I want to see moments between them where maybe they’re a little awkward around each other because they both realize that maybe the other one has feelings for them? Like if my best friend went against my wishes and was willing to sacrifice the city and possibly the entire world just because she can’t live without me I would think she’s a little...💅. (I don’t know the lesbian emoji equivalent, sorry. Is there an emoji of a hand with trimmed nails and a thumb ring that I’m unaware of?).

I want to see them sitting a bit too close on the couch in the tower, only to shift away slightly when someone else enters the room. I want to see them make dinner plans with each other only to be left questioning if it is indeed “just dinner” and not something more. I want to see Kara going to Alex for advice and trying to be subtle about why specifically she thinks her big sister would understand. After all, why not go to your best friend for advice rather than your sister who has her own shit going on? I want to see Kara confide in Lena about her trauma from the PZ. I want to actually hear about the fear visions that Kara herself endured during her stay in the PZ and not just her seeing the stupid fucking phantoms (All the superfiends have seen the phantoms and we as an audience have all seen their individual fear visions so why THE FUCK have we yet to see any of Kara’s?!). I want to see Lena getting up to leave after having such an emotional and cathartic conversation with her best friend, only for Kara to grab her by the wrist and ask her if she would stay. I want to see them get ready for bed and ask which side of the bed they want. I want to see both of them unable to sleep because they’re both overthinking, wondering if it would be inappropriate to reach out and cuddle each other. I want to see them wake up together, limbs tangled with questioning eyes only to be interrupted by a Supergirl emergency or Alex knocking on Kara’s door to check in on her and then Alex commenting curiously on their little sleepover.

I want to see the stakes at an all time high. I want to see Lena willingly sacrifice herself to save Kara in the final battle to defeat Lex and Nyxly. I want to see the look on Lex’s face when he watches the fully-powered kryptonite blast he sent Supergirl shoot Lena in the chest instead. I want to see Lena collapse into Kara’s arms as they fall to the ground. I want to hear Kara’s agonizing scream as she realizes what has just happened. I want to see Lex reload his fucking kryptonite canon and point it at Supergirl only to see that Supergirl has her back turned to him (giving him a clear shot and making it too easy) simply because she is hunched over his sister and crying into her chest with such anguish that only a lover could feel. I want to see the recognition in his eyes when he finally understands that Lena was NEVER a Luthor and never will be because she loves too strongly and that that love is reciprocated.

I want to see, against all odds, Lena surviving and waking up in the tower’s medical bay to a hovering Kara. I want to see Kara cry, and yell, and scream at Lena for doing such a stupid, stupid thing. I want to see Lena pull Kara’s tear-streaked face into her own, resting their foreheads together. I want to see her wipe away Kara’s tears and whisper apologies. I want to see Kara’s grip on Lena’s wrists tighten as she breathes the witch in and say “I can’t lose you. If I lose you, I lose everything. Don’t you understand that?” And I want to hear Lena say in return, “You won’t, baby. I promise you, you won’t.” And I want to see them both finally surrender to the one thing they have both wanted since they first met, a kiss between soulmates.

Is that so fucking hard? Is that genuinely asking too fucking much? Also by the way HUGE missed opportunity this episode, so glaringly atrocious I don’t know why they thought it was even okay...not using/playing the song “I Belive in a Thing Called Love” by The Darkness?? Are they fucking joking? It’s the literal title of the fucking episode. You’re telling me they couldn’t play it at the end during the engagement celebration and have everyone enjoying themselves and maybe dancing and Lena and Kara dancing goofily with each other or in the very least standing close and sharing a knowing look as the lyrics “I believe in a thing called love, just listen to the rythym of my heart. There’s a chance we can make it now” playing them out as they’re looking at each other with heart-eyes? Get the fuck out of here CW. What does that stand for anyway? Can’t Write?

Jk but also seriously, what the fuck?

Sincerely,

An exhausted fan.

[lovecolibri]

SaL anon here friend and wow, that episode was A LOT. I'm glad we got to see TayKay in her true form, though also glad we didn't see the final break-up this episode since the focus deserved to be on the incredible Hen & Chim friendship. They are the foundation of the 118 and while they've had bits (read: not enough) of their individual stories told this season, I'm really happy to see an episode so focused on their bond (though not gonna lie, that scene with them and Jonah at the end left me

feeling nauseous). Speaking of Jonah, love that the actor had a truly stand out performance while AK continues to "meh" audiences. Anyway also in focus us what feels like nearly the end of Eddie's healing arc, which again was beautiful to see. All the little tidbits we got from his childhood made me 😭😭😭, but the joy of seeing him say he was going to be better for himself was such a fantastic moment. Eddie really has come so far (also Ryan's performance has been amazing) and in a good position to support his future husband next season when Buck has his breakdown era. Other notable things this episode include the welcome lack of L and Bobby punching Jonah. I'm going to predict during his spiral next episode we see Eddie returning the advice Frank gave him when they talked about Afghanistan, particularly about blaming themselves on not seeing the danger when they were focused on healing others. Anyway if there are any complaints i want to mention it is not with the episode itself but with the fact that the entire TayKay and triangle storyline has been such a waste of time. TayKay never changed, we didn't need to know anything else about her for the breakup to work. Why have her crappy "truth is everything" plot, the vague attempt to give her a sympathetic backstory, the dumb cheating plot with her inconsistent characterisation when original recipe TayKay was enough to end BT? At least the event itself looks to be glorious!

Bestie, I am thriving today, though I have to admit to being a little surprised that a lot of people were less than pleased with the episode. I was just too caught up in the euphoria of Hen/Chim bestieism, tay kay’s true self being shown, almost NO L, and Eddie facing generational trauma and walking out of it with him and his dad wanting to do better, to be too concerned about anything else. I’ve got some issues today but nothing that makes this not still one of the most enjoyable viewing experiences I’ve had in 5b. 🤷🏻‍♀️ So lets talk about it!!

Hen and Chim were literally at their BEST all episode! Aisha and Kenny are criminally underused and it’s been particularly glaring in this season with them choosing to write Kenny out while JLH was out, and the pacing this season being a mess so the mains did fuck all most of the time. But this episode had some BANGER moments for them! We got serious talk besties, we got joking besties, we got investigation besties (Chim being nervous about getting caught, PLEASE I want to kiss Kenny on the mouth for every single choice he made this episode), we got absolutely panicked Hen and Chim to the rescue even half dead (twice dead? twice revived?), and my favorite moment (aside from the juice pouch because GOD Kenny is adorable and perfect) was Chim calling himself the comic relief (which people often think he is and forget what an amazing and layered character Chim is) and Hen shutting that down and reminding him (and the audience) that he’s so much more than that. It was SO GOOD to have them back on my screen for most of the episode. Also, not for nothing, but the contrast to their best friend moments and the way they look at each other vs Buddie was...very loud.

As for the Jonah of it all, I was not expecting it to go as far as it did, but by that point I was just *vibrating* with Hen/Chim love and we knew they would be okay, so I made it through okay, but it being SO dark, SO quickly was unusual for the show in general but knowing KR had a hand it in and she was the one pushing the Jeffrey stuff I can’t say I’m too surprised 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I’ll take this storyline ANY DAY over that other one. I have also seen lots of people pointing out the pacing of the episode was weird which I can agree with, it just didn’t take me out of the joy of watching nearly like every second L is on my screen pulls me out and makes scenes nearly unwatchable 🤷🏻‍♀️ I do think if they were going to go that hard at the end, that we maybe should have had more scenes of him leading up to this episode. Not a lot, but maybe just a little bit more than what we got. I’m going to talk about pacing a little more later but I’m with you and also cackling about Bryce being basically ignored (though likely part of the “misdirect” but still. It was way more shady saying nothing about him and then just having him still around for some reason) while the hyped character and storyline has been SO BAD it was almost entirely cut 🤭 

Bryce came out and delivered an incredible performance in this episode but also throughout 5b, being in the background and mostly likable before really letting Jonah’s true self shine, but I continue to be baffled at what both AK and MW are doing with their faces 90% of the time. I’ve never seen either of them in anything else so IDK if it’s just this show, but AK’s line delivery is SO WEIRD and she only had like 2 brief scenes this episode and both times I messaged someone specifically to ask what she was doing with her face in those brief moments because it was just so noticeably off.  The blessed lack of L was nice, though both moments of hers still weren’t even needed because some rando who has never worked A shift asking Ravi what’s going on with Hen and Chim (who have to be a bit notorious even within the 118 if even other houses know about them) and Ravi saying it’s better not to ask would have made more sense than someone who has been working with them constantly for months 🙄 But it was far less than what I was bracing for. I’m still pissed about her presence taking me out of the joy and feeling of May Day, so I was happy to be spared here, and I refuse to think about the finale just yet. 

And then we have MW and her delivery which is...glaringly bad when you see it in gifsets with other characters from this episode. Her “serial killer” and “I can do something” lines were just so bad, but BOY is it nice to get back to the show acknowledging through other characters, especially Buck, how deeply awful she is! I have only half-watched most of her scenes since 4x14 because I was so sick of what they were trying (and failing) to do with her, but this felt so much like 2x06 that I was just eating it up with a spoon. Go girl! Be the Huge Wrench in your own relationship! But I’m with you, this makes the whole L thing look even MORE pointless which I thought wasn’t possible! We knew it always needed to come down to this, that she’s a terrible person and Buck should never have been with her, but did we need to drag it out this long only to be told that she hasn’t really changed and this has all just been a waste of time? Several people have pointed out that this feels like a storyline that was supposed to be in 5a but got pushed and I could buy that. They had to change her personality every 5 minutes and drag Buck down with her just to keep this relationship on life support long enough to make it to the end of the season, only to end with zero outside influence or interference either from L or Buck “spiraling” because his family is missing. At least it looks like we’ll be getting the breakup Buck deserves to have, so fingers crossed they follow through on that! (also “ original recipe TayKay “ please I am crying! 🤣🤣🤣)

Okay this is already entirely too long BUT as much as the pacing was weird and Eddie’s storyline didn’t really fit in this particular episode tone-wise (this would have been a good 2-parter) it was SO GOOD and pretty much exactly what I expected it to be. I love how 911 addresses generational trauma, and Eddie may have stirred stuff up, but he didn’t shut down! He not only let those angry feelings out, but he let himself be vulnerable and at least start talking it out with his dad. And surprise! He found out his dad felt a lot of the same things he himself felt about missing out on time with their kids and they both want to do better! I LOVE this for him. Adult parent/child relationships are almost always complicated because you still feel those childhood wounds and hurt, but you’ve lived enough to know that they’re just people! No two situations are exactly alike and not every parent/child relationship can or should be salvaged, but I like the direction they took with Eddie’s story. It’s not all fixed or all better, but Eddie is really taking what he learned in therapy to heart and it’s helping him so much. Look at him! He looks SO MUCH better and freer already!

This really is too long but quick miscellaneous things

It was weird not seeing Chris but it was likely episode contract related, and we at least knew where he was at all times

Very weird there was no Madney scene at the hospital but JLH just had a baby and the show working around her schedule as a new mom is a good thing!

SHIRTLESS CHIM!, 

Bobby decking Jonah, and Athena having to act like she wasn’t about to do the same thing, and sweetly icing his hand for him

Karen being the smartest person in the room as always

Uncle!Buck, ADHD!Buck (the dinosaur! 😭😭😭 I want to smoosh his little cheeks), Hoodie!Buck, Husband!Buck just hanging around watching Eddie pack so Eddie has a sounding board for his worries, Angry!Buck (I am having impure thoughts) just...BUCK. 

“I need a hero” being THE music choice of the episode 

[jodibodie]

I Have Some Feelings

To start let me just emphasize how much I love and adore this show and always will. This was my covid show. Both of my kids loved “Lucifer” and always said I should watch so at the start of covid I binged it and when I say binged, I mean all 4 seasons in a few days and have rewatched so many times I’ve lost count. I think it is timeless, engrossing, original and all around amazing. The writing and the cast were all excellent. The writing was smart and consistently strong and that is so rare.  Funny, sad, poignant, it hit all the notes with very few plot holes or missteps. There is not one episode in the entire series that was not engaging. Even if I didn’t like an episode, it was still well done. What a rarity.

The cast is scary good. Completely underrated. Just all phenomenally talented.  I don’t remember the last time a cast was this strong.  From the core group to both reoccurring and guest stars, the cast was just fantastic.  

Tom Ellis, no words.  The man deserves to choose whatever he wants to do acting wise. He should have people breaking down his door. He can truly do it all and do it all well. He took a character that if portrayed by a lesser actor could have come off as a complete asshole and made him one of the most sympathetic and loveable characters in recent history. Ellis made a crime solving devil, a promiscuous man-child that occasionally breaks into song and the evidence room into a beloved character that has become an icon.  

Lauren German, WOW.  She is just so damn good. She can break your heart one second and have you laughing the next. She makes Chloe real, and people don’t realize how hard that is. Chloe is smart, kind, tough and gorgeous but she’s also an insecure dork.  She’s us and German just brings it.  

DB Woodside I’ve loved since “Buffy”.  He is a phenomenal actor and who knew he could bring the laughs so well? His expressions were classic. Clueless angel indeed. Amenadiel could have been very one-dimensional but because of Woodside’s talent he became fully fleshed out and full bodied.  

I have no doubt Lesley-Ann Brandt has a huge career in front of her.  She took a character that very well could have been hated, a demon and made her into one of the most human characters on the show. Kudos to her for taking a tough role and making it her own.  

Kevin Alejandro is another actor I’ve loved for a long time.  He also took a character who if we’re going to be honest here did so many unlikeable things that he should have been truly despised but because of Kevin’s portrayal he was beloved. Great actor and a terrific director.

Rachael Harris IMO is the downlow MVP.  She was literally the rock and again, with a lesser actress the role could have been a throwaway. The normal human, the sounding board but Harris imbued her with so much more.  Her spit takes, sarcasm and her obvious compassion was what made Dr. Linda an unforgettable character. Once again just perfect casting.  

Aimee Garcia was a great addition. She made Ella a fan fav and put so much heart, joy and sincerity into Ella never once did you doubt that she would prevail no matter what was thrown at her.  Garcia was just fantastic, and I want her skin care regime.  

Scarlett Estevez pulled off the one thing I thought almost impossible.  She took the role of a young child and made it so I didn’t want to cringe. She portrayed Trixie so beautifully from day one that she was a true pleasure to watch.  Even though Trixie was super precocious Estevez never made her obnoxious. I loved Trixie and I have never said that about any child character in an adult show.  She was wonderful and has an amazing career in front of her.

That said, I’ve got some feelings now that I’ve seen the finale and have had some time to digest it all.  I love that Chloe and Lucifer had eternity and I agree that they had to be separated for Chloe’s lifetime. Didn’t like it but it’s the logical path. She’s human, he’s not. The ageing thing alone necessitated them not being together long term on earth and that’s just to start the list. They had to had to be apart for the short term to get their eternity but the duality of Lucifer's ending and Amenadiel's didn't sit right. Amenadiel as God got to have it all. His calling, his family etc. while Lucifer had to give up everything.  I also don’t buy the “If he came up from hell, he could never leave them again” defense.  I call bullshit.  Amenadiel managed, plus, missing out on the day to day is a huge sacrifice and by Lucifer missing out on the day-to-day Rory could still have had the hatred she needed to drive the story.  Popping in for birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc., the big stuff does not a father make.  Not being there for skinned knees, first heartbreaks, and all the little things a daughter needs her dad for can build up tons of resentment.  Boom, absentee father, just like his dad was. That provides all the millennial angel angst you could ask for. I have a daughter; it doesn’t take much.

The Trixie issue was huge for me. Can Chloe see her in Heaven? Will she be able to travel to Heaven and visit Trixie, Penelope, Dan, her father?  Chloe hesitated leaving Heaven in 5x16 because she couldn’t bear saying good-bye to her dad again. It seems as if Chloe sacrificed everything for Rory including Trixie. I want to preface this by saying. I liked Rory and loved the actress. I didn’t however like how it was as if she were their only child.  When Lucifer spoke of family Trixie was not mentioned. Their family day, the same thing. She didn’t need to be there, I get that the explanation regarding Rory would have been way too much to get into but just a mention of her, how awesome it would have been to share this day with her would have worked. It seemed as if Lucifer went from, “I would do anything to protect that little Urchin” to “Trixie who”. Trixie was a character that we watched grow up and she meant something to us. I hate to say this, but the writers did Trixie and the viewers dirty in this regard.

This show was built around a few premises.  Free will, honesty, redemption, sacrifice and family, both blood and made. The ending completely negated almost all of these.  Chloe and their entire family were made into the one thing Lucifer abhorred the most which are liars. Their daughter was brought up surrounded by lies. What did they tell Trixie?  The poor kid just lost her dad, and she was pissed at Lucifer when he went back to hell the first time. Did she grow up hating him because as far as she knew Lucifer left her mom again without saying good-bye and this time it was even worse because Chloe was pregnant.  I get that the actress who plays Trixie had limited availability but seriously. A quick good-bye.

“Hey Urchin, you won’t understand why for a long time, but I have to leave. You know I never lie so I can’t explain why but know that I love you and your mom and one day I hope you can forgive me.”  

A 30 second scene would have worked.

As all the characters learned throughout the series, omission of the truth is just a form of lying and there are always repercussions i.e., Chloe and Father Kinley, Dan shooting Lucifer, Maze finding out about Lilith and even Ella not being told. As far as free will, both Chloe and Lucifer had their free will taken from them in the end. By Rory forcing them to abide by her wishes, their free will was forfeited. It was a huge manipulation on Rory’s part and considering how much Lucifer hated manipulations it just didn’t sit right.

Parents making huge sacrifices I get. Chloe and Lucifer sacrificed everything for their child. Unfortunately for me this sacrifice, the way it was written seemed contrived to pull out maximum and IMO unjustified angst. I love angst.  Hell, this is my favorite show.  I thrive on the angst. But as I wrote earlier, all the anger, angst and hatred towards Lucifer could have been achieved without having Lucifer completely out of the picture. I have two kids and my husband, and I have made huge life altering sacrifices for them as many parents do but being there for the day-to-day little things was what made the difference in their lives and cemented the close relationships we have with them.

“Yeah, dad you were great. Showing up for the fun stuff, always swooping in for the big finish to play the hero then ditching us when things got tough. When Grandma was dying where were you?  Nice that you showed up for the funeral but the six months leading up to it…we needed you and once again you weren’t there. When T got sick, when Jen broke my heart, blah, blah, blah…”

Even the whole Chloe dying scenario. They could have written it that rage Rory traveled minutes before Lucifer got there. Have him pop in right after Rory comes back. There were so many ways to achieve the end game they wanted other than the way they went. It seemed contrived and as if they took the easy way out to get where they needed to go. The Rory rage that was the catalyst for her traveling back in time and Lucifer finding his calling could still have been accomplished without the whole Lucifer disappearing storyline.

Now that I’ve finished my diatribe there’s a couple of additional things I would like to say.  Lucifer is and always will be one of my favorite shows of all time. There are not enough words to describe the comfort and enjoyment this show has brought me. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the producers, cast and crew. You truly created something special.

To the fandom. Please do not let a polarizing conclusion rip apart the fandom. The only other fandom I was a part of tore itself apart so badly that the FBI got involved.  Hence why I waited for 15 years to dip my toe in again. Everyone invested in this show has the right to their feelings.  Debate is fine, baiting and bullying are not. The Lucifer fandom like the show is very special. Without the fandom we wouldn’t have gotten any conclusion so don’t let opposing viewpoints tarnish what has been a magical journey.  

[kseniyagreen]

Han Juwon and Lee Dongsik: In search of the lost. Part 1 (of 2)

(Spoilers, a lot) 

In this article, I will dwell in more detail on the images of the two main characters, their psychology and their amazing interaction. The incredible "chemistry" of this tandem is felt already from the first series. And after watching the entire drama, viewers wrote that this bromance is brighter than many love stories. First of all, thanks to the powerful duo of two outstanding actors. But the preconditions for a vivid relationship are laid down in the script itself. And the more I think about Beyond Evil, the more I become convinced that Dongsik and Juwon are truly “made for each other”. But first, let's take a look at them separately.

Lee  Dongsik   – a story about lost paradise.  

We learn the story of Lee  Dongsik   already in the first episodes, and it is striking in its tragedy. The life of a bright, daring young man collapsed at twenty. And all the next twenty years are a chronicle of loss and suffering. As if every time he tried to raise his head, the next blow was overtaking him.

What kind of person was Lee  Dongsik   before the disaster? We were shown not much, but enough to compose a portrait. I think you could say he was a debonair rebel. He did not try to fit into someone's framework, to please, which caused condemnation of society. But he defended the weak, not hesitating to use his fists. Like his sister, he loved music, although he chose a different genre for himself. Despite the constant hurtful comparisons, he had a very good, warm relationship with his sister - also an important touch to the portrait. In general, we see a person who is cheerful, daring, but kind. And even twenty years later, something of this young man still remains. Although the process of destruction is already underway, so others even notice it. And among colleagues,  Dongsik   gained a reputation as a "psycho".

However,  Dongsik   partly deliberately demonstrates his abnormality. His half-mad smile is his banner, his silent protest against the blatant injustice of life.

The story of the Dongsik’s family begins in the church, and this is no coincidence. This whole scene creates an atmosphere of harmonious, prosperous life in every sense. And already here the word justice sounds - both in the song played by Yuyeon, and in the conversation between the mother and her friend. In such a family, I suppose, a sense of justice was natural for Dongsik. But then a catastrophe happened, a wild, monstrous incident, and his harmonious world collapsed in one day.

Yuyeon's fingers were found in the courtyard of her house, between the statues of two angels.  Juwon   once noticed that Dongsik had not removed the statues in the garden.  Juwon   was surprised - why leave such a painful memory? As a trophy - if Dongsick is a killer? Or is it something else?  Juwon   is actually very subtle about everything that matters to Donsik, although his conclusions are not always correct.

Dongsik could leave the past behind, he has enough fortitude for that. But he remains in the place where the most painful memories are concentrated. One gets the impression that Donsik spends most of his time in the basement, as if he does not live in this house, but protects it, is on duty at the post, like a guard at the temple. In part - he is not ready to give up hope. Yes, deep down he knows Yuyoung is dead. But part of him wants to believe that she will return. He's also not ready to agree, to accept that the world works like this. That a crime that has destroyed more than one life will remain unpunished - everyone seems to have come to terms with it long ago. Everyone except Dongsik.

Dongsik once believed in the law, as we learn from his conversation with Nam Sanbe at his father's funeral. This belief that, having become a policeman, he would be able to change something, for some time supported him. But then he discovered that often the law, like these stone angels, is a silent witness, indifferent and helpless. This is how the thought is born that the "angels" will not help. "To catch a monster, you have to become a monster." But this thought devastates Dongsik from the inside, as it contradicts his whole essence.

And yet, after twenty years of lonely struggle, Donsik was already deadly tired. We see this tiredness in the little things. For example, the way he indifferently stares at the fallen poster announcing   Yuyeon's missing. This fight is almost a formality. Despair slowly seizes his soul. And perhaps it would have captured him completely, if not for the appearance of  Juwon.

Han Juwon - look from the staircase.

If Dongsik's childhood was a lost paradise, then Juwon's childhood was a nightmare, probably from the beginning. On the one hand, there was a cold, cruel narcissistic father. On the other hand, there was a depressed mother, who is also demonstrative in her despair. She got drunk, she cut veins. She was in pain and wanted to be noticed. But her actions caused only contemptuous annoyance and growing irritation in her husband. Her pain was felt by her son - children always feel - but for a small child it was too heavy a burden.

When we see little Juwon, it is immediately noticeable that he is different from other children. Looking at the frightening scene between father and mother, he does not interfere and does not cry. He stands as if paralyzed, clutching a plush hare as the only support in this world. And the scene is actually scary. In fact, in this scene, his father kills his mother. "The problem is not the attempts, but the fact that they are unsuccessful." "You're a burden to him." The father is doing everything possible so that the mother's next attempt ends fatally.

Why didn't Juwon come over and take her hand? Because of resentment that she was ready to give him up? I think this is not the only point. In this one scene, a lot is intertwined. The whole scene below was something too monstrous to be involved in. This is what will later become entrenched in Juwon's character, like a disgust for any dirt. An obsessive desire to stay pure in his world of abstract ideals.

And he was also, in a sense, afraid of his mother.    

It is interesting how the similarity of scenes in Beyond Evil sometimes reveals the contrast of fate. Two mothers' palms, but what a different relationship. In the scene of Dongsik's arrest, his mother reaches out to him with a desire to save her child. In the scene, when strangers also take away Juwon's mother, she reaches out her hand, begging her son for salvation. That is, the roles of the son and mother in this scene are reversed. And this is also one of the reasons why Juwon did not came up - this touch weighed too much. An overwhelming responsibility for an eight-year-old to be a savior for his parent. The words that Juwon will one day say to Dongsik: "I know that some people are a burden just because they exist" - not just a phrase repeated after his father. Juwon knows what it is like when an emotional connection with another person weighs on a heavy burden.

But this missed touch became Juwon's personal nightmare. He loved his mother and was grieving at the loss. Although he couldn't handle this loss properly. After all, the father spoke of the mother's suicide with contempt, depriving the child of the opportunity to realize and mourn his grief. Juwon seemed to remain on this staircase for the next twenty years. This is how we see him at the beginning of the drama. Looking at people from high, avoiding any contact. With an emphasis on cleanliness and order.

But no matter what armor Juwon surrounded himself with, a living soul was preserved in him. This shows up in subtle nuances. The way his gaze changes when he sees suffering. How he notices someone else's discomfort and understands other people's feelings. He says that keeping Kang Minjung in handcuffs is too harsh. He himself guesses to go for raincoats for Dongsik and the lost boy. There are a lot of small moments that show Juwon as an empathetic person.

In Juwon, as is often the case with such psychological trauma, feelings are separated from consciousness. So, he says that he knows nothing about the love of mother and child. But at the same time, his face changes every time it comes to mothers. He speaks of his mother as if she had abandoned him. It’s like he’s not even fully aware of what happened to her. Dongsik had a fantasy of meeting his sister in the mountains, although in his heart he knew that his sister was dead. Perhaps Juwon's fantasy was that his mother just left him and the rest didn't matter. He realizes the death of his mother as a fact. But all the feelings behind this are securely walled up in the deep basement of his inner world.

This is the state we find them at the beginning of the drama. One is almost at the bottom of life. The other is somewhere near the top. But both are equally lonely and ruined, gradually losing themselves. A traumatic event in the lives of both did not just hurt, but cut through the very essence, the opportunity to be yourself.

Dongsik is a natural «lover of life», almost disappointed with life. His inner world - like his home - is spacious, warm, it should be filled with living voices. But now it is empty and haunted.

Juwon is a rescuer by nature. Being a protector is so natural for Juwon that he does it involuntarily, as if obeying instinct. This role became a disaster for him, but Juwon could not give it up completely. He turned his calling into a formality, as Dongsik turned into a formality his life.

Deep down, both heroes feel like monsters. Both cope with it as best they can, but gradually come to a deadlock. Because it is impossible to be yourself for yourself alone. We need an addressee, a witness, a close one.

to be continued ...

[nothingunrealistic]

Jo Reed: The role you might be best known for is Ben Kim on “Billions.” It’s so interesting, from, how, “According To My Mother,” like, that little engine that could still going up the hill, and here’s this, you have this role in this huge, big production of this mammothly successful television show. Tell me about getting the role of Ben Kim, and how many auditions did you have to do?

Daniel K. Isaac: I believe it was one audition at Amy Kaufman’s office. She cast the pilot and I didn’t think too much of it, I don’t think I had a… My manager at the time had no access to the scripts. I knew so little about it except that he was a character named Ben Kim and I thought, “Well, my legal birth name is Kim so maybe there’s something there,” and he went to Stanford-Wharton, and I thought, “Well, I remember my mother took me to a graduation of some family friend or friend of a friend at Stanford so as to give me something to aspire to.” Even though we didn’t know the people who were graduating, we somehow were there, and so, this character went on the alternate life path of business school, and a master’s, and was pursuing a career in finance, and I knew I could tap into that, and I knew that it could be something. But I had also been a part of pilots or auditions for things that didn’t go, that didn’t continue on. I think I had three or five lines in the pilot, and I auditioned in December of 2014. We shot it in January of 2015, and around that spring, I was doing a play at 59E59 by Alexandra Collier, and as we were in tech, maybe, I got a call from my manager at the time and he said, “Oh, the show’s been picked up and they’re pinning you for a handful of other episodes,” and I thought, “Wow, that’s amazing.” I remember we did a table read for that pilot downtown at Three-Legged Dog. And it was a giant — I mean, they just put folding table after folding table in this huge U for the pilot alone, and I thought, “I am but one tiny cog in a large machine,” and the show has proven itself to be an incredible ensemble of, especially, New York City’s greatest actors. And I didn’t ever imagine that it would continue this long, and those handful of episodes they pinned me for ended up turning out to be every single episode that first season, 12 eps. And we were shooting season two and wrapping up the 12th episode again and it happened again where they would pin me for a handful of them, and then ended up doing all 24 after the first two seasons. And Brian Koppelman or David Levien, are executive producers and creators of the show, and they were pointing at different actors as we were sitting around asking, “How may eps have you done? How many have you done?” And they pointed at me and I sort of sheepishly said, “I’ve done all of them, all 24,” and they’re in the thick of writing so they don’t count that kind of stuff or they haven’t thought of it, and I remember at that premiere party for season two they were introducing all of us actors who were there and Brian shouted out, “And Daniel K. Isaac who’s not a series regular and has done every single episode,” and they’ve continued to write for me and this character since then, which is just the hugest of honors and something I never could’ve imagined from that initial audition in 2014 of doing three or five lines.

Jo Reed: When you got the job at “Billions,” I mean, let’s face it, theater, acting, playwriting, forget getting rich. It’s hard enough to pay the rent.

Daniel K. Isaac: Truly.

Jo Reed: Did you have a day job at the time?

Daniel K. Isaac: Yes, I was waiting tables and bartending at a restaurant called Hillstone in the Citicorp building. And I was still waiting tables as we shot season one, and partially through season two if not all of it, because I just didn’t believe that any project would be the definitive thing that could free me from the survival job. I had been, if not burned, then I had gone through the ups and downs of having and not having, and so, I kept it. And I had worked there for enough time, and in all things I do I took it very seriously, and so they rewarded my loyalty or my, at least, aptitude and they let me set my schedule, which I don’t think they would ever do again after what happened with me where I sort of was unable to schedule shifts as I got busier with shooting “Billions.” And after the first season aired I remember going around the restaurant and tables would stop me and say, “Oh, you’re on that show,” and while I didn’t have a significant part, they loved the show and that tended to slow me down and mean that I wasn’t contributing as much as a team player. And slowly I realized that, at least, this survival job may not be a long-term viable option. It was sort of a, you have moved onto a different chapter or your life, and let's take the leap of faith and see where that goes, and not many shows, I think, go this long and so, I can only express gratitude that we are, you know, that we have aired six and are planning to shoot season seven this fall.

Jo Reed: Ben Kim is such a loveable character. Tell us about the role of Ben Kim, and who he is, and why do you think he resonates so much?

Daniel K. Isaac: Sure. I saw Ben Kim going from a sort of cockiness in this first introduction and based on school résumé, which I’m sure many folks with their degrees and certificates and whatnot may feel coming out of establishments like Stanford and Wharton and whatnot. In the first season, he sort of gets knocked down a peg and is the new guy who is trying to find his footing, and I myself am an ambivert who leans towards quieter, especially in group settings. And so, I think my literal quiet energy was infused in this character. And the character was also introduced as having immigrant Korean parents who had a deli, I think, in Queens, in Kew Gardens, and he is the child of immigrants that does what immigrant parents hope and goes to the great schools. In that first season, he says his parents have only taken two days off from work. One to visit the campus, and one on a day of his graduation, which I felt was very honest to many immigrant families and parents that I knew, and so, we go from that to someone trying to find their footing in what I would argue is a toxic masculine world, and he is a source of goodness or has a good moral compass, and yet you have to be a shark. You have to be able to make risky, and bolder, and more extroverted, energetic plays in this field, and the character goes through this growth from shy analyst, or someone finding their footing, to now a portfolio manager, and someone who has grown into his own more, and I think there’s continued exploration to be had here. But that development seems to be a nice parallel to perhaps my own journey in the show, but also in my artistry and how much space I, or one, takes up. And while I don’t know the future, I know that I have hopefully been a kind and good energy to be around, and I think they have written that and also have said, “You can speak up more. You can take up more space. You can be,” and this character has gone on that journey as well.

[raimispiderman]

From the booklet which comes with the Spider-Man Trilogy Limited Edition Collection blu-ray!

This talks about the making of Spider-Man 2, here’s the bit about the first Spider-Man movie.

Click for a transcript:

THE EVOLUTION OF A SUPERHERO

“It was truly gratifying and even a bit overwhelming to witness how strongly moviegoers around the world reacted to Spider-Man,” said director Sam Raimi. “As a filmmaker, I always want people to really enjoy my movies, and on that level, Spider-Man exceeded my expectations.”

After the triumph of the first Spider-Man, Raimi knew he had a responsibility to follow it up with a story that justified the fans’ enthusiasm and their built-in expectations for the next adventure. “There’s great interest in this movie, following the success of the first one,” he acknowledged. “For the kids who come to see it, Spider-Man is their hero. So while the job of making this movie is to provide entertainment, it is also to create a story that shows them a moral character, someone who has to make tough choices and the right decisions in order to continue to be worthy of their admiration.”

The wealth of detailed stories and characters in the Spider-Man comic book series provided a mother lode from which to cull the plot for Spider-Man 2. “The Marvel artists and writers have done a great job through the decades – I know, because I’m a big fan myself – so there’s a tremendous amount of good material to draw upon,” noted Raimi. “Finding a storyline wasn’t that difficult. It was finding the right story, the one that made for a proper follow-up installment, and provided a logical progression for the audience and a logical growth for the character. For the, I relied on the terrific storytelling instincts of my very fine producers Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad. Together with the contributions of our great writers, we found a plot line with ideas that reverberated.”

With the storyline of the new adventure locked, Arad looked forward to the reunion of the Spider-Man filmmaking family, not the least of which was Tobey Maguire. “Tobey was so happy to be Spider-Man again and to be Peter Parker,” said Arad. “As an actor Tobey relished deepening the audience’s understanding of who Peter Parker is and who is becoming,” added Ziskin. “Peter’s a man who is transition, someone who’s struggling with the choices he is making.”

Maguire added, “The theme ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ is never lost on Peter. It’s difficult to be a young man and have to sacrifice as much as he has – presumably for the greater good – and to neglect his personal desires. The struggle continues here and it’s quite complicated, because Peter’s searching desperately for a way to achieve some balance in his life.”

 As Peter becomes more immersed in his dilemma, it creates a rift between him and the important people in his life. Though his love for MJ is stronger than ever, she has moved on with her life, pursuing an acting career, living in Manhattan and moving in new social circles. “In this film, Peter is off in his own world and not a reliable presence in MJ’s life,” explained Kirsten Dunst. “She still loves him a great deal, so it has become painful for her to be around him. Though they’ve both done a lot of growing up in the past two years, at the same time, they’ve drifted apart.”

Then, as if Peter’s life were not complicated enough, the situation moves from bad to worse – much worse. Enter Doc Ock.

Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) is a brilliant scientist whose life work has been dedicated to experiments utilizing fusion as a new source of energy. Charming, vibrant and energetic, Dr. Octavius is introduced to Peter by Harry Osborn.

“This movie is the story of Peter’s life, which is out of balance, and Dr. Octavius who, for Peter, represents someone who has achieved that balance,” explained Raimi.

“Peter sees Octavius as somebody who has mastered both his gifts – in this case science, through which he can serve the good of mankind, while also maintaining a personal life, a loving relationship with his wife Rosie (Donna Murphy). This leads Peter to the conclusion that it’s possible to have both.” Dr. Octavius, with the support of his wife, has been working diligently in his home laboratory, trying to perfect his groundbreaking fusion theory. But when a demonstration of his creation goes horribly wrong, Dr. Octavius undergoes a terrible transformation – evolving into the powerful, multi-tentacled Doc Ock.

In Spider-Man 2, the talented and versatile Molina brings this powerful adversary to terrifying life. “He is a formidable enemy for Spider-Man,” said Arad. “He can climb walls faster and better than Spider-Man. In fact, there’s nothing Spider-Man can do that Ock cannot counteract.”

Doc Ock, one of the most popular villains of the Spider-Man comic book series, first appeared in “The Amazing Spider-Man #3,” which was published in 1963. He immediately became one of Spider-Man’s most formidable foes. According to comic lore, each of Ock’s limbs can move at speeds of up to 90 feet per second and strike with the force of a jackhammer. The extremely powerful tentacles enable him to lift a vehicle off the ground, pulverize bricks, claw through concrete walls and hover above his victims by rising into the air.

The filmmakers were eager to attract Molina for the central role. “We needed someone who brought a palpable reality to the part, and who was also sincere, had a great sense of humor and personal warmth,” said Raimi. “Alfred is a brilliant actor, and what he’s brought so effectively to the character of Doc Ock is the sense of him as a misunderstood man who has turned into a beast.”

Molina confessed, “I’ve always been a Marvel Comic fan because their characters are so interesting. They have problems. They’re very realistic.” From him, the mechanics behind the role of Doc Ock was a true education. “It was mind-boggling, the breadth and the imagination that went into how each of my character’s actions – flying across the room, crashing through a plate glass window, smashing a taxicab – was to be executed. It’s a unique way of filming that’s not like anything most of us get to do really. It’s a very particular way of working, and absolutely fascinating.”

J.K. Simmons also returns in Spider-Man 2 as Peter’s gruff boss at the Daily Bugle, J Jonah Jameson. “I fire Peter several times in this movie. Every time I see him, I fire him,” laughed Simmons. “And then I re-hire him because there’s always some pressing need for his services.”

Principal photography on Spider-Man 2 began on April 12, 2003, in New York City, where the production spent approximately three weeks shooting at various locations in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, as well as on a Yonkers stage. From ground-level street shots to rooftops high above the city, the filmmakers efficiently utilized the time they spent in New York, giving them the opportunity to expand on the city’s unique environment, which had lent such vibrancy to the first Spider-Man.

“In the first film we established New York as a character in the movie. With Spider-Man 2, we went even further,” said production designer Neil Spisak. “We used a lot more of the city, including [photographic] plates of real buildings and real streets. Improvements in technology over the past three years enabled [visual effects designer] John Dykstra and I to marry existing buildings to scenery buildings to CG buildings even better than the first time around. It’s a much more complete experience.”

“We got more of a feeling of New York in this movie,” added Ziskin. “The movie is being shot in widescreen, which is appropriate because this is a different story, so it required a different approach.”

Production began on the campus of Columbia University in uptown Manhattan, which served as the university Peter Parker attends while he struggles with the responsibilities of his academic workload and his superhero duties. The rooftop of the Hotel Intercontinental, across from the Waldorf Astoria, was the location where Spider-Man contemplates his next move, while downtown, in the Wall Street area, another rooftop served as the “launch-pad” for the Spydercam camera, as it dipped and swooped over several blocks to replicate one of Spider-Man’s high-stakes aerial journeys through the city.

“We executed one of the longest wire shots the Spydercam has ever done,” said executive producer Joseph M. Maracciolo. “The Wall Street shot was around 2,400 feet. I’m an ex New Yorker, so I didn’t find the location shoot particularly daunting. But there are always difficulties when you’re doing wire work in New York, including the placement of the cranes on the buildings, the movement of the cast, crew and equipment, and of course, the crowds.”

“It was a challenge for us to move our production to the tops of buildings, but we couldn’t have been happier, because rooftops are Spider-Man’s world and that is his view of the city as he swings through it,” noted co-producer Grant Curtis. “It was breathtaking to see the world from 70 stories up – a world unto itself. You can’t fully really appreciate the beautiful architecture of New York’s skyscrapers from ground level. We showed some of that in the first film, but we wanted to show more of Spider-Man’s vertiginous world, and I think we really captured that with this film.”

In Spider-Man 2, Doc Ock sweeps Aunt May off her feet – literally – and takes her up several stories of a tall building. Rosemary Harris performed her stunts in a variety of harnesses, but only after she had managed to talk the filmmakers into letting her give her stunt double a rest. “I was a bit miffed at first, because my wonderful stunt double was going to do a lot of these harness maneuvers,” recalled Harris. “So I asked Sam and Laura, ‘Why not let me have a go at it?’ At first they were reluctant. But I begged them to at least let me try and they finally relented.”

Returning to Los Angeles, Spider-Man 2 shot on several stages on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City. Stage 15 was home to the Daily Bugle offices, as well as Peter’s tiny apartment and Dr. Octavius’ elaborate home laboratory. On Stage 29, the Osborn mansion, where Harry Osborn now lives, was recreated. Stage 27 housed MJ’s apartment set, a giant spider web, the interior of the Planetarium, the massive clock tower set as well as various other set pieces. A series of elevated trains were built on Stage 14, where Spider-Man and Doc Ock match wits.

One of the most elaborate sets for Spider-Man 2 was the pier set, designed by Spisak and built over the course of 15 weeks on Soundstage 30. “In contrast to Dr. Octavius’ lab, which was part of his apartment – a streamlined, organized and clean space – the pier is a maniacal, decaying, decrepit space,” explained Spisak. “It follows his character development in terms of his becoming a wilder, more dangerous and more formidable adversary for Spider-Man.”

The set, approximately 60 feet wide by 120 feet long and 40 feet tall, was constructed over a water tank and enhanced by several different components, including CG/plate work and miniatures.

“Before we built the set, we created an exact ¾ scale model of it, about 7 feet long and 4 feet wide, from drawings and blueprints. The model was extremely useful to the carpenters, who could take measurements to help them construct the full-sized pier, as well as for the miniatures team, so they could ascertain the dimensions, textures and materials that were used,” explained art director Tom Wilkins. “We shot plates down in San Pedro, where we panned from a real pier to the water. In post-production a New York background was added. We also built a miniature pier – interiors and exteriors – to complete the composition on the East River.” The art department team designed a 136 foot by 40 foot-high vinyl backing to represent Ock’s view of Manhattan through a large window at the end of the pier set. Wave machines were rigged in the water to create movement under the pier.

The production then moved to the Universal backlot for two weeks of shooting. Several city streets were transformed into a variety of New York neighborhoods including the exterior of the Lyric Theatre where MJ performances in an off-Broadway production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Ari’s Village Deli and Bakery became the site of an extremely complex scene involving a quiet conversation between Peter and MJ, which is interrupted by Peter’s “spider sense” – and a car careening through the plate glass window, followed by the arrival of Doc Ock.

“It was a great luxury to be able to build that set from every aspect, so that we could do everything we needed for the scene,” said Spisak. “The walls were made of french plate so that when the car smashed through it, the buildings around it were protected. We were able to design what we thought it should look like visually, then as tricks, gags and stunts became clearer, we were able to add them to the set before it was completely finished.”

“The deli was a full, 360 degree set, with a kitchen, deli counters, pastries, ceiling fans and chandeliers,” added art director Steve Saklad, who worked closely with Spisak. “We dressed the exterior streets so that you could look out of the window and see the intersection of Lafayette Street and Astor Place. It required an enormous amount of signage, billboards, street dressing, trees and traffic lights.”

For Raimi,  “The diner was a complex technical scene, because it brought together so many different departments, each relying on the other to fulfil their function  and communicate with each other so that each individual shot would work. We utilized mechanical effects and the stunt department had to take an automobile, spin it and flip it through the deli window, with the prop department providing the breakaway items. What made it even more complex was that we had to fly Doc Ock in, using something we dubbed the “walk rig.”

The “walk rig” was created for Doc Ock, because the character not only moves himself, but his tentacles move him around as well. When he walks on the tentacles, they support his weight, so a device was constructed to harness him and move him through space as if the tentacles were supporting him. The visual effects department also created “virtual” tentacles where practical ones weren’t feasible.

When he was in full costume, Molina’s tentacles weighed between 75 to 100 pounds, depending upon the action required for the scene. Each of the tentacles was fully articulated. In their expanded, 13-foot length, each upper tentacle consisted of approximately 76 individual pieces Each vertabra was handmade, hand molded, sanded, individually hand painted, chromed, then painted again and assembled by hand. The entire collection of Doc Ock tentacles, bases, heads and wrists, if laid end to end, would be taller than a 20-story building.

Academy Award winning costume designer James Acheson welcomed the opportunity to further explore and improve upon the already classic Spider-Man costume for Spider-Man 2. “Creating the Spider-Man suit for the first film was a real challenge since we were designing for a kind of Cirque du Soleil acrobat, someone who had a unbelievable kinetic spiraling ability,” he said. “So the suit had to be extremely flexible. For the new installment we made several improvements, though you’d have to be a real enthusiast to spot them. The colors are slightly different, and we have made subtle changes in terms of the movement inside the costume’s hood. We also adjusted the eyepieces of Spider-Man’s mask as well as certain aspects of the spider design on the front and the back of the suit.”

For Spider-Man 2’s Doc Ock, Acheson and Raimi spent close to a year collaborating with Spisak and visual effects designer John Dykstra and working with Edge FX in what began as a series of “group think” sessions, according to Raimi. “I needed John Dykstra’s input, because it was John who was going to have to handle Doc Ock’s movements in CG, so he had to be involved in designing the character, along with Jim, who was going to determine the look of the character,” recalled Raimi. “Part of the look determined the movement, and what the arms look like began to govern how it functioned. Neil was involved because Ock had to be a part of Neil’s world in the film. A great interdependence developed among the department heads in order to achieve the complex nature and physicality of the character,”

“The challenge with Doc Ock is to visually create a believable world, focusing on a man with four tentacles growing out of his back,” said Spisak. “Now, that can be a tough swallow. So, in creating Ock and his world, we needed to design and play it so that everything was credible. Ove the course of several months, it became clear what was physically possible for Ock and what would have to be achieved via CG. We conceptualized the look and only then did we deal with the physical limitations, rather than letting them stop us at the beginning.”

Added Dykstra: “It was a huge challenge to make Doc Ock come to life. His tentacles had to meet several criteria. They had to be appropriate with regard to the world Neil had created for Spider-Man and Ock. The components of the costume – the texture and the weight – had to bed something an actor could actually wear. Since using the tentacles wasn’t always practical, we had to create ‘virtual’ versions with Edge FX. In the end, integrating the tentacles into the story was a marriage of all those components and the collaboration of everyone involved.”

Spisak and his team designed and dressed more than 100 sets and locations for Spider-Man 2. “There are probably 10 enormous sets, while some are simply street corners. We covered eleven blocks in downtown Los Angeles and used many rooftops, streets and buildings in New Yorj City,” noted Spisak. “This is certainly the biggest film I’ve ever done.”

Spisak worked with director of photography Bill Pope on the color palette for the sets, and they pored over research and location pictures to inspire them for the story’s lighting requirements. “In the first film, Peter Parker was younger, less aware and just beginning to discover his new powers. That was reflected in the overall look of the movie,” said Spisak. “With this film, he has been Spider-Man for a while, so his frustration over how to deal with his life versus his duty is more complex. That’s reflected in the color palette and the tone of this film – it’s a little more sophisticated, more complicated and deeper, in terms of color and look.”

Among the tools Dykstra and his team utilized to achieve the shots presenting Spider-Man’s point-of-view, while he is soaring over the city, was Earl Wiggins’ Spydercam. During the New York portion of the shoot, the specialized camera was launched using a remote-controlled computer suspended on a cable from a Wall Street-area rooftop more than 30 stories in the air, which recorded what DSpider-Man saw as he swung over the city. The camera traveled along a line suspended over four blocks, dipping down into the street and over the tops of several blocks of vehicles and background art that had been placed for the sequence.

“We were dropping the camera and moving it up and down over the course of the shot to follow Spider-Man’s trajectory as he swings through the arch, releasing a web, and shooting a new web as he swings into the traffic below,” explained Dykstra.

“One of the successes of the first film was the empathy the audience had for the main character. He was very sympathetic,” Dykstra said, “This movie explores the character in greater depth, and in terms of the visual effects, we’re hoping to give audiences an event more intimate sense of what it’s like to be Spider-Man. In the first film, we get to fly with him. The idea here is to make the flying sequences poetic enough and evocative enough that you will get an even stronger sense of what it’s like to fly like Spider-Man.”

That approach is reinforced by Raimi, said Ziskin, “One of the really striking aspects about Sam is that he is the audience for this film. He makes the movie for the audience, identifies with the characters and is always aware of the rhythms and how each sequence will play – both to him and the other members of the audience. That makes him the perfect director for this kind of material. Also, he’s at a point in his directing career where he’s at the top of his game. He is brilliant technically, but also works extraordinarily well with the actors. Ultimately, his personal connection to Peter Parker and the other main characters is a great gift to the audience.”

“These are tough, scary times and during such periods we look to heroic stories to give us hope,” noted Raimi. “Maybe that has something to do with why the audience was so taken with Spider-Man when he first appeared two years ago. With Spider-Man 2, I truly hope that audiences will feel that they’re seeing a love story, that they’re participating in another episode of Peter Parker’s life and are seeing the challenges and conflicts he faces and how he overcomes them. I hope it will leave them feeling uplifted and exhilarated.”