#but these are film critics watching a silly little fantasy show who usually critic things that are like MAIN MAIN STREAM

[achillesleftheel]

ACCORDING TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TO THE EARLY SCREENINGS OF SEASON 2 OF SHADOW AND BONE , IT ISN'T GOOD.

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 10

Rating: Explicit.

‼️TW: Reader is EIGHTEEN! Recreational drug use, smoking and alcohol consumption, deeply internalised self-loathing, very questionable moral standards. Daddy kink taken half-seriously. BDSM themes in later chapters - explicit content will come with it's own TWs. FIRST PERSON POV. Mild smut in this chapter.

Summary: You're Peter's classmate, a child of rich and famous but uncaring parents. Getting paired up for a lengthy project with the boy was an interesting turn of events and you don't know whether to feel blessed or cursed when you develop, seemingly, a perfectly normal, harmless crush on Tony Stark. Fueled by feelings of inadequacy and boredom, your life spirals out of control - and you're lucky your newfound friends are there to pick up the pieces even if you cannot find it in yourself to believe these amazing human (and not so human) beings voluntarily give you more than a fleeting glance and an offhanded thought. And they brought cake!

A/N: Tony fluff, Tony snark, Tony sass and Tony smut (finally!). My & reader's brain be like: tony tony tony tony. A request for my readers: do I write a believeable tony? Is he in character, more or less?

My beta @miscmarvelwritings - she's not into Tony but even then, she was finally excited about them finally getting down & dirty. The patience of this woman...

"Tony, could I borrow, like, a hoodie or something?"

He eyed my attire critically for a moment, seemingly coming to the same conclusion I did minutes earlier, and made a beeline for the couch in the back of the lab. Picking up and examining a black mass of fabric, deeming it satisfactory, he tossed it to me. "It's clean enough, I guess."

The thin straps of my mesh top rubbed against a lot of tender skin, leaving pink lines in the wake of it. A sigh of relief escaped me involuntarily when I removed it -

"Woah, woah," Tony squeaked, covering his eyes with an exaggerated gesture. "Warn a man!"

I honestly didn't see what the big deal was. "Tony, chill. I'm pretty sure you've seen it all and then some." I snorted, stretching briefly, shrugging on the slightly oversized hoodie. It smelled like the lab - like Tony, too, but mostly like motor oil and iron. Beggars can't be choosers, however - I had already devised and executed the plan that will let me keep the hoodie.

"When you put it that way..." He smirked, briefly returning to his usual self and giving me a salacious eyebrow wiggle.

I laughed in response, wiggling my hips, feeling the hem of my skirt swish against my thighs. I considered removing the fishnet tights, too, but a brief look in the reflective wall divide between Tony's and Bruce's labs got me pulling out my phone to take two dozen selfies. I looked great with Tony's clothes on.

The engineer chuckled at my antics, coming up behind me as I sat on the floor with my knee raised, chin resting on it. The amber liquid sloshed over the top of his glass, dripping down his fingers. He sat behind me.

"Weller Full Bourbon?" I asked, bringing my nose closer to his fingers to get a good whiff. The distinctive vanilla notes in his whiskey were unmistakable. "Good choice," I made a serious face. "Fancy."

"I can afford it, darling," He snarked back, devoid of malice.

He was so close. And so warm. And I needed a new screensaver. Shuffling back, I reclined against Tony's chest, carefully wedging my head in the crook of his neck.

God help me.

I felt his breath hitch. The dark, magnetic pools of his eyes stared at me from our combined reflection. Tony's eyes were the most expressive, he could fake a smile, he could charm the press and countless investors, but his eyes only spoke the truth. Always. I loved working with Tony because his gaze would light up. It was akin to seeing a little kid on Christmas.

A muscular arm snaked around my waist, pressing my back to his chest. The metal of his arc reactor jabbed uncomfortably between my shoulder blades but there was nowhere else I'd rather be.

"You're filming, Princess," He interrupted my Moment.

"Sure," I answered, not caring. There could be another alien invasion happening and I wasn't able to give a damn.

I felt the vibrant chuckle more than heard; Tony snatched the phone out of my hand without permission. I noticed the furrowed brow when he opened my Instagram and saw the unmistakable evidence of my frequent partying, yet he didn't comment on it.

"Tony, the press is going to go nuts," I raised my eyebrows, seeing what he was planning to do.

"They've seen me doing worse things," He scoffed. And took a photo of us ‘just chilling’ in his lab, hugging. He picked out a filter and everything., and then posted it.

"First of all, I am pretty awesome to be 'doing', I've had only good feedback," I scoffed at his dismissive attitude, using my free hand to make quote marks. Then I turned my head to stare him square in the face. "Steve's going to be pissed and Ms. Potts is going to call to yell at you." I punctuated the statements with a raised eyebrow.

There was really no innocent way the press could represent the photo that he posted. I didn't care for it, my parents wouldn't give a damn (my father probably would encourage it, the free publicity and all). Tony himself didn't seem like the kind of man to care much about some gossip articles, if anything, he enjoyed provoking them into a frenzy. Or at least, he used to.

"I'll put them both on hold. I like to watch the line blink," Tony winked, smirking. "I've been told the press expects me to have a midlife crisis since my last breakup," Eyes darkening, the man swiftly finished off his drink.

Midlife crisis seemed such a bitter way of putting it. Considering my own preferences in romantic partners, I couldn't help but feel offended at the way people offhandedly dished out labels - "midlife crisis", "daddy issues" and so on and so forth. The briefest part of me traveled back to Mr. Davies' living room where - no, I am not going there.

"Huh," I said, coming to a conclusion. A sad one at that.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Princess, but you don't seem like the kind of girl who thinks about pesky things like reputation or consequences," Tony mused idly, coming to a conclusion of his own.

"Nope, I don't give a fuck," I agreed with his opinion wholeheartedly. "If I would have a publicist, they would quit on the second day."

"I pay mine, uh, twice the average amount and they still quit. We're doomed, baby," Tony's gleeful face was mere inches away from my own, whiskey-tipsy and glowing.

I snorted, sliding lower to further burrow into his arms. Tony's sudden touchy-feely mode wasn't lost on me. My own touch starvation overrode any common sense that I had left. The totally-PG (well, not quite) embrace, one armed hug brought me more satisfaction than any of my sexual partners had ever achieved to give me.

"Why are there so many messages from Banner? Are you staging a world domination plan and forgot to include me? I'm hurt!" Tony exclaimed suddenly, a whiny tone to his voice.

"Thor's space yeasts have corrupted our minds with their spores. Soon all will become... Mushroom!" I deepened my voice for the dramatic effect, flailing my arms on the last word for the extra flair.

The man wiped a fake tear from the corner of his eye; his eyes were sparkling, laughing even. "I'm evicting Thor and his supremely selfish yeast. How dare it ignore me."

"I vouched for you, I really did," I kept up the silly game. "But alas, the yeasts deemed you too... Boomer," The pride in my voice could barely hold back the laughter threatening to spill.

"Did you just..?" Tony gaped. "Did you just call me old?!"

I attempted to get away, shrieking when the tips of Tony's fingers squirmed along my midsection. "It was the yeast! IT WAS THE YEAST!" My resistance proved to be futile. The engineer had mass and strength on his side, years of piloting and maneuvering the Iron Man suits showing just how quick and nimble he could be when the situation demanded it.

"Take that from an old man!" He exclaimed triumphantly, using his arm to hold down both of my hands from grasping at him. One of his legs held down my own; we were a squirming, writhing mass of limbs in the heat of a tickle fight.

The cocaine in my blood, the mild buzz from being drunk on Tony - my body reacted to the close proximity of the man who occupied my fantasies. I was blushing, breathing heavily, and it wasn't just from the exertion. It should have affected me less, but I struggled to keep my eyes from Tony's face; his own flush, the moist part of his lips.

I wondered how a deer in the headlights felt. Was it hot, like it's body was suddenly alight, or was it cold, liquid nitrogen freezing in its veins?

"Fuck," I mumbled half-coherently.

"What was that?" He arched an eyebrow, clever eyes carefully watching my own.

"I'm in trouble," I chuckled weakly, looking away, pretending to struggle against his arms.

"You're trouble," He announced, grinning. His fingertips slowed, skimming gently along my sides now.

I retaliated with a tentative brush of my foot along the softness of his jean-covered inner thigh. It was euphoric, seeing Tony shudder, the thick eyelashes fluttering for the briefest part of a second.

"We should stop," He whispered suddenly, making a move to disentangle us both. Mixed signals, we've got em, ladies and gentlemen.

"Why?" I was tired of this dance. It was fun but painful. My firm decision of the past still stood: I won't be the lovesick fangirl, I won't be another notch in his bedpost. The resolve was crumbling but it was still there, to some point.

"You're not sober, this is wrong," He mumbled. "I'm more than twice your age, Princess."

That ship had sailed, Tony. If only you knew... "Do you seriously expect me, out of all people, to find common ground with someone my age? Someone like Peter? Jeez," I tried to be amused. If it came out more pleading, I pretended to not notice it. It was the moment of truth. It needed to be said. "I'm FUBAR, Tony. I'm lucky if anyone at all will want to put up with me, much less someone I can stand. I'm spoiled, I'm selfish, and annoying. I know that. I just thought we were friends and you'd be...kinder about it." My mumbling was met with a somewhat perplexed stare.

"I..." His eyebrows threatened to have a close encounter with his hairline. "What the fuck? Are you dead set on giving me a stroke today? I have a heart condition," He yanked me back towards his chest, unceremonious and indignant. "You can be so smart yet so stupid. Gosh, where is the world rolling, I'm quoting Pepper now." He seemed to be muttering to himself.

"Pot, kettle." I didn't resist the urge to snark.

"Right," Tony rolled his eyes. "You're beautiful and all that jazz. You deserve much more than this." Uncharacteristically sad, he pointed to himself, again. "I'm an old man with more issues than Playboy magazine."

"And I'm an angsty teenager with daddy issues, we're a match made in heaven."

"Hell," Tony was eyeing our combined reflection with a sort of petulance. It was hard keeping track of his microexpressions; his eyes and face held fleeting, half-finished thoughts, just like when he was creating, inventing something new.

"Works for me. Lucifer's hot," I answered with my brain on autopilot. He caught my eyes in the shiny glass, trapping me in his calculative gaze.

"The Netflix one or the Supernatural one?" Tony asked, equally absent from the conversation. Neither of us were able to break eye contact, breathing laboured and hearts thudding in our chests. I felt Tony's pulse fluttering under my palm where I'd rested it on his wrist.

The organ that dutifully pumped blood through my own veins and kept me alive threatened to escape my body, jump out of my chest, make its way out my mouth. Tony's unblinking stare penetrated my skin, seeped into the hollow behind my eyelids, ignited a flame within me and froze my thoughts.

"The one with the detective kink," I answered breathily. "I have an affinity for brown-eyed, narcissistic, sarcastic men with self-destructive tendencies," The last part of my sentence was swallowed by Tony's lips.

My brain shorted out, just like that. Bourbon on his breath and a new dose of snark on his tongue, he licked into my mouth with the grace and finesse of years of experience. It was sudden, it was rough, it was fantastic. His beard left marks on my face and I craved the burn of it.

"Fuck," I moaned when we were forced to surface for oxygen. My hips had moved, pressed against his own, prominent arousal digging into the small of my back. Tony had me moaning and grinding into it in mere seconds.

A hand rested on my face with surprising tenderness, turning my face to look at my own reflection. My hair was a mess, lips puffy - Tony wasn't looking any better, hunger and lust in plain view. It was a good look on him.

"Watch," His breath ghosted over the shell of my ear, lips traveling to the nape of my neck to attach themselves to the very sensitive flesh of that area.

I obeyed, gazing at the scene with lidded eyes. Keeping them open was a struggle. My body was flooded with sensation, riding the waves of pleasure like a rollercoaster. I wanted to please him, needed to obey him, to feel him.

My thighs quivered at Tony's touch. There was no warning, no preamble as he wedged a firm hand, separating them quickly to follow the heat. His biceps flexed deliciously. Under my skirt, through the fishnets and the tiny, lacy panties I wore.

"Fucking shit," The man moaned loudly, finding me, predictably, soaking wet. It was one hot, sticky mess between my legs.

The keen that left my mouth might've been embarrassing, yet it only spurred Tony on. Gently parting my lower lips, he gathered the moisture, suddenly withdrawing from me. My confusion met his amusement in the mirror as he stuck the two fingers in his mouth, moaning obscenely and loudly at the taste.

The corners of my mouth lifted, happy. "To-ony," I whined, my pussy aching for more. Now that I had felt the relief and pleasure of his touch, I didn't want it to end.

"Princess," He replied, seriously and sternly. I shuddered at the scratchiness of his voice. The hand that I was missing returned, stroking over the outside of my pussy with broad, soft motions. I arched, presented myself into the touch. "So eager," Tony mumbled into my shoulder, catching a bit of my skin between his teeth.

His fingers dipped deeper, delving in between the puffy, engorged flesh and stroking once, twice, before finding my clit. The pads of Tony's fingers were rough, hardened by manual work and hours spent in front of his inventions, making, tinkering, creating. The friction was perfect. I followed each stroke with a fluid motion of my hips.

"Tony, fuck," I slurred my approval, needing him to know how amazing he made me feel. Tony's form pressed closer, both of us melting, molding into each other.

"Baby girl, what do you need?" His raspy voice tickled my neck. I was sure there would be an array of marks decorating me come morning and absolutely loved the thought. I belonged to Tony Stark, in body and heart and mind and soul.

"I want to cum," I had no shame left. "I want to feel you."

He groaned, rutting into me. A squeak was all I managed to emit as two thick fingers plunged inside of me with a wet squelch. My pussy immediately took hold of the situation, squeezing and rippling around them. I was so close, my nerves pulled up taut like an overtaxed string. The effect this man had on me was positively unholy.

My clit throbbed under his thumb. Tony somehow managed to reach every single sweet spot on my body, effortlessly, easily, like he'd done it a thousand times.

"Ohmyfuckinggod, Tony," I came hard, shuddering, drenching the fingers inside of me. The moment I began sagging in his arms was the moment they tightened around me; I felt Tony grind helplessly against me, saw his own eyes slam shut and his brow furrow.

The hand that was in me withdrew rapidly as he hastily popped the button on his pants, freeing his cock and giving it several desperate tugs. I couldn't see it; I had to settle for the sensation of his hand, his hips rubbing against my clothed back.

He came quickly, with a loud shout. My curiosity got the best of me and I used the brief moment of his weakness to turn around, take a good look at him.

Tony was a fucking mess with a fucking gorgeous cock. Thick and veiny.

My face was level with it before he could have opened his eyes. I wanted, craved to know how he tasted. With gentle kitten licks, I collected the stray drops of cum running down his hand, careful of the rapidly softening, sensitive flesh.

His eyes popped open in surprise. I smiled at him, unseeing, collecting as much of him as I could.

"Fuck, Princess," He breathed. "I'm just a man, I'm pushing fifty," Gently pulling my head away but holding it mere inches from his cock. Indecisive.

I reached over for his hand with my own, popping finger after finger in my mouth, collecting every drop of cum like it was nectar. I could be good...I If properly motivated. The salty musk was all the motivation I needed at that moment. He pulled me in for a filthy, sloppy kiss once I was done, both of us humming, vocalising the shared pleasure.

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @as-i-layhereinyourbed @sleep-i-ness @gigglyfox01 @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney

As always, feedback is welcome and this blog is keyboard smash & emoji friendly.

[goneseriesanalysis]

your caine art is so gorgeous!! kind of a silly question but what movie genres do you think the “gone” kids would watch?

Aa thank you so much!!! I'm so glad you like it

This is such a great question and is perfect timing as I've just got back from my film class. Here are my ideas:

Sam: I don't think Sam is really a movie person so, this is a bit of a cop-out, but I don't think there's any particular genre that he likes. He spends most of his time surfing. The only reason I'm willing to admit he has at least seen A film is because he took Anna to the cinema for their date. (Also the film was definitely Surf's Up, 2007. And no I will not take any criticism on this)

Astrid: Astrid is definitely one for documentaries. And this girl will watch documentaries on EVERYTHING (even open-heart surgery). She also has a secret soft spot for kids films as she watches them so much with Little Pete. She likes how easy everything is. There is a right and a wrong and its clear and obvious what it is. If you ask her though she'll never admit to it.

Quinn: Comedy. I love this boy but I just know he spends his evenings watching Adam Sandler films. That being said, he is open to a wide range of comedy including rom-coms and chick-flicks. He likes to dip into different genres, but really comedy is his thing.

Edilio: Edilio would mostly stick to Spanish-speaking films. Probably comforting family-friendly films that he can watch with his family. But I also think he would have an interest in old cartoons (think thundercats or trap door). They're easy to watch, family-friendly and can be useful for learning English. (I know that Trap Door is an English cartoon but shhhh I'm projecting)

Little Pete: Little Pete doesn't really watch the films that Astrid puts on for him. I think he just likes the experience. Being near her without her talking to him or touching him. He can experience the safety he feels around her without the sensory issues that can sometimes come with it. That being said, I think he would prefer the cartoons with muted colour schemes and softer soundtracks. Maybe Tim Burton?? As opposed to the more colourful Disney films she puts on.

Caine: Did somebody say crime films?? The Wolf of Wall Street, The Godfather, Nightcrawler. He likes to imagine himself as the leading man and he genuinely believes that he could do it better than the actual character. He also watched The Great Gatsby once and thought it was a good romance.

Drake: I think it's mentioned that one of Drake's favourite films is Saw ll?? And I definitely think he'd be into horror, but he would have no respect for the genre. He likes cringey, gory horror (which in of itself isn't a bad thing) but with particular love for any horror that involves the unnecessarily graphic assault of a woman. I also think he would really like Michael Bay and Joss Whedon films. Now that I think about it, he probably likes Tarantino as well.

Diana: OK so this one was tricky but I feel like Diana is, very secretly, a dark fantasy fan. She likes Guillermo del Torro and one of her favourite films is The Witches. It's the perfect blend of cynicism and escapism that just really hits the spot for her.

Jack: Jack is a sci-fi and high fantasy fan. Does it have magic?? He'll love it. Space tech?? He'll love it. He is definitely a fan of the big ones like Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter and Lord of The Rings. But, and this may be controversial, I don't see his liking superhero films. He finds them too cliche and simplistic.

Orc: Orc doesn't get to choose what he watches a lot. He usually just has to watch the crime shows that his father puts on. But when he does get the TV, he's a big action fan. Think Terminator style films. He has also seen Die Hard upwards of 10 times.

Howard: Howard likes cult films. And a good Zombie movie never goes amiss. He hasn't gone a single Christmas without watching Gremlins and David Bowie in Labyrinth was his sexual awakening.

Dekka: Dekka likes a wide range of genres with no particular favourite. She leans more towards foreign films, indie films and experimental just because that's where she finds the most lgbt representation. After the FAYZ, she would be introduced to Ava Duvernay's work and would fall in love. If she's looking for an easy watch though, a good slasher never goes amiss

Brianna: Brianna has never, in her LIFE, been able to sit through a full film. However, if her parents order her to sit down for 5 minutes and just be quiet, adventure will always be her choice.

Mary: Mary likes chick-flicks. They're feel good films that don't require much thinking. They make her feel good about herself and give her some much needed entertainment. Also John loves musicals. I have no reason for this, it's just true.

Lana: Dark Comedy all the way. It just fits her personality so well. She enjoys the humour. She enjoys the aesthetic. And she kinda feels like she's rebelling against her parents in a minor way. What she will not tell you is that she is also a sucker for a well-written romance film.

Dahra: Hear me out here. Historical films and period dramas. Not sure why. I just get The Vibe. She loves Pride and Prejudice (as she should) and just finds historical films incredibly interesting and entertaining.

Albert: Albert is another one who likes documentaries. Definitely after the FAYZ he would focus more on business documentaries. But I think before, he would mostly just watch whatever his mother was watching. Which would include a wide range of interesting topics.

[tpwktaron]

My Quarantine Watchlist

hello! i hope this post finds you in good health. today i decided to go a little out of my category of what i usually post and make a movie watchlist. if you haven’t seen what i usually repost, i’m a huge movie buff, and are always adding new films to my watchlist. (you should add me on letterboxd! same username.) so, i compiled a list of my top 10 movies. some of them aren’t considered to be critically acclaimed, but they are still comforting and happy, especially during this rough time we are having. i hope you give these a try, and let me know what you think! disclaimer: i am not a movie expert! some terminology i use is definitely not correct lol. 

1. rocketman - dir. dexter fletcher, 89%

this movie really means so much to me, it’s definitely one of my absolute favorites. taron egerton does an absolutely amazing job as elton john, not just through his performance but his through his singing. yes, he sings the music as well! the music is also perfectly placed throughout the movie to tell the story of elton john’s life. 

synopsis: pretty self explanatory; a musical fantasy about the life of elton john.

2. onward - dir. dan scanlon - 87%

really awesome pixar movie! definitely a great movie for anyone who is a fan of animation, some of the most beautifully animated scenes i have ever seen! i guess that’s just pixar for you. 

synopsis: a teenage elf ian lightfoot and his brother barley are given a spell to bring their late father back to life, but when they mess up the first time, they have to go on a quest to find a phoenix gem to bring him back.

3. eddie the eagle - dir. dexter fletcher - 82%

another masterpiece by the dexter fletcher and taron egerton! this is my favorite movie of all time. it’s so heartwarming and motivating, it’s a great pick-me-up film for when i’m feeling down. taron egerton is definitely a chameleon actor, and can slip into any role with ease! him and hugh jackman have such great chemistry, and this movie easily displays that.

synopsis: based on a true story, olympics-bound eddie edwards trains for the winter olympics as a ski jumper, one of the most dangerous sports in the world, with help from his drunken “coach,” bronson peary.

4. lady bird - dir. greta gerwig - 99%

ugh. this movie. i can’t! when i first watched it it left me speechless. it’s an outstanding coming-of-age film, and a great mother-daughter film as well. christine and her mom’s relationship is hilariously heartwarming. another touch i love is the grainy filter throughout the movie. it was a great touch to add an early 2000′s feel! saoirse ronan’s performance was extraordinary. everything about this movie is 10/10, and i cannot recommend this movie enough, especially to teenagers heading off the college.

synopsis: marion mcpherson, a nurse, works tirelessly to keep her family afloat after her husband loses his job. she also maintains a turbulent bond with a teenage daughter who is just like her: loving, strong-willed and deeply opinionated.

5. love, simon - greg berlanti - 92%

love, simon is a perfectly made film to demonstrate the experience of coming out as a gay teen. it’s funny and witty, with some heart-warming yet heart-wrenching drama. i can’t explain it, but this movie makes me feel things i didn’t think i could feel. nick robinson is a great actor, and this movie got paid dust!! by everyone!!

synopsis: everyone deserves a great love story, but for 17-year-old simon spier, it’s a little more complicated. he hasn’t told his family or friends he’s gay, and he doesn’t know the identity of the anonymous classmate that he’s fallen for online. resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying, and life-changing.

6. jojo rabbit - dir. taika watiti - 80%

when i first saw this movie in the theater, i wasn’t sure if i was going to like it. i’m not a fan of war movies and violence, so i was a little uneasy. turns out this could possibly be one of the best movies of 2019! roman griffin davis is the best child actor i’ve ever seen. this movie is a wonderful depiction of anti-hate, and of what life was like for germany during world war II. it shows in a funny way how silly nazi views are. it creates humor over such a sensitive subject, yet you don’t feel bad for laughing!

synopsis: a world war II satire that follows a lonely german boy whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother is hiding a young jewish girl in their attic. aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, adolf hitler, jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

7. little women - dir. greta gerwig - 95%

greta gerwig strikes again! she literally has never made a bad movie. this movie is based off of the famous novel little women. it has a star studded cast of timothee chalament, saoirse ronan, florence pugh, emma watson, and laura dern. the power of women!!

synopsis: in the years after the civil war, jo march lives in new york and makes her living as a writer, while her sister amy studies painting in paris. amy has a chance encounter with theodore, a childhood crush who proposed to jo but was ultimately rejected. their oldest sibling, meg, is married to a schoolteacher, while shy sister beth develops a devastating illness that brings the family back together.

8. the greatest showman - dir. michael gracey - 56%

my favorite original musical movie. hugh jackman is such an amazing singer and actor! this movie was one of the first movies that really turned me into a true film admirer. the music has some of the most beautifully written lyrics i know, and it’s a great family movie! it’s intense, yet happy, yet sad, yet exciting, yet every single emotion one person could feel. 

synopsis: growing up in the early 1800s, p.t. barnum displays a natural talent for publicly and promotion, selling lottery tickets by age 12. after trying his hands at various jobs, p.t. turns to show business to indulge his limitless imagination, rising form nothing to create the barnum & bailey circus. 

9. bohemian rhapsody - dir. bryan singer - 60%

although it may have it’s inaccuracies here and there, this movie is still heartwarming and conveys a heartwarming message and moral. rami malek performs as freddie mercury wonderfully, and the chemistry between the cast is indescribable. and what takes the cake? the live-aid re-enactment at the end of the movie, with the band’s mannerisms and everything recreated to the t. 

synopsis: freddie mercury - lead singer of queen - defies stereotypes and convention to become one of history’s most beloved entertainers. the band’s revolutionary sound and popular songs lead to queen’s meteoric rise in the 1970s. after leaving the group to pursue a solo career, mercury reunites with queen for the benefit concert live aid - resulting in one of the greatest performances in rock ‘n’ roll history.

10. anchorman - dir. adam mckay - 66%

my favorite comedy of all time. will ferrell, steve carrell, and paul rudd are all my favorite comedians, so this movie speaks to me. it’s hilariously stupid, but i still love it and recommend it to everyone i know.

synopsis: hotshot television anchorman ron burgandy welcomes upstart reporter veronica corningstone into the male-dominated world of 1970s broadcast news - that is, until the talented female journalist begins to outshine burgandy on air.

[translationandbetrayals]

ALIIEEEENZZZ!! in anime (A very, very confused rant about a anime and “power relations” tropes between humans and aliens)

So I just finished watching Planet With and it was sort of interesting, it cannot be said that it has the best story, soundtrack or graphic arts (be it animation, character design, backgrounds, etc) but certainly interesting because it got me thinking about how aliens are depicted in anime compared to other media.

Planet With:

If you do not know what anime show I am talking about, Planet With is a science fiction series that is about a alien boy with amnesia and a big cat that eats the eats the boy and then transforms into a neko-mecha… oh yeah and there is also a vegetarian maid.

Fig 1.- The main characters of the anime Planet With

  I will try to make this as spoilers-free as possible but in interest of this post I find it sadly inolvidable to talk about the aliens in this anime… By the way, this is your last spoiler warning: 3, 2, 1…

The main conflict in Planet With has to do with the evolutionary stage of telepathy, when a species begins to become psychically sensitive there two main evolutionary paths that can be taken by the collective and individuals of the species: evolving for love or evolving for power. Nebula, a collective of various and diverse alien species and races have evolved via the path of love but have seen what has happened to those who chose the evolutionary path for power which results in a “dragon”, Nebula tends to be a little bit jumpy about dragons because once upon a time there was a very big galactic dragon that did the minor naughty sin of GENOCIDE OF AN ENTIRE PLANET.

  When the humans start evolving into telepaths, Nebula cannot help but notice that the humans are following the evolutionary path of power and it is from here where the interaction between Nebula and Humanity begins. Typically at this stage the story will present the aliens as something completely negative, since most story that talk about opposing ideals and ideologies display the conflict in a reductive manner, one sad being common sense and the other simply bad, mad, and silly (An example of this would be Thanos plan to solve all of the universes problem in the film Avengers Infinity War). Surprisingly Planet With presents the aliens and their meddling in human affairs with quite some nuanced:

  Fig.2.- Examples of the “bizarre taste” of the aliens

  1.- The political splintering of a alien polis because of a mutual problem:

Nebula is in essence a pacifist civilization, they believe in diplomacy, collectivism and love (You can see this reflected in their bizzare taste), it makes sense that their “arch enemy” is the dragon, which is a being of pure empowerment of the individual but crazed with his own sense of justice fueled by individualism. Despite all of the positive aspects it has to be said that Nebula has been traumatized by the actions of the Dragon and this results in desperate and extreme conclusions when it comes to a possible new dragon (This coming from the new human telepaths). This results in the sealing faction (being led by a big white dog) which concludes that the humans have to have their evolution sealed (this means trapping the entire human species into a eternal dream state where all of their ambitions and fantasies are satisfied, killing their ambition and wish to grow, connect and evolve), but there are those that believe that being this extreme is aggressive and hypocritical of a civilization that claims to have evolved from love, these are the pacifist faction (who are led by a big blue cat).

  2.- The position of each faction of Nebula is clear and honest:

What I love about the political conflict is that it is obvious that the two alien factions are annoyed by their political opponents but they do not use pseudo-over the top-unnecessary-philosophy to justify their position or criticize the other one, in fact the sealing faction is able to convince some humans to help them because of past events that gives them some credibility (the same can be said about the pacifist faction).

Fig.3.- Leaders of the two Nebula factions (Left: pacifist faction; Right: sealing faction)

3.- The problem of a “intervention of a foreign power” is addressed 

Of course, the series those conclude that one of the factions is wrong and the other is right and this would be a “black and white” situation but this anime is self aware of the political context of its story. One of the human telepaths (the most powerful of them) has some extreme political ideas about individualism but does make a good criticism about Nebula when he is fighting against the sealing faction: “You are imposing forcefully your values onto us, how is that not a invasion?” This is a fair criticism, since one must ask as a citizen of a nation that decides to get involved in a different countries conflict “Why do we intervene into others problems? Are we justified in doing so? Does our actions reflect what we claim are our good willed intentions?” We can see these questions revealing certain military interventions in our reality being not only problematic but tragic (You may pick any of the United States wars against terror/evil/danger). But in the anime I would personally say that the intervention of Nebula (in the context of the complete story) is not only necessary but is actually beneficial to the human species because, you know: diversity.

  One last thing I wish to clarify about the multiple conflicts and interactions between the Nebula factions and the human species is that it is not a battle of opposing ideologies or the nationalistic supremacy of any of the sides, because in the end of the day all of the characters (except for the dragon) want the best for humanity but simply disagree what is actually the best; I will admit, this is a not only a optimistic but a ideal (even utopian) political situacion, it kinda of gives me a weird Star Treky vibe. And I really appreciate that, since this kind of depiction of the political + social relationship between aliens and humans in a anime is actually quite rare. How rare? Well I am glad you ask because I made a list!

  I would argue that most relationships between aliens and humans in media is one of power, be it technological, physical, social, spiritual, or the capacity of one market to commodify almost anything. Unless it is a situation where the humans and aliens are sort of equals in terms of power (and even if this is the case…),  typically the relationship will result in one group abusing the other; be it a invading them, eating them, exterminating them, changing them or commodifying the population (be this slavery, food stock or tokenism). This tendencies is related to what aliens usually represent in media: the other, the unknown, the powerful, the grand administrator, the madness, the colonist or the colonized. The list that will be presented below is based on this argument of mine (This list is composed mostly of anime that I have watched, so no this list does not contain all anime that depicts hostile aliens):

  Some anime that depicts Hostile alien tropes (Includes Spoilers):

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Aliens wants to oppress us

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Aliens wants to change us against our will

Guilty Crown: Aliens wants to change us against our will

Darling in the Franx: Aliens wants to invade us

One Punch Man: Aliens wants to invade us

Dragon Ball Z: Aliens wants to invade us*

Eureka Seven: Humans are a eco-hazard towards Aliens

Eureka Seven AO: Aliens wants to change us against our will

Suisei no Gargantia: Aliens wants to exterminate us + Humans are a eco-hazard towards Aliens

Gantz: Aliens wants to invade us + commodify us + eat us

World Trigger: Aliens wants to invade us

Sidonia no Kishi: Aliens wants to eat us

Gundam 00: A Wakening of the Trailblazer: Aliens wants to change us against our will (But hey, we kinda of like it in the end)

Terra Formars: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Kill la Kill: Aliens wants to invade us +  change us against our will + wants to eat us

Bokurano: Aliens wants commodify us*

RahXephon: Aliens wants to change us against our will

Sailor Moon*: Aliens wants to invade us + eat us* 

Heroic Age: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Sousei no Aquarion: Aliens wants commodify us

Aquarion Evol: Aliens wants to invade us + commodify us (To be more precise they want to steal all of the women)

Top wo Nerae! Gunbuster: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Top wo Nerae2! Diebuster: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse: Aliens wants to eat us

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (I think it’s a anime?): Aliens wants to eat us (kinda)

Blue Gender*: "Aliens" wants to eat us

Captain Earth: Aliens wants to invade us?

Rinne no Lagrange: Aliens wants to invade us + oppress us

The Macross Franchise: Aliens wants to invade us 

Finfa Kikoutai Majestic Prince: Aliens wants to invade us

Kurogane no Linebarrels: “”Aliens”” wants to change us against our will

Seikai no Monshou: Aliens wants to invade us + oppress us

Godzila (cgi animated trilogy): Aliens are a hazard + change us against our will

Soukyuu no Fafner: Aliens wants to eat us* + change us against our will

Neppuu Kairiku Bushi Road*: Aliens are a hazard

Ultra man: Aliens are a hazard

Sky Girls: Aliens wants to eat us?

Argento Soma: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Sentou Yousei Yukikaze: Aliens wants to invade us

Gunparade March: Aliens wants to invade us

Silent Mobius: Aliens wants to invade us

I:Wish you Were here: Aliens wants to change us against our will

Reideen:  Aliens wants to invade us

Gene Shaft: Aliens wants to exterminate us

Starship Troopers (ova+movies): Aliens wants to invade us

And we can keep on going

  Of course there are some exceptions like :

Seikaisuru Kado: Alien in a space cube comes to help humanity

Level E: Comedy where some aliens are nice, some are not and others are simply mad

Urusei Yatsura: It is a romantic comedy…

Oban Star-Racers: All galactic species/races are “““fairly””” competing on a space race (but of course there is stigmas and tensions between the participants)

Red Line*: Again a space race

Space Dandy: Comedy where some aliens are nice, some are not and others are simply mad

Tetsuwan Birdy Decode*: Some aliens are responsible space cops (or citizens) while others are criminals

-------------------------------------

Total:

Hostile Aliens Tropes: 49 tropes out of 46 animes 

Aliens wants to invade us: 17

Aliens wants to oppress us: 3

Aliens wants to eat us: 9

Aliens wants to exterminate us: 8

Aliens wants commodify us: 3

Aliens wants to change us against our will: 10

Aliens are a hazard: 3

Humans are a eco-hazard towards Aliens: 2

  Exceptions: 7

-------------------------------------

IMPORTAN VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1CQ7Vwz8Eo

Pedro Pons

[deanspillowprincess]

Tag 9 people to learn more about their interests!

Tagged by the wonderful @mieczyhale

MUSIC 

fav genre? Alternative, pop, pop-punk, classic rock

fav artist? Fall Out Boy

fav song? Last of the real ones by Fall Out Boy

most listened song recently? “we don't talk about Bruno" from the Encanto soundtrack

song currently stuck in your head? "Blinded by the light" by Manfred Manns Earth Band

5 fav lyrics?

1. “I wanna scream I love you from the top of my lungs, But I’m afraid that someone else will hear me” - The (Shipped) Gold Standard by Fall Out Boy

2. “I parked my car right between the Methodist, And the school that used to be ours, The holidays linger like bad perfume, You can run, but only so far” - ‘tis the damn season by Taylor Swift

3.  “Her faith in love is better on sunny days” - City Grown Willow by Radio Company

4. “And I went home, Chasing twisters in the canyon, My cathedral is the badlands, Dust and devils on my conscience, Come back to me darlin’” - Chasing Twisters by Delta Rae

5. “If I can live through this, If I can live through this, If I can live through this, I can do anything” - Champion by Fall Out Boy

radio or your own playlist | solo artists or bands | pop or indie | loud or silent volume I slow or fast songs | music video or lyrics video | speakers or headset | riding a bus in silence or while listening to music | driving in silence or with radio on

- - - - -

BOOKS

fav book genre? fantasy, horror, mystery, romance

fav writer? either Terry Pratchett or Walter Moers, but I love me some Garth Nix too

fav book? The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

fav book series? until JK-Terfling showed her colours it would have been HP, but now it’s gotta be the Howl’s Moving Castle trilogy

comfort book? it sounds silly, but its usually books I read as a little kid - Dr Seuss, the Brambly Hedge books, Beatrix Potter books, that kind of thing

perfect book to read on a rainy day? any, obviously

fav characters? Sophie Hatter from Howl’s Moving Castle, Granny Weatherwax and Sam Vimes from Discworld, Lirael from the Old Kingdom series

5 quotes from your fav books that you know by heart? The only one that comes to mind is “This is where my story begins” from The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers. I’m not the sort of person who memorises that stuff, although I know most of my favourite poems by heart

hardcover or paperback | buy or rent | standalone novels or book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or during the day | reading at home or in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

- - - - -

TV AND MOVIES

fav tv/movie genre? comedy, fantasy, mystery

fav movie? How to Train Your Dragon

comfort movie? Howl’s Moving Castle

movie you watch every year? I try and do a Hobbit/LOTR marathon every year, as well as all the HTTYD films, but apart from that it’s usually only Christmas movies I reach for each year

fav tv show? Masterchef or The Great British Bake Off

comfort tv show? GBBO

most rewatched tv show? at this point, probably Critical Role (I know it’s not technically a TV show, but I watch it on my TV so I say it counts)

ultimate otp? Hiccup/Astrid, Sterek, Merthur, Stoney, me and any fictional character I’m attracted to

5 fav characters? 

1) Dean Winchester (Supernatural - come on, you’ve seen the url, this should not be a surprise to anyone)

2) Astrid (How To Train Your Dragon)

3) Stiles Stilinski (Teen Wolf)

4) Gwaine (Merlin)

5) Sophie Hatter (Howl’s Moving Castle)

tv shows or movies | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or full seasons (22 episodes or more) | one episode a week or binging | one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes | subtitles on or off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

Gotta tag a bunch of people to do this, so @penguinsandpanthers, @crossbonesandcutlery @threedaybreakdown @jordantargaryen @canitwaitforabit @strawberryhi @aegis-shield @audioshoes @the-busy-ghost

[the-desolated-quill]

Kingsman: The Secret Service - Movie blog

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you may want to before reading this review)

I must confess I’m not overly familiar with Matthew Vaughn’s work. The only other film I’ve seen of his is X-Men: First Class, which I didn’t like very much although it had its moments. Also I’ve never been a big fan of the spy genre. Too gimmicky for my taste what with the silly gadgets and ludicrous plots (and the James Bond reboot series’ attempts to modernise it and make it ultra serious a la Christopher Nolan I think just makes it even more stupid than intended. Yes. Batman is more plausible than James Bond. Who’d have thought it?). So when Kingsman: The Secret Service first came out in 2015, I wasn’t expecting much. Very rarely does a movie take me by surprise nowadays, but Kingsman certainly did. I LOVE this movie. I love this movie more than I would, say, a child of my own. And now I’m going to gush about how amazingly good it is.

I think the main appeal of Kingsman for me is its tongue in cheek self awareness. Right from the start it basically tells the audience that it knows how silly and over the top it all is, but invites us to come along for the ride anyway and promises a fun time, and that’s exactly what we end up getting. It’s ridiculous and cartoony, and Vaughn doesn’t shy away from that. He embraces the madness fully and lets his imagination run wild.

Visually the movie is a work of art. It’s bright, colourful, stylistic and simply gorgeous to look at, with loads of fantastic set-pieces. The tailor shop, the mansion, Valentine’s secret base, I could go on. There are also loads of great action scenes such as the skydiving sequence, the epic fight scene in the church and the final sequence where everyone’s heads blow up in a technicolour extravaganza. A few people at the time criticised the amount of violence in the movie, but I felt most of the criticism was unfounded. It’s not as if the movie is so disgusting that you can’t watch it. I mean Quentin Tarantino has done far worse than this. And the violence actually serves the comedy at points, like when Harry Hart beats up all those guys in the pub and then sits down and calmly drinks his pint of Guinness as though nothing had happened.

As well as all that, it also helps that the writing is extremely sharp with a great plot and memorable characters. The standout is of course Colin Firth as Harry Hart. Who’d have thought the guy from Bridget Jones’ Diary could be a credible action star? I really like his surrogate father/son relationship with Eggsy, as well as his matching of wits with Valentine. While we���re never told the full story as to where Harry comes from, we’re given just enough to paint a tantalising picture of him. Like Valentine, Harry has a fondness for the old spy movies, but he always gravitated toward the villains, saying he wished to be a colourful megalomaniac back when he was a kid. This is interesting because it informs us as to how his character operates. The typical goal of a villain/antagonist when you boil it down to its very essence is to disrupt the status quo. While Harry is working for the side of good, this is basically what he’s doing. Recognising that the Kingsman have become a bunch of elitist, upper class snobs, he seeks to recruit from the working class in the hopes of changing Kingsman for the better. He disagrees most strongly with the idea that a gentleman can only come from a certain social status or income bracket, rather it all comes down to a person’s character. This is supported by his two mottos. ‘Oxfords, not brogues’ and ‘manners maketh man.’ ‘Oxfords, not brogues’ refers to the types of shoes a Kingsman should wear, but it could also signify Harry’s views regarding the Kingsman. He dislikes brogues because of the embroidery, and that could be why he dislikes the current Kingsman, seeing their wealth and class as unnecessary embroidery that a gentleman spy does not need. ‘Manners maketh man’ of course refers to Harry’s view of what makes a gentleman. Being a gentleman is not hereditary and it can’t be bought. It comes from how a person thinks, acts and behaves.

I also absolutely adore Taron Egerton as Eggsy. Normally when Hollywood tries to do ‘British chav’, they often fail miserably, but this is the rare exception. I know people exactly like Eggsy and while it’s all slightly over the top for the purposes of comedy, the film captures the essence of British working class life beautifully. Eggsy is basically the underdog/thief with a heart of gold. He’s given the chance to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Kingsman, and he takes it. But what I love about him is that he never allows Kingsman to change who he is as a person. There’s no dramatic transformation or anything like that. Yes he wears the bespoke suit and glasses, but underneath he’s still the same old Eggsy. Despite the jeers and taunts from those around him, Eggsy never changes who he is. He’s still rough around the edges and he still swears like a sailor. He undergoes a character arc, sure. Initially brash and impulsive, he learns from Harry how to exercise discipline and self control, but he’s still the working class everyman at the end, proving Harry’s point that a gentleman comes from a person’s moral character rather than their social status. He’s also extremely empathetic, never losing sight of what’s at stake. Unlike the other Kingsman, like Arthur and Lancelot (played by Sir Michael Caine and Jack Davenport respectively) who have let their social privilege and power and influence get in the way of the common good, Eggsy ultimately cares very deeply for the people around him and the ones who will be affected by Valentine’s schemes.

Which brings us to the villain, Richmond Valentine, played wonderfully by Samuel L Jackson. The main themes of Kingsman are social elitism and class privilege, as well as the classic proverb that all power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We see Valentine conspire with celebrities, politicians, businessmen and, as it later transpires, the Kingsmen themselves to cull the population in a desperate attempt to reduce our carbon footprint in order to stop climate change. It illustrates the hypocrisy of the privileged and the elite, albeit in an extreme way. The ones that are meant to represent us, guide us, and protect us are the ones that are prepared to sacrifice us for the so called greater good. Arthur’s betrayal in particular was especially shocking because it just goes to show that the high social status he so arrogantly insists is required to become a Kingsman has caused him to lose his moral compass. The working class Eggsy is an infinitely better gentleman than the privileged Arthur.

Now Valentine, judging by his behaviour, dress sense and penchant for McDonalds Happy Meals, seems to originally come from a similar working class background to Eggsy, becoming rich and successful through his intellect. He mirrors the same journey that a lot of politicians and businessmen originating from working class backgrounds go through. Initially achieving a higher status in order to change things for the better only to then lose touch with their roots and becoming part of the very establishment they were fighting against in the first place. Valentine has become one of the social elite. Organising essentially a mass genocide, he arrogantly declares that the only people worth saving are those on his social level. But at the same time, he’s not one of these one note, muhahahaha villains. The best kinds of villains are those who don’t see themselves as the villains, and Valentine falls into that category. In his scene with Harry, he says he wanted to be a spy as a kid, which speaks to his character and motivations. He sees himself as the hero. The man who is going to save the world. He rationalises what he’s doing by saying he’s not technically killing anybody. His SIM cards merely allow everyone to kill each other. Eggsy, on some level, recognises this. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still horrible what Valentine is doing and Eggsy doesn’t hesitate to kill him, but in their final scene (which mirrors the final scene between Harry and Valentine before Valentine kills him), Eggsy refuses to resort to a spy movie cliche and thus cementing Valentine as the villain, instead echoing Valentine’s line that ‘this isn’t that kind of movie.’ Eggsy recognises that, in his own twisted way, Valentine was trying to do something good and so allows him to die with dignity. That’s a level of complexity and nuance you don’t often see in spy movies.

Something else you don’t often see in spy movies are well developed female characters. Spy movies like James Bond are generally regarded as male power fantasies where women are usually little more than discardable sex objects. While Kingsman doesn’t quite distance itself from that (we’ll come to that in a bit), I’m impressed that Vaughn actually put some effort into creating fully realised female characters that aren’t just there to be eye candy. Sofia Boutella plays Valentine’s henchman Gazelle, who essentially fills the supervillain with a gimmick role. While we don’t learn that much about her, I like that she’s never objectified. An acrobatic woman with blades attached to her legs could have been so easily sexualised, but Vaughn is never tempted to do so. When we see her fight, we never think ‘wow she’s hot.’ We’re thinking ‘holy shit, that’s awesome!’ She’s not there to be eye candy. She plays an important role, attacking and intimidating those who threaten her boss, and Boutella’s silent intensity gives the character a lot of authority.

Roxy too is brilliant, played by Sophie Cookson. I like her relationship with Eggsy, both bonding over the fact that their not seen as typical Kingsman material. Eggsy because of his working class background and Roxy because she’s a woman (and possibly gay). She’s resourceful, intelligent, and has her own character arc, having to overcome her fear of heights in order to destroy Valentine’s satellite. I’m especially pleased that she and Eggsy don’t get together at the end. Usually the male and female leads are forced to suck face at least once in these movies, but there’s no chance of that happening here. They’re just good friends and I think it’s important we see more male/female platonic friendships on screen.

It’s not perfect mind. Like I said, most spy movies are typically used as male power fantasies and Kingsman, while exceptionally good and does its best to subvert a lot of the tropes we see in traditional spy movies, doesn’t quite avoid that. While yes Roxy is better developed than most women we see in these types of films, I’m a bit disappointed that she doesn’t get to join the fight at the end, instead being forced to stand around in the snow like a muppet while Eggsy gets to do all the fun, action-y stuff. Considering how Merlin was emphasising the importance of teamwork earlier in the movie, you’d think Eggsy and Roxy fighting hordes of henchmen together would be on the cards, but sadly that’s not the case. Hopefully she’ll be given more to do in the sequel.

And then there’s the ending. Everyone and their mums have had something to say about it. What’s my take on it?

Well here’s the thing. I admit the Swedish princess’ initial line ‘if you save the world, we can do it in the arsehole’ got a massive laugh from me just because of how unexpected it was. It came totally out of the blue and caught me off guard. From what I can tell, nobody seems to have a problem with that bit. It’s the bit that comes after where everyone starts to get uncomfortable, where Eggsy returns to her cell to claim his reward, as it were. Now... I can see what Vaughn is trying to do. The film contains a lot of self referential humour, and this seems to fall into that at first glance. The James Bond films have female characters that are little more than discardable sex objects. Why not have a woman who’s literally only there to have sex with the protagonist and then we can make fun of that fact? I get it. The problem is it feels like Vaughn is trying to have his cake and eat it too. The anal sex gag basically crosses the line between satirising a sexist trope and using a sexist trope. Maybe it would have worked better if, when she says they can do it in the arsehole, Eggsy reacted in a similar way to the audience. Just be utterly shocked by how random and out of place that line is before awkwardly making his excuses and leaving. I don’t know. Just something other than what we ended up getting because what it does is it actually reinforces the sexism that Vaughn was originally intending to take the piss out of in the first place.

It’s such a shame that the film had to end on a sour note because the rest of it is so damn good. It’s an intricately written, cleverly executed film that satirically deconstructs the spy genre in a way that’s both funny and dramatic. I eagerly await the sequel.