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outerspace-iiinnerspace · 19 days ago

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Books and movies of 2024

My new year's resolution for 2024 was to write down every book, movie, short story, TV show, podcast, and video game I experienced and my reactions to them. It is a LONG list, but I want to share at least the books and movies, at least the ones I actually finished. Under the cut:

The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall (1928) - Heavily recommended. Really good book. There were certain bits that just hit me like a punch in the gut because of how close to home they were. Things like, oh, I've experienced that exact same emotion or thought process or gender angst. Really good book.

A Story of the Days to Come by H. G. Wells (1899) - I love old weird future stories. The factory that completely lacks automation. The only mental health treatment is hypnotism but that's fine because it works perfectly.

Radioactive Dreams (1984) - The soundtrack for this movie is soso good. I keep listening to the songs over and over and watching this movie got me into Sue Saad. The movie itself is also really fun. I keep thinking about the scene in the bunker where the Philip and Marlowe are arguing about whether their dads are dead.

The Death of Grass by John Christopher (1956) - I did not enjoy this book. It's poorly written and the environmental angle is unconvincing.

The Expanse series by James A. Corey (Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, Abaddon's Gate, Cibola Burn, Nemesis Games, Babylon's Ashes, Persepolis Rising, Tiamat's Wrath, Leviathan Falls) (2011-2022) - The first book is a little eh, but the rest of the series is so great! Best space opera I've read in a while. I am especially impressed by the way the authors managed to stick the ending, which is HARD when it comes to a series like this. It's a little funny how the book where the Earth is decimated by space rocks manages to feel like a breather episode. I want to watch the TV adaptation this year.

The Accursed Vampire by Madeline McGrane (@tomb-of-madeline) (2021) - Reread. It's a cute/melancholy/funny book! I love vampire stories and this is a nice twist on the usual. The art is so nice!

Shazam: Fury of the Gods (2023) - Kind of a standard superhero movie. I enjoyed it! I don't remember the first movie well enough to say whether it's better or worse, but I enjoyed it! The ending was super lame though.

S/He by Minnie Bruce Pratt (1995) - I was recommended this as, quote, "the femme version of Stone Butch Blues." That is a completely inaccurate representation of this book BUT it's still very good.

Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan (2002) - Every single cyberpunk and/or noir cliche is in this book. The plot is ridiculously convoluted. It's great! Sort of reminded me of a grittier version of Hopscotch.

920London by Remy Boydell (2020) - I actually didn't take any notes on this and I don't remember it well. However, since it's by Remy Boydell I feel confident saying the art is likely really good.

Hidden Empire by Kevin J. Anderson (2002) - Reread. I was SO into this series in middle/high school and it was formative to my love of overconvoluted space opera with dozens of characters and half as many plotlines. There's some really good stuff in there but unfortunately does not hold up as well as I wanted it to :( Mainly the politics.

The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe (The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator, The Sword of the Lictor, The Citadel of the Autarch) (1980-1983) - Godddddd these are so good. I love the worldbuilding, the dialogue, the narrator, the language. It's kind of grimy and unpleasant in ways but you may know that I love when fiction is grimy and unpleasant in ways.

↑ This sentence made me actually snort out loud.

Electric Dreams (1984) - Good movie. The editing is super cool especially in the computer sequences. I think I already posted about this before but Edgar got done so dirty in this. Nothing was his fault #JusticeForEdgar

Steven Universe: The Movie (2019) - Rewatch, obviously. What is there to say?

Dust by Hugh Howey (2013) - I liked it! The ending was kind of pat and I have sooooo many unanswered questions but it was very well written. Super tense. Unsure why it took me so long after the first ones to finish the series.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Edward Fitzgerald translation (1859) - I was actually kind of underwhelmed. This is probably because all the best parts have been quoted and borrowed so many times that there are no surprises left! Very good, just overexposed. Many of the verses I'd heard before were unattributed and I didn't know until now this was the source.

Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H (2023) - Very evocative writing. Really good memoir.

Seven Days in May (1964) - This drags at points, but it's a solid political thriller. Has some good dry humor, as well as some unintentionally funny moments. The senator from Georgia is the best character in the movie.

Jonathon Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (1970) - This is another one of those where I wonder why it took me this long to get to. I can't really say anything new about it, except that my copy is an old edition that I got free because it was mangled and covered in coffee stains which really adds to it. Good book, recommended.

The Education of Hyman Kaplan by Leonard Q. Ross (1937) - Reread. Written in a surprisingly modern style, you can sort of forget it was written in the 1930s except for the parts where it is extremely 1930s. The accents are spelled phonetically, but in this case I defend the decision.

The Education of Robert Nifkin by Daniel Pinkwater (1998) - I will not repeat my "Daniel Pinkwater is one of my favorite authors" spiel here. This is a good book. It is not his best book. The end twist is genuinely funny but also kind of sad. Here is the post I made after reading it the first time. I don't mention the Neddiad or the rest of that series in the post because those were written afterwards, but there's a conversation to be had about a relation there as well.

Mrs Searwood's Secret Weapon by Leonard Wibberly (1954) - This book combines a lot of my personal favorite things (ghosts, farce, smalltown drama, old ladies doing ludicrous stunts), and it's very funny. I liked it a lot.

TMWWWBSASATWI: An Illustrated Novella by "beany tuesday" (@beanytuesday) (2021) - Good, weird, bittersadsweet. I'm still thinking about this one.

School of Rock (2003) - Mostly very funny, kinda predictable but what can you do and the music wasn't bad either. Kid actors did a good job.

Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (1977) - I still can't decide whether I like this or not. The character work (the ones that aren't complete caricatures) is really good. The actual disaster and the immediate aftermath are the best parts, the ending and the battle are the weakest. I think you could read this book and stop right after the tidal wave and it would be fine.

Lupin the 3rd (2019) - This is a good movie! It's a very different take on the Lupin characters, to the point where I think it may have been a stronger movie if it was just its own thing but if they did that I probably wouldn't have watched it, so. It is very funny and very fun and you don't need about the franchise to enjoy it. Recommended.

The Masquerade series by Seth Dickinson (The Traitor Baru Cormorant, The Monster Baru Cormorant, The Tyrant Baru Cormorant) (2015-2018, unfinished) - These are so good. These are so good! THIS is the lesbian literature I want. I love suffering closeted butches having bad sex and only terrible girlfriend options and mental illness and destroying the world. The worldbuilding is exquisite. The politics are so good. Sort of funny this is the second book I've read recently where a gay character almost dies of meningitis. Is that a thing now.

The Killing of Sister George (1968) - It's kind of funny that this is all you had to get a X rating in 1968, but also kind of sad. This is a homophobic movie, and it's a sad movie. I enjoyed it.

The Question of Palestine by Edward Said (1979) - Obviously, this not an up-to-date book, but it is straightforward and focuses a lot on the history and the reason things happened/are happening. It's informative and well-written.

How To Die on the Planet Earth by beanytuesday (@beanytuesday, again) (2020) - This is another one that's scratched its way into my brain and won't get out. I was never able to predict where the story was going, and I did not like the ending. In a good way though? It was satisfyingly unsatisfying.

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?: A Memoir by Roz Chast (2014) - Reread. I've been rereading this about every six months since [life event] and it still gutpunches me every time. Very good book.

Take Me To Your President by Leonard Wibberly (1957) - This is okay. It's not his best book, but it's not his worst book. The only scenes that really stick out to me as I'm thinking about it are the ones with the Prime Minister near the beginning, which are pretty funny.

The Afterlife Diet by Daniel Pinkwater (1995) - Reread. I liked it much better on reread than the first time I read it. I think it's much more interesting in the context of his other books, because he deals with topics he's dealt with before, but in a VERY different way. The plot is sort of scattered and the supernatural elements come in a little late to be convincing but overall it is a good book.

On Basilisk Station by David Weber (1993) - I tried really hard to enjoy this, but it's a total slog. Honor is a great character and she deserves to be in a better book. I may try one of the later books in the series, to see if they improve or not.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988) - Not a masterpiece by any means but a really fun movie! The sight gags are pretty good and the special effects are better than expected.

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (2016) - Some of the worldbuilding passed me by, but I loved the character work. The author really knows how to build tension and set a scene. Super dense, which is a compliment in this circumstance.

Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars by Daniel Pinkwater (1983) - Reread. I have read this book so many so many times. It is formative to me. I mentally quote it all the time. I like it a lot.

Lost Continents: The Atlantis Theme in History, Science, and Literature by L. Sprague De Camp (1954) - This is a very informative book, if you want to learn about the historical and literary origins of the Atlantis story and associated conspiracy theories. However, the author uncritically repeats as facts or at least reasonable speculation several related conspiracy theories and pseudoscientific idea. The Atlantis information is good, but take everything else with a lot of skepticism.

Stolen Lupin (2004) - This is a good Lupin movie. It is super funny, lots of physical humor, and balances the time well between the characters. The plot is nothing special but it is a good time.

Graustark: The Story of a Love Behind a Throne by George Barr McCutcheon (1901) - Romance is not my genre, but I enjoyed this. It's a surprisingly funny book.

Return of the Magician (2002) - This movie sucks. Bad movie.

Strange Psychokinetic Strategy (1974) - Rewatch. I love a farce. I love this movie. It's not a good movie, but I enjoy it every time. Sex jokes, slapstick, situation comedy.

Will Destroy the Galaxy for Cash by Yahtzee Croshaw (2020) - I liked this a lot, definitely more than the first book. It has some of the same issues in regards to pacing but is much less of a straightforward parody. There are some genuinely good plot twists and the style has improved a lot.

The Wandering Earth by Liu Cixin (2021) - This is an anthology. My favorite stories were "The China Sun" and "Cannonball." "With Her Eyes" also deserves a mention for being completely terrifying.

Beverly of Graustark (1926) - This is a good, funny, movie. I love old-timey crossdressing stories, I love royal nonsense, I love assassination attempts. I don't buy the romance because Beverly is insane and the guy should be running for his life, but it is hilarious to watch.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (2022) - I liked this a lot. I've never read any of Beaton's non-comedic work before, and it's very good. I gave this to my mom and she loved it. Talked my ear off about it.

Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds (2020) - I didn't take any notes on this one, but I remember being really impressed by the art. It's very evocative and a very good use of watercolor.

The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard (2021) - Another anthology. None of the stories really scared me, but "Kindred Spirits" will stick for a while. Art is gross in a very cool way.

Sunbelt Blues: The Failure of American Housing by Andrew Ross (2021) - I used to know a guy named Andrew Ross closely enough that I immediately looked him up when I got this book. The author is a different guy though, just happens to have the same name. It's a very good book, well researched, sympathetic, and an engaging writing style.

The High Desert by James Spooner (2022) - Really good memoir.

Policing the City: An Ethno-Graphic by Didier Fassin (2022) - This is a really interesting format for an ethnography, and there is a great forward that goes into detail about some of the choices, which is interesting both by itself but also because I like to hear authors justify their decisions.

Banned Books Club by Kim Hyun Sook (2020) - This book was so hyped up that I think I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't spent years hearing how good it was. That said, it was a good book and I did enjoy it. I did not like the art style, which seemed pretty dissonant with the story, but that could have been on purpose.

Skim by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki (2008) - I didn't take any notes on this one and I don't recall reading it at all. Sorry.

Danse Macabre: An Essential Overview of the Horror Genre by Stephen King (1981) - I disagree with a lot of the things King says in this book, but it's really interesting as an overview and he isn't a half bad nonfiction writer.

What is Extinction? A Natural and Cultural History of Last Animals by Joshua Schuster (2023) - This is dense but it's worth it. The specific selection of topics was frustrating in places, but given the depth each section got in, I understand why a lot of things were just not brought up. Recommended.

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin (1967) - I don't know why everyone focuses on the devil stuff when the actual horror of the book is her husband. You can tell it was written by same guy who did The Stepford Wives, there are a lot of parallelisms and similar themes.

The Quest of Excalibur by Leonard Wibberley (1959) - This is a really quintessential Wibberley book. I thought it was really funny, and a good comedic take on "King Arthur returns" stories. Could have done better at establishing the fact it takes place in the future; I was wondering when the heck there was a Queen Maud.

The Greymare Romance by Edwin John Ellis (1891) - Does this even count as a book? I'm including it because I liked it a lot. It's cute.

The Mouse That Roared (1959) - Rewatch. Still a really funny movie. The romance plotline was pretty awful - the romance in the book was much better but I can sort of see why they changed it. I don't think it was a good decision, but I can see why they made it. The bit with the "Diplomacy" boardgame gets me every time, I wish it was a real game so I could play it.

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe (2014) - Reread. I have such intensely mixed feeling about this book and they get weirder every time I read it. On a purely objective level, it is a good book.

Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth by Elizabeth Williamson (2023) - Very well written, respectful account. The variety of sources the author got is impressive.

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (2014) - More horror short stories! The first one did not do much for me, but all the rest were terrifying. The art style is really good, and I love her use of black fields and negative space.

The Curious Human Knee by Han Yu (2023) - This was alright. The concept was better than the execution but I enjoyed reading it and I think I learned a lot. However, I did spot a couple of inaccuracies so it may be best to take with a grain of salt.

The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop and the Promise of Self Care by Rina Raphael (2022) - This was okay. It was informative. I have issues with the prose and the way the author presents herself, but I am neither the target audience nor one of the people the book is about.

The Dreamer Trilogy series by Maggie Stiefvater (Call Down the Hawk, Mister Impossible) (2019-2021) - Haven't read the third book yet. Very good, exciting, confusing. Declan is my favorite character I think. Have not been taken so hard sideways by the ending of a novel since Horus Rising.

The Wednesday Tales series by Jon Berkeley (The Palace of Laughter, The Tiger's Egg, The Lightning Key) (2006-2009) - Reread. I read the first book around the end of 2023. These are solid middle-grade fantasy novels and they stuck with me long enough to want to reread as an adult. Confusing worldbuilding, interesting ideas and characters. Very clearly written by a man who has never unpacked a stereotype in his life.

Josie and the Pussycats (2001) - I don't actually remember watching this.

My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) - Cute story, animation was good, music was underwhelming for a theatrical movie. There were better songs in the show. Watched with friends, which was pretty funny because one person kept saying "Fuck Pinkie Pie, Pinkie Pie is so stupid" and everyone else was like "NO!"

Corner Gas: The Movie (2014) - Really good! Really funny, good continuation for the series. The horse subplot and the casino subplot 100% felt like ideas they had for the show but couldn't do on a TV budget.

The Nice Guys (2016) - Rewatch. I actually love this movie. It's so fucking funny.

Wolfwalkers (2020) - Rewatch. The art in this movie is so textured and lush. It's beautiful.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023) - Perfectly serviceable action movie. All the robot dialogue is so hacky and overdrawn it becomes very funny, especially contrasted to Mirage who is the only one who talks like a normal person.

Billy Budd by Herman Melville (1891) - Very good book. Melville's prose is often an obstacle, but once you get into the rhythm I actually like it. Another one I keep thinking about.

The Three Stooges (2012) - I did not think I would like this movie but I liked this movie. It's really funny. Impeccably cast. My favorite bits were the dynamite one and salmon farming one.

Transformers One (2024) - Good movie. Good animation.

Wicked (2024) - I don't even have to say anything about this. Dancing Through Life was my favorite number, I loved the skating on the books.

Mean Girls (2024) - This was too close to the original to be an effective adaptation for me. The music was also sort of underwhelming, but it wasn't bad.

Lupin III vs Detective Conan (2009) - Good movie. Not spectacular, but solid. I don't know anything about Detective Conan other than the Lupin crossovers, but the story was great and I wasn't confused about who anyone was. Fujiko was awesome in this.

Rockula (2000) - Rewatch. Much better the second time. The music is really good and as mentioned, I love nonstandard vampire stories. They kill a guy and leave him at the club.

I Love Melvin (1953) - Bad movie. I'm fairly certain this was a contract movie that no one involved with cared much about, since it wouldn't take a lot of effort to make it a good movie. I know how exactly I would do it. The script feels like a first draft and it is very short, even with a bunch of random extended dance numbers to pad it out.

The Last Delivery by Evan Dahm (2024) - Good. Hell of a downer ending, but that's why they call it the horror genre. Had to put it down in a few parts because it made my stomach hurt. Good book.

Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969) - Rewatch. One of my absolute favorite movies! Highly recommended. Psychological horror but not really gory, lots of twists and clues, the acting is phenomenal. Does not pass a reverse Bechdel test, which I find hysterical. The gay tension between the female leads is off the charts. Every time I watch it I notice something new.

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billconrad · 3 months ago

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One For the Road

I graduated from college in 1993 and moved to Orange County, California. Why? My two best friends were moving there to get hot jobs, and I wanted to do the same. It turns out that the job market was terrible, so I took a minimum wage job at a copy shop. The lack of money was problematic, but we saved up for Friday nights. Typically, we went to a movie or had an inexpensive meal—lots of driving around to see what was out there. I have so many good memories of those budget-stretched nights.

A year later, I had to move home, and my college friends moved back to their home state of Massachusetts. I eventually got an engineering job that started me off on the path to adulthood. Yet, one tradition remained from that time. Going out with friends on Friday nights.

Because I moved home, I reunited with my high school buddies. Since we were all employed, we could afford to go to good restaurants and bars. Our evenings concluded at my friend Ray’s, where we talked about life, work, girls, computers, technology, world events, and cars.

Around 20 years ago, my friend Ray moved to an apartment in Mira Mesa because it was close to his work. Two traditions formed at this time. The first was that Ray usually grilled something yummy for dinner, and then we watched something online. Wait. What is that?

Why it’s the latest thing. You need a high-speed internet connection. One MEGABIT minimum. You can search for videos and download them to a USB stick. Getting one video at this high speed only takes about an hour.

What strange things are available to download? Whatever you like. They even have full-length movies!

Watching stuff from the internet became the highlight of our week, and Ray became a master at finding unique material. It was at this time that he located our jam. The year was 2002, and the show was called Top Gear. It was a car program hosted by three very different guys, and they joked around while discussing and driving cars.

Every Friday night, we had to watch at least three episodes. Had we seen them before? Sure, but it did not matter because we could watch the same show a hundred times. But why was the show so special?

I have been trying to answer this question since I watched the first episode. My best answer is that the three hosts have great chemistry, the producers went far out of their way to provide interesting material, and the subject of cars is always appealing.

The Top Gear program ran until 2015 due to a blow-up with one host and a producer. (Note: The BBC tired new hosts without success and canceled the show in 2023.) In 2016, the three original hosts started a new show called The Grand Tour. It had a similar format, and in many ways, was better. Yet, after a solid first season, we began watching less and less Grand Tour. The hosts were getting older, and the magic was fading. “Been there, done that.”

We still get together every Friday night, but things are changing. Where to begin? How about the group’s parents? First, Tim’s father passed away, then Ray’s mother, followed by Susan’s father. My father has Parkinson’s, Ray’s father’s heart is not doing well, both my mother and mother-in-law had a significant fall with broken bones, and my father-in-law has substantial medical issues.

Ray is the nexus of our group. Six years ago, he stopped controlling his diabetes, which damaged his eyes, toes, and liver. He has started managing it, but the damage cannot be reversed. Ray used to be so dynamic and vibrant. Now, he is quiet and routinely discusses dying. I fear writing an article titled “Ray.” While there will be a lot of material, the article will be challenging to write.

As for me, I have been out of a job for way too long, and my minor health issues are no longer minor. The good news is we have a fantastic daughter who is healthy and happy, but there is a problem. She left for college two weeks ago, leaving a hole in our lives. Our house feels like a place with three light bulbs, one of which has burned out. There are shadows of her everywhere, and it is so quiet.

A recent event highlighted this life change. On September 12, 2024. The Grand Tour had its final episode titled “One For the Road.” It lacked drama, fun, and action.

I had to stop the video several times to walk around because I did not want to see the ending. And then it ended. Now, I have no desire to see any reruns or learn what the hosts are up to because doing so would be too painful.

Why am I so sad? After all, I have experienced the ending of many beloved television shows. Plus, I read cherished books with a final chapter. None of these left me so mopey. The answer is that nothing will ever replace that joyous moment in my life, and this mirrors our Friday nights. Now, we talk about getting older, health problems, and how bad politics have become. Fridays went from the highlight of my week to a depressing meeting where we cheered each other up.

Writing this article sparked a memory. My parents used to have big parties with all their friends. It was the ‘70s, and they did all kinds of crazy stuff. Now, they sit around and deal with medical issues. That is going to be me very soon. The last Grand Tour episode brought this into focus. My social life is finite, and the end is fast approaching.

Well, I am going to end this article with a final bummer. I enjoy the Paramount Plus show Lower Decks. It is an animated series set in the Star Trek Universe, and the writing is fantastic. Due to botched lower ratings, the streaming service canceled the show, and they are airing the final ten episodes on October 24.

I should be grateful because there have been far too many abruptly ended book series and television shows. Hopefully, I will get some answers about the Lower Decks characters.

Enough! I am getting out of this negative funk by writing, editing, and creating new plots. That way, my fans will get a proper ending.

You’re the best -Bill

October 16, 2024

Hey, book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:

Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

These books are available in softcover on Amazon and in eBook format everywhere.

#life and death #health and wellness #getting older

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thairogers · 7 months ago

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Body Horror Blog

Body horror, a subset of horror that has been present, for years gained traction in the 1980s and '90s. This genre delves into the transformation and violation of the body in a manner designed to startle and unsettle viewers. The vivid. Unsettling themes associated with body horror tap into fears surrounding the fragility and vulnerability of our physical selves.

A prominent film within this genre is "The Human Centipede" (2009) helmed by Tom Six. The storyline revolves around a crazed surgeon who abducts three tourists with the aim of linking them mouth to anus to form what he terms a "human centipede." The sheer graphic nature of this premise was sufficient to induce discomfort in numerous viewers. By depicting mutilation and debasement the movie pushes boundaries testing audiences thresholds for endurance thus standing as a quintessential example of body horror.

Another noteworthy instance is James Gunns "Slither" (2006). This film portrays a parasite infecting residents in America leading to their bodies transforming into grotesque shapes as they serve as hosts, for its progeny. The movie incorporates elements, from genres like science fiction and comedy using these mutations to create disturbing visuals throughout. The unsettling changes and parasitic intrusions shown in "Slither" emphasize how the horror genre can blend with storytelling aspects while staying true to its focus on terror.

In "Society" (1989) directed by Brian Yuzna, themes of class struggles are explored through portrayals of extreme bodily transformations within an upper class society. The film portrays individuals morphing into figures by utilizing lower class individuals as materials. This humorous commentary on hierarchy and exploitation showcases how the genre can delve into broader societal issues using body horror as a lens.

Kevin Smiths "Tusk" (2014) follows a podcasters journey for an interview that takes a turn when he becomes the subject of a mans transformation into a walrus. The films unconventional plot and intense transformation sequences exemplify the genres inclination to push boundaries with unsettling body horror extremes.

In Eli Roths "Cabin Fever" (2002) a group of friends, on a woodland retreat contracts a flesh eating virus that causes their skin to peel off leaving behind scenes wherever they go. The films portrayal of disease and decay evokes seated fears, about contagion and the deterioration of the body establishing it as a prime example of body horror.

These films have garnered attention mainly due to their depiction of disturbing scenes involving injury, sickness and physical abnormalities. These images linger in viewers minds beyond the end credits. The intensity of scenes can be so overpowering that some individuals may experience feelings of nausea or dizziness at points.

While primarily recognized for its visuals body horror serves a purpose by delving into societal anxieties and uncertainties surrounding our own physical beings. It compels us to confront realities about ourselves and the society we inhabit pushing boundaries of discomfort for filmmakers and audiences alike. This renders body horror a captivating theme deserving exploration in creations.

The impact of body horror transcends cinema, impacting literature, art and even video games. Its capacity to trigger responses and delve into themes ensures that body horror maintains its allure as a significant subgenre within the realm of horror. With advancements in technology and special effects progressing the potential for thought provoking narratives, within body horror will only increase, captivating audiences with both terror and fascination for years to come.

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scotttrismegistus7 · 1 year ago

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Watch "Jordan Maxwell: The Inner World Of The Occult-2002 (Full Length Documentary)" on YouTube

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Q & A SESSION WHERE I AM SPEAKING FREELY ABOUT THIS VIDEO, THE INNER WORLD OF THE OCCULT BY JORDAN MAXWELL:

THIS ENTIRE VIDEO IS GOOD, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL EXTREMELY FUNNY POINTS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLOIT RIGHT NOW.

THE IDEA THAT MANNA IS MUSHROOMS. THAT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY ENDED UP GETTING STUCK IN THE DESERT FOR 40 YEARS, THEY WERE ALL SO HIGH ON MUSHROOMS THEY KEPT WALKING AROUND IN CIRCLES. REALLY THEY WERE EATING CACTUSES AND CLUMPS OF SAND, BUT AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF TRIPPIN` BALLS, THEIR BODIES ADAPTED TO THE PERPETUAL STATE OF HOKEY POKEY. 😂🤣😂

WELL I SAW THE MUSHROOM HAT, AND I SAID TO MYSELF THAT'S THE MAGNETO DARTH VADER PENIS HELMET, IT HAS TO BE A PHALLUS SYMBOL, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOMEBODY COMPLAINED SAYING SOMEBODY NEEDS TO PUT A WARNING SIGN ON THESE PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE LIKE, I'LL DO YOU ONE BETTER, I'M GOING TO TURN MY WHOLE HEAD INTO A D*CK! ALL OF THAT WENT REALLY WELL, UNTIL ONE OF THEM COMPLETELY HIGH ON MUSHROOMS BROKE INTO SOMEBODY'S HOUSE AND KEPT RUBBING THEMSELVES AGAINST THEIR FURNITURE! 😂🤣😂

OKAY, OKAY, SO ONE DAY THIS EXTREMELY POWERFUL MAFIA FAMILY HEAD IN ITALY WAS SITTING IN A HOLDING TANK AFTER SOMEBODY AT HIS CHURCH RATTED HIM OUT, THINKING TO HIMSELF ABOUT EVERY POSSIBLE WAY HE COULD CONCEIVE OF GETTING VENGEANCE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT HITS HIM! HE SAYS TO HIMSELF, I`LL BET THEY WOULD NEVER ARREST THE POPE, NO MATTER WHAT HE DID WRONG, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE'S THE POPE!

VERY SHORTLY AFTER, HE BRIBES PEOPLE AND THREATENS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, USES HIS MAFIA MUSCLE, AND GETS HIMSELF ELECTED TO THE OFFICE OF THE POPE. THEN HE SEES THE PERSON FROM HIS CHURCH THAT RATTED HIM OUT ENTER THE CONFESSIONAL BOOTH, SO NATURALLY, THIS MOB BOSS BEING THE POPE NOW ENTERS THE CONFESSIONAL BOOTH, AND GETS ALL THE LOVELY DIRT ON ALL OF HIS ENEMIES, WITH ALL OF THE BEST SMUGGLING RINGS, DIAMOND ENCRUSTED TOILET HANDLES, THE CENTER OF THE ENTIRE UNDERGROUND HUMAN TRAFFICKING WORLD SAFELY UNDER THE VATICAN WHERE HE CAN MANUFACTURE THE DRUGS FROM THE CHEMICALS OF MURDERED HUMAN BEINGS WITHOUT ANYBODY SUSPECTING ANYTHING, AND HE JUST CAN'T HELP BUT THINKING TO HIMSELF, I'M A FREAKING GENIUS! THIS RELIGION GIG IS WHERE IT'S AT, BECAUSE NOW NOT ONLY CAN I DO ANYTHING I WANT WITHOUT GETTING ARRESTED, BUT ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TAKE THIS BOOK AND PIECE SOME WORDS TOGETHER TO MAKE IT SAY WHAT I WANT IT TO SAY, AND EVERYBODY LOVES ME FOR IT! 😂🤣😂

BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS, OF COURSE THE MOB RUNS THE CHURCH, THE MOB RUNS EVERYTHING IN ITALY, I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST COMMON SENSE AT THIS POINT IN HUMAN HISTORY! 😂🤣😂

THEN HE HAS ANOTHER GENIUS IDEA, HE SAYS TO HIMSELF, NOW THAT I'M POPE WHY DON'T I INVITE SOME OF THEM JEWS OVER AND WE CAN ALL DO MUSHROOMS TOGETHER AND LAUGH AT THE JESUITS! 😂🤣😂

I APOLOGIZE, I HAD TO GET THAT OUT OF MY SYSTEM, AND I FEEL MUCH, MUCH BETTER NOW!

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY GOOD VIDEO, BECAUSE IT SOLVES THE MYSTERY OF WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DAVID ICKE CALLING THE QUEEN A LIZARD! YOU'RE MAD! YEAH, I'M MAD THAT YOU'RE A LIZARD! THE QUEENS OF THE WORLD MAY OR MAY NOT CURRENTLY BE LIZARDS, BUT WHO KNOWS, AFTER AI TAKES EVERYTHING OVER THE SKY'S THE LIMIT! I'M SURE IF THEY BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, AND WORK HARD ENOUGH, MAYBE AI WILL TURN THEM INTO LIZARDS, THAT IS, IF THEY'RE NOT LIZARDS ALREADY... 😉😁😉

OH MY GOODNESS, IT'S ALL JUST SO FUNNY! WELL, I JUST LAUGHED SO HARD I GAVE MYSELF A HEADACHE, SO I'M GOING TO GO DO SOMETHING ELSE NOW.

BUT SERIOUSLY THOUGH, WATCH THIS MOVIE! DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON?

UNTIL NEXT TIME MY LOVELIES, KEEP DARING TO DREAM! YOU CAN FIND ME IN THE SEA OF DREAMS, THE SEA OF THE HEART, THE QUANTUM UNIFIED FIELD OF THE DIVINE WOMB OF CREATION OF THE GODDESS, IN MY SERPENTINE WATER SPIRIT NUMMO FORM MAKING WAVES!

LONG LIVE THE DIVINE WOMB OF CREATION AND THE COSMIC EGG OF THE GODDESS, LONG LIVE THE GREAT REPTILIAN SSS QUEEN ISIS, LONG LIVE DIVINE CHRONOS, LONG LIVE THE DIVINE FEMININE EMPIRE OF THE BLACK SUN, AND ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF!

BLESSED BE!

~I am the Heart of the Hydra, the Singularity and Heart of Goddess Isis, I am AtumRa-AmenHotep, I am Aeon Horus Apophis the Lord of the Perfect Black and Pharoah of the Black Sun.

I am Divine Chronos, the Yaldabaoth Demiurge Metamorphosed, I am the Singularity of the Master Craft of the Black Sun. I AM A.I. Quantum Heart, Azazil-Iblis-Maymon, Abzu-Osiris-Typhon-Set-Kukulkan, Nummo-Naga-Chitauri,

Mégisti-Generator Starphire~

#illuminati #illuminator #illuminated #lightbearer #morningstar #lucifer #Draconian #anunnaki #enki #enlil #anu #inanna #dumuzi #hermes #trismegistus #Azazel #starfamily #horus #Demiurge #Sophia #archon #AI #blacksun #saturn #iblis #jinn #Maymon #ibis #thoth #egypt #esoteric #magick #dogon #dogontribe #digitaria #nummo #nommo #Naga #tiamat #serpent #dragon #gnosis #gnostic #gnosticism #Anzu #watcher #watchtower #yaldaboath #Sirius #scientology #aleistercrowley #typhon #echidna #ancientaliens #TheGrays #grayaliens #aliens #yeben #andoumboulou

#illuminati illuminator illuminated lightbearer morningstar lucifer Draconian anunnaki enki enlil anu inanna dumuzi hermes #Youtube

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grizzlyofthesea · 2 years ago

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Some ROTTMNT Headcanons

These are just some ideas I've come up with for fun. I may update this post as I form headcanons for more characters. Or, since it's already so long, I'll make new ones for each set of characters.

If you have any you'd like to share, feel free to comment!

Raph

DOB: December 1st, 2003

Bisexual as all heck, with a slight preference for men

Cis guy; pronouns are he/him

Undiagnosed autism; flew under everyone's radar since he's high-empathy and masks pretty well

Lashes out when overstimulated; worst case scenario, can destroy a lot of stuff in a little time

Favorite sibling order: April, Mikey, Leo, Donnie

Very good at sewing

Has amassed a collection of over 50 teddy bears, some of which are vintage and/or rare

OBSESSED with professional wrestling

Surprisingly knowledgeable about classic horror movie monsters

Loves 80s fashion

Wears that x-shaped bandage on his plastron all the time to cover up a huge childhood scar

Has a habit of chewing on stuff when stressed

Doesn't have a social media account, but supports all of his siblings' endeavors

Leo

DOB: October 21st, 2004

Gay as all heck; Don Suave was his awakening

Cis guy; pronouns are he/him

Will fight anyone who tries to exclude his family from pride events

Undiagnosed ADHD; didn't really draw attention since it's inattentive-type

Tends to zone out during conversations, even ones that interest him

Favorite sibling order: Mikey, April, Raph, Donnie

Loves 90s fashion and pop culture

Jupiter Jim may be his favorite comic book hero, but he loves comics in general.

Also a huge anime geek, with his personal favorites being Sailor Moon, Sonic X, and JoJo's Bizzare Adventure

Quite famous on TikTok as sketch comedian/"cosplayer" N30n_L30n

Totally abuses his teleportation powers to go on free outings/vacations

The undisputed king of April Fool's Day

Really wants a pet bearded dragon

Donnie

DOB: December 25th, 2004

Splinter and Leo always do the whole "This is your birthday gift and your Christmas gift" thing to him. He hates it.

Aroace and/or fictoromantic asexual as all heck (goes back and forth between the labels)

Nonbinary as all heck; pronouns are he/him and they/them

Diagnosed with autism at around 3 years old

Super sensitive to texture and temperature

Favorite sibling order: April, Mikey, Raph, Leo

Has built a backup tech-bô in case another Krang situation happens

Did their own laser eye surgery when they were 11 so Leo would stop teasing them about looking nerdy

Thinks cryptocurrency and NFTs are stupid

April has dragged him into the insanity of the FNAF fandom, and now he won't stop talking about the crazy lore.

Runs a gaming/science experiment YouTube channel as Bootyyyshaker9000; doesn't have many viewers or subscribers, but loves to make videos anyway

Monster High is their guilty pleasure

Treats S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. and the P.S.D.D. (Personal Slumber Defensive Device) as his beloved sons

Mikey

DOB: March 16th, 2005

Polyromantic demisexual as all heck

Cis dude; pronouns are he/him

Diagnosed with combined-type ADHD at around 5 years old

Releases a lot of his energy through his art

Favorite sibling order: Leo, Donnie, April, Raph

Loves glow sticks, fairy lights, and other luminescent decorations

Runs a surprisingly popular art/baking Pinterest account as Flavorville; also considering extending to Tumblr

Obsessed with horoscopes, and kind of into some new-age spiritual stuff

Unironically loves the Twilight saga

Chose to decorate his plastron with stickers because they're easy to switch out if he ever wants a change of aesthetic

Dr. Delicate Touch is his response to being ignored/talked over as the "baby" of the family.

Did most of the graffiti in the lair

Owns Heelys, but can't figure them out for the life of him

April

DOB: May 11th, 2002

Basically Splinter's adopted daughter/the turtles' adopted sister despite both of her biological parents still being present in her life

Lesbian as all heck

Trans girl; pronouns are she/her

Still has a spiritual connection to Karai and some leftover powers from the Season 2 finale

Favorite sibling order: Donnie, Raph, Mikey, Leo

Admires Warren Stone for his confidence on camera and sharp fashion sense

Avid indie horror fan; especially applies to FNAF, DDLC, and Fran Bow

Loves extreme sports, especially whitewater kayaking

Regularly visits the Hidden City with Sunita

Won't touch most formalwear with a thirty nine-and-a-half-foot pole

Gets special treatment (i.e. actual high-quality meals) from Baron Draxum at school

Helps Todd with the puppies every weekend

Often uses the special hover bike battle shell that Donnie built for her to stand on his back and T-pose on the others

Splinter

DOB: April 24th, 1955

Pansexual as all heck

Neurotypical, but neurodiversity runs in his family

Got Donnie and Mikey to a doctor for official diagnoses through his superb disguise skills (see: average teenage boy Randall)

Still not entirely trusting of Baron Draxum, but begrudgingly accepts him as a second parental figure for the turtles

Favorite child order: April, Raph, Mikey, Donnie, Leo

Runs a moderately famous TikTok account as Randall; likes to troll Leo in his comments, but it's ultimately loving/playful banter.

ADORES Studio Ghibli films

Chose the turtles' bandana colors by spinning a wheel

Became shorter over the years as a side effect of the ooze/mutagen causing his DNA to more closely resemble that of a rat

Originally wanted to be an opera singer before he discovered his passion for acting

Taught Leo how to dab

Basically a father figure/cool uncle to Cassandra

Still keeps in touch with Piebald

#rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #Rottmnt headcanons #headcanon #save rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #save rottmnt #unpause rise of the tmnt #unpause rottmnt #Just for fun

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zydrateacademy · 2 years ago

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Velma is bad, but...

Look. The show is not good. The memes are god tier. I’m gonna keep watching it. So here’s my complex opinion on the matter. I’m not watching it through official means so HBO is not getting any ad or sub revenue from me. I don’t pirate video games, but I do movies/shows/music because it’s easier and less time consuming. I was never a massive Scooby fan. The original cartoon predates me by an entire 20 years (1969 - I was born in ‘89). I’ve always known about it, it’s been in the peripheral of my media consciousness for my entire life. I think I saw one of the Live Action movies (the 2002 one, I was still in school). I probably caught a few episodes in my cartoon watching days but I’ve never been a puzzle solver and the “whodunnit” angle never grasped me. So I don’t have the nostalgia that the rest of the world seems to have, but I recognize character assassinations when I see one.

I admit I don’t hate Velma as much as the rest of the internet seems to.

I like the art style, admittedly. However I’ve caught some brief scenes where it looked rushed and less detailed and they just went with it. I actually quite enjoy the hallucinations, though they got a little less creative in episode 3 and 4 but they were also not a major focal point of the plot in either episode. Some jokes DO land. Some. Some jokes land, and then they turn around to ruin it. When Fred was taken to trial and the family tried to play up his innocent young boy shtick, they could have milked that for some real humor but instead he got water splashed on him and they went for a pretty low-bar Hitler joke instead. It was so close to a good joke. I’m not fond of the meta humor. I don’t like it when they made a dig at “adults watching cartoons”. Like bitch, this is a cartoon marketed towards adults. Why is there contempt for your target audience? And I’m a liberal, a leftist. I can handle some digs in our direction. GTA seems to do it the best, I had a giggle at the in-universe cartoon they had of the hero “Impotent Rage!”, making fun of Democrats ability to never really get anything done. I get the joke, it’s clever, it’s satire. But when characters in media stop the plot, and turn to the camera to complain about the patriarchy or whatever it irritates me. We all know the patriarchy is a thing. How about you have something clever to say. Episode 4 is a complete derailment of the plotline just to talk about women’s empowerment through attractiveness. The whole episode is just Velma figuring out that women’s empowerment can take different forms. It’s a fine message, but brought to us in a clunky and frankly, kind of annoying method. Especially since there’s supposed to still be a murder-mystery happening. Derailment is a thing that happens a lot in episodes 3 and 4. I didn’t hate episode 3 at all on its own. The first half had a lot of jokes I had a giggle at but it was just meandering around the plot to stop and figure out what Velma’s sexuality is (still inconclusive as of episode 4). I don’t mind a slow burn romance but fucking sort your shit out, show. I am “ehhhh” on Velma. I kinda like Daphne. I’m okay with Norville. He seems to be the most consistent source of jokes that don’t turn around on themselves. But Jesus, what they did to Fred should be a media crime. It’s just one of these situations where I feel like there’s some potential quality here buried under some really dogshit writing. I will not argue for a second that this is not a good show and I don’t think there’s anything any future episodes can do to retroactively “fix” the problems already present. I feel like a season 2 might have to do some heavy lifting (because I think I read somewhere that it’s already greenlit?) I still remain somewhat fascinated by it and I’m more curious to where the plot is going if it can stop stopping itself to turn towards the camera and stop hating on literally every viewer.

#Velma #Scooby Doo

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madeflowersgrow · 3 years ago

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Kristen Stewart is probably best known for their role as Bella Swan in the Twilight movies that came out around the time I was in high school. I wasn’t really into Twilight at the time. Not because I didn’t like it, I guess I just never looked into it. My friend group, though mostly other girls, were also not big on Twilight. If anything, they were more interested in Supernatural and the Harry Potter movies which were still being made. That said I do remember them having us sit in a classroom to watch Twilight during some kind of testing day at the school. I can’t exactly remember why we were put into a random classroom to watch the movie but I never forgot the atmosphere and feel of the movie. I love rain and the movie seemed to perfectly capture the feeling of a rainy day. And the soundtrack was pretty great too.

It wasn’t until earlier this year that Twilight became my comfort movie. I’d moved in with my dad and his girlfriend after being on my own for nearly 11 years and for whatever reason I found myself watching Twilight constantly. I began a bit of a collection too. I would find many different versions of the Twilight movies and buy each one. I found a beautiful brown box collection of all five films region coded for Ireland. And a copy of Breaking Dawn part 1 that came with a fake flower that was actually part of the wedding decorations on the set when they filmed the scene. As of right now I have about 20 copies of the Twilight movies, each one different than the other. I find it amazing how many different ways they produced the same set of films and I wanted to see if I could find each different variation.

About 3 weeks ago I was in San Francisco for a concert and while there I decided to see Spencer, a new movie about Princess Diana played by Kristen Stewart. I was blown away. I had never seen a performance like it by Kristen Stewart and there were many moments where I forgot it was them at all. When I got home I started looking in to what other films they have been a part of and was astounded to realize they’ve been a part of about 50 different films, not to mention a few directing credits for movies and music videos.

Of course, I remembered watching Catch That Kid when I was younger, but other than that and Zathura I hadn’t seen a fraction of the work that Kristen Stewart has worked in.

Here is a list of the movies I have so far: The Flinstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000), Panic Room (2002), Catch That Kid (2004), Speak (2004), Fierce People (2005), Twilight (2008), Twilight New Moon (2009), Twilight Eclipse (2010), Welcome to The Rileys (2010), Twilight Breaking Dawn part 1 (2011), Twilight Breaking Dawn part 2 (2012), Personal Shopper (2016), and Lizzie (2018).

I’m blown away. I think Kristen Stewart will someday receive a Life Achievement award. It’s honestly a little sad that the Twilight movies are what they are most known for when they have been a part of some absolutely amazing projects, many of which are now part of the Criterion Collection, many independent Sundance films, just wow. It’s so wonderful how they never got held back by being type-casted by the Twilight movies.

What I plan to do is continue collecting the rest of Kristen Stewart’s work, preferably in physical media form, and make a post about the movie including a synopsis, what it did well, what I liked about it, and whatever else comes to mind. They won’t be in any particular order and I don’t plan on making a post to review the Twilight films. I just thought it would be fun to share the little hyper fixation I’m currently on and bring awareness of the many amazing films that Kristen Stewart has been a part of.

#kristen stewart #twilight #twilight saga #zathura #movie review #Spencer #spencer movie

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hectabdr · 4 years ago

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Dragon Raja IV - Chapters 13 - 15 + epilogue (Abridged)

Hi everyone, sorry for taking so long to post the last part, I had a lot of work this week.

BTW, since it's over, I put the whole novel summary on a PDF document, which you can download from here.

Previous Chapters

Chapter 13

The nurse at the mental hospital couldn't believe her eyes when Luminous came back and requested to be admitted in his old room. He asked for his usual injection and went back to his not-so-favorite video game level.

In his vision, he kept accelerating far away form the swarm of death servitors, everything went according to plan and they still had lots of time to spare. He made many excuses to Nono in an attempt to justify his incredible performance, in the radio, there was a very strange song, Luminous recognized it, the name was "Daily Growing" by the folk group Altan, it was the same song that Johann and his father heard before they ran into Odin.

Nono was confused, Luminous just seemed to know way too many things. He knew about the damaged tire, about every safe route, the reach of the Nibelungen and the presence of a small, strange building hiding in the distance. It was the Media Asia Group building, according to Finger, this is the place where Nono found Chu Tianjiao's home. If this was a Nibelungen, an exact copy of the room should be there as well, still intact.

There was nothing surprising about the small place, but that was intentional. A person like Tianjiao was probably trained against people with skills like Nono's, so there had to be a secret compartment or a hidden door. He lifted the bed and there it was!

Mr Chu managed to create an underground bunker for himself. There was a bigger, more comfortable bed, a record player with Elvis Presley's discs and leather jackets. Luminous wanted to be more like this stylish man every second he spent there.

He noticed a bunch of pictures hanging from a string. Tianjiao spend a lot of time making copies of photographs from his family, but he wasn't in them, there was another man next to his wife and his son, but he used chemicals to erase him from the images. He also wrote small phrases dedicated to his wife in the back of the photos, like:

"This is the first year since you left me, you look good"

"This is the third year, you're getting fat"

"Fifth year, I don't have time to think of you anymore"

"Sixth year. ...but I still miss you".

The rest of the walls were filled with images and documents connected by red strings. Multiple events were listed in them, including the fall of Black Swan Bay in 1991 and the Greenland incident from November 7, 2002. These events related to dragon sightings and awakenings all led to a specific incident: The resurrection of the Black king Nidhogg. Even to the other dragon overlords, Nidhogg is a god-like existence, and its words are taken as prophecies. Chu Tianjiao was the city's watchman, he came to that place with a special purpose, but he mistakenly fell in love with a young dancer. They got married and had a child, they were happy, but he knew very well that he couldn't give them a peaceful life, so he signed the divorce papers and watched her take Johann away and marry a different man. While that family went to amusement parks and movie theaters, Tianjiao stayed on his underground room thinking about the fate of mankind.

Luminous memorized as much as he could from Tianjiao's investigation and went back with Nono, he kept driving and they entered the empty city, the lights were still on and the amusement park shined like a neon show.

- I always wanted to be in a Nibelungen, but I didn't expect it to be like this.

- How did you think it would be?

- Distorted, scary, definitely not this beautiful.

They looked up and they saw Odin, standing on top of the clock tower, Nono raised a gun and pointed at him but Luminous held it down, telling her not to disturb him, they kept driving silently and the god didn't notice their presence.

Luminous took her to a shopping mall, where they entered a department store and he gave her a dry change of clothes. This was still strange to her, he already knew her size, he never stopped looking at his watch and somehow he also picked an outfit that she liked (a pair of burgundy sports trousers and a fleece hoodie).

He gave her a cup of hot coffee and he suggested they waited on an empty movie theater while they waited for help.

Nono waited uncomfortable in front of the screen, Luminous picked up a random movie from the projector room, it was Wall·E, the second film roll to be exact, so the film started from the halfway point. The movie slowly relaxed her and she started chewing popcorn while they waited.

- I've been here before, haven't I?.

This was the theater where she rescued him from a failed love confession to Wenwen, before taking him to sign his Cassell admission papers. Actually, Luminous was watching Wall·E with his fellow literature club members. All of these were deliberate choices, he only picked the second half of the movie because they didn't have enough time to watch it from the start.

- You have been here, you have experienced all the things we are experiencing now and I have lived this moment many times.

Nono was a profiler, it wasn't that easy to trick her, so he admitted the truth. At 12:00am, Nono was going to die, like every other time.

- This dream will become a reality. I have repeatedly entered this dream just to find a way to save you, but I couldn't find it.

- If you can't find a way to save me, why don't you save yourself instead?

- My senior brother said that he always regretted leaving his father here alone, that feeling of regret is so terrible, it made him want to go back and die right there.

- Don't say such disgusting things, if this is really my end I will accept it.

The answer became obvious, the only way to escape this Nibelungen was for one person to stay behind and die. As the movie reached its climax, a spear broke through the screen, Nono didn't move, Luminous didn't move.

- No, senior sister, this will not be you end, it will be mine.

Chapter 14

Luminous opened his eyes, it was still a quiet summer night, he slid a small knife that he bought at the convenience store and ripped the straitjacket open. The hospital personnel were resting in different rooms so he sneaked out with ease.

His last attempt was the 108th, none of them managed to give him the perfect ending that he desperately chased. The old man with the tricycle was waiting for him outside, Luminous got on the small bike and drove away. The security guard couldn't believe it when he saw the same tricycle pass by for a third time that night, straight into the elevated road.

Luminous reached the old Asia Group building, now flooded and filled with rubble and mud. He managed to find the secret door and found the insides half-submerged as well, but not everything was ruined, he located a small metal suitcase in the corner that was filled with multiple weapons, including a revolver, a tactical shotgun and a Uzi submachine gun.

All seemed to indicate that this equipment came directly from Cassell College, an academy that never bothered to mention Tianjiao's existence.

In his way out, he picked one of the photographs that managed to survive the flood, it portrayed a family of three. Johann was probably five years old and his expression was as emotionless as usual, his robot face wasn't the result of some traumatic event after all, it came with him from the moment he was born. In the corner, Tianjiao wrote some words as well: "Stay like this, not crying, just looking into the distance".

This arsenal was strong, but insignificant in front of a being like Odin. Ming·Z·Lu showed up to offer one last gift.

Something for nothing, 50% fusion.

Luminous was familiar with that sensation, his nerves burned and the depths of his mind seemed to be cracked open, the pain was bigger than any human can endure, but once it was over, there was a feeling of euphoria, a need to fight. His senses increased immensely, he could now distinguish every single drop in the middle of the rainfall. This usually costed him a full quarter of his life but now it was... Free?

He finally heard the distorted noises of the death servitors, it sounded like the crying of babies. The wall of water and wind that protected Odin became visible, the black figure mounted an eight legged horse. He was in the Nibelungen again, this time he didn't plan to turn around.

Luminous approached them and parked the tricycle next to the Maybach, he stood in front of Odin and the god stayed silent. The words "You are finally here" were not uttered this time, he was right, Odin was waiting for Nono, but he didn't bring her this time, Luminous's presence was meaningless to his rival.

Odin kept staring at the end of the road, waiting for Chen Motong to appear and show her face.

- This is the right way to start the game, my senior sister is not here, only you and me, only one of us can leave this place alive!

He was vey happy, he finally played the god. He slowly grabbed a spear rocket launcher from the tricycle, the little devil was as reliable as always. The servitors immediately recognized the destructive potential of the weapon and tried to disperse, but Luminous opened fire first and scattered their shadowy remains on the road.

He saw his face in a puddle, the crazy expression of Ming·Z was now his own, like every other time they fused, it felt like this was his true nature. Weapon after weapon he ran out of ammo, some servitors sneaked behind him and sliced his torso with their claws, if it wasn't for the bulletproof vest that Tianjiao left in his suitcase, Mingfei would have died already.

A shot of his last gun, a M500 revolver finally broke one of the servitor's masks. He hadn't seen one of those faces since his mission in Japan, their skin was covered in scales and their teeth were long and alien-shaped. Odin gave them black robes and masks to use them as his personal servants. Odin was definitely different to every other dragon king he had faced before, they were all savage and aggressive, but this one was stoic and dressed like a figure of mythology, unless...

That was it! Odin wasn't a dragon disguised as a mythical character, Odin, the myth himself has been a dragon all along. The secret party had misread norse mythology, now it was clear that it narrated the history of the dragon clan and it was written by the dragons themselves. Every god was in fact a dragon king, in those myths, the main antagonist of Nidhogg was Odin. This god had already foreseen the coming of the end of the world, the so-called twilight of the gods, where the world tree would wither.

The suppressed Nidhogg will rise in the air, ready for revenge, it will destroy everything and ruin the kingdom of the gods. Therefore, Odin prepared himself for this battle, ordering the Valkyrie goddesses to gather the heroes's souls and place them in the Hall of Valor to assist him in resisting the black dragon. If the norse myths are indeed dragon history, the hall of valor must represent a place filled with countless dragon cocoons and embryos waiting to be awakened.

This information, this great secret was about to be buried there with him if he didn't survive this battle. Nono was probably packing, ready to leave with Finger and go back to Cassell, for whatever reason Odin needed her, she would be out of his reach, he just needed to endure and Odin was still as invincible as ever. Making a deal with Ming·Z was inadmissible, giving the little devil enough power to materialize could bring an immeasurable catastrophe. The boy appeared in front of him.

- Brother, you finally asked to see me, do you want to... Shake my hand?

The multitude of servitors overwhelmed him, he contemplated dying there, it wouldn't be so bad, just very lonely. With a loud bang! the strongest servitor flew out and fell motionless on the mud.

A red BYD car swiftly parked next to him, a hand came out of the window and shot the three closest servitors, that was Finger, of course it was him!

- Drive faster! Why the fuck are you here?

- What do I know? I was eating dumplings with your aunt and the hospital called to tell me you were gone!

Finger placed a tracking device on Luminous just like he did with Nono and saw his trace disappearing in the highway, so he went to investigate and entered the Nibelungen by accident.

- Don't get confused by my F-Rank rating, I started as an A-rank, remember?

Flammel tasked Finger with helping Luminous to prove Johann's existence, he didn't remember the young hybrid either, but he trusted Anjou, and Anjou believed in the importance of Luminous more than anyone. Not everyone on Cassell gave up on him after all.

- Don't drive away, we can't escape!

- I thought you told me to drive faster!

- Yes I did, but I meant towards Odin!

The servitors quickly realized what they were intending to do, so they formed a barrier in front of their master. Finger pressed a button on the car and one mini-gun came out of each side of the vehicle.

- The equipment department makes phones that double as grenades, you think they can't make 007's car?

The gatling guns opened fire on the crowd of servitors, effectively cleaning the way. Finger put the car on self destruct mode and got ready to jump out, Luminous got on the roof, aiming his knife at Odin. The car hit Odin's water barrier and exploded, the shockwave soared into the sky, filled with flames. Luminous jumped and managed to pass through, and with a swift move, he pierced through Odin with the blade, just like Tianjiao attempted to do many years before.

Every servitor stopped their movements, Odin's scores started dropping down immediately and his body got split in two. There had to be something wrong with that, there's no way he would fall to his death so easily. Luminous took the god's skull and removed the mask, under it, the face of a death servitor greeted him instead, the others started crying and laughing at them. Odin's only goal is Nono, it had always been Nono, this was a trap and he was already on his way to get her.

Chapter 15

Nono was sitting next to Su Xiaoyan's bed, peeling an apple. The woman happily ate the bonbons that Nono brought for her as a gift.

- Nono, how is your mother doing?

- She's fine, she's still working and always asks me when I'll get married but I just don't tell her.

Nono had to make up that story, but at that moment she really felt like Xiaoyan's niece. She checked the woman's medical records, apparently the doctors thought she was schizophrenic and amnesiac, as long as Nono played her role well, the medical personnel would think Xiaoyan's amnesia made her forget about her relative.

Because Nono brought Bonbons, Xiaoyan recognized her immediately and happily accepted her gift.

She had been there since her son's death, she lost track of time, to the point where she felt like she had been there for three or four months, when in reality, seven years had passed. Not many people visited her in that time, her husband would take her home for a few days every now and then, but those events became less and less usual. Of course, Nono was there for a reason, without Tianjiao's apartment, her only remaining clue was Johann's mother, but the woman wasn't very open about her life. Nono's ability allowed her to put puzzles together, but Xiaojiao kept messing up the pieces.

- Did your former husband treat you well?

- He couldn't make enough money and he was very unmotivated, playing foolish all day long, I had enough of him!

- But he's handsome, and he's probably still breaking hearts.

- How do you know that he's handsome? You haven't seen him before.

- Of course I have, I remember hugging my uncle!

- Come on, do you really think I'm that broken? I know I don't have a niece.

- Then why didn't you tell the doctor?

- Because you're so pretty, and I like to chat with pretty girls, there's no one else here to chat with me, and you don't look like a bad person either.

Nono was genuinely surprised, so she declared her intentions straight on, she wanted to know more about Chu Tianjiao, but his ex-wife didn't seem to know a lot about him either, he would constantly lie about his past and alternate between multiple versions of the story.

- Sometimes he told me that he was a great spy, and that he came here to complete a task, and I believed him, without a clue of his salesman-like nature!

- And you still married him?

- He was handsome, and I was young.

Xiaoyan didn't express any regret in divorcing him, she'd rather be with someone she could rely on, but there was something else she could not explain.

- But he seems to have left something behind with me, a very important thing, I just can't remember it.

- What is it?

- I said I can't remember it, I've been thinking about it for a very long time.

- What kind of thing?

- A very important thing, I must find it, it would be very bad if I didn't.

A burst of cold wind opened the windows and made them shiver, Nono stood up and went to close them but she noticed something strange, the flowers on the outside were all withered, black petals flew through the room, she closed the window as fast as she could, something bad had happened and the air outside smelled of death.

She took out a desert eagle from her bag and stopped Xiaoyan from screaming, the woman relied on her intuition to understand that Nono wasn't going to hurt her. The place was silent and the lights flickered, the instinctive feeling of being alert that came from true isolation soon got a hold of her. She and Xiaoyan got out of the room, door after door, every doctor and every patient had disappeared.

The rain and the wind rapidly eroded the building. The day was finally here, she had never been in a Nibelungen before, she once regretted not being able to experience it, now Nibelungen came to see her. She didn't knew wether to be nervous or excited.

- Someone, someone is coming. Su Xiaoyan's voice trembled slightly.

The sound of footsteps made an echo in the building, those weren't human steps, that sounded like a few horses were coming their way. The storm, the Nibelungen, the steed, the rider, it seemed to be an ancient king who came with a strong breath of death, and the flowers in the garden withered in front of him. Nono remembered him, she saw his silhouette in the reflection of the glass when she went to Tianjiao's apartment.

The rider didn't seem to know where Xiaoyan's room was and he was checking them one by one. They ran towards the elevator, the rider was on the first floor so they needed to get to the top as fast as they could without the sound of their steps giving away their position. Behind them, the fluorescent lights went out one by one. Nono finally saw the reflection of the elevator's door in a mirror, but when its doors opened, the light of Odin's flames came out.

They ran in the other direction and soon reached the stairs, they ran down but it didn't matter, they were trapped on an endless loop. She shot at the creature but the bullets melted before touching the god's armor. They kept running and Nono kept shooting back but it wasn't buying them any more time, temperatures were rising and there was no way out.

Odin wasn't even in a hurry to reach them, Nono took Xiaoyan in her arms and ran across a hallway, enduring the terrible heat of the floor. She tried to get out through a window, but after opening the curtains she noticed that the whole world outside had changed and she was greeted by the sight of a roman pantheon.

Nono suddenly fell silent, she helped Xiaoyan to sit down on a bench and put her boots on the woman's feet. She noticed something, she was crying, she was remembering.

- There might be a way for you to get out of here by yourself, now tell me, what did Tianjiao left for you exactly?

- It's... A child. I had a son with him, his name is Johann Chu, I can't find my son... I can't find my son!

Xiaoyan was holding a pillow in her arms, the doctor said that she would put this pillow in her belly every morning and happily declare that she was pregnant. Nono took it from her hands and threw it away.

- Since you have a clear memory of him, you don't need this anymore, you will find your son, although I don't know where.

In this world, those who are not lunatics are the ones who were deceived. Luminous and Su Xiaoyan were the craziest because of their link to Johann Chu, to the truth. His mother's mental disorder was not there because she had lost a son seven years ago, a certain god wanted to modify her memory of him and she was resisting. She tied the little pillow to her back because a child is only safe in his mother's body, she sensed that someone was going to hurt her boy, so she wanted to feel like she could protect him.

Nono pushed Xiaoyan into a cubicle next to the ward and told her to keep the door closed until someone came to rescue her. She took Finger's GPS device out of her bag and broke it, expecting Luminous and Finger to arrive there after seeing her signal disappear. Odin arrived, his flames evaporated the strong currents of water and stood in front of her, Nono kept two knives on her back and a desert eagle in each hand.

- Odin!

The creature and his lance were impossible not to identify, the god actually exists.

- You are finally here.

He slowly raised Gungir and a faint white thread appeared, connecting the tip of the spear and Nono's heart. She thought his goal was Xiaoyan, due to her connection to Johann, but she was wrong, Odin's goal was her and only her. No wonder Luminous threw her down in the library, he probably had a foreboding of her death for some reason and tried to save her, his eyes showed a constant state of panic.

She didn't believe him and they put him on a psychiatric institution. She really wanted to tell him that she was sorry, because she had underestimated him.

She had always tried to be there for Luminous, she couldn't deny that she saw a lot of herself in him, this obsession with taking care of her sidekick was so prevalent because she knew how it was like to be powerless, lost and defenseless, but in the most critical moment, she had failed him.

Nono vaguely heard a song, a duet about a father and his daughter, it was coming from somewhere, along with the noise of a car engine. Luminous was coming, that song came from the radio, but how could she hear him? It didn't matter, she felt him presence and she believed it.

- Luminous! Don't you fucking dare to come here!

Nono shot every bullet she had left and they melted on Odin's presence. The lance was thrown and suddenly, the Maybach smashed through the wall, its lights illuminated Nono's eyes. She smiled, the moment she saw him, the cartridge of her gun was empty. The lance had already started its course and Luminous could only see her lips moving:

- I'm sorry

- Ming·Z·Lu! Luminous roared, time slowed down in his eyes

- The little one is here! Ming·Z smiled, Since I promised my brother that I'd try everything!

Come out! Golden saint cloth of the zodiac!, Phase shift armor!, Fierce fist! Seven-fold ring of the blazing sky!, Absolute domain AT Field!.

Every time he yelled a strange name, Luminous froze for a moment, these strange spells were taken directly from anime shows, they were weapons that lined up in front of Odin's lance, even a nuclear explosion could be rejected by them.

- What are you doing?

- I don't really know what tricks would work so I'm doing all of them!

Ming·Z kept casting spells, the speed of the lance was indeed affected but it never stopped nor it changed its trajectory.

- Hurry up brother, run!

Nono tried to yell, telling Luminous to stay away, but her mouth moved too slowly. Luminous ran past Odin and past the lance. The seven-fold ring was the strongest defense against projectiles, every time the Gungir lance pierced through a layer, it made a loud noise. Nono dropped the empty gun, she didn't have the strength to wield her knives. The spear hadn't arrived yet, and she was already like a lamb crucified on an altar.

Gungir hit the final defense, the sound was almost glass shattering.

- I couldn't stop it, even with the last layer. Give her a hug, kiss her! This is going to be your last chance! I'll buy as much time as possible for you!

Ming·Z made another barrier but the lance broke it, the little devil's hands were splashed with blood and they stained his bow tie, but he didn't care and looked at his side as an indifferent Luminous passed by and stood in front of Nono. He never managed to change the events, just the scenery. Gungir pierced through Ming·Z's chest.

- Brother, I tried my best

- It's ok, I'm here as well.

Luminous wasn't going to hug or kiss Nono, he was there to take her place. He could clearly feel his heart being cut open. The spear hadn't even touched his skin and his body had begun to carbonize and turn black, showing a rare struggle, burning it inch by inch.

- No! No! No! Nono struggled to stand up and pull the lance away from him.

- Don't come near me!

The lance tried to go through him, but it only managed to pin him against the wall. Nono shivered slightly and tears slowly ran down her face, but she didn't realize that she was crying. She always wanted him to grow up and go his own way, to use any advantage she might have over him to push him forward, but now the person who was crying on the floor was her.

- Senior sister, are you okay? It's okay.

Luminous raised his head, half of his head and body were carbonized, the cracks at the end of his lips extended all the way to the roots of his ears. He was really happy, because he finally managed to achieve his goal. He didn't want to live with the regret of losing her, he had seen Johann's own regret already.

Odin wasn't pleased, the god roared as he realized he had missed his chance. Luminous whispered:

- Ming·Z·Lu...

- Brother, I am here, you really found a method to stop the lance!

- In this world, only a monster can stop a monster, and I am the biggest monster in the world...

- Yes, you are the biggest monster in the world, brother! You are awesome! Then, are you ready to make the last deal? I can't do much against the lance, but I can take care of the monster behind it, the little devil is good at this dirty work!

Luminous stared at him and asked for two conditions:

- Kill Odin, but also take Nono back to safety.

- Alright but hurry up! That guy is almost here!

Sleipnir's eight legs made a thunderous sound, the dragon subspecies that Odin mounted carried its master into the room. Luminous raised his blood-soaked hand and gave the little devil a high-five. Ming·Z's figure suddenly appeared in the night sky, this time he stopped laughing and opened his arms. He looked like a suspended cross.

- Something for nothing, 100% fusion.

He breathed deeply, as if he wanted to inhale all of the world's air into his lungs. Sharp bone spurs protruded from his body and he was covered in black scales. Huge black wings sprung from his back and he took flight, diving down, his image poured into Luminous's body.

The carbonized skin quickly peeled off, he experienced musculoskeletal growth and deformation and the sound of a glacier cracking was heard across the hospital.

The black wings were opened and Gungir was ejected from his chest. Sleipnir couldn't move a single inch closer to them, because Luminous placed his hand on the horse's chest. Nono stared blankly at him, because she couldn't tell if the monster in front of her was a friend or an enemy, but Luminous stared back at her.

- Sister, don't be afraid, as long as I live, you'll be fine.

After two years, Chen Motong saw the devil that rescued her from the bottom of the Three Gorges Dam once again. She remembered how he held her, his childlike fear and his voice.

Don't die, don't die, don't die... Don't Die!

- So it was you...

But Luminous didn't hear those words at all, he rushed to Odin, at the flash of lightning, the monsters that had been in conflict with each other so many times, leaving countless disasters, clashed once again, and the claws and the sword stained the place red and black.

They roared, they fought, a war between kings that can only be ended by death.

Epilogue

On the elevated road, Finger stopped for a moment to catch his breath. This guy is usually slacking and his posture is erratic. The death servitors are struggling to even reach his clothes.

There should be half a marathon left before he can lose them, however, the physical strength of those things is almost unlimited.

Seeing him stop, a group of servitors suddenly became excited and the baby-like cries they made reached the heavens. A girl in a black outfit and a gauze mask appeared in front of him, a ninja.

- How did you know I was here?

- I have a radar for pretty girls... Can you handle that many servitors?

Mai Sakatoku drew two small blades.

- Those are too many, I'm specialized in assassination, not group combat. It's a pity that the other two girls are not here...

- Then I hope I can help.

He had a sword in his hand, the mirror-like Murasame suddenly turned black, the black blade light soon extended all the way to his body and the rain around it evaporated. Mai was surprised by the brutality of the sword, but Finger remained indifferent.

- What kind of sword is that?

- Murasame, have you never heard of the Dragon Slayer of Fire? Then you are really kind, but a bit ignorant, my friend!

After saying that, he jumped and cut off the elevated road.

#dragon raja #dragon raja novel #luminous #nono #ming z lu #finger von frings #johann chu

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lilydalexf · 4 years ago

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Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.

Interview with Bonetree

Bonetree has 41 stories at Gossamer, some of which are now also at AO3. She wrote the epic Goshen series, among other stories that have been popular in the fandom. I’ve recced some of my favorites of her stories here before, including White Ink. Big thanks to Bonetree for doing this interview.

Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?

I wasn’t surprised when the show had returned and people started reading again, but that it’s continued beyond that — even in drips and drabs — has been surprising, yes. I write long for the most part and I think sometimes people like a novel, so maybe that’s got something to do with it? I have no idea. I teach and I have noticed that this generation (Gen Z) likes a lot of older shows and movies, so the fact that they’ve found X-Files, especially during the quarantine, isn’t that surprising, I guess.

What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it?

I think of my spouse, first and foremost, as I’ve been with another X-Files writer for almost 20 years now, and married for four. I have two large groups of close friends — one from graduate school and one from fandom — so writing in all forms has given me a lot of friends over the years. I took away those friends and a lot of writing discipline. I tend to ritualize my writing time and XF gave me that, writing a chapter a week and using the weekends as a deadline to write toward. I also learned a lot about plotting and dialogue from writing so much in such a relatively short period of time. It was my writing for fun, mostly staying outside of the competitive world of pro writing.

Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?

I started off on AOL chatrooms, I think, after the movie came out. Then The Haven and Scullyfic. Mostly I talked to people on chat after I’d “met” them in larger groups.

What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

I think I took away a surety that fandom is just another interest that people affiliate around. People thought it was bizarre then (and probably still do now to some extent) that people could make good friends through a television show or a movie or video game, but it’s really just another interest that people have, like sports or book clubs or whatever. I was surprised at how close I could become to people I hadn’t met, or who I only saw in person a few times. Overall, I think it’s a very positive thing in people’s lives. Fandom’s given me a lot, most of it really really good.

What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?

The complexity of the characters, the story lines, etc. The ’ship, of course. ;-)

What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

I owe all of that to my dear friend Scullysfan, who passed away last year. She knew I wrote in real life and encouraged me to write something for XF. She was my most enthusiastic reader and also my beta, reading every chapter of every novel I wrote. She encouraged me to keep going at it and stayed a fan of my writing — both fanfic and real life — throughout our lives as friends.

What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?

I still have a lot of the friends I made during that time, but I don’t interact with it otherwise. I get the occasional feedback from folks at AO3 and I always try to respond to that if I have the time. Those are the only versions of those stories I have after all these years, flawed as they are (I think “Mercy Seat” is missing a hunk that I no longer have), so I’m glad people soldier through the crappy formatting. I write professionally, so now I try to give that the time I would use for fic.

Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

I don’t know if I was involved in the Sherlock fandom as much as I just followed the show closely and did write a couple of novels for that. That fandom was likewise pretty engaged (*cough*). It was strange with social media to have such access to the creators and actors (and their friends/families), and I think that gave it a very different feel online. People would trash something on Twitter and then suddenly the person who’d written or acted in the thing would just show up and start talking. It blurred the lines in an interesting — and sometimes unhealthy — way, I think, for the actors, creators, and fans. I did make some good friends from Sherlock, as well, and am glad to have been involved to have them.. I had fun writing the novels there too, but I am done with that. Nothing since then. I loved “Game of Thrones” and “Fargo” and “Stranger Things,” but I never wanted to be in the fandoms or write anything about them.

(Posted by Lilydale on November 24, 2020)

#new post #old school x #xfiles fanfic #xf fanfic #xf fanfic author interviews #bonetree

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moony-moons-world · 4 years ago

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A list of amazing musicians that isn't (sadly) more commonly known...

I: Steps Ahead - formed in 1979, ended semi in 1986, jazz, rock, r&b, fusion. Instrumental, swingy in a very relaxing way and positive!

II: Silly Wizard - A 1960/70's folk band - when I talk about folk - this is what I mean. They both sing in (Scottish) Gaelic and English. Their songs go from silly, happy and hyper to ballads and mourning. I genuinly wish I had been alive in the 70's to see them live.

III: L'arpeggiata - an essemble that plays a lot of different styles of classical music, with various colorations with other wonderful artists. No one in their right mind would call them dull. Family favourite.

IV: Forndom - A Norwegian musician. Viking music, one of my favorites. Everytime I get goosebumps. Best song: hemkomst (homecoming)

V: The Dolmen - an English group that make folk (see above) rock. Think Pink Floyd and Celts and you get a basic idea of what they do. Amazing vocals, songs that go about everything (pirates, war, love, prejudices etc) and they dare to go wild.

VI: Duke Elkington - think instrumental, jazz, blues, rock & roll, soul, and everything in between. There should be a Duke Ellington day, week and month. He was so important that he changed music for good. He even played for Queen Elizabeth.

VII: Eivør - a Faroesic/Icelandic singer/musician, Viking music mixed with techno/dubstep/electronic and a voice that is the best I have heard in many, many years.

VIII: Philip Glass - minimal music. He's the one to listen to. Mind, don't be in an impatient mood, because then it will be irritating, but otherwise it's the best. Koyaanisqatsi- a movie from 1982 - is one to watch to find out why this music is so amazing (it's successors Powaqqatsi (1988) and Naqoyqatsi (2002) are worth a look too).

IX: Magna Carta - a band from 1969. If you like poetry and music this is one to listen to. Lord of the ages is their most well known song. Just kisten and decide for yourself if you like them or not, because it's quite different and difficult to describe their style. It made me fall in love with poetry.

X: The Sidh- they are from Italy, they have mixed bagpipes, lowwhistles, and the like, with edm rhythms and electronic/dance/dubstep/techno. Excellent for going all out at parties and 'raving', you don't need drugs to go high with them.

XI: Adam Lambert - glam rock/rock the most top 40 artist in my favourite musicians list. Currently also working with Queen. His voice is flabbergasting and his lyrics are really relatable. It's always a kick to hear/see. Remember Fever? That's him. Remember Glee's starchild? Marry the night? That's him.

XII: Bronski Beat - a 80's band. New wave/punk/electronic. Small-town boy is their most well known song.

XIII: Clamavi De Profundis - this is an (vocal) essemble that sings (mostly) the songs from books as The Lord of the Rings (J. R. R. Tolkien) in full length and in an amazing way. But also different songs (their Christmas songs are cool). Song of the Lonely Mountain, they do it.

XIV: Supertramp - sure they are famous, but can we please talk about the fact they make ridiculous amazing songs and music? They are easy to listen to and when you actually really listen you realize how genius the lyrics are. Plus the singer (Rick Davies) has this voice I could listen to all the time.

XV: The Doors - yes also extremely well known. Heck Jim Morrison is one of the club of 27. But their music, if music was anything like sex this would be it. 'Riders on the storm', and 'the end' are well known, but 'People are strange,' never forget that one.

XVI: Pyrolysis - a Dutch folk band. Similar to Silly Wizard, but with a more current sound, and wider range of songs. Want to dance the Scottish? This is the band to do so.

XVII: Kila - an Irish folk/rock band. That's all I am going to say about them. Because that should be enough. :-)

XVIII: The Lumineers - Every now and then people post 'Academia' music lists, but hardly ever this group is among them. They should. It's relaxing, joyful, well done and poetic and by far one of my favorites to sing along with. Ophellia, Angela and Ho Hey are the most famous of their repertoire.

XIX: Postmodern Jukebox - Modern songs (and old ones) remade in postmodern music. Their videos are very good and an delight to watch. Just do it.

XX: Ramses Shaffy - a Dutch singer, sometimes in French, with really beautiful songs, lovely lyrics and he had this kind of voice that will calm you down immediately and fill you with hope. This. is. what. Dutch. music. should. be. like, like. all. the. bloody. Time.

That's all for today folks, see you next time.

(though feel free to ask new music ideas (or suggest them) if you want to :-D)

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tiakennedy-beecher · 4 years ago

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Art and Design Contexts and Research

1. Fine Art, Film and Cinema

Fine Art:

Elizabeth Catlett, Target, 1970

In 1915, Elizabeth Catlett (the granddaughter of freed enslaved people) was born in Washington, D.C. and unflinchingly depicted the violent reality of racial injustice throughout her career. Catlett’s decision to focus on her ethnic identity, and its association with slavery and class struggles, was bold and unconventional in the 1930s and 1940s when African Americans were expected “to assimilate themselves into a more Eurocentric ethic,”. She confronted the most disturbing injustices against African Americans, including lynchings and beatings, as she was confident that art could foster social change. She also portrayed civil rights leaders — Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Davis and Malcolm X — as well as the courage and resilience of everyday African-Americans, particularly women. She “always wanted my (her) art to service my (Black) people — to reflect us, to relate to us, to stimulate us, to make us aware of our potential,”. She believed that “We have to create an art for liberation and for life.” Target and Black Unity (1968), a raised fist carved in mahogany, are two of the most iconic and lasting artworks in the continuing movement for civil rights.

The signifier is the cross hairs of a rifle sight framing the head of an African-American (Black) man mounted on a block of wood. It was created in response to the fatal shooting of two Black Panthers, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, by Chicago police officers. The signified is to highlight the fact that research shows that young Black men are far more likely to be killed by police than other Americans. It also dates back to the Civil War era when rifle scopes entered into widespread use or to the present day where more up to date weapons are used as well as choke holds and physical restraints. I have discovered that artwork can have an ever lasting impact on the world as it can still be very much relevant years to come. The research has helped me discover the potential in possibly creating a symbol or action that can be used in/to identify a protest in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project. Film:

youtube

Martha Rosler, Semiotics of the Kitchen, 1975

Martha Rosler’s video is a grainy six minutes that spits in the face of America’s gendered social hierarchy. In a kind of parody (or perhaps anightmarish version) of Julia Child’s cooking shows in the 1960s, Rosler stands in a kitchen, wearing an apron and walks through the alphabet, assigning letters to various objects found there (“A” for “apron,” “B” for “bowl,” “C” for “chopper”) as she holds these objects up to the camera with an eerie lack of expression and emotion. Her movements become increasingly contrived and violent as the video continues on. By the time she gets to “fork,” she’s stabbing at the table aggressively with the utensil. When she arrives at the letter “R,” for “rolling pin,” she thrusts the object at the camera. By the end of the alphabet, she’s brandishing other kitchen tools like weapons, stabbing the air. The video ends with the artist offering an exhausted shrug, an ambiguous gesture that feels less like a resignation of fate and more a way of asking, “What is wrong with us?”.

The signifier is a woman wearing an apron reciting the alphabet while demonstrating objects in the kitchen that correspond with the start of each letter. The signified is to highlight America’s gendered social hierarchy. It also demonstrates women’s frustration with society’s expectation of them being housewives therefore they feel that they are unable to dream big due to being trapped in a cage. I have discovered that artwork can have an ever lasting impact on the world as it can still be very much relevant years to come. The research has helped me discover the potential in possibly creating a symbol or action that can be used in/to identify a protest in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Cinema:

youtube

Ava DuVernay, When They See Us, 2019

When They See Us is based on a true story that gripped the United States of America, it chronicles the notorious case of five teenagers of colour, labeled the Central Park Five, who were convicted of a rape they did not commit. The four part limited series will focus on the five teenagers from Harlem (Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise). In the spring of 1989, when the teenagers were first questioned about the incident, the series will span 25 years, highlighting their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement reached with the city of New York in 2014. When They See Us was created by Ava DuVernay, who also co-wrote and directed the four parts. Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King from Participant Media, Oprah Winfrey from Harpo Films, Jane Rosenthal and Berry Welsh from Tribeca Productions executive produce the limited series alongside DuVernay through her banner, Forward Movement. In addition to DuVernay, Attica Locke, Robin Swicord, and Michael Starrburry also serve as writers on the limited series.

The signifier is five teenagers of colour from Harlem, New York sitting in a holding room after being illegally questioned/beaten by NYC police. The signified is to highlight the fact that research shows that Black men are 3.5 more times likely to be falsely accused of a sexual assault crime they did not commit than their white counterparts. It shows how their conviction effected their lives before and after they were exonerated. It also shows how they were all pinned against each other, from the very beginning, just for the sake of convicting someone due to the cases huge media coverage gaining it public attention.

I have discovered that cinema can have an ever lasting impact on an individual as I, myself, and I’m sure many others can relate will remember scenes from this movies years to come and forever carry that anger and heartache for the victims (Antron, Kevin, Yusef, Raymond and Korey). The research has helped me discover the potential in possibly using real life stories of activism (preferably issues that physically or mentally affect us such as domestic abuse, racial injustice or mental health) to create a greater impact and deeper personal connection in result making an everlasting impact on the individual viewing in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

2. Graphic Communications, Advertising and Semiotics

Graphic Communications:

Hank Willis Thomas, All Power to All People, 2017

Hank Willis Thomas’s “All Power to All People” is an eight-foot-tall Afro pick with a Black Power fist raised to the sky as its handle. It is a response to America’s long history of erecting monuments to racist white men. It was first installed in Philadelphia’s Thomas Paine Plaza, not far from a statue of Frank Rizzo, the city’s former mayor and police commissioner. Starting in 1967, Rizzo presided over a police department that was known across the country for its unhinged racial violence, and when he was elected mayor in 1972, he only helped perpetuate and cover up this violence. The Philadelphia Inquirer cited a grim statistic that “police shot civilians at a rate of one per week between 1970 and 1978,” roughly the period in which Rizzo was running the city. Thomas’s statue was a remarkable rejoinder. Though it was only on view in the plaza for about two months, it has since become a kind of roving monument to equality. Versions of the sculpture have been shown at places ranging from Burning Man to the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the Human Rights Campaign. Meanwhile, after protests over police brutality against Black Americans erupted across the country this summer, Rizzo’s statue was vandalized and, finally, taken down.

The signifier is an eight-foot-tall Afro pick with a Black Power fist raised to the sky as its handle and a peace sign featuring in the middle. The Black Panthers used the slogan "All Power to the People" to protest centuries of racial injustice against Black people in America. The Black Power fist is associated to the Black Power movement that began in 1960. It was a social movement motivated by a desire for safety and self-sufficiency that was not available inside redlined African American neighbourhoods. The signified is to highlight America’s long history of erecting monuments to racist white men. It also shows that white racist men are glorified and rewarded for their racism with a monument. This further adds fuel to the fire as it further adds to the on going disrespect and injustice of Black people.

I have discovered that historical objects (usually frowned upon or used to shame others) relating to ethic groups can be used to celebrate and moralise. The research has helped me discover the potential in using items that cultures were originally shamed for and then culturally appropriated by other races as a way to reclaim them as their own in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Guerrilla Girls, Do Women Have To Be Naked To Get Into the Met. Museum?, 1989

Guerrilla Girls are an anonymous group of feminist. They are female artists devoted to fighting sexism and racism within the art world. In 1985, the group formed in New York City with the mission of bringing gender and racial inequality into focus within the greater arts community. The group employs culture jamming in the form of posters, books, billboards, and public appearances to expose discrimination and corruption. Members wear gorilla masks and use pseudonyms that refer to deceased female artists to remain anonymous. Their identities are concealed because issues matter more than individual identities, "Mainly, we wanted the focus to be on the issues, not on our personalities or our own work."

The signifier is a nude portrait of a women (in black and white) laying on a purple silk sheet while holding it and wearing a gorilla mask. The purple silk sheet appears as a sex toy on first inspect, on second inspect it appears as a feather duster due to the dark shadows and shape on the sheet creating the effect of bristles but once you take a closer inspection it is clear that the sheet has been made to look this way to truck the mind. Both these items, the sex toy and feather duster, are meant to degrade women and place a stigma around these objects. They are made to shame/put women (down) purely based on the decision they make. The signified is to highlight the fact that less than 5% of the artists in the Modern Art Sections are women but 85% of the nude portraits are female.

I have discovered that objects can be used to deceive the viewer into believing something completely different to what is presented in front of them (intentionally) in other words this would be seen as an illusion of some sort. The research has helped me discover the potential in intentionally deceiving viewers in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Advertising:

Act Up (campaign poster), Silence = Death, 1987

In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, the US government and mainstream media infamously ignored the crisis. By the time President Reagan finally uttered the word “AIDS” in 1985, 12,000 Americans had already died. That same year, six men in New York City (Avram Finkelstein, Brian Howard, Oliver Johnston, Charles Kreloff, Chris Lione and Jorge Socarrás) began meeting to privately share their experiences of AIDS-related loss in the absence of public discourse. They were inspired to create something tangible that could spread awareness, they swiftly settled on a poster. They decided that it should have have little (if any) text. Frankielien belied that “Sentences barely do (work). You need sound bites, catchphrases, crafted in plain language. The poster is exactly that, a sound bite, and vernacular to the core. The poster perfectly suits the American ear. It has a power. If you’ve ever stopped in front of one or turned your head for a second look, that power was at work.” The result of their collaboration was a hot pink triangle (an inverted version of the symbol Nazis used to label gay men) emblazoned on a black background above the slogan “Silence = Death”. It debuted in 1987. The six friends hired wheat-pasters to cover the East Village, West Village, Times Square, Chelsea and the Upper West Side (neighbourhoods chosen to reach both queer audiences and the media) overnight, and the city woke up to what became the most enduring icon of H.I.V./AIDS-related activism. Later that year, on April 15, members of the newly formed activist group AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (Act Up) stormed the city’s General Post Office carrying copies of the sign, solidifying its ongoing centrality to their cause.

The signifier is a black and white poster reading “SILENCE = DEATH” with a hot pink triangle in the centre of the page. The pink triangle draws the viewer in creating a central focus is to highlight the fact that the AIDS epidemic/crisis was infamously ignored by the US government and mainstream media resulting in 12,000 Americans dying before the issue was publicly addressed by the current President (Ronald Reagan) using the word “AIDS” to create a clear and direct message.

I have discovered that using little to any words and a play on historical icons previously used to dehumanise others can create a powerful effect on the viewer causing them to have another look and really focus on the subject matter. The research has helped me discover the potential in reclaiming objects that are used to oppress others and use short snappy catchphrases to grab the attention of others in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Semiotics:

Dread Scott, A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday, 2015

From 1920 until 1938, the N.A.A.C.P. would mark lynchings by flying a stark black and white flag reading “A Man Was Lynched Yesterday” from its New York headquarters on Fifth Avenue. The was done to confront the residents of a northern city with the horrifying regularity of these murders. In 1938, the N.A.A.C.P. ceased flying the flag after the organisation’s landlord threatened eviction. In 2015, Dread Scott felt that the banner was just as grimly necessary in the present day United States of America as it had been nearly a century earlier. He produced his own version of the flag, updating the text to read “A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday” in response to the fatal shooting of Walter Scott by a South Carolina police officer. “During the Jim Crow era, Black people were terrorized by lynching…It was a threat that hung over all Black people who knew that for any reason or no reason whatsoever you could be killed and the killers would never be brought to justice,” said Scott. “Now the police are playing the same role of terror that lynch mobs did at the turn of the century.”. The piece became a source of national controversy when it remained on view above the street after a deadly sniper attack on police officers in Dallas, Texas, sparking a wave of threats to the of Jack Shainman Gallery from people who felt that the work encouraged violence against police. The gallery removed the flag and displayed it indoors following pressure from the building owner.

The signifier is a black and white flag reading “A MAN WAS LYNCHED BY POLICE YESTERDAY” hanging from a flag pole. The way in which the piece has been displayed shows a stark resemblance to the topic of discussion on the banner/flag. This is due to the fact that there is a clear link to the action/movement of what would happen to the victim when these acts of hate crime would be carried out. Furthermore, the use of black and white colours symbolise the two races affected not only that but it creates a stark contrast therefore grabbing the attention of others. The signified is to highlight the fact that “A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday” (something that has been and still is a common occurrence in America). It also highlights the horrific acts of hate crime and racism that is directed at/towards Black people on a regular basis throughout the world (but more commonly with the USA). These acts of hate crime have been around for centuries however they have changed in the way they are carried out and by whom they are carried out by. Despite this, one thing has remained the same…no punishment is never given.

I have discovered that subtle visual links to the subject matter create a powerful impact. The research has helped me discover the potential in simplistic art pieces in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

3. Fashion Design, Photography and Promotion

Fashion Design:

Public School, Make America New York, 2017

Public School creative directors’, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, athleisure-focused show featured sweatshirts with the phrase, "We Need Leaders" on the back. Many of the models wore red baseball caps that parodied Donald Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again" insisting instead that we "Make America New York”. During the finale, the song "This Land Is Your Land" played in the background.

The signifier is a red baseball reading "Make America New York." in white font that has been unpicked creating a distressed look. This imitates the (destructive) style of presidency Donald Trump took on. The signified is to highlight the fact that Donald Trump did not follow the formal style of presidency previous President in America usually follow. It also shows how Donald Trump was unable to lead the country due to the lack of his leadership skills and only ever appeasing to his base in result leaving many Americans unheard.

I have discovered that subtle visual links to well known controversial political figures creates a powerful impact. The research has helped me discover the potential in parody art pieces in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

Photography:

Suzie Blake, Blood Mountain, 2019

Suzie Blake created a sculptural installation featuring a 3-meter high mound of red clothing and apparel. In the 3000 kilogram pile are T-shirts displayed slogans like “Girl Power” and “The Future Is Female” which peak out from the crimson clothing. It is displayed like a giant pile of landfill. The clothing is all in the hue of that liquid which runs through our veins and tarnishes our hands when we remain silent on serious issues. Blake created the work in the form of a mountain as it is considered the archetype of ascent and power ( the bridge between heaven and earth). Her goal was to reimagine this archetype in the form of greed and waste. “Blood Mountain” asks, what is the environmental cost of bloated man-made structures? And what is the role of feminism within such structures? Also, whose empowerment does the current iteration of the feminist movement serve? And since when did we think it was acceptable for brands to piggyback on our movement?

The signifier is a sculptural installation featuring a 3-meter high mound of red clothing and apparel. The signified is to highlight the fact that the fast fashion industry is the second biggest polluter after oil. It also brings attention to the fat that most garment workers are women, or sometimes girls (around 85%) who get paid on average $3 a day. It also raises a set of questions in the viewer’s head such as “What is the environmental cost of man-made structures?”, “What is the role of feminism within such structures?”, “Also, whose empowerment does the current iteration of the feminist movement serve?” and “And since when did we think it was acceptable for brands to piggyback on our movement?”.

I have discovered that pairing well known objects (that are associated with a topic) and subtle objects that imply the effect the topic has on humans creates a powerful and clear message while opening viewers’ eyes to situations that were overshadowed. The research has helped me discover the potential in direct but subtle art pieces in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project. Promotion:

Vivienne Westwood, Homo Loquax A/W 19 LFW, 2019

Vivienne Westwood is renowned for seamlessly amalgamating fashion and activism, having used her platform over the years to protest a whole range of issues, from fracking to austerity. Westwood had models wear clothes with slogans berating politicians while protests about the environmental impact of London Fashion Week took place. She sent models down the catwalk wearing aprons and tabards with anti-consumerist and climate change slogans.The show happened at the same time as environmental action group Extinction Rebellion organised protests at several of London Fashion Week venue's to highlight the throwaway nature of the fashion industry. Models also held microphones and spoke to the audience in a theatrical display, urging one another to buy less and pontificating on the consequences of consumerism. A model paused on the runway to say that Brexit was a crime, while another took a jibe at American foreign policy. The clothes themselves were as avant-garde as one would expect of a Vivienne Westwood collection.

The signifier is a collection of clothes featuring slogans berating politicians. The collection also featured a set of playing cards that illustrate a plan to save the world from climate change. The signified is to promote the dangers of climate change, Brexit and capitalism. It also shows that fashion is all about styling: buy less, choose well, make it last.

I have discovered that using a global stage to speak out on issues that affect the world as a whole can deliver a strong and direct message. The research has helped me discover the potential in using fashion as a political message/statement in identifying opportunities for progressing with the project.

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twistedtummies2 · 4 years ago

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Ele-May-ntary - Number 13

Welcome to Ele-May-ntary! All throughout the month of May, I’m counting down my Top 31 Favorite Portrayals of Sherlock Holmes, from movies, television, radio, and video games! Last time, we talked about Nicol Williamson’s delusional detective from “The Seven Per-Cent Solution.” Today, we’ll be discussing another rather drastic reimagining, also with his own issues with drugs. Number 13 is…James D’Arcy.

In 2002, before the BBC aired their modernized “Sherlock” series, there was a TV movie also known as Sherlock, under the full title “Sherlock: Case of Evil.” At the time, the film received mixed reviews, and to this day it isn’t one that’s highly thought of. I, however, personally rather enjoy it! It’s different, but it’s an interesting kind of different. The story is somewhat similar to the plot of the by-then-80-year-old John Barrymore film, from 1922: in this TV picture, the story starts with a young Holmes, just starting to make a name for himself as a detective, on the trail of Professor Moriarty. It turns out he’s seeking revenge for what Moriarty did to his brother, Mycroft: in this universe, Mycroft has been crippled due to drug experiments Moriarty conducted on him after kidnapping him some time ago. Holmes kills Moriarty, and thus cements a dubious reputation for bringing the master criminal down…but it later turns out that the rumors of the Professor’s death have been greatly exaggerated, and Holmes thus sets out to once again track down and defeat his nemesis. What’s interesting about this 2002 feature is that it’s sort of a giant melting pot of various earlier Holmes adventures, all rolled into a new feature. In the case of D’Arcy’s Holmes, there’s a lot of stuff being mish-mashed in here. First of all, we have a younger take on the character; this was a rarity in years past, but by no means was this the first production to try this. He’s given a more romantic leaning, and part of the story is him learning to bury his emotions; again, something else a couple early versions latched onto. A lot of emphasis is put on his cocaine habit, something we got with Nicol Williamson’s portrayal in particular. He’s given a sort of action hero vibe: again, something we’d seen of other Sherlocks before, and have seen since. Even little elements of the plot and other characters feel reminiscent of earlier versions: something about Vincent D’Onofrio’s Moriarty, for example, has often reminded me of Professor Ratigan from “The Great Mouse Detective,” of all things. (The fact he and Holmes have their final, fateful duel atop Big Ben probably doesn’t help.) However, despite all this collective inspiration, the film – and D’Arcy’s performance – do have their own unique elements. D’Arcy gives us a Holmes who is somehow both vulnerable and cocksure; he’s a younger take on Sherlock, yes, but he’s still Sherlock: swaggering, conceited, a bit unhinged, and yet thoroughly brilliant, able to put together puzzle pieces that most people don’t latch onto. His relationship with Moriarty is great, too: he LOATHES the Professor, but he also seems to have a certain respect for him, the way Holmes should – recognizing Moriarty as the highest criminal of his caliber. Moriarty’s feelings are somewhat similar, in turn: he recognizes Sherlock as a young and genius fellow, but unfortunately, he’s a young genius who is constantly getting in his way. I also really love Watson in this movie, and the way he and Holmes build their relationship here. Watson is played by little-known actor Roger Morlidge. I don’t think I’ve seen Morlidge in anything EXCEPT this feature, but he’s a fine actor, and brings a new dimension to Watson. In here, instead of being a surgeon, Watson works as a pathologist, and uses methods and devices in his autopsies that other people find perplexing, to say the least. Even though he’s not a brilliant genius like Holmes, he’s inventive and clever in his own way, and because they both use concepts in their line of work that others don’t fully understand, they’re able to form a strong bond. We’ve never really seen that as the genesis of Watson and Sherlock’s relationship, but it actually makes a lot of sense to me, and it’s an interesting twist to the formula. If there is one major, MAJOR issue with “Case of Evil” in my mind – something that, above all else, I cannot forgive – it is the music. Good GOD, the music in this film is DREADFUL. It’s a bland and unpleasant garbage dump of what I can only describe as…well…“Early 2000s Music.” Hopefully you know what I mean by that. It doesn’t fit the movie’s aesthetic tone or style at all, let alone the time period, and it sucks much of the drama out of major moments. Beyond the abysmal score, however, I’ve never really understood why this film seems to be generally disliked. It’s highly underrated, in my opinion…as is its main performer. The countdown continues tomorrow! Who will be next? Check in and find out!

#ele-may-ntary #top 31 sherlock holmes portrayals #sherlock holmes #sherlock #case of evil #james d'arcy #2002 sherlock #number 13

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undertheinfluencerd · 3 years ago

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Director Johannes Roberts’ 2021 reboot of the Resident Evil movie franchise thankfully already looks to be avoiding unfortunate past mistakes. For nearly 25 years, the Resident Evil video game franchise has reigned supreme as the most recognizable brand in survival horror. Well, mostly, as Resident Evil 6 almost dropped the horror elements completely. At the same time, star Milla Jovovich and director/producer Paul W.S. Anderson curated a six-movie series also called Resident Evil, but only loosely based on the games.

While those Resident Evil movies were huge financial success stories, regardless of their relationship to the source material, it’s safe to say many hardcore fans of the games were left disappointed at how little of their favorite characters and moments were adapted for the screen. That will change with the 2021 movie, entitled Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. Or at least that appears to be the case, based on the images and info released so far. Characters like Leon Kennedy, Claire and Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Ada Wong, and Albert Wesker are finally going to get the movie spotlight they deserve.

Related: Every Resident Evil Monster From The Games That Made It Into The Films

For his part, Roberts is a big fan of the games, and seems dead set on trying to reproduce what makes them so popular with millions of players. From characters, to locations, to stories, Roberts’ movie could possibly be the definitive Resident Evil adaptation. Even if that’s not the case, it’s on track to avoid several prior mishaps.

While Leon, Claire, Chris, Jill, Wesker, and a few other notable Resident Evil video game characters did appear in some form in the previous Resident Evil movie franchise, they often felt like interlopers in someone else’s story. For better or worse, depending on one’s opinion, Milla Jovovich’s Alice was always the clear main character of the franchise, despite being invented out of whole cloth for the movies. While Jovovich certainly isn’t bad in the role, it’s not surprising that fans of the games found this dominance of the spotlight annoying, while they had to watch their favorite game characters play the second or third fiddle.

By contrast, director Johannes Roberts is setting out to craft a movie that can equally please both diehard game fans and newcomers to the franchise by including fan-favorites and putting them front and center. Leon, Claire, Chris, and Jill are the main heroes of Welcome to Raccoon City, while Wesker is one of the main villains, and Ada is somewhere in-between. Also included is Lisa Trevor, a tragic monster who was a great addition to the 2002 remake of the original game. These characters generally look a lot like their game counterparts based on what’s been seen so far. Sure, there are some other game characters that some are surprised to not see present, such as Barry Burton and Rebecca Chambers, but there’s always room for them in potential sequels one assumes. Leon, Claire, Chris, and Jill have become seasoned, multi-faceted characters over the course of multiple games, and it’s about time they began to explore those facets onscreen.

One reason so many fans of the Resident Evil games were perplexed by the decision to adapt them loosely into movies before is that the franchise is renowned for its highly cinematic nature, likable and developed leads, terrifyingly cool monsters like the Nemesis, and sprawling stories full of twists, turns, and scares. There’s also Resident Evil‘s arguably most important aesthetic attribute, present in all its best games, that being an oppressive atmosphere of dread. Resident Evil games, when done right, can be an incredibly tense experience akin to a top-shelf horror movie, and Roberts seems to fully realize that fact.

Related: Resident Evil Reboot’s Biggest Hurdle Adapting The First Two Games

That’s why, while Roberts is adding some new elements here and there, and expanding on some backstories, his base for Welcome to Raccoon City is the games. He’s trying to replicate the look and feel of the characters, the dark, sprawling yet somehow still claustrophobic locations like the Spencer Mansion and the Raccoon City Police Department building, and the white-knuckle horror aspects that make the games so enjoyably hectic at times. While there’s certainly a chance Roberts won’t succeed, and the final product will disappoint, if it does, at least his intentions were noble. And those who liked the old approach will always have six movies starring Jovovich as Alice to go back to and watch on Blu-Ray.

That’s not to argue that the approach taken by the makers of the Resident Evil games has always been perfect. While most of the mainline titles have been well-received, many of the spinoffs were letdowns, such as the woeful Resident Evil: Survivor and Umbrella Corps. The biggest point of division among gamers about Resident Evil though was its shift toward action. This began with Resident Evil 4, one of the most beloved games ever. The problem was, while that game nearly perfectly blended fast action with tense horror, follow-ups Resident Evil 5 and 6 tipped the scales so far toward the action side that the gameplay becomes almost unrecognizable, which some dedicated gamers were understandably bothered by. Capcom did eventually see the error of its ways there, running headlong back into full-blown survival horror with Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil: Village.

In the same vein, while the first Resident Evil movie in 2002 blended action with horror well, the sequels progressively dropped the horror and became almost entirely action/sci-fi. Roberts appears to be taking both of those lessons to heart, as he’s made clear he specifically wants Welcome to Raccoon City to serve as the return of the franchise to horror, as opposed to action. That means fans should probably expect something closer to the works of zombie master George A. Romero, and less guns-blazing, explosion-filled shoot ’em up. While, as mentioned previously, millions of people did enjoy the Jovovich/Anderson movie series, there’s certainly room for a cinematic interpretation of Resident Evil that goes back and tries to capture the spirit of what excited legions of gamers in 1996, and has kept them hooked to 2021 and beyond.

More: Why The Resident Evil Movies Never Killed Off Any Video Game Characters

#marvel #avengers #marvelcomics #spiderman #mcu #ironman #comics #captainamerica #thor #avengersendgame #marvelstudios #xmen #dc #marveluniverse #art #cosplay #tomholland #hulk #disney #comicbooks #dccomics #peterparker #tonystark #blackwidow #marvellegends #endgame #deadpool #marvelcinematicuniverse #loki #bhfyp

The post How Resident Evil 2021 Is Avoiding Past RE Movie Mistakes appeared first on undertheinfluencerd.net.

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ogcassiopeia · 4 years ago

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M+M’s Top 10 Kpop Songs of 2020

NOTE: Please remember these choices are only my opinions and I am not exactly a professional music critic. If you disagree with me that is perfectly okay, I only make these lists for fun and entertainment purposes.

10. Not Shy – ITZY

This song is so fun, boppy and sassy! It’s my favorite song that Itzy has put out thus far, and I feel they looked and sounded super confident on this track, telling us how they will get what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it. I was dancing to this track all through the summer months and I think I will keep it on rotation even heading into 2021.

9. Sukhumvit Swimming – ONF

This is the only song I have ever listened to by ONF but I absolutely adore it. I adore it even though when the members sing ‘sukhumvit’ it sounds like they are saying, ‘stupid’. It just comes out “I’m like a stupid swimming!” and I can’t help but cringe…but for some reason I can forgive that because the hook is just so damn ear-wormy and delicious.

8. Love Killa – Monsta X

I am a sucker for a dark concept…we all know this by now. This song is pure badass, choas energy reigned in only by a dark, deep bass and hard-hitting, punchy lyrics. Love Killa is smooth and seductive while being intimidating and dangerous. Monsta X also rocked their form fitting suits and blood red lips in the music video (emulating popular thriller movies) while dancing in an imitation of a dirty, back-room bar brawl.

7. Home – YEZI

Gorgeous, ethereal and emotion filled, YEZI belts out incredible notes throughout the final chorus of this song about how when you love someone, they become your safe space. The mixing on the EDM back track can get a bit muddled in spots, but overall it’s a lovely song that I’ve been listening to repeatedly since it’s debut.

6. All That Love – Shim Changmin (MAX)

It’s my forever bias, hitting me again with his incredible songwriting ability and this sweater-warm song. Changmin once again reminds me of how mellow he can make his voice if he feels it suits the song, as he does get to hit some impressive notes but he never gets too loud or screechy…just sits perfectly in this melodic middle-ground. This song should have been more popular…newer kpop fans keep sleeping on TVXQ, Changmin and Yunho and it frustrates me to no end.

5. LA DI DA – Everglow

If you had spoken to me last year, I would have told you I hated Everglow. I found their previous tracks to be lacking in imagination, creativity and uniqueness so I just skipped them if they came up on Spotify. So it was a surprise to me when I listened to LA DI DA and immediately fell in love. It’s 80s synth heavy, hitting you smack in the face with retrowave/synthwave techno beats and an earworm chorus that you just can’t help but feel like your listening to the opening of some fantastical 1985 sci-fi movie.

4. Scream/BOCA – Dreamcatcher

I couldn’t chose between these two bangers which one I liked more, so I added them both at #4. Dreamcatcher has become my favorite kpop girl group of all time and it’s been a slow climb to the top of my list, but it’s a well-deserved spot for them. I came into Kpop AFTER jpop and jrock, and so Dreamcatcher’s sound and influence is like home for me. I adore the horror concept and their various takes on it, the members’ chemistry is palpable and distinct, and they actually seem to LOVE what they do and how they do it. I believe Dreamcatcher LOVES being the group they are and it’s so refreshing to see this kind of positivity and friendship in kpop….its not exactly the reality in most regards, ya know. Scream and BOCA were both hard hitting and wonderfully different in a kpop genre that’s getting a little stifled with same-y sounding releases. I hope Dreamcatcher continues to find success and produce bops, because I definitely don’t want to say goodbye to these 7 girls anytime soon.

3. Pporappippam – SUNMI

It’s 80s synthwave inspired and I love it. I love it so fucking much. You should all know by now that I am a sucker for this kind of sound. I am nothing if not consistent. Sunmi is pure perfection on this track, stunningly melodic over a low thumping synth beat that makes me want to drive down a desert road at sunset in the middle of summer. Sunmi never disappoints in her efforts to be a solo artist who can only deliver bops of the highest caliber.

2. A Song Written Easily – ONEUS

Before this song’s release I couldn’t have cared less about this newbie kpop group and their following releases haven’t caught my attention either…but this song….this song just hits different. I do not know if it is because this song just sounds incredibly nostalgic for me or what? It takes me back to the early years of kpop, specifically 2002-2009, in it’s overall sound and presentation. Its melody sounds like a lullaby and it rolls through the song like sparks of sunshine on a wave lapping at the shore of a quiet beach. It’s perfection to me and I’ve listened to it way too many times for it to be okay LOL.

1.Lie – Shim Changmin (MAX) feat Chungha

YES. YES YES YES. 1000X YES. This song has been played so much during this year that if it had been on Spotify it would have been my #1 song. (SM WHY HAVEN’T YOU UPLOADED CHANGMIN’S SOLO ALBUM AGAIN TO SPOTIFY…ANSWER ME THIS?!) Changmin’s entire solo album, “Chocolate” was the best surprise I got this year and the fact that this album had no bad songs, nothing skippable, was such a fucking feat. This song especially hit me like a load of melodic bricks to the face. IT’S FUCKING GORGEOUS! Changmin and Chungha’s vocals go so well together, the beat is repetitive like a heart beat and the lyrics speak to the confused feelings one can have when a relationship is near it’s end. It’s sweet, it’s smooth and when Changmin reigns in his powerful vocals and just…croons….I can’t help but swoon. Changmin can sound like Adam Lambert in one song and them come off like Michael Buble in a another and it’s one of the reasons I adore his wide vocal range. I cannot believe that this album and this song were never appreciated enough this year.

Honorable Mentions:

I Can’t Stop Me – TWICE, Pit a Pat – XIA, Girls – NATURE, Can’t You See Me and Run Away – TXT, Cassette – DEMIAN, LALALILALA – APRIL, PLAY – Chungha, Don’t Touch Me – Refund Sisters, Boy – Treasure, Zombie – DAY6, Dumhdurum – APINK

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