#character: paul chu

[made-this-cause-why-not]

If I have said it a million times let this be my one and one millionth time- the half of it does not need a part 2. We were not robbed of Ellie and Aster's relationship. In the first five minutes, Ellie says that the movie is not that kind of love story. Ellie and Aster weren't in love, Ellie just had a crush that turned into a weird friendship. The best fic about the movie that I read once a year is Rotten Work by LittleQueenTrashMouth because it doesn't even mention Aster. It's just about Ellie and Paul, two friends who have a true loving relationship with eachother. Like, they were seniors- even if something real happened between them, it would have been short lived. And while I do want Alice Wu to direct something new for me to obsess over, making a part two would literally ruin the first movie.

[auryn-kotori]

5 other comfort characters ^^

I forgot them : Aldys Martin (Never Been Kissed) and Dylan Sanders (Charlie's Angels)

(12.03.24) EDIT : Patrick Verona <3 ^^

My Comfort Characters

[heybiji]

If you're looking for asks mind talking about Apollo a little bit? Saw his doodle in a post of yours and he's made me nostalgic for an old light cleric oc of mine, so I can't help but be curious about your boy~ 🔆

Overlook City's #1 Superhero, Apollo! The Light in the Dark! The New Day!

Real name: Paul Garland. Old money. His powers include super strength, light manipulation, and regeneration. He can't fly, so they built him a flying car named The Chariot. He's extremely popular and well-liked. Very marketable.

Behind the scenes he's not too smart, but he follows instructions well. His regeneration actually prevents him from tanning so he has an artificial tan because they won't have Apollo be lookin sickly pale out there (shhh, it's a secret!).

in high school he broke a kid's spine during a football game when his super strength kicked in, but hey, that's okay! he's a hero now!

Apollo was made by one of my players (Rii, Amber's Chu's player, who is not on tumblr. also my DM for the dnd game i play dande in) when I asked everyone to come up with a hero in the city that their character liked.

True Strike/Tony Salvo can't STAND him because he's so well liked and makes it all look so easy. Plus he wears a cape even though he can't fly? He's an absolute dumb-dumb! Not to mention he shit-talked True Strike on the news for "murdering Dino Donut," a FUCKIN' BALLOON. IT WAS A SMEAR CAMPAIGN! AND HE BROKE A KID'S BACK AND NO ONE CARES ANYMORE?

[buttherainbowhasabeard]

Why Glicked Never Really Clicked

It was the mashup that Hollywood hoped would match the magic of Barbenheimer: a kooky combination of gladiators and good witches. But Glicked — the name given to the late November releases of 'Gladiator II' and ‘Wicked’ — was a tale of two cities (Rome and Oz) that felt forced to sit side-by-side in cinemas.

When ‘Barbie' and ‘Oppenheimer' debuted together in July 2023, they were an unlikely yet complementary pair. Even though one was a technicoloured exploration into the world of dolls and dreamhouses and the other was an IMAX-scale atomic biopic, they became a must-do double bill. They gave audiences an excuse to dress up and make going to the movies an “event”.

Glicked on the other hand, felt like an arranged marriage, and we the viewers – the children – took sides.

The first problem was the source material. 

The musical ‘Wicked: The Untold True Story of the Witches of Oz’ debuted on Broadway in 2003, and it was an instant classic. It spawned a stunning soundtrack of award-winning hits, including “What is This Feeling?”, “The Wizard And I”, “Popular” and “Defying Gravity”. It went on to be performed right around the world, including in Europe and Australia and continues to tour to this day.

This means that despite Jon M. Chu's movie adaptation coming 21 years after the first stage show (and 22 years once Part 2 is released in 2025), the fans hadn’t moved on or forgotten the Witches. If anything, the love and appreciation for the characters of Elphaba and Glinda (played by powerhouse performers Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the film) have only grown over the years, picking up new devotees with every new stage outing.

Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator’ came out even earlier, in the year 2000. Although it was a big hit (winning five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Russell Crowe, and Best Supporting Actor for Joaqiuin Phoenix), it wasn’t a movie that needed a sequel, and frankly, the ending didn’t really lend itself to one.

Now, 24 years on, spiritual successor ‘Gladiator II’ is here sans most of the original cast and it feels... unnecessary. The lineup is impressive (Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn to name a few) the visuals are epic and the CGI is fun (ugly baboon, I’m looking at you!) but the story is lacking somewhat. Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius is mentioned and mirrored constantly, meaning that overall, the film struggles to step out of the original’s successful shadow.

The second point of difference was appeal and accessibility.

Although musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, the family-friendly rating of ‘Wicked’ meant it was going to be a go-to choice for families and big groups of all ages. Fans of Erivo and Grande were also going to be keen to see their favourite singers in action, even if they weren’t familiar with the play.

'Gladiator II’, on the other hand, was hindered by its R rating. An Ancient Rome saga of bloody battles and political betrayals wasn’t going to have mass appeal, and those who were drawn to it would need to be over 17 years of age.

The third reason was marketing. 

Barbenheimer had its own memes, merchandise, costumes and a communal sense of fun, as well as triggering that all-important feeling of FOMO to drive ticket sales. Glicked didn’t generate any of that kind of buzz.

The stars of ‘Wicked’ walked yellow brick road themed red carpets in colour-coordinated pink and green, and the movie account had an unmissable social media presence through regular collaborations, sing-a-longs, fan art shares, dance tutorials and announcements. 'Gladiator II’, however, followed the more traditional path of posting trailers, set photos, and interviews.

There didn’t seem to be much effort on the part of either film’s team to create a sense of “us”, so it instead became a feeling of “this” or “that”. Not “When are you going to see Wicked AND Gladiator II?” but "Are you going to see Wicked OR Gladiator II?"

And that brings me to my fourth and final point – which is probably the most important: Barbenheimer worked because it wasn’t planned. Glicked felt like a failed attempt to manufacture lightning in a bottle. But as the myth goes, lightning never strikes twice…

‘Wicked’ 4.5/5 stars. ‘Gladiator II’ 3/5 stars.

[thesweetnessofspring]

what did you think about wicked: part one?

I think Jon M. Chu is the only modern director who should do movie musicals! (though I've been saying this since In the Heights came out in 2021)

Overall, Chu knows how to make the right changes from stage to screen and knows how to direct it. Even when it was announced the movie would be split, I was like...Wicked has so much it can explore/expand on and "Defying Gravity" is the perfect closing act! It's not forced at all the way that it ended. The sets were jaw-dropping and the costume designer, Paul Tazewell, is a modern Cinna, the costumes had me gasping. The color gradient overall didn't bother me except for "Dancing Through Life." Which I guess was more the lighting, which is a shame because the choreography was really cool in that one and I wanted to see more of it.

I really liked Erivo's change from an angry Elphaba to a sort of...quietly strong, hurting underneath, and of course she killed it vocally. I'm soooooo glad they cast a Broadway actress because no way could anyone else do Elphie justice. I also loved that she turned down the Wizard when he offered to make her skin not green, and I really felt Elphaba's growth as a person and a character.

I LOVED Kristin and Idina's parts. They don't even feel like cameos because they had an actual song! You can tell the people working on this took the stage production seriously and honored it whenever they could.

The one hang-up I had about the movie prior to its release was Ari@na Gr@nde's casting. Objectively, she did well. She wasn't her pop persona like I'd feared and actually acted the role. And I commend the scriptwriters for really digging into Galinda's performative activism. Buuuuut, well, I don't like Ari@na much as a person. Donut-licking adulterers who racebait aren't exactly my favorite. So that takes it to neutral I guess? I don't mind that she was cast but I'm not a stan. I was unfortunately underwhelmed by her version of "Popular." Galinda is much more toned down in the film than the stage which makes sense, but there was just...no real energy to it? Like, that song IS Galinda's number and they were so boring with it. I say as if she wasn't twirling around a chandelier and crawling on the floor, lol. But idk, the energy still wasn't there!

And speaking of...I guess not disappointing numbers, but..."Defying Gravity" also left me with dry eyes. :( As a teen I didn't cry much at media, but seeing Wicked at the Pantages when I was 16, it left me in tears. I don't blame the movie itself, but I think it shows its limitations. They did everything right for that one. The lead-up to the number was great, the vocal performances were flawless, the cinematography was breathtaking. But it's so different seeing Elphaba rise up in front of you with her cloak billowing and feeling her voice into your very core. That's what I love about musical theatre, just how immersive it is. I have no "they should have done this instead" about it, just my own reaction.

So, yeah! It was really really good! Really the best we could have hoped for. I know I'm kind of picky here but none of this stopped me from enjoying it or that it is a really well-done adaptation.

[notesoncrocs]

all of it

thought about the movies everything everywhere all at once and the half of it today until i was sick. eeaao because i was analyzing joy wang's character as a nihilist and the half of it because i'm writing a final paper comparing it to sartre's no exit.

i'm so behind on this class, it's not even funny. it's called literature & existentialism and i picked it because i thought i would like it. i was supposed to like it. then again i was also supposed to take another lit class and consider the major this semester and none of that happened either. when i did wake up in time, i'd go to this class and sit in the back and try to just listen in, and the professor would call on me for nodding off.

but it'll be okay. my discussion post is a month late but i talked about how jobu tupaki searched through all possible universes for a version of a mother who loved and understood her. how she was driven to give up her sense of freedom and agency in the face of these pressures from her mother -- to be straight, college-educated, skinny, more fluent in chinese, less americanized -- and succumb to the conclusion that nothing matters. i have an idea for the thesis for my final paper -- in class we learned about sartre's framework for the concept of "the other" and how profoundly disturbing it is to be in the presence of another person, because as the center of your own universe you are in control of the meaning you choose to give to the world, and when another person is within your universe, your agency is being chipped away. you -- and your meaning -- become chained to the other's judgment of you. and for the half of it i was thinking about different ways people try to take back control of their narrative from the other, whether that's through overexplaining or overexposure of yourself or through physical distance from the other.

there's other things, more important things, about both movies that an existentialist framework could never fully explain away. i thought about evelyn, when facing the possibility of losing her own daughter to the black hole, asking helplessly to her father how he found it in himself to let her go. i thought about the lights from the failing laundromat, the smashed windows, the glass on that dark street, and mother and daughter trying so hard one more time to listen to each other, even though it hurts so much. then i thought about the ending of the half of it, paul munsky running after ellie chu's train, knowing that it's futile and that she's going where he can't follow, but doing it anyway because it was her favorite scene from the movie ek villain and he remembered. he remembered because he loves her. no drawn-out 60-page essay, translated to english from french, laying out a blueprint for how a man should face the burden of his freedom or his death or whatever, could dream of capturing this.

[dlrconlicense]

Louise Brealey On Starring In BBC Three’s Upcoming Comedy Such Brave Girls

Such Brave Girls will arrive on BBC iPlayer on 22 November

By Olivia Emily | 3 days ago

This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more

Louise Brealey is perhaps best known for her witty portrayal of lovelorn morgue technician Molly Hooper in Sherlock – but we’re loving her recent comedy work even more. She’ll next be seen in the BBC‘s hotly anticipated comedy Such Brave Girls, coming later this month. Written by Kate Sadler, Louise plays Deb, the matriarch of a dysfunctional family, trying and failing to keep her kamikaze daughters from disaster. We sat down with Louise to hear all about it.

Interview: Louise Brealey

© Leo Staar

Hi Louise, how’s life going at the moment?

Hello! It’s been a busy summer – my new film has been doing the festival circuit so there have been a lot of planes, trains and automobiles.

You’re about to star in BBC’s new series Such Brave Girls – can you give us an elevator pitch for the show?

Two messed-up twenty-something (real-life) sisters [Kat Sadler and Lizzie Davidson] and their total car crash of a mother attempt to navigate their way out of disaster and into love.

You play Deb – can you describe her?

Deb is amazing. She’s a shockingly bad mum who has completely messed up her two Gen Z daughters. I think of her as one of those vending machines at railway stations and swimming pools where you can get a Twix, but all that’s on her shelves is Tough Love.

What was it like playing her?

A terrifying hoot – she has a lot of lines.

How did you get into character/prepare for the role?

I based Deb on a little girl I used to know. You could see every emotion on her face. Guile, rage, confusion, fear. When she was cross, she scowled. When she was delighted, she beamed.

I used my real accent: Northamptonshire. It has softened over the years, so I sound a lot posher now, but it’s how my family speak and I’ve never had the chance to work using it.

Any funny stories from rehearsals or filming?

The scenes requiring our amazing intimacy coordinator, Elle McAlpine, were hysterically funny and genuinely not at all awkward. Poor Paul Bazely who plays Dev may have experienced some chafing.

What is the cast dynamic? Who was your favourite person to work with?

We are like a little family when we are filming. I feel very protective of Kat and Lizzie. And Paul is a wonderful human being and a phenomenal actor.

Are you still in touch with any of your co-stars?

Yes, we message all the time.

Josie (KAT SADLER), Deb (LOUISE BREALEY), Billie (LIZZIE DAVIDSON) in Such Brave Girls. © BBC/Various Artists Limited/James Stack

You’re perhaps best known for your role as Molly in Sherlock. What is that like to look back on?

Bittersweet because I don’t feel we finished it, and we have lost Una Stubbs. But it was incredible to be a part of what was really a phenomenon. It couldn’t happen now with streaming.

Any special memories from the show?

Too many. Having a candle in an egg custard tart (my favourite) on my birthday in Benedict’s trailer… Laughing and laughing with darling Una and Rupert Graves, who is a dreamboat.

You’ve also starred in the likes of Lockwood & Co, Brian and Charles and Back recently. But what has been your favourite project to date?

I loved working on Clique for the BBC a few years back. I got to play a hard-ass Queen Bee university lecturer in power suits who was afraid of no one, and then to completely fall apart. In an Edinburgh accent.

I loved Lockwood & Co. How does it feel for the show to be cancelled after just one series?

I felt so bad for the young cast, the crew, the fans and everyone whose livelihoods depended on the show coming back. It got such fantastic reviews and great viewing figures. I feel like the hoop it had to jump through for the streamer was just too impossibly small.

Any roles in the pipeline that you’re excited about? (If you’re allowed to tell us!)

I’m the lead in a lesbian chicken factory musical film called Chuck Chuck Baby.

Who has been your favourite actor to work with in the past?

This is much too hard. There have been so many that I admired, and some I now call dear friends. But my buddy Jeff Rawle I’ve worked with three times now, and we are trying to make it a fourth.

Which co-star did you learn the most from?

Antonia Pemberton, who played Nanny in Peter Hall’s Uncle Vanya when I was Sonya. She told me not to keep tomatoes in the fridge.

What’s your dream role?

I’m desperate to get back on stage. I’ve been doing film and television for the past seven years, but theatre is my heart and my home.

What’s a genre you’d like to do more of?

I’d like a good horror. I can’t watch them because I’m a scaredy-cat, but I’d love to be in one.

© Leo Staar

Do you get to spend much time at home?

Not enough. I’ve been gadding about.

Do you live in the town or the country? Which do you prefer?

I’ve lived in London since I left university. I live on a hill next to an oak tree, so it feels like we are in the branches. I can never leave London because I’d miss the culture stuff, but I am a woodland creature.

What’s your interior design style?

A mish-mash of old things I’ve found in auctions. Too many books.

How do you find balance in your personal and work lives?

I don’t.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

An astronaut.

If you could give advice to your 15-year-old self, what would it be?

Don’t sleep with that guy’s flatmate when you are 21.

How can we all live a little bit better?

Choose love.

Anything fun in the pipeline – professionally or personally?

I’m going to run away to a southern European city for January and February to write.

Quick Fire

I’m currently watching… Only Murders in the Building

What I’m reading… We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

The last thing I watched (and loved) was… Silo. I love Rebecca Ferguson.

What I’m most looking forward to seeing… The Motive and the Cue with Mark Gatiss in the West End because I was away for its National Theatre run.

Favourite film of all time… Don’t Look Now

Favourite song of all time… ‘Disco 2000’ by Pulp

Band/singer I always have on repeat… Leonard Cohen

My ultimate cultural recommendation… Join all the museums and galleries

Cultural guilty pleasure… Overcooked 2. It’s computer game where you run around and try to make kebabs.

What’s next for me is… Walking my dog in Beckenham Place Park – it’s south London’s secret mini Hampstead Heath.

Watch

Louise Brealey stars in Such Brave Girls, on BBC iPlayer from 22 November. bbc.co.uk

[looosey]

Movie Review: The Half of It (2020)

Okay @notesoncrocs! I've finally watched it, and got dang!

Synopsis: Chinese American high school senior Ellie Chu lives in suburban seattle, and makes pocket money writing her classmate's english papers. She doesn't know much about love, just literature and music, and has a crush on the only girl who might understand her... but she's also the school's it girl. When a jock Paul asks her to write love letters to this same girl, she says yes to just ONE letter. But one letter becomes two, and messy messy messy friendship, lovers, and love of all kind.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Movie Review

So I watched this with my mom. So I was simply grateful to see queer asians represented on American film.

Ugh!! Paul and Ellie's friendship, and how they are, in real time, forming their young, naive, understanding of what love is, is so... precious. So coming of age. The two of them are like characters from a YA book you grew up with and never want to let go: flawed, cringy, but already cozy in their place in your heart.

The movie itself was beautiful as well, in terms of color palette and camera placement, and I don't think the art ever got in the way of the story-telling. And the references to literature, movies, and philosophy never got too obnoxious, but was just enough to understand the world of Ellie and the writer. All this to say, the movie was natural and not forced at all.

My Thinklings

I really really liked what the characters had to say about love. Paul and Ellie continuously circle the idea that love is the effort you put into letting the other person know they're loved, as opposed to magically finding your destined other half. This idea seeps through the movie, into the romance and the friendship and family: for example, Ellie and Paul start in a pay-for-play relationship, but do so many small things for each other with no expectation of any return at all.

The same idea must've struck @notesoncrocs because she mentions that last scene of him running by the train tracks, futilely... but for her to know. I just sit here now, wanting more out of my life, especially to DO more personally for others around me. Like if this is not the meaning of life/How can I say I have lived?

I'm basically done, but also a small thinkling I have is about liking white men. In general, Ellie and her dad are the only non-white characters in the movie, which is such a strange choice. Is that just what seattle is, or was this isolation a necessary simplification for the deep-rooted dissociation that goes on in a POC with a crush on a white person in high school. Paul is a straight white jock, i.e. Hollywood's default love interest/America's default high school heart throb. This movie did good for me in terms of "reverse representation"(?): seeing this type of guy be a genuine friend for an Asian gay nerd girl was strange in a good way, and made me think for the first time in a while that white men could be... friends.

The Half of It (2020) is on Netflix. I recommend to iHouse!

[jonsbailey]

26/07. Wicked panel at Comic-Con: Jonathan Bailey

“Who do you play?”

I have the immense honor of playing Fiyero, and I feel so privileged to bring him to life on screen.

“Were you a fan of the original musical?”

Ohh, absolutely, I've been a huge fan of the original musical since it first hit Broadway. It goes without saying how much it means to me being part of the film adaptation, it really is a dream come true.

What scene are you most excited to see come to life?

There are so many incredible moments to choose from, but I'm particularly excited to see the "One Short Day" scene. The energy of that number, with Elphaba and Glinda exploring the wonders of the Emerald City, will look stunning on the big screen. I really think audiences will love it.

“Which song that your character is not in do you wish you got to sing?

I love this question! I think "No Good Deed", the intensity and raw emotion that go in that number are just phenomenal, it's always been one of my favourites, and it would've been such a thrilling challenge to perform it. Fun fact, I have Cynthia's "Fiyero" riff as her ringtone.

“If you could take one costume home, what would it be?”

Is it cheating if I say his entire wardrobe? I think I fell in love from the start with the princely attire with the dark blue coat and gold embroidery. It has this touch of elegance that made me feel like actual royalty. I'd love to wear this everywhere, if I could. Big shoutout to Paul Tazewell, he did an incredible job.

“Which previous Wicked Broadway stars would you love to see make a cameo in the movie?”

I think I speak for everyone when I say having Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth make cameo appearances would be amazing. A treat for the fans as well as a nod to the original piece.

“Was this rehearsal process different from any other movie you've worked on? Tell us about it.”

It was indeed quite unique. We had extensive musical rehearsals and choreography sessions. It felt very much like preparing for a stage production in many ways. We spent a lot of time with vocal coaches and musical directors, perfecting every song. It felt like being back in theatre. The dance rehearsals were intense, we worked closely with choreographers to adapt the stage choreography for the screen. It was a lot of fun but also a lot of hard work. Chu created a very collaborative environment. He valued everyone's opinions, which made us feel really invested in our roles.

“What is another musical you would love to see come to life on the big screen and who would you like to play in it?”

Ooh, that's a tough one, but I think it would be great to see what they would do with "Company". And I'd love to play... well, if we're making requests, definitely Robert.

[strangesmallbard]

Top 5 lesbian movies?

GOD what a great question. (i will be honest there’s like. so many interesting-sounding lesbian movies i haven’t seen because watching movies is a sisyphean task). let’s go:

1. “but i’m a cheerleader” dir. jamie babbit - now i am biased because this movie is the most singularly formative piece of media in my life (introduced me to gay people at age 8 when my grandma unknowingly rented it for me at blockbuster) BUT it also happens to be a stellar film. incredible parody and a really gorgeous love story. melanie lynksey is also there

2. “the half of it” dir. alice wu - follows a chinese-american lesbian named ellie chu and her new best friend paul and a girl they both have a crush on. hijinks! mistaken identities! a deeply moving depiction of platonic friendship! every coming of age movie trope, but ten times better! i cried!

3. “saving face” dir. alice wu - follows a chinese american doctor named wil as she navigates being a closeted lesbian in her community—which gets complicated when she starts dating vivian, also from the same community. also includes complex mother-daughter relationships, some great comedy moments, and another ending that made me cry . ms. wu if you write/direct more films i will BE there 🫡

4. “summerland” dir. jessica swale - a reclusive curmudgeon of a lesbian takes in a young kid needing refuge from the london blitz. we learn exactly why she’s a curmudgeon via flashbacks to her romance with gugu mbatha-raw. i am being so vague because it’s one of those devastatingly beautiful movies that’s best watched with zero foreknowledge. also gorgeous cinematography!

5. “D.E.B.S.” dir. angela robinson - this movie is about a TEENAGE LESBIAN SUPER SPY who falls in love with a TEENAGE LESBIAN SUPER VILLAIN. it’s campy! it’s genuinely enemies-to-lovers! a movie for everyone who wants to combine dr. doofenshmirtz and xena: warrior princess into a single character

[straightbaittournament]

MAY THE BEST BAIT WIN! propaganda under the cut:

buffy driscoll and tj kippen:

in the show there's this thing were if a character looks back to someone while they're leaving it means they have a crush on them. so they had a scene were tj looked back towards were buffy was, but then it was revealed he was gay and in love with buffy's best friend who was standing right next to her in that scene enemies to friends were tj is redeemed through the power of gay love towards buffy's best friend

nell serrano and edward:

Not Dead Yet? More like Not Together Yet

eva garvey and gabriel:

they were really cute together and all their flirty build up actually had me, a known dyke, kind of rooting for them and then halfway through the show right in what's about to be a makeout scene they reveal he's gay lmfao. then they sleep together (platonically on different side of the covers) in his houseboat. iconic and i'm not mad about it but it was SO clearly calibrated to be straightbait and switch it was so funny like the cameras were WORKING for those lingering shots

ellie chu and paul munsky:

Classic set-up where they start off as strangers and become really close. He even has a crush on her! note: ellie is canonically a lesbian, so there's also a bait and switch element to this one

joseph cooper and amelia brand:

These two are explicitly set up as the male and female leads of the movie and shown to have a close relationship with each other, one where in any other movie I would have expected them to end up together by the end of the movie, especially since one of the central themes of Interstellar is love as a force that can change the universe. However, the two do not get together by the end of the movie and there is never any explicitly romantic scene between them.

travis touchdown and sylvia christel:

in the first game travis spends the entire game trying to get with sylvia (HE FAILS MISERABLY) and inbetween the sequel and the spin-off they get married, have kids, you know the drill HOWEVER COMMA in that same period of time travis runs away from said family and later moves in with a man. So.

good luck! now go vote!

[marvelousgeeks]

It’s hard to interpret what Benjamin Millepied’s Carmen movie wants to be because the film juggles far too many complex themes at the same time. It’s a visual feast for the eyes, with cinematographer Jörg Widmer’s exquisite shots and Millepied’s directorial choices, but the script needed more tidying to tell a stronger story. Nonetheless, the heavier, more evocative emotions come to life with astounding ease through the performances, making the film worth its salt more times than not. Melissa Barrera dazzles as brilliantly as she does in Jon M. Chu’s In the Heights, and her chemistry with Paul Mescal delivers a deeply memorable romance.

The film is a quietly poignant craft that relies on its stars to do the heavy lifting, and to a degree, it works. It’s etched with tragedy looming in every corner from the moment it begins, with the feelings of dread and loss never leaving the audience. It’s not a romance, not in our definition, at least, but it’s a love story that comes to life sensationally through song and dance in breathtaking ways. Mescal and Barrera are tremendous scene partners, moving seamlessly together even while their characters are hesitant and afraid. It features one of the most breathtaking first kisses I’ve seen on the silver screen, brimming with longing and passion in a way that’s thoroughly evocative because of the chemistry the two establish in silence.

Continue Reading

[denisearef]

The Half of It (2020)

"The Half of It" unfolds in the fictional town of Squahamish, where Ellie Chu, an introverted and academically gifted Chinese-American teenage girl, makes a living writing essays for her classmates. When Paul Munsky, the friendly jock, approaches Ellie for help with expressing his feelings for Aster Flores, the girl they both secretly admire, an unexpected friendship develops.

The plot takes a twist as Ellie, who's struggling with her own secret affection for Aster, navigates the complexities of love, identity, sexuality, and friendship. The film beautifully explores the trio's dynamics, challenging traditional romantic tropes as they form an unconventional bond that transcends societal expectations. As Ellie ghostwrites love letters for Paul to win Aster over, the narrative evolves into an examination of self-discovery, acceptance, and genuine relationships.

Alice Wu's "The Half of It" stands out for its nuanced approach to diversity and its subversion of genre norms. One notable aspect is the portrayal of non-white characters that avoid the trap of being reduced to stereotypes or signifiers of 'otherness.' Leah Lewis, in the role of Ellie Chu, embodies this transcendence as her character's experiences and emotions become universal, resonating beyond cultural boundaries.

Rather than relying on exoticized or token representations, the characters in "The Half of It" navigate universal themes of love, identity, and self-discovery. The narrative becomes a mirror reflecting the shared human experience, making it accessible and relatable for audiences worldwide.

"The Half of It" further distinguishes itself from conventional romantic comedies by subverting the expected romantic pairings. In a departure from the typical narrative arc where the shy, introverted girl would fall in love with the charming jock, the film takes another route. Ellie's journey is not centered around a romantic relationship with Paul but rather an exploration of her own identity and a realization of her feelings for Aster. This deviation challenges the often-predictable formula of romantic comedies and introduces a queer narrative.

Ellie's unspoken affection for Aster becomes a central theme, and the film beautifully navigates the complexities of same-sex attraction in a small, conservative town. Instead of conforming to the expectations of a heteronormative storyline, "The Half of It" explores the challenges and nuances of LGBTQ+ experiences, providing a much-needed representation within the romantic drama genre.

The decision to maintain Paul and Ellie as friends at the end of the film further reinforces the narrative's commitment to authenticity. Rather than forcing a romantic resolution between the main characters, the film prioritizes the importance of deep, platonic connections. This departure challenges the notion that every close relationship between a male and female character must inevitably turn romantic, offering a more realistic portrayal of the complexities of human connection.

Despite the film's diversity, the casting still somewhat centers around whiteness. Although certain characters challenge some stereotypes, the narrative framework remains within the confines of a predominantly white cultural context. This dichotomy raises questions about the depth of diversity in the film industry, emphasizing the need for more inclusive storytelling that goes beyond surface-level representation.

All in all, "The Half of It" distinguishes itself in the romantic comedy genre by subverting conventions and exploring themes of love, queerness, identity, and friendship. While transcending racial and ethnic origins, it also prompts reflection on the industry's ongoing journey towards more authentic and inclusive representation.

[garden-ghoul]

Happy gushiwensday!! Today’s poem is a very thoroughly interpreted “Early Cold on the Yangtze Chills My Warm Thoughts.” Meng Haoran is back, and homesick is a great look on him.

leaves fall. wild geese fly south. I shiver. the north wind blows cold over the cold river. the Xiang holds home in the crook of its arm. oh, I'm a long, long way from cloud-haunted Chu. I cry far-from-home tears, a stranger in a strange land watching a sail on the horizon come in to harbor. I've lost the ferry, and I want to ask the way but there's only flat water, boundless, reflecting the dusk.

original text and notes under the cut.

早寒江上有怀

木落雁南度，北风江上寒。 我家襄水曲，遥隔楚云端。 乡泪客中尽， 归帆天际看。 迷津欲有问，平海夕漫漫。

We’ve been doing a little light reading about Meng Haoran from his bio in The Poetry of Meng Haoran, which I think the bio is by Paul Kroll? Anyway, it mentions that he spent a lot of time travelling without having any particular occupation, which makes me thing that this isn’t him in exile or anything, he’s just... on vacation. And very sad about it.

Early Cold... Warm Thoughts --- a more literal translation might be “early cold on the Yangtze, there are heartfelt thoughts/emotions.” But having the warm thoughts last doesn’t sit right with what’s actually happening in this poem! I had to cool them off a little.

I shiver --- not in the original but I couldn’t resist a little rhyme.

in the crook of its arm --- more like “home is by the bend of the river” but I just love the word crooked too much. Also, the river Xiang 襄 and xiang 乡 hometown are homophones!

a long, long way --- he actually uses a full two characters to say that “a long distance separates us” but I’m going for heymish longing and I’m not using such technical-sounding words in English.

Chu --- 楚 is the name of a whole mess of ancient kingdoms, but in this case it’s referring to the area of his home province, modern Hubei.

come in to harbor --- so there’s actually some conflict between versions of this poem, whether the beginning of this line should read 孤帆 a lone sail or 归帆 a returning sail. I chose what fits with my interpretation, that the narrator is sad thinking about how sailboats get to go home but he doesn’t. There’s no actual harbor in the original, I’d just used “home” too many times already.

I’ve lost the ferry --- 迷津 can also be read as a maze, being lost, or total confusion.

reflecting the dusk --- there’s no reflection in the original either. I just miss Li Shangyin’s lighting tech.

[pveth]

“Love is messy and horrible and selfish… and bold.” – Ellie Chu

When Ellie is approached by Paul with a business deal, she accepts without thinking much of it. Little did she know that helping him write love letters to his crush would lead her to make a new friend, get a new crush, lie to said friend and crush, make up with both of them, and discover herself.

The Half of It is a sweet retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac through the eyes of high schoolers. Ellie, a pragmatic teen who ends up getting tangled in drama in her last year of high school after playing it safe her whole life. Paul, a sweet but socially awkward jock who needs help talking to girls. Aster, the daughter of the local deacon and the object of both of their affections.

If you want to celebrate Pride month, or if you just want a nice and short coming of age story, The Half of It will take you back to the days of young love, teen drama, and self-discovery.

While I was expecting the movie to be more of a romance, I still actually really enjoyed it; and for all of its predictability and short running time, the movie still managed to keep me guessing how the characters were going to react to their circumstances. I also found the ending to be realistic in a hopeful and refreshing way.

(Photo via IMdB)

[theresidentnews]

The Resident, Episode 3x20, “Burn It All Down” Promo

SEASON 3 FINALE