#genuinely tho i really enjoy shakespeare

[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

mentioned i was reading another shakespeare play, got asked which one's my favourite so far. i said probably hamlet. she said yeah i thought so. i can't even be mad i'm predictable as hell and also i've been going on about a lowkey similarly pathetic overly emotional tragedy protagonist for ages now

[lesbianralzarek]

generally really liking the fallout tv show, but theres an absolutely unwatchable bit in episode 3 where the writers inexplicably decide to take a brave stand against, uh, *checks notes* rehabilitation and reintegration of criminals into society. really, uh, stickin it to the dominant cultural opinion that prisoners should be treated ethically, because thinking that criminals are people is just wayyyy too common in america. big problem. really got me there with your unbelievably unrealistic depiction of raiders as animals with no redeeming qualities

genuinely, what am i supposed to take away from vault dwellers saying "oh hey, id like to volunteer to show them some shakespeare!" and the show treating that like its a flaw? dramatic music as norm is singled out and he says (not fucking joking) "i dont think its our job to help these people". gasps all around, because of course the average person wouldnt agree 100% with that statement. how divisive! norm bravely telling his obviously idiotic neighbors "i think we should kill them". what a hero!

like i said, im enjoying it so far so i think ill just try to push past it, but christ alive

(now, its possible that theyre planning on setting this up to be a villain origin story type thing for norm, given the tone of the music that played when he was told his father would "do the right thing" if he was there. isnt a get out of jail free card for the rest of the scene, tho, which clearly framed the peace-loving vault dwellers as morons)

[rosencrantzsguildenstern]

Hamlet......the eternal blorbo......character meme pls (also i7 trigger if you'd like)

OKAY. i was at school all day but here we go

(did gaku already here)

hamlet:

gah. hamlet. one of the most famous blorbos of all time. the thing about him is that he's not only tragic and well written, he's also, like, funny? relatable? the college-educated prince i think would have been someone much harder to connect to in shakespeare's time— definitely not impossible, and he's written as someone you can connect to, but still— but in this day and age the world is FULL of depressed college students, and hamlet's genuinely charming. i recoil at adaptations that frame him as a clear asshole (apart from immortal ros&guil performances that are clearly just having some fun with him) because while you can say 'oh, he killed those people, he mistreated ophelia, he caused the problems' and all that, you can and should sympathize with him, and a performance where you get to enjoy every moment of his being onstage is a good one; he makes a kind of sharp-tongued joke that an audience should be able to laugh at. i'm sad about him, too, but the tragedies that REALLY make me sad tend not to be hamlet-brand; what draws me to him is just like. his energy. and his tragic fall is done very well (of course it is, it's one of the most well-liked plays of all time)

tenn:

compared to hamlet tenn isn't as much of an all timer but on god. i'm obsessed with him. stream hidden region mv right now.

i always get hyped whenever a character is a collection of archetypes i've never seen before and on god. tenn. nice guy who acts like an asshole who acts nice. his layers. but that's such an oversimplification too... i want to dissect him. he's so stubbornly self sacrificial my boy LET PEOPLE HELP YOU. not me tho i wont help u i'll hit u with a baseball bat for being ableist to riku . but he's really good

ryuu:

RYUUUUUUU i tend to like the characters who are like... weird and complicated and really unique concepts and ryuu is not that like he DOES have complexity + every idolish7 character also has a cool twist that takes them beyond an archetype (i think every) . but i do love him he's just like. lovable. like how could u look at ryuu and NOT like him. i also really like when he gets mad like when he scares yaopapa or REALLY GOOD SCENE the times he like. very seriously and calmly, at a very mentally low state, gets antagonized by ryou and just. verbally eviscerates him. they make really good foils because he's everything ryou's not: he's down to earth, he deeply cares for people and isn't afraid to show it, and he understands himself. he's got moments of anxiety and self doubt, but he's managed to build himself up from that as trigger's grown closer. ik other fans like him when he's dumb/oblivious, i tend not to laugh as much at those moments (though some are iconic) bc i really like him as someone who like. knows what he's about. he's also kind of the touma of trigger; when i first met trigger, they were antagonistic and tenn and gaku were always bickering, so i saw them as villains, and ryuu was the member that endeared me to himself first (pretty much as soon as he stepped onscreen lol)

[steelycunt]

see i do really love her music but you will never catch me lauding her as *the* lyrical genius of our generation or like the epitome of creativity. she’s successful because she’s a great businesswoman and knows how to market herself to the widest audience possible (in addition to other factors which def play a huge role, ie she’s white pretty and christian). every time someone defends her by pointing to [lyric] it’s kind of obvious they don’t rly listen to other kinds of music or read much or are quite young. which sounds so pretentious but!

that said i DO think she’s a talented songwriter, but her skill lies in crafting stories in songs (which is what country artists are known for, and why her more folk-y country songs are far better than her pop), which you can’t see from individual lyrics. that doesn’t make her the next shakespeare or anything tho, and it definitely doesn’t warrant swifties going to war in comment sections to defend her (parasocial relationships n all that…)

i do not think it sounds pretentious at ALL i think you are bang on actually!! that is exactly the impression i get when the implication is made that the inclusion of some sort of reference, regardless of the quality of the execution of this, automatically makes a lyric good or poetic or god forbid ‘genius’.

and i think you’re so right too about what makes her successful!! she is, above all, a businesswomen, as is hammered home by the fact that there seems to be a new something-or-other from taylor swift being released every other week. and the thing about storytelling too—like i said in a prev ask that is a big part why i think she is popular, regardless of whether you think her popularity is warranted or not the perceived relatability of her songs and the emotions and feelings they’re meant to be about and the stories in them i think is what attracts the people who like her. the myth of her ‘lyrical genius’, in my opinion, mainly comes after this, is a product of her popularity rather than the cause of it, and also is just that—a myth. and idk i just feel it’s unnecessary? if you genuinely feel her lyrics are good, that’s great, that’s one thing—but the comparisons to shakespeare, for example, which are bafflingly frequent and obviously ludicrous, feel unnecessary. you don’t have to pretend that taylor swifts writing is as good as shakespeare’s to enjoy her music. you don’t have to pretend her writing is GOOD to enjoy her music.

i appreciate that there is an argument to be made that you get a lot of young girls, mostly, defensive over her because so often the value of things that young girls enjoy is denigrated and dismissed, but grown adults seething with rage in the comment section of a tiktok that implied that taylor swift isn’t that good and arguing that she is in fact objectively genius and if you disagree you’re incorrect, is so ridiculous like. you don’t need to fight for this woman or pitch for her she’s probably the most commercially successful music artist around right now. your subjective opinion of her does not need to be transformed into objective fact in order to justify your listening to her music you can just listen to it. and calm down. and put titles like the ‘greatest lyricist of our generation’ away neatly in a little drawer and lock it and leave it there and go about your day xx

[fizzyphan]

helloooo helloooo 💖

i hope ur christmas was well and that u got ur favourite presents <3

yes im hoping that everything regarding ur play gets sorted by january <3

i am gonna come across as so dumb but i don't know what newsies is either 🫣 but god shakespeare in a roofless theatre sounds so magical! i think i will always associate shakespeare with school because we had at least one shakespeare work every year and being a non native english speaker while having to learn old english was just a pain. i enjoyed shakespeare during uni tho! although i found more love for greek mythology there

i love hello kitty too!! please do share pictures of ur mugs if u feel comfortable i love looking at cute mugs <3

i'll need to find people to come mini golf with me but i'm definitely coming to u for all the best tips so that i can win hehe 😬

yeah wrapped was all over the place. but god noah really knows what he's doing with his writing, his songs have given me SO much writing inspiration it's ridiculous. and hozier is all time beloved, for the longest time i was obsessed with francesca and i got to see it live and i genuinely had goosebumps, he's such an incredible performer!

ooh that's amazing that they tour quite often! do the members also have solo albums or do they only release music as a band? how did u get into kpop and txt though? 👀

i'm glad to hear u got all ur shopping done! did everyone love the presents u got for them? were u able to send the present for ur friend as well?

i don't celebrate christmas but i do love visiting places and looking at all the gorgeous decor they have around. it feels so warm and filled with love and i love being cosied up sipping on hot choc! i wouldn't necessarily call it a tradition but back when i was home, for new years we would order pizza and just watch various countries ringing in the new year on the news!

the holiday is definitely a winter tradition, it's a must watch! and ooh matching pjs is very cute! do u have a pet and do u get pajamas for them as well?

my week was pretty good, i had work from home but didn't really have much to do so i relaxed a bit, went and got some clothes and now i'm gonna go buy some guavas because they're my absolute favourite fruit. which is urs? 👀

hope u have a lovely weekend beloved 💖

- s

hihi!!! sorry this took so long :( but it wass!! i got many wonderful things! and lets hope so for the show!

its not dumb dw! newsies is about the kids apart of the newspaper strike in 1899! its been my favorite since i was 4 hehe, and yes the roofless theatre is always my fav!!! i also love love greek mythology! i will def show pics of my mugs and other hello kitty things soon!!! ofc ofc

yess!! its so fun and honestly my biggest tip is just picture the ball going in the hole XD im not very good at advice lolol

oh wow that live sounds insane!! im so glad u got to see that! and i agreeee

sometimes they release solo stuff, txt not as much as some groups but the members cover solo songs a lot! i got into kpop in november 2020 with my sister! we had been planning on fully delving into it but never had the time so we finally decided too fully get into it together! i got into txt by hearing their music and seeing videos of them being funny together lol, its honestly one of the best things that has ever happened to me, it sounds cheesy but a lot of these kpop groups saved my life it feels like heh

yes! everyone seemed to love my gifts which im so glad for bcz its hard to shop for a few of my family members hah! and yes i was able to! she loved it :) she told me she was sending me something too! so im excited for that!

pizza and celebrations sounds so fun! my parents anniversary is on new years eve so they always celebrate by themselves for a bit so me and my siblings usually walk around and celebrate together for a couple hours!

i do have a dg! is name is oliver or oli hehe, he did have some pjs but unfortunately not matching ones T-T, we did get him a bandana for his collar that matched our pjs tho!

im glad your week was good! relaxing is so nice after getting things done, clothes shopping is fun! and i love guava too!! i love fruit so picking a favorite is hard, but id have to say i love apples, mangos and oranges!

i hope you have an amazing day and new years eve cant wait to keep talking!!! <3

[celestialsky198]

it seems i have rather unexpectedly stumbled on to the Shakespeare side of tumblr, a surprise that, while not what i originally intended for my dashboard, is nonetheless absolutely delightful. a particularly popular play appears to be romeo and juliet. however, i have (regrettably) not read or seen a production of romeo and juliet. thus, my good gentlefolk, i am here today to present, for your viewing pleasure, what i think mercutio, romeo and benvolio are like, as informed by tumblr memes. i hope you enjoy my fever dream of a presentation on the gloriously nicknamed montacrew.

mercutio:

- extremely dramatic, to the point of sacrificing his own safety for the aesthetic

- possesses little to no sense of danger

- gayyyy

- sticking around for the DramaTM

- prankster

- would speak purely in memes if social media existed when the play was set and would have held a funeral complete with an elaborate mourners procession and a gravestone for vine when it eventually lost relevance

- is one of the main sources of comedy - minute he dies the whole show hurtles way way faster to the train wreck of a tragedy it will eventually become

- no braincells. there’s nothing but dust and a few pebbles rattling around in his head

- tipsy half the time, however it’s almost impossible to tell the times when he is and the times when he isn’t apart because he’s just Like That normally

- LOUD

- bad at expressing his emotions but genuinely quite sweet when he can get his words out properly

- theatre kid but cannot sing for the life of him

- this doesn’t stop him tho

- feral

- if he has a problem it is not his for very long as it very quickly becomes EVERYONE’S problem

- the biggest flirt you’ve ever seen in your life

- very excitable, sort of like caffeine if it were a person and made poor life decisions

- poofy sleeves

- petty crime

benvolio:

- level head (kinda)

- he has more than one brain cell which admittedly isn’t a lot but it’s millions better than the other two

- so so tired

- tries to keep the other two in check and out of trouble but is becoming slowly more feral due to exposure

- dumbass in training if you will

- also a silly and a prankster but feigns reluctance bc he (sort of) has a reputation to think of

- mercutio on the other hand has no reputation other than being ridiculous and thus has nothing to lose

- deathly loyal and very supportive of his friends even if it’s kinda their fault that they’re in trouble

- boy has been through some next level suffering, he is not okay, someone get him some therapy and maybe a hug

- lots of deadpan humour

- dating mercutio

- probably deserves better he’s seen some stuff

- gays are never happy :(

- confident, fairly easygoing but has limits you don’t cross

- with him you joke until he gives you The Look and then you shut up quick

- dog person

- possible clairvoyance?? i don’t make the rules

romeo:

- feelings!!!

- will cry. just in general. about anything.

- impulsive as heck

- big romantic, the ‘sighs dreamily’ type

- simply does not Think, at anytime

- this means he can screw up sometimes and be a bit of a jerk but he means well

- he does not jump to conclusions he hurtles towards them at 200mph

- sad often

- anytime he appears on the scene things escalate

- *slight air of tension but generally quiet* *romeo appears* *all hell breaks loose*

- optimist but easily disappointed

- prankster also

- they all joke around to be honest

- unearned confidence

- refuses to listen to any and all authority

- a little gullible but we don’t hold that against him

- just an ongoing, never ending crisis as opposed to a midlife crisis

- a hot mess

- doesn’t really comprehend such fabled things as Consequences or Repercussions and his primary motivation for things is almost always ‘it looked like a fun time’

- he’s a laugh and fun to be around but don’t trust him with anything

- kinda like a golden retriever but somehow more reckless

[marvelgeeklikestowrite]

Letters and lines quoted by Alex and Henry in their e-mails

Sense and Sensibility: “You want nothing but patience—or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”

Alexander Hamilton to Laurens: The truth is I am an unlucky honest man, that speak my sentiments to all and with emphasis. I say this to you because you know it and will not charge me with vanity. I hate Congress—I hate the army—I hate the world—I hate myself. The whole is a mass of fools and knaves; I could almost except you …

Hamilton said it better in a letter to Eliza: You engross my thoughts too entirely to allow me to think of any thing else—you not only employ my mind all day; but you intrude upon my sleep. I meet you in every dream—and when I wake I cannot close my eyes again for ruminating on your sweetness.

Allen Ginsberg to Peter Orlovsky—1958: Tho I long for the actual sunlight contact between us I miss you like a home. Shine back honey & think of me.

Henry James to Hendrik C. Andersen, 1899: May the terrific U.S.A. be meanwhile not a brute to you. I feel in you a confidence, dear Boy–which to show is a joy to me. My hopes and desires and sympathies right heartily and most firmly, go with you. So keep up your heart, and tell me, as it shapes itself, your (inevitably, I imagine, more or less weird) American story. May, at any rate, tutta quella gente be good to you.

Hamilton to Laurens: You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.

Dear Thisbe,

I wish there weren’t a wall.

Love, Pyramus

Vita Sackville-West to Virginia Woolf—1927: With me it is quite stark: I miss you even more than I could have believed; and I was prepared to miss you a good deal.

From Radclyffe Hall to Evguenia Souline, 1934: Darling—I wonder if you realize how much I am counting on your coming to England, how much it means to me—it means all the world, and indeed my body shall be all, all yours, as yours will be all, all mine, beloved.… And nothing will matter but just we two, we two longing loves at last come together.

Eleanor Roosevelt to Lorena Hickock—1933: I miss you greatly dear. The nicest time of the day is when I write to you. You have a stormier time than I do but I miss you as much, I think.… Please keep most of your heart in Washington as long as I’m here for most of mine is with you!

From Michelangelo to Tommaso Cavalieri, 1533: I know well that, at this hour, I could as easily forget your name as the food by which I live; nay, it were easier to forget the food, which only nourishes my body miserably, than your name, which nourishes both body and soul, filling the one and the other with such sweetness that neither weariness nor fear of death is felt by me while memory preserves you to my mind. Think, if the eyes could also enjoy their portion, in what condition I should find myself.

Richard Wagner to Eliza Wille, re: Ludwig II–1864 : It is true that I have my young king who genuinely adores me. You cannot form an idea of our relations. I recall one of the dreams of my youth. I once dreamed that Shakespeare was alive: that I really saw and spoke to him: I can never forget the impression that dream made on me. Then I would have wished to see Beethoven, though he was already dead. Something of the same kind must pass in the mind of this lovable man when with me. He says he can hardly believe that he really possesses me. None can read without astonishment, without enchantment, the letters he writes to me.

Wilfred owen to siegfried sassoon—1917:And you have fixed my Life—however short. You did not light me: I was always a mad comet; but you have fixed me. I spun round you a satellite for a month, but shall swing out soon, a dark star in the orbit where you will blaze.

Jean Cocteau to Jean Marais, 1939: Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having saved me. I was drowning and you threw yourself into the water without hesitation, without a backward look.

[nevernotnotnotting]

im rewatching doctor who with my partner (they’ve never seen it, ive watched up to s9 but haven’t finished it and haven’t watched dw in years- I was obsessed as a teen tho)

we just finished s2 and ive come to the realisation that i hate it. i do not like it. its not enjoyable to me. love and monsters?? are you kidding me?? the fuckin 50s tv one?? the cat hospital?? like there are episodes that i think are objectively good that i just don’t enjoy (impossible planet/satan pit is fascinating, and there’s a lot of interest with the parallel world stuff) but overall i just really really /really/ dislike rose and ten together. don’t like it.

theyre insufferable, they’re not nearly human enough (like dw as a whole does treat a lot of serious stuff without gravity, but this season is atrocious for it - it’s like the second he regenerated ten went ah it’s all fine now!! im over the time war it’s fine (: never mind that his entire planet and species died a year or two ago for him), and everything that they have holding them together seems to be what happened when the doctor was a completely different person (ie before he regenerated). he’s important to her not bc of who he is now but bc of what they went through and who he was before he regenerated, and she’s important to him because she’s his only family since the time war.

they remind me of a couple who’s been married for like 5 years, but they got married while like they were in school or one of them was in the military or something and now that their circumstances have changed the only thing holding them together is the fact that they’re already together. like they love each other- but why? what do they actually love about each other? their history, that’s 95% of it. ive had this opinion for years about them as a ship, but frankly I’m realising this about them as any kind of relationship, platonic or not. i dont like them together and i dont think they’re good together or for each other.

also like- rose is 19 when they meet. she dropped out of school and works in a shop and dates someone she knew growing up. she experiences a lot more and grows up a lot during her time with the doctor, but she’s still at most 21 by the end of s2- she’s still a kid. like developmentally, she’s not full grown yet. she and nine work together bc their relationship is based on understanding that huge power imbalance, which is partly bc of how much older (and less traditionally attractive) nine looks, partly because she’s newer to the tardis, and partly because of how different nine’s attitude is to so much.

idk im glad to be up to s3 for sure. i don’t understand martha hate, i adore her, and i think most of her season is really good. i wish they’d spent less time having her moon (lol) over the doctor, i think it does both of them a real disservice, but she’s a great character and person and i love her arc and the series arc as a whole (i ship ten/john simm master Heavily so this should not be surprising but i do think that it genuinely holds up).

i just, i don’t understand why so many fans love rose/roseten/s2 when to me the whole thing feels like the writers had a really strong vision for s1, finished it, and went ah. didn’t think we’d get this far, have uhhh a werewolf i guess??? and then so many fans have such a negative opinion of martha & s3, when imo that’s when they wrestled the story back into something that’s really very narratively strong. like there’s dodgy bits and bad episodes (i am Not looking forward to lazarus or the pig people lol) but they’re bits and episodes, and even the parts that are dodgy can still be really enjoyable (i love the shakespeare code!! it’s so fun!! someone please either let martha smack bill for being racist, have someone else do it on her behalf, or just don’t put the racism in, but other than that it’s a really enjoyable episode). the daleks episodes are genuinely so good, and the family of blood, and blink???? and everything with the master??? sick as fuck. i love it. im so excited to enjoy the show again lol.

[karamazovdmitri]

What Russian movies would you recommend?

oh my god where to even start!! i really love soviet cinema so this is most of what i will suggest probably (im kind of meh on most recent mainstream russian cinema, even tho it has great pieces of guilty pleasure movies lmao) alright so settle in well okay lets start with the classics: andrei tarkovsky is my favorite filmmaker, literally anything and everything by him (just dont watch nostalghia first, but i highly recommend the mirror, stalker, solaris if you like SF, or hell even andrei rublev if thats your jam bc personally it is and i LOVED), very contemplative and slow movies though, like. you will need patience to get through his stuff, but personally i always say it feels like someone recorded a dream and you're watching that. it feels really oniric and its like you dont exactly grasp it all and when you try to explain it you cant really but good god its good

then! i will recommend one of my all-time favorite movies, and i mean it, of ALL times, the ascent by larisa shepitko. its about two soldiers during wwii who are sent off to find food, and its one of those war movies that arent really war movies you know but they are about it, and moreso, they're about like Humanity™? anyway one of the most haunting, beautiful and devastating movies i've seen ever. just beautiful in the cinematography, in the acting, in just everything honestly, its raw and profoundly human and also if youre like me and youre all about that religious symbolism? youre in for a... sad sad treat, but a treat nonetheless. it really like. got me deep like i didnt know what to do with myself after watching it but its a masterpiece 10000% (also while im there... also watch larisa sheptiko's other movie, wings)

now another classic is of course the cranes are flying, everyone knows but i need to reiterate it really lives up to the hype... just. some of the most beautiful cinnamon tography ive seen ever. like ill be honest even if i love cinematography in general i rarely go look up a cinematographer specifically but for this movie i HAD to bc some camera shots are INSANE. just one of the most gorgeous movies ive seen ever

if we're still going about aesthetic bc why not... if you liked hamlet by shakespeare, you HAVE to see the 1964 Hamlet movie its sooo gorgeous and such a good adaptation in my opinion like i just think this movie understands EVERYTHING about the essence of the play

now the next one i wouldnt necessarily put on the same scale as the others but good god is it a good watch, and its ballad of a soldier yes its another classic idc the soviet classics arent classics for nothing. this one is a really nice watch. just felt..... really nice and once again war movie thats not really showing you the war itself, i dig this hardcore

okay also ! not soviet lmfao but HUGE mention to alexander sokurov, you probably know of russian ark, if you dont, its not only a fucking prowess of cinematography, its basically one single continous shot for the entire movie and not like. a fake one like 1917 -tho dont get me wrong, loved what 1917 did-, like its deadass. press record, do the entire fucking movie, press stop. its INSANE and its BEAUTIFUL and im in love with sokurov's style, not as well known but i also loved francofonia, tho its a lot more experimental imo and is more documentary than movie, but also not documentary per se, i guess an essay of sorts, kind of confusing but i enjoyed it

i could not do this without of course mentioning one of my comfort movies™, which is я шагаю по мосве (translated as different things, like walking the streets of moscow or i walk around moscow) just a short and really sweet and light movie about . life i guess. LMAO its vague but theres really no real plot in there just a good time and very genuine and also has one of my favorite final scenes ever quick special mentions: courier, which was not my favorite but a really good movie still and it gets me bc its 1980s russia aka my jam, crime and punishment 1970 IF youve read C&P bc umm its an entire vibe, and remember when i said modern russian cinema guilty pleasure? okay well i rewatched движение вверх recently and like. it still slaps. if youre wondering (???) i need you to know i havent watched a zvyaginstev movie since i was like 16 so i dont have a concrete opinion on his stuff lmao)

sorry i wrote like SO fucking much but jaksfbajfbajsfh i hope this can provide you with some stuff of interests and btw a lot of these movies can be found with russian film hub, which basically like searches youtube and whatnot for you since mosfilm are actually pretty cool and do put their movies online

[waynedunlaptheorgandonor]

caryl first date headcanon

i wrote a stream of consciousness caryl headcanon i was thinking about when i couldn’t sleep last night. no i did not proofread it. yes it is rambling nonsense. yes you can read it if you want: 

so i genuinely don’t know what the timeline for canon is gonna be now that we got bottle episodes, s11, and the spin-off, but just for a moment let us pretend that it happens during the bottle episodes and then we have all of s11 to watch caryl trying to figure out how to navigate a relationship with each other

cuz like, they gon fuck right away, bc things are gonna get heated, and tensions are gonna be high, and they’re gonna snap like a trip wire and fucking ravish each other, that’s without question

so the first little while of their relationship will be mostly getting intimately familiar with each other’s bodies down to every last freckle

but once they’ve simmered down some they’re gonna need to address the “oh shit, wait, how does a relationship work?” problem

cue: caryl’s first date

it’ll take place in commonwealth, and i’ve never read the comics and i know jack all about it outside of what i’ve skimmed, but we’re gonna ignore that for the sake of my fun post

i know enough about it to know that there are definitely places to have a date

daryl knows this too, tho he doesn’t rly think about it right away. at first he’s more confused and sort of standoffish about the whole place, bc he was always a forest-dweller even before the apocalypse, so seeing this new metropolis-like place after years of living like a gd pioneer is gonna throw him way off kilter

right up until he’s chillin’ with judith and she’s talking about how she’s excited to see her first concert, and they have restaurants, and things she’s only ever read about, and then out of nowhere she’ll pull out, “are you gonna take aunt carol on a date?” 

and daryl will stare at her

and she’ll be like “rosita was telling me about how father gabriel took her on a real date and how nice it was. you should do that for aunt carol” 

and daryl will stare at her

and then will hastily change the subject (she’ll see right through him, ofc, but she’ll let it slide)

but the thought will stick with him, and suddenly he’s looking at the schedule of upcoming concerts and plays and wondering if carol would care about any of it. does she like shakespeare? the most experience he would have had with shakespeare was ripping out a couple pages of his school copy of romeo and juliet to use to light some firewood

but maybe she’s into it???

eventually he’ll reach the inevitable conclusion that the only way this is going to work is if he actually asks her to go on a date with him, which should be easy, right? like, he was ball’s deep inside her last night and told her good morning by putting his face between his legs, so surely asking someone on a date is simple

it will not be simple

bc yeah, they fuck all the time, and obviously they’re head-over-heels in love with each other, they’re each other’s soulmates, yada yada, but also daryl’s extremely emotionally repressed and has the romance skills of a fifteen year old having his mom drive him and his date to his first homecoming dance, only worse bc he never even went to any school dances

but after Dwelling On It for ages he’ll finally get fed up with himself and will vow to stop being a pussy. he’ll ask her before the day’s over or he’ll shoot a bolt into his own foot, ok, no more excuses

so the whole day he’s jittery af

you’d think he’s trying to pop the question, but all he wants to do is go eat dinner with carol and then watch some people recite lines from a play written hundreds of years ago, like, what is his Deal(tm)??? 

(his deal is, ofc, that he waited so long to have her, and now every new thing feels tenuous, bc he’d rather die than lose her, and sure she knows him better than anyone, but never in this context, and plus her last dude basically bled passion and romance no matter how obnoxious, and what if she realizes just how fucking clueless he is and decides she doesn’t really want to be with a middle-aged man who still gets tongue-tied around a pretty girl?)

(but also she deserves a gd date, alright? she deserves it, and so he’s going to give it to her, even if going face-to-face with a walker horde is less intimidating)

carol notices something’s off with him right away, but she waits until after dinner, when the kids have gone to their rooms and the two of them are alone washing dishes to ask, “hey, so what the fuck?” 

and daryl will be like, k, it’s now or never

and he will 100% make a fool of himself by stumbling alllll over his words, like, “nothin’s wrong, i’m fine, everythin’s real fine, i was just wonderin’ if mb you’d wanna, y’know, i dunno, they got all these shows and shit that we ain’t had in forever and i didn’t know if mb you’d wanna go see one? and mb get some food? with me, i mean. like, together. like i’d take you there and we could do those things, like a, you know, a date. but it’s cool if not, no worries, i get it if it’s not your thing, but i just thought i’d ask, but no, you’re right, it’s stupid, forget i said anythin’, hey look at the time, well i’m beat, gonna go to sleep now, goodbye”

and carol will go, “hold up”

and she’ll take daryl by the wrist before he can flee the room (bc he definitely intends to), and pulls him close and kisses him all sweet, and she’s gotta stand on her tiptoes to do it bc she’s in a pair of knit socks and he’s got his boots on so there’s more of a height difference than usual, and after she’s successfully managed to keep daryl from falling straight into a panic spiral, she’ll whisper, “i’d love to, let’s go this weekend”

and then she’ll just turn back to doing dishes without another word on the matter 

(bc, as previously stated, she knows daryl better than anyone, and she knows exactly what all his insecurities are and how much it must have taken him to ask her that, and so she’s not gonna harp on it or tease him)

(daryl recognizes this and loves her desperately for it)

the actual date is way easier than daryl expected

bc he spent all this time hyping it up, but when it comes right down to it, he just gets to spend a night with carol where they don’t have the kids to worry about, or any council business, and they just get to enjoy each other’s company

she even dressed up a little for him, which was unnecessary, but he most certainly appreciates it and can’t wait to tear the outfit off of her later

(it does make him regret the fact that he’s only had one pair of pants for the past ten years, but she doesn’t seem to mind)

they end up seeing a shakespeare play

daryl understands like 2% at best, but carol holds his hand and rests her head on his shoulder the whole time, and apparently it’s a comedy bc she laughs a lot, and that alone makes it worth it

they fuck like crazy when they get home, obviously

but it’s different than it had been previously, bc now their “togetherness” seems more solidified

like, they’re officially a “couple” now

like the type of couple that gets a babysitter for the night so they can go to the apocalyptic version of dinner and a movie together and then have sex and then fall asleep right afterwards bc they’re domestic af

and like, deep down both of them knows that this isn’t the life that they’re meant to live in forever, a la commonwealth/domestic bliss, and he wasn’t kidding when he told her new mexico was still out there, and he can feel a shift coming sooner rather than later

but he also knows they’ll be together when it happens, and they’ll figure out their own version of “date night” when they’re out exploring

but for now he’s content to do it the old fashioned way, though

when she falls asleep on his chest that night he rubs her back and kisses the top of her head, and he’s already planning their next night out

he might pick a show with modern english, though

but it’s not required

just so long as they’re together

the end 

[eurydicees]

thoughts on the musicals y’all recommended!

tysm for all the recs! i had so much fun listening to them, i really appreciate it! always feel free to rec more :)  

to preface, there’s no actual judging system. it’s all about the vibes. so, in the order that i listened to them: 

the mad ones

i already made a post abt this one, but i have to mention it again. i’ve been listening to it on repeat. like. straight up on a loop. 

i’m obsessed with this

the storyline is so put together, and you can really feel the heart of the show

the characters were well written (with the exception of the boyfriend tbh, i could have done without him), and i’m so fascinated by sam and kelly’s relationship (writers were cowards for making them not gay) 

the songs felt super cohesive, and the repeated drum loop was super well integrated. the sound techie in me is fascinated by the way this show was put together, and i’d love to see it performed (like. fr. i was getting ideas for the design. which is always so much fun) 

19.75/10

romeo es julia

holy shit this slaps

costumes were weird

but the music was brilliant

some of the captioned lyrics were ???? bad translation or bad lyrics??? but the sound was incredible so i don’t even care 

mercutio and tybalt were spot on

the moms were GREAT. i LOVED their voices, like. could FEEL the emotions, even if i didn’t know wtf they were saying 

pretty much everyone was like that, like idk what’s going on via words, but i def can feel it, which is the best kind of song

my mother didn’t like this one but whatever, she didn’t get to see the choreo that went with it so what does she know 

the SET. the LIGHTS. the SOUND. the SET. the LIGHTS. the SOUND. chef’s kiss. 

14/10 

ordinary days

eh

i liked “favorite places” and “beautiful” a lot, but the rest of the songs were only okay

i wasn’t super attached to the characters and the singing was just. like. okay for me. i didn’t love any of them in particular 

my mother also didn’t like this one, rip. she has a lot of opinions on musicals. 

6/10

venice

oh my fucking god???????? 

not what i expected at all. right from the first lines i was like. 😲😲😲 

like. this was so good??? wtf???? hamilton meets shakespeare meets the mechanisms meets les mis meets post-9/11 politics meets dystopia. i thought it couldn’t be done, but here i am, in awe

i was going to include some favorite lines but. it’s just all of them. ALL of them. 

further confirmation that i’m in love with jennifer damiano. 

also angela polk?? incredible 

it’s weird bc it’s so clearly Not Broadway Music, but it’s also not trying to be, which i enjoy. i can see why some critics hated it (read some really funny reviews lmao), but i really loved the sound (haven’t seen the show, though, and that’s half of a musical, so maybe gonna try and find a bootleg) 

18.99/10

count of monte cristo 

damn from the overture this was. Intense. like. damn. i’m a slut for any dies irae sequence, so i was a big fan of that

that being said. gonna be real. i had no idea what was happening throughout the entire musical. it’s a pretty music-light show, so that’s probably why? 

maybe it would make more sense if i watched a performance rather than just listening to the soundtrack??? idk. anyone got a bootleg? 

thomas borchert has a nice voice. very distinctive. googled him to see where else i can listen to him. he was rum tum tugger. anyways. mad respect for this man

sonically, it didn’t feel like a very cohesive show? like it felt like there were a lot of diff vibes going around

lots of good songs for my evil musicals playlist though 

11/10 

once on this island (2017 revival)

ok turns out musicals are a lot better when sung by professionals than by sixth graders who think they can belt even tho their voices are still cracking 

also turns out that stories can be much more complex and interesting-- and have much deeper themes of racism and classism-- when on broadway than when in a sweaty middle school auditorium in an upper middle class white neighborhood 

funny how that works, huh 

i’m still a little unsure abt it, and probably wouldn’t listen to it just because i can, but i definitely don’t object to it anymore 

ty for making me give it a second try 

hailey kilgore is brilliant in this

the singing in general is REALLY impressive and beautiful 

12.68/10 

death note

i cannot express enough in words how mad i am that i actually liked this

genuinely don’t know how to feel 

i do think that i would get more out of it if i watched the anime, but it was still pretty easy to follow, just knowing the premise 

idk who the cast is bc i found a weird shady playlist on spotify rather than a cast recording, but the girl’s voice (idk character names) was beautiful. “i’ll only love you more” was SO good

reminded me a little of jekyll and hyde? which? huh

also i’m now getting tik tok videos with audio from this musical can my iphone stop stalking me for ONE second

fucking unfair that this is actually a good soundtrack. the desire to find a bootleg is unholy. 

14.87/10 

35mm

why did no one tell me that alex brightman is in this!!!!

i listened to a few songs and really enjoyed them, but didn't get through the whole album lmao

but i did really enjoy what i did listen to, and i'm gonna come back to it

9/10

ghost quartet

i wanted to like this one. SO badly. i REALLY wanted to like it.

but i couldn't really get into it? 

there were a few songs that absolutely slapped, but overall, it was just kinda. eh. which sucks bc i have heard such good things about it

i LOVED "the astronomer," "the telescope," and "lights out" 

but i didn't get through the entire album

i'll come back to it eventually and give it another try, i think. i might just not have been in the specific mood for it

9.8/10

[akajustmerry]

Favourite romance movie?? 🥰

omg only one?!?!?!??!? nah sorry can’t do only one, I love romance as a plot too much so here’s a bunch:

much ado about nothing (2011) - my heart combusts everytime david tennant and Catherine tate interact in this. 

the handmaiden (2016) - needs no explanation. best romance in cinema. we love romance found in double deception.  don’t watch if ur under 18 tho.

been so long (2018) - musical starring love of my life michaela coel as she falls in love for the first time in 7 years.

moonlight (2016) - the part in the script that’s like “the earth moved. they both felt it,” describing the moment kevin asks chiron where he’s staying? sublime!

leap year (2010) - it has come to my attention many ppl think this film is a joke? to those ppl I say you’re the joke and you’ll never know the pure joy of watching ana and declan bicker their way into love via partaking in the best romance tropes EVER. 

emma. (2020) - their cheeky make out at the end of the film is literally one of my top on-screen kisses of all time. they!

cairo time (2010) - this film will devastate you, seriously. its the epitamy of “almost,” its the YEARNINGGG

rafiki (2018) - 2 Black girls falling in love! the colours! the sweetness! tw: homophobic violence towards the end tho. 

the princess diaries 2 (2004) - sorry (not really) but mia/nick >>>> mia/michael. the moment when they meet literally makes me SWOON. 

destination wedding (2018) - winona and keanu talk themselves into being in love for 90 minutes after they meet on the way to a wedding. genuinely think its their best work in terms of romance. their chemistry is really high energy, despite the plot being them mostly just talking, and they’re so funny!!

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) - Bollywood about two young women falling in love. this film has EVERYTHING! comedy, tragedy, deception- Shakespeare would LOVE IT!

george of the jungle (1997) - LISTEN!! george and ursula are one of THE great love stories of cinema. the way they learn from each other and know each other equally??? the moment when ursula realises she loves george makes me squeal every timeeee

suk suk (2019) - this one I know is hard to find, but I wanted to talk about it anyways cos its so lovely. its about two hong kong retirees who fall in love and meet in secret with their gay friends and go on dates. its so soft and beautiful. 

the conjuring 2 - horror king James wan said “i will make the soul of this terrifying haunting story the unwavering love between ed and Lorraine warren”

friends with benefits (2011) - I know this movie is problematic but I legit think its soooo funny and lovely and the chemistry between Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis is so good! 

portrait of a lady on fire (2019) - needs no intro. essentially, a lighter frencher version of the handmaiden.

enjoy! x

[noirfos]

THE NEW SANDERS SIDES AHHHHH

This was my live reaction of pausing the video to type as I watched so it’s a bit of a mess. I extensively ramble. So if you enjoy that read under the cut.  ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

Also go watch Thomas’ video.

Thomas rapping with Ace Attorney style visuals mixed with DDR and guitar hero????? I DID NOT KNOW I NEEDED IN MY LIFE.

This MASTERPIECE

The Animal crossing stardew valley undertale style game store

“You’re such a dad, that it’s too much to handle sometimes.”

Homeless, down on his luck Pokémon Leslie Odom Jr. I’m CACKLING

6 o’clock dull is the most relatable thing I’ve ever heard

Jesus Christ… Superstar

Little pixel Logan’s face of being absolutely done was perfection

Leslie’s FAMOUS CAKE!

Thomas is filled with dread is that UNDERTALE I SEE???? Also the famous thought experiment yes bless

The visuals in this are insane. Huge props to everyone who worked on this. Sanders Sides is an amazing series.

But where were my good bois Virgil and physical Logan ;-;

I know what hypoxia is now! Thank you plane PSA Logan!

Logan’s “leisure time is important” speech is something I very much needed

The GLITCH SEQUENCE transitioning into this AHHHH I LOVE IT

Welp nevermind the SDV part came after but it was still amazing

Poor Leslie Odom Jr….

The SHOWDOWN

When he hit Thomas… 😭

This massive turning point that has happened, the line between light and dark sides has changed.

The change into the true situation is so heartbreaking… Patton is no longer so sure of himself, and having him behind the wheel hasn’t done as much good as he expected himself to

And then the OW as Thomas turns his head to the right 😂

Deceit also no longer has the characteristically “dark” lighting and black backgrounds/curtains showing a facade, further blurring the line between who’s really “good” vs “evil”

Rather he’s taken the place where Logan typically stands, along with angles that are less sinister. This placement shows he’s no longer just a deceitful “bad” side, but rather is also a concrete part of Thomas and is necessary to “protect him” as the light sides do. However in this case, Patton did more damage than good

Deceit also now shows genuine concern for Thomas when he exclaims with pain, further proving he’s equally responsible for taking care of him as Patton or Roman is

Roman: “He’s just trying to build up a false confidence in you so you can plummet to even greater depths.” 

Deceit: “That does sound like a very wholesome and funny prank, but no.”

Oh how I love Deceit. Snek bois are best bois

The mental health speech message was so good and then I paused and just-

He so cute here

“I am unharmed and I don’t want to talk about it” is the best thing

Patton u owe Logan an apology for being mean tho  (ง •̀_•́)ง

Poor boi Logan  (╥﹏╥)

And again THE PAUSE FACES AGH

Deceit’s nasally “Whatever, sure, if that’s your thing.” THe SASS. Ma’am.

Did I mention I love him

Also the fact that Deceit is the one giving the self care and mental health speech, he’s the side of Thomas who has “grown up” and doesn’t hold to the same naive and simplistics standards as Patton that you need to be the hero by helping others at the expense of yourself because of the gut feeling of what you’re doing is right

And I now take this moment to appreciate Deceit’s nose makeup. Just. That nostril tho

Do those be Deceit’s extra arms on mine yonder screen?

I know not, for I lack skill in the visual art of pausing as well as observing effectively. And shakespeare impersonations.

Also he so smiley  (｡- ω -)

“Well when is it enough?!” “Trees?” Every line he delivers is gold

“We are ethically compromised if we give the bananaconda a seat at the table!” It took me a second because of how Roman was 100% serious when he said it haha... and my brain also went banana condom before it went “wait that’s not right”

THE NAME REVEAL THE NAME REVEAL

WE GOT DECEIT’S NAME REVEAL

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Also “Janus? What are you, a middle school librarian?” Roman you’re a child but still endearing. But still a child. And also read the room dude....

He really is like a child who has no filter. SYMBOLISM HMMMMMM

Janus looks genuinely hurt and it makes me so sad 

He just took this massive step of trust only for Roman to react like that

Hhhhhh

Roman why u gotta do the snake boi like that

“Oh Roman, thank God you don’t have a mustache. Otherwise between you and Remus, I wouldn’t know who the evil twin is.” Ahhhhhh he’s so HURT

There was literally no venom in that line (pun intended), just pain because of Roman’s completely insensitive/heartless reaction 

Side (haha another pun) note, Thomas’ ACTING. HIS SKILLS. *applause*

Also another side note that no one cares about I made a post after the frozen video that Roman’s characterization in it seemed a lot more mean than usual. BUt mAyBe that was FORESHADOWING. Because it really is more of a childish meanness, at least in the way I interpret it from how Roman is portrayed in the redux video. That no-filter I-don’t-like-you-so-no-one-else-should mentality.

Also c’mon Roman. Patton and Thomas both looking at you in shock should’ve been a bit of a hint. 

Anyways back to the evil twin bit, Janus literally looked like he was going to cry. ROMAN. Why.

And I just paused it but after Roman’s indignant gasp he literally seems like he’s about to say “Well you’re not invited to my birthday party! So there.” Just sayin. This video really changes the light cast on the “good” sides. The “pure” and “good” virtues that Patton and Roman champion have now been shown in an alternate perspective.

Again, Thomas’ acting skill and him and all the other people behind this video’s incredible writing abilities. Amazing.

“DID you forget that he’s EVIL?” And now I feel sorry for Roman. 

And ugh Patton too ahhhhhh....... “Everything’s gonna be okay, kiddo. We love you.” The DELIVERY. The EMOTION. He really is a dad. And Roman has just come the the realization the world may not be as black and white as he thought/was holding onto hope for.

GOOD  L O R D  LESLIE ODOM JR. IS HERE. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.

Aight but also he looks so different without his shaved head I was not prepared ahahah

“This is Sanders Sides. Not Odom Sides. I’m not threatened at all.” Have I mentioned I love Janus (and also now I know what I want to make gifs of hooray)

The “I’ll take care of him” in the end and Patton showing that he now trusts Janus and he’s also respecting him and no longer treating him as an “other” and showing that Thomas needs both the dark and light sides because they’re what make him whole and human ahhhhh

And as soon as we get past that we’re back to Janus suggesting Thomas push people - oh sorry nudge people down the stairs along with “much less barbaric, much more fun methods of sabotage”

Peak comedy.

I re-iterate. Janus is so cute. Look at his smug little smile. ╰(▔∀▔)╯

The bois are friends now  ╰(*´︶`*)╯

My heart is happy

Odom Sides. “WhAt is Up everybody? yeah that’s scary” An ICON

Also here’s an amazing analysis that was written in the comments that I have lost since I first screenshotted it this morning (I watched part of the video then went to work and I am now finishing watching at night) but I had to save it so I’m adding it to this mess of a post

Anyways Thomas is amazing, Joan and Talyn and everyone else who works on these Sanders Sides are amazing. As always this video was an artistic masterpiece, the philosophy was amazingly educational and informative and made me THINK and I love these videos and these characters. Another round of very well-deserved applause for all the incredible work, talent, and skill put into these videos. 

[mikeshanlon]

UGH OK RANGE! tbh I agree with everything u said except the like copying lines from Shakespeare over to iwwv part cause I've never studied/read Shakespeare At All and it was exhausting to try to understand the hidden messages and even the language, but it def gives little Easter eggs to people that have studied it and know what's going on so like I'm not angry abt it being there and as u said it does serve a purpose! and OOF ok def get u said abt tsh! 1/

while I personally enjoy donnas prose it does get a little old sometimes, ur like YO WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING? What does it mean? what does it all mean? and the dynamics r just...Not interesting enough for me, and I didnt root for anyone and I just cant read shit where I dont care abt a SINGLE character, what is the point! like I was liking charles in tsh cause he was being distrustful 2 Henry then we turn around with the incest! I was like wow this book has everything huh! 2/

(*clinks glasses cause iwwv doesn't have incest* let's celebrate that!) also! i absolutely rec reading dare me, like i love the ~dark side of girlhood~ type shit + Megan abbots writing (check out the fever if u want! Its very str8 so ugh but I love it) so I am biased but I definitely prefer it over tsh. I will say tho some aspects of the show r a little different, since dare me is first person addy pov. it is also VERY repressed so like be warned! 3/

btw just want to be clear I totally understand liking da as like a concept to explore the ~dark side~, repression etc etc in fiction but like the people that seriously honestly want to be like henry or richard or whatever and have this toxic group of friends is genuinely so.. incomprehensible 2 me like Why? WHY? I think they too suffer from a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs. 4/4

Oh yeah forsure, that makes sense abt Shakespeare, I just think like it’s probably easier to kind of guess whats going on with context and stuff with that compared to TSH but also im just used to doing that and like to do that as an English major so erglnerg. And again, it serves a greater purpose and enriches the story imo. I enjoy donnas writing, to a certain extent LMAO, but I totally agree, TGF is longer than TSH and can be really sad (and slow) at times but I was way more invested bc the characters were more compelling and we spent more time with them… like boris and theo did have a messed up relationship but u could tell they cared about each other and we got to see them actually bond versus TSH I just felt like it was like… okay they are friends now! (Altho TGF has it’s own problems as well but overall I enjoyed it a lot more and the characters were more impactful to me). I’m totally a character reader so if I don’t care about the characters than it’s just not gonna work for me. Also the bar is so low LKNGRLKRGK but yes go IWWV!!!

And yeah for sure like while I think the concept of DA is interesting and I would love a dead poets society type of  friendship I would not want to be a henry/Richard or anything….. “I think they too suffer from a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs.” LKGNLKNRG scream yeah I mean its like I say omg the aesthetic and vibes of obsessive cruel academia is so iconic but like would I ever want that ? no.. .storytelling wise it’s compelling and fun but irl…

As for dare me I might pick it up especially bc the show got cancelled :/ but my friend also said that the coach/addy/coach’s army bf I forgot his name was like a bigger thing in the book like they hang out a lot and im like the vibes are rancid luhv but I do think those types of stories are interesting and I want to read more female driven books

[kendrixtermina]

Have you ever read a book with a certain ingrained popcultural reputation and that come to find that the actual experience of reading it is very different?

Romeo and Juliet  Reputation: Either cheesy or a critique of cheesy that idiots don’t get Experience: Actually very refreshing, was genre-bursting and innovative and actually a realistic, genuine romance compared to the poetry of its day, Juliet is so underrated; Also it’s said right in the text a bajillion of times that the moral is that the feuding elders created a world where young people doing normal young people things could prove fatal. As the nobility/leaders of the town they were supposed to act responsible not drag everyone in their personal feud, so they are “punished” by losing their own children, including the Prince who didn’t manage to get the Capulets and Montagues to stop fighting. 

The Silmarillion Reputation: Dry complicated read of mostly scholarly interest Experience: Faithful replication of an antique heroic epos/tragedy a la Illiad, Camelot myth or Mahabharata, just as full of compelling mythical archetypical characters.  I thought I’d be forcing myself through it for nerd cred, actually it hit my personal taste buttons more than LotR itself. 

1984 Reputation: Sci-Fi Dystopia about surveillance Experience: Study of tyranny (especially totalitarianism), Deep thoughts on the human condition, surprisingly human characters. Very good writing actually. If any characters ever deserved a coffee shop AU it’s winston and Julia

The Fault in Our Stars Reputation: Sad feelsy, your defs gonna cry, primarily a romance Experience: I perceived this as a very removed, intellectual, high-concept book that wants to have a philosophical discussion with you. 

The funny thing here is that my sister very much did seem to think that it was an emotional book. Shows how different perception can be I guess. For me it made me want to debate not cry. Note that I consider this a neutral distinction. 

Moby Dick Reputation: Dense Masterpiece about revenge, if marred by old-timesy racisty crap Experience: I was surprised by how unpolished it is in parts, not necessarily in a bad ways, but, how’d this end up as a symbol of pedantry? Also I was blindsided by what I would consider the Sci-Fi/ Spec Fic  elements, all the focus on the hows and in and out of survival in the wilderness/edge of the world.  The sailors are treated like astronauts or dragonslayers. 

Phantom of The Opera Reputation: Gothic Romance Experience: Gothic romance was as advertised and much enjoyed, but the mystery aspect and The Persian are left out of all the adaptations and it takes away from how much of a polymath/trickster Erik is 

Sorrows of young Werther Reputation: Emo Artists kills himself because the girl doesn’t like him back Experience: She actually does explicitly like him back,  and the plot is really about his general disillusionment with the world & society of which the girlfriend situation is only an aspect. What actually does him in is that they failed to just stay as friends in line with his ideals of a pure & unconditional bond, but at some point they cave to their mutual attraction and make out and that’s what gets him so ashamed that he shoots himself. The other suitor is not a boring jerk; The three are actually all friends.  This could probably have been avoided by introducing Albert, Werther and Charlotte to the concept of polyamory. 

Effi Briest  Reputation: Critique of long ago politics, dry & boring of value mostly because of the feminist critique in the arranged marriage plot Experience: Beautiful tearjerking prose and tragedy, masterful use of perspective atmosphere and symbolism. Also I don’t think the main character is a “feminist heroine” at all - she’s rather someone who would have needed feminism. Also I don’t think the husband was ever intended as a gross villain, and there’s actually statements from the author to back this up. I actually sympathized a lot with his tragedy of not wanting to be a hypocrite and had a bit of a crush on him. 

Books that were exactly as expected (in a good way): The Parfume, Demian, Faust II, 20000 leagues under the Sea, all the other shakespeare stuff, Frankenstein... seriously, Frankenstein is so good

I have definitely disliked classics tho. Looking at you, Schiller, Berthold Brecht and Jane Austen. I see why ppl read these in school and there’s something salvageable here and there, but I did not enjoy them. 

Then there’s that one play that ends with this tragic but vaguely hopeful ending... in 1930. Because that’s when the author finished it. In hindsight ending the story there is like when the camera pans away right before the coup de grace.

[hell-heron]

Romeo and Juliet - Globe production 2009

So, as I think every Shakespeare person on this site, I've spent the past few days rewatching my favorite parts of this over and over again, but only now I've decided to talk about it a lot more in depth and watch all of it. So, did I like it? Yeah, I have to say I expected to like it more because the clips I had been able to watch a while ago were mostly featuring Ellie Kendrick's Juliet's solo scenes which are imho the highlight of the production.

The only comment on this I read from someone whose opinion I trust mentioned there is a lack of chemistry between the titular characters and thst the romance comes off as kind of too childish and silly. Now, it's probably because my opinion of the ideal chemistry is quite less sexually charged than most people, but I only partly agree with this. For example, the lark scene was definitely underwhelming (tho I liked the little preamble where Romeo stares, obviously scared, out of the window and Juliet reaches him as the chorus sings) and the courtship sonnet just average, but the balcony was exceptionally good, Zeffirelli levels even, a perfect balance of flirty humor, passion, tenderness and enthusiasm, also helped by the fact both actors decided this was the moment to be a bit more natural in their acting and drop the... Comedical conceit? I'm gonna elaborate a bit more on this later, but anyway it was very good. There is definitely some tonal issue with the romance, but imho it's more due to the overall inability of almost anyone in this cast to play in a tragedy than romantic chemistry: these kids would have played Beatrice and Benedick just fine.

It's very clear that the director's intent in this was to highlight this play's overlooked comedic influence and, while I appreciate it... Eh it's a bit of a mixed bag. I like highlighting the humor and snark that is already present, especially the two lovers', I kinda enjoy the comedic servant character, some scenes were done in a really nice and original way, but unfortunately it also means everything after the duel falls really emotionally flat. The deaths in particular were hard to watch. I also think Tybalt was underused in this sense and was way too serious (sooo sad because the actor is really pretty and seems good tho he was given fuck all to do) while Paris should have been less comedic, given that the fact this doesn't cut the sexual-harrassment-in-church-scene (THANK GOD) makes him REALLY sleazy and a legitimate threat for Juliet. Though I love the scene where the Capulet's have to basically passively aggressively kick him out of the house.

Another noteworthy point is that the script cuts almost nothing, a few scenes are shortened but all are present. Personally I find this great as I am a big fan of a lot of scenes that are often unappreciated and cut - the aforementioned conversation between Paris and Juliet, the scene were Juliet complains about the nurse being late, a few Bencutio-inclined scenes etc. However they really could have used to skip a few purely comedic scenes involving the servants, and the prologues, seriously? The prologues in the year of our lord 2009?

There's also a little added bickering between Lord and Lady C about whether to have the wedding on Thursday or Wednesday to make fun of Shakespeare fucking up the timeline, which is obviously awkward and unnecessarily but lord do I respect the principle.

The costumes are good, imho, a bit plain/stiff in some cases. In particular I'd like to know what possessed them to have gray as Juliet's main color. But for the rest they look nice, especially Lady C's, Nurse's and the young men. I also appreciate that Juliet wears blue and Romeo red for the wedding, it's really pretty and symbolic, and that there's a difference made clear between everyday clothes and the nice ones for the party or the wedding for Romeo too. I also love his ball headdress of twigs and feathers, very cute and fairylike.

Now - the characterization. As I mentioned I was extremely pleasantly surprised by Ellie Kendrick's Juliet. She's the first actress that I think captures Juliet's snark and feeling of like... Overwhelming urgency and intensity. When she says on the balcony that she's incapable of being as coy and poised and careful with her feelings as other girls, it's believable, when she complains about old people being slow and acting like they're already dead compared to her warm youthful blood and passion, it's... A bit mean as teenage girls will be, but believable. One thing I love about Juliet how Shakespeare wrote is that she has a lot of these little character touches that set her apart from a Stock Romantic Maiden and she really makes it shine more than any other actress. My issue is that her portrayal changes very little through the play: in some cases it works well even in heavier scenes (for example the conversation with Paris and then with Friar Lawrence has such fervor and bitterness to it, I love her little snarky huff when FL doubts she will have the courage to go through with her plans) in other it really doesn't. The poison speech is really, really jarring, I know her speeding up like crazy is meant to convey anxiety but she doesn't really make it come across imho, and she shows almost no emotion in her death. Points added for the Gallop apace fiery footed steeds speech tho, it's really charming and mischievous ad I loved it. She also does surprisingly well with the reaction to Romeo's banishment despite not being usually good with sad scenes

Now, Romeo... Romeo seemed really mediocre to me from the clips and then he grew on me, but he's quite strange. In most of his scenes he seems... Uhm, too dramatic? Too conscious of the fact he's acting? Which I don't know if it's meant to be reflective of Romeo's personality or simply the actor's style. I could appreciate it as a characterization choice if he started acting more naturally after meeting Juliet and dropping his Unrequited Love Angst (which he does for a while), but then for some reason he goes back to it, to the point where the duel with Paris and his death is the worst offender. So it's really unclear what he's doing. His best scenes are definitely the balcony, the conversation with Friar Lawrence (such genuine affection and complicity! This production does GREAT at establishing the kids' relationships with their surrogate parents, I wish it was more common) and his conversation with the nurse, which coincidentally are those where he acts more natural. In these scenes, he comes off as really sweet, enthusiastic and outgoing but a bit awkward. Real quality facial expressions. Again, feels believable when Mercutio says "now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo!". I have a ridiculous soft spot for the moment where he tries to make the "Young Romeo will be older when you find him than he was when you sought him out" joke and it falls completely flat and Nurse just stares at him weirdly.

Overall I appreciate the intent of the actors to give the lovers more of an individual personality than usual, but they take it too far and don't drop it at the appropriate moment

Now, for the secondary cast. Nurse is great, one of the best in the cast for ability to play both comedy and tragedy I think, I liked Lady C's characterization, more bumbling/distressed/trying and failing to parent emotionally inept mom than the usual Slutty Wine Mom which is starting to honestly bore me, Friar Lawrence is really cute and I love they gave him his speech about flowers. The prince is completely forgettable, Lord C a bit too bumbling to be intimidating imho, the Montague nonexistent. I already talked about my issues with Paris

Passing to the boys people actually care about here:

- Tybalt unfortunately doesn't offer much to like. He's very serious and poised and mhh just lacks feral energy. His scene with Lord Capulet is good but the fights are nothing special. He gets slapped by Lord C also :/

- Benvolio is cute! He gets a bit more frat-boyish characterization which is nice after all these tiring nerdy cinnamon roll too pure for this world portrayals, and he's very distinctive from Romeo. I think there's also great Bencutio chemistry here, they had some great scenes in the one after the ball where they look for Romeo together and the "more than prince of cats scenes". The first in particular, featuring the drunk boys trying and failing to make rhymes to conjure Romeo, is one of the better accomplished comedic scenes. Unfortunately there's not as much mileage to take from the "Thou art as hot in thy mood as any Jack in Italy" conversation, he doesn't get mad about it :/. For the rest I like his part in the opening fight and his anger at Romeo in the post-duel scene. Also he's green-coded which is nice

- Mercutio... Agh. So there's a similar problem here as with the lovers, acts great in more light toned, underrated scenes but the main ones are somewhat underwhelming. All the Montacrew conversations are delightful, he's very expressive in his gestures. The aforementioned Bencutio scenes are great and so is the one with the nurse, tho I wish he didn't kiss her, it's not really necessary to resort to sexual harassment to show him as an annoying dick. However there are some points where he comes off WAY more bitter than necessary at Romeo's romantic exploits and ??? People are aware you don't HAVE TO code him as in unrequited love with Romeo if you don't intend to do anything with it, are they? (tho they do have a very cute scene where they lie on the ground together and snuggle as they banter) However, the queen Mab speech and the duel, which are the most important, fall very flat. He can't make up his mind on whether the queen Mab speech is a breakdown or just a ramble to show off his wit, and the Montague boys definitely react like it's the latter. He shows some very nice anger in the "I talk of dreams" bit tho. Overall it's weird and seems boring, too long

I need to have a full paragraph to talk about the duel because it's imho one of the most botched scenes. It's overpowered by the drums, confusing and chaotic not in a good way. Tybalt doesn't seem very interested in fighting Mercutio, nor the other way around, Tybalt seems actually almost uneasy and like he accepted because he was embarrassed to refuse. However this doesn't reflect in the actual fight, which is very violent where this would make me expect a Zeffirelli-like, playful and dramatic duel that goes tragically wrong. Mercutio's death is fairly cold, save for the plague o'er both your houses line which is always awesome, and maybe i influenced by the musical but there's a strong lack of reaction and affection from the Montague boys, they don't touch or hug or even like... Cry or anything. I do like Romeo and Tybalt's duel, in particularly the fact it's mainly a fistfight, to emphasize how much rawer and realer it is than the first one - tho again, because the first one is more violent than warranted the contrast loses a little in strength. There's also no emotion or reaction whatsoever from Tybalt at any point which is a little weird given how this started.

Romeo's reaction is also not great. He's mainly angry, although understandably, doesn't seem to feel guilty or sad at all about either Tybalt or Mercutio. He also repeatedly punches Tybalt's corpse, which... This coupled with the fact they keep him killing Paris, but not the scene where he talks to Tybalt's corpse in the crypt is a little weird. I know some people like to play Romeo's arc as a descent into darkness with him losing his principles and natural gentleness as he's pushed off the deep end, and I'm not necessarily opposed to it, but I don't think anyone involved in this has the capability to handle that well, so it just seems strange and out of character.

He does break down a little in the following scene with Friar Lawrence, but still he doesn't seen particularly mad about anything but his banishment. I do love how he emphasize his feeling of betrayal from his One Trusted Adult tho.

So, overall I really like this. Great cast, some wonderful ideas, very vivid and fun to see. I just wish they could have balanced tragedy and comedy better because literally all the issues come from there