#he’s also an incredible actor and no one gives him credit cause he was stuck in supernatural for 18 years

[enobariasteeth]

WOW I love jensen ackles

[parkersroses]

delicate. | harry styles.

summary: two lonely people find solace in each other for the night and something delicate blossoms from it. 

pairing: harry styles x fem!reader

wc: 6.1k 

warning(s): fluff and smut (a first attempt at it) 

a/n: aaah i’m excited and nervous to post this. i guess it’s considered a Christmas fic because it’s set around that time. i do hope you guys enjoy this! i also wanna wish you all happy holidays! side note, i recently made a ko-fi account, so if you’re able to and like my writing, feel free to donate to it! anyways, enjoy! reblogs/feedbacks are very much appreciated! all my love and stay safe <3 (disclaimer: the gif rightfully belongs to @hampsteadharry​ )

He pushed through the door of the bar, jazz music filling up his ears as he wandered to get a seat. He sighed as he sat on a bar stool, waiting for someone to attend to him and possibly give him the strongest drink here if he felt like it. 

Harry felt tired. He’s been tired and exhausted for a while now. Tired from work. Tired from the glitz and glam. Tired of people getting close to him because of his name and status. Just mentally and physically exhausted. But that’s not to dismiss the fact that he still loves his job. He loves and enjoys making music and seeing his fans - who he declared as the best fans in the world - singing back his songs to him. 

Though, there comes a time where he doesn’t enjoy it as much as he thought he should lately. Being a well-known singer, songwriter and actor seemed pretty cool but no one knows how tiring and raining it could be. Always having to prove yourself and explaining yourself because of ridiculous rumours that articles make up. Always ending up hurt when you found out your friends were using you because of how well-known you were.

So, he announced that he’d be taking a break from all that. Of course, there was an uproar from his fans but in the end, they understood and sent him lovely messages about having to keep his mental health his main priority. 

So now, here he was, sitting at a bar, trying to drink away his emotions. Perhaps, he would find a girl that he could go home with to fill in the empty space of his bed for the night. His break was quite eye-opening to say the least. Harry realised how alone he felt. He thought it was just all in his head because how could he be lonely even when he still had few of his friends around? But he didn’t know that being alone and still feeling alone were different. 

And the irony of it nearly being Christmas, there wasn’t much magic or cheer going around for him at the moment. He’ll have to get his shit together before going back to visit his family for the holidays.

“What can I get ya?” a voice snapped Harry out of his thoughts. A woman stood before him behind the bar, he realised it was one of the bartenders there. She wore a long sleeved black shirt, the sleeves rolled up until her elbows. Her long hair was tied up into a ponytail, strands of hair framing around her face. He thought she was pretty. Beautiful, he would say.

Bartender lady snapped her fingers at his face, knocking him out of his thoughts once again. “Seemed to be far away there. Are you sure you’re good here? In a bar?” She said and she smirked at Harry. He felt the blood rushed to his cheeks, having been caught staring at the pretty bartender lady.

“S-Sorry. A whiskey for now will do,” he said softly. Pretty bartender lady smiled at him and nodded. “Alright, then,” she said, heading off to get his drink. 

Harry’s eyes followed her figure, almost like he was entranced by her. He was not sure why he did. Seconds later, she put his drink on a coaster in front of him. “Thanks,” he quietly said as he picked up his drink. 

“Don’t mention it. You seemed like you need it,” she said almost knowingly. He chuckled at her words. Well, she got that right. “Yeah, just trying to clear my head a bit,” he shrugged at her. 

Pretty bartender lady nodded. “Rough day?” She inquired. Harry raised an eyebrow at her question. He probably thought that she was trying to make a conversation other than cleaning shot glasses. He hesitated a little, thinking she might just be another fan and might spill whatever that comes out of his mouth to the nearest journalist. But then, he remembered that he’s already one drink down to probably getting drunk and his mind won’t really care even if he woke up hungover the next day.

So, he shrugged at her question. “Guess you could say that,” he said as he set down the empty shot glass. “I don’t know. I guess I just have a lot of things in my mind. And drinking does numb my emotions a bit. If that made sense,” he chose to say as he looked at her. 

She only giggled at his words. “That sounds quite deep. Should write a song about it,” she joked and for a second, Harry thought she knew about him. Because for once, he’d like to talk to someone who’s unaware of his celebrity status. Someone who’d talked to him with a sense of normalcy. Instead of talking to the famous Harry Styles. 

“Maybe I should. And I’ll credit you in it,” he joked. She laughed, throwing her head back as she did. “Oh gosh, I always wanted to be a famous songwriter,” she said dramatically. They both laughed at this. It was weird to Harry, this scene felt so normal, it felt as if he knew her for a while now. 

She nodded at his empty glass. “Want another?” She asked. Harry thought about it before asking. “Actually, what’s your favourite drink?” Pretty bartender lady was surprised to say the least, but smiled at Harry. “Why?” He only smiled back. “‘Cause I want another drink. And I want to treat you one too. I’ll even pay for yours, love,” 

She blushed at this, not expecting him to be so forward yet sweet. “Cheeky, aren’t you?” She said smiling at him, and she noticed a hint of blush on his cheeks. “My mum always taught me to be a gentleman,” he shrugged,

She chuckled at this. “Fine then. I’ll be right back,” she said, going to get whatever her favourite drink was for Harry. Harry smiled as she walked away. He couldn’t help but feel some sort of liking towards her, but not knowing why. Maybe because she was just a pretty bartender lady. 

She returned later with two glasses of her ‘favourite drink’ and set them in front of him. Harry was skeptical to see the strange colour of liquid, raising an eyebrow at her. She only smiled and raised her glass up. 

“Bottoms up,” she said as she drank from her glass. 

Harry sniffed the drink a bit before thinking he was being silly and drank it. As the sweet taste hit his taste buds, he chuckled as he shook his head. “Apple juice? Really?” He questioned. 

She laughed as she took another sip on her drink. “Well, you asked for my favourite drink and I gave it to you,” she said with a smirk in her face. “So, you don’t drink?” he asked curiously. She shrugged at him. “A bit sometimes. Just don’t prefer it unless I wanna get really drunk,” she let out a small laugh. Harry chuckled at her words, finding himself agreeing with her. 

Harry noticed how pretty of a smile she had. He didn’t know why a tiny detail like that stuck out to him. He found himself quite intrigued with the pretty bartender lady, which he realised he had been calling her that in his head without knowing her name. He stared into her eyes and found himself hypnotized by them. Suddenly, it seemed like they were the only two people in the room. Okay, stop. She’ll think you’re weird.

It was as if his mind took control over him and he found himself asking her, “When do you get off?” He asked, his eyes widening after realising the words that came out of his mouth.

What the fuck!?, he thought.

She was surprised, her mouth agape as she processed what he had just asked. But she seemed to compose herself quickly. “And why do you wanna know?” She asked nervously. 

Harry paused before choosing his next words carefully. “Because you seem really cool to talk too. And I’d like to talk to you more,” he said. He was nibbling on his bottom lip, a habit he had whenever he got nervous. He shrugged before he continued, “It’s nice to have a friend, you know?” 

Pretty bartender lady - and Harry swore he’ll get her name soon - nodded at him and smiled. Like she knew what he meant. “I’ll be off at 10,” she said. It was only 30 minutes until then. Harry was initially surprised at this, not thinking whether she would agree to - whatever he wanted to with her later. 

He nodded in response. “I’ll, uh, wait for you here, then,” he spoke nervously. She chuckled and took their glasses away so she could clean and attend to the other customers before her boss yelled at her. 

As she walked away, Harry called out to her. “Wait!” She turned around, eyes wide when he called her. “Um, what’s your name?” He asked. She smiled as her heart melted at the innocent question. 

“It’s Y/N,” she replied.

Harry nodded, a small timid smile appearing on his face. “I’m Harry,” he said. 

She smiled and nodded at his short introduction. Now, the pretty guy with forest green eyes had a name she could call him. “I’ll see you later, Harry,” she said as she returned to the back of the bar.

Harry sighed, seeming to be smitten already by her. “Yeah. See you later,” he said softly to himself.

❋

Now, Y/N was no idiot. She knew who Harry Styles was. 

She wasn’t like the biggest fan, but she appreciated his music and thought he was a lovely guy in general, according to the fan experiences she read. She didn’t know much about him, other than he was a former member of a very successful boyband and his music was just incredible. Plus, she thought he was pretty handsome.

And when she saw him walking through the doors of the bar, she had to take a double take to make sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her. 

She usually took her job quite seriously, she was polite to all customers and made sure they were always satisfied with their drinks or snacks. It was usually because she wanted to get the tips she needed to pay her rent. So, when Harry sat down by the bar, she couldn’t help herself but go to him. 

But now, she was supposed to meet him after her shift. Which was strange to her because all she did was being nice to him and making up a conversation. Did he realise that she was pretending to not know him? Was this some sort of mind trick that was playing on her? Though, he mentioned how it was nice to have a friend. Maybe there was something behind that phrase that meant something deeper to him. 

It was already 10 PM. Y/N said goodbye to her coworkers as she grabbed her scarf and coat from her locker. Her heart was beating fast because she realised she was about to go on a little rendezvous with Harry Styles, well, that was what she thought. 

She wasn’t expecting anything. She honestly thought he might have just left, realising how silly it was to wait for a bartender friend he just made. 

But she walked towards the front of the bar and he was still sitting in his seat like he said he would, waiting for her. And she felt like her heart might burst.

❋

Harry didn’t think he’d find himself sitting at a 24-hour diner, eating some waffles with a pretty friend he just met at nearly 11 PM. He was starting to blame that one whiskey drink he asked for earlier as to be honest, he didn’t know what was happening. 

When he met Y/N in front of the bar after the shift, he was nervous, shifting on his feet in habit. When Y/N asked him what he had in mind, he froze because he realised he didn’t think this through. All he wanted was to talk to pretty bartender lady Y/N. The rest was all hazy to him. Luckily, Y/N just laughed at this and guided him to her favourite diner. 

They both ordered waffles with honey and blueberry toppings, courtesy of Y/N as she said they were the best waffles she ever had. Y/N got herself a chocolate smoothie while Harry just ordered a nice hot tea. It was a nice little meal. 

“So, Harry, what brings you here to LA?” Y/N asked him as she munched on her waffles. 

Harry sipped on his tea before clearing his throat. “Uh, I live here, mostly for work. But I’m on a break now,” he said, not giving out too much information. “Hmm. But you haven’t lived here long, I assume. Could tell by your accent,” she said knowingly.

He smiled at this. “Yeah? You like my accent, darlin’?” he teased her and pride filled himself as he saw her cheeks flaring up in the colour red. “Quite the flirt, are ya? But yes, your accent is cute,” she said as she ate. “Good to know,” he smiled and winked at her. 

Y/N rolled her eyes at him as she blushed. He seemed to be quite the flirt, teasing her and calling her pet names. If it were any other guy, she would’ve just left. She admitted that she might not have the best ways in maintaining a relationship. It was always whether she was too picky or bossy and her insecurities always got the best of her. She was used to feeling of being used for sex and her body even when she wanted to believe they wanted something more out of it. She closed herself off from love for a while now. While everyone said that her time will come, she just ignored them. Her main priority was herself and that was for sure.

But there was something about Harry that was pulling her in. He wasn’t far from what the papers write about him but at the same time, he was. He seemed somewhat closed off as she was. She didn’t want to pry, she’d never do that. It was like he was in this fish tank surrounded by spectators watching his every move. Maybe the life he has had somewhat prevented him from forming a real, honest attachment. Or maybe she was just making this all up. 

She sipped on her smoothie, her eyes focused on his. She realised how green his eyes were looking up close. “So, I have a question. And I want you to answer this as truthfully as possible,” she said, propping her head on the palms of her hands. Harry raised an eyebrow at her, chuckling a bit before nodding. “Alright, love. Lay it on me,” he said, leaning back on the booth. 

Y/N blushed at the pet name given and cleared her throat. “Why did you want to see me?”

It was silent between them. Harry should’ve known this question would come up. Truthfully, he didn’t know how to answer it, he was never one to make friends with a random person and go on a little rendezvous late at night. He shrugged at this, “Like I told you, it’s nice to have a friend,”

“That couldn’t be all,” Y/N smiled. “You don’t seem like the kind of person to befriend a bartender and go out with her for a late supper the same night,” Harry blushed at this and scratched the back of his ear with his finger. “I don’t know. Maybe I just wanted to be spontaneous a bit,”

Y/N hummed at this, sipping on her drink. Harry’s eyes were trained on her and she somehow found that a bit intimidating. “I got off work just to clear my mind a bit,” he continued. “Sometimes, I’d go out with my friends, I’d meet some girls and spend the night with them, just to feel something. Just to not be alone,” This was the most Harry had opened up to someone in a while. 

“But you still feel alone,” Y/N spoke. Harry frowned at this, not quite sure what she meant. “You could be with someone, and still would feel alone. I get that,” she explained. 

Harry’s mouth was agape. “Y-Yeah, I guess,” he mumbled out. “Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,”

“You really don’t know me, do you?” he asked, cocking his head to the side. She let out a small laugh. “I knew who you were the moment you stepped foot into that bar,” she said. Harry’s eyes widened. All this time, he was glad he thought Y/N didn’t know him but she treated him like any other normal person. But she knew all along. 

“That was.. Surprising,” he chuckled as he ran his hands through his curly locks. “But, you didn’t seem to look like y’know me. Treated me like a normal person,” She stifled a laugh. “Well, would you rather I’d treat you like royalty? Curtsey in front of you?” She joked. 

Harry laughed at this. “No, no. It was nice. It’s good t’just pretend your life is normal for once,” he nodded at her. “I’m sure you have some friends that treat you like you are just Harry,” she smiled. 

Harry only shrugged at this, “A few of them do. When you’re in the industry long enough, you’d know how to tell apart the few people that are honest and real with you and the many who just use you sometimes.” Y/N frowned at this but nodded. While she couldn’t connect to being in the same industry as him, she knew perfectly how it feels like to be used by people you allowed yourself to get close to. 

He brought his cup of tea to his lips, realising how cold it was getting. “You want some?” He offered his drink to her. Y/N nodded, taking the cup from him. “You like tea?” She asked.

“I do, but I prefer coffee,” he smiled at this random conversation. “Please tell me you don’t take your coffee black,” Y/N narrowed her eyes at him, as if she was daring him to admit it. Harry smirked and shrugged at her. “Sorry, love. It’s the best way to have coffee,”

“No, it’s not! It’s so bitter!” Y/N exclaimed and laughed at this. “I don’t think this would work out,” she pouted. Harry swore his heart beated a little faster, seeing her lips pout. He wondered how they’d feel against his. “What wouldn’t work out, love?” He smiled at her. 

Y/N blushed at this, looking down at her lap before she looked at him again. “Whatever you want this to be,”

They spent their time getting to know each other and by the time it was midnight, Harry ended up paying for their meals, ignoring her protests as he did. Y/N was tempted to wipe off that smug smile off his face. The December air howled as the night went on as the decorative holiday lights lit up the street they walked on. The two walked side by side, their hands brushing against each other’s. If Harry had the guts, he would intertwine their hands together. But he didn’t. Not yet, at least. 

“Random question, but do you prefer sunrises and sunsets?” she asked out of the blue. Harry thought for a moment before answering, “M’not sure, actually. Never really paid attention to them all that much.” Y/N nodded at his answer.

“Sometimes I like to wake up early just to see the sunrise,” Y/N spoke. Harry looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah? You like sunrises?” he asked gently, the cold air making his breath visible to see. “I do. I like sunsets too. But no one ever stops to appreciate the sunrises,” she sighed.

“Maybe it’s because they can’t be bothered to wake up so early,” Harry joked, making her laugh. “Yeah. Well, I do that. My apartment has a nice view of it. It’s nice. The city is just beginning to wake up. The golden glow casted upon it,” 

Harry nodded at her. “Is this your way of inviting me over?” He teased. Y/N paused, her cheeks flaming up. It wasn’t her intention, but she might as well have done so. Harry was a nice company to keep and she liked him. She really did like him. “Maybe,” she mumbled. 

Harry smiled at her sudden shyness. It was something he liked about her. He really liked her. And he wanted her to take him back to her home, as pathetic as that made him seem. 

“Well, lead the way, darlin’,”

Y/N struggled to put her keys into the keyhole of her apartment. Nervous was an understatement for her. She had a really sweet and attractive man waiting behind her and she was about to invite him in. She was almost sweating at the thought and she didn’t know why.

She opened the door, letting the warm air of her small apartment flow through them. Harry found it quite cozy. There were plants placed in different corners of the room, he noticed a record player by the television. There was also an easel standing by it. It was small, unlike his luxurious houses, but homey.

“You paint?” He asked. Y/N blushed at this, she forgot to put away your paint and clean up. In her defense, she didn’t think you would have company tonight. “Yeah, s’just a hobby. And somewhat a side hustle,” she said, taking off her coat and putting in on the couch. Harry did the same, subtly wiping his sweaty palms against his dark jeans. 

“Uh, d-do you want something to drink?” she asked nervously. Idiot, you just had drinks. “Or, if y’want, I have some chocolate chip cookies. If you like chocolate chip cookies. I mean, y’don’t have to but-,” Y/N was cut off upon hearing Harry chuckling at her, his expression amused as he listened to her nervous rambling. 

“Don’t worry, darlin’. I’m good,” he said, smiling at her. She blushed again at the use of the pet name.

It was silence, the only thing that could be heard was their breathing as they looked at each other. Harry slowly walked over, Y/N’s breath hitched as he did so. She was nervous and she was scared, she hadn’t done this in a long time. His arm settled on her waist and it was the first time he touched her. His eyes, green as ever and filled with lust and passion, were focused on hers. She could feel his breath hitting her face due to the proximity between them. 

Y/N gently placed her hands on his chest, feeling it rising up and down as he breathed. His forehead was already pressing against hers, their noses slightly brushing against each other. “Can I kiss you?” Harry finally asked ever so softly. And Y/N couldn’t help but nod her head. “Please,”

His lips crashed into hers, gently at first, but she kissed him harder, making it more passionate. She could hear him moan into the kiss as their tongues battled for dominance. His hands travelled lower to her backside, she moaned aloud as he squeezed them. When they pulled away, they would instantly pull into another kiss again, wanting to be close. Harry lowered his hands further behind her thighs, signaling her to jump so he could hold her tightly against him. 

“Y/N, I won’t be able to stop,” he said, gasping for air. Y/N only kissed him again, replying as her lips were against his. “Then, don’t,”

Y/N wasn’t sure how they made it to her room, laying nearly naked on her bed. She just realised how many tattoos he had on his body. She traced over the art scattered over his skin delicately. “Harry,” she whimpered as she felt his hardened length grinding against her core. She could feel her arousal seeping through her underwear. She gasped as he pressed kisses down her neck onto her collarbones, her eyes rolling back when he sucked a sweet spot there. His fingers entangled themselves between hers, squeezing them tightly. 

“Harry, please,” 

“I got you, baby. Gonna take my time with you,” he said gently as he kissed her forehead.

Y/N could feel her heart beamed at the sweet gesture. She had one-night stands before, but none of them felt as intimate as with Harry. The way he kissed her, held her, it almost felt right. And she wondered if he felt it too. 

When they’re fully naked and Harry lined himself against her, he looked at her, as if he was asking if she was still sure of this; if she wanted this; if she wanted him. Her eyes were shining as the moonlight shone through her curtains, her hair sprawled against her pillow. She was beautiful and ethereal. He almost couldn’t believe it. 

A nod from her was all it took for him to push himself in, the two moaning in relief as pleasure shot through their bodies. He slowly thrusted, taking his time with her. The feeling of euphoria running through their bodies as they held each other close. Her legs were wrapped around his hips, wanting to keep his warm body close to her. “Harry, faster,” Y/N pleaded.

It was almost like a switch went off his head before Harry spreaded her legs further, thrusting harder and further into her. Moans and groans filled the room and the scent of sex and sweat filled the air. Harry had his head buried into the crook of her neck, breathing hard as he felt the pleasure burning at the bottom of his spine. He was close and he knew she was too from the way she was clenching around him. 

“You close, baby?” He breathed out as he looked at her. The bed was creaking with every movement they made. Y/N moaned in ecstasy as she nodded her head, trying to keep her eyes on him. She didn’t want to miss a thing with him.

Harry took her by surprise by pulling out, lifting her up so she sat on his lap. He guided himself into herself, groaning as she welcomed him in her. Y/N moaned loudly as she felt him hit deeper, feeling herself clenching around him. She quickly began to move against him, smiling as she saw Harry shut his eyes in pleasure, murmuring her name. “C-Close, Harry, fuck,” she groaned as she moved faster.

Harry sat up and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as if it was possible. He thrusted his hips upwards against hers, adding to the euphoric pleasure that was coursing through them. “I know, baby. Fuck, y’feel so good around me,” he moaned out, looking at her with hooded eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, their heavy breaths hitting each other’s faces. 

It was only a glance into his forest green eyes that triggered her high. She moaned out loud, her body shaking against him, and just the sight of her high triggered Harry’s. He groaned against her neck and cursed a string of profanities under his breath as he kept thrusting his hips into her, prolonging his orgasm. When they calmed down from their highs, they took deep breaths before pressing their lips together. Harry could hear a whimper from the beautiful woman above him. He was delirious with the bliss feeling. 

They laid on their sides, admiring each other’s glowing yet sweaty state. Harry closed his eyes and sighed as Y/N brushed her fingers through his hair. “Y’alright?” he murmured to her. She nodded and gave him a shy smile. He thought it was cute of her acting all shy after having done such an intimate and dirty activity with him. He kissed the tip of her nose, smiling as she scrunched it up. “You’re beautiful,” he admitted. 

Y/N let out a deep breath. There was no denying the attraction she felt for him. The setting was so intimate, far from what she thought it was going to be. She felt herself opening up to him, something she prevented herself from doing for a long time. She was scared of this, but she liked it at the same time. 

“Hold me?” she asked and Harry pulled her against his body without a second to waste. Their breathing was the only sound they paid attention to. Y/N nuzzled her face against the crook of his neck, her finger tracing the tattoos on his chest. 

“Are you gonna stay?” she asked softly. She was not expecting anything, but she hoped he did stay. 

Harry smiled and pulled her closer. “Only if y’want me to,” he said. Y/N returned the smile, tracing out his lips with her finger, feeling how soft they were. 

“I’d like that,”

❋

When Harry woke up, he felt an empty cold space beside him. Confused at first, he sat up slowly, wondering where the pretty woman he liked was. He turned his head and there she was, sitting by her window looking out into the early morning. She was sipping on something from her mug and she was wearing his dark blue T-shirt from the night before. She looked absolutely breathtaking. 

“You’re up early,” he said, catching her by surprise at the sound of his voice. She smiled at him and made her way to sit on his lap, putting her mug on the bedside table. “You missed the sunrise.” She ran her fingers through his messy bed hair. He sighed, realising how much he liked her doing that simple yet intimate gesture. “Yeah? Was it pretty?” 

“Very,” she sighed as Harry laid his head on his shoulder. He held her tightly in his arms, similar to how he did when they slept. “Well, you’re prettier,” he said, planting kisses up her neck. She realised how deep and raspy his voice sounded in the morning, it sent shivers down her spine. “Well, you’re a charmer,” she murmured. 

Harry looked up at her, taking in her morning glow that she was emitting. “Your eyes are really pretty,” Y/N said softly as she admired his forest green eyes. “Yeah? Y’think so?” he said, playfully fluttering his eyes at her. She laughed at this, throwing her head back. Harry thought it was the sweetest sound. She traced the outline of his lips with her index finger, feeling how soft they were under her touch. Harry kept his mouth agape as she did so. 

“Can I kiss you?” Y/N whispered. He smiled at her, remembering his exact words from the night before, before nodding. “Please,”

The fluttering in his stomach intensified as their lips met. The thing that clouded Harry’s mind was how soft her lips were and how sweet they tasted. Their kiss almost made him feel dizzy for how much passion there was. When they pulled away, he looked at Y/N with hooded eyes, his breathing was heavy from the blissful sensation he felt. He gently wrapped his arms around her frame and it just felt right.

He pulled her into another kiss, a moan elicited from Y/N that sent blood rushing to his lower region. His hands travelled up his shirt she was wearing and he let out a groan, realising she had nothing underneath it. He felt drunk by her touch, her scent; everything. It was a delicate feeling he felt and he didn’t want to let go of it. He could get used to this, the feeling of her. For once in a long while, he didn’t feel alone anymore. 

It was no doubt that Y/N felt the same. 

It all just felt right. 

❋

The snow was covering the backyard, the trees and bushes were covered in white. Y/N watched as the snow fell while sipping on her hot chocolate. The house was decorated for the special wintery day. The tree was lit up and decorated with many ornaments as well as pictures on it, the presents laying closely below it. 

Voices snapped her out of her thoughts, she smiled as she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. She turned around to see her husband holding up a sleepy little girl in his large muscular arms, the little girl they were blessed with as their daughter. Harry was talking animatedly to Ruby, trying to wake her up in the Christmas spirit. 

He gasped and pointed his finger at you. “Look, Rue! It’s mummy! An early bird, isn’t she?” He said to Ruby as he bounced her gently in his arms. You rolled your eyes at his silliness. “Mama,” the little girl reached out to her mother as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Y/N set her mug on the counter and grabbed lifted little Ruby in her arms. “Morning, Rue baby,” Y/N cooed softly at her, closing her mouth with the back of her hand when she yawned. 

“Think she’s a bit tired,” Harry chuckled at them. “Y’think? Who’s the idiot that woke her up early?” Y/N asked sarcastically at her husband. He only lifted his arms up in defense, a smug smile painted on his face. Ruby quietly giggled at her parents. He sipped on a mug of hot chocolate and she narrowed her eyes at her as he leaned back on the counter. 

“Are you really drinking my hot chocolate?” Harry paused for a bit before swallowing the warm drink. “I’ll make ya another one, love,” he rubbed the back of his neck. Y/N rolled her eyes at him before chuckling. “You better, Styles.” She felt Ruby shifting in her arms and gently bounced her. “Y’alright, bubs?” She pouted at her daughter. 

“Snow,” she said, pointing out the window where the snow was falling. “Yeah, bubs! It’s snowing!” Y/N exclaimed excitedly to her, making Ruby giggle. “Dada, snow!” she exclaimed to her father. 

Harry laughed at his daughter’s adorableness. “That’s right, Rue!” He agreed, stroking through her curly hair that she inherited from him. He placed a hand gently on Y/N’s clothed stomach. “And how’s bub number 2 doing?” He asked softly. Y/N smiled, her heart beaming at the gentleness of her husband. “They’re doing great in there,” she said, placing her hand over his above her two-month growing belly. 

Harry beamed at this, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips, eliciting a small whimper from her. 

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips. Even after all these years, she found his green eyes just as beautiful and hypnotizing.

“I love you, too,” she said and smiled at him as they broke away. 

Perhaps, Harry would consider himself lucky that his sad lonely self walked into the bar she previously worked at five years ago. Maybe if he hadn’t opened up to Y/N or went back to her apartment, he wouldn’t be able to have this little family he was blessed with. There was something so delicate and real he felt that night that he wanted to keep. So naturally, they both let their walls down and took a chance on each other. And perhaps because it was nearing Christmas that night, he would think of it as some Christmas miracle. 

“Wanna open the presents, Rue?” Y/N asked Ruby as bounced her in her arms. Ruby giggled, not even understanding what her mother said, and nodded. “Yeah? Wanna open presents with mummy and daddy?” Y/N said excitedly as she carried her into the living room. Harry chuckled at the precious sight of them as he followed them.

As they sat down in the living room, he took a moment to just admire his wife and his daughter. Y/N, though wearing one of his Christmas sweaters and sleep shorts, looked just as beautiful and ethereal as she did the night they met. She held little Ruby in her arms, who was busy tearing up the small present in front of her. His wife cheered at their daughter as she took out a little stuffed teddy bear, giggling as she waved it around with her small hands.

Y/N looked up at him and gave him a loving smile as she intertwined her fingers with him. Despite them being in such cold weather, her hands felt warm against his. He admired how they fit perfectly in his. Ruby babbled incoherently to her parents about her gift, in which they nodded like they understood what she said. Harry’s heart warmed up just thinking of how they’ll have another addition to their loving little family soon. 

His heart was full of love and happiness. He no longer felt alone. He had everything he wanted in that moment, his growing little family.

Everything was just right. 

[joshjacksons]

Joshua Jackson interview with "Mr Porter" (2021)

Minutes before Mr Joshua Jackson joins me in a booth for a Friday afternoon drink at a vibey hotel bar in Santa Monica, he’s confronted by his past. Or rather, a woman in her early twenties who is binge-watching Dawson’s Creek, the teen show about a close-knit group of high-school friends coming of age in a sleepy American town, which made Jackson incredibly famous between 1998 and 2003. The series, which also made household names of Ms Michelle Williams and Ms Katie Holmes, went off air 18 years ago, but is now streaming on Netflix, to the bemusement of Jackson, who played lovable rogue Pacey Witter. “This girl was like, ‘Are you...?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes, I am. He got old. I’m sorry to break it to you,’” he says, before ordering an iced tea and a charcuterie board to tide him over until dinner time. “It always surprises me when young people say they’ve just got into Dawson’s Creek. I’m like, ‘Is it a costume drama to you? Do you feel like you’re watching a historical documentary?’”

The idea of a Friends-style reunion episode or a Sex And The City revival feels equally far-fetched to Canadian-born Jackson, now 43 and wearing it well in a pale green linen shirt and tailored linen trousers by Oliver Spencer that complement his fading brown hair and Cali-tanned skin.

“I don’t know why you’d want to [bring it back],” he says. “Nobody needs to know what those characters are doing in middle age. We left them in a nice place. Nobody needs to see that Pacey’s back hurts. I don’t think we need that update.”

And Jackson doesn’t need Dawson’s Creek. From Mr JJ Abrams’ sci-fi series Fringe (2008-2013) to the Golden Globe award-winning The Affair (2014-2019), from Ms Ava DuVernay’s ground-breaking true-crime drama When They See Us (2019) to the recent Ms Reese Witherspoon and Ms Kerry Washington-produced Little Fires Everywhere (2020), he has commanded the small screen – with a collection of dynamic and diverse work – ever since.

His latest role as Mr Christopher Duntsch, the Texas surgeon convicted of gross malpractice when 33 of his patients were left seriously injured after he operated on them and two of them died, in chilling Peacock crime drama Dr Death, is only stepping his career up another gear.

“I’ve never played anyone irredeemable before,” says Jackson, who is joined in the eight-part series (based on the 2018 Wondery podcast of the same name) by Messrs Christian Slater and Alec Baldwin. “He is charming, gregarious and has a high-level intellect, but he’s also a misogynist, probably a sociopath, certainly a narcissist and a complete incompetent who is incapable of seeing himself.”

If Duntsch is terrifying, then Jackson’s portrayal is even more so. The artist formerly known as Pacey is virtually unrecognisable (thanks to prosthetics) in the opening scene, but the real challenge for Jackson was allowing himself to view someone who is so “spectacularly evil” as a human being in order to walk in his shoes. “It’s a more damning portrayal of the man to make him into a human being, rather than just make him the bad guy,” he says. “He really believes he’s the hero, he’s the genius and that he’s the victim, so once I got past my own judgment, all the other things fell into place.”

Jackson might have his pick of stellar roles – and challenges – now, but it has not happened by accident. Take it from someone who has been in the business since landing his first job aged 14 in Disney’s live-action movie series The Mighty Ducks, opposite Brat Pack alumnus Mr Emilio Estevez.

“You try to make it look like it happens accidentally,” he says, “but there is no way to do this and not be ambitious. I’d say I’m extremely ambitious because I’ve been doing this cutthroat job for nearly 30 years. I’m in the pay-off phase of my career now. One of the benefits of surviving for as long as I have is you get to learn from your own mistakes.”

Such as? “I wouldn’t say, ‘I wish I hadn’t done that,’ because it all becomes bricks in a path, but [after Dawson’s Creek] I was not choosy enough about the things I was doing. You get stuck. You start trying to perform the performance you think people are hoping to see you do. I was so used to working all the time that I just worked all the time. There was definitely a conscious moment in my mid-twenties when I realised I wasn’t really enjoying the work that I was doing. My manager at the time just said, ‘Take a breath. You’re burnt out.’”

The turning point came in 2005, when Jackson was offered a role in the two-hander Mr David Mamet play A Life In The Theatre, opposite Sir Patrick Stewart. “God bless him, Patrick could have made my life miserable because I had no idea what I was doing, ” he says. “I hadn’t been on stage since I was a kid and now I was in the West End in over my head. But it reminded me that I actually enjoyed being an actor, that it’s not about the red carpet or travelling around the world. What I really enjoy is working on good material with good people.”

It’s no surprise Jackson’s time on Dawson’s Creek led to a career crisis. From the ages of 19 to 24, he lived with his fellow cast mates in Wilmington, North Carolina, filming day in, day out, in an arrangement he likens to college. “You get to the end and they’re like, ‘Here’s your degree. Go live now. You’re an adult. Go out into the world,’” he says.

But most graduates don’t have to deal with global fame. “It’s transitory. You’re only ever cool for a moment and then you become much less cool. I was always pretty dubious about flatterers,” he says, recalling a time he was stung in London in the mid-2000s. “I went on a date in Hyde Park with a woman whose name I will not use – she was socialite-famous – and she was acting completely bizarre, looking over her shoulder the whole time. I came to find out that she had hired a photographer to follow us through the park and gave a whole story to the tabloids about how I was going to meet her family.”

It was his growing fortune, rather than fame, that caused Jackson the most anxiety. “Suddenly, at 19 years old, I was making more in a week than most of my friends’ parents would make in a year,” he says. “It was lovely to have the money, but it was that feeling of nobody is worth that kind of money. You feel like a fraud and it took me a long time to forgive myself for not being the thing that I was perceived as.”

Born in Vancouver, but raised in Topanga, California, until he was eight (before moving back to Vancouver following his parents’ divorce), Jackson bought his childhood home in 2001 and lives in it today with his wife, British Queen & Slim actor Ms Jodie Turner-Smith, and their 15-month-old daughter.

“My father unfortunately was not a good father or a husband and exited the scene, but that house in Topanga was where everything felt simple, so it was a very healing thing for me to do,” he says. Fast-forward to 2021 and his baby daughter now sleeps in her father’s childhood bedroom. “There was a mural of a dragon on the wall in that room that I couldn’t believe was still there, years later. The owner [who sold him the house] said, ‘I knew it meant a lot to somebody and that they were going to come back for it some day.’”

Becoming a first-time parent during a pandemic sounds stressful, but it afforded Jackson months at home with his wife and child that his normal work schedule wouldn’t have allowed.

“I now recognise how perverse the way that we have set up our society is,” he says. “There is not a father I know who works a regular job who didn’t go back to the office a week later. It’s robbing that man of the opportunity to bond with his child and spend time with his partner.”

Despite his obvious career ambitions, fatherhood has changed Jackson’s priorities in “every possible way”, he says. “It’s 100 per cent changed how I approach my work and my life. That has been made so clear to me in this past year. For me to feel good about what I’m doing day to day, my family has to be the central focus.

“There are plenty of things left for me to do, but now the thing that gets me excited is experiencing the world through my daughter’s eyes. I can’t wait to take her scuba diving. I can’t wait to take her skiing. I can’t wait to read a great book with her. I’m not worried at all she’ll be a wallflower. She’s been a character from the word go.”

Jackson met Turner-Smith, 34, two days after his 40th birthday. He had been single since his 10-year relationship with German actress Ms Diane Kruger ended in 2016. “I was not looking to fall in love again or meet the mother of my child, but life has other plans for you,” he says.

The couple met at a party. Turner-Smith was wearing the same The Future Is Female Ejaculation T-shirt Ms Tessa Thompson’s character, Detroit, wears in the 2018 film Sorry To Bother You. “That’s what I used to break the ice. I shouted, ‘Detroit!’ across the room. Not the smoothest thing I’ve ever done, but it worked. We were pretty much inseparable from the word go. It was a whirlwind romance and I can tell my daughter I literally saw her mother across a room and thought, ‘I have to be next to this woman.’”

A self-confessed “useless” shopper, Jackson gives his wife full credit for his current wardrobe. He is jewellery-free, apart from a wedding band and a gold signet “JJ” ring on his little finger (a present from his wife), and discovered tailored sweatsuits (by Stampd and Reigning Champ) in the pandemic.

“Jodie has influence in the way that a wonderful wife encourages you, through love, to dress well. She was like, ‘We’re going to throw away all the sweatpants from your past and I’m going to get you some that actually make you look like an adult male and you will still feel comfortable around the house,’ and I’m like, ‘What an amazing idea!’ Who knew you could get sweatsuits that actually look good on your body?”

Jackson’s style has evolved, he says, “from slovenly teen to it’s-nice-when-your-clothes-actually-fit-you”. The penny dropped after he auditioned for his former co-star Estevez, who was directing the 2006 Mr Robert Kennedy biopic Bobby. He said to me, ‘You only got this job because I know you. You came in here to play a very well-put together 1960s political operative and you’re wearing jeans and a hoodie.’

“I had to grow up a little bit. We are very much raised in Canada to never, ever show off, so it took me a while to recognise it’s OK to look good when you go out.”

Still, when you’ve grown up in front of the camera, “every pimple literally documented”, and lived (very successfully) to tell the tale, you can probably be forgiven for the odd fashion faux pas.

“I wore a silk Ascot to an event once in Paris and I still have nightmares about it,” he says. “I looked like Fred from Scooby Doo, but you live and learn.”

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I thought about WandaVision

Y'know, it's kind of crazy to think that it's been over a year since we've been given any content involving the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios announced so many great movies, on top of new TV shows that actually impact the story, way back in the summer of 2019. But then 2020 happened. Resulting in everything, and I mean everything, we were promised getting pushed back for another year. So, when it was finally announced that the series WandaVision was, at last, ready to be released, fans were both excited as well as skeptical. Because the first thing that would reintegrate us back into this franchise would be a show about how two Avengers are stuck in a sitcom. It might be new, long-awaited content, but it also doesn't sound all that interesting. Could a story involving two characters who have yet to stand on their own be enough to carry a brand new adventure? Well, for eight whole weeks, fans were given that answer. And personally, I will admit that WandaVision might have been better than anybody could have ever expected...for the most part.

(Final spoiler warning if you haven't seen the show yet)

WHAT I LIKE

It Just Goes: This is easily the best way the series could have started. We are given no context about what is going on. We're just shown that Wanda and Vision are currently stuck in a sitcom, and that's it. By making it a mystery, fans are given this sort of interaction with the series as they find clues and come up with theories about how and why this happened. Sure, some assumptions were more far fetched than others (did people think Mephisto was confirmed just because of one misinterpreted line involving the Devil?), but it still makes the show a ton of fun to watch. Plus, even when we're given answers, it's only tiny pieces of the puzzle. We're always given a chance to figure out the bigger picture, resulting in an image that is, I'll admit, somewhat satisfying to see. Just as long as you ignore the crybabies who get upset that their favorite theories turned out to be wrong.

The Homages are on Point: I also love how straight the cast and crew play with the idea of two superheroes being stuck in a series of sitcoms. Everything they use fits in the era each sitcom takes place in. With things like camerawork, set design, special effects, acting quality, tropes, and even theme songs, everything works as a proper homage than just having two episodes in black and white and the rest in color. Each new sitcom that Wanda and Vision are rebooted in feels so genuine, to the point where they seem like they could be actual shows that could have existed. Seriously, my dad showed me stuff like The Dick Van Dyke Show when I was a kid, so trust me when I say that the very first episode nails the style that it's honoring. Not only is it charming as all forms of hell, but it also works in making these moments when characters break from the spell (get it) all the more jarring and even disturbing at times. Because when you're so keen on watching what seems like a fun and cheesy sitcom, you feel a bit unsettled when a character suddenly acts in a way that's a tad foreboding. Still, it's fun to watch and is easily the central hook for what makes this show work.

The Comedy: The homages also nail the comedy that came from each type of sitcom. The jokes fit with each period, from the cheesy and charming 50s to the cynical and dry 90s and early 2000s. It's another thing the writers play straight with, and I think it works. The only jokes made by most stories like this are just pointing out that these serious characters are stuck in a silly sitcom. Instead, the writers tell jokes that work for the period it's in, and it is all genuinely funny if you're used to those types of goofs and gags. If you didn't laugh, that's because the comedy isn't trying to reach out to you. It's reaching out to the people who actually watched these types of sitcoms. Or, in my case, the type of people who had their parents show them these types of sitcoms. And even then, I still think there are these lines and deliveries that are still funny even if you don't get the joke. For example, there's this brief moment with Vision and a toy baby that got a genuine chuckle out of me for how absurd it was. I wasn't expecting to laugh that much, but on top of the many surprises this show gave, being funny was definitely one of them.

“My husband, and his indestructible forehead”: He...hehe...hehehehahahaHAHAHAHA! AH! HA! HA! HA! 

*Slowly starts sobbing*

>Squeaks<

I see what you did there.

Paul Bettany as “Vision,” “Vision,” and Vision: Can we give Paul Bettany a round of applause for basically playing three different characters, each with their own varying levels of emotions and purposes? Because goodness gracious, this man is a champion! I've seen tons of people praise Elizabeth Olson for her performance as Wanda, and to be fair, she does do a fantastic job...aside from one blatant issue (which I'll get into later). But as great as Olson is, Bettany still deserves some credit. Throughout most of the series, he has this level of comedic-timing that I didn't even know he was capable of, by going ham or just having a dry wit. Seriously, was someone going to tell me that Paul Bettany can be funny, or was I supposed to find that out for myself? On top of being hilarious, Bettany delivers such raw emotion that none of us would have ever expected from this character. That screaming match “Vision” has with Wanda shows the very first time that any version of him has ever been angry, and Bettany does a great job at making that moment as jarring as it needed to be. And that's just from playing one version of the character! I didn't even talk about how he nails the naive yet still wise Vision from the flashback in "Previously On" or the cold and robotic "Vision" from "The Series Finale." Bettany has range, and WandaVision is a great show that proves how. One just needs to have the right amount of vision to see it (HhhhhhhhhhhHA!)

Developing Wanda: But as great as Paul Bettany, and to a lesser extent, Vision, is, Wanda Maximoff is clearly the star of the show here (And yes, I know that it's Wanda who's the character and Elizabeth Olson is the actor, but...I'll get into it!). If WandaVision has taught me anything about these Disney+ shows, it's that we are finally going to get some long-awaited development to characters that are starved from it. And Wanda definitely needed it. Don't get me wrong, Wanda was great in past movies but wasn't that compelling of a character. Here, trust me when I say that the opposite is true. 

We are given a deep dive into not only Wanda's morality but also her psyche. The writers really play around with how scary Wanda can be. As well as questioning if Wanda has the capability of being evil. Because, yeah, what she did was not right. True, our "heroine" was going through some rough s**t, but that doesn't excuse the amount of torture Wanda put the people of Westview through, no matter how unwittingly. Just look at that scene where everyone grills Wanda about what she's doing to them, not only pleading for whatever compromise they can get and even begging for her to kill them instead. That is dark! That is the darkest concept the MCU has ever offered, and the ending of Avengers: Infinity War exists!

But, while it doesn't entirely excuse everything, there is a reason why Wanda did all of this. You see, throughout WandaVision, Wanda goes through the five stages of grief. It all starts with denial as she pretends to live in a sitcom that she created where Vision is alive, and they get to even have kids together. Soon comes anger when she destroys anything and physically harms anyone that tries to bring her back to reality. Next, there's bargaining as Wanda strengthens her hex and expands it to keep outsiders out and keep Vision in. This leads to depression as the weight of all of Wanda's actions finally sinks in, and she's forced to realize the damage she's causing. Until all of it ends with acceptance, as Wanda finally, finally, gets to say goodbye to Vision. Something she never really got when Thanos ripped the mind stone out of Vision's forehead. It's both incredible to watch as it is fascinating. Wanda, through the course of her own little spin-off series, just went from a decent character to one of the most intriguing to dissect in the MCU. And we have this show to thank for it.

The Commercials: These commercials offer three things.

They're more homages to classic television, each product and filming for each one honoring how commercials looked in each era.

They offer more of an insight into Wanda's psyche as we see how each commercial shows bits of her history, regrets, and deepest desires. You see all of the above in the Lagos' paper towel commercial.

There are neat bits of foreshadowing of what's to come, like how Hydra Soak ends by saying it's for "your inner goddess" or how the 90s commercial ends by saying Magic isn't meant for the weak.

With all of that, these commercials are as fun to analyze as they are disturbing as hell.

The Dinner Scene: This was the moment it was clear that WandaVision wasn’t going to just be fun and games. The second that "Mr. Heart" starts screaming at Wanda about why she and Vision came, it becomes clear that the whole wacky scenario our heroes are in isn't as harmless as we all thought. And when "Mrs. Heart" playfully tells her husband to stop it when “Mr. Heart” starts choking, only to desperately scream at Wanda to stop it, audiences begin to piece together that the people of Westview are prisoners--no--victims. As for Wanda? She's the unknowing dictator forcing them to do what she says. And it was this scene that I knew I was going to really enjoy this show.

The Blip Scene: And it was this scene that made WandaVision skyrocket into top-tier MCU territory! As much as I love Spider-Man: Far From Home, I will admit that making a joke with the concept of something like the blip might not have been the best move. But showing the chaos of everyone coming back all at once? On top of showing the confusion that a person would have from being told that a five-second nap was five years? Yeah, that's more in line with what we want.

Returning Characters: Not only was I surprised by the fact that these pretty minor characters in the MCU made a return at all, but I was also shocked to find out they work better in this series than they did in their respective movies. First, there's Monica. Not only is she reintroduced as a brand new hero (with, admittingly, confusing superpowers), but she also works as the anti-Wanda. Both characters had someone they care about dearly die without getting a chance to say goodbye. The difference is that Monica doesn't have the abilities Wanda does and is instead forced to quickly accept that her mom is dead and won't come back. She even admits that she would bring her mom back if she could. But that just makes Monica the perfect person that Wanda needs. A person that understands where she's coming from and tries to convince Wanda to do the right thing, no matter how hard it is. Monica's methods may have been a tad bit sloppy, but she is still ten times more intriguing than that little girl who screwed around with the color scheme on Captain Marvel’s suit.

Then there's Jimmy Woo, who is both funnier here than in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and actually shows signs of being a competent FBI agent. A step up, I might add, from the hilariously incompetent character we saw in his previous appearance.

And also, Darcie is here...and still slightly annoying...but at least she still has a couple funny lines here and there! Which is more than I can say with Thor and Thor: The Dark World.

In my opinion, it's a good move having these characters with pretty small roles in vastly different stories make a return. It shows that they are not limited to their one little corner of the MCU. And that they can branch off into taller tales that suit them perfectly. It's pretty cool, and it makes me wonder what other small characters could make a triumphant return.

Billy and Tommy: These two are...fine. Billy and Tommy give me Zach and Cody vibes sometimes, the kids playing them do a decent job, and they both offer some great emotional moments. The problem is that out of the list of characters that WandaVision introduces and reintroduces, there's not much to talk about with Billy and Tommy. Honestly, the only reason why I briefly mentioned that I like them is that I don't want dozens of people crucifying me for not saying anything about them. I don't hate them, but I don't much care for them either.

Evan Peters as Quicksilver: Although I would have loved it if it was Aaron Taylor-Johnson who made a return, seeing Evan Peters in a good Marvel movie again is more than worth it. He plays a much more fun version of Quicksilver while still nailing the sibling relationship the character has with Wanda. In a way, it's a lot like how Marvel cast J.K. Simmons as J Jonah Jameson at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home. It's admitting that no one could have played the character better than this one actor and briefly making fans happy in the process. While also not doing something crazy like having it be the exact same Quicksilver from the X-Men movies. Only f**king idiots would believe something like that...

...

...But hypothetically speaking, let's say some people were stupid to believe that. While making an outrageous claim that the writers "lead them on to doing so." In which case, I will say the same thing that one would say when friend-zoning someone: "Nobody led you on to s**t. You were just too busy focusing on what you wanted to see instead of what you needed to see."

Because there was no evidence that it was the same Quicksilver other than the fact that it was the same actor. And, hypothetically speaking, if there were dozens of crybabies who were upset about it not being the same Quicksilver, then I have so much more respect for this character being nothing more than a boner joke. Because you did this to yourselves...hypothetically speaking.

Retconning Wanda’s Powers: ...I'm ok with this. Retcons happen all the time in the comics, as well as in movies and television. It's just a matter of making the retcon believable enough where there are few holes in what you're telling people. As for Wanda apparently having magic this entire time, but the mind stone amplified her powers? I can buy that. Besides, it's an acceptable excuse to make Wanda as powerful as she is in the comics (from what I've been told), so like I said, I'm ok with this.

“I can’t feel you…”: ...That's fine. I didn't need my heart anyway.

“Vision’s” Talk with “Vision”: Forget the horrible CGIed battles. I want more of this!

Now, I put both Visions in quotation marks because while they're both the same character, they're also...not the same. Which is, funnily enough, what this scene is: A philosophical discussion between two versions of the same android about what makes them both/neither the definitive version. One may look the same, and the other may be the same body, but neither "Vision" really is the true Vision. However, the fact that these two stop their fighting so they can have this discussion in the first place helps secure that while different, they are still the same. It's a thought-provoking discussion, and it is ten times more interesting to watch than Wanda and Agatha's CGI fight in the sky. Although it is kind of odd that White-Vision just peaces out the second Hex-Vision gives him a reboot. But hey, that's for the future movies to deal with.

“Thank you for choosing me to be your mom.”: >Deep inhale<...Girl.

Wanda Saying Goodbye to Vision: >DEEPER INHALE< HOOOOOOOOOOO BOY! I did not expect this much emotional turmoil from f**king WANDAVISION!

Joking aside, this is a well-handled scene. It's incredibly emotional to see these two characters say goodbye to each other as their arcs come to a close. "Vision" peacefully leaves knowing who he is in the world, and Wanda can finally start moving on as she gets to say goodbye to her one true love. It's as bittersweet as it is beautiful.

WHAT I DISLIKE

MCU logos flashing in every episode: You know how CinemaSins has this bulls**t excuse about how the MCU opening logo wastes time to get to the good stuff? This is the only instance where that's applicable. Because the opening logo was cool to see again for the first episode, but having it play in every single one after breaks the immersion when trying to binge the series. It's for a couple of seconds, sure, but after a while, it does get pretty annoying.

Elizabeth Olson as Scarlet Witch: Now, to be clear, I have no problems with Elizabeth Olson's acting ability in this series. She juggles being funny, heartbreaking, and threatening so well that I am likely to laugh and cry with her as I am to s**t my pants while in her presence. Elizabeth Olson does a great job with this character. The problem? Well, in the comics, Wanda Maximoff is Roma, and Elizabeth Olson...isn't. This means that WandaVision, and the MCU as a whole, has a bad case of white-washing.

I could go on about the issues this brings, but I am not as educated about this subject, and all I know is just stuff that seems like common sense. For instance, I believe it is more than reasonable to hire an actor of a specific race or ethnicity for a character who is of a that same race or ethnicity. But that is as far as my knowledge and personal stance goes, and to expand on it would be too much of a risk because I have no right to criticize the representation of something I am not a part of. So instead, I'm going to point you to @earnestdesire‘s blog and Jessica Reidy’s article on the subject. They do a great job at discussing the issues with Olson’s Wanda and pointing to the issues the MCU has in representing Wanda and Pietro's representation in the comics. And they do it in a far better way than I ever could have. So check them out to truly see why, despite doing a great job, Elizabeth Olson should not be the person donning the suit.

It Was Agatha All Along: AND I STILL F**KING HATE THAT!

I know, I know, I am in the minority on this one. And I still don't understand why! To me, Agatha has all of the problems that Hans has in Frozen. Sure, there are hints if you pay more attention during a few select scenes that are slightly questionable. Like how she refers to Wanda as "the star of the show" or coincidentally shows up with a dog house for Sparky. However, much like how Frozen didn't need a villain like Hans, WandaVision didn't need a comic book villain like Agatha. The story was perfectly passable as a personal conflict involving Wanda's grief where the only obstacle was the director of S.W.O.R.D. and his agents. There is nothing Agatha adds to that.

"But she helps Wanda find out what happens!" Yeah, but Monica could have done the same thing by actually breaking through to Wanda and calmly asking what happened. From then on, they could have worked things out together by having Wanda retrace events that transpired through the information that Monica knows as well.

"But Agatha helps Wanda realize what she's doing is wrong!" So could Vision! He could have shown up, did that mind-meld thing to the townspeople, and Wanda would finally learn what she was doing was wrong through the person she trusts the most.

"But Agatha helps Wanda learn that she's the Scarlet Witch!" Ok...but did that need to happen in this series? Because when you think about it, when the central conflict is all about exploring Wanda's grief, throwing in this narrative about becoming the Scarlet Witch has little to do with anything. Meaning that if you cut it from the story, little would change other than cutting a CGI battle that everyone agrees is the worst part of the series.

The most Agatha adds to the story is a secondary conflict that could easily be cut, and the overall quality would stay the same, if not better. And that is a problem. Agatha needs to add to the central conflict in a way that no other character could have. Like, give her a reason to be involved in Wanda’s life that goes beyond feeding off her magic and leading Wanda to her destiny. Because as is, even if you argue that Agatha is a good twist villain, she's a villain that really didn't need to be here.

Director Haywood: But as much as I don't like Agatha, I think we can all agree that Director Haywood is the worst villain in the MCU. Because one issue that Haywood has is a lack of motivation. For instance, why does he try so hard to write off Wanda as this supervillain? It was never explained, and for something so bizarre and crucial to his character, I feel like it needed to be. It would be passable if he was motivated out of fear and ignorance, but Haywood goes so far as to misedit security footage to prove his point. And I don't get why.

Is he sexist?

Did Wanda not show up at his kid's birthday party?

Did he secretly want to use Vision as a sexbot and didn't want Wanda to get between them?

I don't know, and I'll never know.

Plus, on top of having no motivation, Haywood is just forgettable. Agatha may piss me off to no end, but at least I'll remember her. I honestly forgot Haywood's name half the time, and I'm willing to bet that you did too. Case in point, his name isn't even Haywood. It's Hayward. And in the off chance that you didn't even know about that misspelling just proves my point about how forgettable Hayward is. While it's one thing to be hated, it's another to be forgotten. Because that just means that you left so little impact that you aren't even worth getting upset about.

------

And that is what I thought about WandaVision. If I had to base this off my usual score, I'd have to give the show the same 7/10 that everyone else gave it. Because there's a lot that I love, but the stuff that I hate is so problematic that it takes the WandaVision down on a couple of notches. It's still a fantastic series with a solid story, a great message, incredible acting, and phenomenal character development. It's just that not everyone is going to be willing to tune in as much as you might think.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Evelyn Deavor

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Disney has been making a lot of films with twist villains as of late, villains who seem to be a friend for much of the movie but then, in the final act, reveal their true colors and suddenly are revealed to be the driving antagonistic force of the film. The only time this ever worked was for King Candy, because the twist tied to him wasn’t that he was an antagonist (he had been opposing the heroes and there was foreshadowing he knew more than he let on) but rather what his true nature was. Hans and Bellwether fell flat because of the inconsistencies of their characters and the lack of proper buildup beforehand, respectively, but at least this problem didn’t afflict itself on other Disney properties…

...And then came Incredibles 2. It’s a fantastic film without a doubt, and definitely a great thematic continuation of the first film that really helps to expand the world, but I cannot for the life of me find any way to defend the twist villain of this film. Evelyn Deavor is just the absolute bottom of the barrel when it comes to twist villains, because she combines all the problems of every other twist villain prior into one.

Actor: Catherine Kenner portrays Evelyn Deavor, and quite frankly it is endlessly amusing that she is yet again playing a villain who uses hypnosis to control people. Wonder if those goggles send the supers to the Sunken Place? For what it’s worth, I do think she does a good job, her performance is never bad or anything, and most of the reason Evelyn is a bad character is because of the writing, not Kenner’s performance.

Motivation/Goals: This is where Evelyn completely falls apart. She has constructed this whole elaborate false villain known as the Screenslaver, a character that actually has some pretty Interesting (though completely fabricated) motivations for committing crimes and who actually would help strengthen the themes of the film if his character was built on… all for the sake of making sure superheroes are illegal.

Now, her motivation comes from the same place as her brother’s motivation to bring heroes back: as a child, their father was gunned down by robbers when, instead of doing the smart thing and going into his safe room, he decided to try and call two superheroes on specially made phones to come save the day. Keep in mind this was after the initial ban on supers. In a way, you can kind of see where her motivation comes from; her dad was childish and stupid to think he could rely on heroes all the time.

But here’s the problem: heroes are already banned. It’s hard to comprehend exactly what she wants to accomplish; does she want heroes to get double banned? Sure, you could say that she’s just trying to sabotage her brother, who seems rather hellbent on legalizing heroes again, but considering he trusts her with a lot of the technical aspects of this there are a lot better ways she could have gone about undermining him, ways that would have been far less convoluted. Her entire plan seems to be to build them up to the top before tearing them down again, never stopping to consider how dangerous this is. These are SUPERHEROES, people who are known for finding a way against all odds to thwart evil schemes.

And going back to her creation, the Screenslaver, he actually has a far more interesting motivation, what with his big speech decrying the over-reliance on screens in society. There’s some interesting commentary there and it works well with the retro setting. This would have made a far more interesting villain, one that could actually say something about society, media, and so on while also reaffirming the positive points. It would have been the sort of bold statement that we need in a big film like this, in an age where, for good and for bad, we do rely quite a bit on screens.

Do I know for sure there would have been brilliant commentary there and not just the typical Luddite nonsense you see in political cartoons? No, I don’t, but I have faith considering the people working on the film. Do I know it would have been far better than the convoluted mess of a motivation that we got? Oh yes I do.

Personality: To her credit, Evelyn doesn’t actually change to much between her heroic and villainous personas. She’s still snarky, she still genuinely cares for her brother, she’s still brilliant save for her reliance on stupid and overly complex schemes… unlike other twist villains she doesn’t feel like two different characters between the time she’s a hero and the time she’s a villain. But I think this is where the praise has to end and veer into criticism, because with all this being said, it is obvious she’s going to be the bad guy from the moment she first appears onscreen. The reason why there’s no disconnect between her two personalities is because there never really was one; you either consciously or unconsciously pick up on there being something off about Evelyn from the get-go, which is not a problem Hans or Bellwether had.

Best Scene: Evelyn herself doesn’t really have any standout scenes, since in this exciting superhero action film she’s a non-action big bad, and unlike other non-action big bads like, say, Zemo from Civil War, her motivations are too stupid and convoluted to really get behind to enjoy her ranting. But I suppose she was technically behind the Screeslaver fight even if she was not directly there, so let’s go with that. Despite the issues the visuals caused when the film was first released, the fight is one of the most exciting moments of the film.

Best Quote: “Screenslaver interrupts this program for an important announcement. Don't bother watching the rest. Elastigirl doesn't save the day; she only postpones her defeat. And while she postpones her defeat, you eat chips and watch HER confront problems that you are too lazy to deal with. Superheroes are part of your brainless desire to replace true experience with simulation. You don't talk, you watch talk SHOWS. You don't play games, you watch game SHOWS. Travel, relationships, risk; every meaningful experience must be packaged and delivered to you to watch at a distance so that you can remain ever-sheltered, ever-passive, ever-ravenous consumers who can't bring themselves to rise from their couches, break a sweat, and participate in life. You want superheroes to protect you and make yourselves ever more powerless in the process; while you tell yourself you're being ‘looked after’, that your interests are being served, and your rights are being upheld. So that the system can keep stealing from you, smiling at you all the while. Go ahead, send your supers to stop me. Grab your snacks, watch your screens, and see what happens. You are no longer in control. I am.” Oh darn, am I giving the fabricated villain credit over Evelyn again? It’s almost like this utterly boring and convoluted villain was far better at writing more interesting villains than she was at being an antagonist.

Final Thoughts & Score: Let’s compare and contrast to Syndrome from the first movie, since she actually has quite a bit in common with his motivation. Syndrome seemed to envy superheroes and wanted to undermine them by supplanting their place in the world with his own technology, making a world where everyone is super, which in his own words would mean “no one will be.” The catalyst for his descent into supervillainy is, of course, his rejection by Mr. Incredible, which made him lose sight in what was important and drove him mad, leading to his eventual criminal career. Syndrome ends up being rather effective as a villain, and even a twist villain, because his true nature is revealed about halfway through the film, and he is given plenty of screentime to be a villain and establish his evil personality. His plan made sense, wasn’t overly convoluted, and actually managed to cause permanent, lasting damage to the super community.

And then you have Evelyn. Her motivations are completely muddied and incoherent, a problem Hans had as well but with him there was at least a token effort to foreshadow why he might do what he does, as bad as said foreshadowing ended up; with Evelyn though, there’s really no attempt made to really make sense of her convoluted scheme, there’s no questioning the logic behind doing what she does. The fact her plan is just accepted, that not even Helen Parr, a very smart woman, does not see the glaring flaws in Evelyn’s plan and call her out on them, is ridiculous. And then, much like Bellwether, the more interesting motivations are completely wasted; but where Bellwether at least genuinely did have some vicious prejudices to her that were unfortunately glossed over, Evelyn just completely fabricated every little thing about the Screenslaver to make an interesting protagonist for the heroes to fight to make them look good so she could tear them all down. Evelyn is just the utter exacerbation of every single flaw of previous twist villains, except without any of the redemptive qualities. At best she is an interesting contrast to Syndrome, as their overall goals are polar opposites (he wants to become a super and normalize it, she wants them to go away forever), but that’s really more in theory; in practice she just comes off as convoluted and dumb.

Evelyn is a very disappointing 1/10. We deserved a much better villain in this movie; hell, the Underminer would have been a great foe, because even if he had simple motivations he was still very comic booky and fun. Or even if they just stuck with Screenslaver, and let him be the actual villain, and let all of the incredibly obvious signs right from Evelyn’s intro be nothing more than red herrings. You could have even give Screenslaver some sort of connection to the Deavors, maybe he could be a disgruntled former employee a la the Riddler in Batman Forever. It’s honestly really sad that the absolute worst Batman movie was able to do the Screenslaver better than the sequel to one of Pixar’s finest films, but such is the cruel world we live in. Evelyn isn’t one of the worst villains because she is utterly devoid of quality, like Weapon XI or, god forbid, Malekith. No, Evelyn is one of the worst because she is a frustrating waste of potential that squanders good ideas for nonsensical twists.

You want to know the saddest part? In his one single big scene, the fake Screenslaver is more interesting, compelling, and exciting than the actual real Screenslaver. This untrained pizza boy puts up an actual fight and is intimidating and creepy, and he manages to outshine Evelyn in a film that ostensibly has her as the big bad. I suppose I may as well rate him, seeing as this review sort of covers them both and I don’t think it’s worth it to do a Psycho Analysis on a fake villain; I give him a solid 7/10. He is easily six points higher on the scale despite not even being a real villain and all his motivations being completely made up by the real antagonist; that’s how utterly disappointing Evelyn is.

[calliecat93]

RvB16 Episode 5 Review: Headshots

So far this season we’ve had time travel, alien Gods, pizza quests, and Tucker cockblocking himself twice at the same time. I’d say so far so good! The question now is what crazy shenanigans will our heroes get into next? Let's find out!

Overview

So last episode, Sarge wanted to try undoing the past again, but this time round up some recruits to ensure success. I wasn’t sure if it was going to go anywhere... but Joe proved me wrong! Simmons informs us through his log that they’re now in the near present (I guess at some former Red Base from the looks of it) and Sarge has rounded up three historical figures. Agent John, Agent George, and Agent Alex. In other words John Wayne, President George Washington (from how it sounds before the Revolutionary War ended), and a dying Alexander the Great. Well, that’s certainly a dream team I never would have thought up.

So what does Sarge plan to do now? Try Broken Ridge again? Nah, at least not for the moment. Instead, they’re going to go back to Season 15 and kill Temple back when they first met the Blues and Reds. Why? Well, Sarge wants to undo Temple convincing him to turn on the others because he still feels guilty about it, though he tries to not admit that it was him even though Simmons already knows. Of course, only George has any combat experience since John is an actor with a tough guy persona and Alex is... well, dying. But they’re gonna go for it anyways. So off to Season 15 they go!

Well... Simmons has one major concern first. Remember back in Episode 2 when Donut said that the portals could only fit two grown men at a time? Well, Simmons is concerned about what will happen with five people going in at once. But when does Sarge play the safe way? So they all go through and things seem okay with them having arrived at the initial meeting of the two teams... except Simmons points out that they were supposed to get there before their past selves showed up. Naturally, Simmons isn’t keen on the idea of his past self getting killed since he’d cease to exist and wants to back out. Sarge, however, decides to press on ‘cause... it’s Sarge, do I need to make an explanation as to why?

So George creates a plan that Sarge likes and ignores Simmons’ protests about accidentally killing their past selves, deciding that the risk is worth it. John proposes a simpler plan of causing a distraction, then getting in close and shooting Temple and therefore getting rid of that risk. They go for it by sending Alex out, which lets Sarge reach Temple and shoot him at point blank. Everyone panics as Sarge does his victory dance (aka, BEST PART OF THE EPISODE) and... Jax cuts the scene... yep, you heard me right. Jax calls cut. So remember during the S15 credits when Jax proposed the entire events as a feature film? Well... looks like Joe found a use for it. So yeah... Sarge killed an actor while Temple is still sitting in a jail cell with his fish. WELP.

Jax is pissed cause... you know, his scene got messed up, but cheers up upon recognizing Sarge and Simmons. So I imagine that those reading this who haven't seen the episode (which... why are you reading this and spoiling yourself? If you are a FIRST Member, GO WATCH IT NOW!) are probably very confused. Weren’t the Reds supposed to go back in time? Not forward? Well, we’ll come back to that later. For now, Sarge is upset that he didn’t get asked to be in the movie because as we learned in that Reservoir Dogs episode in S14, Sarge always wanted to be in a film. Jax explains that he DID try to reach out to them... but no one could find them for a year now. So yeah, they are one year in the future.

Anyways, Jax gives a tour of the set with everyone wearing armor because Halo/Jax forces them. Jax is also pretty much now the angry director which absolutely makes sense... though I wonder if Joe (who is Jax’s VA) did this so that he could vent his potential frustrations about directing the show XD Hey, we all get stressed and need to let it out. Jax is also pretty much trying to turn RvB into this universe’s version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe... that explains all the Norse God references... that we haven’t had in a while. When Jax leaves to deal with a problem, Simmons figures that they got sent forward in time due to the portal being unable to handle more than two men. He also hints that they spent a year gathering the recruits, so they are in the present... yes I know that is confusing as Hell, but it’s time travel. We were going to get confused at some point. Also... I guess that means Wash should be okay by now and I imagine that he and Carolina are NOT taking the guys being missing this long well. Hopefully, we see that soon... please?

But anyways, the Temple actor is dead... but he got caught in a scandal so if anything Jax gets free press. Sarge tries to get Jax to hire him... but Jax isn’t sure and then gets called away to deal with wardrobe. So Sarge gets Agent John to help him stage a scene in order to convince Jax to hire him. Yeah, do that against one of the most well known Old West actors. Simmons finds this stupid, but he can’t stop it. Sarge goes for it... and sucks. Like... REALLY sucks. Jax casts John cause... you know, famous professional actor and all. Sorry Sarge, stick to shotguns instead of headshots. Jax’s movie goes forward. This gets Simmons to throw in the towel regarding science and Sarge feels betrayed by one of his old heroes. So yeah, pretty much everyone has either given up on the mission or, in Caboose's case, has interpreted the mission wrong. So everything is officially off the rails now my friends... or is it? 

After what’s felt like forever, we FINALLY cut back to the Cosmic Gods. We finally get to see the head God we only got a glimpse of in Episode 1... and he is HUGE. Kalirama and a bunch of other Gods are there too as well as the golfing guy whose color scheme seems to spell out that he’s going to be the Loki. The designs of these guys are great by the way, all of them having either an orange or green color scheme and armors that give them a distinctly alien feel to them. There’s also this weird echo sound effect added to the voices that make them sound other-worldly. It’s just really well done.

So as we established before, the pizza quest has invoked a prophecy that spells out the end of the universe. Golfing Guy seems excited about it, but the Head God who we learn is named King Atlus Arcadius Rex, isn’t having any of the bullshit. We learn that it’s been eons since the Cosmic Gods interfered with human affairs and there is a reference to the three Fates of Greek mythology, but none of them have spoken for a long while. This is concerning to Atlus, who fears that the Reds and Blues have been having help from within which is causing this. Golfing Guy admits it was him, but really he’s just being an asshole and it’s hinted that he may be the Trickster God that Kalirama mentioned in her debut. 

Atlus shuts everyone up, saying that the Reds and Blues antics are weakening the chains that bind him, aka who I am assuming is the true antagonist. We’ll get more into that in the review section. For now, Atlus swears that one the Reds and Blues appear again, he’ll have Muggins find them and then he shall kill them personally. Kalirama says that they can't cause they’re under his protection (whether she’s referring to Donut or someone else IDK), but this doesn't deter Atlus who makes it very clear that no matter what, his will shall be carried out.

Review

That got a lot longer than I had intended. So I wasn’t sure how to feel about the episode on my first watch... but TBF I’m about that with anything I watch. The second watch through though was a LOT more enjoyable, especially for review purposes. I honestly did not know what to talk about aside from the ending at first, but man I have so much to say about Sarge and Simmons now.

So let's do Simmons first. It’s been interesting seeing him stuck with Sarge this season. Because so far, while he has been going along with Sarge’s plans, he’s clearly not happy with it. He’s been either confused or just plain annoyed at Sarge’s antics and train of logic. Words cannot express how happy I am to see Simmons like this. Like yeah, he’s still going along with it, but compare this to Simmons in Blood Gulch. Regardless of how nonsensical Sarge was, he went with it without any question. He was a suck-up who would do ANYTHING for Sarge's approval. But as we saw with Chorus and Season 15, he’s become a lot more independent. Heck, the only reason he seems to be going with Sarge’s plan is for scientific purposes and because... well it’s either that or be stranded in the past. Plus at least it was an attempt at fixing the past, so they were trying to follow the mission. I’m kind of disappointed that Simmons didn’t finally blow up at him cause, but I guess that can come later now that he’s tossed science out the window, Still, I am so happy to see how far he’s come.

Sarge... it’s interesting really. First, it’s good to see that he still feels guilty for his actions last season, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. Him also feeling bad about killing an actor, even if he won’t admit it was him, is also good. Like it looks like Joe is hitting on that flaw specifically: Sarge’s inability to admit fault. Even last season, when Sarge did admit that he was wrong, he still couldn’t promise that he wouldn’t do it again. It was still a big step, but it shows that Sarge still has a lot of problems. Add that to the last PSA and.. yeah when you really think about it, Sarge has issues. A LOT of issues. It feels like he fucked up so many times that the only way that he can deal with it is to ignore that it was his own fault if he can't just blame something else. Him wanting to kill Temple to undo what he did makes sense and really illustrates how much it really weighs on him. IDK if this is to get Sarge past this or just Sarge being Sarge, but still, it’s incredibly noticeable in this episode.

Heck going off that, it really feels like Joe is putting a lot of emphasis on the Reds having issues. Donut is pretty much God, Grif’s got his vendetta against adventure and trying to ignore it, Sarge has his inability to admit guilt despite how much he feels, and Simmons... actually he’s probably the most stable ATM since he’s mostly grown out of his kissass phase. The Blues have had it more light-hearted in comparison and... I AM SO HAPPY! RED TEAM FOCUS HELL YES! I love the Blues, but they’ve had PLENTY of focus and same with Wash and Carolina. They’ve had their issues focused on and have had character development for years now. Last season felt like it was closing the book on it to make room for Red Team Problem. I think it’s pretty universally agreed that the Reds have gotten the shaft pretty hard since... well, pretty much the beginning. They’ve had some good moments and have had some character development (Simmons’ growing independence, Sarge coming to terms with the Reds and Blues war being a lie, Grif realizing that he doesn’t want to be alone) but it feels like there’s a larger push to give them more development this time over the Blues. This makes me SO happy you have no idea. Thank you Joe!

Alright, so Sarge’s recruits! They are exactly what I would expect from him. He mentioned John Wayne in Episode 2, and of course he would be a fan of him. A tough southern film star? I imagine that Sarge has a copy of every John Wayne movie ever, even the horrible Genghis Khan one. George Washington is a well-renowned war hero and probably one of the first American heroes, so that makes sense. And Alexander the Great was known for being a great militant and conquer, so that also makes sense.... too bad they pulled him while he was dying. So two well-known militants and essentially Sarge’s childhood hero. Yeah, all of these choices fit perfectly for Sarge. I approve! I mean history got flushed down the toilet, but eh, I’m sure they’ll work it out.

So with this episode, it looks like everyone has given up on Donut’s message. Grif never cared to begin with and is still on the pizza quest with Doc unable to convince him otherwise. Caboose interpreted it wrong and Lopez can’t do anything about it. Tucker and Sister are likely banging the Game of Thrones cast by now. And with this, Sarge and Simmons are fed up and call bullshit to science. So... I have zero idea what’s going to happen now. Personally, I hope we cut to Wash and Carolina to give the Reds and Blues a break, plus if it’s been a year now then I imagine that they’re turning every planet in the universe over trying to find them. Oh and sidenote, Jax was great in this episode. I know that some found him annoying and yeah the film references could be a little too much, but making him a frustrated film director who flip-flops between being cheery and pissed off at everything works SO WELL. But anyways, IDK if Sarge and Simmons are going to stick around in the present or send everyone back to their respective time periods, we’ll see. Hopefully, the next episode progresses the plot in some way.

Alright, I’ve held on long enough. Let's talk about the ending. Holy shit, the ending. So it looks like we have a hodgepodge of various mythologies. Kalirama is based off Hindu myth, Golfing Guy seems based off Loki who is Norse and known as a trickster, Huggins and Muggins we’ve already established as being based off Odin’s ravens so Norse also, and Atlas seems based off all the king-esque Gods like Zeus (Greek), Jupiter (Roman), Odin (Norse), etc. IDK who everyone else may be based on since we didn't have enough time with them. I already talked about the designs, color scheme, and audio so not much else to say there, other than to again say I love it. And that I also want a cast list because I NEED to know who all these voice actors are.

So based off of Atlas’ words, here is my thought. IDT these guys are evil. They’re clearly the antagonists because they’re going to try to kill the Reds and Blues, but they are at most morally gray. I think that whoever it is they’re trying to keep sealed away somehow managed to save Donut and convinced him that he was God and the others were evil. Who he is could be based on anyone like Hades, Satan, pretty much any kind of evil God or God of Death that exists. But clearly, they tricked Donut to send the Reds and Blues across time so that it can weaken whatever is keeping him imprisoned and allow him to free himself. I have zero idea how that works, but we’ll learn soon enough. So... kind of annoying that the Reds and Blues are being tricked AGAIN, but TBF the circumstances are WAAAY different from when it was Felix and Temple. Very least they’re going off Donut (who also isn’t with them... also WTF happened to him since Kalirama is clearly fine?!) instead of the manipulator being right under their noses.

Final Thoughts

It was good! It’s pretty much a filler episode aside from the last few minutes, but enjoyable filler. I feel like Joe is both trying to establish how the guns/the portals work as well as to just get the silly time travel antics out of the way before going forward with the plot. The ending seems to hint that the plot is going to hit soon. As I said, we'll hopefully see the Freelancers next since it’s been four episodes now and it’ll give the Reds and Blues a breather. Regardless, it was a fun episode and I really enjoyed it. Plus Sarge’s victory dance. That in itself made this episode perfection.

[supernaturalqueeranalysis20-blog]

Minority Representation in “Supernatural” - A Look at Disability

Supernatural is infamous for its ever-changing cast. In a universe plagued with deadly monsters and body-stealing angels and demons, each episode holds the potential for a radically different array of actors to fill its characters’ roles. However, it is no secret that, like many other tv shows in mainstream media, Supernatural lacks diversity.

Supernatural has often been criticized for its lack of representation. It’s official main cast, for example, has been exclusively white through all its thirteen seasons. Of its nine leads, only two characters have been female (and they have long since been killed off the show). Overall, Supernatural’s issue with diversity is often obvious even to the most casual of viewers.

(Bela Talbot - An expert thief in the world of Supernatural. Played by Lauren Cohan. Was recognized as a main cast member through Season 3).

(Ruby - A demon that takes a human vessel to help the Winchesters. Played by Katie Cassidy and Genevieve Cortese. Was recognized as a main cast member through Season 3).

For its credit, Supernatural has made visible efforts to write in more minority characters over the years. Charlie, Billie, Kevin, Cesar, and Jesse are just a few examples of the show attempting to represent diverse sexualities and ethnicities within its episodes. Yet, many of these identities are left to minor and background characters that are usually written off the show sometime later.

Within this essay, I will analyze another minority identity Supernatural has explored through its years - individuals with disabilities. Specifically, I will be focusing on the characters Bobby Singer (Season 5) and Eileen Leahy (Season 11-12). Through these two characters, I will analyze how Supernatural’s representation of those with disabilities has changed throughout the years, and how these characters relate to the broader topic of ableism.

Bobby Singer

When the audience first meets the retired hunter, he is able-bodied. Bobby’s backstory is that he’s been hunting for many years, chasing and killing monsters similar to the way Sam and Dean do in the show. In his older years, Bobby is shown often acting as an educational resource for the brothers, helping them research cases and answering phone calls with their questions. Labeled as “an old drunk”, Bobby nonetheless proves to have a deep-rooted sense of responsibility for the Winchester brothers, often acting as a father figure to them.

It is this protective nature that causes Bobby to stab himself in the legs during Season 5 to rid himself of a demon possession (and thus, in the process, save Sam). The action, however, leaves him wheelchair-bound throughout the remainder of the season.

Bobby was one of the first recognizable and textually confirmed main characters to appear with a disability. In many ways, Bobby was the first example of how Supernatural explored representing non-able bodied characters.

Bobby’s first reaction to his new disability is extremely negative. In a scene where Bobby stares idly out his hospital window, Sam whispers, “[Bobby] hasn’t spoken in days”. When the angel, Castiel, appears soon after, Bobby’s dialogue has him anxiously awaiting heavenly forces to heal him from his disability. When it’s discovered he cannot be healed, Bobby responds in anger and frustration.

BOBBY

You're telling me you lost your mojo just in time to get me stuck in this trap the rest of my life?

CASTIEL

I'm sorry.

BOBBY

Shove it up your ass.

Throughout the season, Bobby’s response to his disability continues to spiral into negative, depressive episodes. In 05x07, “The Curious Case of Dean Winchester”, Bobby makes the risky decision of gambling with a witch to earn back his ability to walk. Instead of money, Bobby bets years of his life. After the game, it is revealed Bobby gambled, and lost, 25 years, leaving him on the cusp of death. While the deal is reversed with the Winchesters’ help, Bobby still retains his disability by the end of the episode.

Bobby’s depression soon becomes textualized after he admits to thoughts of suicide. In 05x07, he claims,

“I ain't a hunter no more. I'm useless. And if I wasn't such a coward, I'd have stuck a gun in my mouth day I got home from the hospital."

In 05x18, “Point of No Return”, Bobby is also seen holding a bullet, telling the Winchester brothers,

"That’s the round that I mean to put through my skull. Every morning, I look at it. I think, 'Maybe today’s the day I flip the lights out.' But I don’t do it. I never do it. You know why? Because I promised you I wouldn't give up!"

These two quotes reveal that Bobby’s suicidal tendencies are linked to the day he discovered he could no longer walk. For Bobby, his disability completely invalidates his identity as a hunter. In his mind, the two identities cannot coexist. His disability leaves him feeling incapable of doing his job and protecting those he loves. For Bobby, his disability correlates to weakness, uselessness, and passiveness. These feelings are so extreme, in fact, that by 05x18 the only reason Bobby hasn’t ended his life is not for his own sake, but for the sake of others.

Bobby’s suicidal tendencies can be noted later in 05x20, “The Devil You Know”. In this episode, Bobby makes a deal with a demon to help the Winchesters. By doing so, he sells his soul and faces the chance of spending eternity in Hell. Bobby’s actions speak of duty, but also a lack of self-worth.

BOBBY World's gonna end. Seems stupid to get all precious over one little...Soul.

However, by the end of 05x21, “Two Minutes to Midnight”, Bobby regains his ability to walk through the demon deal. The change leaves Bobby feeling happy and hopeful, even telling Dean, 

“I walked up and down stairs all night for no damn reason. I'm sore. Feels so good, I'm scared it's a dream.” 

Overall, Bobby’s reaction to his disability is typical of most media. By obtaining this disability later in life, Bobby is a reminder that able-bodiedness is, and can be, a temporary state. Once Bobby loses his ability to walk, he is shown as incredibly depressed with suicidal tendencies, risking the lives of himself and others just for the chance to walk again. By doing so, the show gives a single image of disability, which is one full of pain, sadness, and the desperate chase to find a “cure”.

Supernatural’s representation of Bobby’s disability can be linked to ableism - the system of power in society that gives privilege to able-bodied individuals. Bobby’s character falls into many of these media stereotypes. He is shown to be incredibly depressed because of his disability. His self-hatred is so low, in fact, that he values death over having to live with his inability to walk. His newfound disability characterizes him as weak and useless as well. Despite having hunted his entire life, Bobby’s character claims that his disability invalidates this entire side of his identity. Instead of exploring the ways Bobby could adapt to hunting after his disability, his character is shown completely unwilling to even try. In this way, Supernatural is essentially showing us that individuals with disabilities simply cannot exist in the “hunting world”. Like many other parts of society, hunting is portrayed as inaccessible to the non-able bodied community.

Bobby’s obsession to find a “cure” to his disability is an example of ableism as well. It retains the pattern in media that those who are disabled are constantly wishing for, and searching for, a “cure”. It is part of a societal belief that able-bodied is a standard every individual aspires to. If one does not fit this image, then they must be constantly searching for a way to achieve this standard. This belief fuels the idea that non-able bodied individuals are somehow abnormal from the rest of society. In Supernatural, we can see this stereotype played to the extreme through Bobby’s suicidal gambling game.

By the end of the season, Bobby’s disabled status is given no redemption. He’s not shown working through his emotional trauma nor finding any sort of emotional conclusion. Instead of self-acceptance and exploring new ways to hunt, the show’s “solution” to Bobby’s disability is to magically erase it. Afterward, Bobby is seen as finally happy and optimistic, making jokes and comparing his re-ability to walk like being in a “dream”. In this way, Supernatural reasserts the stereotype that those with disabilities can only be happy once they are able-bodied. Overall, Supernatural’s Bobby Singer represents the many negative and harmful stereotypes of disability in our mainstream media.

Eileen Leahy

Eileen Leahy first appears in 11x11, “Into the Mystic”. After Bobby Singer, she is one of the only recurring characters on the show with a textually confirmed disability. When Eileen was a baby, a banshee invaded her home and killed her parents. While Eileen managed to survive the attack, the banshee’s supernatural screams left her deaf. She was later found by a hunter who raised Eileen into the world of hunting. Eileen’s character is first introduced to the show when she and the Winchesters work on the same case; both hunting the banshee that killed Eileen’s family.

Eileen’s character is given incredible complexity despite her only one episode introduction. The episode opens with the scene of her parents’ death, allowing audiences to empathize with Eileen’s history. Throughout the episode, Eileen also discusses important topics to her character, like her background in hunting and her feelings of revenge.

SAM

Eileen, in my experience... Revenge is not all it's cracked up to be.

Killing this Banshee is not gonna bring your parents back.

EILEEN

I never met them. They're just pictures to me.

[Eileen picks up her wallet, opens it to a picture of her as a baby with her parents and hands it to Sam]

SAM

But...

EILEEN

They're family.

My family.

By providing all this, the show invests in giving her a complex backstory and provides explanations to the motivations behind her actions. This is rare for the show’s usual treatment of new introductions, reserving such plotlines for major characters.

Eileen even talks about her future, contemplating about becoming a lawyer. But, by the end, she accepts that her future remains in hunting.

SAM

What now? Law school?

EILEEN

No. This is my life.

Eileen’s character represents a minority identity. The complexity given to her character, therefore, is important to recognize. Instead of becoming a two-dimensional image of her disability, Eileen is recognized as a real life, dynamic individual. While deafness plays an important role in Eileen’s character, it is an identity layered upon other characteristics for the audience to empathize and understand her through. The show’s attention to Eileen’s character, therefore, is a successful step towards the positive representation of individuals with disabilities.

Most importantly, in fact, Supernatural shows Eileen fully capable and happy with her life alongside her disability. There is no focus on her character being “cured”, nor does Eileen show any negative thoughts against her deafness. Instead, Eileen is confident and resourceful, proving herself a force to be reckoned with.

Throughout the episode, Eileen shows incredible talent and skill in hunting. She is reliable, courageous, and strong-willed. During the episode, Eileen doesn’t hesitate to lure Sam into a trap of runes she’s painted, mistaking him for a banshee. By doing so, Eileen becomes another character in the show that is able to outwit the Winchester brothers, who they themselves are considered at the top of the hunting world. It is only by Sam explaining her mistake that he is able to escape from her trap.

As well, Eileen’s deafness serves as an advantage to the case. When the banshee’s screams become too loud for any of the hunters to hear each other, Eileen is able to communicate the directions to a spell using sign language. In this way, Eileen’s deafness is not shown as a limiting factor to herself or her work. Instead, it represents the advantages and strengths Eileen has because of her identity. This can be contrasted heavily with Bobby’s character, who felt he was no longer a hunter due to his disability. As Eileen shows, individuals with disabilities can (and do) easily exist within the hunting world.

Eileen’s deafness is explored in many ways throughout the episode. The show even brings great attention to Eileen’s experience with deafness by allowing her to communicate in sign language with another character. Sign language is not just another form of communication; it can be part of an entire culture in deaf/hard-of-hearing communities. Allowing Eileen to sign throughout the episode brings a greater understanding of Eileen’s experience with deafness.

Overall, Eileen’s characterization in Supernatural is a progressive step for a show that previously failed in positive disability representation. By addressing disability, Supernatural gives voice to a group that greatly lacks such recognition on screen. For individuals within this community, characters like Eileen can represent a hopeful future of better disability representation in media. 

[homeplanetreviews]

The Shape of Water (2017) Movie Review by: Will Whalen

The Shape of Water has finally come and is brought to us by the mastermind visionary director, Guillermo del Toro. This has been in my top 3 most anticipated films of the year ever since I heard about it. Guillermo del Toro has made some incredible films and has such a unique style and vision that I adore so, of course I was pumped for this.

The Shape of Water stars Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer and is about a mute cleaning lady who works at a research facility in the 1960’s that forms a relationship with an aquatic creature. Sounds pretty strange, huh?

As soon as this film opens up to one of the most beautiful scores I have heard and the great opening shot, I was instantly transfixed. Glued to my chair and thinking about what I was seeing. I felt like that from the very start and didn’t stop feeling like that till the very end. We’re shown a character that is, without a doubt, my favorite character to any other movie this year. It shows her and her daily routine before she goes to work and every little movement and action that is done by her, was so beautiful to me. It was like an intricate dance with every movement. The performance of the year is brought to us by Sally Hawkins, who plays a mute woman named Elisa, and she is enthralling here. She is the princess without voice and is the center of this film. Even without saying a single word, she speaks volumes louder than any other performance this year. She is so incredibly phenomenal and without her, this film wouldn’t be near as good. Well, maybe it might be but not near as great as it is. I hope to see her take home all the awards because she deserves it. A favorite actor of mine is in this movie and is probably one of my most hated characters of anything I’ve ever seen. Michael Shannon is a fucking force of the most evil there is. I have never hated a performance and also loved it so incredibly much. He is the true monster of this film and it’s so maddening to see him be so evil here but it also put a smile on my face because this is such a great villain. There’s times where my nails are dug into my fist because of the anger he caused me and will cause to audiences. This character was written so perfectly (as everything and everyone in this is) and is given such menacing and despicable dialogue, which just adds to the evil greatness. What this film also has that was so great and refreshing were the supporting roles here. Both supporting roles from Richard Jenkins and Octavia Spencer, were absolutely fantastic and superb. Both of these characters play a role in Elisa’s life and I loved every second that we get to spend with both of these characters. Richard Jenkins is her neighbor where she lives and he’s a sort of old and broken man that Elisa takes care of and is a friend of. Seeing these two characters communicate was something really special and like every other moment of this film, were some of my favorite scenes. Octavia Spencer however, is her friend at work and they’re typically always together cleaning while Octavia Spencer’s character talks about her problems at home. She’s also hilarious here and brings this film some comedic relief and a much needed layer. While Sally Hawkins is completely silent, except for the use of Sign Language, Spencer carries the scenes they share together and was delightful.

Now, I’m gonna talk just a little about the main plot of the film and that’s the relationship between Elisa and this Aquatic creature that is brought into this research facility. The relationship that is formed here is so entrancing and beautiful that it blew me away. The aquatic creature is also quite adorable in a way and seeing him on screen at times just warmed my heart. That being said, Sally Hawkins never loses the spotlight. Every scene they share, you’re just so fascinated by the creature and to learn more about it but you’re equally as fascinated with Hawkins. Which, floors me that a film like this is even made and can do something so profound like that.

If you don’t know much about this film, keep it that way as much as possible. I had seen the first trailer once before seeing this and that was it. I wanted to keep it that way because I heard the second trailer that was released gives away the entire film. So, that’s all I’ll say about that because you should witness this phenomenon yourself and going in knowing little to nothing at all.

Guillermo del Toro is infamous for his visionary style and how weird the films he makes are. The Shape of Water is dripping with Toro’s style and vision and I loved every second of it. He wrote and directed this film and has made one of my favorites of the year and one of the best movies I have ever seen. I’m not just saying that because I really loved this film but because it genuinely is one of the most cinematically enthralling and beautiful films I have ever seen. On every level, it exceeds anything else I’ve seen this year. The writing and direction from del Toro is superb. His direction in this film is absolutely perfect and each scene and each frame had me transfixed and in awe. Not to mention the absolutely hypnotic cinematography here. The DP Dan Laustsen makes this film pop with that del Toro style and makes the time period of the 60’s look like the most beautiful place to be even in such a dark film. Toro’s story is an absolutely brilliant one and the screenplay written by him and Vanessa Taylor is wonderful. The dialogue in this film is so well done and written to perfection. Where this story goes, was not one I expected. What this movie does, it feels like the film is nearly over and you realize there’s still an hour left. That being said, it never loses a beat and is still as beautiful, delightful, tense and perfect till the very last shot.

During the final 15 minutes of this film, no spoilers of course, I had my nails digging into my fists and tears just rolling down my face. My heart was beating through my chest and I couldn’t even breathe until that final shot. When I see a film this powerful, that happens to me but this time, it was different and more intense. This was one of those films that kept me in my seat while the credits were rolling while trying to get myself together and not full on cry. That feeling stuck with me for the rest of the day and I could not get over it and I honestly didn’t want to.

Look, The Shape of Water is an absolute masterpiece. If it weren’t for The Last Jedi coming out, I would honestly not even want to see anything else for the rest of the year. This is s beautiful, heart wrenching, gorgeous and jaw dropping film that floored me into the sea. This is without a doubt the best Guillermo del Toro film yet and might always be his best. I had the privilege to see this earlier this week in Atlanta. Where I live, we don’t have it yet but it opens everywhere the 22nd and if you can see this, please do. This is one of those rare films that just gives you that cinematic epic feeling in every way. Don’t let this fly under the radar with Star Wars coming out and everything else. See The Shape of Water. I didn’t think anything would be able to take the spot of my number one of the year after Blade Runner 2049 but, this sure as hell did exactly that.

I’m going to give The Shape of Water…

5 out of 5 stars!

[floatingpetals]

Slipped Through the Crack Pt. 3

Pairings: Chris Evans x OFC (Hannah Abbott)

Warnings: nothin’. 

Word Count: 1538

Summary: Hannah just wanted a normal day at the beach with her dog. Of course, fate had another idea for her. What happens when she nearly hits a dog with her car, a dog who has a very famous owner?

A/N: Sorry I’ve been a bit inactive recently. The exam I had to take was today, and I had to get as ready for it as I could. I have an animatic due tomorrow so I spent most this weekend getting that done. BUT now I have nothing else that I need to do first, so without further ado, here is part 3! We get to finally see Chris! It's much longer than the last as well. I hope ya’ll like it! Credit to the gif goes to the owner. 

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Nearly two hours later, and Hannah still hadn’t heard from Chris. She could understand to a degree. He was probably busy with work, or just didn’t have his phone on him. She would have thought though after Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie retweeted her tweet, surely the man would notice. Instead of getting annoyed, she decided to grab something to eat before it got much later. Gather the two dogs that were curled up with each other on the beach towels she laid out, Hannah went to her favorite café where she could sit outside with the two.

Hannah just ordered her usual along with two small cups of whipped cream for the boys, when she got a frantic tweet followed by many direct messages from the man in question.

            @ChrisEvans: “@GriffHuVexes OH MY GOD! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!”

            The direct message caused her to laugh, smiling widely at the messages.

            Chris Evans: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

            Chris Evans: You have no idea how much I’ve been panicking!

            Chris Evans: Words can’t even express how thankful I am. How is he?

            Chris Evans: Is he doing okay? Is he getting enough water?

            Chris Evans: I’m sorry!  I know you’re taking care of him. I’m just freaking out right now.

            Hannah giggled and quickly replied.

            Hannah Abbott: Hey, it’s not a problem. Like I said, I would want the same for my boy.

            Hannah Abbott: And Dodger’s doing great. He’s had three more bottles of water today.

            Hannah Abbott: sent attachment

Hannah quickly snapped a photo of Dodger as he was fed the whipped cream from the cup by the waitress who insisted on feeding both dogs. He lapped at the cup, his eyes wide and his tail wagging so quickly it was hitting Damion in the side. Her older dog kept trying to stop the tail by grabbing it in his mouth but was failing miserably. It was an adorable picture, and once all this blew over she was posting this to Instagram.

            Chris Evans: I’m crying right now. That’s the funniest picture I’ve ever seen of him.

            Chris Evans: Thank you again.

            Hannah Abbott: I think I’m gonna frame it.

            Hannah Abbott: Since I know you’re anxious to get him back, we’re sitting at the café that right at the corner of Venice beach. I just ordered my lunch, so we’ll be here for a while.

           Hannah Abbott: Or if you’d like, we can meet somewhere else closer to you. I can get it to go.

           Chris Evans: NO! Please, you’ve already done so much for me.

           Chris Evans: I don’t mind coming to you at all. I know exactly where you are too.

           Chris Evans: That place has the best baked zucchini sticks.

           Hannah Abbott: Dude. Yes. The best. EVER.

           Chris Evans: LOL. I can be there in twenty minutes.

           Chris Evans: Thank you again.

           Hannah Abbott: Alright we’ll be here.

           Hannah Abbott: And again, it’s not a problem!

While she waited for Chris to show, two things happened. She took as many pictures as she could of Damion and Dodger both, posting to her Snapchat and saving the videos and pictures she loved. She was also trying to ignore the fact that she was just about meet the Chris Evans. The butterflies in her stomach were growing the shorter the time was becoming that he would be there. In front of her. In the flesh.

When she mentioned she was a fan, that was a bit of an understatement. While she wasn’t on the same level of those that would message him with ‘daddy’ or stalk his every move, she did like most of his tweets, but more importantly had seen every movie he had ever done. She loved him as an actor and admired him for being so loving and happy despite having admitted that he had serious anxiety. He didn’t let that stop him from doing what he loved, or being a wonderful human being. It helped her through a lot knowing that there was someone else, a freaking superhero, was going through similar struggles as her own. Right now, she wasn’t sure that was going to help her keep her cool. If she dwelled on that though, Hannah was certain she would panic.

She was in the middle of recording Dodger when a voice was heard down the street, pulling the dog's attention from her.

“Dodger!”

Hannah panned the camera over to show a grinning, relieved Chris, who was taking large strides towards them. Hannah gasped and turned the camera back to Dodger.

“Dodger, who’s that?” She asked in her higher voice, giggling when Dodger started to pull on the lead. Saving the video, she set her phone down and bent to lift the leg of the chair up that was keeping the leashes in place. “Alright, alright! Stop, you’re going to choke yourself.”

Grabbing Dodger’s lead, she left Damion with a command to stay and let Dodger drag her across the pavement towards his owner. Chris laughed and closed the distance his arms open wide. He crouched low, hugging Dodger who was now barking uncontrollably. He leaped up at Chris, licking all over his face, so happy to see Chris.

 “Hi, buddy. Oh, man, you had me so worried.” He laughed, nuzzling his face into the dog’s neck, who was still bouncing all over the place. Hannah smiled at the sweet exchange, the leash dangling loosely in her grip. Dodger most likely wouldn’t escape now that Chris was here, but she wasn’t going to take that chance.

She was so caught up in smiling at how happy Dodger was, she completely missed when Chris looked up. He stopped to watch the woman in front of him, his breath catching in his throat when he saw her face. Warmth spread through his chest when she smiled at them, her face lighting up the sidewalk even more. He had seen the video that she had posted, watching it after he had gotten off the plane. He thought she was beautiful then, she was even more gorgeous in person. Bright blue eyes sparkled against her olive skin. The smile was wide, causing the noticeable laugh lines creasing along her eyes. And those cheekbones, he couldn’t get over how sharp they were. Her long caramel colored hair was pulled back in a French braid, the plait falling over her shoulder as she bent down to pet Dodger, who had turned his attention back to her.

Blinking rapidly, he had to pull himself from his daze. It was a new thing for him, to have his voice stuck in his throat, but she had managed to do that with just a smile. He stood slowly, clearing his throat. Hannah looked up, a blush dusting her cheek. She had tried not to focus on Chris and keep all her focus on Dodger, but now she had to switch her attention. The first thought she had beyond, my God those eyes, was how incredibly tall he was to her. He grinned sheepishly down at her, his hands tucked in the front pockets of his jeans, looking down at her hand that still tightly held Dodger’s leash.

“Oh, sorry! I’m Hannah.” She jumped, reaching her hand towards him with the leash. “I do believe this little escape artist is yours.”

 Chris chuckled, taking the leash from her hand, his fingers brushing gently against hers. It may or may not have been intentional, and the shiver he saw pass through her made his smile grow even more.

 “Chris. And thank you, you have no idea how worried I was about him!” He let out a relieved sigh. Hannah giggled and nodded.

“I could tell from your messages. I’m just glad that I found him when I did.” Hannah patted Dodger’s head. He rubbed against her, his way of thanking the kind woman for saving him from the heat. “He was in pretty rough shape. I wouldn’t be surprised if he passes out tonight when you get home first thing.” She giggled, making a face at Dodger who had given her a long lick on her palm. “Ew, gross. We talked about this dude.”

Chris laughed, watching the two of them interact for a moment. “You know, I’ve never seen him act like this with someone he barely knows before. He’s normally pretty shy at first.”

Hannah hummed, “My boy’s like that too.” Speaking of Damion, she glanced over her shoulder to see if he was still in place. Damion was sprawled out under the table, not a care in the world. She giggled and shook her head, turning back to Chris who had followed her gaze. “I think it helps that I’ve fed him.”

Chris laughed, “Yeah, that’s one way to his heart.”

The two stood there silently for a moment, the silence growing as neither wanted to leave the other. Shifting in her spot, Hannah was the first to speak.

“I think my order of those zucchini sticks just arrived. I can never finish them, they always give me enough for three people. Wanna come sit and share?” She asked hopefully.

Chris’ breath caught, the puppy dog eyes she gave him made it even harder to say no. Not like he was going to refuse to begin with.

“I would love that.”

[elizas-writing]

Movie Reviews: Justice League

So it finally comes to this. After many films that ranged from okay to complete trash with only one universally accepted success, the DC Extended Universe released Justice League. There was a lot going against this movie with how many duds that came out before and a post-production hell which changed up a lot of the story, especially when Zack Snyder left due to a family tragedy and Joss Whedon took the reigns.

The end result? It’s... good. There are still annoying things which hold me back from really liking it, but I’m more optimistic on the stuff that is done well cause it feels like DC is finally getting on track in making a great comic book movie universe.

Some spoilers to be discussed as I find they are important to explain my ambivalence towards this movie (though... to be honest, if you haven’t predicted the obvious, I’m not sure what else to tell you).

After the death of Superman, the world is left vulnerable to mysterious alien attacks. But the one that threatens to destroy the Earth is the terrifying Steppenwolf, who tried to conquer the planet once before with powerful objects called the Mother Boxes, and he hopes to find the Boxes again to finish what he started. This quickly gains attention of Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) as they finally decide to contact the metahumans from Lex Luthor’s files and form a team to stop Steppenwolf. Things get a little messy at first to persuade the likes of Arthur Curry (Aquaman), Barry Allen (Flash), and Victor Stone (Cyborg) to help them save the world, but they eventually come together for the good of the world, and set plans in motion to get the Mother Boxes before Steppenwolf can.

It definitely seems like a busy film with the introduction of three new characters without any origin stories. But surprisingly, they’re still well-developed and very likable without needing a super detailed origin story. Barry and Victor have very short and simplistic backgrounds which really don’t require entire movies to develop. You can very easily pick up on the dialogue and character interactions what their lives are like, and honestly that’s all you need. And it works well with these two given that they got their powers by accident with Barry getting struck by lightning and gaining superhuman speed and Victor dying in an explosion and being brought back to life with cybernetic enhancements.

Ezra Miller is perfect at bringing out the young adult wide-eyed awkwardness of Barry Allen. Despite his questionable life choices, especially using his speed for petty crimes, he does have a heart of gold and making ends meet to get through school to eventually help his imprisoned father. He’s not cut out to be a hero like Batman and Wonder Woman, but he learns to adjust over time and be a valuable member of the team.

Victor, as played by Ray Fisher, comes across as the brooding loner who wants nothing to do with the world, but you totally understand the complex situation he’s in. Not only did he feel like his father should have let him die, but now he has so much information at his fingertips he can barely handle, and it grows every day. And given all the crap Superman went through, who’s to say anyone wouldn’t respond to him with fear? But he’s not a total stick in the mud as he spends more time with the others and opens up and starts to accept himself, cybernetic enhancements and all.

I think the only hero who could have probably done well with an origin story before Justice League would definitely be Aquaman. He’s great to watch (not just as eye candy), and you can tell Jason Mamoa is having a lot of fun being a badass. There are brief mentions of his backstory, but I think it would be nice to see more detail in how he got to where he is. It would make more sense as his arc continues in Justice League, and he finally assumes his proper role as an Atlantean protecting the Earth. I know he’s gonna get a solo film soon, so maybe they’ll address it more then, but it would have been nice to see before making the giant ensemble film.

When I heard Joss Whedon was writing the screenplay and took over post-production after Snyder left, I was incredibly worried. Not just cause I’m not a fan of Whedon’s writing (though that certainly doesn’t help), but I was worried he was going to make this way too much like Avengers and just copy the same stuff he did before. While the story is eerily similar to the first Avengers movie (though when have DC an Marvel not copied from each other, even before film) and there’s a lot of Whedon’s comedic one-liners, it doesn’t really feel like it’s totally copying Avengers.

While Steppenwolf doesn’t have a lot of character development, there is a solid motivation, and the Justice League doesn’t deal with too much silly drama about their differences-- they really try to stay focused at the task at hand whenever they’re on screen. And the film, surprisingly for a DCEU film, moves at a faster pace than normal and doesn’t drag. It’s only two hours! And even though it feels like they skipped some origin stories, they did their damnedest to be sure all the characters and relationships got the proper development so you would care what happens to them. There’s more comedy than usual, but not so much that it feels like a comedy-action flick like a typical Marvel film-- it stays more grounded in the action and drama. And there’s still at least one or two of the typical Zack Snyder big speech moments but they don’t take up too much time, and the story is allowed to be simplistic and just let characters speak normally.

That being said, I did mention there are annoying parts which still bug the hell out of me.

First off, the Amazons show way more midriff than I remember, and you can tell they did not keep the same costume designers. Cause less armor means less likelihood of death, I guess. It doesn’t even look like they tried to keep similar designs.

A lot of the special effects are hit-and-miss and sometimes look way too fake. Stuff like Flash’s scenes are done really well, hell, superhuman speed in comic book movies is always fun to watch. But there were a lot of times where it looks like it should belong in a video game, not a high budget Hollywood film. It really gets hard to be sucked in when I can obviously tell when it’s a 3D model and not the actor.

They also made Batman a giant dick and tried to create conflict between him and Wonder Woman because she basically vanished after Steve Trevor died. Cool Whedon, just couldn’t get your hands on Wonder Woman and not have a man criticize her for having feelings for the first person she ever loved romantically. And let’s be real, Batman of all people is the last one who has any right to criticize Wonder Woman given that a recurring joke around his character is mimicking him screaming “My parents are dead!!” That and in this universe he also lost Jason Todd. Holy shit dude, you should know better than this! I know it gets resolved and everyone else points out Batman went too far, but it was tension that wasn’t needed to begin with.

But even more annoying than that is the big “spoiler”: Superman is brought back to life. Again, if you didn’t see this coming even though he was in almost all of the marketing, I don’t know what to tell you. I give them credit they actually try to give him some character this go around, and he doesn’t distract too much from the new characters, but it tracks back to my biggest problem: We still have to remember Batman v Superman. They had one chance to do the Death of Superman, they did it way too soon before I could even start liking the guy, and I felt nothing. They only just started DCEU, of course they can’t have Justice League if Superman stays dead, therefore he’s going to be brought back to life anyway. Had BvS not come out before this or they at least delayed the Death of Superman, I would honestly love Justice League so much more. But all the dumb choices in that movie are constantly lingering in my head as I watch Justice League and it’s super distracting. There’s no way they can fix it unless they wanted to start their movie universe from scratch.

Also is no one else around the world going to question how Clark Kent and Superman are miraculously alive and not connect the dots that they’re the same person? No? Well, I’m sure there’s going to be an extended version with at least an hour of unused footage where that major plot hole will be explained.

I guess I shouldn’t be too shocked given DCEU’s track run of films. I think trying to not create a disaster like BvS is such a low bar to accomplish now, and they somewhat learned from their mistakes. But I still really liked everything else. I loved the new characters, a superhero team that’s mostly functional, and an easy story to follow that’s well-paced. In many respects, they’re finally getting on par with MCU and will probably only go up from here, and I think I’ll be more excited now to see DCEU films. But it’s not enough to undo the damage of their previous films, and they are stuck with this universe. The annoying parts I mentioned are really annoying, but everything else is too damn good to miss out.

If you’re even the slightest curious to see how Justice League turned out, I guarantee you’ll get a few good things out of it. You just gotta be willing to sit through a little more bullshit. Check it out, form your own opinion, and enjoy some great action.

[niamsuggitt]

The Ides Of August 2017

Yo! What’s up? I’ll tell you what’s up, and it’s the goddamn Ides of August! Yeah, that’s right, I’ve written some words about all of the various media I’ve been checking out for the past 30 days. It’s been a bit of a rough month personally (hence this being late), but that does mean I’ve had a lot of time to watch a lot of films, including, for the 2nd month in a row, a trip to the actual in-the-RL cinema.

There’s also the small matter of the return of Game Of Thrones, more Nintendo fun and an intriguing fantasy novel from one of my new favourite writers.

Let’s do this thing.

—

Movies

Lots of movies to talk about this time around! I’ll start with more of my Universal Monsters Box-Set, as I watched 2 of ‘em. First up was The Invisible Man (James Whale 1933). I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The special effect of making Jack Griffin ‘invisible’ were very impressive for the 1930s, and it was refreshing that the main character was basically just an unrepentant dick with his power. He really is a darkly human monster and Claude Rains is a lot of fun and gives a great performance, especially as you never see his face until he’s dead. It was in line with my only previous experience with the character, Moore and O’Neill’s League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which takes it even further (that rape sequence is horrific). I was also very pleasantly surprised to see Henry Travers, Clarence from It’s A Wonderful Life appear as Dr Cranley.

I then watched Bride Of Frankenstein (James Whale 1935) which was also very good. I really liked the opening sequence, which shows us the real world origins of Frankenstein, as Mary Shelley tells her story in the Villa Diodati. It’s a great moment when it’s revealed that the same actress, Elsa Lanchester plays Shelley and ‘The Bride’. I was less keen on the scenes that basically undo all of the ending of the previous film, as both Frankenstein and the Monster survive, but once Doctor Pretorius appears and the story really kicks in, I was back on board. The main thing people talk about when it comes to this film is the queer subtext, and it really is strong. Pretorious is a very gay-coded character, and you really can read a lot into his and Frankenstein’s relationship. Boris Karloff’s performance as the Monster is just as iconic as ever, and it was great to see him do a bit more in his scenes with the blind hermit. They were like an extended version of the little girl in the first film. I was actually surprised by how little we see of the title character, she appears, screams and dies. But still, it’s another iconic horror moment and an all-time great look. I would say overall that the first film is better, but I can see why some people prefer this film, if you like the auteur theory, there’s a lot more of Whale in this one.

I stuck with the monsters, but got a lot more contemporary next, with Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts 2017), which was a lot of fun, if flawed in some ways. I am a big fan of King Kong, going back to some GCSE coursework I did comparing the original film to Peter Jackson’s remake. One thing I appreciated about this film was that it wasn’t a remake, but instead used everyone’s favourite giant Ape to tell a new story, and in particular, an anti-War story. The decision to set this during Vietnam is a great one, and it gave us some fantastic imagery of Kong fighting helicopters. The action scenes here really are great, very stylish and fun. The Vietnam setting also provides a truly great soundtrack that thankfully doesn’t go full-on Suicide Squad in terms of needle-dropping. The main flaw with this film is that some of the characters, in particular Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson, who are ostensibly the leads are boring and don’t actually do that much. You probably could have removed Hiddleston entirely and it wouldn't change much. Thankfully, the rest of the cast helps to elevate things, with Samuel L Jackson, John Goodman and particularly John C Reilly, who plays a WW2 soldier who’s been trapped on Skull Island for decades delivering great performances. But the real star here is of course Kong, who not only looks real, but is fucking huge, way bigger than other versions. Any time he’s on screen is brilliant, and the fights are, as I said, incredibly cool. I was initially a little wary of this being a shared universe with Godzilla, especially as the tone of this and Gareth Edwards’ film are very different, but I can’t deny that the end credit sequence was cool and the prospect of this Kong and that Godzilla fighting each other is tantalising. I suppose it’s the same as the Marvel and DC cinematic universes, just the idea of Batman Vs Superman or King Kong Vs Godzilla is enough to at least pique my interest. So far the so-called ‘Monsterverse’ is better than the DCEU, but far off the MCU. But it’s only 2 movies!

Speaking of Marvel, I then watched Logan (James Mangold 2017) and was absolutely blown away. It’s not only the best X-Men movie by far, but also one of the best superhero films I’ve seen, and I have seen pretty much all of them at this point. I think what makes Logan so good is that it really has that weight of history that the best superhero stories have behind it. We’ve seen Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as Professor X on our screens for 17 years, nearly 2 decades now. Some people who were able to go to see Logan in the cinema were not even born when X-Men came out. So seeing these characters and actors age and (eventually) die really has an impact on us as a viewer. It also allows Jackman and Stewart to deliver far more nuanced and powerful performances. I can’t see it happening, but Stewart deserves awards recognition in my eyes. His senile Professor X is just heart-breaking. The other great performance in the film comes from Dafne Keen as Laura/X-23, who is fantastic, despite not saying much at all. Her action scenes in particular are excellent and surprising. That applies to much of the film, which really does have some impactful scenes, I really don’t think Logan’s claws caused so much blood to spray in previous films! The story here is refreshingly simple and light on mythology, but it works, and helps tie the story and character into the classic Westerns Mangold is drawing on. There’s a reason why they watch ‘Shane’ in the motel. Wolverine is comics’ original ‘Man with no name’ and this film really is true to those roots, delivering some truly iconic images of the character for me. I really can’t wait to watch it again, but Logan really is a great reminder of how great a character Wolverine is. I love that in 2017 the X-Men franchise, which has given us a fair amount of pablum is, with this and Legion and even Deadpool are stretching the kinds of superhero stories we get on screen.

One director who also stretched the superhero genre is Christopher Nolan, and up next I took a trip to the cinema to see his latest film, Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan 2017) which really gave me a lot to think about. I’m still mulling it over weeks later, which to me is the sign of a good film, and whilst I am conflicted about some of the messages, I really think it’s an incredibly profound and effective experience that really got across the horror of war and the Dunkirk evacuation in particular. Everything, from the soundtrack to the cinematography really put you in the shoes of the soldiers and I felt incredibly tense throughout. I particularly liked that this was a WW2 movie where you don’t see a single Nazi soldier. You see some planes, but that’s it. The threat they pose is all-encompassing, and you don’t know where they are coming from. All you get is the bombs, or the bullets coming through the hull of the ship. It really helps the paranoia and isolation the men must have felt, and means you can buy the scene where Harry Styles thinks Aneurin Barnard might be a spy (he turns out to be French). The way Nolan shot the aerial battle sequences and the sea also contributed to that feeling, where they are actually rather empty. At times, the English Channel looked like that endless ocean planet from his previous film, Interstellar! I thought the performances from everyone were very strong, whether from acting heavyweights like Branagh, Rylance and Hardy, or the younger actors. I mentioned Harry Styles earlier, and he’s actually very good here, and I think his casting works on a meta-level as well, because if Styles were to have been alive back in 1940, he wouldn’t have been able to become a popstar, he would have gone off to war. It really made me think about, despite the many problems of 2017, how lucky we are to be around today as opposed to then, something I was already thinking about given that the 100th Anniversary of Passchendaele happened the same week. My great-grandfather fought there when he was younger than I am now! That’s why I think the message of Dunkirk is a powerful one, it shows that even in retreat, we hailed these soldiers as heroes and eventually regrouped and won the War. It’s not jingoistic like many war films, contrary to what Nigel Farage may tweet! My only real issue is that it took me a while to work out how all of the storylines were taking place at different timescales and not at the same time, so when Cillian Murphy interacted with Fionn Whitehead’s character I was very confused, but I think that’s more on me that the film! Overall, Dunkirk worked for me, and is probably my favourite Nolan film since Inception.

Things are getting a bit heavy, so let’s lighten up with Moana (Ron Clements and John Musker 2016), another thoroughly delightful Disney musical from the same team that gave us Frozen and Tangled. This was a funny and fun romp with some great animation and a very strong vocal performance from The Rock as Maui. One thing I appreciated about this film is that it bucked the trend of Disney Princess stories and didn’t feature any romance at all really. Moana’s journey is to help her family and her people, not to fall in love, which is a modern touch I appreciated. The music was good, nothing here is quite as immediately iconic as ‘Let It Go’, but I found ‘How Far I’ll Go’ and ‘I Am Moana’ to be powerful songs. I’m obviously not the target audience for these films anymore, but this is certainly one of the better kids cartoons I’ve seen lately. There are enough jokes to get you through, and like I mentioned, the animation and look of this is brilliant. At times it reminded me of The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and there can’t be much higher praise than that!

Nearly done! I then watched The Incredible Jessica James (James C. Strouse 2017) on Netflix, and found it to be a very strong, modern romantic comedy with a truly great central performance from Jessica Williams. I had liked Williams as a correspondent on The Daily Show, but she really shows she can act here, as she really shines in every scene of this. She’s not only very funny, but able to handle the more dramatic parts of the story too. Not that this story is incredibly dramatic, it’s actually very straight-forward, and I imagine that many people are sick to death of hip sexy young people falling in love in Brooklyn. For me though, the performance of Williams elevates this above those familiar elements. The supporting cast is also strong, Noel Wells from Master Of None is great, and whilst I still find it weird that Chris O’Dowd is getting so many Hollywood Rom-Com roles, he’s great too. And of course Lakeith Stanfield is good as Jessica’s ex, he’s showing up in more and more lately, and he’s always good. It’s going to be a long wait for more Atlanta. I also liked how this film used social media. So much of modern romance is done online, and making Tinder, or unfollowing your ex on Instagram a plot point was intriguing, and something I want to see more of. It felt much more true to life than many films, and hopefully won’t date things too much. This isn’t ‘You’ve Got Mail’.

And finally, I re-watched Get Out (Jordan Peele 2017) again on DVD and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. Particularly how knowing the twist allows you to see earlier scenes in a new light. Like when you first see Allison Williams convince the Cop not to check Chris’ ID, you think she’s being cool and not-racist. But then you realise… she doesn’t want the Cop to know Chris was with her so they can trap him! Genius.

Television

There’s really only one place to start with TV, and that’s the return of Game Of Thrones (HBO) for it’s penultimate season. I am sort of conflicted about the season so far. On the one hand, GoT remains the best-looking, most lavish TV show on the air right now, and it’s gotten even bigger this year. The Dragon attack on the Lannister Army in Episode 4 was one of the most epic things I’ve seen on the small screen, and can probably rival most movies in terms of the CGI on the Dragons. It’s also been fantastic to see so many long-awaited moments and reunions, it’s been literally years since the likes of Arya, Bran and Sansa have been in the same place. The same goes for Tyrion and Jaime. And it’s been a lot of fun to see Daenerys actually interact with characters she’s never ever met before like Jon Snow and to see the series really cut to the meat of the story there. But therein lies my big issue with the season, and I think it’s because we really are ahead of the books now and we lack that wider context for these bigger moments. Because the show moves at a much quicker pace and has changed a lot of elements, previously, when they did that, we as fans knew the wider context and meaning because we had seen it in the books. But now, we haven’t, so things are just… happening. Awesome things for sure, but I can’t help but think that George RR Martin’s original versions will be better. The books have always been more humane and had more heart than the show, which takes the cynicism and darkness a bit too far. It’s odd, initially I thought that the show getting ahead of the source material would lessen my excitement for Books 6 and 7, but it’s having the opposite effect, I now want to read The Winds Of Winter more than ever. It’s certainly going to be different, especially because the show has cut so much meat off the bone. But I’m supposed to reviewing the show, not hypothetical novels. What else? I think the show has taken another step up in terms of editing and directing, I think that freedom from the novels has allowed them to do different things, like the toilet cleaning montage with Sam in the Citadel. That was a great sequence, and one I think they should do more of. Not the shit, but the montage, especially since so many people are complaining about how quickly people seem to move across Westeros now when compared to previous years. I don’t mind that too much, but it does add to that feeling off things just happening. But nevertheless, Game Of Thrones remains one of the best things out there in any media. I can’t quite believe there’s only 2 episodes to go this year. Hopefully by the time Season 8 rolls around my issues will have been resolved because I’ll have ben able to read that book!

Also in terms of new stuff, I watched the premiere of the revived DuckTales (Disney XD) and very much enjoyed it. Like most people of my age, I watched the original when I was a kid (even though it ended in 1990, UK Kid’s TV still repeated it a lot), particularly the movie where they get a Genie Duck, and as an adult I’ve gained a new appreciation of the Duck Family thanks to learning about the importance of the Carl Barks and later Don Rosa comics. I try to fight against my own nostalgia a lot of the time, but when that classic theme tune hit, I was hit with a proustian rush of it, it was great. But even as an adult, this new show has a lot going for it. It’s funny, the animation is strong and the voice acting is great across the board. David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck is one of those choices that is almost too good and having Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz and Bobby Moynihan play Huey, Dewey and Louie is also great fun. It is a bit weird that Donald Duck is the only one to speak in the classic way, but I think it works because Donald really is a unique weirdo. The show isn’t back properly until September, but I’ll certainly watch it, if only to hear Paul F. Tompkins appear as Gladstone Gander.

Now for another cartoon about kids going on adventures with an older relative that has an entirely different tone… Rick And Morty (Adult Swim) is properly back for Season 3 now after the premiere on April Fool’s Day. So far I’m really enjoying this year, because it’s just as insane as previous years, but also delving far more into the darkness at the heart of the characters. This week’s superhero episode was just fantastic, not just because the superhero parody element was so good, but also because of how Rick was just straight up the villain. Pickle Rick was also a standout episode. The violence was insane (I think the rat slaughter shocked me more than the Dragon War in the same night’s Game Of Thrones) and the discussion of therapy at the end was just incredibly bleak. I can understand why some people are thinking the show has been fumbling a bit this year, but I’m still digging it, and it’s certainly not going down the same path Season 3 of Community did. At least not yet. I hope Dan Harmon can break his cycle of going up his own ass, and so far, for me, he has. Perhaps it’s going up Justin Roiland’s ass instead? And that’s just a better ass?

In terms of continuing shows, Preacher (AMC) is still thoroughly enjoyable in Season 2. I am a bit disappointed that we aren’t actually getting to the road trip aspect of the show, and instead have spent most of it inside a dingy New Orleans apartment, but I suppose that’s budgetary. The actual story has been very good, with the threats of the Saint Of Killers and Herr Starr and The Grail being handled very well, and faithfully to the comics. The character work has also been very strong, Jesse, Tulip and Cassidy have all had to deal with some heavy shit, and it’s been very interesting. I’m particularly worried about what is going to happen with Cassidy and his son Dennis, who has become a Vampire too. It’s going to be tragic. This character focus is really the best thing about the show, because like I’ve said before, whilst, story-wise, it’s very different from the comics, in terms of characterisation and tone, it’s incredibly faithful to Ennis and Dillon. I think that’s why I don’t mind the divergences here as much as I do in Game Of Thrones.

Now for my catch-up viewing! I finally got around to the last 3 episodes of the first series of Inside No. 9 (BBC Two) on DVD, and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. It’s just great to have each episode be entirely different. ‘Last Gasp’ was perhaps the worst of the series, but it was still enjoyable and had a great performance from Tamsin Greig. ‘The Understudy’ was a great Shakespearean send-up and man, the final episode, ‘The Harrowing’ was a real shock. It was barely a comedy, just straight-up horror. I kept waiting for the comedic twist to come, and it never did! Brilliant stuff. I have Series 2 to watch and then I’ll have to buy the 3rd. I really can’t believe I didn’t watch this when it originally aired, what was I thinking?

I’ve also finally tackled Vikings (History Channel) Season 3. I watched the first 2 seasons in fairly quick succession last year, but somehow never found the time to continue. Now I have that bit of time, and also an iPad so I’ve been streaming the shit out of Ragnar and his friends. I really enjoyed this season, Vikings has always been very consistent, but it took a step-up here I think. Travis Fimmel’s Ragnar remains a very underrated performance, you never know what he’s planning, and I also continue to thoroughly enjoy King Ecbert’s scheming. It’s going to be very satisfying if and when he finally gets his. I also like how the series continues to surprise by having events that you’d think would be save for a climactic finale happen at unusual junctures. Big characters that have been around since the first episodes die in the 3rd and 6th episodes of the season, and it really does keep you on your toes. So much so that I almost bought Ragnar’s ‘death’ in the finale, before realising it was just a ploy to get into Paris. The whole Paris storyline was great, in particular the battle scenes. The one that took up pretty much an entire episode, ‘To The Gates’ was just brilliant, and really bears comparison to some of the best battles in Game Of Thrones or Spartacus. The new French Villains are less exciting (Count Odo’s sadomasochism came a bit out of nowhere, and it was weird how only that scene in the entire series had nudity right?) but I imagine they will be fleshed out in Season 4. The same thing happened with The Saxons. The only real negative in this season was the weird appearance of Kevin Durand as a character who might be the actual Odin. In a series where the conflict between the Norse Gods and Christianity plays such a big role, having one side appear as ‘real’ just didn’t work for me.

Music

Only one CD to talk about this month, but it’s kind of a big deal, in that it’s the new one from Arcade Fire, one of the world’s biggest bands. So far I haven’t been able to listen to Everything Now (Sonovox/Columbia 2017) as many times as I’d like (though I am listening to it now as I type this. Right now. Right… now) but I think I like it rather more than what the general consensus seems to be, and certainly think it’s a return to form after ‘Reflektor’ which I never fell in love with. It’s not up there with ‘The Suburbs’ or ‘Funeral’, but frankly, few albums are. For me, this is a very enjoyable record with some interesting new developments for the band. Yeah, the title track does sound rather a lot like Abba, but I don’t mind that, and I would put ‘Signs Of Life’ up there with Arcade Fire’s best songs. You can really tell that Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk produced those tracks, they feel much more dancey. I do think some of the meaning behind the songs and the cultural commentary is a bit wanky, but on the record itself, it doesn’t get in front of the music itself. I think Arcade Fire are kind of suffering from Jonathan Franzen-syndrome, where people focus way more on the interviews and news around the work, than the work itself. Who cares about fidget spinners and whether or not they enforced a dress code or if it was a joke or not. Just listen to the music and forget about ‘the discourse’. I know it’s hard, and I’ve certainly failed to do that here, but still, I’m going to make an effort.

Books

I’m going to keep this short because I wrote more general thoughts last week, but I really did blast through the back half of 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History Of Protest Songs (2010) by Dorian Lynskey. It’s a fantastically readable book and even though it’s over 500 pages long, it never felt like a chore. I was up the the 1970s last time, and this month I read from then, through the 80s and 90s and up to Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’. The focus of the book spreads a bit wider, as the focus of the protest movements becomes harder to define and the culture as a whole became more diffuse. So the chapter that is nominally about U2’s ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’ is actually more about Bruce Springsteen and Live Aid than those loveable lads from Liverpool, and the Steve Earle track becomes about the musical response to 9/11 and the Iraq War as a whole. It’s still interesting, but does lack the immediacy of the anti-Vietnam and Civil Rights songs from earlier. If anything, that’s my only criticism of the book, in that Lynskey’s history only goes up to 2003, and is a bit too much a part of the ‘end of history’ neoliberal consensus era. With recent events showing that to have been completely wrong-headed, this is one history that will certainly benefit from an update in a few years, once we’re able to see the true impact of Trump and Brexit and all of the other huge events. That’s if there any good protest songs to come of the current climate? Last month I said there aren’t any and that’s still the case. Maybe Lynskey could sub in a podcast and write about Chapo Trap House?

I then took a turn back into fiction, in particular fantasy with Saladin Ahmed’s Throne Of The Crescent Moon (2012). I picked this up after being very impressed by the first few issues of Ahmed’s Black Bolt, which he does, along with the amazing artist Christian Ward for Marvel. He’s giving new life to the Inhuman King, and it’s probably the best comic to come along as part of the big Inhuman push we’ve had over the last few years (I sort of don’t count Ms. Marvel or Moon Girl as Inhuman books, even though I probably should). This novel is a fantasy, but what sets it apart from the standard is that it isn’t set in a quasi-medieval European setting, but in a Middle Easternish universe. A lot of fantasy novels have these oriental settings, but most of them are set apart from the ‘real’ action, like Game Of Thrones’ ‘Essos’, but here, the main focus is the magical Arabian Nights, and I found the setting to be very interesting, and something cool and different. But setting is only a part of it, the characters Ahmed uses to populate his world are well-developed, and I found Adoulla to be a very strong central character that went against cliche. He’s not a young chosen one, he’s a middle-aged magician who can’t really be bothered. I think the closest comparison I can think of for Ahmed’s book is Scott Lynch’s ‘The Lies Of Locke Lamora’, as both are not sprawling epics where people go on quests, but tighter stories where the action mainly takes place in a bustling metropolis. The scope of this story is a lot smaller than I expected, but that just means the focus is sharp. You can certainly tell there is a wider world going on, and I am excited to see how that is developed in future novels. If you like modern fantasy and what something with a little different spin on it, this is definitely worth a read, and it won’t take 3 months to read like a lot of others. And seriously, pick up Black Bolt, it is great.

Games

I feel like I’m finally getting into the real meat of The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (Nintendo Switch 2017) as I’ve actually started to do the main quest instead of randomly dicking around Hyrule. I’m now doing one of the ‘Great Beast’ stories having accidentally ran into a Zora during some of that aforementioned dicking around. It’s a bit of an adjustment going to a bit more of a traditional Zelda structure here, but I do welcome it. At times, the sheer scale of the game can be a bit overwhelming and I can't decide what to do. I wen through the same thing with GTA V if I recall correctly, before eventually knuckling down and completing the thing. I don’t have anything else to really say about how good this game is though, it’s superb and at this stage I’m just going to be updating you on my progress. I hope it doesn’t take too long, it took me over a year to beat Ocarina Of Time, and that’s a much smaller game! But then again, I was 12 then.

I’ve also played a bit more of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch 2017) as my Cousin is back from China and wanted to play. It’s so much fun, particularly on multi-player and I’m enjoying slowly but surely unlocking more cool vehicles and extra stuff to play as. I also really like the fact that some classic tracks from older games are on here. I didn’t realise how well I remembered Mario Kart Super Circuit from the GBA, but it’s been buried there in my sub-conscious all this time.

And finally, I bought an Apple iPad this month! I’ve been meaning to get one for ages and I had a bit of a cash surplus so decided to be spontaneous. So far I’ve mainly used it for streaming video and surfing the web, but I do have one game, Football Manager Touch 2017 (iOS 2016). So far I’m very impressed, it’s exactly the same as the classic Football Manager… only on the iPad! For me, FM has gotten a bit too fiddly on the computer in the last few years, so this slightly more streamlined version is welcome. I just hope I don’t get too addicted like I have to past incarnations. I’m thinking the portable nature of the iPad will help with that, I can’t play for hours on end because the battery will run out! I’m only in pre-season with Sheffield Wednesday so far, but I did win one friendly 5-0, I’m definitely going to smash promotion, I can tell.

—

So there you have it. I’ll be back in September. Dunno what I’ll have to talk about, I’m in a bit of a funk so probably just… ‘I played Football Manager for a month straight and now it’s the year 2040 and everyone’s a regen’. I saw an article on Vice the other day where 2 guys played a Management sim for a thousand in-game years. This is my goal.

See you then!

[that-sci-fi-nerd-blog]

The Satan Pit

Series: 2

Episode: 9

Writer: Matt Jones

Director: James Strong

Plot Summary: With the Doctor confronting the Beast in the pit, and Rose being pursued by the possessed Ood on the space base, their prospects for escape look bleak. But they will undoubtedly be reunited again.

Review: After the expected montage of clips from the previous episode and the opening credits, we are launched straight into the chaos currently unfolding on the space base. The panicked voices, the Ood’s relentless chase and electrocution of some crew members, all combined with Murray Gold’s fantastic soundtrack, really helps to set the tone and immerse the viewer in the terror which the characters are feeling. Finally, there is a brief moment of relief when the Doctor tells Rose he is fine via the comms, and we get a comical instance of indirect swearing on Rose’s part. The contrast between the loud scuffle on the base and the complete eerie silence on the planet is brilliant, if a little unnerving. 

In the duration of this second part, we learn a lot more about each of the crew members; as I mentioned in my previous review, I think this is a positive thing because it allows the audience to connect with the characters more strongly and provides a backbone for the events in the episode. At the start of the episode, the Beast speaks through the Ood and we get an insight into each of the crew members’ backstories: Zachary is described as “the Captain, so scared of command”, which preys on his fear of not being good enough as a captain; Ida is described as “the scientist, still running from daddy”, which perhaps explains her exterior confidence that hides inner insecurities (although this isn’t elaborated on); Danny is described as “the little boy who lied”, which also isn’t elaborated on though it could be a reference to his immaturity and shady morals; Jefferson is described as “the soldier, haunted by the eyes of his wife”, which was briefly referred to in the previous episode and perhaps emphasises his role as a defender of his crew; finally, Toby is simply described as “the virgin”, which reinforces his vulnerability and perhaps his young age.

The Beast also refers to Rose after the crew, describing her as “the lost girl, so far away from home”, which is similar to how Gwyneth referred to Rose in ‘The Unquiet Dead’. However, the Beast also calls Rose “the valiant child who will die in battle so very soon”; Rose obviously doesn’t understand what the Beast means and is freaked out by such a remark, but it is significant foreshadowing for the series finale ‘Doomsday’. Throughout the episode, Rose is constantly concerned about the Doctor and is inevitably saved by him, however, she does exercise her own agency by spurring everyone on when the Doctor gets separated from them, refusing to go with the crew when they plan to leave, and threatening to shoot Zach when he drugs her and takes her with them on the rocket against her will. Due to her kindness and strong morals, she can’t follow through with said threat, although she does end up destroying the mind of the Beast by ejecting Toby from the rocket, which kills him in the process.

The other significant character death in this episode is Jefferson. His demise is quite emotional, as he eventually sacrifices himself to save the other crew members (including Rose) by staying back to hold off the Ood. When Zach realises Jefferson will die, he starts referring to him by his first name; Jefferson also asks for the oxygen to be removed so his death is more dignified than being killed by the Ood, and Zach complies. Due to Jefferson being fairly well-established as a character at this point and the tragic element of his death, the scene definitely has an impact on the audience. 

I think this episode is interesting in that the Doctor is separated from Rose and the rest of the crew (apart from Ida) for pretty much the entire episode, and is stuck down a pit completely on his own for a good chunk of his screen-time too. It must be incredibly difficult for an actor to hold their stage during a solo performance with no other actors to bounce off, but David Tennant does it brilliantly. The Doctor’s monologues (one about the “strange little impulse” that tells us to jump when stood on a cliff-edge, one encouraging the crew by saying how amazing they all are and that their advantage is that “the Beast is alone. We are not”, and finally one confronting the Beast) are all so wonderfully delivered and compelling to watch as a result. When the Doctor does fall down the pit, he observes the drawings on the cave walls and describes them aloud, addressing Ida through the broken comms even though she can’t hear him; I think he knows she can’t, but he doesn’t want to face the fact that he’s alone. Additionally, the shot of the lone Doctor staring up, surrounded by complete darkness, as the rocket leaves with Rose on it is so beautiful. I love the fire in the Doctor’s eyes when he meets the Beast face-to-face and finally figures out how to destroy him, as you can see how his intelligence and hope gives him unequivocal power. In the end, after he has saved everyone and returned to the status quo, the Doctor chooses not to disclose any details about what he found in the pit, probably because he knows that curiosity would get the better of people if word got out, which it inevitably would. This shows that, despite his fascination with humans, the Doctor is well aware that he can’t fully trust them to keep bad things locked up due to their nature. 

As far as Doctor Who villains go, the Beast is a fantastic one. He preys on “basic fears” as the Doctor says – “darkness, childhood nightmares” etc. – which doesn’t seem too dangerous, but does emphasise how the Beast can cause people to become overwhelmed with panic by turning their own insecurities against them. The telepathic aspect also brings a new level of terror to the Beast, as he managed to manipulate Toby and all of the Ood from his prison cell in the pit, and it is also implied that the Beast knew that the Doctor was planning to work with everyone else to defeat him because the cable attached to the lift happened to break at that exact moment. The Beast’s physical appearance is also extremely well-designed; its looming, grotesque figure with gnarled teeth and a pointed tongue, growling maliciously while restricted by chains is an incredibly terrifying image that is the very embodiment of evil. In addition, the concept of the Beast’s mind escaping despite his body being trapped is disturbing, especially as the Doctor doesn’t realise this until it’s almost too late.

As is the norm for a Doctor Who episode, the Doctor saves everyone (apart from the Ood, because apparently he “only had time for one trip”, even though he is literally stood in a time machine…), and is happily reunited with Rose. The final words are spoken by Zachary, as he reports on the deaths of his crew members, which taints the ending slightly with the tragedy that unfolded, but reminds us that each of the characters we meet along the way still hold importance.

Quote: “But that implies, in this big grand scheme of gods and devils, that she's just a victim. Well, I've seen a lot of this universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi-gods and would-be gods. I've had the whole pantheon. But if I believe in one thing... just one thing... I believe in her!” - The Doctor

[thebrightestwitchswandworks]

SPN 12x12 : Stuck in the middle with you.

Since I need appreciate the brilliance of this episode and also rant a little, please bear with me. I’ll first talk about the good points and the bad ones.

Good :

- Episode direction : I have always liked episodes directed by Richard  Speight, Jr. and this episode goes into the list as well. This kind of direction where the timeline isn’t in order and is shown from different perspectives of individuals can get highly confusing but I loved how with such finesse and easy was the episode executed. Good job there, Richard! Part of why the episode kept me on edge of the seat all time was because of its direction and the rest of the credit goes to the plot. 

- S12 picking up a direction : I LOVED how the season is finally setting up some big games. I’m not sure how well will these tracks be executed but this episode seemed like S12 had finally picked up a direction and they’re working towards it. We have Cas who’s going to suffer the worst of the cosmic consequences, there’s Crowley with Lucifer caged in Hell (Mark. P is back. *does a mini dance*), there’s Mary who knows and understands nothing except to wreak more havoc on the boys and their family/friends, there’s Lucifer’s spawn somewhere in the process of becoming the possible next big bad and then there’s Sam and Dean whose job is fix everyone’s mess, time and again save the world. 

- The family bonding : These heart-wrenchingly beautiful family scenes render me an emotional weeping mess. <3 Cas’s emotional speech on how the best part of his (very long) life has been the Winchesters, Winchesters choosing not to give up on Cas because he’s family and those three even in the face of some deathly situations just not losing faith and love in the power of family is love. I can write HUGE essays on their familial love, friendship and brotherhood but I’m afraid I won’t stop then. Mary standing there and feeling like an outsider (I think she did and she honestly deserves to) acted like a Burnol to my burns. AAH! 

- Prince of Hell : For a moment there, I thought Prince of Hell meant Crowley’s son (because he’s the King Hell) and I’m left utterly confused as to when and how did Crowley’s son grow so old and became the Prince of Hell. Thanks, Crowley for clearing my confusion soon enough LOL. The idea of introducing these new line of Lucifer generation was a good one, IMO. Well-written and executed. 

- Micheal’s Lance : Can we please, pretty please, have Micheal back some time? I need him to come back and take Lucifer out with him because truth be told, the Lucifer story arc is beyond exhausted now. Brother taking brother out would be something interesting to watch like how God and Amara went out together. I don’t mind if it goes either way, whether it is Micheal taking Lucifer down or both choosing to go out together in a peaceful way like God and Amara did. JUST lets be done with Lucifer arcs, please. Although, Mark. P is always a pleasure to watch as Lucifer, I can’t take the risks with the story here. Hey, but what happened to Micheal’s sword and surely this Lance wouldn’t have been useful in S5? lol.

- Crowley as a rescuer : Last episode we had Rowena come to the brothers rescue and this time, it was Crowley. As much as I’d want them both dead some day because as Lucifer explained, that’s something Winchesters would want too. There’s SO MUCH both brothers have suffered because of the mother-son duo and just like all big baddies, I’d want every big bad to go out losing to the boys, Crowley and Rowena are no exceptions. Having said that, these two are among the best written big bad’s of the show with a bonus of incredibly talented actors to play them, they have proved themselves to be of significance time and again and are the characters who contribute a lot to the show’s longevity, story and success. 

I like how over the time both Rowena and Crowley have shown ‘human’ emotions and as Crowley himself put it, ‘Winchesters are an asset they can’t afford to lose’. Crowley, Rowena, Sam and Dean share quite a complicated, labyrinthine and cumbersome relationship because of the history they have all shared with each from going outright enemies to allies. It’s almost as if there is no one who has the right to hurt the boys except they themselves. They same can be said for the brothers too, they’ll all take each other down if it comes to it but no external force is allowed to kill them.

Bad :

- Mary Winchester : More like Messy Winchester? For the record, I loved Mary’s character based on what all she had shown to be since episode 1 till the time Amara resurrected her. Not that I expected her to be a hands on mommy, bake Dean pies and tuck Sam into bed. No, that’s not what I expected her to be, the only thing I expected out of her was to be there for her sons, for her only family left. I completely get her personal struggle, her not feeling she belongs to this world, not fitting in, trying to just wrap her mind around it all, taking some time off to figure herself out and all of it. BUT the time for all that is LONG gone. 

Ever since she’s back, she’s not made ONE personal attempt to actually get to know her sons. To know what they have been though, to know what they have done for the world, to know HOW MUCH they have suffered (literally been to Hell-Heaven-Purgatory-Every-Other-Universe and back), she’s done absolutely nothing. Not even after they came back from the prison AFTER MONTHS. She’s so selfishly absorbed into herself, so grossly engrossed into her own issues, so bloody consumed by the need to hunt that in doing all of that, she’s lost out on all the opportunities and chances she had for a family. Second chance. John must be dying somewhere (again) to have that but she has it and is wasting away it all away. For what may I ask? She could both be a hunter and a mother but no, she’s clearly chosen to be the former. ONLY. 

She’s just lost whatever little respect and affection I had left for her when she willingly chose to trust BMOL’s over her own blood. Her own sons. Her only family. And look at them, they never once doubted or questioned Mary about anything (except once when Sam asked her what the hell she has gotten them into). They have so much faith in her and they believe that if there’s something they needed to know, Mary would tell them. But alas! She betrayed both them and their trust. I don’t say Sam and Dean haven’t caused casualties or haven’t messed, oh they have and enough. But they always tried to think it all through, always prioritised to save lives first and weren’t the kind of stupid Mary set a new benchmark of. I thought that may be, just may be, she’d tell them the truth when Dean-Sam-Cas were talking about the ‘stealing’ but she didn’t. Instead, she actually went out to give THE COLT to Ketch (with what, a mild warning? A warning Ketch or BMOL’s don’t give a damn about or have no reason to because they can end Mary in a swish and flick). Made me wonder if she’s actually read John’s journal or not. The lengths they had to go to get their hands on THE COLT to be able to finish of Azazel...she just gave it...away.

I have to admit, I’m quite disappointed with the writers on this front. If Mary was bought back again to do THIS, then she was better off dead. The way they have ruined and butchered her character beyond recognition and repair hurts me because essentially, she was always a Winchester. I don’t think she’s here to stay for long and will most likely be killed off this season itself, I doubt if I’m going to feel devastated on her death like I’d for every character I loved or cared for. Sorry but not sorry. 

[jmsebastian]

Congo: The Movie: The Game: The Not At All Clever Essay

First person shooters aren’t lacking for entries in the genre. Think of the biggest gaming franchises in existence, and odds are a first person shooter is going to be very high on that list. And with so many good games to choose from, it’s really impossible to say that any single game or franchise, even, really encapsulates all that the genre has to offer. But come on, you know it, and I know. When I say I’m going to talk about a first person shooter, there’s really only one particular game that people tend to think of. That game, of course, is Congo The Movie: The Lost City of Zinj.

Snark aside, Congo is actually an interestingly overlooked game. The first thing to point out is that the game is based off of the 1995 film, Congo, which was adapted from the 1980 novel by Michael Crichton. Given the success of his 1990 novel, Jurassic Park, and the enormous event that was the Steven Spielberg film, it made all the sense in the world to try to strike oil again by adapting another of Crichton’s best sellers. As an aside, I always found it strange how many games targeted at kids were adapted from films rated R. In Jurassic Park’s case, this was probably inevitable given how popular dinosaurs are with children in general. Still, it’s odd how the likes of The Terminator, Alien, or Robocop ended up as toys and video games considering the films were not intended for children.

Especially not Alien.

Congo, while a successful film, did not have the same broad appeal that Jurassic Park had. Of course, the video game industry is not shy about trying to cash in on any film property they can. It shouldn’t have come as any surprise, then, that there would be a video game adaptation of Congo. Unlike the numerous Jurassic Park games, though, Congo saw just two games: one for the PC, and one for the Sega Saturn. The PC game, subtitled, Descent into Zinj, is an adventure title, complete with some heavy CGI work that had become the standard since Myst’s release three years earlier. Descent into Zinj is exactly the kind of game that makes sense for a property like Congo. After all, the Indiana Jones film franchise had translated extremely well to computer entertainment via its own set of adventure games. Congo is as good a fit as any for that kind of treatment.

What makes less sense is what developer Jumpin’ Jack Software came up with for their adaptation. Yes, it was the mid 1990s, so of course it was a first person shooter. Shooters were made out of just about everything then, so why not throw Congo into the mix. Despite the odd choice of genre, I will give Jumpin’ Jack some credit. Congo The Movie: The Lost City of Zinj is actually a pretty interesting game, in theory. I say in theory simply because most of the ideas that come up don’t really live up to their potential. Still, there’s enough posited that the ideas presented are worth examining.

My favorite element of the game is just how developed the player character is. Being a Saturn game, using the CD-ROM technology to increase the production value was clearly a priority. The result is that there is a lengthy intro sequence featuring live actors, as well as some interstitial cutscenes, featuring the game’s protagonist, Butembo Kabalo.

Kabalo is an employee of TraviCom whose expedition party has been wiped out during a mission to uncover diamonds. Kabalo is an interesting character for several reasons. The first is that he is not really an action hero archetype. He isn’t the silent killing machine that DOOM Guy was, or the tough talking blockbuster movie star knock off that Duke Nukem was. No, Kabalo is just an underprepared guy working for a company that doesn’t really care about him all that much. In the beginning of the game, Kabalo is suffering from a fever, for which he has no medicine. He makes a call back to the company urging for supplies, though he isn’t sure whether or not anyone is even receiving his messages. Realizing he is likely going to die, he sets out in an effort to get back to the site of a plane crash.

Kabalo is in no way a prototypical hero, and I’m glad for that. Once the player completes the first mission, medicine is received and Kabalo is able to continue his expedition for diamonds...alone for some reason. It’s not clear how many people were in his party to begin with, but the fact that he is expected to continue on by himself in what is extremely hostile jungle provides a really interesting undercurrent to the whole story. Kabalo is at the behest of his employer. During each level, there are diamonds that can be recovered. Recovering those diamonds is tied directly to how many supplies are received in subsequent levels. Failing to get the maximum number available per stage yields a snarky reply from the people at TraviCom that they need the diamonds to supply Kabalo with more ammunition. When this goal is not accomplished, they express their dissatisfaction with his performances. The dynamics at work of allowing people to play the role of an African man working to unearth diamonds at the behest of some corporation is surprisingly nuanced for the era. That kind of dynamic is still startlingly rare in video games. Best of all, it makes the collecting aspect of the game a core component of its narrative. So far, so good.

Congo The Movie makes a pretty good habit of justifying its mechanics through its story. The fever that Kabalo suffers at the beginning of the game manifests in the screen turning a light shade of green and becoming wavy for a few seconds at a time. While the screen is like this, the radar that tracks your location and the location of nearby enemies is disabled. Why the radar completely disappears rather than just become too blurry to read is not clear (my guess is the implementation of the wavy effect had something to do with it), but it does show there was careful consideration being made when either writing the script or coming up with various mechanics. Later on in the game, there are enemies that can also make Kabalo sick, only instead of just making the screen wavy, it also reverses the players directional control. Front is back, etc.

You know you’re sick because of the yellow tint and warping visuals...and also because you now can’t control yourself for shit.

Frankly, this additional component to the fevervision makes life incredibly difficult for the player. Navigating effectively takes significantly more concentration, so the best option is usually to just stand still until it passes. Of course, this extends the time it takes to complete the level substantially. Outside of just taking longer, though, the venom’s reversal effect makes fighting enemies near impossible. Congo has a bad habit of giving the player too many enemies to fight at once already. Adding confusing controls that can change at any moment means getting stuck in prolonged skirmishes will likely end in a brutal death. On the one hand, the venom effect does exactly what it sets out to do. It instills panic in the player while also forcing them to play cautiously, while simultaneously encouraging them to get as much done as quickly as they can between bouts of fever. However, the actual playability of the game suffers a great deal, and it doesn’t take long before dealing with these effects becomes too punishing or annoying to make continuing on worth it. In a level where half of the objective is just to cure your fever, you really don’t want players giving up before they even get the chance to cure it, and yet the cure is placed atop a mountain that requires extremely precise platforming to reach. If the controls revers on you during your attempts to jump, it’s a frustrating trek back up the mountain, and there’s really nothing the player can do about it.

If the intermittent relinquishing of control doesn’t stop players dead in their tracks, the level design is there to make sure progress is halted. On the one hand, I love the setting. A jungle is a great place for a game in this style. Unfortunately, the technology used to create this setting doesn’t manage to pull it off. The levels actually have some really cool (if not groundbreaking) qualities. Being made up of 3D environments, Congo features a lot of verticality in its design. This is a game from 1996, mind you, on a console where 3D is not considered one of its real strengths. Along with some vertical level design (such as spiraling mountain paths, or overpasses/underpasses that have to be navigated correctly, some more unique aspects are built in. In one of the levels, random earthquakes cause the ground to suddenly raise and lower in elevation. It kind of rolls through an area periodically. It’s quite disorienting at first, but once you learn its patterns, you can master the timing of the ground elevation changes to jump into areas that were inaccessible from the normal ground level. Doing this is actually required to make progress, which is a pretty brilliant touch and a level of effort that went well above and beyond being a simple clone of the genres most popular titles.

While the levels themselves are 3D, objects in those levels are not. For things like diamonds, ammo pickups, or enemies, sprite based objects are not a problem. It’s easy to tell which direction they are traveling in, which way they are facing, and pinpoint accuracy is not required to land hits. Where the sprites become a huge burden is in the window dressing. Being set in the jungle, Congo’s levels are rife with foliage, all of which is basically the same color green, bends to face the player, and is incredibly disorienting. I give it credit for feeling somewhat like a real jungle. Without obvious landmarks, it would be very hard to tell where you are in relation to everything else, but for a game that requires navigation, it’s not a particularly welcomed feature. Congo certainly isn’t the first game to have this issue, and it is nice that they included a pretty detailed and useful map, but having to check it every four or five steps becomes irritating very quickly, and makes a game feel longer than it is.

You’ll be looking at stuff like this for most of the game.

A side effect of sprites being used for the flora is that it masks the hordes of enemies that run in from off screen. The space in which the player can move is actually quite limited to the cleared paths, but the levels clearly have continuity in the large areas between the paths. Enemies regularly spawn from these areas, which the player has difficulty seeing through. They also often disappear into them, only to re-emerge from somewhere else that the player can’t venture. Like so many aspects of this game, this is a brilliant concept. Why it doesn’t work in Congo is that the places that are off limits to the player seem extremely arbitrary in some cases. Flat, relatively clear spaces have invisible walls stopping you from jumping into them, as if force fields were being generated from the bushes that could easily be stepped over in reality. Thankfully, players can still shoot enemies that run away into the jungle, but when ten or fifteen spiders all run out from behind a curtain of green leaves, there’s a clear unfair advantage at work. The setting itself means that players can’t use walls or cover of any kind to their advantage very often. Instead, enemies are a threat from everywhere, all the time.

The enemies, themselves, are probably Congo’s biggest missed opportunities. The bestiary is mostly this: giant spiders, flying wasps(?), lizards, two headed snakes, and gorillas. One would think things like spiders and lizards would be common, and they are, arriving in hordes that surround the player frequently. They can all be killed pretty quickly, but their unpredictable movement makes them a bit tougher than they probably should be. Other, more difficult enemies, show up nearly as frequently as soon as the player progresses to the areas of the levels they occupy. There are so many gorillas that you have to kill. It’s kind of a let down to face them so early in the game (you fight them in level 2), since there really is no buildup to them at all. Instead, the biggest perceived threat in the game really is just one of an uncountable number of things you have to shoot, and the impact of what they are is reduced to pretty much nothing.

It doesn’t help that they look like this.

For a game that was made to cash in on a somewhat popular but not highly regarded movie, Congo The Movie: The Lost City of Zinj is really about what one might expect in the quality department. Were it not for the wealth of interesting ideas, unique elements, and having an actual protagonist for a character, I’d just write it off as utter trash and move on. Instead, I can’t help but wish this game had been better. It could have been one of those hidden gems that had no right to be as good as it was. Movie license games are often so poorly thought out or were adapted from different games that had nothing to do with the license that it’s refreshing to see a game that both had a vision and seemed to incorporate so many of the elements from the source material that made for an interesting experience. It’s really a shame that ambition is really all that there is to take away from it.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Team Rocket

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

“Prepare for trouble! And make it double!”

I feel like there are few anime villains who are quite as iconic and memorable to the current generation than the bumbling trio of Team Rocket: Jessie, James, and Meowth (that’s right!). These three have appeared in nearly every single episode of the anime, indisputably being main characters on the level of Ash and his pals. Hell, they actually have more of a right to being main characters than franchise staples like Brock, Misty, or whatever girl of the season Ash has tagging along. Team Rocket are pretty omnipresent.

Of course, they’ve had many ups and downs over the years. From some poor showings to voice actor changes to being so overexposed it’s hard not to get tired of them to some absolutely awful decisions the characters make, Team Rocket are just as imperfect creations as most of the other characters in the show. Still, I find Team Rocket to be more consistently enjoyable and even for the most part more compelling than Ash Ketchum. It helps that, unlike him, they have rather interesting backstories and characterization.

Actor: Originally, the trio were voiced by Rachel Lillis (Jessie), Eric Stuart (James), and Maddie Blaustein (Meowth), though in the case of Blaustein and Stuart they actually weren’t the first in their respective roles; Nathan Price and Ted Lewis were the first to voice their characters. Blaustein and Stuart are easily the more iconic voices, however, so I’m going to focus on them.

Lillis is also the original voice of Misty, as well as Jigglypuff, though she has a pretty prolific career in anime voice acting outside of Pokemon; her performance of Jessie really cements her as an abrasive, stuck-up witch who constantly sounds like she’s talking down to everyone; you can practically hear the sneer in her voice, it really is something.

Eric Stuart you may know as Brock or perhaps Seto Kaiba, or perhaps as Meta Knight from Kirby: Right Back at Ya! Or maybe you know him from his music career. Either way, you know that he gave James that sissy, foppish charm that we all know and love.

Maddie Blaustein… She was easily the most talented of the bunch here, and that’s really saying something. She was a woman of a thousand voices, to the e point where you’d never know she was voicing someone unless you saw her name in the credits. Like, can you believe she was Solomon Moto and Sartorious in the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise? Or Omega in Sonic 06? She was one of the greats, and as such is it any shock she delivered the best performance possible to the sneaky little wise guy mascot of the bumbling trio? Her presence is definitely sorely missed even today.

Of course, these three really made the characters who they were, but they did eventually get replaced, and while I don’t think Michele Knotz as Jessie, Jimmy Zoppi as James, or Carter Cathcart as Mewoth are bad by any means – they still manage to give great performances and keep the characters lovable  as ever – I do think that it really is hard to live up to the iconic originals, especially in Blaustein’s case.

Motivation/Goals: Team Rocket are introduced as menacing, competent criminals very early on in the anime, with the same goal as any Team Rocket member would have: stealing Pokemon. Of course, after their fated encounter with Ash and the witnessing of his Pikachu’s incredible power, they become single-mindedly obsessed with nabbing Ash’s Pokemon pal and using him for their own nefarious purposes, and the rest is history. Of course, Team Rocket occasionally finds time to look for other goals, such as getting food or money, but most of the time they just try and find new ways to steal Pikachu and fail at doing it.

Personality: Their personalities are really what sets them apart and makes them so interesting. Jessie, for instance, is definitely the more evil of the three; she’s willing to keep going at Team Rocket goals even when there’s no need, while her teammates are far more willing to just abandon stealing Pokemon if better opportunities arrive. Jessie can be callous and cruel, she has an extremely short temper, she’s loud and brash, but even with all that she truly does love her teammates. Even Wobbuffett. Jessie really epitomizes “jerk with a heart of gold.”

James is flamboyant and just as willing to take part in evil schemes to steal Pokemon, but out of everyone in Team Rocket James is easily the nicest guy. He’s sweet and doting to his Pokemon, he has quite a few morals, and he has a lot of the more genuinely compelling emotional moments. All of this also leads into him being probably the smartest and most level-headed of the group, for what that’s worth anyway.

Meowth is snarky and loud, but he has a lot of depths, much like his colleagues. I mean, this guy taught himself how to talk (at the cost of being able to learn moves like Pay Day), so he’s gotta be at least a little smart, right? WELL… while Meowth does have some smarts, especially street smarts since he grew up on the mean streets of Hollywood, Meowth is also the looniest of the three if you can believe that. Have you perhaps seen the numerous fantasies of Giovanni doing something ludicrous with some random Pokemon? Guess who is the person responsible for thinking most of those up. Go on, guess.

There are things all three members of the group share: all three are incredibly friendly to the point where they’re only villains because of their loyalty to Giovanni; they’re as likely to be friendly with Ash and the gang as to be trying to steal his Pokemon, o the point where they’ve not only helped him, but have directly had a hand in saving the world on quite a few occasions. All three are pretty hilarious in their ineptitude as well, and all three are actually very competent at disguising themselves. They all tend to be pretty hammy as well. All in all, the three are really enjoyable and fun for what they are.

Final Fate: Whenever these three do evil, there is only one fate in store for them: blasting off. Still, they always end up somehow coming back in the next episode to cause a ruckus.

Best Scene: In a series as long as this, it’s hard to single out one scene among the hundreds of thousands of scenes they’ve had. Still, the entirety of “Go West, Young Meowth” counts as one for Meowth, culminating with him taking out a Persian by himself, as well as Jessie and James coming to Meowth’s aid before said duel.

Best Quote: I hardly think it is possible to overstate how good their original motto is:

Jessie: Prepare for trouble!

James: And make it double!

Jessie: To protect the world from devastation.

James: To unite all people within our nation.

Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love!

James: To extend our reach to the stars above!

Jessie: Jessie!

James: James!

Jessie: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!

James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight. note

Meowth: Meowth, that's right!

From 1998 to 2006, this was how they announced their arrival on the scene, and while they’d go through other mottos and songs and whatnot over the years, nothing can top the original.

Final Thoughts & Score: Team Rocket are some of the most memorable antagonists in all of anime, despite amounting to what would just be nameless, faceless mooks in the game series the anime is based on. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine the anime without them involved, and even when they introduce more serious villains they rarely ever match up to Team Rocket. Hell, even other members of Team Rocket fail to live up to their entertaining standard; does anyone remember Atilla and Hun, does anyone actually care about Butch and Cassidy?

In fact, it’s pretty easy to say that in many ways these three are even more interesting than Ash. You see, we know from the start Team Rocket is going to fail in whatever evil schemes they have going on in any given episode, so unlike when Ash inevitably loses the championship, Team Rocket losing is expected, making their victories sweeter as opposed to Ash’s victories feeling like inevitable buildup to failure. It also helps that unlike Ash, all three have pretty interesting, compelling, and even tragic backstories, with Jessie following in her mother’s footsteps as a Rocket grunt, James fleeing from an abusive arranged marriage and tossing aside a life of riches for crime, and Meowth learning how to talk by itself and growing up on the streets. Team Rocket just ends up feeling so much more interesting and fleshed out than the main character of the show, though considering the amount of screentime they get they easily could be considered main characters.

Jessie, James, and Meowth across the board get 8/10. I’d definitely say it’s the high end of 8, but they are held back a bit by some truly dumb decisions they’ve made over the years, dumb decisions to rival Ash’s, such as the frequent letting go of Pokemon the audience has likely grown to know and love, with Arbok and Weezing being the most offensively egregious example. Still, this gang has stuck around for over 20 years, and the show and series at large just wouldn’t feel the same without their continued presence. Good, bad, it doesn’t matter; Team Rocket’s iconic trio is a core part of the franchise, and their impact can’t be ignored.

“Meowth, that’s right!”

[meralee727]

Yesterday, Jethro Nededog wrote this article for the Business Insider about eighteen shows which are in danger of being canceled:

http://www.businessinsider.com/tv-shows-getting-canceled-2017-4/#the-odd-couple-cbs-1

Now,  of the shows he listed, I don’t really watch like sixteen of them. I tried watching Blacklist once and fell asleep and then just forgot about watching it completely. I didn’t watch the Blacklist Redemption one, either.  I’ve never heard of Making History or Powerless or the Agent Shield Marvel show. I never watched Code: Black, Ransom, Sleepy Hollow, Blindspot, Elementary, Pure Genius, Quantico, Training Day, or Rosewood. I didn’t even know there was a Criminal Minds spinoff and I kept meaning to watch American Crime but totally forgot. So for the most part, I’m fine. I’ll get through the pain and heartache. I don’t think I will be missing those shows at all.

The two that make me a little sad are the two that I will focus on. For more information about the other shows, click on the link above and then you can go through your own feelings of sadness and write about it.

New Girl

The show which began in 2011, left the void in my obsession filled heart that had been left there by Friends. New Girl was Friends if they all lived in one loft apartment. It starred Zooey Deschanel as a quirky, fun girl named, Jessica Day and even the name was just perfect. She moves into a loft with the most amazing cast which included Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, Lamorne Morris and Hannah Simone, They gave us memorable storylines, laughs, and tears and quotes that still bring smiles. We wanted to live in that loft. We wanted to have drinks with Nick in his bar. We understood the bond between Winston and his cat. Throughout the seasons, there was also the on-again-off-again/will they or won’t they saga between Jess (Deschanel) and Nick (Johnson) which in many ways, played so much better than the Ross/Rachel story ever did.

Nick was grumpy, funny, weirdly wise yet simple. Jess was an overly optimistic school principal who by the way made running a school look surprisingly easy considering she was never there, but we won’t get into that. The point is that Nick and Jess did the on again-off again plot that has been a mainstay in every show since the beginning of time incredibly well. You did root for them. They were the very definition opposites attract. Where Ross could be very controlling and possessive, Nick and Jess were sweet and innocent.

Nick and Jess though weren’t the only couple to root for, there was CeCe (Simone) and Schmidt (Greenfield) and Winston (Morris) and Aly, played by Nasim Pedrad who joined the show in 2015. CeCe and Schmidt eventually married and by the most recent episode were expecting a baby, Winston and Aly got engaged and Nick and Jess ended that final episode making out in an elevator. Much like how Friends ended because the six characters were now all officially in the next stage of their lives, the stage where families are starting to be formed, it seems that Jess, Nick, CeCe, Schmidt, Winston, and Aly are all in that next stage. While it would be strange to see them all living together next season and Schmidt and CeCe now have their own home…..

…..I’m not ready to say goodbye.

I still want one more season. One more round of True American. I want to see CeCe and Schmidt starting their family.  I want to see a wedding for Aly and Winston. I want to see Nick and Jess figuring themselves out without constant input from the others. I think they have a season left. There are stories and I do hope to see them. The goodbye of the last episode didn’t feel final. It’s not really a series finale. It felt like a season finale. It kind of reminded me of the last episode of Gilmore Girls back in 2007. It was a nice ending but it wasn’t a series finale. New Girl has always reminded me of Friends and just like they got a goodbye and Gilmore Girls did eventually get their goodbye, I think New Girl deserves the same treatment.

The Odd Couple

While this show has never been a ratings juggernaut and was always close to the chopping block, I always held out hope that it would keep going, giving Matthew Perry another long-running series to add to his resume. Since Friends ended in 2004, he’s had a string of one-season shows. There was the severely underrated and should have had a second season, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, there was a show he created, Mr. Sunshine and another show that really should have been given a chance to grow, Go On. Finally, he seemed to have a hit with The Odd Couple.

The Odd Couple was a remake for those who don’t know of the Neil Simon classic. What made this different wasn’t just Matthew Perry as Oscar. Yes, his fanbase drew people in but the rest of the cast kept them there. Thomas Lennon, Yvette Nicole Brown, Lindsay Sloan, and Wendall Pierce held their own and it became an ensemble show which was not true of the original. Lennon was the perfect Felix for Perry’s Oscar and Brown, Sloan and Pierce were far from supporting. It was a cute show, funny, sweet, and the actors were and are likable. Was it a deep show? No. Not entirely. It wasn’t meant to be. Garry Marshall had been the one to first develop The Odd Couple into a television series back in 1970 and this current reincarnation stuck to the Marshall legacy. It more than upheld it. No sex. No drugs. No rock and roll. Well, maybe some rock and roll but not a lot. It will be sad to see this one go, if only because it will be sad to not see those actors on my screen every week.

Now, unlike New Girl where it can go either way, it doesn’t look too good for The Odd Couple as Matthew Perry tweeted this:

Seems a little harsh, by the way. It feels like the Hollywood version of ghosting. I also am curious how he found that out.  Did someone text him a picture? Was he there while they were painting? It just sounds cruel and it can’t be good news. I do have to give credit to Yvette Nicole Brown for her optimism:

I love this so much! I hope she’s right and if she is well….’cause the CBS Radford Studios are super close to Laurel Tavern and the home of some really good burgers, if they do get picked up…..I hope they go celebrate with burgers and if they don’t, well they really should have the burgers ’cause they’re good. Also, if you need someone to follow on Twitter, I suggest following Yvette Nicole Brown. Her tweets are the best of just all the things. Oh, and as an educator, I will always applaud her for her dedication to teachers and also her optimism.

So my final thoughts….while the fate is up in the air for New Girl and The Odd Couple’s fate may already be sealed, my apologies to Yvette Nicole Brown, no matter what happens, I will definitely miss those two shows. Were they perfect? No. Were there times where I went, “wait, what?” Yeah but I also do that a lot…..both of these shows hit what they needed to hit.  They were wildly different yet were both wildly entertaining in their own ways. We need both.

Two Shows I Watch Are Probably Getting Canceled and I Have the Sadness Yesterday, Jethro Nededog wrote this article for the Business Insider about eighteen shows which are in danger of being canceled: