#i definitely wasn't bored and some of the acting was very good imo but it was a super weird experience overall

[kareenvorbarra]

ju and i watched the 2004 merchant of venice movie (a play i have not read or seen before and knew very little about) and it was fascinating but now i'm just kinda depressed

they played most of it very seriously but i got the sense that as originally written it was supposed to be funnier, which made for a lot of tonal weirdness. the courtroom scene was extremely brutal and everything that happened afterwards seemed trivial in comparison, especially since i found it basically impossible to care about portia, bassanio, or antonio at that point

[destinyc1020]

My Movie Review: "Challengers" 🎾

**Caution...May Contain Some Spoilers**

Okay okay..... Here we gooo! Another film review.... 😁🙌🏾

Y'all.... I have so much to say about this movie lol. 😅 I'll just be honest, like...I had some mixed feelings about this one!

Okay, so first of all.... I had a great time going to see this movie. My girlfriends and I all went to one of those theaters where you can order REAL food and alcohol, and they bring it right to your seat. 😁 We decided to treat ourselves to this one, and just have a "girl's night out" watching it.

Our little theater was quite packed too! Saw a lot of date-night couples watching this together lol. 🤭 I think I saw another group who was doing a girl's night out.

So anyway....

The movie ended up being an enjoyable rollercoaster for all of us lol. It definitely kept my attention, it wasn't boring at all, and it gave many of us several things to talk about/discuss long after the movie was over! I LOVE films that make you think, and that have you talking about it afterwards. Even if we disagree, it's just nice to see a movie like this that sparked a good discussion afterwards. 😊 Here were my Pros/Cons and random thoughts that I had during and after this movie lol....

PROS

Everyone's acting was solid in this! I already knew that Mike and Josh are stellar actors (I've seen them in other projects before, and both have done theater if I'm not mistaken), but ZENDAYA!! Zendaya babeeeee....She surprised me in this one! Dare I say it?? I think "Challengers" was her best acting job yet on the big screen. 👏🏾 She really embodied that "Bad B*itch"/Boss vibe very well imo. She was definitely believable! LOL 😅

The CINEMATOGRAPHY! Omg the cinematography in this film was so good and on point. I loved how the camera would change perspectives during a match (especially the end match) and would switch and show you the ball's pov, then the pov of the players, and whatnot. It was dizzifying switch and camera change for sure lol, but it was very creative. I honestly think that this film could be nominated for an Oscar just for the cinematography alone. 😊👍🏾

The music .... The music was a pro AND a con (more on that later) for me. It had a really hype techno beat throughout the movie, and that really helped to keep the movie hyped and show the fast-pace of the sport. I really liked it! It was catchy lol. 😅

Zendaya was GORGEOUS in this movie! I kept looking at how flawless her skin was in this. It's so rare that we get "adult" Z in her films lol, so it was just nice and refreshing to see her finally playing more of an adult in a big screen role, and seeing her be the desirable/sexy/attractive one in a film for a change. She really looked amazing in this. 😊 I'd love to see her do more roles where she's playing the object of desire. We need more woc in roles like this.

I loved the subtle ways in which Luca shows that tennis is basically like a relationship in this film. I loved that metaphor. I think the little subtle hints for the movie were quite creative, and it's one of those films where I think it would be good to watch at least twice in order to catch more of the subtleties and how the sport related to their relationships and inner dynamics throughout the film.

I LOVED that scene where Patrick and Tashi met up with each other, and it's so WINDY and wild. Just like their relationship.... Windy, unpredicatable, destructive, yet exciting... Unlike her boring relationship with her husband lol. LOVED the subtleties in this film.

I loooved seeing Zendaya in her "Bad Gal" element. Yaaass! 👏🏾 I love it! I think it's harder playing a villain or someone who's not redeeming honestly.

Hahaha I have to give a shoutout to Darnell.... Good seeing him on the screen. Glad he was able to add another big major film on the big screen to his roster lol. 😜

Zendaya's body was BODY GOALS in this film.... 🔥 Can I just say?? I was like, "Dang.... let me keep going to the gym". 👀 And then, the other thought I had was, "Shooooot....no wonder Tom came back ROTFL." 😅🤣 Lemme stop lol.

I loved the anticipation for the final match, and it really kept you on the edge of your feet lol. 😁

CONS

Now for the cons.... 👀

Was it just me?? Or, sometimes the music in this movie was a bit TOO loud Lol. For example, there was a scene where Patrick and Tashi were talking in the hotel, and the techno music is SO LOUD that I could barely even make out what they were saying (and it seemed important too). Maybe it's just me.... But at times, the music was drowning out the dialog, and I didn't like that. Anyone know what Patrick and Tashi said to each other at the hotel when the music got to be so loud lol? 😅

I STILL hate that "my little white boys" line ...UGH! It's SO CRINGGGGGE! 😫😩🙈

I definitely saw a LOT more sausage and moons than I expected to see in this movie lol... 👀 😅 I meannnnn.... Idk... Is male frontal nudity EVER really necessary?? Let's be honest lol. I honestly don't think so. I kind of wonder why it's even needed?? (I say the same thing about female frontal nudity as well). Idk, sometimes I wonder why certain directors make that choice to add that in, when it's not even necessary 9 times out of 10. I just don't like things being done gratuitously . Like, gratuitous sex scenes for example.

I'll be honest, I didn't really care too much for some of the plotlines and writing in the film.... 😬 I'll also just come right out and say it... I kind of wish that Z had done a slightly different film than this for her big-screen lead role debut. I kind of wish it weren't such an "adult" film with a ton of sexual themes and elements. I kinda wish too that Tashi was not personified in the way that she was. It's one thing to be a very determined and dedicated athlete, but another thing altogether to be the stereotypical cold, icy, attitude-having diva. I also look at this from a woc/black woman's pov as well. Part of me feels like we as Black women are so hypersexualized (and seen as "grown") , and stereotyped as having "attitudes" from such a young age, and it just makes me feel like women/female actresses shouldn't have to get naked or be overly sexualized in order to win awards or get good critical acclaim for their roles. (I read that the film Emma Stone won an Oscar for this year, "Poor Things", had a lot of sex and nudity in it as well....🥴) Don't get me wrong, I'm not a "prude", but when it comes to WOC, I just want better for us since we're already so stereotyped and stigmatized. Like, why couldn't Z's big-screen lead role debut be the Ronnie Spector Biopic film?? Or, why couldn't it be a film like "Hidden Figures" where she's playing a black female mathematician who aids in the space launch? I don't feel like you have to resort to sex or get undressed in your underwear to be taken "seriously" as a "serious actor", but maybe the meaty roles for adult women in Hollywood that don't add that in are really scarce. Anyway, that was my only gripe. 😊

RANDOM THOUGHTS & QUESTIONS

When people claimed that there wasn't any real redeeming character in this film...boyyyyy...they weren't KIDDING!!! 🤣 I don't mind characters who aren't perfect or aren't the best though, so that didn't bother me. My only question was.... Why on earth did Tashi hate Patrick so much?? Does anyone else know?? 😅 I kept waiting and waiting during the movie to see some big REVELATION of something really HORRIBLE that he did to Tashi in order to deserve the type of hate that she dished out to him, but I couldn't figure out anything?? I mean, I know they dated each other at one time when they were younger, but I don't see why she's still hating on this man in her 30's when they dated in their teens and early 20s lol. 😅 She's out here married and even has like a 6 year old kid and is STILL hating on this man.... WHY?? 😅 Can someone PLEASE explain that to me?? Cuz right now, I can only surmise that the only reason why Tashi is so mean to Patrick is because deep down, she's still attracted to him, so she has to hate on him in order to curb that HAHAHA. 🤣 Maybe I'm just a Patrick-sympathizer lol, but I can't really see how he was a bad boyfriend or how he did anything wrong?? Yes, he shouldn't have slept with Tashi (Art's WIFE), but HE was single.... TASHI was the one married, so really, SHE was the main one at fault here as far as I'm concerned lol. 😅

Why did Art and Patrick like Tashi so much?? I mean, aside from the fact that she was gorgeous (obviously lol)....She seemed like such a ballbuster and treated them like crap lol.

Mike has a cute butt lol 🤭

Josh does a really good American accent. I only heard it go out and switch off like maybe once or twice lol. Only slightly lol. 😅

BTW, in case you were wondering...I'm Team Patrick lol.... 🤭 He was just a washed up bum of an athlete lol. I feel like Art and Tashi were way more manipulative. Jmho. I do kinda feel bad for Art though on some level, cuz it was CLEAR Tashi was in a boring, lifeless marriage and didn't really love him anymore lol.

I saw people in our audience gasping and covering their mouths during some of the sexual scenes lol. I could tell a couple of the girls in the theater were fans of Zendaya and had never seen her in such a role before hahaha. Some were laughing at some of the sexual stuff and it was like uncomfortable laughter/giggling lol. The guys included lol. 🤭

I'm not sure what awards this film will be up for, but seeing as how it's a film by Luca, we might actually see Z getting an Oscar nod for this!! Or, at the very least, maybe engaged in a FYC campaign. I can see it. Luca is very well-known...his film CMBYN garnered Oscar nods (including an Oscar nod for Timothee), and Z is Hollywood's Darling atm, soooo idk y'all! We might be looking at "Oscar-Nominated Actress" Zendaya next year! I guess we'll have to see lol. 😊

I looooved that Z was able to work with such a renowned and well-liked film director. I'm glad she got that experience. She's been working with some great directors lately (ie. Luca, Denis, etc), and I love that for her. It seems like FFC was also eyeing her for one of his roles at one time as well. So, I'm so proud of our girl!!! 👏🏾

OVERALL

Overall.... Definitely a fun, joyride of a film. 😊 VERY creatively done. So far, I haven't really been THAT impressed with Luca's films (CMBYN being the other one I've seen), but his films def make you THINK, long after they're over, that's for sure lol. The movie was fun and enjoyable to watch. There were just a few things that I felt could have been better imo.

OVERALL SCORE: 6.5/10

[dosai-maavu]

finished the atla live action (even tho i literally have a chem final tomorrow LOL) and i've got some thoughts.

visually it looked incredible. when i saw the first images, i kinda felt that that costumes seemed too cosplay-ish but it actually blended quite well with the backgrounds. bending was very well done and looked natural for the most part. but at times the water bending felt kinda weak? like it felt like there was no force behind the movements. this might be nitpicking tho.

the acting was very good for the most part. dallas liu is FANTASTIC. gordon cormier was very cute. kiawentiio and ian ousley were really good too and i think they did the best w what they were given. i wasn't too sure of lizzy yu was the best choice as azula but she really proved me wrong - definitely think she has the potential to shine in the later seasons (if they get made). my fav out of the younger cast definitely has to be sebastian amoruso tho; he was PERFECT as jet. the older actors were amazing too, but that's was pretty much a given

the writing really let the show down imo. wayyy too many exposition dumps. the pacing was also kinda weird and it felt like we were being given TOO much information at times. sometimes it was boring. liveaction!katara is like a watered down version of the og katara. kiawentiio did her best, but she felt like a less cringey version of the ember island players katara. aang is more preachy than he is goofy. sokka delivers a few laughs, but it didnt have the same charm the og sokka did. also, why did aang learn no waterbending throughout the season?

episode 6 was a masterpiece. easily the BEST episode of the season. zuko's backstory somehow became even more heartbreaking.

overall. i'd give it a solid 6.5/10. maybe a 7 if i'm being generous.

[mermaidsirennikita]

listen yes the diana ghost was stupid as fuck and i do agree with some of the cast being miscast (although i feel the real issue is they are not given enough to do) but idk man i was compelled. and more importantly entertained. god season 5 was so boring. maybe it's just that i had such low expections going in and i'll feel different on rewatch but i thought these episodes were a lot more focused, better paced and written compared to season 5. not perfect by any means but good bordering on amazing. i thought the acting was also very strong. i even feel like they handeded diana's death well and i'm impressed morgan didn't just totally repeat himself since he already covered these events in the queen. the shift in perspective helped i think. so yeah that's just me. i've seen the season getting a mixed response and it's definitely not on the level of seasons 1-4 but i thought it was still very very good.

To preface: I don't want to imply that you're wrong for liking it, there are totally my opinions alone.

For me, the ghost went beyond stupid--it's offensive. I know it wasn't a literal ghost, that's not even the issue. Peter Morgan softened the relationship Charles and Diana had in order to lionize Charles, which has been a huge part of s5 and s6 imo. Diana and Charles weren't like... good... when she died. She wasn't good with Elizabeth II either. Even if the ghost is idea is supposed to act as their projections, I don't think the general audience is necessarily going to get that in the way it was conveyed. Dianas would not like... lovingly usher Charles and Lizzie 2 through grief; and even the implication, however unintentional it is, goes into this idea PM has pushed that Diana didn't feel that badly to the monarchy, she didn't mean what she said in the Panorama interview, she was confused!!!!

And it's a part of invalidating her emotions, using her mental health especially, that is also a consistent part of the Windsor mythologizing of her in recent years especially. She didn't hate us. She was manipulated.

Diana was smart; she was abused by the Windsors; and I think she would've done a lot worse if not for William being the eventual heir. Compare it to Harry and Meghan--Harry clearly still has a kind of emotional attachment to his father and whatever he thinks his family is. Meghan has obviously ceased to give a fuck about them and did a while ago. When you weren't raised in that family and were treated like an outside as a married-in, I think your capacity for forgiveness probably goes away, especially when you're not financially dependent on them (see: Fergie, who stayed more loyal ultimately and is financially dependent on Andrew and by extension the royals).

And aside from that, I find the handling of Mohamed al-Fayed, a controversial man with controversial opinions, whose outspokenness and anger towards the royal family is totally valid--but who did have extreme theories that were used to invalidate the solid points he made at times. The other thing used to invalidate him was the concept of the Angry Brown Man who just Wants Revenge on the Rich Classy White People. The show has VERY MUCH played into that. And you can absolutely portray whatever Mohamed did to influence Dodi and that relationship (and I won't deny that he wanted them together) without playing into that stereotype.

I also found the way in which Dodi was portrayed, or really the lack there of, really disappointing. Dodi was given a really flat characterization over both seasons, which is a big missed opportunity to me--Dodi obviously died too, and his tragedy was really lost in the shuffle of the immense reaction to Diana's death.

To me, the attempted lionization of Charles and Camilla has really been distasteful. The were human. They made mistakes. Nobody is perfect. But the idea of Charles as this handsome grieving pseudo-widower who just wanted to be with the love of his life is so... off. Camilla as his loyal trusty partner who is ready to step up is... off. Camilla didn't want to be queen, at least not at that point. She slept with both Charles and her husband (among others) for years. She loved her husband. Charles saw other people. That's all valid, tbh; but I've never liked this idea that they were these consistent, steadfast lovers thwarted by fate and a more attractive, more popular woman. Camilla wanted to be his mistress, lol. Being queen or princess came with obligations that she (understandably) wasn't interested in signing up for. Charles kinda pushed her into that.

So yeah, idek. I don't find the writing any more compelling than s5, personally. I feel like the first four seasons did a great job of acknowledging the humanity of the royal family while also admitting to them being fundamentally shitty. Philip and Elizabeth have their weird failmarriage where they actually do love each other; and they're incredibly cold parents who scar their son. Margaret is a woman who wants her own individual identity and is mentally tormented by it; she's also an incredibly spoiled and self-absorbed asshole. Charles is the kid who wanted mom and dad to love him; he's also an emotionally abusive husband who is incapable of not wallowing in self pity.

I mean, I'd say this extends to people the show didn't see as shitty, too. Even Diana--she's got a good heart and is a good and loving (if not perfect) mother, and she soaks up the attention (while paradoxically hating it at times) and isn't very mature.

To me, it now seems like PM has failed to realize that he doesn't have to make Charles and Camilla seem like better people than they are to make them seem like people. Perhaps he feels he had to overhaul after the very negative reaction to them in s4. But the reality is? Those negative feelings were already there. Many people made up their minds about Charles and Camilla a long time ago. While I'm sure some people genuinely went "oh it's been long enough, we like them now" (particularly royalists) many, many people... still hated them lol. They just didn't think about it. The show gave them something to talk about. PM didn't make the royals look bad in that season; so much as he reminded everyone of why they were so, so criticized in the 90s.

(And he def gave a soft touch to some people before s5--good ol' Uncle Mountbatten's pedophilia accusations were never mentioned.)

So yeah, it just seems like they lack depth, and are more flattering portrayals of the monarchy versus even... well-rounded fictional people.

[artis-lined]

HELL YEAH IVE BEEN WAITING 4 THIS QUESTION--

long story short, yes, it was incredible and if ur able to see it I would HIGHLY recommend getting tickets

Going into detail tho...

Let's start off w/ Jordan Fisher since he was (imo) the weakest link of the main cast. The end of Joannah was kinda anticlimactic and his vocal range wasn't the best. You could tell he didn't have opera lessons or smthn whilst the whole cast was very classical sounding, but I'm going to take a guess he just didn't have enough breath support since he sounded a bit shakey towards the end. He was stronger in the second act tho he wasnt rlly belting then. Jordan Fisher has never rlly surprised me vocally, but that's not rlly a bad thing, I just kinda wish they casted someone a bit more fit for the role.. but if that was the "worst" thing abt the show, I think it's going to be just fine.

The ensembles dancing was either hit or miss, some of it was very awkward whilst other numbers was incredible and clever. For "there was a barber and his wife" They had two dancers on a platform where they danced in the dark and it made them seem like silhouettes in the moonlight. Seeing as the show is still in previews, tho, they still have time to patch it up :).

Gaten Matarazzo was great as Toby and had nice vocals. I was also able to see him in deh and although he was more a talking role I think he is a great singer and actor. He definitely pulled off the ending as well and didn't worry about looking attractive or something while conveying to the audience that he had succumbed to the stress of his situation. Believe it or not I've seen a few shows where an actor would try to make themself look hot but also insane and its just kinda annoying tbh-- like they always sacrifice being believable over being handsome/pretty. All in all, he is a great performer and had wonderful stage presence.

Johanna was incredible. Like actually incredible. Green finch and linnet bird is one of my favorite numbers and she did it justice. I forget her actresses name unfortunately, but she was truly Johanna when she was onstage, and embodied the character beautifully.

Beedle was hateable as was the judge, but that's good because it means that they did their job well. Funny thing is that when he said his line "Deceiving slut!" A person behind me just went "oh-- 😨" and it was clear everyone was surprised.

The beggar woman was so good omg-- like she was great at switching between personalities when begging and it was so funny at times but other times it had the audience sobbing or thinking.

Mrs. Lovett was so incredibly funny it was unexpected. She's no Angela Lansbury but I think it's unfair to compare them to each other since no one is going to be as great as her. She was very lively and I never felt bored when she was onstage! Well-- I was never bored during the show but you know what I mean! Her songs were great and she has her own little twist on things. I don't know if they changed the key for "worst pies in london" bc I haven't listened to the og recording a lot but I wouldn't be surprised since every Mrs. Lovett has had a different key it seems. I really hope I get to see her in something else because she was just so fun to watch and I just loved her so much!

And finally...

JOSH FUCKING GROBAN LEZZ FUCKING GOOOO--

I love that man! I fucking love that man so much 😭!

He was absolutely incredible. My mother said she doubted he would be able to pull off an insane middle aged man but my god, he did it. It was strange to see him being so mean and malicious considering he seems so nice irl, but he was so great and I'm so glad he got to play Sweeney. And I'm even more thrilled that I got to SEE him play Sweeney. His vocals were stunning and he was incredible at acting (even if Todd himself is a rather silent and monotonous man).

So yes, all in all, it was amazing and I rlly hope I'll see it again! Here are some pictures of the stage and playbill :)

@succsessions @mystically-michaela

[gothicbarbie]

MY TOP 15 BL SERIES OF 2021

I did one of these for 2022, so figured I should do one for 2021, 2020 and then one for the shows before that. I started watching Bls seriously at the start of 2021, and its been such a fun journey. These lists are probably more so for me than anything else but maybe someone will find them helpful when trying to decide which ones to check out... let me know what your favs are!

1. We Best Love [Taiwan] - To date, my favorite BL series thus far. IMO it really has everything. Great premise and storyline, great acting and dialogue, and amazing chemistry between the main two, plus decent enough intimate scenes and kisses. It really ticks all the boxes for me. Plus, I love a good rivals to lovers storyline and samyu are pretty darn sweet.

2. Utsukushii Kare [Japan] - This one is a bit messy and there are definitely some problematic elements, but gosh, it's so entertaining. From start to finish I was hooked into the storyline and the relationship betwene the main two. And I think it was a well-rounded story with a good ending, so it left me pretty satisfied. For a Japan series too, it had a nice kising scene in the finale.

3. Light on Me [Korea] - Adore this series, and finally we get a longer Korean BL. The main characters were adorable, and the show was light enough and funny but had some good drama as well. Not the best kissing scenes ever but the main two's chemistry made up for it imo. Very sweet series.

4. To My Star [Korea] - This one took a few watches to grow on me but in hindsight its one of the better BL's out there (lets not talk about season 2)... the storyline was fun and it was one of the first Korean BL's that I watched, so it was a good one to start on! Korea goes unmatched for me with their BL's.

5. Kieta Hatsukoi [Japan] - Not a lot to say about this one tbh, I would have to rewatch to really give some better insight but I remember really enjoying this one. Japan BL's can tend to be a bit dramatic and sometimes a bit dark, but this one was so light and fluffy. It was a nice change of pace.

6. Don't Say No [Thai] - Okay, storyline wise, this BL kind of dragged for me. I didn't find the premise overly interesting. HOWEVER, Jafirst and their chemistry really made up for it. It's obvious how comfortable they are and their kissing scenes were one of the best scenes from this year. (We won't bring up THAT scene with FIAT in episode 2 (or was it 1?) because I lost my brain there.) But yeah, we'll just say this series was very enjoyable haha.

7. HiStory 4 [Taiwan] - This was a solid season. Not the best the series has ever done but I love that each season is different. The brothers storyline was a hot frickin mess but the main pairing was cute. Overall, I just found it very enjoyable.

8. Peach of Time [Korean] - Is this Korean or Thai? Not really sure, but it was a cute season that felt like a bit of both worlds. Not the most amazing chemstry or storyline of all time but it was sweet and interesting to watch. It had a certain charm to it.

9. You Make Me Dance [Korean] - It's hard to find a korean bl I dislike. And while this one is not that memorable compared to some others, it was still a nice watch.

10. Tale of a Thousand Stars [Thai] - People go crazy for earth+mix... they aren't really my cup of tea. Nothing against them, they are sweet, I just dont go crazy for them. The setting wasn't really my thing either but I did like the energy between the characters and all their cute moments and scenes, so it kept me entertained. Wished they had a better last kiss though.

11. Lovely Writer [Thai] - Found parts of this boring and the storyline didn't really hold my interest all that much but I did enjoy the scenes between the couples. I wish the side "pairing" had gotten more focus cuz that kiss on the street was great! But it was nice.

12. I Promised You the Moon/I Told Sunset About You part 2 [Thai] - Part 2 was nothing compared to season 1 at all. Season 1 imo was masterpeice and season 2 was just like a typical bl series imo. I hate cheating storylines so this series made me pretty mad haha but it wasn't UNWATCHABLE and I still liked the chemistry between the main 2.

13. Nobleman Ryu's Wedding [Korean] - The time setting wasn't really for me, but it was a cute and fun series. Not much else to say!

14. Fish Upon the Sky [Thai] - TBH I don't remember a WHOLE lot from this series and am planning to rewatch for pondphuwin, but I do remember enjoying it.

15. The Tasty Florida [Korean] - Again, can't go wrong with SK for me. But, compared to the other Korean series, this one wasn't AS good. Still enjoyable.

Honorable mentions: (Won't go into detail on these, but overall I found all of them nice and pleasant to watch, but they didn't grab me in the same way as some other series.

BxJ Series - (still have yet to see it but I did enjoy season 1), Bad Buddy - (watched a reactor watch this so technically couldn't add it to my list, but will try to watch it eventually), Be Loved in House I Do, Tinted With You, My Sweet Dear, The Man Who Defies the World of BL, The Novelist, Behind Cut, Stuck on You

Also check out my lists from other years! https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705678223200174080/my-top-bls-of-2019-and-earlier https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705674738528354304/my-top-15-bls-of-2020 https://gothicbarbie.tumblr.com/post/705139242020618240/my-top-20-bl-series-of-2022

[roseposts-stuff]

good evening!!! rating doctor who series 4 + specials today because i posted series 3 ages ago:D regular reminder that these are my opinions, my opinions change daily and in general i'm a pretty positive person and i'm just "oh great vibes i love this" :D

1. Midnight - so so so so good istg, writing is brilliant, acting is brilliant, the concept is brilliant, it's just so good. i love how it's set in such a tiny space and i still wasn't bored at any point, sky's actor killed it and so did david tennant, and i loved how the end showed how much it affected the doctor and it was just so cool. i could talk about this episode forever and it remains as one of the best dw episodes for me

2. The Waters of Mars - again, SO good i adore this episode, it's so cool to see the doctor kinda become the villain, like we want him to succeed but we also know he definitely should NOT succeed and it's brilliant. once again the acting is amazing and i loved the general vibe too, very spooky!!! and the side characters were great imo, i felt really bad for everyone who didn't survive :(

3. Silence in the Library / Forest of the Dead - this story was great when i first watched it and became even better on a rewatch. the vashta nerada are such great villains imo and river song is a great character and it's so interesting how her and the doctor meet in the wrong order, also this is visually so so beautiful and i love it so much!!!!

4. Turn Left - once again such a good episode, i love the social commentary, it was cool to see rose return properly after seeing cameos the whole series and i loved how the episode focused on donna and just the whole concept was great

5. The Doctor's Daughter - love love love this episode, i love jenny (and georgia tennant) and how donna makes the doctor realise that they're not that different after all, i liked the story and the twist that the war had been going on for a week, like what??? once again donna shined, she's brilliant, and martha too!! i loved her and the hath and i was SO SAD when the hath died, freema agyeman's acting almost had me crying and david tennant made me cry when jenny died 😭 (this is a huge achievement btw i almost never cry because of movies or books etc, seriously i've cried because of some media maybe 5 or 6 times in my entire life)

6. Planet of the Ood - i really like this episode and i was so happy the ood finally got free and are now living happily. the first time they appeared it really rubbed me the wrong way that they just "liked being slaves" and i'm glad they got to be free. i loved donna and how kind and empathetic she was, she's so amazing. also i think this episode was again visually very beautiful too

7. The Stolen Earth / Journey's End - i like this finale so much, yes it's mostly because of all the companions coming together and not so much the story, but that doesn't matter 🗣‼️ absolutely heartbreaking when donna lost her memory :(

8. The End of Time (part 1) / The End of Time (part 2) - i could actually talk for hours about the scenes between 10 and wilf btw, all of them are so important and wilf is 100% 10's father figure i'm so ill. the return of time lords was so interesting to me and the way 10 kept refusing to take the gun but when he found out time lords were coming and took it was somehow really impactful for me like i was like "oh okay so it's _THIS_ not good okay", the master was so goofy when he was just randomly jumping around it was so weird lol, loved how 10 said goodbye to all his companions, also 10's regeneration gave me so much emotional damage it took me 5 days to be able to start 11's era when i first watched this

9. Partners in Crime - this episode was so fun, highlight definitely being the doctor and donna's muted discussion through the glass, it was hilarious, also how they kept walking past each other was so funny

10. Voyage of the Damned - i really liked everyone except the one guy who survived 🥰 but like that was kinda the point so it's okay, i loved mr copper he was adorable and astrid was so sweet, 10 got to say "allons-y alonso" so that's great too!!! the story itself was also pretty good imo

11. The Sontaran Stratagem / The Poison Sky - i loved having martha back and enjoyed this story very much. i loved that martha called the doctor out on his hypocrisy and i loved how martha and donna bonded. loved 10 and donna as always, 10 was so silly fpr being grammar police lmao, and i liked that in the end rattigan redeemed himself, i'm always there for sort of giving people second chances and letting them realise they were wrong and trying to fix that

12. The Unicorn and the Wasp - as someone who has watched a lot of david suchet as poirot, this is so agatha christie it was so much fun, i loved that this was a sort of explanation for why christie disappeared and it definitely had some really funny moments lmao, i didn't like the wasp thing it was a tiny bit too weird and cringe for me, but honestly i'll let it be, this is doctor who lol

13. The Next Doctor - i liked the "next doctor" and? rosita? i think that was her name, and honestly i enjoyed the story, it was nice, and the endibg was really sweet in my opinion

14. The Fires of Pompeii - peter capaldi!!! this episode had some doctor donna silliness which is always great, and i loved donna so much, i would like to be like her guys, but the overall story didn't interest me much

15. Planet of the Dead - i liked the people in the bus and the weird bug aliens whatever, they were sweet, and it had some really adorable moments, but i absolutely hated christina 😭 like she annoyed me so much it's unreal, i dont even know why exactly but i really really didn't like her and i'm so glad she only appeared in this one episode 💀

THERE WE ARE!!!! safe to say that series 4 is definitely one of my favourite series!!! hope to post series 5 at some point too, i like making these rankings :)

[namtanlovesfilm]

axelle judges bl shows > House of Stars

/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD

summary: Famous actors and newbies alike live in the same house under P'Susie's management. With strict rules that they don't always respect, stalkers and hidden feelings, keeping their careers on track becomes difficult.

where to watch: dramacool

grade: 6/10

pros:

the acting was good, especially from p'susie & host who carried the show imo. there wasn't really a bad performance though.

I liked the wayu & wayha ship, they were the only characters I rooted for lol.

the last few episodes were really quite solid, and it's too bad they didn't come sooner to make the show better.

cons:

extremely annoying characters. except for wayu & wayha, everyone is unlikable which, yes, is the point, but imo you can make very flawed characters still have some qualities (example: ps I hate you), which was not the case here.

nothing much happens in most of the show... it's not necessarily that it's boring, but then bc the last episodes actually have a lot happen, it kinda gave me whiplash tbh. I just wish the writing would've been tighter, and the pace completely different. spend like 3 episodes with p'susie & the strict rules of the house, and then the rest of the show investigating her death. also her son arrived way too late imo & we didn't learn enough about him even though he was made to be a central character.

the love triangles are horrible. I usually already dislike love triangles, but these were truly TERRIBLE. mintra & pawin fighting over korn's unfaithful ass was sooooo annoying, and everyone involved are literally horrible people lol. as for the gunpitchzo love triangle, it was way too random & slow tbh, especially since it was clear from early on zo was the excluded one.

barely any character development. everything felt quite surface level, and it's not even bc there's a lot of characters since there's many ensemble cast shows that still manage to develop their characters well. but here I didn't really get attached to anyone, didn't relate to any character, didn't get any meaningful lesson from this... which makes it a show that I'm CERTAIN I'll have forgotten about in a couple of months.

would I rewatch it: probably not

This show truly had some potential, but like it often happens, it just didn't pan out well enough. With a tighter writing and execution, and definitely better characters, it could've been a great show, but oh well. I still applaud it for trying something new though!

[we-pay-for-everything]

Want to hear the most unpopular Buffyverse opinions ever? Sending them to you because you're never mean! 1. Anya is one of my top five characters (others: Giles, Oz, Wesley, Lilah ) 2. I ship Ganya much more than Calendiles 3. I actually never liked Jenny much even though I tried 4. Speaking of, Fred irritates me on every level and while this is the least of it even her name annoys the hell out of me 5. Dumb as it sounds, I really think Weslah could have been happy in their own weird way because I believe Lilah had some goodness in her and loved him 6. The first season of AtS is my very favorite and it's not even particularly close. You mentioned in a post that Angel was his best self in s1 and I agree totally! 7. Tara was too good for Willow, especially the Willow of later seasons 8. Xander has more than his share of flaws but gets way more hate than he deserves and people have to understand that the standards for what is problematic differed back then from what they are now 9. Dawn never had a well defined personality to me. I don't dislike her but am not invested in her either 10. I don't like season 5 of BtVS much at all despite loving a few individual episodes, I find s5 as depressing as seasons 6 and 7, and part of me is always surprised when people name it as their very favorite but 11. I love the Magic Box and definitely prefer it as a main setting to the high school library. Sorry for rambling so long, I got way too into this! Thanks for always being so respectful to your anons, even those of us with weird opinions.

Hi! I'm glad my blog is a safe space for anyone to share their thoughts. Your opinions aren't weird at all, they're just opinions!

I understand! I love Wesley and Lilah (they're my top 5 too!) and I like Oz and Giles. Tbh, in a way I like Anya more than Buffy and Tara. She's less likable but more enjoyable sometimes. Emma Caulfield's work as Anya is underappreciated. She did a great job.

I've never liked Calendiles that much. Giles and Anya are my crackship.

Ditto.

I understand. She irritates me when she acts like she's on crack and Wes and Gunn eat it up. It's Joss's beautiful, crazy, waif, nerd girl wet dream. Just watch Firefly and you'll see (you probably have!).

I agree. Is this an unpopular opinion? I think Lilah would've given it all up for Wesley had he given her all of him like deep down she wanted.

Season 1 is probably my second favorite! Yes, Angel was at his best from City Of to Epiphany imo.

I don't think she was too good for Tara, but Willow fucked up big time. Maybe I would agree if Willow wasn't a woman...

I agree that Xander gets too much hate. It's human nature to vilify characters we don't like. But you don't have to bring up standards when judging his flaws. He has them and he has always had them, but he also has qualities and he was a better person than a lot of beloved characters.

I like Dawn but I can understand what you mean. She did very obviously have a personality imo, but I understand not caring for her - she was underutilized in many ways.

I've mentioned so many times that season 5 is literally the most overrated season. I prefer season 6 to it. Most seasons 5 episodes are boring, Glory is annoying and the season is bleak.

That one is more surprising. I like the high school seasons better but the Magic Shop was a really cool and interested setting that represented freedom for the characters - it was bigger and airier than the library, for example, and full of magic and possibility.

Thanks for the ask! I really didn't think any of your opinions were weird. I agree with a lot of them!

[instantpansies]

alright DONE so ive already said most of the stuff i want to say but here are some final thoughts:

so i'm attempting to look at this both on its own merit and in its context as The Disney Movie Movie.

first of all, it's okay. it's not good by any means. it's tropey and floundering and hard to keep track of.

the characters feel underbaked. asha is fine, but overplayed and not super unique or memorable. magnifico is just a really boring and then very suddenly very cliche villain. all the hype around him is bad imo, he is not a better character than asha.

the animation isn't stunning, but it doesn't deserve the hate it's getting. it looks strange and wrong and it's super disappointing considering the absolute masterpieces of animation we've seen in the past several years (encanto, luca, raya, onward, say what you will about modern disney but their animation is absolutely beautiful). the backgrounds are pretty good. the character designs are relatively boring.

now, granted, maybe i shouldnt be defending the animation, since i watched this whole movie in a 3 by 4 inch window in the corner of my laptop screen while doing the world's most distracted research so. i'm sure it's different up close.

from everything i heard, i was expecting wayyy more obvious disney references all over the place, and while i definitely noticed some, it wasn't actually too bad.

the Sidekick Teens. there are like.. 7 of them?? i do not remember their names or really what they look like or much about them. extremely forgettable, too many of them, designs are boring, and there wasn't a good reason to include them tbh. they didn't even play a major role in the Final Battle!!

songs were not very catchy and like i said the lyrics were kind of uniquely awful. i've talked about this already. really bad music with no consistency or wow factor. they didn't fit together, they didn't seem fitted to any characters in particular, they didn't stick in my mind a bit. honestly it just felt like a chore to get through the song so we could move on. lyrics fucking blow, honestly i think the more poetic bits of this post are better written and im not even lying to you

the plot is kind of awful. ive said a lot already. trying to go for the Inspiring Truth-Teller Rebellious Girl Leads Her People To Freedom and yeah that did happen i guess but it was so muddy and so unclear in its own message. i completely understand the "written by ai" allegations because genuinely, it does feel disjointed and misguided in its intended principles, story, themes, and morals, about as much as it would if an ai really had written it. very disappointing, since i do think the premise could have worked if this movie didn't try so hard to be about wishing upon a star.

in a similar vein, the three different themes here - Following Your Dreams, Magic Inside Us All, and Wishes Are What Keep Hope Alive - are all fighting for the main storyline. the way the film resolves this is by pretending that those three things are actually the same thing. which they are obviously not upon any close examination. it also seems to be attempting to resolve societal issues through individual achievement, which sucks but also not unexpected. however - they do sort of stop doing that by the end, and societal change is brought about by a community effort to strive against the oppressor and rise up in hope/dreams/star-ness (stardom?). so that's cool. props to them.

i like to talk about voice acting when i do these as well. vas were overall relatively decent! asha's was quite good, her lines and expressions just pushed it over-the-top a bit. magnifico was fine. i mentioned i think dahlia's voice doesn't suit her. otherwise i didn't have any issues with the voice acting, good job actors! except for in the songs. asha in particular has that "cursive singing" voice that she's trying to keep down, and does a pretty good job of avoiding, but sometimes the pronunciation is unclear or oddly embellished. and as i said magnifico sounds like autotuned lin manuel miranda ai mixed with, like, hugh jackman or smth. did not enjoy their performances which just made the songs worse because THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO SANG SONGS!!!! (for the most part)

so yeah. overall, wish (2023) is a forgettable, nothing-new movie with particularly bad musical numbers and unfortunately complicated writing.

ugh this took me AGES i got distracted throughout the movie and then i'd pause it for 5-10 minutes at a time to complain lmao. here i am we're finally done. it's over.

i rate wish (2023) a 1.5 out of 8 blatant disney references. not good. will not be watching again willingly. not very enjoyable, and that's disappointing because i often really enjoy not-good movies!!

okay whatever im watching wish. expectations are six feet under and im also writing a finals essay so this will be extra awful let's go

[giddlygoat]

hiiii i was talking ab illumination not appreciating the onceler. basically i didn't like how much potential he had but wasn't fleshed out properly so i started making shit up. it's quite elaborate!!

his childhood:

he was born on april 22nd 1992 in some small town in georgia

his parents got married young but got divorced when he was 7, mom won the custody in court and he never saw his dad since

his mother wasn't very good at being a mother because she would neglect her children (yay /s)

he learned how to play the guitar all by himself when he was 12

he was really into fall out boy as a teen

pre thneed inc. days:

he left home around february 2012

he came to greenville on march 2nd 2012

after he promised the lorax he won't cut trees anymore, he really started liking him because he reminded him of his dad (emo alert)

he had an intense, short-lived (this will be a recurring motive) relationship with norma because imo he deserves to have interpersonal relationships with people who aren't the lorax

thneed inc. days:

after he successfully sold his 1st thneed, his company was crowd-funded and started fully operating immediately

after he proved to be successful, he made friends with some rich businessmen who were all like twice his age

again, said friendships were short-lived and intense

his business was really unethical. the workers were badly paid, he polluted the forest really bad and he was actively getting sued. he'd only win the cases because he'd bribe the judge (again, illegal). he broke osha regulations on a daily basis! quirky!

while all of this was going on, he was so sure that he was doing a selfless act, by destroying the forest for his family

in reality, him destroying the forest was an incredibly selfish act, because a group of people that don't care about him mattered more to him than the well-being of the animals and the citizens of greenville who lived right next to the forest.

near the end of his business, december 2012 - january 2013, the workers of thneed inc. unionized. the onceler fired each and every one of them

norma breaks up with the onceler shortly after. good for her!

for context, onceler really (like really really, it wasn't healthy) liked norma for like 3 months and the he grew bored of her and only kept her around because he was lonely

the forest is destroyed around march 2013, and the company shuts down

post thneed inc. days:

march 2013, the onceler shuts himself away from the world and only leaves his mansion once, on april 22nd 2013, his 21st birthday, so he could buy himself loads of alcohol and get wasted

norma forgives him and stays friends with him, that's why she trusts him to talk to ted (a girl's gotta be stupid sometimes) (and no idk who mrs wiggins' father is i never thought of that)

ted wiggins meets the onceler on march 2063, 50 years after his business shut down

additional info:

the onceler's mom was born on june 23rd 1971, when the book came out

the onceler's parents' marriage was a marriage out of convenience, his mother decided to marry his father, his uncle's younger brother, because he had more money and she was hoping she wouldn't be poor anymore, and he wanted to marry her because he wanted to leave his parents' home because he didn't really like them

his parents didn't really like eachother and they were hoping that having children would save their marriage. it didn't.

his brothers are a year older than him

TLDR: the onceler was really selfish and everything he ever did was short-lived and intense. he was really insane too, but that is understandable because 20-year-olds are like that.

anon i am SO sorry this took 60000 years to respond to. i was trying to think of something good to add but my brain has been fried for a while and it’s difficult for me to formulate any substantial headcanons rn. however, these are really interesting and i like your take a lot. i think he definitely had a thing with norma and i love to see ppl with that headcanon. i wish i had more to add to make the wait worth it, sorry.

once again, i would absolutely love to talk about this more! i actually have a discord server for fans of the lorax now so if you’d like to join that, please feel free to, it’s linked in my pinned post. i hope you have a great day/night despite my incredible lateness and boring response sjdndkndn

[antispopausandstuff]

My guess as to why glimmer blamed adora for angellas death (and not catra cause they never talk about it for some reason) is cause the writers went "whoops adoras friendship with glimmer is too healthy in comparison to the person we're supposed to be shipping her with (catra). Better make her a bad friend real quick and have her act like catra to... Make catra look better as a romantic prospect."

that's honestly a good guess!

imo tho, while glimmer and adora's friendship is somewhat better than c//a's relationship as a whole, glimmer is very flawed in writing terms, which makes her more irritably flawed in character terms.

if that didn't make sense, what i mean is that because they made very questionable writing choices with glimmer's character, they made glimmer frustrating as a result.

i do try to separate character from bad writing if i can, and there are more...better glimmer moments than catra, which is why i don't mind fanon glimmer/glimmadora ( as opposed to fanon catra/c//a ), but in terms of canon, the relationship ( platonic or otherwise ) between glimmer and adora, and bow tbh, would still have to be thoroughly explored.

i wanna love glimmer as a character, really, but they made a lot of writing decisions that aren't just catra as a whole that make so much of the cast unlikable or bland and boring.

if you don't agree, that's okay, and i'm not trying to say your POV is invalid! it definitely isn't, and i still agree that this is one of the possibilities of why this happened!

but for me, the show made it hard to actually like a lot of the characters as a whole as opposed to liking only certain scenes of them ( for ex, i love adora and bow as a whole, despite how underwritten they both are, while i only liked/loved glimmer in certain scenes :< ).

i hope that makes sense and i hope it wasn't offensive to you ^^;

[vldkeith]

(i have read the faqs don’t worry!! )

why is it that you don’t like the dirty laundry fanfic? is it just not your type of ff or?

gonna copy and paste my answers from some older posts bc i mostly still agree with what i said then!

from one post i made before:

the whole fanfic was written by a white person, so their intense focus on portraying lance’s family as homophobic is….kind of racist? like just because it’s something that actually happens doesn’t mean white people get a pass to write an entire story centering around it, a story that is honestly just angst porn wrt lance’s family. like. it’s one thing for a hispanic person to write a story like this, but quite another for a white person who has not experienced it to do so, because they’re kind of just working off of stereotypes. i dont think the person who wrote it is racist at ALL but i do think that what they chose to write and how they chose to write it kind of exemplifies the racist dynamic of america & how many white liberals view hispanic people as hopelessly conservative wrt things like homosexuality. it’s really not their place to comment on it. there are also hispanic people who agree that it is racist, so it’s not like im going against the grain here. 

and from another, earlier post:

 i read this like….back in 2017 when it was still semi-new (and was there to see it replaced with the bee movie script after it got so much flack, and then when it was deleted altogether) and i have to say…as literally the FIRST klance fanfic i read (i always sort by hits/kudos) it was such a BAD INTRO TO THE KLANCE DYNAMIC!! like! god ok i don’t remember it being written that horribly but the plot points were just WHACK like. kenzie mentioned yesterday the like car fight thing?!?! what the hell was that??? and lance’s family being homophobic?? lance not rly accepting keith’s “love letter” (writing the words “keith’s love letter” was painful bc keith would never DO THAT) but then trying to make up for it by like…serenading him in a mcdonalds or smth?! idk if im remembering right and tbh the most i remember from the fic was like, the roadtrip and even THAT i don’t remember a lot bc it was kind of boring and bad characterization but tbh it was just so overhyped. ppl were like “wow this is the klance fanfic this is what the fandom is founded upon” and i just don’t see it and even back then i don’t think i saw it, though i acted like i did bc i was 17 and just wanted to fit in. again it was also one of my first experiences with klance so i didnt rly have a strong frame of reference yet but man….idkidk i dont think it deserved the intense hate it got but the vaguely racist(?) (stereotypical might be a better word? racist seems a bit intense but i cant think of another word rn) undertones of how lance’s hispanic family was portrayed definitely rubs me the wrong way thinking back on it now and i just dont think the author was equipped to handle such widespread popularity given that. 

i think i was actually too easy on it with this answer ^ from 2020 lmao.

it just plays into soooo many racist stereotypes about hispanic families/people and about the "drama" of gay male relationships (they get out of the car just to physically fight each other at one point like i mentioned up there) and if that wasn't enough to convince people it's just not a good fanfiction, the characterization of both keith and lance is very Off imo again as i outlined above. overall just a product of early klance fandom that is best left in the dark shadows of history, only to be resurrected as a demonstration of what you probably should not do when youre writing a mlm relationship between poc

[yandere-sins]

Hey, I agree with you, but wasn't the N.12&14 you wrote for nagito a submissive yandere? Where he just let the darling do whatever they wanted except let them go? Or was he a part-time submissive?

Let me elaborate my point again: A strictly submissive yandere with a dominant darling has no ground to stand on because yandere has always a certain degree of power play in it, which is not there if the yan’s only trait is supposed to be submissive to their beloved darling.

And the way how it can work, I showed in that scenario that you mention. Because Nagito, no matter how much I could have written him kissing the darling’s feet, keeps his dominance by making use of a power imbalance. He - at some point - kidnapped the darling, tied them up, hid the key in anticipation that they could try anything, etc. etc. Had he not, the darling would have just walked out and be gone forever, leaving him to die probably or break his thumbs or so. So what a submissive yan could do, you might call it situational dominance, and then it would work.

Same works for spicy works, because the darling can be the most dominant asshole, but if I write them, they’ll stay tied up for good. Otherwise, what keeps them? What makes them stay with the yandere? Why would they comply? Even if the darling one day snaps and gives them what they want so they can play out their submissiveness, until then, the yan needs to have the upper hand in the relationship.

Not sure if my wording came out wrong or you guys just try to enlighten me because SO many of you were rushing to my inbox to defend submissive yans, but I was tired and just wanted to get another ask out yesterday, so I might have flubbed it, I do apologize for not taking more time with that and elaborate more. However, I stand with my point that if submissiveness is the only trait for the yandere, it’ll get boring and compliant reader very fast and that is just not the yandere I want to portray.

Also the original anon was btw not offended, for the few people who came to their aid. They even came back to rephrase and work something out.

So yes, in that scenario Nagito was submissive, and (not mentioned in this scenario) gushed and loved his darling as best as he could, doting on them, feeding them, sitting in a dark corner when they ask him to leave to watch them in silence but listen to them. And when he got a taste of what he wants to have (their - fake - love) he complies which ends up with him in an iffy situation. However, balancing this out, he is clever enough not to make it too easy for his darling at any given point.

This is a prime example of how to create a power imbalance between the yan and darling. It could definitely work, given the threat is severe enough, there are no evidence that the darling could show about the blackmailing, and more actions are taken by the yan/yan’s family.

Actually, in that case, the family acting for their yandere isn’t submissive since they aren’t interested in the darling but the yan’s happiness that comes with the darling. So they don’t count. They could do all the blackmailing, kidnapping, murdering etc. for the yan and the latter could just reap the affection and trust of the darling, doing everything for them as long as it makes them happy and being by their side, except stopping their family. That’s a different scenario all together imo. That’s just a golden child with too much support and influence lol. However, good potential to snap when darling tells them to leave them alone, and they finally take the upper hand to make it clear who the darling should stick to if they don’t want to get hurt.

Like above, this submissive can work, but it also only works when there is more behind them and they are proactive with their wooing, even if it’s just crying to their family about what they want.

I’ll just reference this post here.

I pretty much said all I had to say to this topic in the other post, and your points just connect to my points, really. Maybe they thrive on tormenting themselves about what they did to their dear darling, but it still makes them hard to portray because really... it can get boring if that’s all they do. Even in the case that they don’t ever let their darling free, they’ll just keep prompting them all day, asking them to tell them how awful they are? And when the darling eventually breaks from boredom and neglect, doesn’t fight and can’t tell the yan anymore what they want to hear, what then?

Again, it’s the mixing of personalitites that makes it for me personally. Then, anything can work.

You can smash delusional and masochistic together to get what you were talking about in the last paragraph. And if you are okay with a more dominant yandere, you can also make them masochistic so even if they get hit by their darling, it only spurs and turns them on more when they make their darling suffer. I personally prefer a bit more duality and a bit more balance in my characters. If anyone’s interested, I might write a delusional/masochistic yandere for better understanding on what I mean.

But same as above, a strictly masochistic yandere who just wants to be hurt by their darling to get high from that is hard to portray and doesn’t work for me. (In the end, everyone can have their own opinions alright.)

[harrowscore]

ouoh, a ship bingo! *rubs hands* Levi x Hange, Jean x Mikasa (just because i can :D), Beth x therapy, Ymir x Christa

Well, the bingo really doesn't work for ships but I could still do it for all these characters and then give my brutally honest opinion about the pairings. I hope that's okay!

So... *rubs hands*

Levi (BELOVED):

Hange:

"they got done dirty by the creator": please assume this is true for the whole AoT cast lmao, and while Hange's treatment wasn't as bad as other characters's, their (spoilers) death is completely ruined by the ending of the series. It seems like their sacrifice (and Erwin's, and everyone else's) is meaningful, as said by Levi's last spoken words, but as the last pages reveal... it's all absolutely useless, 11 years of pure void basically :))) And I found it really unfair since these. weren't the premises of the series? Like, at all? Also, the bingo doesn't really show it but Hange is probably in my top 5 characters of the series, I love them <3

As for Levi/Hange: absolutely adore their friendship but mainly as brotp. Never got around the supposed "romantic vibes", I don't see them at all. Sorry 😅

Mikasa (........ *sighs deeply*):

Jean:

...... now it seems I don't give a shit about him but I do, I swear lmao. His character arc was definitely on point, though I can't say I'm "obsessed" with it.

Jean/Mikasa: I find it painfully boring, sorry skskksks. I mean, his crush for her is cute and all but I have a great dislike for the "x character is pining after y since forever, y doesn't care at all until suddenly boom! they care!" trope because imo it excludes the most important thing in fictional romance: the build-up. Tho Jeankasa is not nearly as offensive as [insert canon Mikasa's longtime infatuation here]. I'm happy for the fans who kinda got what they wanted in the epilogue (they're heavily implied to have got married) but tbh it's so obvious that Jean is going to be forever second place to Eren, I feel very bad for him. It was all so cringe 😂 So, yeah, I don't care for the ship but I don't actively dislike it or anything.

Historia:

Omg she got done SO dirty. "Not enough screen time" as in: she basically disappears and turns into an incubator for like, 40+ chapters lmao. And obviously since we're talking about AoT, her having a child doesn't serve any purpose, not even symbolically, except getting her out of the way for the finale act. Really sad, considering all the character development she went through.

Ymir:

As for YumiHisu: the only (semi)canon romance that's actually valid. Isayama can't write romance to save his ass but ironically he did something right with the wlw pairing. Both character and build-up wise, YumiHisu is 👌👌👌 I just wish Ymir didn't unceremoniously die off-screen after s2 🙄😥

Beth (my absolute beloved!!!):

"the best character in the work" well, of course. There's not much competition 😅😂 And as for the popular ship thing: I don't care much for Beth/Benny, especially in the book (he is much colder and emotionally distant there, while in the show you can see he really cares for her). I like Show!Benny tho, and clearly both actors got some good chemistry. As for Beth/therapy: OTP obviously <3

[onstoryladders]

Alright everybody, the sun went and came back again, and I still feel the need to RANT about A chance to love, so I'm gonna do just THAT.

🎶 ready or not, here I come 🎶

Let's just start with stating some facts: it's bad. I know it, you know it – it's bad for so many different reasons I'm not even gonna list ’em all... or maybe I will. You know what, I definitely will:

I guess it's low budget and IT SHOWS – but whatever, among all the serie's issues this is actually the most forgivable one.

The acting isn't bad, but it's still awkward sometimes, especially when it comes to love scenes. I love TinCan with all my heart (they're actually my favorite couple in Thai BLs, I think?), and Mean and Plan are good and have good chemistry, but when it comes to physical stuff, and especially kisses, they get so stiff and awkward and-- it's clear it makes them uncomfortable – or at least it makes Plan uncomfortable. It's just hard to watch sometimes lol especially because they were so much better and more convincing in season one! This time it was clear their heart wasn't really into it.

There are so many product placements! The whole show feels like a very long ad for snacks, drinks, makeup and sunscreen.

The side stories are useless af. They don't add anything to the main plot. You're just forced to follow this bunch of other dudes you don't give two fucks about, and they're not even interesting enough, or funny enough, or sweet enough to keep your attention. But maybe that's just me.

The writing is so bad! This is the major issue with the series, imo. The dialogues are bad, even the most emotional scenes lack tension and fall flat, the same things are said and showed over and over and over again, so it all gets very boring very fast.

There are probably other reasons but-- enough.

So, did I hate it? Well, not exactly, because as I said, I love TinCan with all my heart and I was so excited to see them again 💕 and even though some of the reenacted scenes were better in season one (the kisses were definitely better) they still added some very cute moments in this season as well!

All the hugs and all the little kisses – they were so sweet 😭 Tin was so soft during the whole season and I loved every second of it ~

But the story was so badly written that I still get mad when I think about all the wasted potential! They really thought it was a good idea to just-- retell their story from the start? They didn't even do a great job, because I feel like season one had a lot more tension going on: Tin was meaner, Can was angrier – and yes, okay, it wasn't a healthy dynamic, but that's exactly what made the development more interesting!

The only reason they decided to go down that road is that they had to fill the episodes and had no idea how to do it. What makes me mad is that it wouldn't have been difficult AT ALL to just write a better screenplay for the season, because there were so many things to tell! I get that they had a novel to follow, but they could've changed something and actually fleshed out the central conflict of the series – between Tin and Tul.

And what do we get instead? The same dialogue repeated over and over and some vague and sad background for the evil brother thrown in our face so suddenly it gives us whiplash.

“So you're telling me Tul was kidnapped as a child and his grandma wanted him dead?”

Excuse me, but what in the everloving fuck?

And after all this fuckery I'm still not sure what was going on between Tul, the other dude, Tul's wife and the rest of the family.

Anyway.

Anyway.

Anyway.

I am sad because Tin is one of my favorite characters and I think he deserved better.

And OF COURSE we ALL know who else deserved better, right? Exactly. Ma boi. Ma man:

I mean, you really have the audacity to retell TinCan's story from the start, completely fucking up the timeline of the whole series, and then you don't change the only thing it absolutely had to be changed?

It just makes no sense! They really spent the whole season trying to make that storyline less creepy and disturbing, normalizing it, making it seem like the only problem was that Kla lied to Techno and not that he freaking raped him. But whatever, I knew it was going to go this way.

OKAY I'M TIRED OF WRITING SO-- time to put an end to this rant and draw some conclusions.

Did I like A chance to love? Well, mostly no. I was very happy to finally see Tin and Can together and in love ❤ but that's it. I rewatched Love by chance before, but I doubt I'll ever rewatch this second season. It felt way too flat and uninspired.

They're still precious though 💕