#i remember seeing the Hungary one at some point and thinking it was incredibly beautiful but having no idea the context behind it

[skitskatdacat63]

those 2011 pics remind me of hard the McLaren race suits used to fuck, I loved the vodafone era suits so much 🥹

YES AGREED!!! I love the Vodafone McLaren livery, literally peak!!!!!

Thank you for sending this ask bcs now I get to talk about 2011 in particular. There were these special Saturday race suits and they're all so pretty!!! Hugo Boss did a design competition to celebrate their partnership with McLaren and different artists made different designs for the Quali days. They're so beautiful 🥹🥹 Why can't they do anything fun like that now???? I digress, I went through all the Qualis and compiled pics of all of them!!

[lilacyennefer]

Something More

A/N: I'm in such a Raleigh mood lately so I had to write something with him, but I wanted to make it really perfect and tbh I'm not sure if I achieved that so feedback is really appreciated! Also I didn't really proof read it so if there's any mistakes, I apolagise.

TW: nothing really maybe just mention of characters death and light smut

The sound of celebration is clearly heard in the room as you lay with Raleigh on the bed, in complete silence. People are celebrating the end of the war, you and Raleigh closed the Breach, and after the two of you went through many tests to see if you had any health issues, you came back to the Shatterdome. Neither you and Raleigh were in the mood to celebrate so you went up to Raleigh’s room and now the two of you are cuddling on his bed, in silence. You’re resting your head on his shoulder, his arm is wrapped around you, holding you close. You only knew each other for a few days, but there was a strong bond between the two of you. Earlier, when you asked Raleigh if he thinks it’s because of the drift, he immediately so confidently said he’s sure it’s not only the drift, you wouldn’t have matched with him during the tryouts if there wasn’t something more. His answer relaxed you, but also made you nervous about your future. 

“What will happen now, Raleigh?” You ask quietly, you don’t need to clarify what you mean, your mind is still somehow connected to his. People who drift can ghost-drift for like a year, so your and Raleigh’s brain are still connected, melted together. 

“What do you want to happen?” He turns his head to look at you. 

“You know what I want.” You whisper again, looking him in the eye hopefully. His eyes skim over your face, drinking in every little detail before he speaks again.

“I don’t want to lose you either. You’re the only one left for me.” he whispers. None of you had any family left, you lost your sister during a fight with a kaiju, just as Raleigh lost his brother during a fight. You decide to be bold, and lean closer to Raleigh to press your lips to his, in a gentle, small kiss. He looks at you surprised first, then he cups your face and leans down to kiss you, softly, as his tongue slips between your lips into your mouth, massaging his tongue gently against yours. You moan the same time as Raleigh groans, and he pulls you closer to himself. You break the kiss breathlessly, and Raleigh touches your forehead with his, a gesture he seems to really like. 

You honestly think this whole press tour is ridiculous, you weren't in the mood to recall all the painful memories of the past year’s events, and to answer the reporters, and you know that Raleigh feels the same. The nice side of this whole circus was the nice hotel rooms and meals you got, you don’t remember when was the last time you had proper coffee, and the first time you finally drank coffee again, your body melted. Raleigh and you were sleeping together since the night the war ended, you didn’t had sex yet, but both of you could sleep better when you shared a bed. Until one night it happened. You were making out in the bed, hands are all over each other, and soon Raleigh was on the top of you, deep inside of you, moving perfectly, when it happens again. Your mind connects ro Raleigh’s and his to yours, and suddenly everything what he feels you feel it too, and your pleasure is suddenly his too. You moan his name, hugging him closer as you make love to each other while you ghost drift. You see and feel yourself through him, you know what he thinks about you, and his pleasure adds to yours. Raleigh is about to whisper that he loves you, but he doesn’t need to, you’re in his head and you know he’s about to say it, and you say it back to him, make him feel loved the way he makes you feel loved. Both of you pour your hearts out to each other, completely open your souls for each other.

 “Where are we gonna go after this ends?” you ask Raleigh sadly. None of you had a home, and you absolutely have no idea where you should go.

“I have an idea, if you agree with it.” he says with a small smile. You look at him curious before you ask what he has in mind. 

“A farm.” Raleigh says happily. You look at him surprised, a shocked expression on your face.

“A farm?” you ask him in disbelief. 

“Yes.” he answers and steps closer to you, he places his hands on your hips, pulling you closer to him. “I figured it would be a good escape. We could have some animals, away from people, away from the ocean. There’s always something to do on a farm so we both could keep ourselves a bit busy.” you watch him excitedly express his ideas about your future with him and you can’t help, but smile at him. 

“I really like the idea. And you’re right, we should be as far from the ocean as we can.” Both of you had enough of it, and it always brings up bad memories for both of you.

“But you still haven’t answered my question. Where should we go?” you ask Raleigh again.

“How about Budapest?” he asks you, and again, you look at him surprised.

“Why exactly Hungary?” you ask him, but then, you remember. Memories, not yours, of young Yancy and Raleigh floods your brain, you watch the young Becket boys play around. You remember the story, Raleigh and his brother spent a summer in Budapest, and Yancy always wanted to go back there, and this is why Raleigh wants to go there.

“Okay.” you agree with him “But I have a condition.” you say with a small smile.

“What’s that?” Raleigh asks with a smile.

“I want bunnies.” you answer and Raleigh lets out a laugh. 

“You want bunnies?” 

“Yes. And chicken.” 

“Alright.” Raleigh smiles at you then leans down to kiss you.

And this is how you ended up in a farm, outside Budapest, a really beautiful, big farm, with chickens and bunnies as you wished. It’s almost winter, and Raleigh built a house in the garden for your animals, so they won’t freeze. Raleigh really enjoyed this farm life, every morning he wakes up with such joy to go and feed the animals, collect the eggs, and do whatever he wants to do. And you, you planted flowers and fruits, and even some herbs, and you loved to take care of them, and collect your own fruits and eat them, there was something satisfying in eating something what you grew. You’re sitting on the porch with a hot tea in hand as you watch Raleigh do some work. He wears a simple dark blue knitted sweater, his hair is a little bit longer, so is his beard. You watch him happily work, ever since you moved here both of you are relaxed and really happy. You deserve this, you think, both of you do after all the things you went through. Raleigh slowly walks towards you and sits down next to you in the swing bed what he built, he puts an arm around your shoulders and pulls you close. He places a kiss on your forehead and you lean your head on his shoulder. 

“Are you happy?” He asks you and you look at him confused. 

“Of course. Why are you asking this?” Raleigh shrugs.

“Just wanted to make sure.”

“And what about you?” you ask Raleigh. He smiles at you softly, there’s something in his eyes what you can’t read. You don’t ghost drift anymore, or at least not as much as you’d like. You genuinely liked ghost drifting with Raleigh, liked feeling so connected to him, it was something unexpected for both of you as lovers, and it made both of you feel incredibly close to each other. 

“I’m beyond happy.” he answers and kisses your forehead. You don’t say anything, you keep sitting on the porch in Raleigh’s arms, watching the sunset. At one point Raleigh said you should start making dinner, so you went in the house and you guys made dinner together what you ate, then watched a movie together. You’re sitting on the bed in your fluffy robe, drying your hair with a towel when Raleigh walks out of the bathroom, wearing nothing, but a towel. You look him up and down, water drops dripping down on his perfect body. He walks to his drawer and pulls it out, taking a boxer out and he sits down on the bed next to you. He looks at you with a soft smile, his eyes are full of with  admiration for you. 

“You’re so beautiful.” he whispers and you smile at him, but before you could say anything he continues “I never thought I could find happiness again after what happened to Yancy. But you came into my life and in the first minute I saw you, I knew I was in love. It probably sounds silly, but it feels like our meeting and that we were drift compatible were all destiny. Two broken people found each other and they found a new family and love. I love you so so much.” he says and takes a small box and places it between you and him on the bed. He opens the blue velvet box and reveals a beautiful, simple diamond engagement ring in it. You gasp when you see it, you look at him shocked.

“Will you make me even happier and will you marry me?” Raleigh asks and you feel tears in your eyes as you nod. 

“Yes! Yes of course!” you say happily and you hug Raleigh close. He hugs you even closer, wrapping his big arms around you. You eventually pull away and kiss him passionately, and when you pull away he slips the ring on your finger, and you start a new chapter in your life together.

[the-observant-frisbeetarian]

George deValier (2015 profile)

since: 05-02-10, id: 2348750, Profile Updated: 06-02-13

country: 🇦🇺 Australia

Author has written 17 stories for Hetalia - Axis Powers.

If I lose the light of the sun, I will write by candlelight, moonlight, no light. If I lose paper and ink, I will write in blood on forgotten walls. I will write always. I will capture nights all over the world and bring them to you. – Henry Rollins

Hi! I’m George. One day, I will be a professor of history, who wears tweed suits and lives in a library. Right now, I am a graduate student, who wears jeans and t-shirts and… um… lives in a library.

Reviews and PMs.

I don’t demand or even expect reviews. They do, however, make me happy. So if you are kind enough to leave one after reading, please know that even though I may not reply, I read every single one, and I am incredibly grateful - your few words of praise have brightened a moment of my day. :-)

If you send me a Private Message and don’t receive a response immediately, please know that I am not deliberately ignoring you. I find it a little difficult to keep up with replying to PMs; if I haven’t responded to your message in at least three months, it’s usually because I’ve, er, lost it. Feel free to send me another one calling me a giant prat and demanding a response.

Fanart and Translations.

I am perfectly okay (quite ecstatically happy, actually) with people doing whatever they like with my fics – whether that be translations, fanart, cosplay, AMVs, whatever. You do not need to ask permission - I will always say yes. All I ask is three things. One: please credit me as the author (and a link to the original story would be fantastic). Two: please let me know so that I can check it out and thank you profusely! And three: something I hate to have to mention, but please never do anything to make money out of these works. Obviously, Hetalia does not belong to me – it belongs to the amazing Hidekaz Himaruya, who is incredibly awesome for giving us such fantastic characters to play with. :-D

MY STORIES

THE VERAVERSE

The Veraverse is a Hetalia World War Two AU, of fics involving different characters and pairings, all living within the same time period and all interconnected in some way. As each story in the series is named after and loosely based on the lyrics of a wartime song sung by Vera Lynn, I flippantly dubbed it the ‘Veraverse.’ The name has sort of stuck, however. I have posted a list of character's birth dates here: http://george-de-valier.deviantart.com/art/Hetalia-Veraverse-Birth-Dates-340315828

This series is, at its core, about the power of love over war. It's about the real reasons people fight, and the real reasons they survive. It's about finding something beautiful in the midst of something ugly and evil. But overall, although I hope there is more to these stories than just romance, they are essentially about love.

Don’t expect every fic to be updated quickly. These stories intertwine, and will be published simultaneously, and it may be a while between chapters for each specific story. Most can be read separately, however a few will require that you read at least one other story in the series to make sense of it (e.g. ‘My Echo’ does not make much sense unless you also read ‘Lily of the Lamplight.’) Rest assured, they will all be completed.

We'll Meet Again Alfred Jones/Arthur Kirkland (America/England)

Complete - Thirteen Chapters

‘We’ll Meet Again’ is about love arriving when you least expect it, and how it can transform loneliness.

Keep Smiling Through Alfred Jones/Arthur Kirkland (America/England)

Complete – One Shot

Just a little mini-sequel to ‘We’ll Meet Again’ about a brief moment in Alfred and Arthur’s lives.

Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart Ludwig Beilschmidt/Feliciano Vargas (Germany/Italy)

Complete - Eighteen chapters

‘Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart’ is about love being blind, proving stronger than hate, and lasting longer than war.

Bésame Mucho Antonio Fernandez Carriedo/Lovino Vargas (Spain/Romano)

In Progress – Fourteen chapters

‘Bésame Mucho’ is essentially about love overcoming fear.

Lily of the Lamplight Gilbert Beilschmidt/Roderich Edelstein (Prussia/Austria)

In Progress – Eighteen Chapters

‘Lily of the Lamplight’ is about selflessness, survival, and how love can change you for the better.

My Echo Unrequited Vash Zwingli/Roderich Edelstein (Switzerland/Austria)

In Progress – Six Chapters

‘My Echo’ is about how true love is selfless – even if it is unreturned.

Jealousy Ivan Braginski/Yao Wang (Russia/China)

In Progress – Six Chapters

‘Jealousy’ is a little different to the other stories in this series. It is about control, madness, and how love has the power to destroy as well as to save.

Something to Remember You By Sadik Adnan/Gupta Muhammad Hassan (Turkey/Egypt)

In Progress – Three Chapters

‘Something to Remember You By’ is about losing love, and yourself with it.

UPCOMING VERAVERSE FICS

Somewhere in France With You Francis Bonnefoy/Matthew Williams (France/Canada)

Darling, where better to meet again than the most beautiful city in the world?

It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow

Toris Laurinaitis/Feliks Łukasiewicz (Lithuania/Poland)

Art. Music. Passion. Destruction. Young, wild love, in the streets of Berlin, on the eve of war.

When I Grow Too Old to Dream Berwald Oxenstierna/Tino Väinämöinen (Sweden/Finland)

“What would you do if I just… took this tree? Claimed it for Finland?”

“I’d let ye take it.”

“This lake?”

“Ye can have it.”

“This entire forest?”

“’t’s yours.”

“Would you let me take your whole country, Berwald?”

“Yes. And you? What’f I just… took this rock?”

“You can’t have that rock. That’s a Finnish rock.”

You’ll Never Know

Elizaveta Héderváry/ Lili Zwingli (Hungary/Liechtenstein)

“But who knows? Maybe you'll meet a charming little Swiss girl with plaits and a basket who likes to yodel on mountaintops."

Elizaveta always hated it when Gilbert was right.

When the Lights go on Again

Eduard Von Bock/Raivis Galante (Estonia/Latvia)

"I will stay with him through this darkness. I will give my soul to keep it from him. And I swear, whatever I must do, that Raivis Galante will live to see the lights go on again.”

Room Five-Hundred-and-Four

Herakles Karpusi/Kiku Honda (Greece/Japan)

“Life's most important conversations take place in bars. Perhaps in places not too dissimilar from this - perhaps between people not so different from ourselves. Bars, after all, are where people meet, and where they rejoice; where they forget, and where they say goodbye. They are the crossroads of life."

"You sound like a philosopher. Though your name suggests a hero."

Faraway Places

Bad Friends Trio (France, Prussia, and Spain)

“Ah, those were the days, huh, Gil? Remember the time you tried to take on the entire Parisian police force?”

“Or the time you knocked yourself out running from that bull in Pamplona?”

“Or that time Francis tried to seduce your grandfather?!”

“Francis what?”

“Oh, look at that, I’ve finished my drink.”

Autumn Leaves

Augustus Roma Vargas (Ancient Rome)

But I miss you most of all, my darling, when autumn leaves start to fall.

OTHER FICS

THE MAPLEVERSE

This is a currently small modern AU, set in modern day Canada.

La Patisserie de la Rose Francis Bonnefoy/Matthew Williams (France/Canada)

Complete – Six Chapters

A birthday present for Claudia, aka ThisCouldTheoreticallyBeSparta

An essentially fluffy Franada with lots of cameos and cake and general silliness. I like to think this story is about friendship as much as it is about love. It's also about seeing something in someone that no one else can - not even themselves.

Libelle Hall Gilbert Beilschmidt/Roderich Edelstein (Prussia/Austria)

In Progress – Three Chapters

A Gift for Kay, aka Kay the Beta

‘Libelle Hall’ is about change, and about love growing from self-realisation. It’s also an examination of Gilbert and Roderich’s characters, and how they aren’t that different from each other, after all. And it’s a gift for my beta Kay, because she loves PruAus, and she’s awesome.

Of Ponies and Edelweiss Gilbert Beilschmidt/Roderich Edelstein (Prussia/Austria)

Complete – One Shot

A Valentines’ Day present for Claudia

Just a fluffy, romantic little fic for Valentines’ Day. Well, as romantic as Gilbert gets, anyway.

ONGOING MULTI-CHAPTERS

Catch Perfect Berwald Oxenstierna/Tino Väinämöinen (Sweden/Finland)

In Progress – Twelve Chapters

‘Catch Perfect’ is basically proof that I can’t even write crack without some semblance of plot and angst. I am still writing this, just ever so slowly.

The Tiger and the Dragon Ivan Braginski/Yao Wang (Russia/China)

In Progress – Seventeen Chapters

I first posted this story almost three years ago. Last year I started re-publishing it, mainly to fix up the writing quality and some plot points. Yes, it’s melodramatic; yes, it’s a bit cliché. Basically, if this were a published novel, it would be the type to have GAY EROTIC ROMANCE in tacky writing across the cover. But really, what the hell, it’s fun. :-D

COMPLETED ONE SHOTS

Stay With You Germany/Italy

A rare story with the characters as nations, and my very first posted fanfiction. I had just discovered Hetalia when I wrote this, and loved the random humour of it, but also wondered what it could be like if it was a more serious take on the Second World War. Also, it has always been blatantly obvious to me that Germany and Italy are in love with each other. Like, duh.

Gallipoli Australia and New Zealand

Another nation story from me, about a conflict embedded in the consciousness of every Australian. We haven’t been given much to go on with Australia’s characterisation, so I went with my gut instinct – he’s anti-authority, he’s an easily broken optimist, and he cares deeply about his men. Gallipoli shattered the romantic idea of war for this country. I think it would have shattered Australia, too.

Sleep, Little Bird Berwald Oxenstierna/Tino Väinämöinen (Sweden/Finland) and Peter (Sealand)

There is not much I can really say about this one, except sorry. Oh, and that it’s not in the same universe as ‘Catch Perfect.’ I wouldn’t do that. ;-)

LINKS!

http://george-de-valier.deviantart.com (deactivated account) - Where I fave and comment on the wonderful artwork that people have drawn for my stories. I adore fan art, so please tell me if you have drawn any! If I happen to come across art for my stories that I haven’t been told about, be warned, I WILL proceed to fave and comment on it anyway. :-)

www.youtube.com/user/ykwyh26 - My lovely and talented beta Kay’s YouTube site, where you can hear all the songs from my Veraverse stories.

VIDEOS

I am incredibly flattered that the amazingly talented Alyss Lane has written a gorgeous song based on ‘Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart.’ It is called ‘Auf Wiedersehen,’ performed by Willow, and you can hear this beautiful song here – www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N8T4oIppS0

The following are awesome AMVs for my fics, made by some very talented artists.

The Veraverse

Sanctuary, by Insomniac3Ltd

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfvTV5b9Zwk (unavailable)

We'll Meet Again

We’ll Meet Again, by Shokora15

www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4COUwq9yzA

Wild Horses, by SirenShadow95

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaiMnawL3hM

Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart

Stereo Love, by snobo52

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH8-zY-3qiI

If I Die Young, by NightmareCCL

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkoVnwzwLlU

Stay, by PastaWithWurst

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i61AAOfNm4 (unavailable)

Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart, by Sydney Amber

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM9anzT81tM

Home, by Sanity4Fire

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjPTML1vjXA (unavailable)

Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart, by ShiroBaraLuv123

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qltINwf-ZkU (unavailable)

Bésame Mucho

Fear, by ykwyh26

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua5Ak4O9P88

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, by Kayleigh Turgeon

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pDaLTw5wIs (unavailable)

The Only Exception, by InuLoverNr1Hitomi

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pt_sHtZfIw

Don’t Tell Me You Love Me If You Don’t Mean It, by AnnoyingGirl1234

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkcTKOAN8Y8 (unavailable)

Lily of the Lamplight

Lili Marlene, by xxEmoxxChibixx

www.youtube.com/watch?v=otYq31Qnct8

Sleep, Little Bird

Sleep, by Hetaliagirl96

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tOCsWjpNsk (unavailable)

La Patisserie de la Rose

Take Me Home, by Ahogemako

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwsX1rJ2CDo

Something to Remember You By

Lullabies, by Lanie P

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnRXhe2cdZw

STORIES WRITTEN FOR ME

These are all fantastic. Please check them out, you won’t be disappointed!

Mi Piachi perché Mi Piaci, by ThisCouldTheoreticallyBeSparta

(GerIta, Spamano, PruAus, BelgHun and teeny mentions of Franada, Netherlands/Australia, UsUk)

A wonderful birthday present of fluffy GerIta goodness from my wonderful friend Claudia.

www.fanfiction.net/s/7601790/1/Mi_Piaci_perche_Mi_Piaci

Maple Street, by fubibliophile

(Canada and America)

A really cool, atmospheric one shot from the very sweet fubibliophile.

www.fanfiction.net/s/7796628/1/Maple_Street

Chapter Four of Hetalia Fairy Tales, by Kitty-Kat Allie

(GiriPan)

An incredibly sweet GiriPan fairy tale from a wonderful author and a lovely person.

www.fanfiction.net/s/7730679/4/Hetalia_Fairy_Tales

1. Something To Remember You By » reviews

VV AU. 1914. Constantinople, Turkey. On the eve of war, street dweller Sadik Adnan's way of life and existence is called into question by the strange, beautiful Egyptian imam, Gupta Muhammad Hassan.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Tragedy - Chapters: 1 - Words: 4,732 - Reviews: 73 - Published: 5-30-13 - Turkey & Egypt

2. Lily of the Lamplight » reviews

WW2 AU. Austrian musician Roderich and German soldier Gilbert are forced into an army prison unit and a fight for survival on the Russian Front. But in the midst of blood and death and hell on earth, how long can they fight their desire for each other?

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 4 - Words: 27,329 - Reviews: 557 - Updated: 5-21-13 - Published: 11-20-11 - Prussia & Austria

3. Libelle Hall » reviews

Modern AU. When Roderich Edelstein – student, musician, and reluctant activist – attempts to save a local music hall from destruction, he is not prepared for the conflicting emotions evoked in him by arrogant demolition worker Gilbert Beilschmidt. Gift fic for Kay the Beta.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: T - English - Romance/Friendship - Chapters: 2 - Words: 8,900 - Reviews: 174 - Updated: 5-6-13 - Published: 2-20-13 - Prussia & Austria

4. Jealousy »  reviews

WW2 AU. Insane Russian Commander Ivan Braginski is the terror of his battalion and his enemies alike. He controls the lives of thousands - but it is the memory of one that controls his own. Tie-in to 'Lily of the Lamplight.'

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Tragedy - Chapters: 1 - Words: 3,077 - Reviews: 80 - Published: 11-29-12 - Russia & China

5. The Tiger and the Dragon » reviews

Human AU. Awkward, average chef Yao Wang is sick of being thought of as boring and predictable. When he meets the enigmatic and slightly unnerving Ivan Braginski, Yao is immediately captivated. As he falls deeper it becomes apparent just how dangerous Ivan really is… but Ivan is just as smitten, and Yao may be too in love to care about the consequences…

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Drama - Chapters: 4 - Words: 12,967 - Reviews: 155 - Updated: 11-15-12 - Published: 8-25-12 - Russia & China

6. My Echo » reviews

WW2 AU. Captain Vash Zwingli is a soldier in someone else's war; a man mad enough to lead where others will not. He treads a fine line between life and death, between sanity and madness, in a constant battle to forget. But when Vash's past confronts him in the worst place on earth, will it finally tip him over the edge – or give him a chance for redemption? Unrequited SwissAus.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Angst/Drama - Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,378 - Reviews: 73 - Published: 11-15-12 - Switzerland

7. La Patisserie de la Rose » reviews

AU. Accountant Matthew Williams is used to being unnoticed, ignored, and forgotten. That is until pastry chef Francis Bonnefoy appears like a burst of colour in his dull, grey life. Gift fic for TCTBS.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance - Chapters: 6 - Words: 35,111 - Reviews: 573 - Updated: 10-10-12 - Published: 12-9-11 - France & Canada - Complete

8. Catch Perfect » reviews

AU. When Berwald loses everything he is forced to move into a share house with an insane Dane, a sociopathic Norwegian, an unfathomable Icelander and a perfect Finn who makes it all worth putting up with.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: T - English - Romance/Friendship - Chapters: 8 - Words: 36,538 - Reviews: 582 - Updated: 9-22-12 - Published: 10-10-10 - Sweden & Finland

9. Blue, White, Red » reviews

Human AU. 1777; The American Revolutionary War. Three times, American rebel Alfred Jones meets British soldier Arthur Kirkland. One blue; one white; one red.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Angst/Romance - Chapters: 3 - Words: 5,981 - Reviews: 369 - Updated: 9-20-12 - Published: 8-26-12 - America & England/Britain - Complete

10. Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart » reviews

WW2 AU. Feliciano Vargas is a passionate, if slightly scared, Italian resistance member. Falling in love with a German fighter pilot was the last thing he expected... and it will test his national loyalty, and his heart, to their limits.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 18 - Words: 104,322 - Reviews: 3246 - Updated: 8-11-12 - Published: 12-18-10 - Germany & N. Italy - Complete

11. Keep Smiling Through » reviews

'We'll Meet Again' mini-sequel. Keep smiling through, just like you always do; 'til the blue skies drive the dark clouds far away! USUK

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: K - English - Romance - Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,376 - Reviews: 172 - Published: 6-28-12 - America & England/Britain - Complete

12. Bésame Mucho » reviews

WW2 AU. Lovino Vargas only ever wanted something exciting to happen in his boring, everyday Italian village existence. He never expected war, Resistance, love, passion, treason, or a cheerful, confusing, irritatingly attractive Spanish freedom fighter.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 5 - Words: 39,037 - Reviews: 817 - Updated: 5-30-12 - Published: 8-1-11 - Spain & S. Italy/Romano

13. Of Ponies and Edelweiss » reviews

Gilbert Beilschmidt is not, generally speaking, a romantic man. Which makes his behaviour this particular Valentine's Day a little odd for Roderich to understand… Gift fic for TCTBS; spin-off of 'La Patisserie de la Rose.'

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: T - English - Romance - Chapters: 1 - Words: 4,143 - Reviews: 130 - Published: 2-14-12 - Prussia & Austria - Complete

14. Sleep, Little Bird » reviews

Human AU. Tino, Berwald and Peter are the perfect family. Things like this don't happen to people like them. But when they do, how are they supposed to accept it?

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: T - English - Family/Tragedy - Chapters: 1 - Words: 4,169 - Reviews: 294 - Published: 9-26-11 - Finland & Sweden - Complete

15. Gallipoli » reviews

Gallipoli, April 25, 1915. Australia is a young nation with plenty to prove. And war is where nations prove themselves.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: T - English - Drama/Angst - Chapters: 1 - Words: 4,966 - Reviews: 48 - Published: 4-28-11 - Australia - Complete

16. We'll Meet Again » reviews

WW2 AU. London pub owner Arthur Kirkland is driven to distraction by loud, brash American fighter pilot Alfred Jones. Unable to stop it, Arthur finds himself falling for Alfred's charms... just as the pilot is preparing to leave for war.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: M - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 13 - Words: 43,415 - Reviews: 1376 - Updated: 1-20-11 - Published: 7-18-10 - America & England/Britain - Complete

17. Stay With You » reviews

Germany lies defeated and alone in the aftermath of the Battle of Berlin... but not everyone has abandoned him.

Hetalia - Axis Powers - Rated: T - English - Angst/Romance - Chapters: 1 - Words: 1,325 - Reviews: 66 - Published: 5-4-10 - Germany & N. Italy - Complete

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THANK YOU MARVINHERE FOR FINDING THIS!

[inkstaineddove]

For Convenience Sake

Ship: PruHun

Characters: Prussia, Hungary

Summary: Erzsébet and Gilbert have been relying each other for emotional support, with their intimacy increasing as the Cold War heats up. How does the purely physical interact with their repressed longing for each other?

This was a relationship of convenience. Well, for Erzsébet it was. Gilbert tried to force himself to feel differently, but it was impossible. He'd been in love for so long, yearning for her, how could he try to deny his feelings once he finally had her? But he had to deny. This was no time for romance. They were comrades - although they both loathed the term since coming under their Russian captor - in arms, fighting against an oppressive system that felt all-consuming. This was their act of rebellion in a society that punished love and compassion. Still, Gilbert hoped. He was hoping then, watching Erzsébet sleep, her naked back rising and falling as she breathed. He lightly ran his fingers down her sides, enjoying the tenderness of the action. Like this, when she looked so soft and vulnerable, he could almost forget what a fierce warrior she was. There were women like her in myths. The Valkyries in Norse stories, those women who fiercely chose who lived and died in battle. Or the Amazons of the Greeks, the whole race of fighting women chosen by the Gods. That was more like it. "My Amazonian goddess," Gilbert mumbled.

"Wha-?" Erzsébet yawned and rolled over, blinking sleep out of her eyes. She smiled gently at her Prussian companion. "You're still here." He shrugged, trying to make it seem as if he hadn't thought over the act extensively. "I was tired, it was easier than catching a train." He stood up. "Breakfast? I make a mean omelet."   She nodded and he left. The Hungarian snuggled up under the blankets, annoyed at the cool that now settled in. It was the first time he had stayed the night. They'd never had a spoken rule about leaving, but it had become custom. Easier to ignore the strangeness of everything if you were on your own in the morning. Easier not to think about things. She sighed, choosing to accept his given excuse. Besides, it didn't really matter. It was better, Erzsébet thought. She knew he didn't like being on his own as much. Things haunted him, especially if he drank too much. This way she could keep an eye on him, make sure she prevented hearing from him in a panic the next day. Seeing him like that, it almost made her forget that he had once been one of the finest warriors in Europe. One of the sharpest military minds, able to take on any foe and triumph. Who would recklessly rush into battle against any opponent, even if the odds were against him. She chuckled and found renewed pride in all the times she'd beaten him on the field. "Ah, well I did say he was one of the best, not the best." She rose from the bed and wrapped her robe around herself. She shuffled into the kitchen, following the smell of fresh eggs. "I didn't know you were capable of cooking." Her tone was teasing, but didn't quite hide the amazement of seeing such a formerly feral man doing such a mundane task. "I had to feed Ludwig and myself somehow. Especially when my servants left with Wilhelm." He handed Erzsébet her plate and smiled. "You oughta give me more credit. I'm not a total barbarian." She rolled her eyes and bumped him with her elbow. They sat down and ate in peaceable silence. Erzsébet looked over the letters from yesterday while Gilbert scanned the newspaper. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed her shift from Erzsébet to Hungary. "Something happened?" Hungary huffed. "When doesn't something happen. We haven't been receiving adequate bread rations for the last three months so I've been kicking up a fuss to get some. Those shipments are going to be delayed by another month and even then there's no guarantee of it all being there. Not only that, but we're not getting enough oil from Moscow because of some bullshit Ivan's trying to pretend is all sunshine and roses. That son of a bitch, I should really cut out his tongue and break his fingers to make it harder for him to lie." Gilbert watched her, knowing it was better for her to run her mouth off. No point in trying to calm her down, especially when he understood her frustrations. Not like they weren't experiencing similar problems in East Germany. But he didn't want to think about that. Not now, not when the bullshit of bureaucracy already occupied so much of his thoughts. "Try not to let it eat you alive. No point when it's always the same shit, different day." "Like you don't worry about your own people." "I try not to since Germany would be better off if I worried about it less. It doesn't seem to thrive anymore when I get involved." Hungary didn't know how to take that, but he laughed. "I'm not so fragile, geeze. Don't make me feel like fine China." Prussia smiled a toothy grin. "You've been helping me deal with this shit for all this time, you should know I can take a joke." She rolled her eyes. "Please, I'm not the only person you could talk to. You had Roderich as well. Which was weird, by the way. Seeing you two get along is uncomfortable." "Yeah, but he doesn't really count. That was just for convenience sake." Erzsébet scoffed. "And this isn't?" Gilbert couldn't hide his wince. She frowned. "I didn't mean it quite like that. We've always been friends...of some kind. It came out wrong." He had already hardened up though. "No, it's fine. We've always been a convenient thing. This is an alliance with an expiration date. I get it." His hurt was annoying her. What did he want from this, from them? What did he expect? That they were going to bloom into a loving couple, one full of tenderness and soft moments carried out without a second thought? That wasn't in their nature. She had given up on that dream sold to little girls long ago, long when she had first gotten married to Roderich and realized her place in his life wasn't as an equal and beloved partner. As for him, she could never recall a time when Gilbert ever believed in that stuff. He had always been so anti-marriage, against getting too emotionally invested in one person that it became a liability. Why would that change now, in a time when relationships were more costly than ever? "You can't tell me you actually wanted a real relationship. Like, with dates and all that mushy crap. I thought you liked this. I thought this was what was best for us both!" She was getting frantic now, not wanting to hear anything to the contrary from him. She did not want to suddenly see him in this new light. There was so much changing, how could her Gilbert change as well? He exhaled loudly through his nose. "Really? Do you not remember how pissed I was when you married Roddy? Do you think that was all completely selfless? All me not wanting you to be with a total square? Shit, Erzsi, I've been pining for you since we were kids! You know how relieved I was when I found out you were a girl? I thought I was going to hell!" A stupid smile spread across his face. "And now, I'm with you. Yeah, it's not the way I'd always hoped, but it's got it's perks. But I can't give up that childish dream of something more. Something where we both might actually be happy again after so fucking long." Erzsébet shot up. She began pacing. She couldn't deny there was something there between them, that there always had been. But why now? Why now, why couldn't it wait for a better time? When there was balance restored in the world and they could be free? She didn't want there to be a chance for this to be used against them. There always was blackmail potential, always a way of threatening to make you break. This would just be another liability. And their relationship and her friendship with Feliks was already so risky. Why add to it? Why enhance the risk? The reckless part of her, the part of her who grew up believing in those fairy tales of daring romance and dashing knights wanted to give it a chance. The world sucked. Their position was incredibly bleak, but what was the point in them denying such a simple pleasure? Finding some joy out of life, hadn't she missed that? It was so hard to be positive, to find the beauty in the world around her. It had been so long since she'd been able to do that. Maybe this would rekindle something in her. Maybe it would do the same for him, with his eyes looking so heavy and fearful of what he'd seen. Other people couldn't fix your problems, she understood that, but you could heal alongside someone. And that would be the most beautiful thing of all. Erzsébet hugged her robe tighter to her. There was still one nagging fear. "What if we lose each other?" Gilbert got up and gently kissed her cheek. "We've lost each other before, but somehow we always find each other again. We're hotheads, shit'll happen. We just gotta try, make things work and make each other smile." He sighed. "God, have I missed your smile." Slowly she turned around and took his hand. Gilbert brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly. "Promise me that this will be fine." Erzsébet's voice was barely above a whisper. "I promise you, everything will be fine. I won't let it work out any other way." For a second, they both believed it.

[surveysonfleek]

512.

5000 Question Survey Pt. 27

2501. What image, scent, memory, etc. would you take with you into the dark/light, the land of dead, heaven, infinity.....? my whole existence tbh. 2502. Who is the most annoying musical artist EVER? that catch me outside girl lol. 2503. If you HAD to go to one of the following concerts, which would it be: Snow Vanilla Ice NKOTB Milli Vanilli BSB <----- easily NSYNC 2504. Do you believe in manifest destiney? what?

2505. Have you ever fallen for an email forwarding hoax (send this to 13 people and old navy will send you a $200.00(100 pound) gift card)? Do you ever think 'well, maybe...' and actually forward those damn things? never. i haven’t forwarded a chain letter in years. 2506. Let's say there are 2 schools. one for boys and one for girls. They are both supposed to offer the same facilities so that the girls and boys get equal education. Would you take this to mean that the same courses should be offered to both girls and boys or that the same amount of money should be spent on each school? i’d take it as if they’re both being offered the same courses. Imagine that in the boys school fifteen boys sign up for calculus. In the girls school only five girls sign up for calculus. Should the girls calculus class be dissolved and replaced with an easier one? no. if they have the staff they should conduct them both. if not, they should combine them. 2507. Would it bother you if you found out that the fruits, vegetables, and meat that you eat is genetically altered (in lots of cases it is!)? i’d have to research it to understand. 2508. What does this world need? love. 2509. Is there anything you do just because you want to even though it has no redeeming social value? yup. like surveys lol. 2510. If you drink what kind of drunk are you? a loud one. 2511, Do you ever 'conveniently' forget something you don't want to remember? nope. 2512. If you have any cousins are you close? none of my cousins live close to me but we all get along really well when we’re together. 2513. Are you in love with yourself (your beautiful self)? haha no. 2514. What was the first movie you got on dvd? bug’s life i think. 2515. If you're sexy and you know it clap your hands. Did you clap? nope. 2516. have you ever called a: psychic hotline? suicide crisis line? sex line? dating line? none. 2517. Have you ever placed a personal ad anywhere? nope. 2518. Do guys look good in make up? some do, it all depends on skills. 2519. What are 5 things you don't care about? soccer, golf, working, drugs and my future lol. 2520. wHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO UNTIL YOU DIE? i don’t knowww. live. 2521. What 'issue' do you think your opinion is so right about that you end up trying to sway others to your point of view? i don’t try and sway people tbh. everyone is entitled to their own opinion. i hate it when people get all preachy to me. 2522. What age do you hope to live until? over 80. or at least to see my grandkids grow up. 2523. Do you like to tie others down during sex? nope. Have you ever been tied down? i don’t think so. 2524. Do you own any "toys"? no. Do you ever use them? no. 2525. Have you ever been spanked in that sexy way? maybe a couple times. it’s not a usual thing. Have you ever spanked anyone else? no. 2526. Do these questions make you uncomfortable? no. Do you like that feeling? what feeling? Does it turn you on? no. 2527. You know those ___ for dummies books (COMPTERS FOR DUMMIES, SURFING FOR DUMMIES, GOLDF FOR DUMMIES, WICCA FOR DUMMIES)? yes. Which one do you need to reaad? life for dummies lol. 2528. What do your socks look like? they’re mostly all black. 2529. Which of these really famous music artists started their career as a mime: Alice Cooper David Bowie Bruce Springsteen Moby Jewel Frank Zappa no idea. 2530. Does love float away if you let go? i don’t think so? it probably sinks lol. 2531. Do you think that most people in today's society are: kind? calm? humble? peaceful? helpful? happy? spiritual? creative? friendly? independant? intelligent? having fun? coming up with new ideas? no to all except this. able to think for themselves? able to really connect with others? If you answered no to any of the above, why do you think that is? the world sucks, let’s be real. there are some brilliant people out there but since the question said ‘most people’, it’s a hard no from me. 2532. Do you believe that every action has a sexual motive (think Freud)? nahhh. 2533. Speaking of Freud, did you know he was on drugs (think cocaine)? i don’t know enough about his life and studies. 2534. Do you trust psychology as a valid science? to an extent. can’t comment much since i don’t know enough abou tit. 2535. ID: In Freudian theory, the division of the psyche that is totally unconscious and serves as the source of instinctual impulses and demands for immediate satisfaction of primitive needs(sex, food, agressive behavior, drugs, alcohol, yelling, anger, fighting). SUPEREGO: In Freudian theory, the division of the unconscious that is formed through the internalization of moral standards of parents and society, and that censors and restrains the ego. So, which one do you express more, your ID or your SUPEREGO? idk. i’m too tired to think right now. 2536. Do you think that people who are alone and depressed are depressed because they are alone or alone because they are depressed? it can go both ways. 2537. Can you complete any of the following lyrics: I stop and I stare too much, afraid that I care too much... You're a new and better man, he helps youtounderstand,He does everything he can, he's.... Took the needles from my arms and put them to the sky... Top Gun shut down your Firm like Tom Cruise.... Don't you take it so hard now, And please don't take it so bad.... i don’t think i know any of these. 2538. How about these? From around the way, born in '73, Harcore B-boy named... And this feeling shivers down your spine, Love comes in colors I can't deny.... Before he hung up the phone he took a deep breath, stopped, and replied.... When I want you in my arms, when I want you and all your charms, whenever I want you all I have to do is... Silly games that you were playing, empty words we both were saying... 2539. Have you ever been to see a ballet? nope. 2540. What is the differance between Satan and Pan? i have no idea. 2541. What should a poem be or do if it is a sucessful poem? evoke thought or emotion. 2542. When you interpret a poem can each line mean anything you want it to? yes. 2543. Are you an orgasm addict? haha no. i love it but i wouldn’t say i’m an ‘addict’. 2544. Are you a sugar junkie? no. 2545. WHAT are you DOING? this. WHY aren't you marching in line with the rest of them? ooookay... 2546. Do you only hear what you want to? nope. 2547. Are you anal-retentive? i don’t think so. 2548. In and Out Over and Under Around and ??? about? lol. 2549. What was the last thing you returned to the store? a candle. 2550. Why ask why? why not? 2551. What is your favorite song or artist that is: jazz: metal: rock: new wave: psychedelic:  eh, idk for all. 2552. What are your feelings about: Picasso? love his style. Van Gogh? good paintings lol. Michaelangelo? incredible attention to detail. Da Vinci? cool. Einstein? smart. Tesla? cool cars lol. tbh i don’t know much about the inventor. 2553. Who else can you think of that made a MAJOR contribution to art or science? anyone and everyone who contributed to everything we have today. 2554. Who can you think of that made a major contribution to modern thought? idk. 2555. Why is it called 'coca cola'? no clue. 2556. Would you ever buy a Ford car? i used to have one. 2557. Donald or Daffy duck? donald. 2558. What is the most memorable thing about Pee-Wee Herman? never watched his stuff. 2559. Lease or buy a car? buy. 2560. Have you met Real Talkin' Bubba? no. Do you love him to death? - 2561. Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't sure if you were seducing or being seduced? nope. 2562. Can you 'pinch an inch' on your belly? yep lol. 2563. Have you ever been to: a temple? yes. a bar? yes. a massage parlor? yes. 2564. Would you ever want to visit Thailand? i wouldn’t mind it. 2565. What culture are you fascinated by? japanese. 2566. Have you ever worn a cape? probably. 2567. What is the difference between 'nude' and 'naked'? haha i’m not sure. 2568. What can you get for a dollar (.59 british pounds)? a soft serve from maccas. 2569. What makes you who you are? my dna. 2570. How do you search for meaning in life? idk. 2571. If your partner collected internet porn pics of celebs s/he thought was hot would that bother you? yeah, it would be kinda weird if he collected it. 2572. You are alone with your lover's diary. What do you do? flick through it hahaha. 2573. You read some and find out that a whhhiiillle back your lover had a crush on someone else, but you two were together. You both still hang out with this person. What do you do? question him to clear the air. 2574. Are you an old fart? no. 2575. What were your favorite things to do in the yard as a kid? ride my bike, pretend my yard was another world, play with a ball, jump rope etc. 2576. Why don't people have more fun? idk, maybe they have other things to worry about. 2577. Have you ever wanted to have a pet skinned and turned into an article of clothing? hell no. What pet? What article of clothing? 2578. Do I come off sounding normal, mildly irrational, blatently insane or completely certifiable? none lol. 2579. Did you ever feel that you were unable to function in society? not really. 2580. Is it nap time yet? very soon. 2581. Do you have to have the space next to the door or can you walk from the other end of the parking lot and still be okay with the world? let’s be real, the closer the parking spot to the entrance, the better. 2582. Do you like trains? i hate them. 2583. What's in Hungary? budapest. 2584. Have you ever felt like you were holding someone else back? no. Has someone ever held you back? kinda. 2585. What do you think of the term, 'organized religion'? nothing really. 2586. What do you think of the name 'Orson'? sounds very old timey. 2587. What frustrates you? people. 2588. Winkin, Blinkin and Nod, one night, sailed off in a sea of dew.. cool. 2589. Is ten dollars (5 pounds) a good price to pay for one lipstick? yes. Does anyone else remember when lipstick was, like, 2 or 3 bucks? no. 2590. Are you ill? no. 2591. Where were you the night of.....oh hell, last night? working. 2592. Do you pronounce the 'er' sound at the end of words(lookER or lookA)? the australian way. 2593. Do you drink only 100% juice? nope. 2594. Do you remember the bills you have to pay...or even yesterday? yes. 2595. What duck? donald. 2596. Do you collect coins? no. How about stamps? no. 2597. wHAT'S the best way to learn a new language? duolingo or a class. 2598. Is god in you? maybe. 2599. Are you in god? maybe. 2600. Do you know which fork to use at a formal table setting? the most outer fork first lol.

[while-my-tardis-gently-weeps]

Eurovision 2016 vs 2017

.So I’ve been re-watching Eurovision from past years to get me over my PED (Post-Eurovision Depression), and I thought I’d do a comparison of this year’s songs against ones from last year, inspired by Eurosong’s post here.

Here goes:

Albania: Fairytale vs World - To be frank, I’m rather ambivalent on both songs, but I went with “World” because of Lindita’s incredible voice.

Armenia: LoveWave vs Fly with Me - Armenia always does well, and it’s not hard to see why, looking at these two songs. Neither are really my cup of tea, but I connected a bit more with “LoveWave.”

Australia: Sound of Silence vs Don’t Come Easy - Isaiah did his best, but not many can compete against the vocal tour de force that is Dami Im, and Isaiah certainly isn’t one of them.

Austria: Loin d’ici vs Running on Air - Even though both songs are quite average, the decision between the two songs are actually quite easy for me because I was completely won over by Nathan Trent’s charm, charisma, and sheer enthusiasm. And that music video, now that’s just cheating. Scenery porn at its best. 

Azerbaijan: Miracle vs Skeletons - DiHaj wins this hands down. It’s contemporary, edgy, catchy, and modern (albeit slightly marred by mystifying elements in the staging; still don’t know what the horse head is all about). Miracle, on the other hand, is, I’m sorry to say, just boring. 

Belarus: Help you fly vs Historyja majgo zyccia - This one is another no-contest: Naviband of course, undoubtedly. Not only was it sung in Belarusian, it’s also a little piece of absolute joy condensed into around 3 minutes of music. As for Ivan’s “Help you fly,” there’s something wrong with the whole production if the only memorable thing about it is the outlandish gimmick. 

Belgium: What’s the pressure vs City Lights - Perhaps against common sense, I’m going to call this a draw. I appreciated City Lights for being a contemporary song with a distinct sound, one that is completely unlike the usual Eurovision fare, but I also thought it was vastly overrated. My regard for “City Lights” only decreased further after I saw live performances of it because there’s not much stage presence and charisma to speak of coming from this one, really. On the other hand, “What’s the Pressure” might be beyond dated, but Laura’s confident, lively performance definitely made it a lot more enjoyable to sit through than, if I dare say, this year’s “City Lights.” Now, if Eurovision were a radio show, the result might be quite different but as it is, I’m for “City Lights” in terms of the song alone and “What’s the Pressure” in terms of the whole package. 

Bulgaria: If love was a crime vs Beautiful Mess - Another hard one, but this one because both songs are so good and well-deserving of their high placings. I like both, really, but I love “If love was a crime.”

Croatia: Lighthouse vs My Friend - “Lighthouse,” definitely. Mad respects to Jacques for pulling off those Jekyllesque vocals,  but “Lighthouse” is definitely the better song, both objectively and subjectively speaking. 

Cyprus: Alter Ego vs Gravity - The latter, but only barely. Possibly because “Gravity” is more recent and I remember it slightly better as a result. 

Czechia: I Stand vs My Turn - Both are quite dull, but I found Gabriela to be the better singer.

Denmark: Soldiers of Love vs Where I Am - Do I have to chose between 90s boyband raised from the dead and every single X Factor winner song ever? Okay, Anja’s the better singer so I guess it goes to her. 

Estonia: Play vs Verona - The former for sure. It’s not increasingly grating upon each repeated listen, for one. 

Finland: Sing it away vs Blackbird - I still have extremely strong feelings about Norma John’s non-qualification. Gorgeous song, excellent vocals, dark, atmospheric staging, they’ve done everything right. I just don’t get it. Last year’s NQ, on the other hand, was only to be expected. 

France: J’ai cherché vs Requiem - The French delegation definitely knows what it’s doing, choosing two stellar Nazim Khaled songs in as many years. Both are great songs, but personally I’m a lot more partial to Alma’s “Requiem.” Especially the lyrics: “Des amours meurent, des amours naissent/Les siècles passent et disparaissent/Ce que tu crois être la mort/C’est une saison et rien de plus (Love dies, love is born/Centuries pass and disappear/What you believe to be death/Is nothing but a season).” Just exquisite. 

Georgia: Midnight Gold vs Keep the Faith - I hate myself slightly for choosing “Midnight Gold” really, because that was 3 minutes of my life that I can’t get back. Unfortunately, not much more can be said for “Keep the Faith,” despite my respect for Tamara’s vocal prowess, and at least the former sounds a little different...? 

Germany: Ghost vs Perfect Life - At least nothing about Levina and “Perfect Life” is absolutely offensive to me, which is a lot more than I can say for the former, starting with the bargain sale Kyary Pamyu Pamyu imitation fashion. If anything, parts of “Perfect Life”’s lyrics actually quite tickle my fancies. 

Greece: Utopian Land vs This is Love - I don’t like either, but Utopian Land gets some brownie points for being different. And those high notes in the live version of “This is Love” is just tragic. 

Hungary: Pioneer vs Origo - I love both songs, but went for “Origo” because of the use of Hungarian, the unique sound, and the emotional delivery. I still wish he did away with the rap section though.

Iceland: Here them calling vs Paper - Both lovely songs that I wished I could have seen in the finals. I connected with the latter song more though.

Ireland: Sunlight vs Dying to Try - Nothing to remember whatsoever vs. average song that is nonetheless memorable because of Brendan Murray’s unique voice (though not necessarily favorably so). But hell, Brendan nailed those notes during his performance in the Semi so kudos to him I guess. 

Israel: Made of Stars vs I Feel Alive - “Made of Stars” by a country mile. Hovi Star’s soulful performance was mesmerizing, whereas I still think Imri got through largely because of the running order. 

Italy: No degree of separation vs Occidentali’s Karma - Italy is my favorite Big 5 nation, and one of my favorite countries overall in Eurovision. They’ve always sent outstanding entries since their comeback, and the past two years were no different. I have great love for both songs and both singers, but that said, this one is actually one of the easiest decision to make out of this whole list. In fact, “Occidentali’s Karma” is my favorite out of all the songs from both years. The combination of catchy pop tune and deep, philosophical lyrics offering commentary and satire on Western materialistic lifestyle and cultural appropriation puts it leagues above most of the songs in this set. 

Latvia: Heartbeat vs Line - “Line” doesn’t stand a chance against the great Aminata, especially when you add Justs’ passionate performance to it (he’s no Aminata either, but he’s still pretty good). 

Lithuania: I’ve been waiting for this night vs Rain of Revolution - What happened to you, Lithuania? How did you go from the glorious Donny to...I don’t even know how to describe this? If I wanted to see Pikku Myy in Eurovision I would have gone for Elina Salo, thank you very much. 

Macedonia: Dona vs Dance Alone - I guess, because Kaliopi is a much better singer.

Malta: Walk on water vs Breathlessly - Because I actually remember how the song from last year goes. 

Moldova: Falling Stars vs Hey, Mamma! - Sunstroke Project wins this hands down. It’s a simple song, but what a enjoyable one, and what a performance! Congrats to them for giving Moldova its best placing in the finals.

Montenegro: The Real Thing vs Space - Surprise, surprise. What can I say though? The guy at least has guts for donning helicopter braids. 

Netherlands: Slow down vs Lights and Shadows - Objectively speaking, I actually think “Slow down” is probably the better song of the two, but I despise country music and always had a soft spot for well-done vocals (being a huge choir geek myself), which the latter has in spades with their stunning harmonies. 

Norway: Icebreaker vs Grab the Moment - I love both songs, and I’ve always been partial to the Norwegian entries ever since I was introduced to Eurovision with Alexander Rybak’s “Fairytale.” I’m quite close to calling this another draw, really, but I’m in a more “Grab the Moment” mood today.

Poland: Color of your life vs Flashlight - Both are average songs (though the former’s lyrics are a lot less dire), but Michal sells it a lot better with his emotional performance and gothic-chic style. I still quite like Kasia’s voice, though. 

Romania: Moment of Silence vs Yodel It! - I’ve only listened to the studio version of the former, but I think “Yodel It!” wins this round. Listening to it always make me happy, and you’ve got to give them credit for making the unholy combination of yodelling and rapping work, and work well on top of that. 

Russia: You are the only one vs Flame Is Burning - I’ve got to admit, I was kind of pleased that I didn’t have to sit through “Flame Is Burning” with the travel ban and everything. Now, let’s hope Russia wasn’t serious when they said they are sending it to Portugal next year... On the other hand, while “You are the only one” is very dated as a song in and out itself, Sergey and the Russian production team definitely performed the hell out of it.

San Marino: I didn’t know vs Spirit of the Night - Because “I didn’t know” is slightly more tolerable. 

Serbia: Shelter vs In Too Deep - Another easy pick. “Shelter” is both local and contemporary, and carries a message that packs an emotional punch and connects with you on a humanitarian level. 

Slovenia: Blue and red vs On My Way - Because “Blue and red,” while average, is at least not annoying.

Spain: Say yay! vs Do It for Your Lover - Surely this one requires no commentary or explanation? Just give each song a listen.

Sweden: If I were sorry vs I Can’t Go On - Time to be honest: I hated both songs upon first listen. The thing is though, “If I were sorry” actually grew on me little by little, to the point that now I’m only ambivalent about it, whereas “I Can’t Go On” simply got worse with each repeat. 

Switzerland: Last of our kind vs Apollo - Timebelle wins this hands down, even after they traded the gorgeous red dress and classy staging of the national finals with that bizarre Belle meets Big Bird meets Hercules eyesore. Now, I actually do think I would have liked “Last of our kind” a lot were it sang by a more competent singer, but Rykka’s vocals were grating at best. And the less said about those weird movements she made on stage, the better.

Ukraine: 1944 vs Time - Heartfelt ballad that touches you to the core vs clear sign Ukraine doesn’t want us back next year, to borrow Graham Norton’s words? No contest here. 

United Kingdom: You’re not alone vs Never Give Up on You - If you asked me this question before rehearsals started, I would have said “You’re not alone,” hands down. But Lucie Jones (and the BBC production team) made “Never Give Up on You” shine, to the point where you (almost) forget it’s nothing more than a paint-by-numbers ballad that’s been done to death already. 

The Tally:

Class of 2016 - 21 vs. Class of 2017 - 20 (1 draw not included)

[junker-town]

A short track relay of writers explain short track relay speed skating

This idea makes sense, OK? Just bear with us.

To capture the brilliance and madness of the Olympics short track speed skating relay event, three SB Nation writers are going to re-create the format of short track speed skating relay in a blog. At least we’re going to try to do that.

Whitney: I turned on the men’s short track 5000m relay qualifying race right as it kicked off, which did not afford me any buffer time to understand what the heck was going on on the ice other than that they were skating an arbitrary distance and that there were multiple people involved and that there was butt shoving.

Yes, butt shoving. Here, you can see it in action:

It took until about 10 laps in — those laps tick by fast!! — for me to understand the way teammates were waiting on the infield (in...ice?) of the track to switch out with their racing counterparts on the track, and the way they were strategizing when to pass and when to chill out and continue trailing other teams.

It’s wild. There are people skating outside competing and inside gearing up. (Much like my colleagues Nate and Caroline are right now doing the blogging equivalent of warming up right now.) It’s tough, but once I understood the situation and who the better teams were, I was ALL IN.

*** BUTT SHOVE ***

Caroline: Short track speed skating is arguably the sport I would choose out of ALL the winter Olympic sports if I could pick to be amazing at something. On its own (as in relatively normal racing with only a manageable four people on the ice), speed skating is a beautiful work of art as durably spandex’d athletes look super casual as they round the rink. NOW MULTIPLY THAT BY FOUR.

We’re talking 16 power-quad’d men (or women, depending) running a three-man weave on steroids WHILE WEARING GIANT DANGEROUS BLADES ON THEIR FEET. Somehow, it turns into a gorgeous ballet that could should be set to something by Tchaikovsky.

*** BUTT SHOVE ***

Nate: There is beauty in this sport, yes, and danger, and spandex. Dear lord, spandex. But it’s also madness. There are so many skaters going, inside and outside the track, around and around, all in skin-tight spandex and helmets, all looking more or less the same — it’s hysteria. Meanwhile, there’s one judge in the middle who’s supposedly keeping track of all this, and I’m saying right now: There is zero chance that judge in the middle has any idea what’s going on.

Here is my question: What’s to stop anyone from cheating?! If I’m a short-track speed skating team, I am absolutely having my best skater sneak in and skip ahead of a weaker teammate. Or am I? [Coyly winks at the IOC, mouths ‘You’ll never catch me, COPPERS!’] At least I think it would be easy to cheat. I don’t really know. Related: I discovered this sport existed like 45 minutes ago.

*** BUTT SHOVE ***

Whitney: It took us not long at all to get into a cheating conversation but honestly that’s probably why I loved trying to figure out what the heck was going on at all times. There’s a thin enough line between “I think I understand this sport’s whole deal” and “wow there is some real chicanery that could be happening here and I could have no idea because they’re moving so fast” and also I just re-discovered this sport after four years of completely forgetting speed skating exists.

The excitement that comes from not reaaaaally knowing what in the high heavens is happening on a small patch of ice is a unique kind of excitement though. It’s all swinging limbs and butt shoving and making possibly-but-I’m-not-sure illegal contact when passing other skaters. If I’m being honest there was also a lot of WHAT IF SOMEONE CUTS SOMEONE ELSE’S FINGER OFF WITH A SKATE OH GOD (turns out they wear Kevlar under their spandex to avoid exactly that) AND OH GOD WHAT IF SOMEONE CUTS SOMEONE ELSE’S FACE OFF WITH A SKATE OH GODDDDDDD happening in my kitchen.

***BUTT SHOVE***

Caroline: The first 20 laps of the ungodly amount go pretty casually, or as casual as one can be with world-class athletes propelling themselves in circles in extremely close vicinity to other world-class athletes. As the laps start to dwindle, the drama skyrockets. The jockeying for position happens in the blink of an eye.

How can the people getting butt shoved know where to get to be butt shoved? How much training does that part take? How do you train without a full 12 other people there to ensure maximum chaos?

There’s this incredible balance in speed skating relays. Slight “hey, buddy, I’m here” touches are utilized throughout, but those quickly turn into “HEY, PAL, THIS IS MY LANE” in an instant. Success and blade-filled wipeouts are separated by literal millimeters of space.

***BUTT SHOVE***

Nate: Caroline brings up a wonderful point about the balance and grace needed for this sport, but here’s something else I think we all need to realize: Teams are penalized if you knock over another competitor. Which leads me to my next way to, uh, let’s say gain an advantage in this sport. You get me in a short-track speed skating race, I’m channeling my decades of soccer experience and diving like you’ve never seen before. You even tap me, I’m going down like a sack of bricks, arms flailing to the heavens. I’ll scream. I don’t give a shit. You steer clear or I’m going down, and trust me, as someone who got questionable penalty decisions for years -- I’m getting the call more often than not.

You may say that’s against the spirit of short-track speed skating, to which I reply: I learned about this sport 45 minutes ago. That’s what makes me so dangerous to the world of short track speed skating. I have no respect for its honor and traditions. I’m out here for glory. I’m clawing tooth and nail. I’ll fall down and clutch my ankle if you even breathe near me. I’ll go full Arjen Robben. I’m getting you DQ’ed, and I’m leading our team to greatness. YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE, IOC.

*** BUTT SHOVE ***

Whitney: Even after all of those laps of watching them go around and around and around and around and around and around and around and passing someone and go around and around and around and around it didn’t get any less exciting to watch them dip and turn and hug the corners as they tried to secure the top two qualifying spots. My mind was going a million miles a minute just watching them like

CAN THE USA DO IT?

NO THEY CAN NOT

BUT THAT’S OKAY

HUNGARY SEEMS NICE TOO

WHENEVER I DO A COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD QUIZ I ALWAYS REMEMBER HUNGARY SO I COULD BE A FAN OF THEM FOR SURE. LET’S BE FRIENDS, HUNGARY, I’M VERY LOVABLE

OH DAMN THAT ONE GUY FROM JAPAN JUST ATE IT

I COULD STILL GO FOR A TACO RIGHT NOW

Do you think any of these skaters are allowed to eat tacos ever?

Oh no, now I’m sad.

Aw man ... I bet their butt shoves are so amazing because they don’t ever eat tacos.

OH GOSH FOUR LAPS LEFT HAVE TO STOP THINKING ABOUT TACOS

WE’RE COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE AND EVEN THOUGH IT’S QUALIFYING THIS IS SO EXCITING AND NO ONE HAS EVEN LOST A FINGER TODAY THAT SEEMS LIKE A WIN FOR EVERYONE EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT LOST.

What a wild ride that all was. Can’t wait to watch another race or two of short track relay, continue to freak out, and then forget about it just enough before the next Olympics that I get just as absurdly excited about this manic, balletic sport the next time I watch.

***BUTT SHOVE***

Caroline: There is no better finishing move than the toe jut in speed skating (I’ll even allow for long-track speed skating to be counted here, even though they’re so dramatically different...nobody is wiping out and taking three others with them in long track). Anyway, back to short track relays ... Can you imagine if they used a baton? What a nightmare. What if one got dropped. What would that do to the blades? Sorry, staying on topic.

Here are the racing finishes ranked:

Speed Skating

[open space to illustrate how good speed skating’s finish is]

Track and Field

Bikes

Cars

The lean forward dive in track and field is a very solid finish. It’s got nothing on the sassy skate-first finish we got to see today. Athletes go from power skating to super casual leans in a matter of seconds, inching their blades over the line. Every close race has to be examined with a freeze-frame that would make Zapruder envious. Short track speed skating is the best, and I hate that I forget it exists every four years.

***BUTT SHOVE***

Nate: The ends to these races are beautiful, but I’d argue what’s even cooler is how they hold that toe point pose right through the conclusion of the race, and then stick their hands up if they won. The end of every race should have Joe Jackson’s “Steppin’ Out” playing in the arena and the skaters just point down to their skate and be like oh shit yeah you saw that. My toe won that thing.

Considering I’ve taken every turn to desecrate this sport, let’s just shoot the moon here: We need more celebrations and grandstanding. I’d take off my skate and run it in a slashing motion across my neck while pointing at my competitor. After I fell in a blatant dive to earn my team a trip to the finals, I’d make horrified, pained faces at the center judge and then wink at the person who “tripped me” when they got penalized. I would be the enfant terrible of short-track speed skating, and you would feel my wrath. NOW POINT YOUR TOE, NATE. YES. ACROSS THE LINE. WE DID IT.

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

Another Reward for the Highest Bidder; Looking Back at HOSTEL: PART 2

Ah, 2007, the year the iPhone was first announced. We all shook our heads in disbelief at the ridiculousness of this strange new device. “But what about the iPod!“, we cried! “We already have one of those!” 2007 was also the year I graduated high school, got a puppy, and Harry Potter came to an end with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Oh, and it was the year a little ol’ movie came out called Hostel: Part 2. It was a pretty good year!

The movies blowing up the box office that year were things like Spider-Man 3 (aka emo Spider-Man is revealed), 300, The Simpsons Movie, and Ocean’s Thirteen. In the background, horror was pumping out sequels like The Hills Have Eyes 2, 28 Weeks Later, and Saw 4.

    On June 8th, 2007, Hostel: Part 2 hit theatres, coming two years after the original success of 2005’s Hostel. Most folks remember Hostel being a ground breaker for the torture genre, but by the time it had arrived on scene, there were Saw movies bringing in big bucks and Haute Tension was making waves. But Hostel remained one of that genre’s biggest hits. Hostel arrived at that perfect moment in time when North America was still dealing with post 9/11 trauma, being faced with leaked photos from Guantanamo Bay and constant replays of 9/11 clips that reminded us that violence was in our own backyards. Eli Roth tapped into that zeitgeist and brought people out of their dark holes to distract themselves from every day violence with the constant violence on screen.

Lionsgate was in a rush to release a sequel so that they could capitalize on their original success and brought Eli Roth back along for the ride. Roth sat down with Fear.net back in 2007 and said he joined back with the studio only if he could make the film better than the original. He cites Aliens and Road Warrior as his favorite sequels and wanted to create that same experience. Ultimately, the sequel could not reach the hype of the first and the first weekend profits fell short, bringing in $8.2 million compared to $20 million for its original.

Hostel: Part 2 was directed, produced and written by Roth with lots of help from Mike Fleiss and Chris Briggs who both went on to do Hostel: Part 3 and Hostel: Part 4. Filming took two months and three days with a budget of ten million dollars. When it opened it came in sixth place being beaten by Shrek The Third, a new Pirates of the Caribbean film and Ocean’s 13. Roth also speaks very openly about internet pirating during that period that he believes affected his film. Hostel: Part 2 had a workprint leak online and they believe almost 2 million illegal downloads were done on the same day the film was released in theatres.

    But at the time, a majority of horror fans did enjoy the film and still applaud it to this day. Hostel: Part 2 was nominated for six Spike TV Scream Awards including best horror film and best director and made it onto Entertainment Weekly’s list of 20 best horror films of the past 20 years.

Hostel: Part 2 makes it easy for us to fall right back into the story, spending the first ten minutes reminding us of the original and gently setting things up for the next chapter of the story. It returns to its muted colors and over the top gore almost immediately, just checking that you’re still paying attention. But soon slides back into that mellow storyline that slowly leads up to something more terrifying and you quickly feel lulled into the hypnotic pull of a bunch of innocent tourists on vacation getting in waaaay over their heads. The biggest difference with the sequel is that you like these characters and root for them, they don’t make dumb decisions, they just get wrapped up in something much bigger than they could ever imagine.

This film focuses on three art students, Beth, Lorna, and Whitney. They are studying in Italy, where they meet the model they are tasked to draw who invites them to a spa in Prague on a weekend getaway. Once they arrive, they book into the hostel and instantly the game is set – which kicks off an incredible scene where the girls begin unpacking and celebrating, intercut with clips of the creepy old rich folks bidding on them on their phones and computers. In the town there’s a Harvest Festival going on and the girls happily attend, drinking and partying and flirting with the locals. The two men who won the bid watch from across the river, distanly eyeing the young women.

One by one the women are kidnapped and must fight for their lives inside the compound we know so well from the first film.

    Hostel: Part 2 is enough of a departure from the original that you can enjoy it without seeing the first. But it does make a great companion. Roth spoke about how Hostel was the boy’s version and Hostel: Part 2 is the girl’s version. And despite the obvious being the main characters, I completely agree with him. Part 2 touches on the fears that women face when travelling, having to deal with drunken men leering at them, an aggressive group of drunken men who try to hunt them down, getting robbed.. and that’s just in the span of a few hours! While they’re supposed to be on vacation, they are constantly reminding each other to stick together and not trust any local men.

It’s also funny how suspicious you feel as a viewer after knowing what happened in the first movie. You feel instantaneously protective of the three women introduced and incredibly paranoid of everyone around them. I think the knowing is what makes it more edge-of-your-seat type watching, and it’s easy to relate to these young girls. In Hostel, the guys are pretty awful and honestly most of the time you’re rooting for them to die, but in Part 2 you don’t want these characters to die. You know what’s waiting for them and you want to protect them.

There’s stand out performances all around. Honorable mentions being Lauren German who portray Beth with incredible determination and likeability. She’s tough, sensitive and has these stunning blue eyes that pierce through the screen, showing every scrap of emotion. Bijou Phillips who plays Whitney, Beth’s best friend is another standout. She plays the horror movie sidekick to a tee. Stuart, one of the men who wins the bid, is played by Roger Bart who dabbles the line of endearing and absolutely insane so well it’s mind blowing. He makes an incredible villain who at first, you’re rooting for and hoping he’ll change his mind, and very quickly you’re cheering as Beth castrates him.

Speaking of that…specific…scene…

    The violence in Part 2 is over the top like Roth is known for, but is not in your face constantly. He chooses his moments specifically to be incredibly violent and that’s something I’ve always enjoyed about his films. There’s some stomach dropping moments (like when Whitney takes a saw to the head) that stick with you long after the film, but I still feel they are necessary to the plot. There’s an incredible scene when Lorna is murdered by a woman who bathes in her blood, an homage to the “Blood Countess” who was supposedly a real person who killed over 600 young females in Hungary in the early 1600s. The legend being she would bathe in the blood of virgins to retain her beauty. The scene ends up being simultaneously beautiful and horrifying. It also shows another side of the rich folks who are bidding on these young men and women.

The ending of Hostel: Part 2 is the most fun part of the film. It has that kind of epic conclusion where you find yourself on your feet cheering. Beth manages to turn the whole compound on its head, using her own wealth and confidence to buy her way out of the situation in an epic scene where she’s got a gun pointed at the creator, a wrench wrapped around Stuart’s dick and is just yelling, “don’t tell me what I can’t afford, there’s nothing I can’t afford, I can buy and sell everyone in this room!” It’s incredible.

If we wrap it all up, I think one of the greatest themes that gets touched on, which Roth has spoken out about as well, is of course the price of life. These rich folks are making a game of buying people and cracking jokes about the process when ultimately, they are getting bought themselves by the company. Because there is always someone richer or more powerful out there. Wealth is, of course, a huge thing touched upon in both part one and two and I think it’s what makes these movies so powerful ten years later. And Part 2 sticks with me a lot more, especially in 2018.

  Highly recommend you take another watch of Hostel: Part 2 if you haven’t in awhile because it’s not just torture porn, it’s a great romp that touches on some important issues and brings you along for one hell of a ride!

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[ripstocking]

Los Angeles: Joel Chen’s eponymous shop on Highland Avenue in Los Angeles is a mental and visual whirlwind. 30,000 square feet of seemingly endless space is filled to capacity by a sprawl of hand-chosen furniture and decorative arts that represent virtually all periods and every country. With another 20,000 square feet spread over two other locations, Joel’s ever-expanding enterprise is on its way to becoming the Noah’s Ark of furniture and decorative arts. A Shanghai native, Joel got his start as an antique dealer in Los Angeles in the 1970s, and has spent the last four decades diversifying and developing his interests, and creating a wildly eclectic but singular perspective on design. Joel’s circus of objects was built by thousands of craftsmen and designers who have laboured away, throughout the centuries and across the globe, perfecting their crafts. While Joel is unwavering about the fact that he doesn’t curate his shop—he brings together the widest range of objects with the best possible provenance, so that designers and collectors can do the curating—his home is another story. Joel’s abode, which he has shared with his wife Margaret for over thirty years, is a depository for the objects that he holds dearest. Each object marks a memory of his days travelling the world in search of antique treasure, and a narrated tour of these possessions by Joel releases a crystalline universe made up of samurai craftsmen, ancient philosophers, 18th century guildsmen, Frits Henningsen, Ruth Asawa, and many more past and present personas. Where did this all begin: your shop, your collection, a life engulfed with objects? It was the mid-70s; I was working for my father who was a wholesale jeweller in downtown LA. It was a really cutthroat environment. You sold a ring for $50, some one else was selling it for $49, and so you cut your price to $48.50. It was that kind of competition. Anyway, I drove down Melrose Avenue one day and saw an antique store. It was closed, and when I knocked on the window the guy kept signalling me away, so I just asked, ‘Why?’ He opened the door and said he was open only to the trade. So I asked, ‘What’s the trade?’ He explained that ‘the trade’ was made up of interior designers, architects, or other antique dealers. I thought it was a racial thing. So I went back to my father and said, ‘I want to open an antique store,’ which I did. Where did you first open up? On Melrose Avenue, which is now the Marc Jacobs store! I think I had around 800 square feet. By the time I left Melrose I had 6,500 square feet. I started with Chinese antiques. My father co-signed a bank loan for me. I borrowed $6,000, went to Hong Kong and filled a container with pure junk! I had no idea what I was buying. Slowly I started snooping into other people’s stores and found out there was a lot more to it than the junk I was buying. So where did your interests first expand to? First I branched out to other Asian antiques, then I started looking at European antiques, Italian painted furniture, be it Genoa or Piedmontese, and then there was a time when English Regency and Brown furniture were popular. Along the way I discovered modern furniture. I am totally self-taught. I learned by going to other people’s stores and auctions and by travelling. I was going to Italy, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. I would go to Hungary looking for Bauhaus furniture. But it was already slim pickings, because immediately after the fall of communism the Italians started trucking all the good furniture and propaganda art out of Eastern Europe. Over the years you became a generalist, interested in furniture at large, across periods and style. Few design museums—actually none that I can think of—have as eclectic a collection as you. But your collection, if we could call it that, is always moving, changing and expanding… There are pros and cons to selling so widely. The pro is you can focus on the best examples of each era or historical period. But the con is that you’re going to be running out of money because you can’t concentrate on one thing that people will come to you for. An 18th century Italian console comes in, and I have to buy it, or a beautiful 11th century Gandhara piece, I have to buy that too. When did contemporary design enter the mix with all the historical work? So after Bauhaus I turned to the ‘50s and ‘60s, but I basically stopped in the ‘60s. I skipped the ‘80s entirely, because I don’t care too much of what I call glam art, which happened in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Now I represent contemporary artists, I worked with Paul Johnson, and we brought in Max Lamb and Kwangho Lee. This is where things get really kaleidoscopic… you put these things next to each other, and there’s little-to-no program in terms of what can go next to what. You’ll have a Joe Colombo sofa, next to 18th century Chinese cabinetry, next to 19th century toy trains—the kind Eames would have loved—next to Carlo Molino. This creates an exhilarating shuffle of unexpected encounters, which I’ve experienced before in the sprawl of furniture that populates your shops. Likewise for my house; here is a Danish table from the ‘60s, then scarce armchairs by the Chicago architects Krueck and Sexton, and we have a 19th century Anglo-Indian box with a red camphor wood and ivory inlay. With such broad interests, how do you identify the pieces you will buy, collect and sell, aside from quality, what’s the red thread, what draws you to them? I actually don’t look for anything. I stumble onto things, and that’s an incredible feeling. I don’t know what I’m looking for. Every time, I find something that speaks to me, I struggle not to buy it, but I always lose. Quality is an extremely important criteria for me. I don’t look for crudity. Everything has been gradual of course, like my career; the things I have become interested in have developed over time. Like this little articulated crayfish, an 18th century bronze from Japan, I discovered them and loved them. Each little part of its body works and moves, and each of its parts were cast separately. But I’ve stopped collecting them. The man-hours it would have taken to train to make such a piece, and then to actually make it… Astonishing. The craftsmen who made these, back in the 19th century in Japan, had been masters of making weaponry and armour, but with the slow demise of samurais and shoguns, these craftsmen were left without work. With nowhere to go they started making bronzes. I can’t imagine anybody who would want to make that today. So labour-intensive. In your home and in your shops I sense the millions of hours of labour, poured into so many objects, from so many periods, and I get the sense of being in an enormous labour bank, as if all the time people spent designing and making these things were somehow captured here. You can really feel the presence of people who cared about something, who stood for something. They spent the time and perfected everything. See that? (Joel points to a torso-sized rock, ornately shaped with a cavity in its centre.) It’s a natural Chinese scholar’s rock. Its surface is eroded and formed by lake waters over thousands and thousands of years. And then here, this is a man-made scholar’s rock carved by hand from a solid piece of marble, it was made to simulate and imitate the natural scholar’s rock. With the expanding categories and quantities of objects, I feel that you have crossed the threshold into being a singular museum, like the Henry Ford Museum, or the Museum of Jurassic Technology, you have created a very particular brand of museum… Yes, but it’s my worst nightmare. I’m running out of space for it! So I now have five different buildings storing and keeping it all. A lot of the pieces can’t be seen because they’re in storage. My wife says I have to slow down. Some people might say such a focus on material things is unhealthy. The TV show Hoarders comes to mind. Where does your connection with these objects transcend the materialistic? I think all objects are really just borrowed, because when you’re dead, you’re not going to be carrying them with you. So you get to spend time with an object for a while, and then if you’re like me, you sell it because you can’t carry it with you to the next world. And what does it contribute to your space and life while you do live with it? The quality experience actually comes from when I travel, gathering so many things along the way. Then, when I have the pieces at home, they bring me the memories. I think life is basically memories. You construct a memory and you remember the year, the moment. Travelling constructs a lot of memories for me and I bring things back with me that keep those memories close. Tangency seems to be important to you. You have a way of placing things next to each other that invokes humour, curiosity, and surprise, where the collective arrangement changes the meaning of the individual pieces. Yes, like here, I put a tiger-patterned velvet pillow on a Hans Wegner chair. Hans is so paired down, where it was all about shape and how the carved parts come together so carefully, all for comfort. The pillow is 19th century decor, from the guild culture, and I love to put it on the chair. In your Highland Avenue shop I remember seeing two dining chairs, a Friso Kramer and a Jean Prouvé, flanking a premodern Chinese table. Next to the old table, the two mid-century chairs seemed like brothers from different mothers, like a couple of young rebellious dudes. I found it all very funny! Yes, brothers, except one is $550 and the other one is $15,000! But even Kramer is getting depleted, and more expensive too. You used to be able to buy Kramer for nothing, like $90 when I first got them, nobody wanted them because they were made for schools and hospitals, and there were so many of them. The wide net you cast brings in some incredible things that don’t end up in traditional design museums. I was really excited to see—and get to lie on—Bruce Hannah’s day bed for Knoll which you had in the shop last summer. He was a professor of mine at university, so I had studied his work through images. I like to think of your shop as a place where furniture is given a second or third life. More like sixth or seventh life! Bruce Hannah is under the radar. Nobody is collecting it, and it’s really very reasonable. It’s a good design and it is comfortable, the day-bed especially. Within your widely varying array of furniture and objects, you keep a very neat space, even at your home I have the feeling of being in a showroom. It’s always like that. When I read a book, I always close it up and put it back in its place. So when I want to re-read it, I know exactly where to go. The only bad thing is in my store, I have no control over it. I have five guys moving things constantly. When a sofa is sold, I replace it with another one. Recently I started placing similar things together, which I’ve never done before, so now black leather goes with black leather… Sorry to interrupt, but can you tell me about this crew of baby Jesus figures you have standing at the entrance to your home? El Santo Niño Jesús. Each one is from a different place—Columbia, Italy, the Philippines… You can see how huge the influence of Catholicism was in those days, across the globe. This one is a survivor; it is a remnant from a fire, you can see the char marks on its legs, and it's missing a foot. Many of the pieces you collect hold great spiritual value within their cultures. What draws you to this class of object? There’s always a story. They had certain values. With the scholar’s rock for instance, the scholars would spend time contemplating this object, and from it they took inspiration for poems and novels. The rock pushed them to further achievement, and increased creativity. I used to travel more than I do now, and, back in those days, I travelled and carried pieces with me that I loved. It was less about a prize than finding something that was significant within a culture. Finding these objects is about living in the present, and once I have them they help me remember my past. The pieces in my home may seem random, but they are here to remind me of certain stages of my career. Why have you slowed your travel schedule? I used to travel to fill containers, but now, the things I seek are more universally dispersed and rarer thanks to the computer. People are online all the time. This is positive and negative. Positive because if you want to find something you will find it, but negative because the prices have become universal. There is no such thing as a bargain anymore. All the designers go for the same price no matter what website you go to, maybe they deviate 20 percent but not more. And so now that you spend more time in LA, what’s changed in your approach to collecting and buying? I spend time trying to find emerging and local artists, coming out of the gentrified districts of Los Angeles. I’m looking for the next wave. I don’t like the idea of the next wave, but business-wise you need to be keen on all that. I think antiques are coming back in a big way, more to the point that they are affordable—these days you’re buying 16th century pieces for less than you pay for a 20th century piece. I just bought a new building and I’m thinking of doing more shows than ever. Profit or no profit, that comes after. Anyway I can’t look at my Aladdin lamp and know what will be profitable and what won’t be. Los Angeles is still young in a certain way, it’s growing up but is not yet mature, you can see all the galleries coming up on my street, on Highland Avenue, and that gives you a lot of hope that things will have a good ending. Of the thousands of objects that have passed through your doors, is there one in particular that may have taught you something significant? When I first started out in Chinese antiques, I came across a pair of elaborately carved Imperial throne chairs of zitan and burl, they were 18th century, from the Qianlong period. The carvings showed a phoenix and a dragon on opposite ends. I had them in my garage for like ten years, and one day Sotheby’s came in and said that they wanted them for auction, and low and behold they brought in $200,000. I recognised them enough to buy them and store them, but I didn’t really recognise them for what they were. They were museum pieces. It was an important lesson for me. I overlooked them. It taught me that I shouldn’t judge an object by what’s popular in interior design or style

[audreyineu]

budapest 4/6-4/7

getting to budapest i knew my time was limited, i only got a day and a half there, so i tried my best to hit the ground running. arriving at the hostel i found that check-in did not begin for 2 more hours though, so that kind of stopped me, but i just used the time to get some food. using that lovely little app called google maps i found a small pizza shop called pizza manufaktura and had a hawaiian pizza (pineapple on pizza is GOOD just accept it already). i also had some cherry juice, which was really good actually. i’ve never really seen fully cherry flavored drinks outside of icees, so that's definitely something that america needs to work on. i also discovered that the hungarian word for cherry is meggy. nice. 

i still had an hour to kill after that though so i tried to go find an atm and accidentally walked into the nagyvásárcsarnok, or, for english speakers, the great market hall. it’s an actual full-blown market where people bought their groceries

like people actually came here and picked out their meats, got some vegetables, maybe some spices. it was so cool to see. yeah sure i’ve been farmers markets back home but this was fully someone’s grocery store and it was just interesting to see the difference

the upstairs part was for the tourists and had a bunch of handmaid souvenirs, sometimes the person was sitting out in front of the stall sewing the cloths like the ones in the picture (its blurry, sorry)

there was also a basement-like area and i’m pretty sure the budapest black market operates in it. i’m on a pacific rim kick right now because of the sequel (which wasn’t that good but that’s a different blog post) and if you’ve seen the first one, i really felt like ron pearlman was about to walk out of a secret doorway and offer me some kaiju bone. it was honestly kinda scary, no one was really down there and most of what was being sold was meat and HUGE fish that they kept in a really really small tank, which i’m not really sure would be considered humane? but i guess they were there to get killed so. i’ll let peta deal with that one. 

i wanted to get a picture but the guys behind the stands were very big and also staring me down every time i passed. i decided they wouldn’t like the tourist girl taking pictures of their very compact fish.

anyway, i went back upstairs and bought some cookies, isler and puszedli. isler was a cookie covered with chocolate with jam in the middle and puszedli was a kind of gingerbread muffin type thing covered in a chocolate or vanilla frosting (chocolate was the best one for me). they were both really good but i gotta give a special shout-out to the isler. 

after that it was time to check in so i got changed out of my travel clothes and tried to figure out what to do. i decided to take one of those hop-on hop-off tours, which i typically try to avoid like the plague because i’m not a fan of blatantly shouting out to a place that “hey i’m a tourist!!” but, i had a limited time and those are good to see a city quickly

i rode around for a while. now consider these photos were all #shotonaniphone7 and taken on a moving vehicle so they're not great but.. its what i saw . budapest is pretty darn cool

i got intrigued by a set of stairs looked a bit italian, so i got off on the next stop, and that was definitely the right choice. i found myself at what i think was the bud castle (turns out budapest has two parts, buda and pest separated - i think - by the danube).

to get up you could either walk up a hill or pay to take a little tram car. i obviously chose the tram car, i can walk up a hill any day

all of the museums and the castle were closed by this point (it was around 6), so i couldn’t go in, but the views from up top were stunning

so i roamed around a bit

and started heading in the direction of the stairs that made me get off the bus in the first place. i wasn’t disappointed. it was a really cool little area, and felt really romantic. being there just kinda made you happy

and because i knew how to get back home from the liberty bridge, which was about two bridges down from where i was, i decided to walk back along the river (i took an evening stroll next to the danube!! how cool!) to the bridge to get back to my hostel. 

in my room i met a really nice girl from finland, she’ll come back into the story later, and got ready for bed for what i wanted to be an early morning so i could see as much as possible

of course this didn’t happen, i had a snorer in my room which kept me up so i slept through my alarm and didn’t end up leaving until 11. but it put me starting my day at lunchtime, and i’m not gonna complain about that! i found a small little restaurant called drum cafe who were known for their lángos and goulash. their menu was a trading card display book, which i loved, and i ordered from traditional beef goulash with rice

it was amazing. so so so good. i maybe ate it embarrassingly fast considering how much food there was but it was amazing, i didn’t want to stop eating it

after that i stopped in a small thrift shop i saw on the way there in hopes of buying the shirt that was on a mannequin in the window, but sadly the shirt was “only decoration.” i did get two shirts there anyway

after i decided to walk over to the house of terror, a museum about the facist and communist regimes that held power in hungary and honoring those who died at the hands of those in power.

on the walk there i found a little antique market going on in an alley 

i almost bought an old hungarian swimming medal because why not, but i decided against it. there were all kinds of cool little knick knacks, but i restrained myself and began to actually walk to the museum

pictures were not allowed in the museum (i snuck one of the entrance) so i don't have any (except for the one i snuck) but the museum was increibily interesting. its one thing learning in history class about stuff that went on in eastern europe in the 40s-80s but its another to actually BE in a building where people were kept and tortured, a building where the arrow cross party (a nazi party based in hungary) and the state protection authority (the soviet secret police force in hungary) actually operated. it was. very very solemn. reading about life in that time and seeing the faces of all those who were killed. you ended the museum tour in the basement where the cells were and it was terrifying in there. maybe didn’t help that i was completely alone in the cells at that point, but it was so silent and dark and i think absolutely perfect to demonstrate how horrifying the experience would have been to be one of those prisoners. the doors to the cells weren’t even barred, they were fully solid. you wouldn’t even be able to see outside if you were shut in. every cell was solitary confinement.

so i left the house of terror and decided it was time for something a bit lighter and headed to the széchenyi thermal bath

yep, its THAT yellow building that you see in everyone’s pictures when they go to budapest. it was really nice and relaxing, though i gotta say would probably be better with a group rather than alone. i did meet some people there, but not the same as being there with friends goofing off, so i’ll have to make a return trip

afterwards i decided i’d get on the hop-on hop-off bus again since the man the first time never actually took my ticket and got some REAL hungarian lángos on my way there (if you remember i had some at the easter market in prague) and OH MY GOD was it good. the dough being freshly deep fried makes ALL the difference oh my god. literally just handed it to me out of the frier. i got it with cheese again and honestly i wish i’d just gotten it plain because the cheese took away from the dough. so, so good. it is a lot though, so if you ever get one i recommend that you get it to share

i got back on the bus and road around a bit, i really just wanted to get a better view of the parliament building

i got it for a little bit! not long enough to get a picture because i sat on the wrong side of the bus, but damn that's a beautiful building

i rode until the stop closest to my hostel & got off so i could pack up my stuff. i had a 6 am flight (i just got back to bristol as i’m writing this) and i wanted to be sure i had everything for my 3 am departure time to the airport. while packing my roommate from finland came in & we started talking and she invited me out with her and another guy in the hostel to go to one of the ruin bars called szimpla kert.  i thought you know what, we’d be out till around 2:00, why not just stay awake till i need to leave for airport and have a little fun doing it. so i booked a minibus to take me from the hostel at 3 am with another girl at the hostel and we set off to this ruin bar and 

WOW

they were playing a movie on a huge screen outside??? there was a room with a piano so people could just play music and sing?? there were so many different roms with different vibes and it was absolutely amazing . i wish i could have stayed longer! it was what every little hipster bar in williamsburg (brooklyn) is trying to be and god now that i’ve been to this bar i don’t think i’m gonna be able to go to another bar ever again 

after a night filled with singing (i WAS hanging out with two singers) we headed back at two so i could grab my bag and meet the other girl to leave for the airport and i made it with no problems. 

was i incredibly tired by the time i got on the plane? absolutely! but i had a fantastic time with some really cool people. and with that i’m back in bristol and ready to have some dinner. so i guess closing remarks? plan but at the same time don’t. let there be some spontaneity because spontaneity caused some of the best parts of my trip. also, WALK EVERY WHERE (if you can)

thanks for reading!

audrey

[haroldgross]

New Post has been published on Harold Gross: The 5a.m. Critic

New Post has been published on http://literaryends.com/hgblog/oscars-2018-final-call/

Oscars 2018 (final call)

The gap between nominations and now has afforded me some time to think and to catch up on a few films I hadn’t been able to get to. My opinions of who should win hasn’t changed much, but a few shifts in the predictions of who I think will win has in a few notable places.

I’ll say again, no matter the winners this year, I can’t say I’d be too upset with any one of the nominations. It was a strong year for entertainment.

So this is my final update, which I will follow with a report on my accuracy. I did about 87% on the nominations for this year. Politics and one (happy) surprise dropped me below the 90s, but, again, no one unworthy is in any list.

THE MAJORS (or what we all care about)

Actress in a Leading Role Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) Meryl Streep (The Post)

My Choice:  Sally Hawkins remains my first choice, but she’s been losing to Frances McDormand consistently for the big awards leading up to Oscar. McDormand’s is an amazing performance as well, but I don’t think it is as challenging as Hawkins’ was. However, the grit and more understandable emotion appeals to many. I think if Saoirse Ronan had more momentum, she would have split the vote more, but she appears out of the running entirely at this rate. I’m an not going to weep if McDormand wins, I just thought Hawkins skills were put more to the test.  Likely Winner: Frances McDormand

Actor in a Leading Role Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread) Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.)

My Choice: Gary Oldman has swept every award and his performance is an astounding melting of actor into a role.  Likely Winner:  Gary Oldman

Actress in a Supporting Role Mary J Blige (Mudbound) Allison Janney (I, Tonya) Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water)

My Choice: Laurie Metcalf is still my choice in this very, very tough field of talent, but I think she lost momentum and Janney has yet to be so honored, despite years of amazing work and nominations. Her work here is stellar, even if I don’t think it tackled the same level of challenge from a craft point of view. I can see the vote going her way.  Likely Winner: Allison Janney

Actor in a Supporting Role Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project) Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water) Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World) Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

My Choice: Richard Jenkins remains my favorite performance in this batch. His role was quiet and subtle, but utterly solid and heartbreaking. But Rockwell has the momentum and his part was, for lack of a better word, louder.   Likely Winner: Sam Rockwell

Directing Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) Jordan Peele (Get Out) Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread) Guillermo del Toro (Shape of Water)

My Choice: Guillermo del Toro. This is one of those times where you wish they’d divide out the category so more people could be honored. Gerwig and Peele had amazing first films. But, overall, del Toro had the biggest challenge and delivered the most nuanced movie of the three.  Likely Winner: Guillermo del Toro

Best Picture Call Me By Your Name Darkest Hour Dunkirk Get Out Lady Bird Phantom Thread The Post The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Choice: There are so many ways to argue this one. Part of the challenge is that this award is preferential ballot (looking at the top few choices for all ballots) which can allow surprises when a film is the consistent second or third choice for a huge majority.

I think it is a death match between Shape of Water, Get Out, and Three Billboards. Lady Bird could slip up between all of them if it is everyone’s second choice, but these other three have the lead going in.

Shape of Water, however, has one major advantage, beyond its 13 nominations, DGA, and other wins. Shape is about all the things that the other films are about, all rolled into one, rather than as a single, primary theme. So I’m going with The Shape of Water, but I won’t be surprised by something else taking this home, especially after Three Billboards BAFTA win. Likely Winner: The Shape of Water

Animated Feature Film The Boss Baby The Breadwinner Coco Ferdinand Loving Vincent

My Choice:  Vincent has an incredible art story to tell, both in the script and in the making of it. And Breadwinner has some nice politics to buoy it’s possibilities. However Coco has more of a populist heart and some gorgeous work in it, and was able to reach a larger audience. Just looking at them as films, it was also the best. Likely Winner: Coco 

Foreign Language Film A Fantastic Woman (Chile) The Insult (Lebanon) Loveless (Russia) On Body And Soul (Hungary) The Square (Sweden)

My Choice: No real clue, to be honest. I have somehow missed all of these so far, though I will pick them up as I am able later. The Square has the most name recognition, but there are many topical options. On a whim, I’m going with the most fringe of the films for the win… Likely Winner: A Fantastic Woman (Chile)

THE MINORS (or what the rest of us care about)

Documentary Feature Abacus Faces, Places Icarus Last Man In Aleppo Strong Island

My Choice: Again, lack of access to the films makes this more about reading other’s opinions and news for me.  Likely Winner: Icarus  

Documentary Short Subject Edith and Eddie Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 Heroin(e) Knife Skills Traffic Stop

My Choice: Total guess.  Likely Winner: Heroin(e)  

Animated Short Film Dear Basketball Garden Party Lou Negative Space Revolting Rhymes

My Choice: Another dice roll (and some research).  Likely Winner: Negative Space

Live Action Short Film Dekalb Elementary The Eleven O’Clock My Nephew Emmett Silent Child Watu Wote (All Of Us)

My Choice: The only showing for all these shorts (animated and live action) was for Fri and Sat just before Oscar Sunday. You’d think Amazon or Netflix would seal up a short license to show them off at this point, but no. So again, basing my choice on the eyes of others.   Likely Winner: Dekalb Elementary  

Adapted Screenplay “Call Me by Your Name” James Ivory “The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber “Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green “Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin “Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

My Choice: Molly’s Game may still pull this out based on love for Sorkin and little else to gift him this year. And it was a solid directorial debut for him too. However, the Scripter Award (from USC) went to Call Me By Your Name and they’ve correlated to Oscar 7 out of 7 times over the last 7 years. That’s probably a few too many 7’s to ignore. And it picked up the WGA as well. Likely Winner: Call Me By Your Name

Original Screenplay “The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani “Get Out,” Jordan Peele “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh

My Choice: Shape of Water even though it has run into some controversial headwinds. I think it will survive those. Should it falter, Get Out may just slip up through the split votes that would ensue. Get Out’s WGA win certainly will help it. And Three Billboards’ BAFTA confused the field. However, much as my reasons for Best Picture, I think Shape covers a lot of the same ground as Get Out, Three Billboards, and then some, which may help it with a broader base. However, there has been late momentum and love for Get Out, so it could be an interesting upset. Likely Winner: Shape of Water

Original Song “Mighty River” (Mudbound), Mary J. Blige “Mystery of Love” (Call Me By Your Name), Sufjan Stevens “Remember Me” (Coco), Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez “Stand Up for Something” (Marshall), Diane Warren, Common “This Is Me” (The Greatest Showman), Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

My Choice:  This is Me though I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Remember Me slipped in here given Coco’s huge audience base and its multiple renditions during the film. Problem is, it is just a boring song to my ear. And, in today’s political climate, This is Me is right on the money for the times. Likely Winner: This is Me

Original Score Dunkirk Phantom Thread The Shape of Water Star Wars: The Last Jedi Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Choice: Dunkirk, but I’ve still no faith others will see/hear the brilliance of it against the ground swell for Shape of Water, whose score was magical in its own way and whose BAFTA win certainly could be indicative. Likely Winner: Shape of Water

THE CRAFT & TECHNICAL (or what we should all care about)

Cinematography Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049) Bruno Delbonnel (Darkest Hour) Hoyte van Hoytema (Dunkirk) Rachel Morrison (Mudbound) Dan Laustsen (The Shape of Water)

My Choice: Dunkirk has a great shot here; Nolan is nothing if not a brilliant framer and Hoytema’s work and challenges were huge given the various environments he had to navigate. However, for beauty and support of the story, Shape of Water and Blade Runner beat him out. Deakins, in particular, had to both create his own language as well as match the original enough to evoke the connection, which has me picking Blade Runner 2049 as my choice. Originally, I thought Dunkirk would pull this one out, but after Blades’s BAFTA and American Society of Cinematographers top honors this year, and Deakins’ previous 13 (and no win) nominations, I’m going to switch my expectation for the Academy, even if ASC winners correlate to Oscar less than 50% of the time. Likely Winner: Blade Runner 2049

Costume Design Beauty and the Beast The Darkest Hour Phantom Thread The Shape of Water Victoria & Abdul

My Choice: Typically, this would go to a period piece (like old period). That thinking would put Victoria & Abdul in the front. But this year’s cadre are all over the place on era’s. Phantom Thread boasts some incredible 40s/50s creations by Mark Bridges. Beauty, fantastical imagination. Shape of Water, a range of clothing, much like Darkest Hour. For me, the invisibility of the costumes in Shape of Water is the most impressive of the lot. Basically, this is a crap shoot with a lot of worthy winners (with Durran up for two: Beast and Darkest Hour). Likely Winner: Phantom Thread

Makeup and Hairstyling The Darkest Hour Victoria & Abdul Wonder

My Choice: Though Wonder has some impressive make-up, Oldman’s transformation is jaw-dropping and seamless. Going with The Darkest Hour. Likely Winner: The Darkest Hour

Production Design Beauty and the Beast Blade Runner 2049 The Darkest Hour Dunkirk The Shape of Water

My Choice: Wow, you could just hit your head against a wall for ages trying to pick one here. Each film created solid, believable worlds. For complexity, Shape of Water and Darkest Hour had the most difficult challenges. While Darkest Hour brought the 40s back to life, Shape of Water did similar for the 50s but also added a hint of magic to it. And Blade Runner 2049 had to recreate a world and, as mentioned before, and still do something unique on its own. My pick on this is Shape of Water for riding both the real and fantastical lines down to the tiniest detail. Likely Winner: Shape of Water

Film Editing Baby Driver Dunkirk I, Tonya The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Choice: I, Tonya  and Dunkirk shared the honors at the ACE awards this year. I still think I, Tonya is the better choice, if I were handing out the statue, but suspect Nolan has more wind at his back in the Academy. Likely Winner: Dunkirk

Sound Editing Baby Driver Blade Runner 2049 Dunkirk The Shape of Water Star Wars: The Last Jedi

My Choice: Editing and mixing are often the most troublesome picks to make. Each movie here had its challenges, but Baby Driver delivered one of the most interesting results in both categories. So Baby Driver for me on this one. For the win, however, I have low confidence….suspect Dunkirk takes it after its Motion Picture Sound Editors win. Likely Winner: Dunkirk

Sound Mixing Baby Driver Blade Runner 2049 Dunkirk The Shape of Water Star Wars: The Last Jedi

My Choice: Baby Driver again here for me, Even more so than editing, the movie had to navigate a lot of layers and not lose us at the transitions. More confident the Academy will see that in this case than the previous despite Dunkirk’s Cinema Audio Society win in this category. Likely Winner: Baby Driver

Visual Effects Blade Runner 2049 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Kong: Skull Island Star Wars: The Last Jedi War for the Planet of the Apes

My Choice: Lots of choices here, but War of the Planet of the Apes, for all its accolades, has few opportunities and this is likely going to be the one folks would give it. It also picked up the VES Award. The seamless world Apes created out of our own probably beats out the broader worlds that are more obviously CGI. However, BAFTA and others have started a roll for Blade Runner 2049 that is hard to ignore (and also deserved). Likely Winner: War of the Planet of the Apes

[house-for-musicians-blog]

RAW HOUSE #2: Gub - Zaj és az élet

“Raw House” is a series of interviews exploring, discovering and presenting new and unknown artist on the Bandcamp platform. Each interview is an insight and deep-dive into one particular artist chosen randomly though the selection of members of the House for /Mu/sicians Facebook group. Consider joining if you’re an artist yourself!

Experimental music tend to go behind the scene of our daily musical experience. It's underground, living somewhere, ever expanding itself below the surface of those who come beneath it. What I've always looked for in that sort of music is a deep unknown, the sense of being in a place that is not well known to me. One such instance of soul-searching made me stumble across Hungarian-based musician under many aliases. For one he's ferocious Shum, in another instance a deadly and chaotic Phobos and in other - melancholic and surreal Gub. Today on the Raw House we'll discuss multiple projects, Hungarian and chaos in the world surrounding Gábor Varsás.

Check out Gub’s entire music catalog at:  https://varsas.bandcamp.com/music

I. HATRED LEFT FOR DECADES

RAW HOUSE: I wanna first start with Shum since this one is the closest one to what I would listen to from time to time from your music. One would ask „Why noise?”. In general terms this kind of sound, in musical terms, surrounds us daily. Yet it seems like people aren't aware of it's potential, or lack there of. Is it biased to assume that your Shum project is music of the environment rather that internal emotions?

GUB: Just like my other project Gub, Shum is defined by several genres besides noise. My music reflects my current mood well, the sound of an album is heavily influenced by where I went or what I listened to the week before recording it. It can be a walk in the woods, being fascinated by birds chirping, or going to the grocery store, anything can give me inspiration to make music.

RAW HOUSE: So should we assume that the creation of your Shum records is conscious rather than an act of the moment?

GUB: Yes, I always have a theme in mind before recording.

RAW HOUSE: That feels weird to me though. I can surely see how your Shum works begin in this sort of chaotic parallel where everything is constantly on the move. Like, I think that noise music in general is theme-less. And if there are some underlying themes here and there the significance of them falls flat under the performance which takes everything in front except the theme.

GUB: Well, not all of my albums have much thought in them, my most ambitious work was 'Évtizedekre ottfelejtett gyűlölet' but that wasn't too great either. I am currently working on a more ambitious noise record inspired by psychedelic rock.

RAW HOUSE: You see, I'm trying to pin-point this element in 'Évtizedekre ottfelejtett gyűlölet'. You seem to be a bit skeptical about this release. Why did you feel it haven't felt right? When noise music feels right in your opinion?

GUB: Because it could have been better. Both ÉOGY albums have a prelude and an ending track that are slightly more musical than the rest of the tracks, and that's all. The rest is simple harsh noise made with different setups. The main theme is naval and landmines, that came from my friend, Norbert, who writes poems for me and gives great musical ideas. You can hear me singing these lyrics on the intro/outro tracks. The 2 albums are supposed to tell the story about all those mines from the World Wars still floating underwater decades later waiting for their victim who will never come. "Hatred left for decades".    As for what makes noise good, it's the same what makes regular music good. It should have some idea or concept behind it, it should be diverse enough so it will never get boring and most importantly, the tone. Bands like Electric Wizard and Burzum were those that helped me understand the beauty of noise. I just couldn't get enough the crunchy and overwhelming sound of fuzz/distortion pedals.

RAW HOUSE: Does simplicity bothers you, in general?

GUB: Not always, but I don't like doing what others do everyday: releasing untitled random wankery using contact mics without any goal or theme. It's boring. Hopefully my next album will have more than bare context to stand out with.

II.  WHITE DEPTH

RAW HOUSE: Jumping onto Phobos and your newest release "Fehér mélység" - you find it a welcomed change of phase in your project catalog?

GUB: Of course, black metal is more accessible than noise. And I can't blame anyone for not liking Shum. Phobos used to be the name of my first band. Now that we're not playing together anymore I adopted the name for my black metal albums.

RAW HOUSE: If we are on this topic I think we have to touch a little bit on the black metal love. In general how do you feel black metal influenced you as an artist? Which bands made you realize your love to that genre?

GUB: Burzum. Varg's music made me start recording in the first place. In the beginning I used a cheap boombox as an amplifier for my guitar, and recorded it with a headset's microphone. You really can't get more lo-fi than that [laughs]. I don't really remember when did I start liking black metal, I used to be a really pathetic kid, grew up on Slipknot, Rammstein and dadrock. Finding doom metal, progressive rock - mainly King Crimson - and black metal was what opened my eyes musically.

RAW HOUSE: Listening to „Fehér mélység” one day I've been really interested in that lo-fi aesthetic you've incorporated as well. Of course it's not a shocker to anyone that this comes straight from the Norwegian based bands of that nature, all of that unmastered tape recordings and such. However, I do feel like „lo-fi” is bit overused currently as a foreword for having no good equipment and such. What's your stance on that issue?

GUB: Yeah, nowadays "lo-fi" is a buzzword and an excuse used by amateur musicians who are too poor to afford a proper gear. I think we should clarify that lo-fi does not mean bad sound. If you're talented enough you can make even the worst equipment sound pleasing for the ears. When I recorded "Fehér mélység" the main goal was to make something really lo-fi, I used EQ to cut the high and low frequencies and used the worst microphones possible. I had “Paysage d'Hiver” in mind when I made the album. Many people didn't really like it because of this incredibly low quality.

RAW HOUSE: Is the type of sound you've used in Phobos' newest will be continued? Because as far as I can see opinion of others matter to you quite a lot.

GUB: Probably not. The album wasn't too serious or ambitious. Just listen to side B of the album, it's just 15 minutes of drone. I made only to fuck with the listener, not to mention the ridiculous MIDI drums. But I still take some pride in it.

RAW HOUSE: There is definitely something in Gub too. Such a mixture of genres, sounds, different aesthetical choices, varied elements. How do you manage to combine the elements of different genres together? Is it more of a skill or rather something that comes naturally to you?

GUB: It comes naturally because I have to work with what I have. My best work as Gub is probably "A zöld hegy" even thought it's ripping off Flood by Boris most of the time. There's "Rózsa", which is a collection of comfy improvisations on guitar and ukulele. I rarely sing on my albums because I just cannot write lyrics.

RAW HOUSE: Is the lack of lyrical skill holds you much?

GUB: Yes. That is the reason I still haven't finished the psychedelic Shum record I've been working on for half a year now.

RAW HOUSE: If we are speaking about that - I like the choice of Hungarian rather than English when it comes to poetry, titles. Now was this a conscious decision also? Why did you decided on using Hungarian?

GUB: I find Hungarian a beautiful language and I think using your native language instead of English is another way not to step in line. The poets and writers I know and love are mostly Hungarian, and their symbolism inspires me. Or maybe I prefer Hungarian because most black metal bands sing in their own mother tongue too.

RAW HOUSE: Why did you've decided to split all of your releases into different project names rather than making a one cohesive project full of multiple different releases? Is this a way to present yourself in a few different shades of color or another more artistic thing entirely?

GUB: I make music of various genres, and some albums might not suit the ars poetica of the other one. Also, because Shum and Phobos weren't one-man projects at the beginning.

III. THE MUSIC OF SHADOWS

RAW HOUSE: Your first release was in the late 2015, December if I can recall correctly. How would you say you have progressed to this day?

GUB: My mixing/mastering skills improved, I learned to appreciate noise and I have more instruments and better recording gear. Besides that, not much.

RAW HOUSE: Has it been hard for you to start your music projects?

GUB: Not at all. One day I decided to get a microphone and record cover songs. That's how my music career began. Shum started with that small conversation between me and Norbert about mines and Phobos used to be the first band I played in as I said before.

RAW HOUSE: Do you feel experimental music can thrive in Hungary? How does your local scene looks like?

GUB: I don't know much about the experimental music scene here, except for noise. I have talked with other noise musicians from Hungary ever since I started Shum, like Inhos, who's probably the most (in)famous guy in the Hungarian noise scene, mainly because of the really offensive lyrics of his power electronics project, Halalnihil. As for my hometown, I have no idea. All I heard in Miskolc in the past years was really bad dadrock tribute bands and Green Day-tier pop punk.

RAW HOUSE: What do you think of live performances? Would you like to present your music live?

GUB: I don't think there would be an audience for harsh noise wall in this country. I would love to play live but not under the Shum or Phobos name. One day I want to start an indie rock/folk band with other people.

RAW HOUSE: What are you listening to right now? What would you personally recommend?

GUB: "Hole in the Heart" by Ramleh and "Going Places" by Yellow Swans. They influenced the sound of my upcoming album a lot. They're also good entry albums for those who aren't really into noise. As for black metal, I think everyone should hear "Murmuüre" and Pyha's "The Haunted House". Both changed my style significantly. My all time favorite albums are probably "In the Court of the Crimson King" and "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea".

RAW HOUSE: What makes Gábor create more and more stuff?

GUB: I listen to a new album almost everyday. Great albums like the ones I listed above are what keep me inspired and interested in music. Once all art is perished, I'll still have the noise of the traffic, the sound of rain and birds when walking in the woods, music's all around and I care about it more than what my friends and peers can tolerate.

RAW HOUSE: Finally - what's in store from you in the not too distant future

GUB: Psychedelic music and more comfy/calm soundscapes.

Interview conducted on 18th March, 2017

[haroldgross]

New Post has been published on Harold Gross: The 5a.m. Critic

New Post has been published on http://literaryends.com/hgblog/oscars-2018-first-round/

Oscars 2018 (the first round)

This year has been an embarrassment of riches film-wise, especially during the final quarter of the year. From a movie-goer point of view, it is fantastic.

With The Shape of Water leading the noms this year, with 13, you’d think there are some locks, but there aren’t. There are no clear Oscar front-runners and a lot of potential upsets in the making. Who wins is going to be a strange alchemy of talent combined with the political winds of race, equality, and #metoo that may shift or split votes. It’s just reality and it already has had some affects, deserved or not.

From a predictor’s point of view, it is all a glorious kind of hell, but I’m going to continue my rather public shaming (or celebration) as I have in years past and make my predictions. Keep in mind, they are somewhat wild hare at this point, but you gotta start somewhere when analyzing what’s on offer. Expect at least one final update prior to the 4 March awards ceremony.

THE MAJORS (or what we all care about)

Actress in a Leading Role Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) Meryl Streep (The Post)

My Choice:  There just isn’t a bad choice here. Sally Hawkins, however leads the pack for range and challenge in her role.  Likely Winner: Sally Hawkins

Actor in a Leading Role Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread) Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour) Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.)

My Choice: Gary Oldman just disappeared into Churchill. That is the ultimate accomplishment for any actor. He is the closest thing to a lock this year. And, despite it being Lewis’s last role, he already has several statues to play with. Kaluuya did a great job, but it was a job done within the boundaries of genre, which just doesn’t carry the same weight or allow for the same range. And Franco was frozen out, despite his amazing turn in The Disaster Artist.  Likely Winner:  Gary Oldman

Actress in a Supporting Role Mary J Blige (Mudbound) Allison Janney (I, Tonya) Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water)

My Choice: Up until I saw Phantom Thread, my money would have been on Metalf out of this collection of great performances. Manville, however, really does an astounding job supporting Lewis and the story. Still, in terms of range and subtlety, and if pushed to the wall (cause Janney was amazing too), I’m sticking with Laurie Metcalf. Likely Winner: Laurie Metcalf

Actor in a Supporting Role Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project) Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water) Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World) Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

My Choice: I know Rockwell has been snagging a number of the awards, but I was glad to see Harrelson sneak into this group. He’d been getting overlooked so far this season. Richard Jenkins, however, was my favorite performance in this batch. Again, it comes down to range, layers, and quiet control, which is harder to do well than losing it on screen.  Likely Winner: Sam Rockwell

Directing Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk) Jordan Peele (Get Out) Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread) Guillermo del Toro (Shape of Water)

My Choice: I don’t even know where to break what I see as a three-way tie. Gerwig, Peele, and del Toro each have solid cred to walk with this award. And two are here with their, essentially, first film (Gerwig has one other co-director credit). Guillermo del Toro is my favorite, however, and he had a long history behind his talent, which helps me break the tie in his favor. Given all the other nominations for his movie, I’m expecting that will also go with him.  Likely Winner: Guillermo del Toro

Best Picture Call Me By Your Name Darkest Hour Dunkirk Get Out Lady Bird Phantom Thread The Post The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Choice: There are so many ways to argue this one. Honestly, though, I think it is a death match between Shape of Water, Lady Bird, and Three Billboards. Shape of Water has one major advantage, beyond its 13 nominations. Shape is about all the things that the other films are about, all rolled into one, rather than as a single, primary theme. So I’m going with The Shape of Water, but I won’t be surprised by something else taking this home. By the time the DGAs are announced we may have a better sense of where the momentum is. Likely Winner: The Shape of Water

Animated Feature Film The Boss Baby The Breadwinner Coco Ferdinand Loving Vincent

My Choice: I’m still catching up here, but Coco is likely the winner, despite some good word of mouth around Vincent and the political cachét of Breadwinner. Likely Winner: Coco 

Foreign Language Film A Fantastic Woman (Chile) The Insult (Lebanon) Loveless (Russia) On Body And Soul (Hungary) The Square (Sweden)

My Choice: Not a clue yet. I have somehow missed all of these so far, though Square has the most recognition so far. Likely Winner: Not a clue yet.

THE MINORS (or what the rest of us care about)

Documentary Feature Abacus Faces, Places Icarus Last Man In Aleppo Strong Island

My Choice: Not a clue yet.  Likely Winner: Not a clue yet.  

Documentary Short Subject Edith and Eddie Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405 Heron Knife Skills Traffic Stop

My Choice: Not a clue yet.  Likely Winner: Not a clue yet.  

Animated Short Film Dear Basketball Garden Party Lou Negative Space Revolting Rhymes

My Choice: Not a clue yet.  Likely Winner: Not a clue yet.  

Live Action Short Film Dekalb Elementary The Eleven O’Clock My Nephew Emmett Silent Child Watu Wote (All Of Us)

My Choice: Not a clue yet.  Likely Winner: Not a clue yet.  

Adapted Screenplay “Call Me by Your Name” James Ivory “The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber “Logan,” Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green “Molly’s Game,” Aaron Sorkin “Mudbound,” Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

My Choice:  Likely Winner: 

Original Screenplay “The Big Sick,” Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani “Get Out,” Jordan Peele “Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Martin McDonagh

My Choice:  Likely Winner: 

Original Song “Mighty River” (Mudbound), Mary J. Blige “Mystery of Love” (Call Me By Your Name), Sufjan Stevens “Remember Me” (Coco), Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez “Stand Up for Something” (Marshall), Diane Warren, Common “This Is Me” (The Greatest Showman), Benj Pasek, Justin Paul

My Choice:  In years past, I’d have said Remember Me had a lock on the award. It was seen by so many people, figures heavily in the plot, and is a catchy tune. But this is a different kind of year. While This is Me certainly states out the themes of Greatest Showman, it is only heard the once in the story. Neither is particularly ground breaking or, at least for me, memorable. This is Me probably has more impact for me. Likely Winner: Given the climate, I’m going with This is Me

Original Score Dunkrik Phantom Thread The Shape of Water Star Wars: The Last Jedi Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Choice: Hands down, Dunkirk has the most effective score this year, but it may have been too subtle to win. Likely Winner: Shape of Water

THE CRAFT & TECHNICAL (or what we should all care about)

Cinematography Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049) Bruno Delbonnel (Darkest Hour) Hoyte van Hoytema (Dunkirk) Rachel Morrison (Mudbound) Dan Laustsen (The Shape of Water)

My Choice: Dunkirk has a great shot here; Nolan is nothing if not a brilliant framer and Hoytema’s work and challenges were huge given the various environments he had to navigate. However, for beauty and support of the story, Shape of Water and Blade Runner beat him out. Deakins, in particular, had to both create his own language as well as match the original enough to evoke the connection, which has me picking Blade Runner 2049 as my choice, though I don’t know think it will win. Likely Winner: Dunkirk

Costume Design Beauty and the Beast The Darkest Hour Phantom Thread The Shape of Water Victoria & Abdul

My Choice: Typically, this would go to a period piece (like old period). That thinking would put Victoria & Abdul in the front. But this year’s cadre are all over the place on era’s. Phantom Thread boasts some incredible 40s/50s creations. Beauty fantastical imagination. Shape of Water a range of clothing, much like Darkest Hour. For me, the invisibility of the costumes in Shape of Water is the most impressive of the lot. Likely Winner: The Darkest Hour

Makeup and Hairstyling The Darkest Hour Victoria & Abdul Wonder

My Choice: Though Wonder has some impressive make-up, Oldman’s transformation is jaw-dropping and seamless. Going with The Darkest Hour. Likely Winner: The Darkest Hour

Production Design Beauty and the Beast Blade Runner 2049 The Darkest Hour Dunkirk The Shape of Water

My Choice: Wow, you could just hit your head against a wall for ages trying to pick one here. Each film created solid, believable worlds. For complexity, Shape of Water and Darkest Hour had the most difficult challenges. While Darkest Hour brought the 40s back to life, Shape of Water did similar for the 50s but also added a hint of magic to it. And Blade Runner 2049 had to recreate a world and, as mentioned before, still do something unique on its own. My pick on this is Shape of Water for riding both the real and fantastical lines down to the tiniest detail. Likely Winner: Shape of Water

Film Editing Baby Driver Dunkirk I, Tonya The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My Choice: Much like The Big Short, I, Tonya is a movie made by its editing. I’ve gone this route before and lost, but out of this field, it is the movie that stands out for me in this aspect of the craft. It isn’t subtle, but it builds the story out of snippets and pulls you along. Baby Driver has a good amount of effort in there as well, but it doesn’t stand out for me here. Similarly, Dunkirk. Shape of Water has an ethereal sense to its editing that may win voters as it added to the feel of the tale nicely. Likely Winner: Dunkirk

Sound Editing Baby Driver Blade Runner 2049 Dunkirk The Shape of Water Star Wars: The Last Jedi

My Choice: Editing and mixing are often the most troublesome picks to make. Each movie here had its challenges, but Baby Driver delivered one of the most interesting results in both categories. So Baby Driver for me on this one. Likely Winner: Baby Driver (low confidence here…suspect Dunkirk takes it)

Sound Mixing Baby Driver Blade Runner 2049 Dunkirk The Shape of Water Star Wars: The Last Jedi

My Choice: Baby Driver again here for me, Even more so than editing, the movie had to navigate a lot of layers and not lose us at the transitions. More confident the Academy will see that in this case than the previous. Likely Winner: Baby Driver

Visual Effects Blade Runner 2049 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Kong: Skull Island Star Wars: The Last Jedi War for the Planet of the Apes

My Choice: Lots of choices here, but War of the Planet of the Apes, for all its accolades, has few opportunities and this is likely going to be the one folks would give it. The seamless world it created out of our own probably beats out the broader worlds that are more obviously CGI. Likely Winner: War of the Planet of the Apes