#i wonder if this is part of rey’s film or if this comes from that or something

[kyberkanan]

SAVE ME NEW STAR WARS MOVIES, SAVE ME

[theside-b]

Just so you guys know: just finished Happy Of The End, and I really liked it, although felt like they rushed the finale still think all in all it was a great show, so different from anything we got recently (still have to catch up with Smells Like Green Spirit).

Rei here is a revelation, his Haoren is so different from the Haruna we saw in Living With Him, very interest in seeing more from him as an actor and surprised that such young idol threw himself at such complex and daring character.

And while they did a decent job trimming some of the more explicit and messed up bits of the source material for the show, a part of me will always wonder what this would've looked liked as a movie. Japan tends to not hold back when it comes to film, and this would've suited as a glove in the cinematic format.

It definitely not for those looking for the sugary fare of JBLs, this one serves as reminder that when they want to Japan has no qualms diversifying it's stories, if anything this sort of heavy tale used to be the bread and butter of the JBL fandom until a couple of years ago.

[flilisskywalker]

This is a Mandalorian season 3 finale rant (There might be cursing because I need to vent my frustrations)

Yeah, I really hated the season 3 finale of Mando. It’s the most boring, uninspired poorly directed, written and edited Star Wars in a fucking while. Easily the worst episode of Star Wars television as a fucking whole to me

what the fuck happened 

It's sad because I was enjoying this season, but holy shit, for a show that was always good because of its emotional beats, they sure missed a lot of them (Unless your name is Grogu, of course, ops. Din Grogu urghhhhhh).  It was so fucking emotionless and fucking anticlimatic.

I have to be honest

I don't care that much about Grogu. “But the show is about him.” He is not the main relationship that Din has in this season! That is Bo-Katan. It's ridiculous how these characters have grown close to each other since the Mines and the writer finds the most emotionless way to reunite them again and split them again and the director just doesn't extract fabulous performances of them as well and the editing just chooses the most uninspired shots. 

It fucking bothers me the most is that this show is so concerned with what's coming next that they are forgetting what makes Star Wars so fucking cool: The relationships. Bo-Katan and Din have been saving each other's asses, sharing different perspectives to each other, swearing loyalty and they don't even get a goodbye scene.

“Maybe because they are not saying goodbye.” 

BULLSHIT. 

It's like you get The Force Awakens with Rey and Finn becoming friends, but without the moment that solidifies the bond from Rey’s part, which is when she says: "We'll see each other again. I believe that. Thank you, my friend." Was it so difficult to have them aknowledging the journey they went through together before they went separate ways? I just don’t get it how you miss such a simple and obvious emotional beat like this. 

It doesn’t fucking stop there. Of course.

Bo-Katan does not seem happy at all when she lights up that Forge. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I WONDER WHY. Could it because a fucking tin man who promised to serve her until her life was over is not fucking there? And people will say “You’re delusional.” No. This woman was flirting with him two episodes ago, she’s been looking at him since the Mines in a way that she does not look at any other Mandalorian (and you all can deny it however you want, but the way Katee is directed in those scenes just don’t lie) and they just make him go away. 

You fucking with me? You gotta be fucking with me. 

And you think that’s all? 

Hmm. Not really. 

Ragnar loses his father, who was also clearly the Armorer's favorite son and there’s no reaction, no aknowledgement of his death. Instead we got a whole "take the creed" scene, like, godamnit, have some fucking compassion for crying out loud. 

Moff Gideon destroying the darksaber is so awful. It doesn't work as a symbolism because he wanted that thing. It should've been Bo-Katan who destroyed it and that would pay off Din's line about the sword not being what determines who she is as a leader. 

Oh and Gideon dies, but not really because we know characters don’t really die in explosions in Star Wars and it’s so. fucking. ridiculous. What a moment this would be if this kill belonged to Bo-Katan. Because... I don’t know, the whole season is about her. 

*takes a deep breath* 

I fucking hated this episode. 

*takes another deep breath* 

Wake me up when Din and Bo are a duo again and they are allowed to have their romance. 

This finale was so not the fucking Way. 

Not even in Star Wars TV. Probably easily my most hated piece of a Star Wars media. “You are a Rise of Skywalker enjoyer.” I AM. Because you know, for all its flaws, at least that films understand emotional bits and this finale just doesn’t.

[arcielee]

Interview With a Writer

Thank you @humanpurposes for your time to answer my questions about your amazing story 💜 This is just a continuation of my Interview With a Writer series. You can go to masterlist and read the other amazing, talented, wonderful authors that I have spoken with, getting a BTS of their brilliant minds and their stories on Tumblr and ao3.

Dividers by @saradika 💜

Name: humanpurposes

Story: My Heart Belongs to Daddy

Paring: modern!Aemond x step-daughter

Warnings: 18+, angst, smut, daddy kink, spanking, degradation, questionable relationship dynamics, infidelity, mentions of grief/loss, no underage elements.

So, when did you start writing?

I've always had an interest in stories, whatever form they take, books, films, plays, ideas in my head. Since I was a kid I've loved exploring different creative outlets, writing being one of them.

I think I first really started to realise I was decent at it when I did creative writing at school, it was the one subject I just 'got'. As a teenager I tried writing fanfiction and originals (which were all terrible and never saw the light of day), and to be honest, my interest in writing dwindled while I was doing A Levels and uni.

Then last year, out of nowhere, I managed to finish a one-shot for The Sandman (which I never posted and lost rip). Then House of the Dragon happened, Aemond Targaryen appeared on my screen and the rest is history! So really it's only in the last year I've considered myself 'a writer'.

Where did the plot for My Heart Belongs to Daddy come from?

One thing about me is that I'm highly susceptible to peer pressure, so when people were asking for a part 2, I was like "of course!" ...cut to me sitting in front of my laptop for hours trying to conjure up a plot.

I knew I wanted it to be quite an emotional series, because while hooking up with your mum's boyfriend is a fun gimmick for a one-shot, I really wanted to get deeper into all the dynamics and relationships at play. I knew I wanted Alys to have her moment, I was really adamant that she wasn't going to be a villain, and I had the scene outside the club on New Years Eve in my head. From there, I kinda came up with Aemond's backstory, him having a crush on her when they were younger and harbouring those feelings. It all just kinda fell into place from there.

I have to say as well, it was kind of inspired by Normal People; just two people struggling to navigate their feelings. And I love it because it sounds like such a simple premise, but there are so many complexities to it.

Expand on your interpretation of Aemond. What drives him? Why is he the way he is in MHBTD?

MHBTD Aemond is very much intended to mirror the Aemond we see in the show, minus the dragon and the war crimes.

He's studious, a perfectionist, a very imposing but understated presence. The relationship with his family is very much the same too. He sees himself as more capable than his siblings, is overlooked by his father and overshadowed by Rhaenyra and the Strong boys, so he is very much driven by a want to prove himself and live up to the legacy of his family.

He also takes on the burden of being Alicent's golden child, which he kinda botches when he messes up a contract with Storm's End, and ends up feeling more alienated by the only person who really values him. That's where Alys comes in and gives him a way to escape all of that.

So I really tried to translate his character into a modern setting in a way that would be believable, but I didn't want to lose what makes Aemond Targaryen, "Aemond Targaryen."

Was there anything in specific that inspired your Reader portrayal?

Well, this was actually the first reader/nameless character fic I've written. Generally I tend to write original characters for a series. I mean real talk though, a lot of her character is inspired by me, like her interest in history and the love for Lana Del Rey and Mazzy Star, but if you can't self indulge when writing a fanfiction, when can you?

But it was interesting for me trying to write her as someone who is easy to project onto, but also, I hope, has a lot of depth. She has a lot of conflicts going on in her head, her dependence on Aemond and her guilt she feels lying to Alys, knowing pursuing a relationship is wrong, trying to break away, only to be pulled back in... so the more I wrote, the more she became her own person.

What is your take on her relationship with Aemond? Do you feel she complements Aemond?

I think they compliment each other quite well, but there are a lot of things at play here.

So on a basic level, they have similar personalities, not particularly outgoing but not exactly shy either, they both have a quiet confidence. They have similar interests, did similar subjects at uni, that kind of thing.

But I think their differences go together well too. Aemond is ambitious and eager to prove himself, whereas she can be a bit more grounded. There's also an element of codependency to their relationship. True to canon, Aemond likes to be in control and she compliments that well (better than Alys does), and they both have moments where they struggle with loneliness and latch onto each other as a result.

There are a lot of external factors that make the whole situation very very complicated. They suck at communication and obviously, he dated her mother.

But ultimately, they both want each other enough to keep going back. I think it's like that age of question of 'is love enough?'

What was your outline process for this? Did you always know how this story was going to end?

I always write with an end point in mind. For me anyway, I need to know what I'm working towards. In my head it was always going to end with her knowing that while being with Aemond probably isn't the right choice, she does it anyway because she can't say no to him.

And again talking about realism, I really didn't see it having a fairytale ending, because even though they'll be in Oldtown together, they won't be able to hide their relationship from their families forever.

Do you think there will be a sequel? Or something else you are working on next?

As much as I've loved working on this series, I am ready to work on some other stuff.

I have two series which I'm currently updating, a canon era Aemond fic called Karma is a God, and a Tom Bennett mini series called Just for a Moment.

I also have some one-shots in the works and I'm looking to get back to updating an Osferth fic which I started in May and haven't updated since!

That being said... I did have an idea for an epilogue which I'm kinda obsessed with. But we'll see how long it takes me to get round to it 🤭

Last question! Do you have any fanfic recommendations?

That's so hard to just pic one!

I have to shout out my girl Sam @randomdragonfires and her story Invisible String. I love the dynamic she created between Aemond and the reader, only to leave me utterly devastated with the ending! Sam is so talented I love her writing style and the voices she gives the characters, everything she writes is gold.

Also, I feel like I'll never shut up about it but Now I'm Covered In You by @inthedayswhenlandswerefew was just incredible. I cannot tell you how much of a chokehold that fic had on me. The tension, the politics, the drama, the yearning between Aemond and Ivy! I was on the edge of my seat for all 10 Chapters.

I'm obsessed with medieval history, it is literally my perfect fic.

[tilbageidanmark]

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS WEEK (#189):

Starting with some re-visits ♻️: That Obscure Object of Desire was Luis Buñuel last erotic film. Old businessman Fernando Rey falls in love and becomes mortally infatuated with a young flamenco dancer, who leads him astray. It's a story of uncontrollable obsession, and a dysfunctional power struggle between them. On the one hand, it's a straight-forward tale of murky motivations, told in a masterful, fluid style. On the other, there are little nuggets of dissonant surrealism: There's some old man carrying a burlap sack, going in and out of scenes without explanations. Or, Conchita, the elusive tease, is played interchangeably by two different actresses, Etc.

🍿

RIP, Gena Rowlands X 2 - (Incredible photo Above).

🍿 "You, banana, you..."

A Woman Under the Influence, hers and husband Guy Woodhouse's most acclaimed work together. A painful tour into the mind of a lonely housewife whose behavior is just a bit eccentric, and who maybe suffers from a bi-polar disorder. Peter Falk, her simple construction worker husband, loves her, but lacks the skills to deal with her, and her existential anguish eventually turns into a nervous breakdown. The general understanding of mental health in 1975 wasn't kind to 'differently-behaved' women, so no wonder she was misdiagnosed, committed and underwent electroshock therapy. A powerful performance that was hard to watch.

🍿 After this early clip of the taxi shoot-out, I also had to see Gloria. One of John Cassavetes' more commercial attempts, it was a strange neo-Noir bland of 'Running from the mob' action thriller, and Gena Rowlands as a bad-ass ex-girlfriend of Tanzinni the mafioso. The backstage of Late-70's NYC is fascinating to observe.

🍿

2 Bizarre Buck Henry-related shorts:

🍿 Buck Henry had an amazing career. In 'Gloria', he's playing the mob accountant whose killing jump starts the plot. I only discovered Kiss Kiss Fingerbang (2015) because it was the 85-year old Buck Henry's very last (cameo) role, and I only watched it because of the unusually-provocative name. But this erotic story about a girlfriend who likes it 'that way', was just plain stupid. [*Female Director*]

🍿 I miss Sonia Henie was a strange 'Yugoslav New Wave' diversion from 1971. Eight directors, including Dušan Makavejev, Frederick Wiseman (!), Paul Morrissey, Miloš Forman and Buck Henry were each tasked with coming up overnight with short avant-garde segments. Each was to be less than three minutes of film footage inside a bedroom with static shots that contains the phrase 'I Miss Sonja Henie'. The results were, as expected, experimentally-weird. The best part actually was the ending clip of the fabulous Norwegian ice skater dancing to the tune of 'The Blue Danube'. Still it was worth watching. (This is my second film by Slovenian Carpo Godina).

🍿

Close - The sad story of two 13 year old boys who love each other, but break up their friendship when their new classmates call them a "couple". Incredibly sensitive acting by the two boys. A subtle story, where nobody's able to express themselves in words, and in spite of the obvious affection that everybody has, nobody tells anybody 'I love you'. There are two themes that repeat: The flower fields, and the long bike rides home. And the breaking point, when one of the boys learns that tragedy struck, is at 44:00 min. in - exactly one hour before the end of the movie. 10/10. Re-watch ♻️.

Extra: Found a good video essay about the inability to communicate in the movie.

🍿

2 with Alice Lowe:

🍿 "Make Sanford Great Again!"...

I've watched Hot Fuzz a dozen times or more in the last few years, but it's never enough. Everything I felt and wrote about it before is still 100% accurate. So now I notice new, tiny details. F. ex. how cute is "Tina", the Supermarché announcer - "Mr. Skinner to the manager's office. Mr. Skinner to the manager's office." But really, every single actor here is absolutely perfect. The bloopers. I can't wait for Edgar Wright's 2 new films. 10/10. Another re-watch ♻️.

🍿 In Innocence (2019) Alice Lowe stars as a policewoman investigating a suspicious falling death, but except of the fact that it's a facility for patients with Downs Syndrome, and the main actor is one, it's doesn't stand out.

🍿

2 more with 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes:

🍿 Big boys is a surprising coming of age story with a different twist. A shy, overweight 14-year-old boy, who's both ordinary and self-conscious, falls for his cousin's older boyfriend, while on a camping trip in Lake Arrowhead. It's told in a careful, hesitant, nearly European tone. Awkward and heart-felt, sweet and wholesome. 💯 score on Rotten Tomatoes. 8/10.

🍿 I could only watch Àma Gloria in the original French-Portuguese without subtitles, so I missed some of its subtext. Still it was powerfully sad and deeply moving. A 6-year-old girl, who lost her mother to cancer, is being taken care of by her Creole nanny. The nanny must return to her native Cape Verde, and the girl is allowed to come and visit her. The little girl who plays the part is truly incredible in the role. The trailer. 9/10.

It's another of the sub-genre of 'Domestic Workers' ('Roma', 'The second mother', 'The maid', 'Oli Ilo', 'Lina from Lima', 'The chambermaid', so many others.) [*Female Director*]

🍿

Ali Abbasi was born in Iran, and moved to Denmark about 15 years ago.

Holy spider is his grim police procedural based on a true story of an Iranian serial killer. It's like Fincher's 'Zodiac', except that the location is the dirty, primitive and oppressive "Holy city" of Mashhad. The killer is a family man but also a fanatical religious nut, who takes on a mission to cleanse his city of poor, drug-addicted prostitutes. The murders are chillingly ugly, but the rest of the story is captivating. 8/10.

While waiting for his anticipated Trump biography 'The Apprentice', I am going to watch the 2 other features he directed, 'Shelley' and 'Border'.

🍿

Let's Go with Pancho Villa (1936) was long considered to be one of the 'greatest Mexican films of all times'. It's a different anti-authoritarian and epic view of the 1910 Revolution. But it didn't speak to me. ¡VIVA MÉXICO!

🍿  

"The flower had not had a fair chance to bloom in the garden of life. The worm of poverty had entered the folded bud and spoiled it..."

Shoes (1916), my 2nd by silent pioneer Lois Weber (after ‘Suspense’). A poor young working girl, struggling to support her family on her meager salary, desperately needs a new pair of shoes, as her only pair literally fall apart. In desperation she 'sells her body', just to survive. A strong feminist message in a sad, realist settings. It was added to the 'National Firm Registry'. [*Female Director*]

🍿  

4 more from the 'Miu Miu Women's Tales' Series:

🍿 "The men are coming! Cover up, everyone! Cover up!" My first film from Saudi Arabian, The Wedding Singer’s Daughter (2018) by Haifaa Al-Mansour, one of the first female filmmakers from over there. Set in 1980, separated from the men, a group of female guests prepare the music and dance for a fancy wedding. Lovely.

🍿 Brigitte (2019), the only Lynne Ramsay film I haven't seen before. It's not the best of the bunch, but still fabulously artistic. A documentary portrait of portrait photographer Brigitte Lacombe in her rustic, cavernous photo studio.

🍿 Le Donne della Vucciria (2013), by my favorite Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass ("Marcia Roy"), and featuring my favorite Lebanese actress Lubna Azabal. An impressionistic Mediterranean mood piece about a dressmaker and a puppet-master, a group of singers down at the Piazza, a Vespa ride by the promenade when the morning comes. 8/10.

🍿 Shangri-La, a poetic confession of forbidden love between a Filipina woman and her white farmhand lover, (who's disguised as a catholic priest). Set up during the Depression, when such relationships were illegal. So-so. [*4 Female Directors*]

🍿

Timor's show (2016) is an interesting Israeli documentary. Timor is a 37-year-old naive emigrant from Russia, who works as a lowly dishwasher. In Baku he studied music at the academy, and he has a lovely baritone voice. But then he decides to put up a recital in a real concert hall, where for the first time in his life, he will sing in front of an audience some of his favorite arias. [*Female Director*]

🍿

2 horrible stinkers:

🍿 "Good luck, shithead"... First watch: Stupid B-monster survivor film Tremors (1990). I did finish it, but with difficulties. Why was it so awful, when all it wanted was to copy Jaws-5 but with Sand Worms instead? 1/10.

🍿 "Who wants some head?"

I can't believe that by now I've seen two movies with John Cena (The first one was 'Barbie'). What is wrong with me?!

But really, the only reason I watched the new "near future dystopian" Jackpot is because it was made by Paul Feig, who directed 'A simple Favor', my all-time favorite Anna Kendrick guilty pleasure. However, this one-note "action-comedy" was spectacularly dreadful. I hated myself for watching it. 1/10.

And now I read that 'Favor 2' is already filmed, and everybody of the original cast, including 'Darren' to 'Detective Summerville' are repeating their roles, and that fills me with dread. I hate sequels!

🍿  

4 short westerns by Michael Brian Rawlins:

🍿 Michael Brian Rawlins specializes in writing, directing and starring in light Western shorts (?). His The Dentist (2020) is the better one. Here he plays a traveling broke dentist being held up by a highway robber with an infected tooth. A perfect meeting.

🍿 The Deputy (2017) is more of a one big action scene, told in modern style.

🍿 In Two outlaws, a marshal forces two outlaws to play Russian Roulette against each other. It ends when they are both hanged by their neck, while Lakmé 'Flower Duet' is playing in the background.

🍿 Rivals too is in a similar vain, a romanticized vision of kids playing 'cowboys'. The whole thing is like a clean Disneyfied tourist version of what a modern western should be.

None of these though is as good as The Gunslinger!

🍿  

The Fleischer Brothers X 3:

🍿 Dizzy Dishes (1930), the very first cartoon with an appearance by Betty Boop. Primitive line drawings, still trying to figure out that new media.

🍿 Any Rags (1932) about a garbage man, collecting anything he can, then selling it.

🍿 Hold it (1938) is one of the Fleischer Studio's 'Color Classics' early use of Technicolor in animation. A bunch of cats against one sleeping dog.

🍿

3 by Illustrator Nate Milton:

🍿 Viewfinder (2023), an excellent impression of precise memory packs of what it meant to be a teenager in the 90's.

🍿 In Eli (2020), a boy is being interrogated at the City of Providence Psychiatric Hospital as to why he's there. The answer has to do with magical raccoons, meteor craters, government secret facilities, music and the evolution of all matter. 8/10.

🍿 Tank (2012), a simply-drawn story of a boy who finds a giant salamander. One of his 9 Vimeo Staff Awards film winners.

His shorts are also pretty dope. F. Ex. this 1986 interview with Miles Davis...

🍿

3 More Shorts:

🍿 To scale: Time was made by a couple of friends to demonstrate how long is it since the Big Bang. They constructed a 4.3 miles stretch of lights in the Mojave Desert, and our civilization is the last few inches...

🍿 Casino Moon (2012), my first by the other-other-other Coppola, Gia Coppola. A cute Vegas roulette dealer falls for a young loser at her table. What does she finds in him, is hard to see, but then I can't stand members of the Schwartzman clan myself (Except of mamma, Taila Shire, of course). Gambling cliches + Wong Kar-wai vibes. Not bad. [*Female Director*]

🍿 Cockatoo v human: Who will win? The opening-rubbish-bins arms race between cockatoos and humans. From the Australian documentary series, The Secret Lives Of Our Urban Birds.

🍿

Throw-back to the Adora Art project:  

Buñuel Adora.

🍿  

(My complete movie list is here).

[harmonyhealinghub]

Disney: The Magic of Imagination and Dreams Shaina Tranquilino December 30, 2023

When we think of Disney, our minds are instantly transported to a world filled with magic, dreams, and enchantment. From the iconic Mickey Mouse to the beloved princesses and the enchanting theme parks, Disney has captivated generations with its ability to bring imagination to life.

Walt Disney once said, "I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse." And indeed, it was Mickey Mouse who became the symbol of this magical kingdom. With his mischievous smile and charismatic personality, Mickey captured hearts around the globe, becoming an endearing character loved by both children and adults alike.

But Disney is more than just a cartoon studio. It represents a celebration of childhood innocence and wonder. Through their animated films, Disney has woven stories that touch our hearts and ignite our imaginations. Whether it's the timeless tale of Cinderella or the adventures of Simba in The Lion King, these movies have become part of our collective cultural identity.

Disney's ability to create captivating characters extends beyond traditional fairy tales. They have brought to life superheroes like Iron Man and Captain America through their acquisition of Marvel Entertainment. Additionally, their partnership with Lucasfilm introduced us to new heroes such as Rey from Star Wars. These franchises continue to inspire millions worldwide, showing us that even in galaxies far, far away or in superhero metropolises, there is always room for hope and heroism.

What truly sets Disney apart is its commitment to creating experiences beyond the silver screen. Their theme parks around the world offer visitors a chance to step into their favourite stories. Whether you're exploring Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland or taking a journey through space on Space Mountain at Disney World, these parks transport guests into a realm where fantasy becomes reality. The attention to detail is awe-inspiring – every corner of these parks reflects meticulous craftsmanship aimed at immersing visitors in a world of wonder.

Disney's influence extends beyond entertainment and tourism. Through their philanthropic efforts, they have made significant contributions to education and children's hospitals. Their dedication to making the world a better place is evident through initiatives like Disney Conservation Fund, which focuses on preserving wildlife and habitats around the globe. They understand that the magic they create can extend far beyond their stories, bringing joy and hope to those in need.

In recent years, Disney has also embraced diversity and inclusion, recognizing the importance of representation. Characters like Moana, Mulan, and Black Panther have become role models for children who see themselves reflected in these inspiring individuals. This commitment to inclusivity ensures that Disney remains relevant and resonates with audiences across various backgrounds.

As we reflect on the impact of Disney, it becomes clear that its success lies not only in its storytelling or theme parks but also in its ability to ignite our imaginations and inspire us to believe in the power of dreams. It reminds us all that no matter how old we are, there is always room for a little bit of magic in our lives.

So next time you find yourself watching a Disney movie or planning a trip to one of their theme parks, take a moment to appreciate the incredible legacy Walt Disney left behind. Let your imagination soar as you delve into tales filled with love, adventure, and happily ever afters because at Disney, dreams really do come true.

[piglet26]

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Rewatch Part 4

Rey "If you see Finn before I do, tell him..."

Chewie Gurgles

Rey "Yeah, perfect. Tell him that."

To anyone who thinks this is a one-sided friendship.

It was honestly very brave of Rey to go alone to the First Order. She had a lot of faith in Ben/Kylo Ren cause she really didn't have a plan except to plead with him I guess.

We might have gotten a hint of their sexual tension before but it's full pride and prejudice here. The novel goes a little bit more in depth and it's canon from Rian/Adam that Ren wanted to kiss her her.

General Holdo is a great leader but is there a reason she couldn't just communicate her plan to get Poe off her back, it seems like it could've saved some trouble. 3PO running off to not be party to a munity hahahahaha

Leia coming back in time to dip out and knock out Poe. It's a great scene between Holdo and Leia about strength and leadership.

The throne room scene is brilliant just all around. The acting, the direction, the production, the look of it all. Snoke didn't bridge their minds though not sure where that came from, writing wise. Rey be patient with our boy, Ren, you didn't have a plan and he's having to come up with one on the spot. Adam driver played Ren's neutrality perfectly.

Rey in plucky but she Lord she did not think this through. Ren, not one for patience or controlling his temper, actually locked it up this scene to save them both. I didn't see this in theaters so I'm curious what the reaction to him killing Snoke was. Bet it was wild. Then the moment when they lock eyes like "you with me?" and here is this iconic moment. Power lightsaber couple.

I keep forgetting that Finn used to be in The First Order. General Hux, Phasma and company have known him for a long time. Hence the bitch slap Hux gives Finn haha.

I'm so annoyed that once explained to Poe, he agrees it's a good plan and stops trying to interfere.

We also see Ren at his full fighting level. Novice Rey wouldn't have beaten him. He's beating several trained individuals at once. He's finally freed in a way he's longed to be by choosing Rey.

The cinematography during this film doesn't get enough credit. Like at all. You can see that this film is a labor of love.

That moment when Rey thinks he's Ben only for Kylo Ren to be like hey girl, still here. It's a great scene, can't say that enough. It does go to further illustrate that there isn't any place these two can hide from one another. It's what makes them seen though and fully connected in a way they've never been to another person. Yeah, they ain't letting this go.

The fighting over the lightsaber. Beautiful visual.

General Holdo after watching some boat blow up, moves to action and goes out like a G. Seriously she needed to do something or she was the only about to survive. The sound production, once again, is just amazing.

Finn and Phasma fight is nice and it's wonderful watching him more and more confront his problems instead of running away from them. Rose and Finn could've at least had soot covered clothing. I mean something. They look pristine here. Overlay aside this is a beautiful shot of Leia.

I just love the shot with the planes. The trail of red like blood over the white salt. In the resistance typical shitty ass equipment. At least it makes sense here why they have poor equipment.

I do love that Kylo makes a competent leader if not an emotional one. I wonder if he had a moment to enjoy finally becoming boss. It's what even his grandfather never managed to do. It's obvious that he takes no pleasure in it. He wanted Rey there with him.

hahah General Hux and Ren are just chef's kiss.

Rose crashing into Finn was stupid. Finn dying a heroic death would've been better or at least no pointless. The kiss was undeserved. Finn looked grossed out and confused. Or Rose could've died the heroic death, I don't know, but this is trash. However, people need help if they personally attack actors cause they don't like their characters.

Luke Skywalker finally shows up. I will say this moment of finally stepping up feels so deserved cause we watched him bullshit for the entire movie. It also brings it around that ultimately Luke is a symbol at this point. His job wasn't about beating the First Order or even Kylo Ren, it was about having something (someone) to believe in. Leia and Luke had such a touching scene where you can see the love between them as characters and actors.

Kylo Ren testosterone kicks in and he's gotta fight Kylo Ren Mano e Mano. It's a great character beat. Luke wouldn't, nor could he, kill his nephew no more than he could kill his father. He did a very unorthodox heroic thing very in league with his legacy, he bought them time to escape without being violent towards his kin. The moment Kylo Ren realized he's fake though ha! what a moment.

Finally Rey and Finn reunite. There's more chemistry, relief and connection in this wordless hug than in every single one of FinnRose's scenes.

Finally, the death of Luke Skywalker. It's peaceful, purposeful, heroic and full circle which is more than Han got. Staring at those two suns we're called back to his days on tattooine.

The last forcetime between is filled with so much emotion, again without a word spoken. Allowing actors to emote and not always just speak is the sign of a great writer and director. Ren looks at Rey with such confusion and longing. Rey looks at Ren with such disappointment and tough love. Also, I didn't realize Poe and Rey hadn't met yet. It's like automatic frenemies.

On the other side of the galaxy children share the story of Luke Skywalker standing up to oppression, violence and so forth.... and we conclude.

Overall, I LOVE THIS FILM. I don't give a damn about the hate I receive for loving Reylo. It's a beautiful, well written film with great character development. Do I like the handling of Luke Skywalker? No. The titty milk scene was gross and demeaning. Everything else I enjoy whole heartedly.

Now onto Rise of Skywalker? God give me strength. I remember it was a mixed bag, mostly confusing hot mess with a terrible ending.

[aeoki]

Sandstorm - Desert Survival: Chapter 11

Location: Stage Characters: Hinata, Yuuta, Adonis, Kouga, Kaoru & Rei

TL Note:

For those who don’t know, “Wimpy Four-Eyes” refers to Makoto.

Rei: “♪~♪~♪”

Kouga: “U! N! D! E! A! D!”

Adonis: “We are~?”

Yuuta: “2wink”!

Hinata: Wait, wait, wait! Obviously, they should’ve said “UNDEAD” there! Yuuta-kun’s turned into a kid who can’t read the room~!

Kaoru: It looks like it’s been edited~... Wait, what’s this? Considering the upload date, it doesn’t look like they’ve used old clips and edited them together, though?

Hinata: I think they filmed it today~ At the very least, it’s today’s Yuuta-kun! I can tell!

I use Yuuta-kun as my mirror when I’m doing my make-up every day, after all!

Kaoru: Well, you two are identical in that aspect, but there’s no point looking at Yuuta-kun while doing your make-up, right? ‘Cause you’re doing makeup on your own face?

Hinata: We move the same way and do our make-up that way too, so it’s fine! It’s the same as using a mirror!

Kaoru: It’ll just be easier to use a mirror, right?

Hinata: We need that sort of ritual right now!

I can feel my connection to Yuuta-kun grow weaker these days and it feels like he’s turning more and more into a “stranger”...

Anyway! I wonder what’s the meaning behind this video?

Kaoru: Who knows…? It feels like we’ve jumped into a timeline where Yuuta-kun is a part of “UNDEAD”, but the uploader is called “2wink”...

Hinata: Hmm, what does this mean? What happened?

Kaoru: I don’t really know but well, it looks like everyone’s doing well, at the very least, so that’s good to see.

Hinata: Hmm… Well, I’m glad we were able to see that they’re fine.

Kaoru: It would be nice if we can also let them know we’re okay too. Does this site allow comments?

Hinata: Hmm, doesn’t look like it… It looks like just a site for watching videos.

It doesn’t seem like you can access it from “Hallhands”, either.

Kaoru: That’s troubling~ We had our phones confiscated so we can’t connect to the internet nor can we let our families know that we’re fine.

Hinata: Yeah. You can’t search the net on this laptop either, so we can’t even look up what this “Oasis Videos” site is.

Kaoru: “Oasis”... This resting zone and accommodation that’s in this strange desert is also called “Oasis” but are they connected in some way?

Hinata: We can’t deny that they don’t, but I think we don’t have enough information to be making guesses right now~

Oh geez, nothing makes sense! Just what in the world did we get ourselves into?

Adonis: Hm? Look, our video has finally been uploaded.

Kouga: Finally. We even filmed and uploaded it when the sun was up. Does reviewin’ videos usually take this long?

Adonis: I don’t know. I don’t really know a lot about these digital devices.

Kouga: Yeah? If only Wimpy Four-Eyes[⁎] was around…

Oh, the video was just uploaded but it looks like the PV’s looking pretty good.

Adonis: PV?

Kouga: The page views. Couldn’t you take a guess based on the context?

Adonis: Hmm. Come to think of it, I’ve been hearing those sorts of words a lot recently.

They’re words that tend to be shortened based on the first letters of the words, so it makes it harder for me to tell what the meaning is.

Kouga: Like “SS”, right? Just what does it stand for?

Adonis: I looked it up before, but it seems there are various rumours. Maybe it’s more intriguing for it to be shrouded in mystery, but there hasn’t been an official statement regarding what the letters stand for.

Kouga: Ahh~ It’s the same for Yumenosaki’s “DDD”, huh. The more mysterious it sounds, the more ridiculous the truth is.

There’s nothing to it, so they’re just putting it on display right at the top. It’s so stupid.

Rei: ………… *Whispers to Yuuta*

Yuuta: “Doesn’t that hurt your ears, Kouga?” is what he says apparently~

Kouga: I ain’t gonna comment no more, timid bastard. You can’t say nothin’ without it bein’ through mummy Yuuta, right? Huuuh?

Rei: ………… *Whispers to Yuuta*

Yuuta: “Mummy~ An undisciplined dog is bullying me~” is what he’s saying apparently.

Kouga: You don’t have to translate that. And I ain’t no dog – I’m a wolf! Just do our usual thing normally, huuh!

Adonis: There, there… I’ll say this as many times as need be, but Sakuma-senpai most likely cannot speak with us because of his “order”.

Yuuta: Ahaha. Well, he can speak with me and I can translate for him, so he can communicate on a minimal level.

Kouga: Right. I bet it’s a pain but thanks, Yuuta.

Yuuta: …Well, I’m not guaranteed to completely translate what Sakuma-senpai says with 100% accuracy, though.

Kouga: Huuuh?

Yuuta: Nothing~ Anyway, it’s good that we’re getting a lot of views. Since it seems we’ll be paid “SSL$” accordingly depending on the number of views.

Let’s upload more videos and earn more to win “SS”.

Kouga: Yeah, there’s nothin’ else we can do, anyway. Accordin’ to what the management said, we can buy “Desert Coins” using the “SSL$” we earned…

And if we send those coins to Hakaze-senpai and Hinata, they’ll apparently have an easier time out in the desert.

There’s nothin’ bad to gain from earnin’ those “Desert Coins” or whatever they’re called.

Yuuta: It seems they’ve been thrown into a strange situation without knowing what’s left or right as well.

(Hmm~... By the looks of things right now, things are turning out well for us, but no, it just seems that way because the management is setting things up to look like it.)

(Just how much can we trust the management? Adults always lie and betray others…)

(I’d like to contact Hinata-kun and be on the same page as him at the very least, though.)

(But there’s no way to contact him… Oh man, if only we really had telepathic abilities.)

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂ Next Chapter →

[francostrider]

The Experience and Timing of Media

My group of friends had a tradition for every February called “Eat Like Hobbits”. Basically, our one friend would invite us all to her home, and she would have the excuse to cook several meals over the course of a day (which she loves doing), all the while the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy play in the background. Well, we would watch it, but we are also chatting and just be glad January was over. We would have a good time, eat, well, like a hobbit, and embrace our nerdy selves.

So, I will confess one thing: The Lord of the Rings are not in my top five or top ten films of all time. But I have a lot of respect for the trilogy, and the amount of craft that went into every detail. And I do like them to a point. I treasure them as part of my introduction to western fantasy, as they were released around the same time as Champions of Norrath and I was coming to identify the DnD culture a lot more. The timing of the films coincided with the experience of discovering a favorite genre. And with the Hobbit day, it became a part of our shared experience.

As a fan of older media, like Robert E. Howard’s Conan books, I have been thinking a lot of the experience around the consumption of media. This involves more than the strict text of a given work. For instance, I started reading through Howard’s work via the volumes offered by Del Rey. It came in three volumes, the first of which I remember picking up after I graduated High School and in the ours before I saw X-Men 3. The volumes would follow me through our trip to Chatham, NY that year, into college and the smell of those old class buildings. They are synonymous with my experience in Rutgers and beyond.

The scents around us as we turned the page, the friends we would bring it up with, the chapter we try to squeeze in before class starts. These are all included with the actual consumption of the tale and make up our experience. We do not live in a bubble. The video games we play will either be affected by the outside world, or will be part of our relief from it. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time was played after a particularly rough time (and winter) of my life and it became part of spring. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon came out during 8th grade, a particularly joyful year of my life. And, of course, the ending of Majora’s Mask hit hard when I was a lonely kid outside of my household.

Going back to Conan, those were my own experiences, sure. But that was not the original context that the stories came out in. Those were published by Weird Tales back in the 1930s, usually one (or maybe even just a chapter) at any given publication. And these were published along side other authors, including HP Lovecraft. These would be on low quality paper (hence the “pulp” in pulp fiction), at 10 cents at a magazine stand. These would not be pre collected in a higher quality volume in a clean and orderly book store.

This was likely picked up by someone on their way to work, either to the local factory or grocery store. These were in the 1930s, so the Great Depression was either affecting the reader directly or at least seeing the damage it has caused. I imagine someone going “At least I got my Howard and Lovecraft for the month!” as they see another store close. Perhaps, like in Grapes of Wrath, copies were likely carried by migrant workers trying to make ends meet. “The Phoenix on the Sword”, “The Scarlet Citadel”, “Hour of the Dragon” and “People of the Black Circle” were just as much part of the life of a migrant worker as their tools, factories, current events and crops. Perhaps they held onto these copies and looked back on them with a mix of nostalgia and strain.

And the rabbit hole does not end there. I wonder what actors they were thinking of when they thought of Conan at the time. A mix of the movies from the 80s and artwork have long since codified Conan’s overall look and feel, but much of that was decades later. What music accompanied their reading in their heads? Did they find a friend or fellow worker and think “Oh, that could be Conan!” Did they try writing the Howard? Or at least to the publication house? And this isn’t even mentioning the human rights advocacies, protests and bloodshed at this era. Before Conan’s overall look was codified, did readers conjure a Conan of different races, imposing their own preferences?

My point is that the whole experience of reading Conan when it first came out will be eternally lost to me. I will likely never find some of the original volumes, which are either preserved in a museum or just dissolved into nothing. And even if I did, I will not know the desperation and attitudes of the time, or the actors of the time, what counted for “fantasy music” at the time, if that was even a concept.

But that does not invalidate my experience. The Experience that I bring up is always going to be unique to each of us. One 1930s reader is going to have a different experience from another 1930s reader, even if they are coworkers of similar backgrounds. I do not say this out of jealousy or some foolish self deprecating of our generation. This is more to illustrate why we love media, why we are nostaligic and why we more than enjoy, but cherish, our favorite works. The tricky thing is it is impossible to recreate. That version of you ended at the end of the experience. We have memories, but we have lost access to it at the same time. 

It is also one of several reasons why I have disdain for any claim of “Best X of all time”. Like much about the entertainment we consume, this is going to be subjective, and unique to every consumer. Awards try to find an objective truth, but they can’t dictate on a personal, subjective level. Bad timing and harsh experiences can also explain why we bounce off of works that we, in theory, “should” enjoy. I imagineThe Last of Us Part II would have been better received by audiences in a year that wasn’t 2020. These Experiences put the text to light. You never consume media without it. Despite everyone trying to talk me into it, I’m just not in the right mindset to go through Final Fantasy VII Remake or the new God of War games. They are something I currently do not want, and when I spend my entertainment hours on something I do not wish to do, I’m constantly looking forward to the thing I do wish to do.

The last “Eat Like Hobbits” we had before the pandemic was February of 2020, before the pandemic started. A lot changed since. Several people moved and found new homes. Job situations changed. But finally, in this year 2023, we got the invite we were waiting for. Our friend got her cooking going and we watched through the whole trilogy. This time, my wife and I watched through the whole thing, a first for herself. It was wonderful to have everyone over, but the trilogy changed in light of the pandemic.

First, there is what it meant: After three long years, we were able to do this again. Covid has not completely gone away, but something special had returned to us. Secondly, the scene where Frodo can no longer see home, but the fiery eye, really hit home. Leaving the house in 2020 could mean bringing back a deadly virus that has claimed over a million lives in this country alone and had filled hospitals to bursting. There was no escaping it, just the constant fiery watch of this disease and no catharsis or friends in person to comfort us. We were all trapped in our own personal Mordor, away from the lives we once had and the people we love.

And, thirdly, I am completely unashamed to admit that I thought of my own wedding last year during Aragorn’s Coronation (yeah, yeah, fuck off). But it is part of the experience I was going through. Our wedding was planned for 2021, but was postpone until late summer of 2022 for several reasons. Unfortunately, the pandemic was part of the drama leading up to it. But when all was said and done, everyone was there, hail and hardy, after three years of pain. My wife and I sat through the pains of moving, pandemics and grief together, and finally, FINALLY, we would have this day, Our day. It was not just a wedding, but also victory in its own way. All of that and everything that led to our wedding went into my recent viewing of Aragorn’s Coronation.

And let’s be honest, you should feel like a king on your wedding day.

We do not live in vacuums. It’s our real life that gives the fiction we consume meaning. As fantastical as a story or setting is, it is still a reflection of what we are. “All works are political” or so I’ve heard the phrase. We carry not only our preferences and likes, but also our life into everything we consume and create. Fiction makes little sense otherwise.

[lightsiided]

“ truth is that i'm so damn in love with you i don't know what to do with myself. “ celeb au 😚

* sacred romantic moments | accepting

     things have been different, since filming ended. at home in los angeles, it isn't as EASY to see thor as it was before. suddenly there's a story for him to remember, an explanation to craft for where he was or a reason to invent for why they would be at the same place together.

despite the challenge, it impacts their time together very little. somehow, they manage to pick up right where they left off. the days fly by with the both of them wrapped up in each other: talking, laughing, in bed. STOLEN moments pile up around her until rey's able to build a private paradise out of them, memories to live in when the reality of their situation solidifies and he's inevitably pulled away from her.

tonight is the last time she'll see him for a few months. she leaves to film in two days, and he won't be able to visit her on set like a NORMAL boyfriend would. rey will be stuck texting and calling him, with the occasional face time if she's lucky.

it's hard not to feel a little insecure about it. she's excited to WORK, of course, but having to be apart from him makes her wonder if things will be strange when she returns. maybe, without rey around, he'll fall madly in love with his wife all over again, and then he won't need or want her anymore.

of course it comes up. not in so many words, but rey can't stop herself from confessing that she'll miss him, while she's AWAY. more than that, she says, with her eyes on the ceiling and her teeth biting at her bottom lip, she's feeling unsure about spending so much time away from him. she tries to make it sound like a joke -- will you forget about me? -- but the thread of nerves in the words is clear.

thor had said a few reassuring things, rubbing her arm. and then he'd said that.

rey blinks at him, breath caught in her throat. wide eyes stare back in surprise; her lips part to ask what?, but no sound comes out. in love. WITH HER. thor is in love with her. she almost hadn't dared to let herself hope as much.

so hearing it from his lips is more than she could have ever imagined. rey feels light as air, buoyant and vibrant and thrilled. the expression on her face transforms, making room for a wide, BRILLIANT smile. "i feel the same way," she murmurs, compelled to honesty by the offering of his vulnerability. "i... love you, too. i love you."

her face is warm, flushed under the attention. for a moment, rey lets herself be wonderfully, blissfully happy -- they stare at each other like they're the only two people in the WORLD.

then rey remembers why she's avoided saying as much for so long, even though it's something she's felt for months. she's been CERTAIN, but... thor is still married. he loves her, sure, and she believes his reassurances wholeheartedly. a few months apart won't change a thing between them; she was silly for ever assuming it might.

HE LOVES HER. beautiful as that is, it also doesn't change the fact that he's married. rey's face falls, smile sliding away as quickly as it'd come in the first place.

will it be enough, that he'll think of her? what does it mean to be loved by someone who can't give her the entirety of his heart?

what will it be like when she finds out?

@othunderous

[redrascal1]

Disney, #metoo and its toxic partnership

Anyone remember the days when Disney and the Star Wars saga were about entertainment?

They made some of the best films on celluloid. The Skywalker Saga was a terrific space opera, and totally unique as it blended sci fi with epic fantasy. It featured refreshingly flawed but immensely likeable heroes and a tragic villain that is still memorable decades later.

Disney meanwhile, were responsible for some of the finest animated films ever made - the original Beauty and the Beast was Oscar nominated.

Far forward to the 21st century, and what have we got?

#metoo.

When they were created, the #metoo movement was admirable. They were there to protect vulnerable young women from reptiles like Harvey Weinstein, and I was 100% behind them.

Then I lost all my respect for them with a comment they made after Johnny Depp’s court victory against his sociopathic abusive ex wife.

‘This is a bad day for women.’

Excuse me? That was a bad day for abusers - not women. Men can, and often have been, abused by their female partners. In the news in the UK recently, there was a terrible story of a young man murdered by his partner because he was too ashamed of telling the police she was repeatedly assaulting him. I’ve read other stories, including one young man whose partner enjoyed pouring boiling water over him in the bath, and repeatedly beat him with a glass ashtray.  Depp’s victory has actually inspired other victims of female abusers to come forward. Women as well as men. 

But, back to DLF.

#metoo are having a strong influence on them. Apparently they were ‘consulted’ when making the live action The Little Mermaid. It seems Disney are now asking for #metoo’s approval when writing romantic scenes, hence the changed lyrics to Kiss the Girl - a sweet romantic song whose original lyrics #metoo apparently found ‘offensive’ to females. 

The problem with #metoo is they are fast ceasing to be a movement designed to protect women from sexual predators and abusers....and are unfortunately becoming an organisation which dislikes men.

Look no further than TROS.

When we first meet Rey in TFA, she was an immensely likeable person. And she was flawed. To a degree, yes she was overpowered...but back then, it could be explained. Her winning the mental duel with Kylo in the interrogation scene could easily have been explained by him being completely taken by surprise that she was Force sensitive. When they fought in the forest he was weakened both by the emotional blowback of killing his father and his serious wound at the hands of Chewie - and further weakened by blood loss during his brief fight with Finn. Rey’s skills as a mechanic were possibly the most credible part of her ‘talents’...she had spent fifteen years as a scavenger on Jakku and therefore had learned to know spaceships inside and out in order to survive.

Then we get TLJ, and the film which truly explores the ‘duality’ between Rey and Kylo.

Rian’s wonderful film  set up a fascinating relationship between them, but most of all, he showed them as equals. This is hammered home when the lightsabre split, torn in half by the power of two immensely strong Force sensitives. He also showed how Kylo had become weakened by killing his father and how it had caused him to lose, in that clever scene where Snoke berates him. And look what happened when Snoke, an ancient FS with decades of experience, tortured Rey - he broke her defences down in seconds. Even Kylo had to trick him to defeat him.

And then...we get TROS.

Rey was no longer ‘Rey’, she was Jedi dogma made flesh. Aloof, untouchable, god like - as emphasised by her virginal white costume based on the young, virginal Leia’s costume in ANH. No man could touch her, as apparently Rey having a boyfriend somehow ‘tainted’ her purity, her sanctity of female empowerment. Hence Ben dying, and Jannah and Zorri introduced as future love interests for Finn and Poe (don’t get me started on Rose, please, still fuming about that.)

And she was of course, to quote Wolverine, ‘the best there was at what she did.’

Difference is Wolverine was a professional soldier with decades of experience. Rey was a Jedi padawan who had had one year’s training at the hands of Leia, herself only half trained. Yet somehow she is a better pilot than Poe - who’d been flying since he was a kid - a better fighter than Finn, who’d been taught to fight from as soon as he could walk, and a Jedi not only superior to Ben but to Luke, Yoda - centuries of experience - and even Anakin, the Chosen One.

Because neither Luke, Anakin or even Yoda....could destroy Palpatine alone. Yet Rey did by simply crossing her two lightsabres. People argue that Rey actually ‘died’ then, but as fans rightly pointed out...she didn’t ‘fade into the Force’. So DLF ‘retconned’ this by pointing out she ‘wasn’t really dead’. Yeah, right.

And also...Force healing was never ‘canon’ in the SW cinematic universe and rightly so, because if it had Anakin could have saved Shmi and Padme, and never would have become Darth Vader. Adding Force healing threw the entire SWU ‘out of sync’ ....especially as the only person who could wield it without dying was a Palpatine.

Nope...Rey was so magnificent because she’s female. And this is the real tragedy of #metoo and its influence on DLF - they are no longer promoting an agenda that women are men’s equals but that we are their superiors. They even hammered this home with cutting Adam’s scenes in TROS and reducing Finn and Poe to little more than comic relief.

And I’m sorry, but that is poisonous. You don’t become what you hate or there’s little purpose in fighting hate in the first place. Not just Rey, but Daisy herself is a prime example of how #metoo has started having a negative influence on entertainment. She enthused over Rey’s relationship with Kylo during promotion for TLJ, admired reylo art post TROS - and then suddenly it’s ‘I can’t get behind the relationship’ and ‘Rey doesn’t need a boyfriend’ pre TROS.

And what happened pre TROS? #metoo happened.

I’m absolutely sure their influence is what caused Daisy to change her attitude to ‘reylo’ after discovering that they had a major influence on the making of TLM, live action. They have become a powerful movement in Hollywood. Their influence is popping up in popular entertainment everywhere, but it’s particularly strong with DLF. And I’m sorry, but I dislike hatred of men as much as I dislike hatred of women. People were meant to be equal. What #metoo is preaching is toxic, as is their relationship with DLF. It helped destroy the Skywalker Saga. I never thought I’d agree with a poster on the JCF, but one individual was spot on when he said it was ‘wrong to destroy story to promote an agenda.’

Because that is exactly what DLF’s partnership with the #metoo movement is doing - destroying everything they touch. The Little Mermaid has been a huge box office fail in the US. DLF need to seriously rethink their future projects. 

Most of all, they need to rethink how they are going to move forward with SW post TROS. And this new Rey movie. Because so far nothing they are hinting at with the latter seems to show any sign of them changing their tune.

Stick to entertaining people, Disney. Not promoting a radical movement’s agenda.

[yessadirichards]

Q&A: Daisy Ridley on fighting the dark side and developing dark comedy

NEW YORK

Daisy Ridley doesn’t want audiences to be misled by the title of her new film, “Sometimes I Think About Dying.”

Her character, Fran, is, actually, quite funny. Fran is a woman content in her mostly solitary life, apart from her co-workers in her chatty office. But when an attraction to a new colleague challenges her to take risks and push through social awkwardness to make a connection.

The film, in theaters now, is directed by Rachel Lambert and co-stars comedian Dave Merheje and several other comedic actors, who improvise watercooler talk to big laughs. )Ridley says she often had to stifle her laughter to stay in character.)

The Associated Press recently spoke to Ridley about finding Fran, reprising her role as Rey in a new “Star Wars” film, and perfecting her death stare. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

AP: The film’s title makes it sound gloomy, but it’s actually a comedy, right?

RIDLEY: There was a lot more humor than anyone is expecting because the title gives a feeling that it’s going to be more of a melancholic sort of feeling. But there is a lot of humor and Fran is pretty funny. But also the world that she lives in is full of vibrancy and the office space is very gregarious and loud and fun, so it’s a nice world for her to live in, even though she is struggling to make connections occasionally.

AP: Fran’s outsider view puts the office setting and people under a microscope — did that amuse you?

RIDLEY: I loved the world and I loved the office but, actually, a lot of that was improvised. Rachel talks about how much she loves working with comedians because there’s such an ease with improvisation. The first scene we filmed was around the table in the conference room, and Rachel just let people fly and it was such a great way to bring everyone together. Fran loves to be at work. She loves her routine. But also she is sometimes a little judgmental of the people around her. So it’s not just that she’s struggling. Sometimes she’s like, “I don’t want to be part of it.” I think it’s very human, like two things can be true at the same time.

AP: You perfected your death stare for the fantasy scenes — was that challenging?

RIDLEY: The beach was cold! And the main thing really was trying not to shiver. So that was “please don’t shiver, please don’t move.” And then lying in the forest was tricky because I had a handful of bugs and it was like icky icky icky.

Thank you for the compliment about my death stare, I don’t know how I managed that well (laughs). It sounds so messed up. An absence of thought, which is obviously a contrast, because I had so much thinking when I was playing her. So in those moments, it was about the absence of any of that and the sort of calm, quiet time.

AP: This was your first time producing — how was that experience?

RIDLEY: It was a generous give of the producer credit (laughs). I did come on early so there was a sense that we all had to hold hands and say, “OK, this is what we’re going to do, and this is how we’re going to do it.” I was asked about various creative things, but Rachel made it so easy. And then from landing in Portland, (Oregon,) I was just an actor. There was no feeling of responsibility — bar from my own performance and being part of a company of people, which was wonderful. But there were a lot of lessons I learned on set because there were a group of people who made the film together and they were very generous with me, talking about budget and scheduling — so that actually facilitated me making my own movie, because I knew what could be done.

AP: Knowing you can’t say much about the new “Star Wars” movie,what excites you most about it?

RIDLEY: I’m excited about the story. I didn’t think it would happen that I would go back now. I thought maybe it would at some point, like in the faraway future. But I think the story is great and will appeal to the people that love it, and people who are maybe not as familiar with it. I think it will be a worthwhile adventure (smiles).

AP: You were so young on the last one; how will this be different?

RIDLEY: I was the baby! Now I feel more like a grown-up. It’s going to be so strange because I’m not going to be the baby anymore. But also, that’s sort of an exciting adventure of like, OK, how is this going to be — a different filmmaker, different writer, different crew, different cast? It will be such its own thing with its own thumbprint on it. It will be interesting.

AP: Who on that set gave you advice or helped you learn about the business?

RIDLEY: I’m the person that is always too embarrassed to ask questions. So I pretend I’m not fussed at all that I’m, like, next to Harrison Ford (laughs)! I think J.J. (Abrams) particularly, I will always think of in such a wonderful way because it’s such an intimate relationship, the one between actor and director, and the one between actor and cameraman. We had this amazing camera operator called Colin and there’s always such protection with the hair and makeup team and the costume team because, again, it’s so intimate. You go in at 5 in the morning and people are in your space, helping guide you and helping you feel ready to be seen eventually on an IMAX (screen). And actors. There was a lot of kindness from all places.

[evco-productions]

The Golden Trio

The “Golden Trio” is the Harry Potter fandom’s nickname for the series’ three central heroes: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. You’ll notice a particular dynamic there: two guys and one girl. You may or may not know that what I’ll call the “Golden Trio trope” is hardly limited to Harry Potter. Here are just a few other examples of movies featuring a central guy-guy-girl relationship*…

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane)

Pirates of the Caribbean (Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann)

Jurassic Park (Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern)

Iron Man (Tony Stark, James Rhodes, and Pepper Potts)

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Charlie, Patrick, and Sam)

Smokey & the Bandit (Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed, and Sally Field)

A Few Good Men (Tom Cruise, Kevin Pollack, and Demi Moore)

Shaun of the Dead (Shaun, Ed, and Liz)

Weird Science (Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and Kelly LeBrock)

Lethal Weapon 3 (Martin Riggs, Roger Murtaugh, and Lorna Cole)

Me & Earl & the Dying Girl (Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke)

Garden State (Zach Braff, Peter Sarsgaard, and Natalie Portman)

Sahara (Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, and Penelope Cruz)

License to Drive (Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Heather Graham)

Shallow Grave (Kerry Fox, Christopher Eccleston, Ewan McGregor)

And, of course, Star Wars, which features this dynamic in nearly every one of its iterations:

The Original Trilogy (Luke, Han, and Leia)

The Prequel Trilogy (Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme)

The Sequel Trilogy (Rey, Finn, and Poe)

The Clone Wars (Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan or Rex, depending on the episode)

Rogue One (Jyn, Cassian, and K-2SO—debatable, since K is a droid, but he is voiced by a male actor and is present with the two humans long before the rest of the crew enters the picture)

I could go on for longer, but we’d be here all day. The point is, this happens a lot, and the list above is limited to the live-action films I could come up with off the top of my head. There are many more live-action instances of this trope and, as I understand it, a near-infinite supply within anime/manga stories.

I have written thirteen short stories over the last few years, but the only existing “thru-line” was a particular duology featuring this exact trope. Because I spent a decent amount of time with the three characters in question (Brad, Cory, and Leah are their names), I’m particularly interested in this trope. I cannot recall when their story began to reveal itself to me, but one thing was never in question: these three characters are the endgame. Their friendship is the heart and soul of the piece. This might have come from the source material that inspired the story; I’ve not been shy about admitting how willing I was to rip off my favorite movies in my early years of writing, and there isn’t much difference between Brad/Cory/Leah and Corey/Corey/Heather or Ferris/Cameron/Sloane. But that’s sort of the key here: this trope felt so natural to write because, apparently, it felt natural for a bazillion other writers before me.

To begin interrogating this trope, I considered what my golden trio is “like.” Brad is the hero of the story: we see everything through his eyes and there’s a Richie Cunningham-like demeanor about him in that he has boyish good looks, is a bit of a nerd, and will bravely stand up for his friends if the situation calls for it. Cory, on the other hand, is almost a coward, certainly insecure, is constantly acting like a jackass to hide his insecurity, and is desperately in love with Leah. Leah, for her part, is very clearly the creation of the nineteen-year-old loner I used to be: she’s beautiful, something of a sister figure to Brad, and is secretly just as horny for Cory as he is for her.

Maybe it’s a bit of writer’s guilt for creating such a one-dimensional female character, but in sitting here thinking about this, I have convinced myself that the secret to interrogating this trope really comes down to interrogating the female character’s role within the trope.

Brad, Cory, and Leah’s dynamic is not too different from what one finds in mainstream entertainment instances of the trope. Sometimes the girl is related to one of the guys (Luke and Leia are siblings, as are Patrick and Sam in Perks). Oftentimes she is romantically involved with one of them (Ferris and Sloane, Anakin and Padme, Sam Neill and Laura Dern in Jurassic, etc.). Most crucially of all, she is not romantically involved with the other of the two guys, and even if she’s unrelated to both, it doesn’t seem to make a difference. When watching Sahara, there is no question in the characters’ nor the audience’s minds that Penelope Cruz is going to kiss Matthew McConaughey at the end of the movie. Steve Zahn is there to make us laugh; Cruz has no sexual interest in him and, in fact, says maybe ten words to him over the course of the entire story.

Leah talks to Brad more often in that within my stories, but while she is very affectionate, it’s clear she only has eyes for Cory (maybe something about his jackassery turns her on, or maybe Cory just looks and talks a lot like me). Aside from her romantic feelings for the “sidekick” of the two boys, her role as a friend to both of them is something of a mediator; being the girl, she is of course more mature and therefore more likely not to engage in any immature activity that the two boys might instigate. One sees this sort of behavior in Iron Man 2, for example: a drunken Tony Stark and an angry Rhodey duke it out in their super-suits while an irate Pepper Potts stands on the sidelines rolling her eyes.

But why is the golden trio such a common trope? A couple interesting theories I found online…

From Rocketman on superherohype.com: “You’ll see this trope mostly in fantasy and sci-fi because these genres aren’t as accessible and relatable to people since you’re dealing with far-out, abstract concepts, so you need a trinity of characters to bring things to a human level. And with fantasy and sci-fi, more often than not, more guys will be drawn to these genres than girls. Or, two-thirds of guys will be. In simpler terms, two guys and a girl. For every two guys in the theater, there will probably be one girl (one girl was dragged along with her boyfriend, while another guy is seeing it by himself).”

A concurrence from Gray_Walker on Reddit: “Marketing concerns. Three characters is a common number of focal characters for a story because it keeps the cast small and easy to keep track of. Male/Male/Female keeps the cast male-dominated, since the target demographic for these series is almost always male, but they don’t want to totally miss out on the female market, so the idea is to make one of the leads female so that demographic has something to identify with. When a group becomes female-dominated, it tends to indicate the series is targeted at women.”

This theory sounds plausible up until one realizes that Harry Potter, for example, appears to have a lot more female fans than male, despite the Male/Male/Female dynamic. If guys (supposedly) respond to this trope because there is one more male character to identify with than female, maybe girls respond to it (if they do) because it provides the one female character with two potential love interests? Ladies, tell me if I’m talking out of my ass here.

At any rate, the hole in the above marketing theory is maybe the only reason I let this mystical explanation catch and hold my attention…

From Brandon Bennett on Quora: “This dynamic is actually a secret symbolism of the Trinity of Consciousness. The older male = Thought Expression, the older female = Emotional Expression, and the young male = Action Expression. This character triad goes back much further than mainstream movies. It’s even in ancient religious scriptures from thousands of years ago.”

A couple interesting things to note here. One, there is a very limited number of plot and character types in the world. Even if Bennett’s explanation isn’t completely accurate (it might be), it stands to reason that every plot and character trope we can name has its roots in ancient literature. Two, the Trinity as he describes it here can easily be fit into, to use one ancient example, the Christian Trinity: God the Father (older male), Jesus Christ the Son (younger male), and the Holy Spirit (generally understood by Christians to be what nonbelievers would simply call one’s conscious or guilt, or, if you will, emotions, or at least the expression of certain emotions/feelings).

I guess what strikes me as funny about all this, the thing that set me off to write this entry in the first place, is that my three characters fit (more or less) into these categories, but I did not intend it to happen that way. I decided that Brad was a relatively calm, smart, reserved person (Thought Expression) but did not consciously decide that, as a result of this, Cory would need to be an energetic, foolish, outgoing person (Action Expression). This happened of its own accord.

Well, is this interesting only to me? Do you have a favorite character trope, specifically a favorite three-person character trope?

-

*Note that I am not including romance-centric movies in which this relationship is a love triangle. I am interested only in this dynamic insofar as it represents three friends; maybe two of them are lovers, but there is no central rivalry between the two guys over the one girl a la Twilight.

[spectaculardistractions]

To Francisco Rabal

Mexico City, 23 July 1962

Dear most splendid nephew, You’re always so friendly and attentive, and I’m always so slippery and bad-mannered, failing to respond to your letters. Well, that’s all over and I’m launching myself into this reply. With the same bold courage as I wrote to Fernando Rey a month ago. I thought you were in France because I read you were making a film over there. I mentioned my nephew a lot, of course, in my letter to Fernando, but you know how he loves to hear colleagues criticized, so I did have to pick on you to satisfy his sadistic tendencies. Please don’t read that letter!

You wouldn’t believe how often I think of our cinematic adventures and how much I’d like to renew them. I’ve asked Fernando to look into my situation in Spain and let me know. Theoretically, I have two wonderful opportunities for you and for him. Over here in Mexico too, when I’m looking for projects, I’m always trying to fit you in (a starring role, of course, not one of those bit parts I usually give to Fernando). It’s such a shame! I’d really love to work in Spain again, but… I’ve had a few offers from France and England, but I can’t decide, because of my poor hearing and how seriously they take film-making over there. So different from the friendly flippant way we work together!

I’m delighted to see you’re so in fashion everywhere, Italy, Argentina, Spain, France… We should sing you the International! I’d rather meet you in Spain, of course, even if it were just as two friends with no work. Alatriste is planning a co-production of Divinas palabras in Spain. He thinks there’s a chance the ‘authorities’ will accept it, but I think it’s unlikely. It would be a great project for me. Wonderful parts for you and Fernando. We’ll see what happens.

You didn’t say what you think about the UNINCI-Alatriste mess. I’d really love to know, because so far, all my information has come from Gustavo. I’ve had not a word from that pig Domingo since I left him in Paris over a year ago. Viridiana has been an amazing success commercially, but between the thieving agents, producers’ cuts, lawyers and all the mess, I’m not sure what it will make in the end. In France it’s only predicted to cover just over production costs.

What film are you on now working in Paris, which director? Send word, however brief.

I want to get to Madrid some way or other in October for a couple of months. But it depends if I’m well and if this bloody ear doesn’t get worse, which looks unlikely.

Much love, Luis

Jo Evans & Breixo Viejo, Luis Buñuel: A Life in Letters

[themattress]

The Sequel Trilogy Rewatch

I watched all the movies again recently, and here are my insights after getting to experience the trilogy as a whole unit together, separated from the context of the previous two trilogies.

The Force Awakens - As I’ve said recently, it’s overrated and suffers the most from being derivative. Every rehashing of A New Hope is eye-roll inducing and threatens to take me out of the movie; by the time Starkiller Base enters the picture (”It’s another Death Star!”) it’s really grinding my gears. I understand completely why it was done, but with the thrill of the initial theatrical release gone, the movie suffers for it more and more. The Phantom Menace is a worse film by far, but at least Lucas’ stance of “it’s poetry, it rhymes” wasn’t taken to such a literal extreme there as it is here, making it feel like a more unique, if bad, trilogy opener.

But with that said, let’s give this movie the credit it’s due: everything about the new characters and elements and how they interact with the updated old characters and elements is done legitimately brilliantly. Rey, Finn, Poe, BB-8, Kylo Ren, General Hux and Maz Kanata are all just so captivating and interesting and enjoyable to watch on screen, as are the aged Han, Chewie, Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and - at the very end - Luke. The actors are giving it their all and the characters come alive as a result; you connect with them and want to follow them. And even though we all know they were made as Mystery Boxes, J.J Abrams truly is a master at making you want to know what’s in those boxes all the same. Who are Rey’s parents and why did they leave her on Jakkuu? Why is Rey so proficient in the Force right away? Is Finn Force-sensitive? Who is Snoke, how did he turn Ben Solo to the Dark Side and what’s his beef with Luke, the Jedi and the Light Side in general? What exactly are the Knights of Ren? Is there some kind of deeper connection between Kylo Ren and Rey? Why did Luke go to Ach-To and split the map that leads there? What’s the deal with Maz? How did she recover Luke’s old lightsaber? What in the fuck was that Force vision Rey experienced when she touched said lightsaber? And just why did C-3PO get a red arm grafted onto him? OK, that last one’s a joke, but you get my point. Questions are raised, and you want to see them answered even if Abrams himself isn’t completely firm on what those answers even are.

Also, this movie has the best pacing in the trilogy. It opens where it needs to, progresses in a natural flow, and ends at exactly the right point it should. Hats off to the editors on this one, and to Lawrence Kasdan, whose experience with writing Star Wars movies helped greatly.

The Last Jedi - I guess this movie is destined to always confound me. Throughout it, I just keep asking “Why?” Why did Rian Johnson do so exceptionally well with the storyline surrounding Luke, Rey, Kylo Ren, the Force, the Jedi, Ach-To and Snoke, only to then do...whatever the Hell he did with everything else in the movie? I love returning characters like Finn, Poe, Maz and Leia, and I love new characters like Paige, Rose, Holdo and DJ. but the story they are a part of and the things they are used to make happen is so dumb. And to quote Rian Johnson’s later (and stronger) work, it’s not “so dumb, it’s brilliant” - it’s just dumb! Seriously, I cannot believe Kathleen Kennedy signed onto what he did with Leia in this movie. If the reasoning was it would be made up for with her in the following film, then...um, whoops. This also creates a huge pacing problem, dragging the movie out longer than usual for Star Wars and having two climaxes. Cutting down on the dumbness would have done wonders.

That’s not to say everything in the better half is perfect, mind you - Luke is way too unlikable before he agrees to teach Rey and I totally agree with Mark Hamill’s concerns about this, some good decisions are marred by bad ones (ex: killing off Snoke so that Kylo Ren can ascend, which is good, without offering the remotest hint as to what his deal even was, which is bad), and God bless Daisy Ridley for keeping Rey an engaging heroine you follow and root for since her writing is a lopsided mess: she fucks up and fails miserably yet is also just perfect as is and needs no real training, she is drawn toward the Dark Side and a big deal is made over it only for her to have zero actual temptation to join Kylo Ren when he offers it, and the revelation of her parents being nobodies who abandoned her for no good reason is meant to be the most devastating thing she can hear yet then her next scene has her happily manning the Falcon’s guns cheering “Woo! I like this!”, and the parents are never brought up again and Rey simply partakes in a happy ending that just feels phony all things considered.

And yeah, doing either nothing with those Mystery Boxes from The Force Awakens or giving them the most purposefully anti-climactic answers possible was...a choice. I can’t entirely blame Johnson, since Lucasfilm didn’t have a firm plan in place and he wasn’t under any obligation to answer anything in any specific way, but it’s still odd that he goes this far in subverting expectations, to the point where it actually shuts off avenues for the subsequent film to explore. He’s treating the middle chapter of a trilogy like a standalone; it’s so bizarre. 

But hey, what’s done right is done so very right. The cinematography is the most gorgeous to ever be in a Star Wars movie, the atmosphere in every scene (particularly the good scenes) is on point, the action in the film’s last hour is amazing, and as I said before the writing for the film’s core narrative is strong. I especially adore Luke’s character arc once it really gets going; him feeling like a failure because he didn’t live up to “the legend” built around him is the kind of development that makes perfect sense both in-universe and out-of-universe, and seeing him finally learn to embrace himself as the failure of a person he is and as the legend he is regarded as because he recognizes that both are valuable to saving the galaxy...it’s perfect.

The Rise of Skywalker - So, watching it again, did I finally see how bad this movie truly is? Am I ready to eat all my words about enjoying it and defending it? Am I ready to accept that the critics and fandom are right in it not sticking the landing and being a bad conclusion?

Seriously; the editing (especially in the first third) is wonky just to fill a mandatory runtime despite the previous film running overlong, the exposition is often laborious and cringy (“Somehow Palpatine returned.”), and what it all amounts to is just so over-the-top stupid and crazy it’s almost hard to believe. It’s a big, bloated, popcorn movie shlockfest and I love it!

There are three huge things to consider with this movie. One: it had the rawest deal of the trilogy production-wise for multiple reasons and you need to take that into account when considering any choppiness; honestly with the situation J.J Abrams and co. were in, it’s amazing the film came out as coherently as it did! Two: is any disappointment you feel really this film’s doing, or is it the whole trilogy’s and Lucasfilm’s lack of an overarching creative vision for it? Because it feels like most detractors are actually experiencing the latter kind of disappointment and then pinning the blame on this movie for making them realize it. When applying logic, The Force Awakens which started the trilogy with a lack of a firm plan in mind and The Last Jedi which tossed aside all set-up and veered off into a wildly different direction that left the following film facing something of a dead-end have more share of the blame.

And three: this movie actually IS “so dumb, it’s brilliant”. If you read any interview with J.J Abrams and/or Chris Terrio, you’ll see they did their homework. They weren’t interested in trying to conform to an endlessly unpleasable fandom’s serious business vision of what Star Wars is / should be, they were just going to work with what Star Wars actually was when conceived: a goofy hodge-podge of film serials, B movies, comic books, fairy tales and ancient myths, given the most basic of spiritual undertones, and packaged as a feel-good entertaining thrill-ride for all audiences, particularly the young and the young-at-heart. Only as this was the conclusion of a nine-film saga, they took it a step further and made it primarily a goofy hodge-podge of previous Star Wars movies and even some other Star Wars projects like TV shows and comics. They deliberately brought Star Wars full circle, because they knew and loved Star Wars as it truly exists, not as the sacred thing so many fans build it up as. George Lucas himself said it: they’re just movies, you’re just meant to have a good time with them and not think too deeply about it, even if the movies do offer you things to think about (which is how/why expanded universe projects are made). You’re just meant to have fun.

That’s why this movie will always by my favorite one in the trilogy, warts and all. It’s so fun.

But on that note, yeah, the Sequel Trilogy is fun. It’s flawed and uneven, but so are the other trilogies, which also received histrionic flak in their days. I find it morbidly laughable that people, whether they be Star Wars fans or professional film critics, have learned nothing after all this time. Those who don’t learn from history truly are doomed to repeat it, I suppose.

SIDE NOTE: There is one consistency in the Sequel Trilogy that I really feel deserves more appreciation, and that’s Kylo Ren. He gets criticized for us not getting to see his backstory compared to Anakin’s three movies and a TV show showing how he became Darth Vader, and for making some wild swings in terms of actions and plot usage depending on the movie, but I believe that Adam Driver’s performance combined with him being one of the few things in the new trilogy that did have something of a road map attached to him from the beginning counteracts that. He truly is Darth Vader in reverse, and that creates an entirely different sort of antagonist: not a cold, machine-like being that used to be human and became this way as a psychological response to his feelings causing him great trauma and tragedy, but a human who desperately wants and is actively trying to be a cold, machine-like being to escape all the pain that his feelings cause him. And as close as he gets to successfully crossing that line, he never fully does. In the end, he not only surpasses Vader by betraying his master and ruling his empire, but he also surpasses Anakin: rather than his mother’s death leading him down a path that ends in a fiery damnation, his mother’s death directly leads to a watery cleansing and salvation, which culminates in him actually saving the woman he loves from dying rather than trying to do so only to end up killing her. He’s a wonderful character and I adore him.

(Also: these skits. How can you not love the guy for these?)

[themovieblogonline]

Rumor: Is Yahya Abdul-Mateen Leading Damon Lindelof’s New Star Wars Movie?

One of the recent biggest announcements from the world of Star Wars was that Damon Lindelof is working on a new movie. A movie set after the events of the Skywalker Saga. This would make Lindelof’s movie the first sequel, to the timeline of Star Wars content we have out now. Every single Star Wars show on TV is a prequel, given it takes place before the events of the sequel trilogy. Andor, The Mandalorian, and The Bad Batch— are all prequels. So Lindelof’s movie is kind of a big deal for that reason alone. But now there’s a new rumour about how Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in Star Wars could be a thing. If so, it’s another reason to look forward to Lindelof’s movie. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II In Star Wars Would Be Amazing The rumour or speculation comes from an episode of The Hot Mic on YouTube and its podcast feed. Hosted by film journalist and critic John Rocha and Jeff Sneider, the show has had many exclusive scoops in the past and news not covered anywhere else. As part of this, months ago, Sneider did tease that the Damon Lindelof movie would have potentially two leads, but one would be a Black male actor. Sneider also mentioned that the actor in question is someone who’s been in multiple film and TV projects, but has never led a movie of his own. When speaking in connection to Lindelof, and his recent appearance in the HBO Watchman series, Yahya Abdul Mateen II in Star Wars was a natural conclusion. But on a more recent episode, Sneider seemingly confirmed that that’s who he was referencing before. And that according to his sources, Mateen II comes attached to the project with Lindelof. No Official Announcement Made On Lindelof’s Star Wars Movie As of right now, there have been no official announcements made on Lindelof’s movie or its plans. We know it’s a sequel to the current Star Wars canon, taking place after the events of Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker. So it will be the first Star Wars movie that takes the story forward, instead of telling stories set in the past. And given that, it’s interesting to see who else might show up and maybe join Yahya Abdul Mateen II in Star Wars. We do know that Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in the sequel trilogy did mention that she is open to returning as the character in Lindelof’s movie. The bigger question may be if the other co-leads of the sequel trilogy, John Boyega’s Finn or Oscar Isaac’s Poe, will return as well. Given how vocal Boyega has been about the racist treatment he’s suffered during his involvement in the franchise, it seems unlikely. Especially seeing how Boyega mentioned that he received little to no support during it all from LucasFilm or Disney. Star Wars Fans’ History Of Racist Treatment Of Its Stars And speaking of it, even Yahya Abdul Mateen II in Star Wars must be aware of these issues Boyega faced. Not just Boyega, but even Kelly Marie Tran was subject to a lot of online abuse by a minority of toxic and racist Star Wars fans. More recently, even Moses Ingram’s portrayal of the Third Sister, Reva in the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series suffered similar racist abuse.  So I can’t help but wonder how much of Lindelof’s story will factor these issues within the Star Wars universe itself. And that Yahya Abdul Mateen II in Star Wars may actually be intentional, almost as if in defiance of those trolls and toxic fans. For me, this rumour of Mateen’s casting actually makes me more excited for Damon Linelof’s new movie. Are you excited about Yahya Abdul Mateen II potentially being in a new Star Wars movie? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Read the full article