#i'm beyond certain someone else has already put this into words this movie's been out for two years

[cadwhatalad]

Other people have probably said this sooner and better, but I’m actually not done thinking about Everything Everywhere All At Once because the googly eyes represent on such a physical level the movie’s theme of radical empathy; not just in serving as the visual inverse of the Nihilism Bagel, but in that their presence literally inverts the concept of nihilism.

Does anyone else remember that Lindsey Ellis video essay from years ago where she talked about how aliens in sci fi movies are designed, and that by and large if the audience is supposed to empathise with them as characters then they’ll have big eyes with visible irises and pupils? And if they’re supposed to be unknowable and dangerous then they may not have visible eyes at all? Think E.T versus the Xenomorph or the heptapods from Arrival. Artists will do that because the eyes are the most direct way humans have of looking at a thing and understanding what it is. The more visible and mammal-like the eyes, the more familiarity we have with it, therefore the greater our empathy for it. Think of the amount of love your average person on the street will have for a random dog versus a random fly or snake or bird. Not to say that we can’t have empathy for the latter, but eyes make it easier.

In the movie, the first thing we see of the googly eyes is stuck on one of the bags of clothes Waymond stored upstairs – just in passing, he says something like “I think they’re happier up there!” while Evelyn’s shouting at him. She rips the eyes off and tells him to stop, keeps rushing around and ignoring Joy (ignoring joy, lmao). But they keep trickling back into the movie at every turn, stuck to washing machines and baseball bats, filling the world with friendly faces. Waymond, in a world that treats people like objects, treats objects like people, and he manifests it by giving them eyes. At one point he’s stuck them on a lampshade or something, shares a glance with it when he notices Evelyn’s noticed him and runs off like they’re conspiring together. When Evelyn finally comes around to his point of view, she sticks them on herself as a rock – this outermost physical form where she and Joy have un-personed themselves to the greatest extent they can manage, just rocks in an empty universe of rocks – and uses them to drag them both back into personhood.

And it works so well as a metaphor because the fundamental antagonistic force in the story is the refusal to empathise – Evelyn’s dismissal of Joy’s life choices and the partner she’s chosen, Alpha Evelyn’s literal use of Joy as an experiment, Gong Gong’s unwillingness to be proud of his daughter, Evelyn’s own refusal to be proud of herself. In the tax audit Deirdre is listing all of Evelyn’s business expense claims with reference to what they would make her as a person – ‘You’re telling me you’re a singer, a chef, a teacher, a novelist, well that can’t be right because you’re just a laundromat owner.’ The system she represents only has space for Evelyn to be one thing, denies her her complexity and humanity, so Deirdre acting as the arm of that system inevitably has to do the same (this is how her universe has to work, because it’s the one where she has a modicum of power and doesn’t have to think about driving her car through her ex’s kitchen).

And so it creates a feedback loop – Deirdre can’t acknowledge Evelyn’s humanity so Evelyn can’t acknowledge Deirdre’s. She can barely manage to love this person when her life literally depends on it. It’s only through Waymond’s approach of convincing Deirdre to confront the fact that he and Evelyn are people, the fact of what it really means for her to be coming after their livelihood like this, that a new feedback loop can be created. Deirdre can now acknowledge Evelyn’s humanity and give her a fucking break. Evelyn can acknowledge Deirdre’s and glimpse universes where they choose each other, spend their lives together.

(The cookies Waymond gives to Deirdre that initially persuade her to allow them a second chance have smiley faces on them).

The movie’s ultimate message is pretty clear – fuck nihilism, maybe nothing matters but also everything matters because I’m here and you’re here and I love you. But it doesn’t stop there. Fuck nihilism, maybe nothing matters but also everything matters because I’m here and this lampshade is here and I love it. I love this washing machine, this baseball bat, this bag of laundry. If I was a rock I would love all the other rocks with everything in my little rock soul. It’s can’t end at loving ourselves and loving each other, we’ve got to love the universe. On like, a molecular level. 

[lesbeet]

wait I would love to know what you think is wrong w oceans 8 I'm v curious I really loved that movie

i’m so sorry in advance but you’re basically getting the word-vomit version of the hypothetical script i would write for this hypothetical video essay so it’s gonna be long lskdjfksjd

but i mean don’t get me wrong i find ocean’s 8 entertaining and i’ve seen it a good number of times, but honestly i kind of consider it like. entertainment junk food lmao

i’ve never seen the original ocean’s eleven that the 2001 remake was based on, but i grew up watching the remake with my dad and i’ve always loved it (i’ve only seen ocean’s 12 and 13 once each and didn’t really care for them, though), so that’s also a factor, but not necessarily in the way you might think

most of the criticism i’ve seen of ocean’s 8 is either 1. along the lines of the criticism disney has (rightfully) been getting for rebooting/remaking/etc all of their older movies just to make money—except considering the 2001 remake is just that, a remake, i feel like that particular critique doesn’t really hold up in this circumstance—or 2. “why do we need a remake with women, this is just ghostbusters all over again, blah blah blah feminism bad” which again like. yes i think the motivation for making the film was more to jump on the trend of #girlboss remakes than anything else, but that doesn’t necessarily result in a bad movie, and i don’t think that was where the movie fell short. in other words, my problem with ocean’s 8 isn’t that it’s a remake, nor that it’s a remake with women

i spent some time this morning watching certain clips from both the 2001 movie and from ocean’s 8, and i think if anything the problem is that ocean’s 8 tried so hard NOT to be a carbon copy of ocean’s 11 that it ended up losing the emotional core that i personally think makes ocean’s 11 so interesting, and more than just a heist film  (ok from here on out i’m just gonna call them 8 and 11 bc the word ocean doesn’t even look like a real word to me anymore)

i like that 8 mixed up (some of) the characters’ roles and personalities in comparison to 11; i would’ve been really annoyed if nine ball, for example, had basically just been a female version of livingston, or if constance had been a female version of linus, etc. my biggest gripe in that department is that they clearly tried to make lou (cate blanchett’s character) the female version of rusty, and she just...does not cut it imo. debbie is hardly a female version of danny, but i don’t think they were as overtly trying to paint her that way, which makes their attempt at framing the debbie-lou friendship as analogous to the danny-rusty friendship seem lazy 

beyond the characters, the writers (et al) of 8 basically had two other aspects of 11 to evaluate, and to decide how similar or different they wanted their version to be: structure/style, and substance. i think they emphasized the former over the latter, and i think that was the mistake

i wouldn’t necessarily always classify structure and style as a singular aspect of a work, but i think in this case it makes sense, if only because those are (imo) the more recognizable aspects of ocean’s 11, and ones that are most readily available for someone wanting to make a parody or homage or remake or whatever—primarily, the plot beats and the stylistic elements like the visual editing and the soundtrack

in vague terms, the plot is almost identical (excluding the bloated ending of 8). the film opens with ocean convincing a parole board to release them from prison, where they’ve spent their entire sentence plotting the heist. then ocean seeks out their blond best friend and tells them about the elaborate heist, blond best friend tells them they’re crazy but is quickly convinced. ocean and blond best friend travel around to collect old associates and/or other recommended con artists. the group plans and prepares the heist. blond best friend finds out that there’s a hidden element of revenge in the plan and confronts ocean. the plan more or less goes forward as it’s been presented to the audience. then it turns out that there was a whole secret plan unbeknownst to the audience, and we get to see how it plays into what we already knew. the heist is pulled off successfully, including the secret revenge plot by ocean against someone who wronged them. (here’s where 8 departs into what i find to be a really slow-moving and unnecessary thing with james corden the insurance man who does nothing lol)

likewise, imo 8′s aesthetic comes across as a fair ~feminine~ met gala equivalent to 11′s vegas aesthetic, including some similar jazzy guitar/bass action in the score, and the screen wipe transitions 

but ocean’s 8 has no substance. that’s the problem.

i referred to a secret revenge plot in my summary, but honestly that’s less my own interpretation than the interpretation i think the writers of 8 were working from. debbie’s secret plot is revenge against whatshisface who wronged her, but danny’s secret plot is to win tess back. he obviously fucks over benedict both romantically and financially in the process, but his primary motivation for everything he does with his heist is to win back the love of his life. 

tbh i probably would’ve been annoyed if they’d made debbie’s secret plot an attempt at winning back an ex bc that’s boring and too on the nose for a remake, but in their attempt at not making a carbon copy of 11, the writers of 8 lost the heart of the story. debbie isn’t doing anything for love. (what i think they should’ve done is had it be related to danny somehow, especially bc they killed him off instead of having george clooney make a cameo for some reason). she’s done all this for money and self-satisfaction and revenge, which makes the emotional stakes more or less nonexistent. 

we want danny’s heist to succeed because we know how much he loves tess and how desperately he wants her back. we’ve seen benedict treat her like shit and even though danny wasn’t the best husband, he obviously truly cares for her and is putting everything on the line to prove it.

the audience has no reason to cheer debbie and her team on aside from like... #girlpower. the rest of the ensemble is made up of pretty flat characters—which is fine, imo, as long as SOMEONE is the emotional backbone of the story. but in ocean’s 8, there’s none.

like honestly i think community’s ocean’s 11 homage episode does a better job of referencing the structure and style of ocean’s 11 while still rooting itself in its own unique pathos (the study group realizing the dean had been kidnapped bc they realized the real dean loved them and would never have expelled them, and subsequently planning their heist to rescue him (and greendale as a whole))

so ocean’s 8 feels like junk food. it’s flashy and fun and entertaining to watch, but there’s no heart. there’s no reason to root for the protagonist and her team beyond the fact that...she’s the protagonist, and it’s her team. it’s empty calories.

[jack-is-lost]

You've mention headcanons here and there lately. I'm interested in hearing them in more detail! Can you share any with us?

Sure! Although, I should note that my headcanons don’t differ that much to what has become widely accepted in the fandom. I’ve read and written a lot of fanfic throughout the years and certain things just ‘click’ and I’m like: “Hell yeah, I can totally see that, man!” And thus, I’ve picked up things here and there. 

Examples being the following:

1) Marko being an artist and/or mechanic savvy

2) Dwayne collecting books when not out skateboarding

3) David enjoying a glass of whiskey now and then and can play a mean game of poker

4) Paul knowing how to play an instrument, normally the guitar, and having an obsession with collecting music 

There are plenty more when it comes to their personality, but honestly, it would be me just rehashing what’s probably been said many times before. So instead, I’m going to share my headcanons on their mortal lives and how/why they turned.

Let’s start with David, shall we? 

David was raised in a semi-comfortable living situation. One bar up from poverty, even. His family, who ran a ranch, was able to keep the foundation of their lives pretty stable and life was good. That was until war broke out in April 1861, when Confederates attacked the U.S. fortress of Fort Sumter. By that time David was nineteen and more than a little eager to play his role in history. He thrived in the military structure. He even raised himself up in the ranks to a sergeant position. Yet, within two years, just two short of when the war would end, David met his fate out on the battlefield among fallen comrades. As a leader, as someone everyone looked up to, he tried to scavenge the destruction for the wounded. And though he did succeed in rescuing one man, to which David carried back to camp before even his body gave out, David was beyond simply injured. The next thing he knew was a slow death inside an infirmary, barely alive but alive enough to be offered a second chance. The doctor being Max.

“You live for the kill, don’t you? Yet you risked life and limb to save a naïve boy.” -Max’s words to David before turning him. 

Dwayne was born into the Navajo tribe. Raised during the dying age of the Wild West times and despite being raised during the years where agreements were made to put the war behind them, to find a peaceful ground, racism, and death for his ‘kind’ were still highly aggressive. By the time 1915 rolled around WW1 was rearing its ugly head making people more on edge, but Dwayne did not ‘die’ in any war. Dwayne, like life has always treated him, found himself enduring disputes of mens opinions. Fights always occurred, but that night would be the death of him as Dwayne went up against drunks, outnumbered four to one, and where one decided that fists were not enough. Three stab wounds later and Dwayne found himself dying at the end of an alley, laying in his own blood while staring up at the sky dazed and alone. In his mind, he had found clarity in what he expected to be his last breaths.  That is until David and Max, who just happen to lay witness to the events, decide to bring him into the fold.

“Why let such a man willing to fight vigorously lay waste to death?”- David’s words to Max when discussing to offer Dwayne immortality.

Marko was raised sandwiched in between the generations of new postwar families and their boom of babies. It was all about high school sweethearts, wild parties and fast cars. Especially motorcycles! Yet, during that time it was also about rules. Rules about clothes — which clothes you could wear when. Rules about church, about accepting religion and faith or else damnation. Rules about the streets, when to be home and who to be out with. Even rules about how to play, with who and how. And quite frankly, Marko didn’t like rules, didn’t want to be told what to do and how to do it. He was hungry for some recognition, some validation, and when it came, he embraced it.

“He seems dangerous and wild.” Dwayne mused as they watched the energetic blond punch a taller guy in the face. Despite his short stature and blood trailing from an already busted lip, the boy was grinning.David hummed around his cigarette before letting out a puff of smoke. “Exactly, he’s perfect.”

(NOTE: I first heard this concept from @lostinsantacarla and fell in love with it. I highly recommend their fanfic of Marko that dives even deeper into the idea. It can be found HERE. )

Almost all aspects of American society in the 1970s were marked by restlessness and a questioning of traditional authority. From public protest movements to personal fashion, people were thriving for excitement, for newfound reasoning in society. Paul was no different. He lived for the wild times and sought out a thrill whenever possible. Why let the world bog you down? Get high, share a few drinks, enjoy others company. Despite these laid back mottos, Paul’s home life was rough. Abusive father, absent mother, and no siblings. It’s not surprising that he fought for a sense of escapism, and that’s just what Paul did the summer of 1980. He packed what he could fit into a bag, took his guitar case, and rode off to southern California. No clear destination was in mind other than freedom. He never thought he’d find it within what looked to be motorcycle gang but, hey, who is he to look a gift horse in the mouth?  

“I don’t know, there’s just something about him.” Marko stared at the newcomer in town, an obvious drifter. He could be a quick and easy meal when considering that no one would take note of his absence. Yet, there was something there layering under that broad smile and weed odor. “I’m going to check it out.” And Marko was off, weaving through the crowd.

I even have a short summary for good ol’ Max. There’s not a lot of details regarding headcanons for him except how and when he became a vampire. Other than that, he’s still the typical nerdy looking family-oriented vampire seen in the movie. I suppose his reasoning behind wanting a family after a few centuries have come and gone may be due to seeking out a forgotten sensation. 

MAX:Born in 17th century England within a middle to an upper-class family who had a hand in the iron industry. Life was luxurious for Maximus. He grew up as a well-mannered boy, trained properly, and knew nothing more than high adequate standards. That all changed the year of 1636 when yet another plague swept through London. Within a week his world fell into a spiraling madness, losing his family, his home, and almost his life. It was the help of a ‘special doctor’, a doctor who walked the streets on Maximus’s final hours that he ever felt the chance of ‘life’ again. With so much death among them, the world seemed fitting for a rebirth, and so he accepted the opportunity with no difficulties.

All images used here were edited by me

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Dancing Lessons

Barry Berkman x reader

Summary: Barry is finally cast in a feature, the problem? He said he could dance and now he can either disappoint Sally or found a way to learn some steps.

Warnings: Swearing, blood, violence, guns, cheating, drinking.

Hi! I know, I took so long to finish this, it's been a crazy couple of months but I must say that this story finally has the ending I wanted, I already had a sugarcoated ending and I didn't post it because I just didn't like it that way, but then I watch Barry again and it all click in my mind and I managed to write this last 2 chapters and the epilogue and I hope you like them.

Part 1 ● Part 2 ● Part 3 ● Part 4 ● 

Part 5 ● Part 6 ● Part 7 ● Part 8 ● Epilogue

Part 7

He leaned in ready to kiss you, and for a millisecond you were sure it was going to happen, so you close your eyes and take a small breath ready to feel his lips... but then a floral and feminine fragance lingered under the alcohol and the thought of blonde hair and a bright smile flash before your eyes, and made you speak.

"But I care" You said, and he immediately stop and let you go, he look at you with sad eyes, and was about to start apologizing about how he didn't mean to offend you but you spoke first.

"I like you Barry, I am attracted to you so much that is shameful, especially since tonight for the first time in almost 5 years I felt like a school girl willing to fall down the rabbit hole that is being attracted to someone, and I'm beyond happy knowing you like me as well" it took all the strength in your body to say those words and keep looking into his eyes without crying but you managed, and decided to say it all before the fear betrayed you. "But the truth is that even if I don't feel like that for my husband anymore, I'm still with him, and you're still with Sally, and this adolescent crush, or whatever this is, will be a drunken mistake in the morning, and I care too much about you to let you ruin your relationship, because I'm sure you do love her" you took a deep breath then and try to keep talking but now was impossible, the shameful revelation that you were actually no longer in love with Alan was out and it hurt more than you expected.

"I'm sorry" He started, and pulled you closer to him again, but there was no longer the electricity that had been there minutes before, he simply hold you while you let your bitter tears roll and caress your hair. "You are right, I been trying to lied to me all this time, but you are right, I wanted you, and it's wrong, and if someone has to be ashamed of his behavior is me, I spend the night with you knowing that you are married and I didn't care, and it was for the selfish purpose of being with you."

You pull apart one last time, and your whole body ached, knowing too well that this was the end of something that hasn't even started, but your conciousness was now in charge and this was the right thing to do.

Because in the end you were sure you have fallen for the same reason he had, he wanted Sally to be more like you, willing to leave everything for him, and you wanted Alan to be mor like him, changing his entire self to fit your dreams, under no circumstances was that healthy, nor real, and you both knew that neither was happy.

You said your goodbyes, and the empty promise to pretend to keep being friends, but the quick excuses you made to avoid him the next days and let him alone practicing with Macy, let clear that it was not going to work.

Because even when it was just a fantasy, just a dream, just the idea of something better, it still hurt. It hurt when you accidentally saw him on the street on a date with his beautiful girlfriend, and you could see the light in his eyes when he saw you, and the subsequent sadness because you were now sure that he wanted you too, it hurt even when you were walking on Alan's arm, because seeing him kiss her make your husband efforts to gain your forgiveness seem empty, specially since the tears he saw in your eyes that day were not his doing, but Barry's.

It hurt because, it was not just an idea, not just the idealization of the sweet midwestern boy with perfect blue eyes, it hurt because you love him.

***

Loosing her was hard, pretending to be okay without her gentle touch, and her playful teasing during rehearsals was harder, but seeing her with her husband on the street was heartbreaking, Barry knew he didn't deserve her, but neither did Alan.

In the second he saw him next to Sally he tried to hide, and pull away from Y/N, maybe to prevent Sally to figure out he was cheating on his friend. That's why he kissed her, to avoid confrontation, and a couple minutes later while she was in the bathroom, and Y/N was paying in a store Alan approach him, with his false smile bright.

"Hey Barry was it?" He said, and offered him a hand, that Barry took repressing the urge to punch his teeth out.

"Hey" Asshole "So you broke up with Monique?" Or is that your sister?" He said trying to sound naive, but his eyes were clearly looking at his wedding band.

"No, that's Y/N, she's my wife" He said, with no shame, and Barry was surprised, but maybe a little pride. "You know how it is, huh?" He playfully punch him on the shoulder.

"Sure, she is quite beautiful" He said feeling the words burning in his tongue "Do you think she wants to meet Sally?" He add completely serious and Alan gave him a perplex look. "I'm kidding, but you should leave, she is in the bathroom"

"My man" he said and put his arm around him like they were friends "you almost got me, yeah she is quite something, but too chatty sometimes" Barry was about to break his arm, pleading the skies for Sally or Y/N to see them so it all could end, but he let go first "Thanks, I'll go before they meet, thanks Berkman, you are a real Bro"

"Sure, bro" he answered monotony, and saw him walk away, shaking, missing like never before having a gun in his pocket.

"So I was thinking" Sally said on their way home, he had been pretending to listen about all her fabulous new friends and definitely not thinking in a way to eliminate a certain lawyer.

"Um huh?"

"About what you said a week ago" She said and let go a deep sigh "And I think that maybe cheating won't be an issue if you are both okay okay about it"

Thankfully she was wearing a seatbelt, because he braked abruptly and almost caused and accident.

"What?" He said and she look at him concerned but also embarrassed by the way she had formulated her statement.

"No like that, I mean, maybe if people were completely honest with their partners and their boundaries they would not need to cheat" She said and he was able to keep driving normally until they get to her house.

"So people should tell each other I want to sleep with someone else, be okay with that?" He was trying to not be mean or sarcastic, but it was almost impossible.

They put the groceries in the kitchen and he sit on her couch, and she sit in front of him.

"No, I mean more like maybe people should not commit so much in a relationship if they are not ready for it" She said, and he finally understand where she was going.

"So you want to be with someone else and I'm on the way?" He said more bluntly than he wanted, maybe his time with Y/N have had a negative impact on him.

"Oh my God no!" She said quickly "But maybe you do?" She add.

"I will never cheat on you Sally" LIAAAAR "I'm really confused right now"

"I know you wouldn't" She started and put her hand on his knees tenderly "Is just that with Sam I run into commitment so soon, and I'm afraid that I'm doing the same right now, and what if I'm in the middle of your own journey as an actor, or you in mine? Is not like I'm interested on other men, is just that I think I should be more interested in me as a person, as an artist" She said, she sound sincere but something about her words made him feel like she had rehearsed her speech at least a couple times before. "What I'm trying to say is that maybe, just maybe we should take a break you know? You should focus on your movie, and I should focus on my projects and in a couple months when things are cool down at work we could have more time for each other" She said and she tried to smile.

"Focus on your projects? So you wouldn't be dating anyone?" He said holding his hands in fists, trying to not start screaming at her.

"I don't think I have time for that" She said in al calmed voice "But I would not be mad at you if you do" She said and that was enough for him.

"Ok" He said and stood up trying to leave.

"Wait Barry, you can stay, is just an idea" she tried to stop him but was cautious enough to not touch him, and he felt a pain on his chest knowing why, he would never act like her stupid ex husband, so he calmed immediately and turned around.

"It's okay, I may not want this, but if you do, it's okay, I will see you in a couple months then" He avoid kiss her goodbye and simply walk out of her house.

He got on his car and start driving nowhere in particular, after almost half an hour he was willing to think about what had just happened, he lost Sally, and put Y/N firmly in the arms of her stupid husband. He was now truly alone, and maybe that's why when the black truck that had been following him pass next to him and a bald man covered in tattoos make him a sing to drive behind him he didn't think of escaping, if this was the moment the Chechens were waiting it was perfect, he had nothing left to lose.

[cherrygorilla]

Time for me to be nosy as heck for the fanfic author thing! Hope you don't mind if I ask a lot like you did to me! Here you are: 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 17, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 40 A bunch are the same ones you asked me, but I'm really curious as to what your answers would be. If there's anything you'd like to answer that I didn't ask you, then feel free to add it on if you feel up to it! 💖

Okay, I'm known to ramble at the best of times but I really ran away with myself here. You may want to grab a snack or something first; it's hella long. You've been warned! 

4. What made you start writing fanfiction? 

When I was like 11/12 I was obsessed with the musical Starlight Express and after trying to google just about everything I could about it I think I stumbled across some fanfiction for it. Well, instantly my little english-class-loving brain grabbed this concept and ran with it. I remember writing my own stories in this cheap little notebook I would hide in my bedside table drawer and it was around this time that TBM came out, so naturally I decided to see if that had any fanfiction too. Turns out it did, and significantly more than Starlight Express might I add, so my creativity ran away with itself and next thing I knew I was setting up my own account and getting properly involved this time. And I guess, as they say, the rest is history... 

5. Favourite pairing? 

This is pretty tricky for me. Most of the pairings that I have set up are littered with little flaws and things that make them more interesting to write about (and hopefully read about lol) and more realistic. And the already established pairings that I use (i.e. Mack & Brady in old stories or Lela & Tanner) just feel too bland for me to really connect with them, which is probably why I always struggle so much to write for them. I suppose Lela & Tanner can be cute, or at least their potential is; I don't feel like the movies did them justice lol. But for my stuff, at the moment I just feel so out of practice with writing and at such an early stage in the story with Wheels and Waves that I'm not really attached to any of the pairings yet. And besides, the only one I've really established so far is Butchy & Giggles, but if you've read my last chapter then you'll know that that's not exactly doing so hot atm. So, since I can pick holes and find flaws in everyone's relationships too much to pick a favourite, I think I'll pick one I'm excited about that has some of the biggest flaws imaginable: Coral & Hyde. And that's all I'm going to say. Unless you're curious, then ask away lmao. 

6. Least favourite pairing? 

Okay, I may be a bit controversial here- Actually, this is probably really controversial judging by some of the reviews on my old stories that I was just reading. But I don't really like Mack & Brady… Hear me out! Maybe it's just because I haven't watched the movies for ages and I haven't been thinking about them writing-wise since I abandoned my old stuff but they just seem really bland to me. Don't get me wrong, they're super sweet, but I like giving my characters a bit of grit to work with and make them a little more interesting beneath their 'perfect movie character in an idyllic world' surface and I just could never seem to do that with Mack & Brady. I could never manage to give them any depth and because of that I feel like I just grew to resent them haha. Other people can write for them much better than I can, let's just put it that way. Apart from them though, non-canon-wise in my stories it's got to be Butchy & Coral. Hands down. Honestly, what was I thinking? It was cringey. It was basic. And I think because of it Coral became super one-dimensional and kept losing her way as a character because my whole focus was trying to get them to work as a couple. Spoiler alert: they don't. And since I ditched them I think I was really able to get her to come into her own and develop a much more interesting, albeit worse, side of her.

7. Favourite type of au? 

This is probably going to be a quick one because I don't do a lot of au stuff but modern day/high school aus are always a lot of fun. I feel like TBM2 could have done so much cool stuff with that premise but then they went and dumbed down all the characters and really ruined their chance but I think the concept in general is so cute. I'm actually working on something in this vein for my sims blog, but that's not what we're talking about so let's move on. 

14. Do the people in your life know you write fic? How do they feel about it?

 Nope. I haven't ever mentioned it to my family because I just don't think that they'd 'get' it. I think I mentioned it to one of my best friends ages ago because she also read/casually wrote fanfics but I don't think that she still knows that I've kept it up; she probably just assumes that it was something we both just did when we were 13/14. So they don't really think anything of it; they don't know and probably never will lol. So I just struggle over chapters and ideas and things by myself. 

17. What's the harshest criticism you've ever gotten on a fic? 

To be honest, I don't think that I've ever really had any super harsh criticism. None that I can remember, anyway. I was reading through the reviews on one story recently and someone told me that I should work on my dialogue for Mack & Brady because it wasn't true enough to their characters and tbh they probably weren't wrong. That's barely criticism but it was the closest that I could find to it in my five minutes of looking and nothing else stood out in my memory so I guess that's what I'll go with. I know that probably sounds super cocky like "omg i'm amazing i never get any criticism from anyone because i'm amazingggg!!!1!!" but honestly all the reviews on my old stuff were just people being nice to me because I was friendly to them and I get next to no reviews on my current stuff, so there's no real opportunity for criticism if there's no interaction in the first place lmao. 

20. What's your biggest struggle when it comes to writing fic? 

Actually finding the time to write it when I have uni work, family life, stuff with friends and a somewhat healthy sleep schedule to balance as well. I just don't have enough hours in a day. Besides that, when it actually comes to writing I guess I find it hard to stick solely to ideas that progress the plot. I've been trying to work on that a lot more lately and be more ruthless with my planning but sometimes I just get inspired by something fun and in sheer creative desperation I just wedge it into the plot somewhere. And I think that for the reader's sake I need to stop doing this. 

21. Your biggest strength? 

I don't know if this is what anyone else would consider my biggest strength but I personally really like the way that I can develop the characters beyond what little personality we get to see in the movies. I love working on their story arcs and experimenting with how they 'exist' in my head, like finding out who the quiet souls are, who the loud mouths are and why they act like that. From the snippets we actually see of them in the movies and how basic they are, I'm pretty proud of the characters I've rounded them into in my stories; they feel a lot more real now, to me at least. 

22. Which do you do more: read fic or write fic? 

I know it's hard to believe, but probably write. I only really keep up with a handful of stories now and I always find I'm more actively thinking about kicking my butt into gear and writing something myself instead of setting out to read someone else's stuff. 

24. What's your process? 

Daydream and plan out future plot lines for most of the waking hours of the day. Find the fleeting shred of time available in said day to sit down and work on something if both inspiration and motivation are working in my favour. Actually sit down and open up a google doc, perhaps with a cup of tea if I'm feeling particularly adventurous and fancy treating myself for doing something productive. Painfully struggle through the first ten minutes of warming up my writing muscles and getting my creative juices flowing again. Settle into a good rhythm and just let my fingers and the words work their magic until something boring from the real world interrupts me and drags me away from my fictional one. Then repeat. 

25. Of all the fics you've written, which is your favourite? 

I know it's not necessarily a single fic but I really liked when I was writing the one-shots for Surf, Sun, Sand because I knew that I was writing the things people wanted to read, so I knew there was more of a chance that they'd enjoy them. And it was nice not being constrained to one timeline, I could jump around and play with different pairings, ideas and settings as much as I, well, the requests, wanted. I also really liked my Twelve Days of Cruisin' for a Bruisin' Christmas story, but I can't put that at the top spot because I'm so frustrated that I never got that final chapter up. It was really fun to write though and that's one of the few things that I've written that I'm still happy with to this day lmao. I just think it's sweet and I like how I wrote all the characters, so I'd say that's a win for me. 

27. What's your most popular fic? Do you think the popularity is warranted, or is there another fic that you think deserves it more? 

Statistics-wise it's Paper Flowers, by a long-shot. 77,485 views and 331 reviews. Now, I think that the fact that there are about a million chapters and I wrote it back when the fandom was thriving has quite a lot to do with that, if not all of it, because I'm almost certain that it can't be the writing, character quality or whatever crap I threw into the plot back then. But for nostalgia's sake, I'll allow it. And to be fair, it was probably alright at the time. I do think, however, that I've developed and improved my writing style over the years, so it would be nice if Wheels and Waves could get a little more popularity (since it's something I'm actually semi-proud of lol). But I just don't have the audience, so what can you do? 

29. Which of your fics was the hardest to write? 

Just Like Me. By a country mile. Like I mentioned earlier, I really struggle when it comes to writing for Mack & Brady and although I liked the concept (and a few other people did too) I just wasn't ever happy with what I ended up with. The chapters felt boring (which probably had something to do with the fact that I wrote them in my phone notes at 11:30pm), their relationship felt bland and the plot felt like it was going nowhere. I sort of had a vague structure of where I wanted to take it, but when I couldn't seem to get the hang of writing for them every chapter felt like such a challenge. 

30. Favourite fic writers? 

You, girl! I literally don't even bother to keep up with anyone else anymore because I just don't have the time (uni will do that to a bitch, lol) but I never miss a post of yours and will frequently go and re-read your stuff (especially if it's in preparation for a crossover lmao) if I need a pick-me-up. And like you said, we're practically family now and what kind of internet sister would I be if I didn't support my fam?! 

31. Do you write just for fun, or would you ever consider pursuing writing? 

I don't think I'd ever actually pursue it as a job. I'm in dentistry school atm so I'm pretty set on becoming a dentist, but even if that wasn't the case, I don't think I have the creativity to create my own unique story with original characters and a whole universe under my control. I just think it's fun to expand on other ideas and grow my own ideas from them. 

33. Fanfiction pet peeves? 

Bad grammar is really frustrating. But I also just think it's really boring when people will basically re-write the whole movie/story pretty much word-for-word with only the slightest of alterations. Like, I've already watched/read this once, why would I want to do it again? I came here for creativity and fun stories with my fave characters, not the flat-out plot all over again with a cookie-cutter, paper doll inserted into the mix to steal a few lines. It just bored me. 

34. First person, second person or third person? 

I'd probably put second person last because I just find reader-insert things weird and cringey. Like they legit make me feel uncomfortable sometimes. And then I'd go with first person because although I don't really have a problem with it, it's just never a style I'd choose to write in; I just can't really get the hang of it and I prefer to be able to see and show everyone's perspective on a situation from the outside, which is why good old third person has to be my favourite. 

35. OCs, reader inserts or canon pairings?

 Like I said, reader inserts creep me out a bit so definitely not those. Canon pairings are a pretty safe bet and can be cute most of the time (I just personally seem to struggle with them lol) and if they're done well (i.e. not basic bitches with no personality that just double as weird reader inserts *cough cough* Coral in Paper Flowers smh 12 year old me) then I think OCs can be really fun and can add another layer to fanfics that takes them beyond the bubble of what's canon. 

37. Which character is your favourite to write for? 

Saying Coral would be too easy because she's literally my own character, so of course I'm going to enjoy writing for her. So, other than that I'm going to have to say Seacat. I feel much more comfortable writing for the surfers than the bikers anyway, so that definitely plays into it. But I really like the version of him I've created. I really leaned into his sort of fiesty, stubborn side that occasionally showed itself in the movies, which created a super interesting dynamic with his inherent relaxed nature that all the surfers have. He's a really fun character to work with and I've got lots of fun things planned for him, so I think he's earned that top spot. But I'll mention Giggles too because it's been fun developing her character more deeply for Wheels and Waves. I just like a bit more drama, which Seacat can deliver more than my sweet bby G. 

40. Imagine yourself 10 years in the future, do you still think you'll be writing fic? 

Honestly, who knows? Back when I started I never thought I'd still be writing it at 18, so never say never, I guess. 

And since you said I could choose another one, I'll go for 38. From where do you draw inspiration? 

I wanted to include this one because I'm literally listening to my Wheels and Waves playlist as I write this to try to get me into that #writingmood. A few different things influence me but music has always been my biggest inspiration. I'm constantly adding new songs to my playlist and finding songs I want to use so badly that I'll rearrange and shift around plot points to work them into the story. For example, that Coral & Hyde relationship I mentioned earlier? Grown entirely from songs. But yeah, I'm always getting inspired by songs, which is why I'm really trying to get a general plan of Wheels and Waves set in stone so that I'll stop being tempted to switch things around and ruin the plot with convoluted ideas I get on a whim because I heard a fun song. On another note though, if you have any song suggestions then hit me up lmao; I'm always looking for more haha.

[darkurgediary]

OKAY I MAY HAVE HAD A MILLION DOLLAR IDEA AND I WANTED TO RUN IT BY EVERYONE

Picture this. Sarah is a baby, maybe two or three. Her mother is an up-and-coming actress, more focused on her career than on her family. Because she wants to be a star not a stay at home mom. As an actress, she's heard of the Labyrinth play. Maybe she's even seen it. So offhandedly, not expecting it to actually happen, she says the words and wishes Sarah away. In comes Jareth and the whole "you have 13hrs" thing.

Except Sarah’s mom throws him for a loop because this is the first person he's come across that genuinely DOESNT want to get their kid back. Jareth is half and half on this because A. he doesn't have to listen to another person sniveling and crying about how they didn't mean it B. That's another Goblin mouth he's inevitably going to have to feed. BASICALLY he's like "look I'm already here you're gonna do it anyway"

Of course she fails, she makes such little effort the woman barely gets passed the first 1/4 of the Labyrinth.

So while Jareth is kicking back with Sarah in his throneroom, he notices something peculiar about her. She hasn't cried at ALL, not even when like 8 goblins swarmed her. She's laughing, she's pulling their ears, maybe even steals one of their helmets. And Jareth is just besides himself because this is the most chill baby kid he's ever seen. On top of her acceptance of the Goblins, Jareth notices something else about Sarah. He can sense magic around her. Hence the "babe with the power" he sings about in Dance Magic Dance.

SO he goes to Sarah’s mother, now normally when someone fails, he chucks them into the creepy doll closet from the Masquerade Comic. Instead, he gives Sarah’s mother a choice. He wants to see if Sarah's magic is self-sustaining, or if its just Underground magic gravitating to her. Cause ya know wished away babies start to morph into Goblins while they're Underground (that's either from the book or the OG script I can't remember, but I know it said something about Toby having Goblin feet).

Jareth gives Sarah’s mother the means to become an actress, like she wants. But in exchange he gets Sarah if her magic is indeed self-sustaining. Her mother agrees, and life pretty much gets back to normal. She goes home to Sarah’s dad, but as Sarah gets older, she sort of becomes a hands off-parent.

By let's say age 10, the Magic Jareth initially sensed is still there. And it's manifesting in various ways (i.e sort of like an overactive imagination). So pretty much, he sits back, and checks in every now and then to see how her magic develops.

By age 15, the events of the movie are in play, the "certain powers" Sarah thinks the Goblin King gave her are actually her own powers. And at this age, yes, Sarah is still manifesting her magic. She's putting it into the plays she acts out in the park, some of it goes into her dreams, and some even into the dresses and props she makes for her acting. But it's not enough, her power is getting beyond her control, she's just not recognizing it as magic. And because it's indirectly linked to a deal her mother made, thoughts of her mother make the magic act up. Sarah basically has it attached to her emotions and that's why she lashes out, because she feels the pressure of it, but she thinks it's just resentment towards her mother.

SO, Sarah runs the Labyrinth, pretty much the exact plot of the movie plays out. And when she says "you have no power over me" it's because she's starting to see her magic AS magic. And hers is Stronger than Jareth’s. Sarah's venture through the Labyrinth was kind of a double edged sword type of deal because A. She gained control over it B. Jareth came to collect his end of the deal, but it wasn't the right time, because her magic still hadn't fully developed.

NOW GOING INTO ADULTHOOD, Sarah has completely suppressed it. She believes everything to have all been a figment of her imagination, just the wild mind of a teenager ya know? But her suppressing it has basically made it worse because it's at its peak and it's under lock and key. So the hallucinations and vivid dreams she's having are basically ways of the Underground connecting with her.

[justtryingyaknow]

Hey it's me the anon from earlier... I'm glad to hear you got a round 2 and are feeling a bit better! My au idea was basically that the Reds and the Blues are rival newspapers and that they are battling it out to become the main newspaper locally. You could add in some other factions if you wanted to of course. Idk I just like the concept and I think you have really creative ideas so I wanted to send in the request. Thank you for your time :)

Hello anon! Here is a very casual, slightly longer than expected response to this! I did take some creative liberty because, as recorded, I am a plot whore and I love you’re AU idea but couldn’t find a way to condense! So still rivals, but over more casual setting! Thanks for the request and I hope you enjoy!

Grif’s fingers hover over the keyboard. He’s acutely aware that Simmons is leaning over his shoulder watching his screen, assessing his every word. The sweat on his face forces him to push his glasses up.

“Just type a damn word, Grif!” Simmons breaks, causing Grif to smash the keys ending with a jumble of letters on the otherwise blank document.

“I can’t type when you’re watching me like this! It’s too much goddamned pressure.” Grif pushes back and storms to the box of donuts he brought in this morning.

“You can’t eat right now! You’re going to get the keyboard all sticky with jelly!”

“It’s my keyboard, I can cover it in as much stickiness as I want.”

“What was that?” Donut removes an ear bud perking up.

“Fuck off, Donut!” Grif growls around a mouth of boston creme.

“Yeah, fuck off Donut!” Simmons echoes.

“Fine, at least my segment is written.” Donut pops the ear bud back in. Simmons can’t argue with him about that.

“Just write the fucking segment, Grif. Literally anything. It doesn’t have to be perfect.”

“If Grif’s writing it, it’ll never be perfect.” The team has really done it now. Simmons stands up straight watching Sarge raise from his chair where he’s been sitting quietly (for once). “So, if you want to be the reason we don’t make it to print this week, and there by making us lose to the damn blues, well, be my guest!” His spit flies out, coating Grif/

“Why don’t you just write it, if you’re so freakin’ perfect?” Grif reluctantly tosses the donut, now covered in Sarge’s spittle.

Sarge looks at the computer, as though considering it as a possibility. “Oh? And then I could make ya dinner, and wash your clothes while I’m at it?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Grif makes his way back to the chair.

“Then I could tuck you and your little sister into bed, give you kissies on the forehead?! Huh, soldier?” And there was the spit again.

“I already sat down, just let me type!” Grif swiveled the chair and immediately started cranking out a feature on a new dog park.

“Simmons! Report!” Sarge stands, power posing in the middle of the workroom. He delights in watching his worker bees buzz around; Donut getting ahead on an entertainment piece, Lopez checking the weather and business information, and Simmons red in the face checking the layout for the hundredth time that day.

“Everything is in; we just need 500 words from a certain lazy fatass who put off the article assigned to him two weeks ago.”

“200.”

“You did not write 300 words in just that time.” Simmons sputtered and rushed back to Grif’s computer. “Oh my god.”

“I’m a fucking prodigy, Simmons. Bask in my glory.”

“You did nothing all day!”

“Don’t fight the muse, man… Oh, and grab me a coke.”

“Fuck you. And even if he finishes right now, can we get it to print in time?” At the close of his question, Donut is strapping on rollerblades.

“I can do this, years of rolling around with a bunch of guys is paying off!”

“[Please, just say you were on a men’s roller skating team.]” Lopez doesn’t look up from his computer, only sighing to express his continued discomfort with the rest of the team’s shenanigans.

Across town, the rival newspaper team’s boss pores through the final copy.

“Did you… make this figure up? The average person owns 4 and a half dogs in Blood Gulch? That cannot be possible.” Church sips his coffee while staring at the statistic.

“I did the math, asshole. Caboose counted the dogs in BG and I divided it by the population.” Tucker sips his drink, which is definitely not coffee.

“Do you know anything about outliers? Caboose has like 10 dogs dude. Do you know how much he’s going to skew this shit?”

“So what, do you want me to take it out?” Tucker crosses his arms.

“Eh… You think someone’s going to call us on some bad numbers?”

“My numbers aren’t bad! My numbers are good. I have the best numbers, like 6!” Caboose sips his orange juice out of a mug, trying to fit in with everyone else.

“Yeah, we know. Thanks, buddy. The movie review is good this week, by the way.” Church turns to face him. Tucker would call him out on the kindness, but he knows that Church (despite being an unending asshole) has a somewhat soft spot for Caboose. Caboose beams.

“Ok, so we sending it to print or what?” Tucker is still standing by. “You know the reds probably are running to the shop right now.”

“When did you care about the stupid rivalry?”

“I don’t. I just like the way they all get pissed off, man. It’s fucking comedy gold. Simmons gets all red and starts yelling at Grif, you know he’s all ‘GrIF” Tucker fakes a voice crack, “ This is your fault!’ And Sarge’s face gets all scrunched up and he starts threatening us.”

“You know, it is a pretty good time. Alright, 4 and a half dogs it is. Caboose, take this to the printing press!”

Tucker and Church watch Caboose take off. Neither are in a hurry, but they do want to be there to watch the Red Post’s team explode (like they always do). Church locks up the office front when a pink figure speeds past them.

“Oh shit! Donut got skates?” Tucker watches him speed up to catch Caboose. Neck and neck, they speed toward the printing shop with a paper copy in hand.

“Why don’t we just email it, I fucking hate walking down this stupid street every damn week.” Grif’s voice comes through the office door across the way. Sarge spots the Daily Blue’s Letter team and whips his head toward the race.

“Hoo boy, get ‘im Donut!” Sarge takes off running, and something snaps in Church as he starts speedwalking to keep pace.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Tucker waits for the reds to cross the street and join him. “You idiots actually have a paper this week?”

“Did you idiots even fact check your’s?” Simmons quips back. Tucker looks at the ground, the thought of half a dog running in his mind.

“I’m just saying; it does take a team of 3 to do what you guys do in a team of 5, and we’re always on time. Because Blue’s Letter’s got it baby.”

“What possible joy do you get out of this?” Grif says from the back of the group. “It’s just a fucking job.”

“Who do you think actually made it to press first today?” Simmons pushes his glasses up to try and get a better look, but the fore group has disappeared inside the building. Before anyone can wager a bet, Sarge emerges, triumphant.

“Glory glory to the Red Post! We got in first, cheers to Donut, the wheeled wonder!” Sarge hollers while pulling Donut out the door.

“It was a good run, Caboose!” Donut comforts. “I haven’t had that much fun edging out a guy since last week!”

The staff reunites, Grif and Simmons shoving Tucker lightheartedly while Lopez stays beyond the fray.

“Yeah, yeah, but now you’re just a bunch of assholes standing on the sidewalk screaming, so who’s the real winner.” Church pushes past everyone.

“Ugh, fucking Reds, cockbite!” Grif shouts.

“Drinks on Blues! To the bar!” Sarge starts the chant.

“To the bar!” The rest of the reds respond. The group makes their way to the only bar in town, forcing everyone to suffer through Sarge’s 10 verses of his Red Post Salute song.