#inclusive change for actresses especially

[flightlessangelwings]

Being inclusive with your reader insert fic is a kindness. It tells people of color (poc) that you are considering someone who does not look like you in your fic. It shows love and dedication to our craft. It tells poc that they belong here too and they can see themselves in your story.

Poc aren’t look for activism in fic, we know fandom isn’t that serious, but we should be able to have that same level of escapism when we turn to fic and fandom. We belong here too. This space is for everyone, not just one group of people.

Just to give a few examples of how simple it can be: say “skin warmed” instead of blushed, say “cradled your head” instead of running fingers through hair, say “angles yourself to kiss” instead of standing on tiptoes, use italics to indicate Spanish to take out a throwaway line of “you didn’t understand Spanish” things like that. Small changes that do not impact the fic at all but make a world of difference in inclusivity!

And for anything you can’t/don’t want to change, simply add warning in the beginning. Things like hair descriptors, anything reader might wear, some backstory for reader (especially involving family or where the story is set), readers job, things like that. A lot of times just having that heads up before the fic makes a world of difference!

And one example of kindness we as writers always worked to change: until recently (just a couple years ago) it wasn’t common to label the gender of the reader. But those who aren’t female asked writers to label it so they know which to read and which to avoid, and now it’s common to label the gender/pronouns of the reader. So it is possible! It just takes effort! And I’m a writer myself so I know it can be done!

We can pretend to be a bartender or a bounty hunter or an actress or anything else. But we shouldn’t have to imagine we’re a white one.

[leuchtstabrebell]

just saw the Jesus Christ Superstar production in Nuremberg with a friend and thought i'd share some of my observations because this was WILD

details under the cut because i have a lot to say but this might be one of the queerest and boldest productions of JSC i have ever seen. the pope is herodes, nuns are participating in orgies, Mary is a mother, the catholic church is critizised every step of the way, hirarchies and power structures are questioned, and Judas wears a skirt. There are neon crosses and halos and a lot of blood, and so much thought and love put into this. The production value is very good as well. The cast is very young, especially the apostels and Judas and Jesus who are all in their early to mid-twenties, and the vibes are simply amazing.

This production is set in modern day rome and the vatican. jesus and the apostels are queer leftists activists trying to reform/act against the catholic church. like, this is the central element of this production.

(text on these signs reads, from l. to r.: No mandatory celibacy, God is a woman, Maria 2.0, #outinchurch, renewal now, the head of the fish is rotten. The banner reads "God is the love")

Many of these signs are references to reform movements inside the church and discussions around abuse of all kind in the catholic church, as well as demands for a more inclusive christianity (and society).

Jesus officates a wedding between two women apostels and everything is very gay. there are several rainbow flags involved. jesus is draped in a giant version of the flag at one point.

that being said, it is made pretty explicit that mary and jesus have some kind of relationship thing goin on??? They also sometimes seem removed from the rest of the group who have major found family vibes. they go on picnis and protests together, they care for each other, they dance, they sing, they cuddle. there was so much going on, I probably missed a lot of interactions between the apostels. Judas was very involved in the group, more than mary or jesus even, and judas and simon had a very cute friendship (they even play-fought in the beginning). They all hugged and kissed each other a lot as well. (Fun fact: many of the apostels are still in actors school and they did a cooperation with the staatstheater nuremberg which offered them the chance to participate in such a big production)

Now my thoughts on the individual characters:

Mary: sadly, my least favourite character in this production. i didn't really vibe with the actress, although she was great vocally. She rarely interacted with the apostels and kept mostly to herself and the apartment she shared with jesus and her child (I don't like the decision to have them live together almost like a nuclear family). it also did not help that she was noticeable older than the rest of the group and her costume wasn't great either. i loved her kid though, she was really cute (apparently, the gender of the kid changes depending on the child actor that day, here it was a girl). The child also connects the group, there were some cute found family vibes (although they could have done so much more with this ahhh). there are also several moments where the child symbolizes a brighter future to come, and hope, and innocence. she was such a cutie!!!!

This Jesus is a weirdo. Just a weird guy. Kinda Enjolras vibes, kinda angelic, kinda high as a kite beliefs in magic, depressed queer vibes. He would sometimes do weird motions with his hands to summon his powers to heal people????? his outfit was a statement as well.

I liked the acting, although the interpretation is one i had not seen before. The singing was pretty good, although the actors voice was a bit weak sometimes and he often had difficulty with belting higher notes. the actor has a very very soft voice in general??? it kinda contributed to the vibes of this jesus though and worked fine

I didn't like that they actually showed him being able to heal people, I like it more when it stays ambigious if he can actually do wonders/if he is actually the son of god. Interestingly, at the same time this Jesus felt very deserted by God to me? Gethsemane was very intense but also so absolutely defeated. it did not feel like a conversation with god but more pure desperation screamed into a void... This Jesus was really broken :( Also, the torture and whipping (which happens in the vatican???? kinda illegally???) was absolutely brutal and very bloody and he was sobbing in fetal position at several points of this production. also shaking like a little deer. in the last scenes, they filmed close-ups of his tortured face with a camera live and projected it on the large background screen which was very horrifiying and genius, especially during superstar. poor guy. he seemed very sad and burdened a lot of the time

Judas: There he is!!! My boi!!!! He was my absolute fave. The acting and singing was amazing, one of my fav interpretations of this character. The costume choices for him were amazing ( I mean look at him in that skirt and these boots) and this production chose to portray him in a very sympathetic light. He is the soul of the group in this production, while Jesus is the brain and Simon is the heart. (Peter is the bedrock, and Mary and her kid are honey-grease holding them together)

I mean, look at him!!! This judas cares so much, he contains multitudes. He is clearly loved by the people around and loves them back fiercely. He hugged people a lot and was very physical in general and the actor had so much charisma!!! In this version, Jesus and Judas also kind of seemed like two sides of the same coin, which I really liked. While Jesus is kind of otherworldy, charismatic, calm, and enigmatic, Judas is much more hands-on, real, passionate and energetic.

This Judas (like the whole production really) was very angry but he had every right to. In this production it also seemed like his anger at Mary and Jesus being with her was less about Mary (taking out some of the misogyny, luckily) and more about jesus retreating to something that could be perceived as a bourgouise lifestyle (my interpretation, at least). This judas seemed very queer but then again, most apostels in this production seemed to be queer. (The betrayal kiss was very passionate, btw)

Oh, and the cardinals waterboarded Judas with holy water in a church on wooden benches they put together??? And they also threatened and hurt him several other times??? I'm not sure what to feel about this because this makes the betrayal very very cooerced and that might flatten the character but it adds so many new layers as well. They also just push suitcase full of money on his arms and leave him there clutching the thing and sobbing??

Judas death ripped my heart out, it was so raw and cruel and also put emphasis on the cruelty of the catholic church and an uncaring or even cruel god?

and then he absolutely slayed in superstar. all the background dancers were the apostels (which was a deliberate choice because they had a huge cast they could have used for this), including Mary and they all had neon halos?? Judas descended from the ceiling. the staging was kinda similar to the 2012 revival with Judas as a show-caster and entertainer. there was golden glitter falling from the ceiling.

the whole production seemed very angry at institutionalized christianity and God himself but also full of hope and love, and superstar really examplified that.

Herode is the pope. Just straight up the pope. At first I was a bit underwhelmed because the set was very minimal bit then they revealed the pope and started their amazing choreography and I really loved that! just a good solid portrayal, very sexual as well. (this production was very much about hypocricy and not about condemming lust, the opposite really. this production is pretty sex-positive) 8/10

Caiaphas and Annas were pretty solid, like all the other high priests they were cardinals. I thought the actors did a good job although would have liked a deeper base for Caiaphas and a higher tenor for Annas. I thought it was interesting how often the priests/cardinals crossed themselves and blessed people and did christian gestures, especially during "This Jesus must die". They were also pretty violent both towards the apostels and towards jesus and judas.

Peter was really giving dark academia vibes except a bit more boring. I thought it was pretty funny that it was easy to tell that he was Peter just from the costume alone. he had a nice, warm voice and I liked the acting choices - he was very soft and calm, except for when he went absolutely wild on the SWAT team coming to arrest Jesus and broke a bottle to use a shard to cut of the ear (i suppose) of one of them. iconic. 8/10

Simon: what an icon! at one point, he carries petrol and a lighter around to fucking burn the whole thing to the ground. he is passionate and kind and ready to punch someone at any time. his acting and singing were really really good. At the last supper, Simon sucker punches Judas in the face and calls him a "fucking traitor" before shakily ending the song on his guitar to try and comfort the other apostels because their whole world just fell apart. I really love this Simon

Pilate: He had such a great voice and presence, and carried himself with a lot of gravitas. Pilates dream was very stripped down but it worked because of the actor. He seemed really desillusioned and kind but ultimately deafeated, conforming to the will of people around him (lower clergy and devout catholics in this version) (That reminds me, the ouverture was accompanied by various clergy making out in the vatican with each other while headlines about scandals in the church were projected in the background.

There are probably a lot of things I forgot to mention, and there were also some things I did not like about this production but overall, I am really really impressed and just happy that I got to see it live.

You can still see the production too btw, at least if you can make it to Nuremberg :)

[sleepynegress]

So, I'm Watching Dollar Tree The Gilded Age: The Buccaneers (I apologize that this is a long one folks because of ADHD Romantic Period Drama w/ ~Color~ tangents)...

Okay... So, I have to preface this by admitting that Bridgerton never has been my great big thing. It's a cake sculpted from cotton candy.

Pretty and sweet, but not much substance. And very much leaning on the "fantasy" so everyone can enjoy the costume romance fun (but it does please me to see my marginalized players, playing well...). -Using an author's works as a base, who not only started with an all-white palette but was flippant and insulting in response to the idea of inclusion... And yet...

I'm just saying, it is something that the woman who walked away from ABC because an exec didn't respect her enough to get a Disney pass for her family, went on to make that lucrative author's uplift deal with, instead of say, Beverly Jenkins. I love underdog romances that aren't the typical het white bread. Give me the canon gays (I never got slash...but I love when it's canon, especially with color), the big girls, the dark brown skin girls, the Black couples, and the interracials, especially when both are BIPOC and there's no lag in charm/looks in the lighter half in some expertly lit, dressed, confection that makes everyone look as gorgeous as they actually are and there's all kinds of soft plotting and chemistry. Bridgerton for all its lazy ways of handling color, gave that. Everybody is hot. And the people that studios have typically just pretended either weren't "invented" yet or were all living horrible tortured lives of enslavement got to get the sweet costumed wooing, will-they-won't-they, ~romance~ treatment. But... being an obscure Black history nerd... I'm neurodivergent, so I have some deep-dive GEMS that I'll mention here that I NEED TO SEE DONE WELL, before I die. FYI I called Dido Elizabeth Belle a good 8 years before that was actually made. It is frustrating to see some of the ACTUAL interesting capacities in which some actual existing Black folks in history who did live interesting, not tragic lives, not given the big glossy budget, well-written renderings they deserve... In lieu of what has now, firmly taken hold as a trend, colorblind casting in known white works. See recent adaptations of David Copperfield, Persuasion, Tom Jones, & Great Expectations,

and now, this The Buccaneers (which like I said, is Dollar Tree, and *worse* the colorblind cast sister Conchita is using her regular-eggular Cali accent and...is not a compelling actress & her man is a jar of mayo) and baby...them costumes are Reign-levels of anachronistic/bad. It's the lazy jump onto the trend Shonda exploded, and Mr. Malcolm's List started (yeah, that short film was put on YouTube a full year before Bridgerton debuted). So, my point... Instead of *just* doing colorblind casting in old classic white period works... I need to see these ACTUAL GREAT stories of and/or written by or about the colorful people who lived in those societies. And this is where it could get long... but I'll do my best to keep it short... EXAMPLES that were gotten right and those *I need to see adapted*: ____

Interview With The Vampire is inclusive color-AWARE casting... The showrunner went beyond and actually rewrote the narrative to make sure the inclusion wasn't lazily done, but actually improved the depth of the source IMO. And I believe the showrunner is a queer white man. It just takes empathy and effort.

Passing... is a moody slow-burn horror based upon an actual work written by a Black woman in that period, and adapted by a white-passing WOC who not only lived the theme, but rendered it expertly.

Belle is often pointed to as a good example, but my nerd-ass knows Gugu's beyond AMAZING handling of the material elevated it.

Too much was changed from the reality of her life (IMO), still...Most period dramas are about as "true" and yall know I was not a fan of Sam Reid's over-dramatic ass in this... (yelling in that damn carriage for what?!) but he is PERFECT in IWTV. Sanditon being made, despite the typical side-character Black character issues...really was a reset because Miss Austen had already envisioned, in her day and above her class(!) a Black heiress as a character getting the Austen treatment, w/o any modifications the salty and ignorant would prefer to think is beyond "true history". ----- I have a little hopeful part in my brain that wishes it had the power to will capable adaptions of the lives of Carlotta Stewart Lai - middle-class educated Black woman who became a teacher & lived an "Anne of Green Gables" type of Edwardian life (more interesting really) surfing, having "bathing parties," and teaching Hawaiians with her Black family, Portuguese, Hawaiian and Chinese friends on the big island... Her life was w/o the stereotypes people assume all Black Americans lived in Victorian/Edwardian "America".

Gustav Badin, a Black man who was "Chessmaster" of the Swedish Royal Court in the 1700's...was in charge of the Royal family's secrets after the Queen's passing, really gives me intelligent queer Black man energy in his portrait and lived out a non-tragic life in a VERY white space many don't know we occupied.

And The Hunters... Who already have a short film and I've posted about it here... but I would LOVE to see an actual rendering of their lives in the Klondike, with their gold and silver prospects and son grandson Buster and daughter Teslin in Edwardian Canada.

(that is Teslin at the highest point in the photo, named after the lake she was born at)

(and the Hunters' grandson Buster ice-fishing)

All this to say... Now, that I've thoroughly veered away from my review of a middling show... I WISH THESE DAMN SHOWRUNNERS used a little effort in research and imagination and gave us more "true to life" renderings of Black life (and life of color, in these romanticized spaces) that isn't tragic nor the patronizin inclusive "fantasy"... That feels like it's smirking at me while saying "we know you weren't ~really~ here, but here! have a cookie!!" These people existed.

You don't have to *just* make inclusive versions of white works with the lie that you have to do that because thee above people ~didn't exist~. Nor do you have to be lazy when you do!! (see: IWTV) Right now, for me... It feels like for the most part we're in a period of very shallow "advancement" in period rep. And I'm saying if little old me can find the actual stories that could make AMAZING true history-based media. Why can't the more powerful people do the same?? P.S.

You already know I'm fresh off being mad about that shitty Bass Reeves show...but I'm even madder because I can't even say, "just make sure its made by Black people," because Jeymes Samuel (AKA Bullitts) gave us skinny biracial StageCoach Mary!!!

---NO!! I will never stop being mad about it!!

DO BETTER!! Have the empathy and care for the material, regardless, and don't rest on "I know what I'm doing because I'm Black" That male gaze won out over truth in The Harder They Fall *smh*

P.P.S I get the feeling the lazy adaptions are about cash-grabbing, what they see as a trend, and being all the ready to jump back into the whitewashed business as usual, that ain't true to *all* actual histories nor (as Austen proved) fictions of those eras or spaces.

P.P.P.S. On The Glided Age!! I do love that the Fellowes drama has Erica Armstrong Dunbar (known for her book and research on Ona Judge -another figure whose story needs to be adapted!!!- the Black woman who successfully escaped enslavement from George Washington's household and was doggedly pursued by him throughout her life) and Salli Richardson-Whitfield as producers... so, Denee Benton's Peggy is authentic... but as much as I like The Gilded Age, I want to combine Fellowes comfort drama... with a CENTRALIZED Black character... Why can't someone do all of it correctly?? WHY??!!!

[curvyqueensofafriq]

What African Men Really Think About Curvy Women!

In recent years, the conversation around body positivity and curvy women has gained significant traction, especially in Africa. The rise of curvy fashion icons and the embrace of fuller figures have sparked a broader discussion about beauty standards. But what do African men really think about curvy women? Is there a shift in perception, or are traditional views still prevalent? In this post, we’ll delve deep into this intriguing topic, uncovering opinions, breaking stereotypes, and exploring the evolving landscape of beauty in Africa.

Historical and Cultural Context

African culture has long celebrated voluptuousness, often associating curvy figures with prosperity, fertility, and beauty. Historically, many African societies revered fuller figures as symbols of wealth and health. However, with globalization and the influence of Western media, there has been a shift towards slimmer body ideals. Despite this, many African men continue to hold traditional views that embrace curviness.

Modern Perceptions: The Changing Landscape

In today’s world, African men’s perceptions of curvy women are diverse and evolving. While some still cling to traditional ideals, others are increasingly influenced by modern trends. The impact of social media and global fashion has introduced new standards of beauty, which often celebrate curviness as a positive trait. Here’s a closer look at how these perceptions are changing:

Traditional Admiration: In many African cultures, a curvy body is still admired and celebrated. The traditional view holds that a fuller figure signifies a woman’s ability to bear children and her status as a symbol of beauty and wealth.

Influence of Western Media: The influence of Western media has introduced a narrower beauty standard, often favoring slimmer figures. However, African men are increasingly exposed to a variety of body types through international celebrities and influencers, which helps broaden their views.

Social Media Trends: Social media has played a significant role in reshaping beauty standards. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok showcase curvy models and influencers who are celebrated for their body types. This exposure is gradually changing how African men view curviness.

Impact of Influencers and Public Figures

Several African celebrities and influencers have played a crucial role in shifting perceptions about curvy women. Figures like South African model Thickleeyonce, Nigerian actress Eniola Badmus, and Kenyan influencer Joy Kendi have become symbols of body positivity and self-love. Their prominence in the media has helped challenge traditional beauty standards and promote a more inclusive view of attractiveness.

What African Men Say About Curvy Women

The opinions of African men about curvy women are as diverse as the continent itself. Here’s a summary of the most common perspectives:

Admiration and Preference: Many African men express admiration for curvy women, seeing them as more attractive and desirable. They appreciate the natural and voluptuous shapes, which they often view as a sign of health and femininity.

Cultural Pride: For some, curviness is a source of cultural pride. They see curvy women as embodying traditional African beauty ideals and celebrating the heritage of their ancestors.

Changing Views: A growing number of African men are influenced by global trends and social media. They are becoming more accepting of different body types and recognizing that beauty is diverse and not confined to a single standard.

Practical Tips for Embracing Curviness

If you’re a curvy woman navigating these perceptions, here are some practical tips to help you embrace your curves confidently:

Celebrate Your Body: Embrace your curves and wear clothes that highlight your best features. Confidence is key to feeling and looking great.

Find Supportive Communities: Connect with other curvy women and supportive communities online. Sharing experiences and advice can boost your confidence.

Educate Others: Use your platform to educate those around you about body positivity and challenge outdated stereotypes.

Be a Role Model: Show others that curviness is beautiful by leading with confidence and self-love. Your attitude can inspire and influence others’ perceptions.

Conclusion

The perceptions of African men about curvy women are multifaceted and evolving. While traditional views still hold strong in many areas, modern influences and the rise of body positivity are creating a more inclusive and diverse understanding of beauty. Embracing your curves and celebrating your body can be empowering, and it’s essential to continue challenging stereotypes and promoting self-love.

Call to Action

What are your thoughts on the changing perceptions of curvy women in Africa? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below. If you enjoyed this post and want to explore more about body positivity and fashion, check out our other articles and follow us on social media for the latest updates and inspiring stories. [Insert link to related posts or social media channels]

ignore this..

African men opinions on curvy women, curvy women in Africa, body positivity Africa, African beauty standards, curvy fashion Africa, African influencers, body confidence tips

#CurvyQueens #AfricanBeauty #BodyPositivity #CurvyFashion #AfricanMen #BeautyStandards #SelfLove #FashionInfluencers

[dapperapple]

I DO NOT think Netflix's live action ATLA was created or changed with any distaste for the source material or INTENTIONAL sexism

YES there were a fair few poor decisions made and YES some female characters were diluted while some male characters were sanitized (to all the detriment of all of them)

I honestly think that the people who made this show, particularly the actors, love the original series but didn't just want to make an exact replica (which I can appreciate)

unfortunately, it appears that well meaning changes were not fully thought through, or if they were, clearly certain parts of the source material were underestimated in their significance or misunderstood in their meaning

Katara's character was mild and very disappointing, but Kiawentiio Tarbell is a good actress! don't let poor directing choices fool you

if any of the actors (especially the younger or newer actors) disagreed with any character changes, they couldn't do much or anything about it (and obviously they couldn't bad-mouth the show in interviews)

also, I can sympathize with wanting to make characters more likeable, especially when people have had 20 years to complain about stuff like Katara being self-righteous, Aang being flighty, S1 Zuko being bratty, and Sokka being less complex/interesting

but by not understanding that the inclusion of unattractive character flaws is thought out, intentional, and crucial to bringing these characters to life...

you fundamentally misunderstand the characters, and subsequently (in such a character-driven story) the whole gosh darn point of the show

[canonicallyobserving911]

9-1-1 Season 6 - Constructive Criticisms #4

Unequal Distribution of Storylines

9-1-1 has a large ensemble cast that includes both award winning and gifted actors and actresses who have the necessary experience and acting ranges to deliver scenes filled with emotions every episode. They all do an extraordinary job of portraying their characters and they seem to work well together.  Currently, there are nine main characters and even though each character’s had previous experiences that could fit well within most storylines, it appears the creation and distribution of storylines changed during season 4. Instead of all the main characters receiving concurrent and fairly distributed storylines, the focus shifted to one main character and he’s received the majority of them since his season 4 “Begins” episode aired.

Buck received the majority of storylines in season 6 and even though there are only 18 episodes in a season, he had more than triple the number of storylines of the other mains while Athena, Bobby, Chimney, Chris, Eddie, Hen, Maddie and May only received 1 to 4 storylines.  Some mains had a total of 5 storylines but that number is still significantly lower than the total amount Buck had.

The truth is there has been a large disparity between the number of storylines created/written for Buck when compared to the other main characters and for whatever reason, it’s continued.  As indicated in a previous “constructive criticisms” post, Buck is not everyone’s favorite character but based on the way the showrunner has handled his character over the last two and a half seasons, it appears she believes he is.

I completed a detailed post regarding the unequal distribution of storylines during 6A (linked here) but since they continued to be unequally distributed for the entirety of 6B too, this post includes a complete analysis to illustrate how the disparity continued throughout the entire season. Instead of rehashing details about the lack of growth and resolution included in existing storylines, this post lists the number of storylines each main character received to highlight the way Buck had four to five times as many storylines as everyone else. The battle of good vs. bad storyline was not included in this post and neither was the continuity nor the forced narrative issues found within season 6. However, they have been analyzed for inclusion in a future post.

My fourth set of “constructive criticisms” regarding the unequal distribution of storylines is included below the cut.  Please note criticizing a TV show is NOT a bad thing especially since TV critics have been doing it for decades.  Constructive criticisms are designed to help make something better and they are VERY different from negativity.  A person can offer criticisms about a form of entertainment they spend their time watching and not be negative about it the same way two people can agree to disagree on a topic. Just because one person liked the season, they shouldn’t expect others to feel the way they do because everyone has their own opinions.  Simply put, two people can have different opinions about 9-1-1 and those opinions can COEXIST since they are not mutually exclusive.

If reading criticisms about the TV show 9-1-1 upsets you, then don’t read below the cut.               

                 Warning! ⚠️“Constructive Criticisms” Ahead!⚠️

Disclaimer: The “constructive criticisms” included below are NOT about the actor, OS who plays the character of Buck!  OS is a gifted actor who knows and portrays the character very well and he always gives 100% of himself to bring the character of Buck to life. Since he’s not in charge of the show, he’s not at fault for the way storylines were distributed, therefore these critiques are not about him.

During weekly airings of episodes and after season 6 ended, a variation of one question was consistently posted on social media platforms and in post-mortem interview comment sections regarding the direction the audience believed the show was taking and it provides a perfect correlation to the criticisms included in this post.  The question was “When did 9-1-1 turn into “The Buck Show?”

It’s a valid question especially since Buck continued to receive the majority of the storylines in season 6 while the other main characters barely got four to five storylines each for the entire season.  The unequal distribution doesn’t make any sense especially since 9-1-1 has an ensemble cast.  For the past two and a half seasons Buck’s storylines/arcs were given more attention than the others with almost every episode focusing on him like he was the only main character on the show while the others were sidelined.  The exposure his character was given was both noticeable and distracting for a lot of the GA and even when he was tasked with supporting other main characters’ storylines, the part he played tended to overshadow theirs.

It’s unclear why the showrunner continues to push the character of Buck out front but apparently, she hasn’t realized a lot of the GA IS TIRED OF LOOKING AT HIM.  Based solely on comments posted about the show, viewers who once loved his character have grown to dislike him not only because of the types of storylines he’s received but also due to the amount he’s received when compared to other main characters.

This post was formatted to show the disparity in the number of storylines the character of Buck received in comparison to the other main characters during season 6.  The name of each main character is listed followed by their storylines along with the corresponding episodes. Please note: the list does NOT include any storylines with a main character in a support role for another main, i.e., Buck and Hen arguing in 6x16 about whether Chimney and Maddie should get married.  The marriage proposal storyline belonged to Chimney and Maddie not Buck and Hen.  Also, if it happened off-screen, it doesn’t count as a storyline since the audience didn’t see it. Chimney’s and Maddie’s house hunt happened off-screen in 6x8 but Buck babysitting Jee-Yun happened on-screen.

Athena

6x1 – 6x3: Traveled to FL to assist her parents which led to the Tonya Kingston investigation

6x5: Home invasion investigation

6x7: Investigated the person who swindled a victim

6x13: Helped Maddie and Chimney solve the case with their creepy neighbor

6x15: Arrested the perpetrator who caused his own death 

Bobby

6x4: Confiscation of Hoover the dog

6x9 – 6x12: Wendell’s death and the investigation that followed it

6x18: Trapped in a cargo container after the bridge collapse??? (this was really a 118 storyline but he was singled out like he was going to be hurt more than the others so...)

Buck

6x1: Wanted to be the interim captain

6x2: Searched for happiness

6x4: Read self-help books

6x4: Asked to be a sperm donor by a former roommate

6x4: Discussed ‘donor not dad’ with Hen

6x7: Masturbation jokes

6x7: Friends showed up at the firehouse to pressure him to donate

6x7: The 118 overheard his conversation with his friends

6:7: Several attempts to make the sperm donation

6x8: Uncle Buck

6x9: Announced he was officially responsible for the creation of new life

6x10: Died after being struck by lightning

6x11: Coma

6x12: Struggled with his death

6x13: Obtained special Math skills

6x15: Introduced himself to the death doula

6x17: Dated the doula and women from his past along with Kameron kept interrupting their dates

6x18: Saved the 118 after the bridge collapsed

6x18: Delivered Kameron’s baby on the couch his mother bought for him

6x18: Started dating the doula

Chimney

6x9: Found and purchased the murder house

6x10-6x11: Mr. Han arrived unannounced

6x13: Decided he was going to let the anger he had for his dad go 

6x14: LAFD Academy and Captaincy

6x15 – 6x18: Marriage proposal, lost engagement ring, worry, fear, arguments, etc.

Chris

6x4: Skipped science club meetings

6x8: First crush

Eddie

6x4: Gave Chris more independence

6x7: Investigated a victim’s assistant with Athena

6x8: Helped Chris get ready for his first dance

6x14 – 6x18: Pushed to start dating again by Pepa and misunderstood Bobby’s comment about finding the magic/chemistry

Hen

6x1: Interim Captain

6x2 – 6x6: Medical School

6x9 – 6x13: Nathaniel and Denny

6x18: Foster parents

Maddie

6x4: Helped Lourdes and Claribel

6x5: Trust issues with Magda the nanny

6x5: Trust issues with Noah after he stole her password

6x13: Interacted with crazy Carol the coupon lady

6x15 – 6x18: Marriage Proposal 

May

6x8: Negotiated with a terrorist

~~~~

The list above clearly illustrates how the character of Buck received four to five times as many storylines when compared with the other main characters.  Not only did he get the most storylines during season 6; they also ran the longest and in some instances, like the sperm donation, it was layered and included several mini storylines. The sperm donation was a huge storyline all on its own with recurring characters and multiple stages included within it; therefore, it should have been the only storyline Buck had this season.  For example, he was asked to donate in 6x4 but in 6x7 masturbation jokes were made about his donation, the 118 learned about it after Connor and Kameron showed up unannounced at the firehouse and he wouldn’t listen to the universe when all the challenges arose each time he tried to donate.  All of these are mini storylines within one of his main storylines and it made the abundance of attention his character received during season 6 even more egregious.

In previous seasons, storylines for all the main characters ran concurrently for one, two or three episodes. To illustrate this fact, several examples of the main characters’ storylines included in season 3 are listed below.

3x1 “Kids Today”

Buck’s recertification and embolism

Bobby spoke with the brass about Buck not returning to work

Hen and Karen’s IVF and their anonymous sperm donor

Eddie took Chris to Buck’s to help with his depression

3x2 “Sink or Swim”

Buck and Chris were on the pier when the Tsunami hit and Buck rescued a lot of victims

Chris fell off the ladder truck and Buck started searching for him

Eddie and Hen saved a future stepfather and his future stepson on a yacht while Bobby went underneath the boat to free them and Chimney triaged the captain of the yacht

Athena was off duty when the Tsunami hit and she controlled the crowd on a busy street that had multiple car accidents

May helped to keep a woman alive after Athena called for her while they were trapped in the middle of an L.A. street

Maddie was asked by Sue to triage the dispatchers while they took traumatic calls

3x8 “Malfunction”

Hen and Karen were still dealing with the aftermath of their IVF treatments

Athena was dealing with her suspension after 3x7

Hen hit the woman with the ambulance

Eddie was still participating in the illegal fight club; he almost killed a man and Bobby received a call from Captain Cooper about him

Maddie was caught stalking a 9-1-1 caller and Sue reprimanded her and ordered her to return to therapy

3x9 “Fallout”

Hen, Eddie and Maddie were all in therapy with Frank because of everything that happened with them individually in 3x8

Michael was dealing with his medical diagnosis

Maddie was contacted by the 9-1-1 caller she tried to help

The above episodes from season 3 clearly illustrates how every main character had a storyline, they all ran concurrently and surprisingly, 9-1-1 was still a top-rated show.  Buck DID NOT HAVE A STORYLINE IN EVERY EPISODE during that season and he wasn’t always the center of attention.

In season 5 the showrunner claimed they had scheduling issues with JLH’s maternity leave (this seems like an untruth because she was pregnant in season 4 so they knew she would be out but it appears they didn’t adequately prepare) RD’s legal issues with Disney about COVID-19 along with the banishing of KC from several episodes since the character of Maddie was out all appears to have been excuses to push the character of Buck to the forefront so the showrunner could push the cheating plot she had planned for Buck, TK and LD.  They still had an available robust ensemble cast so there shouldn’t have been a need for MW to be there for 18 episodes along with the introduction of AK.

Since season 6 DID NOT suffer from the same challenges that wrecked most of season 5, things should have been different because all the actors and actresses were present for all 18 episodes.  Therefore, it didn’t make any sense for Buck to have been given more than four to five times as many storylines as everyone else.

In the future, to make things fair, it would be better if storylines were distributed the way they were during seasons 1-3.  Or maybe the show should use simple Mathematics to determine the number of storylines each main character should receive.  

18 episodes / 9 main characters = 2 storylines

                                               or

                                     18 / 9 = 2

Doing it this way would give each main character at least two meaningful storylines per season.  If the show returned to the concurrent storylines format, then maybe all the main characters would have an opportunity to get something decent and it would prevent one character from receiving the bulk of them.

Hopefully the unequal distribution of storylines will not be an issue in season 7 but it’s possible history will repeat itself if the current showrunner resumes her role. It is evident Buck is her favorite character and it seems like she’s unconcerned about viewers’ favorite main characters who aren’t Buck.  Some viewers watch the show to see Athena, Bobby, Chimney, Chris, Eddie, Hen, Maddie and May while there are others who watch to see Buck.  More than likely, she’ll keep pushing the character of Buck the way she has for the entirety of seasons 5 and 6 out front with mediocre storylines while continuing to sideline the other main characters.

These are my criticisms regarding the unequal distribution of storylines for season 6 and “Constructive Criticisms” #5 will be posted on Monday, June 19, 2023.

I have a total of 15 CANON “Constructive Criticisms” (11 remaining) and my goal is to have all of them posted by Monday, August 28, 2023.  The topics are being posted in a specific order that begins with the overall issues for season 6 so they can be referenced within the posts about individual characters and ships that will follow them.

[direodes]

INDEPENDENT PRIVATE MULTI - MUSE.

━━━━ MY BRAIN GOES AHHHHHH CAN’T HEAR MY THOUGHTS! [...]

featuring primarily literature canon characters from various media such as : off campus , briar u , maple hills , etc RUNS ON MUTUALS & EXCLUSIVES

heavily plot driven. — est. 2023, revamped in 2024. written by stevie , she / her , 23 : minors and personals do not interact. discord available for mutuals.

muses , starter call

rules . 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗎𝗍

introduction. hi , i’m stevie , a twenty three year old who is revamping her blog especially because i went on a random hiatus. i graduated college with a degree in criminal justice , and currently work at a law firm as a paralegal. : replies may be limited due to working around 45-50 hours a week. this blog runs mostly on a queue bases. however , with that being said please do not hesitate to send an ask / im if we’re mutuals if you have any questions.

interactions . this blog will run with mutuals and exclusives , follows some canon verses for characters and is headcanon heavy. usually i would prefer if we discussed and are in the process of writing before we claim exclusives / mutuals , yet i am always open for them regardless. usually i accept 4 mains for a character && 1 exclusive.

literacy . i tend to write in third person , past and present tense with correct and remotely correct grammar. i write in small font , double or triple spaced. if that is an issue and you wish for me to change it when we write, please do not hesitate to let me know!! i want to make this blog inclusive for everyone !! this blog does tend to write a lot as i do love character development , that being said you do not need to match my length.

triggers .  this blog may deal with some triggers , however , every trigger will have its own warning and tag. this blog is a safe space for everyone and i would like to keep it that way. DO NOT interact with me if you support the following: if you are racist , homophobic , transphobic, any mentions of s*icude, and if you intend on whitewashing ANY character or if you discriminate against religion or ethnicity. THE BANNED FCS ARE AS FOLLOWED: amber heard , chris pratt , elizabeth olsen , armie hammer , robert downey jr , any deceased actors / actresses ( multi blogs excluded )

selectivity. to be very selective in terms of who i write with / who i interact with for the sole purpose of me being newish here… i’m still figuring out how to use tumblr to its fullest and i’m definitely trying my best. that being said , i will only follow those i am interested in interacting with at some point. if i read your rules , muse list etc and do not see any of our muses interacting then i simply will not follow … however , that being said i am definitely open for any and all crossovers so you are more than welcome to im me.

muses. i like to keep the writing here plain and simple , mostly to give myself peace of mind. my characters however , will also RARELY have face claims. especially since a lot of them are literature muses. i tend to primarily write for my hockey muses in books i have read, and will also have some original character muses.

[partnersatfazbear]

FNAF Movie - Full Review / SPOILERS

Alright, my full review after seeing the film once in theatres, under the cut:

Let me preface by saying a few things. I've been a fan of the series since Sister Location and if you follow my blog, you know my main interests would be William and Henry going into the film. Let me say: Henry was not in the film. :( In fact, nothing of Fredbear's was even referenced. Yeah, we expected too much... You may also know how bleh I am towards Vanessa as a character, especially after her botched introduction in Security Breach. That doesn't change here. I went in expecting to hate her inclusion and as expected she adds nothing to the film. But let me start from the beginning..

The first ten minutes is so good. The opening feels like a horror movie and sets the tone really well. Characters, although many, are introduced fairly quickly, including a very stereotypical / evil Aunt Jen (Aunt Jane). Given her actress, I should have expected that... Luckily, she has such a minor role in the movie that it doesn't detract. In short, she wants custody of Abby and wants it now.

Michael was the shining star of this movie. Without his character being everything I'd ever want from a character, I would probably rate this movie way lower. He's a little brooding, he's fucking trying his damndest to raise Abby on his own, and the movie opens with him having major anger problems. PTSD does that to you, though.

Shortly after Michael beats up some guy walking off with his kid, we get to a meeting with his career counselor, Afton (under a different name I don't recall--it's shown a lot in the trailers). But before I say that, I wanna discuss where I thought the film was going... If you played the games you know William is Michael's father. That is NOT the case here, very very very much to my disappointment. When we see an angry father drag off a kid and Mike get upset about it, I thought perhaps it would allude to Michael's troubled childhood. Nope. He's got different problems, which aren't really bad, but I really wish they had kept that familial connection given the scene following with Mike and ("Not")Afton. William recognizes Mike's name, which at this point it's unclear why. If a fan goes into this, they already know William was going to say Schmidt--Michael's alias in the games. My thought here was maybe William abandoned his family and recognized Mike, but Mike didn't recognize him. Again, more on that later. Anyway, "Not"Afton invites Mike to a job at FNAF as a security guard, which due to the night shifts, Michael can't take yet.

But Aunt Jane is back trying to get custody (god, this trope is so badly used here, but it serves it's purpose) and so Mike HAS to take the job before he's evicted from his home and loses Abby. Abby also has some problems of her own. She wasn't around during Mike's life-changing incident, but she is his sister. Due to their parents splitting/dying/whatever I don't even remember it's so unimportant, Abby also isn't told about said incident. She draws a lot, too. (I loved being able to see a bit of my version of Charlotte in her, so that was nice!)

Note: Mike's Dream Theory book is not only plot relevant but a funny nod to the infamous FNAF 4 Dream Theory. Also, MatPat shows up as a waiter very briefly.

Mike takes his first shift, leaving Abby with a babysitter. I know her actress' face, but her character is like a slew of others about to be introduced as 90's slasher fodder. Mike's first night is mostly uneventful, but he takes his sleeping pills and puts on Sounds of the Trailer Park Nature tape and gets a nap in where he recalls a camping trip with his family (unnamed mother, father, and little brother Garret). Garret is quickly kidnapped in a car--and because it's so different from how Charlotte's death is portrayed in FNAF 2, I actually didn't put it together until the 2nd or 3rd short dream sequence. I can see some people not liking these sequences, but for me it made it feel more like it's own movie, it's own thing--it felt like an original horror film and I loved these sequences a lot. They don't overstay their welcome, either.

Now the film kinda goes downhill. Aunt Jane actively PLOTS to get MIke fired to win custody of Abby. It feels very cheesy and it's... kind of bad writing. It serves it's purpose as her character does, but it's a really low point for me. We see she's hired the Babysitter and Unnamed Man A to go trash Freddy's when Mike isn't there in hopes to get him fired. There are two other people as well. Unnamed Person B and Hank (or, Uncle Hank as he was called in casting). And no Hank is NOT Henry--he's just an adorable buff bear that screams like a girl and he's excellent for the short time he appears.

Proceed with them trashing Freddy's and having a nice, quick sequence of them all being picked off by the animatronics. There's good nods here, especially Chica in the kitchen. Chica is a bad ass bitch in this movie and I really enjoyed how everyone (except Freddy) had a pretty solid personality. Foxy even gets a bit of a run sequence, but this may have been later in the film...

Vanessa was introduced somewhere between all this, I don't remember. Everytime she's on screen she's like a paper doll (no complaints to her actress, she was great), but she's... Generic Cop Y. She chunks a few "Don't investigate, Mike"s and "This place's backstory, Mike!"s and that's her character for 99% of the film. Hate it, hated her inclusion from the start, and she TRIES to be romantic with Mike but luckily the movie's plot cuts her off really quick. There isn't a kiss scene or anything like that, but there's a scene where she wants to dance with him and another heart-to-heart that gets cut off by her police radio and both were so dull and boring I will not recap them as her character only serves to infodump to the audience (and Mike) and it's bland and I hate it.

Mike returns to the Pizzeria with his sister since the animatronics killed the babysitter, and she wanders off and makes friends with the animatronics. During this time, Mike starts seeing a group of five children in his dreams that shouldn't be there. We all know who they are and after an 80's style montage of Mike, Vanessa (again...), and Abby building a fort with the animatromos, we learn Vanessa knows who they are.

My wife and I both thought Vanessa would be like... Suzie's sister. You know, something kinda fun and different and help her relate to Michael more and have a stake in the movie. Nah, nah fam. Scott's bad writing shows badly with Vanessa and it gets worse.

I am skipping some stuff, but namely you should know that Mike almost leaves Abby with Aunt Jane forever after Vanessa threatens to literally shoot him if he brings her back after Abby almost dies activating Bonnie's guitar. It seems kinda odd, since Vanessa was encouraging Abby to play with them, but it's supposed to.

Mike goes back for another shift to investigate further with the dream children and knowing that Abby has been seeing the ghost children and talking to them. The children promise to show Mike who kidnapped Garret (again, you should've figured it out) if they offer up Abby. He agrees at first, but then he wakes up and is nearly killed by all the animatronics. I really miss the bit from the games where they wanna kill Mike because he looks like his father, not because Mike broke an arbitrary promise and the animatronic kids are evil (similar to the novels... There's a lot of novel influence here, and this INCLUDES a Golden Freddy kid who is basically FF's Andrew / TOYSKHK from UCN).

Vanessa rescues Mike off-screen and Mike returns to Freddy's with a taser after learning she's Afton's daughter. Yeah. Remember that old deleted / AR email "Vanessa A."? The movie tries to get you to think it's clever by naming her Shelley or something, but no, A COP is the daughter of a SERIAL KILLER. Not like game Afton, either, where he started killing with Charlotte. No, he killed Garret too. Why? Who fucking cares, the movie isn't gonna tell you because... why bother. Also I don't remember when it happens but Vanessa also explains the springlock suits when they find one in the storage of Freddy's that looks a lot like Eleanor / Baby. The springlocks themselves aren't as much like the novels / comics and more like a robotic ribcage that slams shut (think Saw 3's Angel Trap but in reverse).

Speaking of, in the intro to the movie we see a device that's basically a Freddy head with blades inside it where the user is strapped to a chair to have their face sawed off (as is the fate of Security Guard A). Never explained. Only shown again with Mike very late in the film and he escapes rather easily... I DON'T KNOW what the point of this Saw trap is except to provide trailer fodder! I wanted to believe it was the SCUPER, but guess fucking not. You could remove this from the film with literally NO CONSEQUENCES.

Abby finally stops throwing a fit and wakes up to meet Golden Freddy and a dead Aunt Jane (so much for her, I guess). This taxi just fucking ubers her and GF to Fredbear's. I guess the driver thought he was a creepy cosplayer, but the entire segment is played for laughs (which is fine, I guess) but also makes no sense. it's an excuse to get Abby to Freddy's and show off GF. Who, by the way, disappears as quickly as he appeared in the movie, which is kind of shitty considering how important he's played up in some of the original screenshots we saw.

Mike goes to save Abby at Freddy's, electrocuting a bunch of the animatronics with the tazer Vanessa gave him after saving him off screen and taking him back to the police station and info dumping. If she hadn't said that was where Mike was I would've thought it was still Freddy's TBH. Oh, Vanessa? She's not gonna help because she's "scared of her daddy" -.- Just fucking kill me Vanessa it's better than sitting through your shitty character.

Abby is nearly put into the Saw trap by Chica, but Mike saves her. However... THE BEST PART OF THE FILM IS HERE GENTLEMEN. Spring Bonnie finally makes his appearance.

William/Bonnie can somehow magically control the animatronics (it's not explained) and so they all start attacking again. Which is it? Mad at Mike? Want Abby for their kiddy carnival? Or William wants them to kill to build his found-family of child labor force? I DON'T KNOW, IT'S NOT EXPLAINED.

Spring Bonnie's intro is fucking glorious, but it is disappointing we didn't get to hear him hum the Toreador March. In fact, it isn't in the film anywhere that I recall.

Tangent for a second because the march song, the power down noise (despite the power going out 3 times during the film), and the Freddy bonk are ALL ABSENT. Key elements fans wanted to see... not here.

Vanessa tries to shoot daddeh but Spring Bonnie's bulletproof~ Fuck you, it's FNAF, I guess. (It's a bad ass scene though. And Lillard's Afton is everything I wanted. Just creepy enough to not be a Criminal Minds villain but just twitchy enough to be how I imagined William). In a tussle, Wiliam tries to strangle Vanessa (I audibly cheered for him--kill the bitch, Will) and he stabs her shortly after when he brandishes the knife on Mike. Thank God.

Abby shows the animatronics her drawing with Mike's instruction, revealing and reminding them that Afton / Spring Bonnie killed them. They all descent on him and when Cupcake takes a very familiar bite out of Spring Bonnie (see: Springtrap), the springlocks start going off. The animatronics cart off William to the back. Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed it wasn't MORE dramatic, but I think that it would have upped the rating... so I'll let it slide. Mike and Abby leave with Vanessa's "corpse".

Vanessa is in a coma at the hospital. Fuck this movie.

Mike and Abby are happy, although Abby misses her friends. Mike has learned to look forward instead of back, giving him a decent character arc. I think if Garret's killer had been random it would have been better... except my theory for FNAF 2 is that Garret may end up being our Puppet! I really hope that's the case!

There's a final scene of William in his FNAF 3 glory, twitching as Spring Bonnie and reaching out for the door closing on him, in a very "Hello, Zepp" theme kinda way. I LIVED FOR THIS IT WAS EXACTLY HOW YOU'D WANT IT AS A WILLIAM FAN. Andrew/TOYSKHK/GF ghost closes the door on him, showing that at minimum he hasn't moved on, although I suspect the others haven't either.

Only cut in to the credits is that taxi driver again. No post-credits scene of Springtrap. EVERYONE in my theatre stayed the entire time (Living Tombstone song was great) but we all left a little sad about that. It was one of many odd decisions plaguing this movie, but not entirely out of the realm of possibility if you have any experience with Scott's writing. So... I went in expecting the worst, wishing for some things we didn't get to see (FREDBEARS), BUT I left loving this movie. As my wife said if we had a No-Vanessa-Cut I'd give this movie a perfect 10/10 despite the odd writing choices. She's about 45% of those choices.

I hope they leave her for dead so we can watch a PERFECT movie for Part 2.

In conclusion, A-. Good acting, score, effects. Dialogue didn't come off wierd and there's a ton of fun references for fans. A mostly good story with some weird inclusions that slow down the pacing at times. Lack of post-credits scene was disappointing to all and lack of Fredbear's disappointing to all Willry shippers. Also, casuals may be annoyed at how little screentime William gets overall. Fans of the animatronics will die over this film--they shine with Henson's work behind them. Bonnie has toebeans. I love them. Spring Bonnie is a hulking behemoth and I wish he was shown more. Just go see the fucking movie, even if you aren't a fan of the games. It's a fun little romp.

EXTRA NOTES (rewatched on streaming):

I wonder if the Saw trap thing will get explained in a future installment. A big thing now having seen the film is how to set up part 2. If it's a prequel, Mike won't make sense. If it's a sequel, it changes the lore slightly.

THE PIXEL INTRO OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT TO MENTION IT. IT'S SO GOOD. I LOVE 'YELLOW RABBIT'

I was VERY confused on WHEN the movie took place on my first watch. There's a very minor establishing shot that reads 4/6/2000. Unsure if this date is / will be important. Luckily the use of VHS and flip phones does help give a timeframe as well. (Saw crossover, anyone?)

I really wish the ghost kids in the real world (namely, at the end in the Pizzeria and in the final shot of William) were transluscent. IDK if this was a stylistic or budget choice. It doesn't bother me in the dream sequences but it's a touch I wish was added for viewer clarity (a problem this movie and Scott's writing in general has)

I didn't get to rant about Spring Bonnie enough lol But one thing that really does show his power is how he tosses Mike around like a footballer and stomps like he owns the place. The other animatronics are very stilted and slow in comparison, showing the difference well between an animatronic and a springlock suit. I also LOVE how accurate the suit is to the few models we've seen of Spring Bonnie. It's bulky to hold a human, but it's also bulky to show William's power and ego. I can't remember if I mentioned before when he first shows up and has to adjust his stance to stand up straight--it's a very powerful and evoking moment! (Probably helps that Lillard is very tall to begin with...)

A small thing about streaming VS theatre: way easier to see details in the theatre. I highly recommend you experience this film on a big screen or a very large TV (our 50" is not enough). Also, alot of the backgrounds in the film are purposely blurred, which is kinda weird? But little things like the details on the chalkboard, the map in Not!Afton's office... you'll kind of miss that on home viewings.

I didn't say this enough but the lack of Fredbear's really sucks in the long run of letting this movie soak in. There is literally no mention of Henry, Fredbear, or the diner. Vanessa's photo is at the diner in question where the film takes place. I feel like it's a very personal decision on Scott's part to completely ignore Fredbear's (I even partially suspect because of blogs like mine with a specific ship in mind, but I won't read a lot into that as I have an anxiety disorder) But to completely disregard a big chunk of the lore that fans are really dying for feels a little like a slap on the wrist for spilling juice on a new carpet. Like, come on, Scott. This kinda sucks. It doesn't diminish my love for the film (or this continuity) but as a fan it really hurts. I don't think clarifying Fredbear's in any way, given us more insight to Henry or William, would harm everything, but it is what it is.

A minor detail I noted early on in my theatre watch was how all the Yellow Rabbit drawings are pretty centralized on the wall of drawings in the restaraunt. Not only does it draws the viewer's eye (especially an unsuspecting viewer's) but it adds to William's narcissism / ego as a character. If you look at it in that light, the scene with Abby ripping down the drawing is way more impactful!!

[rotting-aftons]

thoughts about the fnaf movie (in no particular order)

-I really liked all the actors, ESPECIALLY Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard. They slayed

-The animatronic puppets were SO COOL. OH MY GOD

-The matpat cameo scared me so bad i cant even describe the noises i made

-Josh Hutcherson and his huge brown eyes. holy shit

-The inclusion of Vanessa was kinda weird. like they needed another character and chose her at random. I mean i liked her and the actress did a great job but I feel like she was a

-I Don't Like how they fucked with the backstory. I don't like Vanessa being William's kid instead of Mike and I don't like how they made Evan (I'm not calling him Garrett. i refuse.) kidnapped by William

-I was really hoping through the movie that all that shit with the kidnapping would be something Mike had made up in order to mask a worse childhood

-No bite of 83 :((((

-When springtrap walked out i literally screamed in the theater. no shits given. AAAAAAAA

IN CONCLUSION: it was a lot of fun and obviously had a LOT of talent behind it but I didn't like all the story changes

[adridoesstuff]

Rant/Roast/Personal thoughts on the 2022 Schönbrunn concert version of Elisabeth das musical

So, inspired by the insightful video on this topic by fellow content creator @fitzrove , I decided to write down all my impulsive thoughts while watching this production, since Fitz's video will probably be the only bearable way I will watch the concert version.

Disclaimer: any criticism in the following list isn't meant as a direct criticism of the actors, they are just on that stage doing their job. But this is mainly a criticism of the creative team behind the production (i.e. director, choreographer, designers, casting directors...etc.), who are the main driving force and reason behind how a show looks and feels.

Disclaimer no. 2: The following text contains swearing. A LOT OF IT. And a lot of capslock. This production brought forth the worst in me while writing this and I wrote this at 4 am in the morning, so, you have been warned.

• Already hating the picture frame set and we didn't even begin

• The choreography for Prolog is already abysmal

• Why are we going off on the pyros? We didn't even get through the Prolog

• Whatever they have the Todesengel doing on the frame is dumb

• THE CROTCH CAM. Who's idea was it, because that is literally the worst angle they could have chosen

• Abla is so cute, but they did her so dirty with that dress and they didn't even try when doing her wig's hairline

• I miss Max wearing hunting clothes :( because where the hell is he going dressed like that?

• Why did they omit the line about Sisi wanting to join the circus if she weren't a princess? (Is it because of that damned swing?)

• Why did they decide to make a 3 year gap between Wie Du and Schön euch alles zu sehen? Because that makes Sisi 10/11 or younger during Wie Du, which just seems like an unnecessary change

• The amount of skirt hiking I see here is already exceeding my limits and we're not even 15 minutes in

• No costumes for the ensemble? I thought this was supposed to be the SPECTACULAR new version

• THE DREADED SWING. And it's even dumber than I expected

• I could already see Mark creeping in the background, so talk about an anticlimactic reveal

• And the inclusion of KKOG, my beloathed.

• The entire staging of KKOG here makes zero sense

• Mark, please get off that fucking swing. I don't care that you can take a seat on it from behind, just get off

• Also, why is Mark in white? Literally, why? When they kept in the lyric "Ich erkenn dich, schwartzer Prinz"? It makes no sense

• Ok, Lucheni on the swing is cute and understandable

• Andre was a good Franz back in the 1st revival, but at this point, he's too old to play a younger Franz in Act 1. If you're gonna split cast Elisabeth, do a split cast for Franz as well.

• And this gets only more apparent with Sophie, since the actress playing her looks about the same age as Andre. They literally look more like a husband and wife than mother and son

• Sophie's dress isn't bad per se, it is just very bland

• The male ensemble got some truly hideous coats for Jedem gibt er das seine

• Why are we skipping over the historical goodies of this scene? Literally, those were the whole point there

• PROLONGED HAND SHOT

• The costume department seems to have bulk bought that chunky gold trim and just said fuck it and put in on everyone's coat

• Abla stealing the conductor's wand and trying to conduct is so cute

• Her dress? Not so much. Very bland

• Literally, why are they cutting so much of the book? And especially Lucheni's lines in the middle of So wie man plant und denkt?

• The age difference is even worse now, that Abla and Andre are standing side by side (not looking forward to Nichts ist schwer)

• I miss Lucheni messing with Helene and Sophie :(

• I didn't think I'd like David Jakobs as Lucheni, but he and Abla are the only saving graces on that stage thus far

• Imagine what David could do with good staging and direction a la 1st revival and a complete book

• I even dare say that he could pull off being a Der Tod in the vein of Martin Markert, because he does have that chaotic "came here to fuck around" energy

• Yep, Andre and Abla look more like father and daughter together than a freshly engaged couple

• Okay, Lucheni holding the box with the necklace while giving the most dead pan face straight into the camera is honestly funny

• That necklace doesn't look the least bit heavy. It's literally just felt with some rhinestones

• They literally couldn't even give Abla's wig some forehead curls to mask that god-awful hairline? And they couldn't even curl it properly?

• Was the budget so tight that they couldn't even give the ensemble ladies ONE DECENT COSTUME?

• And they couldn't even iron or at least steam the wrinkles out of that wedding dress? And yes, I don't like it in all it's polyester glory

• The decision to have Mark's legs framed in the shot between Abla and Andre is a CHOICE

• Also, it doesn't look like Mark will change into the black costume anytime soon. Or at all for that matter. So much for the angels being in black

• Talk about "spectacular concert production". Yeah, spectacular that over half the costumes that should be here aren't even present and the set is amateurish at best

• And did Mark literally only stand there to do that evil laugh and then leave? Couldn't he have done that somewhere else?

• Oh, god, did I already mention that the choreography is bad. I can literally do better in my room at 3 am and I am an utter klutz

• I can't even make an argument for the exaggerated whisper motions being camp, because that clearly wasn't what they were going for

• Those colored gloves on the ensemble ladies are so fugly

• Also, the choice to have Elisabeth present while the entire nobility talks shit about her is a MASSIVE CHOICE

• Did Mark have in his contract that he must appear for a certain amount of time on stage? Because why is he standing there in the background?

• MARK, STOP CLIMBING UP THERE

• Okay, him telepathically controlling Elisabeth like a puppet could be an interesting idea anywhere but in a post 2012 production, where in their last scene together he told her "instead of ruling over you, I will be loved". Just makes Der Tod look like an ass

• WHY ISN'T THE ENSEMBLE FROZEN? WHY ISN'T ANYONE FROZEN FOR THAT MATTER?

• Manhandling your love interest is not the way to go unless you're Maté!Tod, who is essentally a giant cat in a human body. It's understandable then, because it does go along with the characterization there, but not HERE

• That was literally the unsexiest hip thrust ever

• Did Abla and Andre literally just flee the scene so that Mark could have his lead man big number finale moment for himself?

• I don't know how I didn't mention this already but MARK, TUCK YOUR GODDAMN SHIRT IN

• Did they literally cut the entirety of Die Gaffer?

• But when I think about it, it's probably better not hearing about the onsetting wedding night in this casting situation

• But they are doing David dirty by cutting so many of his lines

• And they literally cut the entire first verse of Eine Keiserin muss glänzen. Like, what's the rush, besties? You don't have a train to catch

• That change over between Abla and Maya was interesting, but I still am very much against the split track and plus the place they did it makes zero sense

• Did they hire the shittiest wig makers in Vienna for this? Because Maya also didn't get a wig with a decent hairline

• And they couldn't make the puffed sleeves on the nightgowns any less awkwardly short, could they?

• But Maya and Abla both slayed the vocals

• WHY DID THEY CUT STATIONEN EINE EHE??????!!!!

• If someone were to see this show for the first time here, they must be so fucking confused

• And if they want to excuse that by "oh, we're making it more understandable for a mass audience" BULLSHIT, YOU'RE NOT! You're making it LESS understandable by cutting all the context

• Also, the atillas look hideous. What did they make them out of???? Felt????

• Death now provides coffins for your dead kids! Also, for that coffin to have a 3 year old kid inside, it's kind of small

• That dress Maya got for this scene is so bad and just makes her look frumpy

• Yes, because nothing impresses your lady love like you doing a super manly power stance over her freshly deceased kid's coffin

• Homeboy, you didn't "float in a dance". You first telepathically controlled her movements, then were walking around all broody before you started manhandling her in the roughest way possible

• And yes, nothing calms down your beloved so much like wrapping her up in a coffin cover

• Maya looks so confused and yeah, girl, same

• Didn't they literally have anyone else but Andre available to carry the coffin away? What about the Todesengel? Is their only job climbing onto that frame and slowly spreading a wing each?

• Also, where is Mark walking to?

• DAVID IS BACK <3

• If they dare cut a big chunk of Fröhliche Apokalypse, I will scream

• Did they literally tell the male emsemble to bring their own beige trenchcoat to the job? Because it sure does look like they did

• They cut the second verse of Fröhliche Apokalypse...at this point, I don't even have the energy to complain about that

• At least they kept Lucheni's café apron, but it is kind of out of place since they have no set change to make it look like a café

• The amount of side-eye little Rudolf gives is honestly so funny

• Maya looks rightfully outraged at this production, but at least for once, she gets a costume that isn't outright bad (at least that robe looks decent, because that silky orange-y thing peeking out from under it doesn't

• Okay, that almost kiss was too close for this only being Act 1

• I would have liked it better if maybe Mark just remained sitting absolutely stunned for a moment longer than him immediately standing up after Maya pulls away

• I would have liked more smashing the Milchkannen onto the stage but I'm happy to see David back

• Why are they pouring the milk into mugs if it's meant to be for a goddamned bath? Filling an entire bathtub mug by mug seems kind of counterproductive

• OF COURSE THEY CUT A VERSE OUT OF THE SONG

• The cardboard cover for the frame is such a bad solution here. It literally could have been solved by different blocking and lighting but they did the laziest thing they could

• I feel like too much of the volume of the skirt of the Star dress migrated onto the sleeves. And what happened to making the Star dress looking soft and ethereal? Ever since 2012, the European versions just keep on getting stiffer

• At least the wig looks alright. It isn't the best, but it is, an improvement from that previous one

• They had multiple instances, where I feel a side entrance for Mark would benefit his presence. But this is the only time I feel like the top center entrance would be good, but they manage to screw it up once again and have him come on stage from god knows where only for him having to awkwardly time when to take the stairs to get the high ground while trying not to bump into Maya

• WE'RE ONLY AT THE END OF ACT 1???!!!

• Lucheni strutting through the audience with a hand held mic is honestly a mood, although I don't like the plastic toy crown they gave him

• Also, no Kitsch bedazzled jacket? :(

• And him not actually getting prop souvenirs, but the pictures being shown on the LCD screens seems like a massive cop out

• In short: they are doing David dirty with this staging

• The ensemble with their flags are just so unenthusiastic

• Okay, the carriage is a nice idea and Maya finally got a decent dress!

• But why is she already here? We're literally in the middle of Kitsch. Don't tell me they cut Éljen

• David is slaying, ngl and I would have liked to see more shots of him during Kitch rather than literally everyone else around

• Like, this is his big number, let him have his moment!

• Of course they cut Éljen

• And Mark still hasn't changed costumes, so I guess he's doing the entire show in the white version

• What are the ensemble ladies doing there during Wenn ich tanzen will? They are literally just there to block Maya from twirling in her dress

• Okay, Maya stealing one of their Hungarian flags is nice

• And we have a return of Der Tod telepathically controlling Elisabeth's movements and it's even worse than in Act 1

• I'm sorry, but where is all the spice this song is supposed to have? Maya and Mark literally have so little chemistry as Elisabeth and Der Tod due to this horrid staging

• Why is the lighting so severely purple and blue?

• I miss them flying at one another for that final chorus and pushing one another to the other end of the stage

• The camera operator must really like Mark's legs, because they make a comeback!

• They gave little Rudolf the blandest blocking

• But Der Tod taking Rudolf onto his shoulders is kind of cute

• Wait, I liked that blocking for once! Where are you going, Mark?

• Little Rudolf could literally not give less shits about Der Tod here

• Why did we cut the interlude and Lucheni's introduction to the insane asylum?

• Maya's dress has some nicely pleated cuffs, but that duochrome fabric looks so wrinkly. And her hat literally doesn't match her dress at all

• Okay, what is this weird newly added dance sequence and music interlude? Did they literally cut all the above mentioned songs for this??? It doesn't even sound like it belongs in this show

• That was the lengthiest and most confusing and unnecessary sequence ever

• Why did they light this scene in BRIGHT ULTRAMARINE when the only person on stage is Maya and she's wearing a RED/ORANGE/BROWN DRESS? It just washes her out

• And I forgot to mention that they couldn't have picked a more dull and unflattering brown shade for both Abla's and Maya's wig

• Why did they keep the mad woman there in the middle of the frame for the entirety of Nichts nichts gar nichts?

• DAVID IS BACK <3

• At least Sophie got a costume change and I like it much better than her Act 1 dress

• The return of those ugly out of period men's ensemble jackets :(

• They cut the middle of Wir oder sie. WHY ARE THEY CUTTING ALL THE HISTORICAL REFERENCES??????!!!!

• That was the most awkward transition in between songs ever done

• The female ensemble finally got some form of costume!

• And Frau Wolf is SLAYING

• Why did they cut the first verse of Nur kein genieren? And at this point I am convinced that someone has a last train home to catch and cutting down on the ensemble numbers was the only way for them to make it

• But, I like that we do get chemistry between Lucheni and Frau Wolf and that they got to split the lines in that one verse they kept in

• That fall down the stairs looked like it did take a while to practice

• And with it comes a costume I utterly hate: that goddamn lilac robe with the black lace chevrons Elisabeth wears for Maladie

• They literally couldn't have made that cape Mark wears here any less awkward in the amount of gaping it has in the front?

• Which is made even more awkward by him being in white

• If everyone remembers that gif set of Mark not catching the necklace at the end of Maladie during the 2nd revival: I think that is the reason why they kept him at ground level here

• And he does catch it, but that was literally so devoid of climax

• Sophie gets a nice bonnet/cape combo for Bellaria!

• Background framed power stance, but this time, they at least added some flavor with some contra lights

• At back to cutting more of the book for Rastlose Jahre!

• We finally got to Shatten!

• And Rudolf is a little too tidily dressed for my liking

• Oh, here comes the fishing rod/cat toy!!!

• Why are they sitting not looking at one another?

• Also, why are they literally 5 feet apart? As far as I remember, COVID wasn't that rampant in summer of 2022

• Matching one leg up on a stair poses

• The homophobia of not having the slightest bit of physical interaction between Der Tod and Rudolf

• But either way, I love Lukas as Rudolf. Still great 19 years later

• NO DON'T YOU DARE PICK UP THAT FISHING ROD/WHIP/CAT TOY

• Screaming at each other across the stage just like a couple of guys being dudes

• BEHOLD, CAT BOY RUDOLF. When the fandom said that Rudolf is our poor little meow-meow, we didn't mean this!

• You can tell from both Lukas and Mark's faces, that they also think this is ridiculous

• Why did they cut out so many of the feel good historical bits, but not Hass????? That is literally the only song I would prefer they skip here??????

• Lukas is so good in Spiegel (thanks for the feels!! Finally some good content from this performance!!!)

• And even though I dislike Rudolfs being dressed in Austrian style uniforms, Lukas has an especially nicely tailored one

• Lukas going to the ground to beg Maya????? My heart can't take the feels????

• MARK, STOP CREEPING IN THE BACKGROUND

• Oh, dear, the dreaded no-homo version of Mayerling

• And why did they choose to keep Maya on stage? During this scene? Why?

• Okay, the choreo is dumb again

• WHY DON'T WE GET THE TODOLF KISS ANYMORE VBW?????!!!!!

• AND WHY DID MARK NEVER GET TO WEAR THE MAYERLING DRESSES????

• Maya cradling Lukas's jacket during Totenklage is touching tho

To summarize: I wouldn't pay the insane prices for a ticket to this production for the amount of bad scenic solutions, lack of costumes and some truly abysmal directing choices.

[imthepunchlord]

How would you say, realistically, Zoe being Chloe’s younger half-sister works out? Knowing Audrey and Andre, do you think Audrey just separated from Andre temporarily and hooked up with Mr. Lee and Andre just accepted it when she got pregnant? This would’ve had to have been soon after Chloe was born for the ages to be close, too.

I don't know as the show itself isn't clear. As least, I don't remember them being clear about Zoe's set up. I know my ML buddies and I, near the time Zoe's intro ep came out, couldn't figure out if Audrey cheated on Andre or if Zoe was born before they got married?

But I'd answer no, Zoe doesn't work out, not as Chloe's half sister or even as an existing character. It really feels like she was brought in because they wanted a "good Chloe" to be Bee. Cause if Bee HAD to go to a blonde, Rose and Aurore are right there, and the latter is pretty popular for a background character. Miss Sting could've existed!

But as a character, Zoe hasn't brought anything to the table. The episodes that are supposed to be about her aren't even about her but still more about Chloe. At this point, I say she only exists to answer the fans want for a redeemed antagonistic character. As Chloe is the one fans want redeemed the most, Zoe is essentially here to be like, "Ok, here's your redeemed blonde".

Though with Zoe being a skilled actress and manipulator, you could also count her as a possible redeemed Lila too.

So Zoe is their easy out to redeeming one of the two mean girls that fans could want to see redeemed, allowing them to not redeem them, keep them bad to antagonize Marinette, and not do the work of redeeming them. Especially as Thomas just wants Chloe and Lila to stay evil and terrible.

Which like, dude, you didn't need 2 mean girls to go against Marinette; this could've flowed better if one was against Adrien or Alya.

Honestly, when Lila was brought in and implied to be "worse" than Chloe, that was their chance to start a Chloe redemption as they didn't need 2 mean girls against Marinette. But Thomas doesn't want Chloe redeemed or to have Lila expand her animosity to Marinette so... and fans really wanted a redeemed character so here's Zoe to fill that void. She looks like Chloe and has similar traits to Lila. Boom. Best of both worlds they are so brilliant.

So, of the little we have of her, I'm not seeing the point of Zoe herself existing as a character in this already big roster they have going. Not to say nothing could be done with her, but I'm not anticipating this show to really do anything either. So as of now, she's a pointless inclusion, done only so because they want the Bee to be tied to Chloe, but don't want to do the work of redeeming Chloe or even changing up her role (and Lila too).

If Zoe HAD to exist, by set up, I'd say it'd be better if Zoe and Chloe were cousins. Have Mr Lee instead be Audrey's brother, and he sends Zoe up cause maybe Paris would be better for her or she's apart of a program to study abroad idk.

I could also see potential if they were twin sisters, and Audrey took the preferred daughter with her as Chloe wasn't meeting her standards. Mindful, Style Queen and Zoe coming in would have to be tweaked/meshed together in some way, but it can be done. @nobodyfamousposts shared a possible thought of Zoe being Chloe's own Lila and merging Zoe and Lila into one as they're both skilled in manipulating people (and cut Lila out entirely), and expand on how messed up the Bourgeois are as a family and offer another reason for Chloe to get to that point as Zoe manipulated things against her; though Chloe also didn't make things easy for Zoe.

Either way, I don't think Zoe works as a character; not with her coming in so late which tells me she was unplanned for the Bourgeois family; her set up being unclear on the details, and to me, it feels like she exists to answer fans' want for a redeemed mean girl so they don't have to change their characters and their status quo or put in that effort.

She's an easy character to cut out/not include.

[navree]

Lowkey hate race swapping sometimes. Now hear me out!

I don't mind when people race swap chatacters I just hate it when changing their race would totally change the entire story or have a lot of implications to the story.

I don't mind when fictional charcater race are changed but I hate it when they change a characters race who are suppose to be a certain race for a reason. When they chnage those types of characters a lot of time it changes the narrative of the story and their actions.

Same with historical show or documentaries. If this real life figure was another than they were we would have completely different story on our hands. Like please open a history book.

Listen, when it comes to fictional characters "racebending" means nothing to me unless it's whitewashing (Titans casting a white actor to play Dick Grayson and the MCU casting a white actress to play Wanda Maximoff when they are both literally canonically Romani both ethnically and culturally is my villain origin story) because fiction is fiction, and honestly you can tweak a story to make a character's journey adapt to the new inclusion of them being a member of a minority class so long as you're talented enough. Most writers aren't, and that's why a lot of "oh we made X character a POC in this adaptation" moves tend to ring hollow, but it is possible.

But I have a genuine bone to pick when it's about history.

For one, it's just such a lazy move. "Oh we made Bess of Hardwick Chinese!" fantastic but you do know that Chinese people existed in the late 16th century right? Like, China was a country with a lot of people in it and a thriving culture and way of life and plenty of influential people living there. Why aren't we telling stories about a Chinese woman living in that time period, it's not like that period of Chinese history was dull or as if no one ever mattered or nothing ever happened there. Like, for God's sake, it's just a way of showing that you aren't actually interested in learning about other parts of the world, or decentering Western history, specifically European history, as the only history worth learning about, you just want brownie points for being diverse without actually putting in the work to learn about the vibrant world that existed outside of Europe for the vast majority of human history, aka doing anything to actually explore different non-Western narratives and how the world moved outside of the European bubble.

For two, like you said, a lot of the time "racebending" doesn't really include attempts to accommodate how the history would change. Bridgerton is a wish fulfillment fantasy show so I don't often care about how it deals with history (even tho I do think the Charlotte was black theory is complete bunk and I refuse to engage with people who think it's real) but its whole "and now England is desegregated" thing falls very flat when you remember how involved England was in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, how reliant it was on slave labor, how invested it was in capturing and buying and selling slaves, including the royals. It puts a lot of onus on characters that they've made POC without doing any of the work, and oftentimes deals in a lot of harmful stereotypes. This was seen most egregiously in the 2021 Anne Boleyn show that cast Jodie Turner-Smith as Anne. @duchessofferia discussed this much better than I will, but relying on the same old lazy tropes that have defined Anne Boleyn with a black woman playing her turned into genuinely harmful racial representation. Having Anne be sexually aggressive and domineering and harsh in her mannerisms, especially when compared to Jane Seymour, isn't new, but having a black woman be looming over a small white woman and being sexually aggressive with her feeds into harmful stereotypes about black women and their femininity, and by having George Boleyn also be black, painting him as a sexual deviant and adding a plot where he abandons his responsibilities as a father turns him into the "absent black baby daddy" trope that still does a lot of harm to black men today. Not to mention, changing George Boleyn's race but keeping the rumor about Jane Boleyn lying on the stand to incriminate him turns a "wife turns against her husband for unknown reasons" story into a "white woman accuses a black man of sexual inpropriety that his society would frown on for the purpose of getting him executed by the state" story, which has a long and incredibly dark history in the United States (it's basically the Scottsboro Boys but Renaissance now). I mean, it's basically my primary issue with Hamilton, that the show really wants to capitalize on the whole "America then as told by America now" thing without delving into what it means to have literal slaveowners portrayed by black men and to have the character of Thomas fucking Jefferson call Sally Hemmings by a pet name in that show without any introspection into the fact that she wasn't his girlfriend but, you know, a woman he full on owned and repeatedly raped. It's all surface level and generally causes a lot more problems by refusing to alter the history to deal with these new changes, because it's history and you can't really alter it without creating a host of problems.

With Cleopatra specifically, I mentioned it before but the Ptolemies were total fuckups and literal colonizers in and of themselves, and turning them from a Macedonian dynasty into actual people of color for some kind of narrative (like there aren't any other important women of color in history, or even that time period) while not attempting to even examine the history of that dynasty and that queen in particular doesn't sit right. Like, congratulations, you've now created a story where a woman of color's most important contributions in life were her relationships with white men who held significantly more power than her and over her country, and fucked up to such a degree that her country wouldn't even be considered its own country until the 1950s. How absolutely groundbreaking. Next you're gonna tell me it's subversive to paint Livia Drusilla as a scheming, conniving bitch who manipulated everyone around her, instead of a sexist and tired trope that exists only to demonize one of the few women of actual importance in Augustan Rome because she was half a decade older than her husband and was able to keep her own power after he died. It's not just a lack of intellectual curiosity or good storytelling, but a fundamental misunderstanding of why people want to see stories about people of color, and how Hollywood itself thinks so little of their audience that they think we'll be content with a simple coat of "hey this person's a minority now!" paint over a subject without any attempt to really look into things or understand why the world works the way it does or how these people shaped their lives or the lives of those around them, never mind the new messages you're sending now with these changes.

Ultimately, it doesn't really matter. There's a lot that can fuck up with historical representation in media, and representation of people of color in media in general can always be so incredibly fucked that giving people anything is oftentimes a win in and of itself. But I honestly think that focusing on the same Euro-centric stories and just switching around Pantone skin swatches to do the bare minimum is lazy and insulting. You want me to care about historical stories about people of color? Great, give me historical stories about actual people of color. Let me hear more about ethnic Egyptians, about their lives and their culture and how they influenced history, not ahistorical trash that causes more trouble than its worth and certainly isn't doing anything new or interesting with the subject.

[infamous-empire]

Infamous Empire’s random movie thoughts - Millennium Actress

No preamble I could write really sums up my feelings on the film, it’s just fascinating

Spoilers for the movie ahead if you care about that sort of thing

At its core, the movie’s story is rather simple: an old actress is interviewed about her career, and most of the film is basically a flashback detailing how she got into acting and her pursuit of the mysterious man she fell in love with. But the real meat of the film is, of course, the way it’s told, using scenes from various films she’d acted as the framework by which the story is told.

For most of the film, I just thought of it as good fun. The way it interweaved fiction and reality was fascinating and added flavor to the whole thing, the inclusion of the interviewers (especially the camera man) into the narrative was what really sold the blending of realities for me and helped develop them as fans of Chiyoko’s career. In general, I found it to be enjoyable, but wasn’t quite hooked on it like I was for Satoshi Kon’s previous film, Perfect Blue

That all changed, however, with the final act of the film, which so thoroughly recontextualized the entire film and perfectly wrapped it up that it elevated the whole thing to Masterpiece levels. The fact that the artist was dead the whole time reframes the whole thing as a fleeting tragedy, the fact that Genya knew the entire time put several moments with him (like when he cried over Chiyoko failing to catch up to the man near the start of the film) in a new light, the fact that he saves her over and over in the various roles he plays is given new meaning by the fact that he saved her from the Earthquake years earlier, and the way the film perfectly capped off Chiyoko’s development (how she realizes she isn’t the person she once was, the symbolic relation of the interviews with the key, her entire death scene, the and the film closing on Chiyoko realizing that what she really loved all along was chasing after the man and the journey that took her on), not to mention ending on the same scene it started on but with new context, just gave the film such a fantastic closing few minutes

My thoughts probably aren’t gonna add anything substantial to the conversation surrounding this film, but I just like throwing some thoughts out there, so why not?

[jakethesequel]

I did finally get around to watching the barbie movie since my family was also watching it. I think it was probably the best movie that they could have made (which I mean to be read at least as derogatory as it is complimentary). It's well-made, and produced to a very high quality with the set and costume design etc. It's nice that it is at least in conversation with feminist criticisms laid at the Barbie brand for years and attempts to address some of them. And it does answer some, suggesting more diversity in their dolls, that it should represent less of an unreachable ideal for womanhood, that being a perfectly feminine Barbie Girlboss is just as restrictive a role as the domestic motherhood of earlier dolls, etc. That's a good message! It's a fine feminism 101 for a movie whose primary market is children, and the B-plot about Ken not needing to be a paragon of toxic masculinity or have a romantic relationship to be worthwhile is a decent one for young boys too.

But along the way to that message is where the movie kind of gets awkward, in its side plots and digressions. By far the worst of it is the inclusion of a Barbie Mount Rushmore and an incredibly tasteless metaphor to the smallpox plague that devastated Indigenous people in the Americas. Both go entirely unremarked on, which is indefensible. That aside, there are quite a few lesser issues that maybe don't ruin the movie but certainly become head-scratcher and leave the movie feeling incomplete.

For example, the Mattel boardroom. They're portrayed as buffoonish, but never malicious, because Mattel will sign off on a movie that laughs at them but not one that will seriously criticize them. Whatever, that part's probably unavoidable when Mattel is signing the cheques. The problem is that they're not just buffoonish, they're buffoonishly misogynistic. It's an all-male boardroom, for one, and the characters repeatedly make incredibly misogynistic statements. As far as I remember, this is never resolved! It's lightly criticized and then moved past without any real change, which really neuters the movie's criticism of patriarchy when all the feminist characters make no effort to change that. While it works with Ken for him to be misogynist due mostly to ignorance rather than hostility and be forgiven, that's because he's mostly there as a metaphor for young boys who haven't learned better. It's really toothless to treat a boardroom full of adult men actively enjoying patriarchal authority the same way and the movie probably would have been better with that whole plotline replaced with the FBI or something.

Also, Trans Barbie. I think it's incredibly great to see Hari Nef on screen, unquestioned to be just as feminine as the other Barbies. But while I love the representation, it becomes apparent that this is not a Trans Barbie, but a trans actress playing a cis Barbie. Barbieland in general has an extremely strict and seemingly unchanging gender divide, Kens and Barbies. There's no indication that going from one to the other, changing your plastic body, is possible. So the movie really fails to send a positive message to trans kids, who aren't gonna know the minutia behind each Barbie's actress. Alan is sort of a queer analogue, being not a Ken or a Barbie and having an implied romantic interest in Ken, but it's only ever implied, almost as a joke like Sugar Daddy Ken and Magic Earring Ken (notably they never mention why those Kens were discontinued). In general the movie takes a wide berth around any queer issues that can't be couched in a joke, and I can only imagine that's Mattel's influence again. Like the previous Mattel point, this really serves to diminish the movie's message. You can only go so far to criticize patriarchy if you refuse to include a queer angle. Especially given the focus on the relationship between Barbie and Ken, it becomes awkward when the only options given mention are "cishet romance" and "no romance." It feels stilted that every Ken wants a completely disinterested Barbie as an inherent rule. The glaring omission of talking about queer issues (outside of jokes) in the movie seems purposeful and targeted on Mattel's part.

[armandjolras]

Dumping an extremely long writeup of my thoughts about the IWTV series here. In case anyone does read it, tw for domestic abuse and rape, because it seems that’s the story we got 💀

The show overall

I absolutely loved the inclusive representation and how naturally the story supported the changes. I’ve distanced myself a bit from the books and film because I’m increasingly uncomfortable with their problematic elements, so it was great to experience the story without those. I loved how gay it was, at last!!! The use of Covid in the new framing story feels very 2021 lol but I think it’s an interesting idea, and the Dubai flat is soooo Armand (/neg).

That being said, if I had to look at the show objectively I would say it’s not very good. I don’t know enough about tv production to say what the issue was, but both the writing and direction felt awkward to me. The climax was too drawn out, and ending the show by revealing Armand’s identity will surely be underwhelming to anyone who hasn’t read the book or seen the film. I really disliked how desaturated and brownish the colour palette was, and I don’t think the mood matched the books. It wasn’t very gothic, but instead had a sort of sterility that reminded me of what I’ve seen of Hannibal. And finally, a lot of things seemed very silly to me. The way they hissed at each other was straight out of What We Do In The Shadows, and wasn’t that mind-reading scene, where everyone is thinking about food/sex, from Twilight??

Maybe this is overly pessimistic, but I have a feeling the show won’t be renewed for series 3. I really would love a decent adaptation of books 2 and 3, but maybe it is for the best, as the books get increasingly sillier, and because of the way Lestat was characterised so far💀

The characters

Jacob is so perfect as Louis. It’s refreshing to see Louis as he originally was, before he was flanderised in later books, and while I don’t think Brad Pitt is as bad as most people do, Jacob fits the character exactly and brings so much energy to the role.

I’m sooo obsessed with Bailey as Claudia, she was so much fun! I was never a huge Claudia fan before, but I love how her personality was portrayed in this, and how prominent of a role she was given, I cared about her so much. And Bailey masters that very creepy wide-eyed stare. I’m glad we got an adult actress as Claudia because of the intensity of the story (even though I did have to suspend my disbelief a bit when the show focused on how Claudia will look so young and 14 forever when she could easily pass as a grown up)

However, I HATED the rape plot. It served little purpose and could be replaced with some other plot point, and it’s such an upsetting, lazy trope to have a female character raped (especially a girl of colour). And I was excited to have an early fang gang cameo before that happened 😭

I’m a bit meh on Eric and how Daniel is written in general. I just think he’s too much of an asshole, and Eric delivers his lines in such a mean way. There’s definitely shades of Daniel’s personality there, and I COULD see Daniel growing up to be like that — I just think he’s a good guy, nicer than we’re shown here. And I really didn’t like the brief appearance of young Daniel, I don’t think he had the right energy at all.

And the new framing story means almost certainly no devil’s minion, but I doubt the show will make it that far anyway.

He was barely in it but I’m already obsessed with Assad’s Armand, his demeanor is perfect, and he really looks like an Armand! So excited to see more of him in series 2.

The minor characters were good, I especially liked having a bit of Louis sister’s arc in there!

I saved Lestat for last because I have a lot to say 💀. I thought Sam did a great job all things considered, so I don’t blame him, just the writing. Even before episode 5 i didn’t love this depiction of the character. There were some things I did like — he was fun, annoying, and impetuous, as Lestat should be. But I didn’t get the sense that he loved humanity, which is one of Lestat’s most important characteristics. Of course that wasn’t in book 1, but the framing story is supposed to be a revision of the original interview anyway. He enjoyed partying with people, but never seemed to care about any mortals. They could have given screentime to that, instead of the abuse. Or maybe they decided to base his characterisation on later series Lestat who does seem to abuse the people he loves /j

Initially, I didn’t know why they made him so abusive. From my perspective, the hard part of adapting IWTV is balancing Lestat’s abusiveness in that book with who he becomes in later books, blending the character attributes, so the audience will like him later on. So WHY would they make him MORE abusive??

I do wonder if it’s because they made Louis/Lestat an explicit romance. It’s a lot harder to believe that Louis would be complicit in Lestat’s death when he’s happily in love with him than when it was Brad Pitt acting numb and miserable. I wonder if they added this graphic and violent abuse to convince the audience, as well as Louis and Claudia, to hate Lestat in the span of one episode. And if so, that’s so lazy! They could have focused more on Lestat’s psychological control, convincing the others that they’re helpless without him, or Louis’s self-loathing about being a vampire and his resentment of Lestat.

And to be honest, while the beating scene was awful, I was more upset by the traincar scene with Claudia. I just watched The Shining last weekend and Lestat bursting into the train with the severed head of the conductor was so Jack Torrence. And if I didn’t misunderstand, i think he threatened to rape Claudia, and told her that if she let that happen, it would upset Louis. Please correct me if I’m wrong! Because that is horrendous.

i don’t think there’s any coming back from this for the character. In the series, the characters are willing to forgive anything over time because they’re all immortal, but I can’t see the audience forgiving. So if they do make it past series 2, it will be interesting to see what they do. (And maybe it’s for the best if not, not only because of Lestat, but also because I’d rather not see any screen time dedicated to Marius lol)

[8-evil-annoying-catboys]

not directly related to the post i just rb’d (for the second time, and which i agree with, just btw) but looking thru the notes reminded me. i’ve been seeing ppl who are either not latine or are not open about being latine, jabbing at the moment near the end of barbie (2023) where sasha tells her father that him saying “sí se puede” to barbie before she goes in to see the gynecologist is cultural appropriation. usually when i see people mentioning this, they make it out to be that she’s telling him that learning spanish is cultural appropriation, and completely remove the context of the scene. being chicane and specifically of mexican heritage, i kinda wanted to mull this over on my own blog, yknow? below is a long-ass post dissecting my take on barbie and its message, and why, ultimately, i think the discourse about it is kind of overblown and most people posting about it, positively OR negatively, are ignoring the real issues with it. it’s mostly about the aforementioned scene but i talk about other stuff too

granted, i didn’t love the fact that they included this dialogue, it seemed gratuitous and like they were just trying to be more inclusive in a film that was very much told through a White Feminist lens, without much intersectional perspective throughout, so that people wouldn’t knock on the film for including minor characters who were disabled, trans, and poc, and a few major supporting characters who were woc, for diversity points, but not meaningfully integrating their experiences into the message of the film, and, noticeably, diversifying the barbies and kens who are not real humans, but only having two human women characters of color, whose roles don’t integrate the fact that they ARE woc in really ANY meaningful ways either. however… sasha was not wrong in saying this. and she wasn’t saying that her father learning spanish is culturally appropriative. the dialogue, if memory serves, goes like this:

father (to barbie): estoy muy orguoso de tí.

gloria (mom): orgulloso.

father: orgulloso. estoy muy orgulloso de tí. (smiling) ¡sí se puede!

gloria: that’s a political statement.

sasha (daughter): yeah, dad, that’s cultural appropriation.

“sí, ¡se puede!” is a political statement. it was coined for use in this context by dolores huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, in 1972. it is usually associated with césar chávez, though, being a more well-known figure and the other founder of UFW. in the US, it is a federally registered trademark of the union, but it has also been adopted by other labor unions and immigration activists. the literal translation is “yes, it can be done!” which refers to using organised protest to accomplish goals in the realms of workers’ rights, and human rights more generally, especially in contexts where the majority of victimised people are latine. in short, taking this phrase and saying it in a completely different context, as a white person, to another white person, IS appropriative. sasha had every right to say this, and, really, her mother commenting “that’s a political statement,” was just a less aggressive way of saying the same thing, and she was right, too.

basically? i think that people are taking issue with the wrong thing here. this scene wasn’t really funny, at least not to me as a mixed mexican myself, therefore someone who would be the target audience for this joke. but it was kind of truthful. and ultimately, what bothered me the most about barbie was that, despite the fact that, yes, they have a disabled barbie in the center for a bit during the dance number, yes, they had a trans actress play one of the barbies with multiple lines, yes, they cast multiple poc in the film and gave multiple of them several speaking lines, and noticeably weren’t too shy on hiring poc for extras… the story didn’t really… care about them. if you took all those actors, and replaced them with abled, white, cishet actors instead… the story would barely change. the only thing that would probably change is that they would’ve shown the dad doing something else to occupy his time other than learning spanish on duolingo, and they’d have replaced this awkward dialogue with something else. everything else could’ve and would’ve stayed exactly the same.

while i like that the message of this movie was not… like, incompatible with intersectional feminism, it also wasn’t really that groundbreaking feminist film that a lot of people are making it out to be, to be totally honest. it’s a good slightly-deeper-than-surface-level deconstruction of the patriarchy and how it hurts men AND women, although it hurts women more profoundly more often, but there wasn’t much there to specifically point out and sympathise with the struggles of marginalised people who aren’t women, and women who are marginalised in ways that aren’t solely related to the fact that they’re women. it’s a fun movie with a core message worth taking to heart, but it’s also served up with a pretty overtly pro-capitalism, and pro-consumerism message on the side, and it’s neutral, at best, towards the people who are hurt by capitalism/consumerism. i enjoyed it, but i’m really sick of seeing people argue about whether it’s a groundbreaking egalitarian intersectional feminist film or not. there wasn’t as much substance to it, in that realm, as i was expecting—granted, i also went in having seen someone say it was rated R, but it was only rated PG-13, so i was sitting there like, “…where’s the rated R content? where’s the deconstruction of women’s sexuality? why doesn’t barbie react to Barbie Girl by Aqua?!?!” lmfao. i wouldn’t say you shouldn’t see it, but i also wouldn’t drag you to see it if you’re not interested. and i DEFINITELY wouldn’t say it was all that deep. it was just fun, and i don’t think you should go into the theatre to see a fun, playful movie that isn’t that deep, when you’re expecting a deep, intersectional deconstruction of masculinity and femininity and the patriarchy.

i would say, though, that if you’re indigenous, just know that our perspectives weren’t considered deeply by the writers. there is that line, mentioned in the post i referred to at the very beginning of this long-ass post, which could be offensive, where the dolls are directly compared to the plight faced by indigenous people when smallpox was brought over from europe, so be aware of that. and if you’re latine, don’t expect the film to portray the two latina leads as… well, latina, beyond just dealing with the white dad not being very good at speaking spanish. if you’re trans, don’t go expecting them to talk about our struggles and not present a cisgender take on feminism. if you’re disabled, know that there isn’t a lot of representation, and iirc the one barbie who is a wheelchair user doesn’t have any lines, although i may be wrong. if she does she probably has one, or two lines, otherwise i think i’d remember her talking. in all cases, don’t go see it if that would be upsetting for you. but if you’re okay with that, it’s an enjoyable movie.